Banquet Turkey Meal

June 23, 2006 | Reviewer: Nicole

Banquet Turkey Meal Price: $1.00 (sale)
Serving: 1 package, 9.25 oz.
Calories: 230
Fat: 9%, 6g
Sodium: 42%, 990mg
Protein: 15g
Carbs: 10%, 30g
Fiber: 20%, 5g

Banquet says: Turkey (Mostly White Meat) and Gravey with Dressing, Mashed Potatoes and Peas

Nicole says: This will likely surprise those of you who know me: I was a REALLY picky eater as a child. This won’t surprise those who know that Salisbury steak and fish sticks remind me of my childhood: I was a hot lunch kid. I was not nearly as picky about hot lunches as I was about how I ate at home (sugar only). Hot lunch favorites included: festive holiday fare offerings of turkey with gravy, stuffing, and mashed potatoes; “Mexican pizza,” which looked disusting but was quite tasty (though I believe it was hexagonal); and steak subs (think Steak-Umms - with a sesame sub roll!)

Banquet’s Turkey Meal pales in comparison to the Anne Arundel county public school hot lunch version, but we are discussing a $1.00 meal. The only time hot lunch was cheaper than Banquet’s sale meals was 1986-1988, when I would hoard the dime change each day to save for a popsicle by the end of the week. Banquet’s first mistake is including the green peas instead of a nice, buttery golden corn side. I never liked peas, I refused to eat them as a child. I still don’t like them, but I do not refuse them now. But that doesn’t mean I’m happy to be eating them - I believe that all peas should be reserved for Mendelian experimentation. The readers will know I am the freak that LOVES Banquets mashed potatoes, another side on this meal - don’t knock it ’til you try it. Mashed potatoes are one of those things that your higher power made for the microwave. Creamy, buttery, starchy. The turkey has a lunch-meat like texture, and is not much thicker. The stuffing joins the turkey in a gravy marsh. Always a disappointment: the portion is very small and comes out of the microwave a bit dry. All of the gravy is required to soften it up. This means no gravy for your potatoes.

I will eat Banquet’s Turkey Meal again - come on, it’s one dollar! I’m not just a non-profit worker, but a college student! This is definitely superior to “Beef” flavored ramen. The portion, though, is small. I am looking forward to the day that Hell freezes over and Hungry Man meals go on sale.

comments

9 Responses to “Banquet Turkey Meal”

tg on June 23rd, 2006

i like your description of the potatoes. it’s a very descriptive description. it really describes them descriptively.

but i have a hard time understanding the aversion to peas. how could anyone not like peas? in fact, i’m rather put off by the attitude delivered here regarding the peas. have you tried the petite peas? i daresay if you’d try the petite peas, you’d come right around on the pea issue. please explain what there is not to like about peas.
tg on June 23rd, 2006

helloooo. i’m waiting for someone to explain why she hates peas so much. i don’t have all day.
tg on June 23rd, 2006

ha! your silence on the pea issue speaks volumes.
Nicole on June 26th, 2006

I grew up feeding on vegetables from a can or the freezer. I have learned in the past few years that not all asparagus, peas, okra, etc, come from a can or the freezer and that the fresh versions often seem like an entirely different vegetable product from what I grew up with. However, these peas are still the frozen type and taste like the peas of my childhood.
tg on June 26th, 2006

aw i was just kidding around you know

i remember in the mid ’60s when frozen peas were first discovered (i believe it was magellan, or maybe christopher columbus) - previously there were only canned, and the arrival of frozen bright green peas to everyday people (vs. steakhouses, which was the only place you ever saw them) was like a miracle. i still love frozen peas.

i think some people just don’t like peas. i was hoping you’d vigorously defend your right to hate peas. now i feel bad.
Colleen on September 9th, 2006

My only comment: canned peas = mushy bliss. All other peas = nasty green vegitables.
charlie on January 13th, 2007

I looove banquet mashed potatoes. Especially when you get a scope of it and mix it in with the gravy.

Banquets remind me of school lunches so much and thats why i love them so much, I miss school lunches.
-e- on July 6th, 2007

I actually enjoy this Banquet meal. I’m known for scooping up an armful during the “10 for $10″ sale at the local Acme. It might not be anywhere near an authentic turkey dinner but at a dollar a pop, it’s not bad. And it’s better than what Swansons offers as a turkey dinner nowadays

Tip: if you have access and time, the Banquet dinners turn out better in the oven. Defeats the purpose of “heat & eat”, I suppose but if time isn’t of the essence, give it a try.
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