Best Push-Button Dinners
I recently received an issue of Real Simple Food in which the editors reported on a taste test of 100 frozen meals. I thought this would be useful information for students, so I am passing it along. They also mentioned a helpful website that rates microwave meals called HeatEatReview.com (their motto is “We eat it so you don’t have to”). The site also arranges meals by rating, brand and ingredient.
If you would like to read my abbreviated report of Real Simple’s results, please follow the link below.
Real Simple divided the meals into 4 categories and listed the winner and runner-up in each division:
Traditional- Winner: Marie Callender’s Beef Salisbury Steak & Gravy ($3.50) – The meat is tasty, the gravy is “rich, peppery, and not over-salted like most packaged gravies.” It comes with red-skinned potato wedges and green beans with bits of bacon.
- Runner-up: Boston Market Country Fried Chicken ($4) – “…tender and juicy, with a crisp, ungreasy coating.” The mashed potatoes and glazed peas with carrots were also described as delicious.
- Winner: Kashi All Natural Lemon Rosemary Chicken ($4) – “Best part: The seven-whole-grain pilaf—rich and nutty.” The chicken is “moist and tender; the sugar snap peas, sweet and slightly crunchy. The light lemon, rosemary and white-wine sauce perfectly complemented both.” (Note: HeatEatReview.com's reviewer preferred the Southwest Style Chicken.)
Runner-up: Lean Cuisine Fiesta Grilled Chicken ($3.50) – “Tasters were wowed by the herb-coated chunks of white-meat chicken.” Also contains black and pinto beans, sweet roasted red and yellow bell peppers and Spanish-style rice.
- Winner: Stouffer’s Lasangne with Meat & Sauce ($6.50, serves 5) – Noodles weren’t rubbery or gooey like most. “The meat sauce had ‘a simmered-all-day taste’ with 'a nice balance of herbs and spices.'”
- Runner-up: Trader Joe’s Cheese Enchiladas ($4, serves 4) – I know you’ve all had these, so I’ll skip the description!
- Tandoor Chef Chicken Curry ($4) – “It tastes like it came from a restaurant.” This one “garnered raves” for an authentic tasting sauce and tender chunks of chicken breast. (Note: This doesn’t come with rice)
- Runner-up: Amy’s Teriyaki Bowl ($4.50) – Almost all organic. Vegetables are “remarkably crisp” and the brown rice “perfectly cooked.”