Favorite Frozen Prepared Foods

[takadi]

Packed full of preservatives, chemicals, sodium. I say screw that, it's all a big stereotype. There are actually SOME frozen foods out there that are extremely delicious, and looking on the ingredient list, it actually contains some pretty high quality stuff. Being a hungry college student, last week I actually went to the grocery store and bought random frozen foods and critiqued them. Here's what I thought-

Marie Calendar's Grilled Chicken and alfredo bake:

This would actually be pretty good...if it actually had noodles. The chicken was good for frozen chicken, pretty tough though. There was no point of the word "bake" in the title though....it was supposed to be coated with a bunch of bread crumbs, but it just ended up being a soggy mess. If you stir it in it doesn't taste much different. An awesome dish that fell close due to slight lack of quality (as well as quantity)

Micheal Angelo's Chicken Parmesean:

Though I've never even heard of this brand, the cover looked pretty damn good, and it used the word "family" and "tradition" alot, so I figured that I'll take the risk and see if this was actually as good as home cooked stuff. I tried it and there there were two problems...not enough noodles again, and something I tend to notice with all spaghetti type dinners: the noodles are pure mush. They have no firmness or texture, rather they are just thin tubular masses of baby food. The tomato sauce was also LACKING in flavor. Nevertheless, the chicken was VERY good. Maybe I was just really hungry.

Corner Bistro Linguini with scallops and Shrimp:

Wow, the title...and the ingredients too. Butter, Garlic, REAL shrimp and scallops (pretty average size too). And it's from a BISTRO! ooooo. BUT...dont' be deceived, this was probably the worst tasting and the worst smelling dish of all. Okay, so the scallops and shrimp themselves were pretty good. But again, no noodles, and they were all soggy. Finally...the sauce...for the love of god. A cloudy pile of goo that soon after became liquidy, salty, and flavorless. By the end, I felt like i was drinking fish brine. Afterwards, I felt woozy and disoriented (probably from excess amounts of msg) with EXTREMELY fishy breath and a smell that wouldn't go away. At least the vegetables were okay....

Zatarain's Jambalaya with sausage:

This was probably one of the most promising dishes at glance because its made with simple ingredients that don't need much effort to store like rice. It smelled good when I took it out of the microwave. It even looked and to a certain extent tasted good. However, I began to experience a weird bitter aftertaste and a crunchy, gritty texture that I had no clue where it originated. I looked at the ingredients and finally saw the extensive flavor additives and random crap they added, including "silicon dioxide", which according to wikipedia, is used to make protection tiles at the bottoms of space crafts, to make artificial sand at resort beaches, and for the case of jamabalaya, to encourage flow of liquids (in this case, the "spice" liquid that sloshes around at the bottom when cooking). No wonder why I tasted something sandy. So near the end, it ends up being spanish rice with that high-school cafeteria texture, a metallic bitter aftertaste...and sand. The sausage was good though....bu t's just RICE! How hard can it be to freeze it...

Taipei Mongolian Brand Barbeque Chicken

This is a pretty awkward dish in that it was actually inside a chinese box. And you cooked it inside its plastic wrap. Whatever the box says I guess. So I cooked it and upon opening it it smells REALLY good, partially because I was so hungry. So there were just two problems. One was that upon opening, expecting it to be filled to the brim with chinese goodness, its filled halfway (ripoff). Second, though it tasted good, it is DRENCHED in sauce that gets to be extremely salty afterwards. At least it left my fingers smelling good later. Typical chinese lunchbox dish...extra soaked. Okay if you're really that desperate.

Marie Calender's Pot Pie (Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Real Portabello Mushrooms):

Words cannot explain the sensual experience of this....I love you Marie Calendar...all 35 g of fat and 17 g of protein of you....fluffy savory crust, SUPER creamy gravy loaded with mushrooms with vegetables and CRAZY good chicken...filled to the brim....ARGHH!!! There is no way in hell this is frozen food...it actually LOOKS like the cover! The ingredients even list Sherry wine...unreal. Finished it off with milk...so full.....

