More and more quick fix, microwaveable meals are moving from the grocery freezer and appearing on grocery shelves. These can be great for those who don’t have a fridge or freezer in the office. But how do they taste?
I recently tried two new brands: Hormel Compleats Sesame Chicken and Kraft’s Taco Bell Salsa Chicken Bowlz. Let’s see how they measure up:
| Taco Bell Salsa Chicken Bowlz | Hormel Compleats Sesame Chicken with Oriental Vegetables & Pasta | | Size | 9 ounces | 10 ounces | | Calories | 290 | 320 | | Fat (grams) | 5 | 8 | | Saturated fat (grams) | 0.5 | 2.5 | | Trans fat (grams) | 0 | 0 | | Protein (grams) | 15 | 22 | | Sodium (mg) | 610 | 600 | | Fiber (grams) | 6 | 2 |
Nutritionally, the Taco Bell dish is a bit better in this comparison with lower fat, saturated fat and higher fiber.
One thing I’ve noticed with these types of shelf-stable meals is that the foods inside generally looks NOTHING like the food on the label. That can be a little disconcerting, but I remind myself that it’s the taste that counts.
The Taco Bell dish was actually very tasty. With a little salad and a soft tortilla shell I could have made myself an awesome burrito. The amount of fiber was also a bonus as many of these meals have very little. I’d definitely buy this again.
The Hormel product had much more gravy and almost no vegetables compared to the picture on the box. Although it wasn’t pretty to look at, the taste wasn’t bad. You’d definitely have to have a side of veggies with this one. It wasn’t good enough that I’d buy it again, but I’ll keep an open mind and try another flavor to see if I like that better. Even though if was a bit higher in calories, it didn’t keep me satisfied as long as the higher fiber Taco Bell meal.
What’s the bottom line? I still recommend frozen meals over shelf stable for variety and flavor. But if you look around, you’ll probably find one or two that you like. It’s only a matter of time before big improvements are made in these meals and they become true contenders in the quick meal market.
- Renee
Labels: healthy eating, Product Review, Renee
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