Stouffer's & Stouffer's Lean Cuisine - Nestle
Boston Market - Heinz
Banquet - ConAgra
Smart Ones - Heinz
11 August 2009
Lean Cuisine Swedish meatballs
Noodles: tender & delicate. Very much like "normal" egg noodles we always buy in the supermarket, without any of the huge, touch, chewy, thick, leatheriness of the other brands.
Meatballs: 6. Weird-looking, like "brown and serve" sausages. Good flavor, though a somewhat spongy and "slippery" texture, like Grandma Billie's meatloaf. Kind of gross. Wait. Billie used to put oatmeal in her meatloaf. Goddamn it, now I have to check the ingredients...AHA!! THERE IS OATMEAL IN THEM!! GLARGHHGLEARRGH *thud*
Gravy: Tasty. No sour cream, nothing "off". Reminds me of "brown gravy" from an envelope.
Basically, I like the noodles & the gravy, hate the oaty meatballs. Glad I saved some noodles & gravy for last to drive the slimyness of the meatballs out of my mouth. hwarf hwarf
Meatballs: 6. Weird-looking, like "brown and serve" sausages. Good flavor, though a somewhat spongy and "slippery" texture, like Grandma Billie's meatloaf. Kind of gross. Wait. Billie used to put oatmeal in her meatloaf. Goddamn it, now I have to check the ingredients...AHA!! THERE IS OATMEAL IN THEM!! GLARGHHGLEARRGH *thud*
Gravy: Tasty. No sour cream, nothing "off". Reminds me of "brown gravy" from an envelope.
Basically, I like the noodles & the gravy, hate the oaty meatballs. Glad I saved some noodles & gravy for last to drive the slimyness of the meatballs out of my mouth. hwarf hwarf
10 August 2009
healthy choice cafe steamers general tso's spicy chicken
three tiny pieces of chicken? hmm...that's about a third of a chicken tenderlion. it's been loaded with flavoring, tenderizers, and soy protein. chicken tastes kind of artificial - a bit chewy, probably from the soy protein.
lots of carrots, little to no scallions, a small handful of peas, chopped red pepper of the bell variety. veggies steamed to being just done, but not too done.
rice is perfectly done. not crunchy, not chewy. lots of it, though
sauce is thick and adds flavorful, tip to mid tongue heat. Not too spicy. Pretty evenly coats everything so nothing is bland. flavors are soy, ginger, pepper, sake if you think about it really hard, hot red pepper, garlic and something that I can't quite place
prep time: 5 minutes
total cal: 320
cal from fat: 40
sodium: 500 mg; 21%
overall: decent, but not enough chickeny goodness for the price you pay (2 for $7) probably won't get again.
lots of carrots, little to no scallions, a small handful of peas, chopped red pepper of the bell variety. veggies steamed to being just done, but not too done.
rice is perfectly done. not crunchy, not chewy. lots of it, though
sauce is thick and adds flavorful, tip to mid tongue heat. Not too spicy. Pretty evenly coats everything so nothing is bland. flavors are soy, ginger, pepper, sake if you think about it really hard, hot red pepper, garlic and something that I can't quite place
prep time: 5 minutes
total cal: 320
cal from fat: 40
sodium: 500 mg; 21%
overall: decent, but not enough chickeny goodness for the price you pay (2 for $7) probably won't get again.
07 August 2009
Healthy choice sweet asian potstickers
total cal - 380
total cal (fat) - 45
sodium: 500mg; 25%
prep time - 6 min total
sauce is a sweet mix of cane juice and soy sauce - not too salty, but not too sweet either. is a clear, orangeish color
dumplings (x3): dumpling wrapper is tough - to be expected from microwave product, but edible. filling is slightly spicy and compliments the sweet sauce nicely (tofu, cellophane noodles, cabbage, "spices" - definitely includes pepper)
carrots. peppers, scallions, water chestnuts - carrots and peppers are perfect; slightly crunchy, not at all mushy. scallions are a little tough and grassy, but add onionesque flavor nonetheless. water chestnuts are nonexistant.
rice - firm medium grain, yet slightly chewy precooked rice. not bad when eaten with the sauce provided.
overall - good, sweet + spicy lunch
total cal (fat) - 45
sodium: 500mg; 25%
prep time - 6 min total
sauce is a sweet mix of cane juice and soy sauce - not too salty, but not too sweet either. is a clear, orangeish color
dumplings (x3): dumpling wrapper is tough - to be expected from microwave product, but edible. filling is slightly spicy and compliments the sweet sauce nicely (tofu, cellophane noodles, cabbage, "spices" - definitely includes pepper)
carrots. peppers, scallions, water chestnuts - carrots and peppers are perfect; slightly crunchy, not at all mushy. scallions are a little tough and grassy, but add onionesque flavor nonetheless. water chestnuts are nonexistant.
rice - firm medium grain, yet slightly chewy precooked rice. not bad when eaten with the sauce provided.
overall - good, sweet + spicy lunch
06 August 2009
Boston Market Swedish Meatballs
Noodles: Thick and tough, just like Banquet (well, not quite, they don't fight off my molars like Banquet does.)
Gravy: Unexpectedly good. Well-balanced flavor with sour cream notes, not too much bouillony aftertaste, spicy!! cayenne pepper bumping around in the background. Very good.
Meatballs: Nine meatballs, each bigger than Banquet's. Decent flavor and texture (still some TVP, but nearly as much as Bq, these meatballs aren't spongy) Taste much closer to homemade.
Gravy: Unexpectedly good. Well-balanced flavor with sour cream notes, not too much bouillony aftertaste, spicy!! cayenne pepper bumping around in the background. Very good.
Meatballs: Nine meatballs, each bigger than Banquet's. Decent flavor and texture (still some TVP, but nearly as much as Bq, these meatballs aren't spongy) Taste much closer to homemade.
04 August 2009
Zevia notes
Natural Twist - Very lemony/limey, almost too strong, reminds me of furniture polish; how will I say this gently in the review? My least favorite so far.
Orange - great! Very natural tasting, citrusy without being overpowering like the twist. I like it.
Black cherry - deep authentic black cherry flavor. Hint of non-sugar sweetener bitterness, but fairly decent nonetheless.
Root beer - good RB flavor, hint of licorice in there somewhere.
Ginger Ale - Excellent, light & "fruity" with much more of a freshly-grated ginger flavor than any GA I've had.
Done.
Banquet Swedish Meatballs
Huge, thick, tough noodles. They don't like to be chewed. They fight back.
Gravy: Odd. Sour (discovered sour cream in ingredients.) Artificial beef flavor. Sticky. Kind of gummy mouthfeel.
Four TINY meatballs. Lots of TVP. Taste exactly like every other frozen mass-package meatball.
Gravy: Odd. Sour (discovered sour cream in ingredients.) Artificial beef flavor. Sticky. Kind of gummy mouthfeel.
Four TINY meatballs. Lots of TVP. Taste exactly like every other frozen mass-package meatball.