In conclusion, Marie Calendar's pot pie is actually better than some fresh pot pies I've had. Wow. Go buy some of that stuff right now. Seriously

Edited April 15, 2007 by takadi (log)

[saltedgreens]

Marie Calender's Pot Pie (Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Real Portabello Mushrooms):

Words cannot explain the sensual experience of this....I love you Marie Calendar...all 35 g of fat and 17 g of protein of you....fluffy savory crust, SUPER creamy gravy loaded with mushrooms with vegetables and CRAZY good chicken...filled to the brim....ARGHH!!! There is no way in hell this is frozen food...it actually LOOKS like the cover! The ingredients even list Sherry wine...unreal.

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I am so with you on this one.

[Lilija]

*cough cough*

My name is Lili, and I was once addicted to Stouffers creamed chipped beef.

I'm ok now, but I occasionally have a relapse.

[CaliPoutine]

Marie Calender's Pot Pie (Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Real Portabello Mushrooms):

Words cannot explain the sensual experience of this....I love you Marie Calendar...all 35 g of fat and 17 g of protein of you....fluffy savory crust, SUPER creamy gravy loaded with mushrooms with vegetables and CRAZY good chicken...filled to the brim....ARGHH!!! There is no way in hell this is frozen food...it actually LOOKS like the cover! The ingredients even list Sherry wine...unreal.

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I am so with you on this one.

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Yeah, but one of those pot pies is supposed to be 2 servings. I can't justify eating 1700 calories for one item.

[rooftop1000]

The lack of pasta in a pasta item really throws me with th eStouffers Mac n Cheese...isnt the cheese sauce the expensive part? shouldnt there be enough pasta in there that you dont have a puddle of sauce left????

My freezer has

Mrs T's Perogies

Green Giant Shoepeg white corn in butter sauce

Store brand Latkes....uh onion flavored tater tots

and a pie crust for emergency quiche dinners

can have Ravioli, Stuffed shells or Manicotti from BJ's

tracey

[LindsayAnn]

Marie Calender's Pot Pie (Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Real Portabello Mushrooms):

Words cannot explain the sensual experience of this....I love you Marie Calendar...all 35 g of fat and 17 g of protein of you....fluffy savory crust, SUPER creamy gravy loaded with mushrooms with vegetables and CRAZY good chicken...filled to the brim....ARGHH!!! There is no way in hell this is frozen food...it actually LOOKS like the cover! The ingredients even list Sherry wine...unreal.

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I am so with you on this one.

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Yeah, but one of those pot pies is supposed to be 2 servings. I can't justify eating 1700 calories for one item.

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Ahh come on , yeah yeah you can..once in a while at least Perhaps after a long, hard, stressful day? As a reward? Or even, just cause your jonesing (sp?) for one?

Permission granted - enjoy one (or two or three), we wont tell a soul!

[LindsayAnn]

I get cravings (shhh) for stoffers mac and cheese...the BIGGER BOx size (front says in bold letters, now larger size)....2.5 servings all to me!Gobbled up in and 5 mins flat....joyous!

I dont do this often, but when I do it sure feels good! Like I said not often though, only once every other day! Kidding!!!

[KatieLoeb]

I've always been happy with the frozen products I've purchased at Trader Joes. I'm particularly fond of the burritos. Any of their own label stuff has been good whether frozen, dried boxed or jarred.

Stouffer's Spinach Souffle is a complete addiction of mine. The red box stuffed peppers or stuffed cabbage are really good too.

Smart Ones 2 grams of fat Mac 'n Cheese is my substitute addiction for the Stouffers red box stuff. It's like methadone, but it works.

[CaliPoutine]

Marie Calender's Pot Pie (Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Real Portabello Mushrooms):

Words cannot explain the sensual experience of this....I love you Marie Calendar...all 35 g of fat and 17 g of protein of you....fluffy savory crust, SUPER creamy gravy loaded with mushrooms with vegetables and CRAZY good chicken...filled to the brim....ARGHH!!! There is no way in hell this is frozen food...it actually LOOKS like the cover! The ingredients even list Sherry wine...unreal.

