Frozen entrees

[Margaret Pilgrim]

We stock a handful of frozen meals for instant lunches when leftovers aren’t available.   A very few taste good while a majority have major problems with seasoning.   Sharp, unbalanced, veering far from classic renditions of what they are purported to be.   How do these sometimes truly awful products pass testing?    Major brands and known chefs included.   Is the national taste level really that low?  (Martha Stewart, we’re looking at you, too.)

[pastrygirl]

I keep a few of these around for work lunches, can vouch for chicken-feta-farro, chicken sausage-barley, green goddess.  If I'm hungry I might add an egg or two.  Salt and hot sauce to taste.  Grocery Outlet usually has a couple varieties for around $2.50 each.

 

https://www.healthychoice.com/power-bowls-products

 

 

[Anna N]

3 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

We stock a handful of frozen meals for instant lunches when leftovers aren’t available.   A very few taste good while a majority have major problems with seasoning.   Sharp, unbalanced, veering far from classic renditions of what they are purported to be.   How do these sometimes truly awful products pass testing?    Major brands and known chefs included.   Is the national taste level really that low?  (Martha Stewart, we’re looking at you, too.)

Perhaps you could tell us which ones you favour?

[Margaret Pilgrim]

40 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Perhaps you could tell us which ones you favour?

Will have to think about this.   Off hand, I can't think of any that I particularly like.    Mexican (enchilades, tamales) seem most on target. 

[Kerala]

Im interested. We have a microwave at work.

[pastrygirl]

Trader Joe's Indian foods tend to be pretty good, both the shelf stable packets and frozen. 

 

I also like TJ frozen falafel patties with a bit of yogurt and some greens or crudite.

 

TJ's frozen tamales are just ok, I like these better

https://tucsontamale.com/pages/store-locator

[heidih]

There was a time I favored some Lean Cuisines for work lunch when no time to run out for fish tacos or ceviche down the street.  Best was chicken, noodles, peanut sauce. I ate it on a big bed of raw greens with chili hot sauce,. Some emergency dinners when I had masses of chard in my garden were lots of torn chard quickly in a pan with garlic and olive oii and tossed with LC fettucine Alfrdo. Lots of black pepper added. I looked on line today and the marketing has changed to odd dietary preference descriptions. I thought as was previously usual that the "diet" suff woud have sales around New Years (those resolutions) but that did not happen this year. I've let it go. 

[BeeZee]

Generally the vegetarian meals are "OK" for my office freezer stock when desperate. I used to buy TJ's Indian fish korma, but it was discontinued. I do tend to "doctor" the meals with seasonings, since they are usually lacking, and try to buy products that are not crazy in the sodium level (which is difficult). There is a brand called Tattooed Chef, which may not be National in distribution, which has pretty some good vegan and vegetarian meals, I like the plant-based egg roll bowl. I hate the texture of the chicken that is used in the frozen meals nowadays.