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I am so with you on this one.

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Yeah, but one of those pot pies is supposed to be 2 servings. I can't justify eating 1700 calories for one item.

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Ahh come on , yeah yeah you can..once in a while at least Perhaps after a long, hard, stressful day? As a reward? Or even, just cause your jonesing (sp?) for one?

Permission granted - enjoy one (or two or three), we wont tell a soul!

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Well, actually, I'm diabetic, so I can't eat that many carbs. I'd be in a food coma if I did. I could eat one serving, but is 1 cup really going to fill me up? It might, but it would be hard to leave the other half( Plus, I doubt it would reheat well).

The ironic thing is that yesterday I was grocery shopping in Michigan( they dont sell Marie Calenders in Canada btw) and I actually picked one of these up and looked at the nutritional information( They were on sale for 2 bucks), but I had to pass it up based soley on what I read about the carbs and fat.

Edited April 15, 2007 by CaliPoutine (log)

[shelly59]

I, a long-term veggie hater , am in love with Hanover Frozen Shoe Peg Corn. Tastes just-off-the-cob with a nice mouth-feel, not mushy. I just heat it up in the microwave, throw in knob of butter and some salt & pepper and voila, like summer.

Other frozen foods in my freezer:

2 boxes Mrs. T's Pierogis - Potato & Onion

4 Pet Ritz Frozen Pie Crusts for my Pot Pies

2 bags Celantano Frozen Mini Raviolis

2 bags Cascadian Farms Frozen Blueberries

and 3 bags of the aforementioned Shoe Peg Corn

[Domestic Goddess]

Mine would be korean japchae dumplings. Fried and dipped with soysauce and vinegar - heaven!

[LindsayAnn]

Marie Calender's Pot Pie (Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Real Portabello Mushrooms):

Words cannot explain the sensual experience of this....I love you Marie Calendar...all 35 g of fat and 17 g of protein of you....fluffy savory crust, SUPER creamy gravy loaded with mushrooms with vegetables and CRAZY good chicken...filled to the brim....ARGHH!!! There is no way in hell this is frozen food...it actually LOOKS like the cover! The ingredients even list Sherry wine...unreal.

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I am so with you on this one.

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Yeah, but one of those pot pies is supposed to be 2 servings. I can't justify eating 1700 calories for one item.

←

Ahh come on , yeah yeah you can..once in a while at least Perhaps after a long, hard, stressful day? As a reward? Or even, just cause your jonesing (sp?) for one?

Permission granted - enjoy one (or two or three), we wont tell a soul!

←

Well, actually, I'm diabetic, so I can't eat that many carbs. I'd be in a food coma if I did. I could eat one serving, but is 1 cup really going to fill me up? It might, but it would be hard to leave the other half( Plus, I doubt it would reheat well).

The ironic thing is that yesterday I was grocery shopping in Michigan( they dont sell Marie Calenders in Canada btw) and I actually picked one of these up and looked at the nutritional information( They were on sale for 2 bucks), but I had to pass it up based soley on what I read about the carbs and fat.

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Ah I see - you hadn't mentioned that tid bit...so you can't have it! I am sorry, boo! But I bet you feel better not having it than suffering the consequences of having it! I am sure there are plenty of yummy rewards that you CAN have that work better with you anyhow!

[Blanche Davidian]

I've recently been turned on to Lean Cuisine pizzas and paninis. I think they taste better than Hot Pockets, which had been my freezer standby. I'm a little afraid to branch out to the other varieties, but I hear the spa cuisine meals are pretty good.

Another thing you might enjoy is frozen indian food. I am particularly fond of the Deep Foods variety. They're a bit hard to find, but it's definitely worth seeking them out.

Husband is a fan of frozen meat pies of the British, Austrailian or Jamaican variety, liberally doused in HP or Pickapeppa sauce. I'll ask him what kinds he's tried.

Also, did you check out this thread?

[Lilija]

Husband is a fan of frozen meat pies of the British, Austrailian or Jamaican variety, liberally doused in HP or Pickapeppa sauce.  I'll ask him what kinds he's tried. 

Also, did you check out this thread?

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I forgot all about those Jamaican meat patties, those are FANTASTIC. Just like the ones we had in Jamaica, and healthy gobs of Pickapeppa, and a good scotch bonnet sauce takes it all home.

[Tess]

Dr. Praeger's vegetable pancakes. The fish sticks are terrible, though.

[lia]

I love original Gardenburgers and I always have a box of Weaver Chicken Rondelets in the freezer. I eat both items with cheddar cheese and hot peppers on a toasted english.

There was a frozen burrito I used to buy frequently, in both beef and chicken, can't remember the brand, I think maybe Don Julio...maybe not....but it's disappeared. and I'm sad.

[takadi]

omg, I can't believe I totally forgot about Jamaican beef patties!! Best invention ever!

[FistFullaRoux]

Many veggies are fine fare from frozen. As long as they aren't cooked to death. Some other things are still really good, if you suspend your belief in what the item is "supposed" to taste like. For what they actually are, they're pretty good.

I'm still a Hot Pockets fan, and Stouffer's Lasagna is a standard in my freezer. French bread pizza. Frozen waffles are also a common item in my home. No, I don't have a waffle iron - small apartment kitchen and not enough room to fart much less add more equipment. Though that is about to change.

Does this discussion include ice cream?

[Cadbury]

Does this discussion include ice cream?

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Ice cream is a food? I thought it was a drug - inhaled in vast quantities.

[JanMcBaker]

I, a long-term veggie hater , am in love with Hanover Frozen Shoe Peg Corn. Tastes just-off-the-cob with a nice mouth-feel, not mushy. I just heat it up in the microwave, throw in knob of butter and some salt & pepper and voila, like summer.

I like Hanover frozen veggies too. And since you like their white corn, keep an eye out for Cope's frozen white corn from Lancaster PA. I don't what their distribution area is, but you might be close enough for it to be in a store near you. Yummy stuff, prepared just the way you said, or cooked gently in a pan with a touch of cream and some butter...... wowies!

[Kouign Aman]

Stouffer's Spinach Souffle is a complete addiction of mine.

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Hi Katie. My name is Kouign Aman and I am an addict.

I also like Costco or TJ's frozen gyoza.

[hsm]

One of my addictions: Costco sells the Costco-sized bag of Ling Ling frozen chicken and vegetable pot stickers. They're damn good and about 10 bucks (Whole Foods is carrying them, too, except their packages have about 10 dumplings and sell for just under $5).

I'm raising my hand for the Souffer's Spinach Souffle. I mix one with sour cream (or yogurt), 2 T of pesto, a bit of nutmeg and broad noodles, then top with cheese and bake. And eat.

[heidih]

3 products come to mind. 1st Lean Cuisine Fettucine Alfredo when I am super calorie conscious- I first saute onion, garlic and spinach in a haze of olive oil, then mix in the 1/2 cooked box, sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and red pepper flakes- quite a meal when in diet mode. 2nd are Lean Pockets- turkey broccholi flavor. I give 1/3 to the giant dog and eat the rest dashing on hot sauce and following each bite with a chunk of good tomato- my comfort breakfast. 3rd would be the Trader Joe frozen artichoke hearts.

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

I've been fairly happy with frozen foods from Trader Joes. I'm particularly fond of their chicken perogies, tarte d alsace and lemongrass chicken sticks.

[takadi]

Does this discussion include ice cream?

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Ice cream is a food? I thought it was a drug - inhaled in vast quantities.

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Definitely includes ice cream. Unless there's a melted variety.

And don't forget about frozen drinks too! Those are a rarity these days. Remember Donald duck?