Phillips Crab and Corn Chowder

November 16, 2006 | Reviewer: Abi

Price: $4.19
Serving: 1 cup, 8 oz.
Servings per container: 2
Calories: 310
Fat: 35%, 23g
Sodium: 21%, 500mg
Protein: 7g
Carbs: 6%, 18g
Fiber: 0g

Phillips says: Our hearty Crab and Corn Chowder has been a waterman’s favorite for centuries. Every chunky spoonful is brimming with sweet yellow corn and blue swimming crab meat. This creamy soup is simmered to perfections and laced with onions, celery, and red peppers. Then we add our special seafood seasoning to give a traditional Chesapeake Bay flavor to the rich chowder.

Abi says: What is ‘Blue Swimming Crab Meat’? You probably think that my inclusion of that phrase in the above description is a typo. It is definitely not a typo. As I typed the words into this document I had to go back and read the cardboard label again. And again. Yep, blue swimming crab meat. I’d love to tell you more about the crab meat, but there was so little in this bowl of soup that I’d be hardpressed to accurately describe it.

I guess the folks at Phillips seafood’s marketing department are a bunch of liars. The soup was watery rather than creamy, contained only three spoons of vegetables (and this is two servings!), and was merely ‘laced’ with crab meat. Yes, I ate all of the vegetables and meat out of the soup.

After the meat/vegetable population (which consisted of three spoonfuls) had been diminished I couldn’t take more than a few bites of this limpid, flavorless mess of a “chowder”. Do youself a favor and pick up Safeway’s Kickin’ Crab and Corn Chowder instead. At least that one contains actual ingredients.

comments

8 Responses to “Phillips Crab and Corn Chowder”

MaryAnne on November 16th, 2006

Does this come frozen?

I never understand why frozen or prepackaged meals such as this one come in two servings. Why not one serving for one person? It’s not like I’m going to save leftovers.
Abi Jones on November 16th, 2006

Yes, this meal came frozen. There are other Phillips brand frozen soups out there, but I don’t think I’ll try them (sorry folks). I think this one is meant to be heated as part of a dinner served to multiple people.

You can tell from the inclusion of an entire 7 grams of protein per serving that it doesn’t contain that much crab meat. In fact, if a serving of crab meat (3 oz.) contains 16 grams of protein, each serving of this meal contains just over an ounce of crab meat. Great.
Nicole on November 16th, 2006

Creamy soup with crab meat tastes best with the addition of a small amount if sherry.
MaryAnne on November 16th, 2006

Why would they sell frozen soup? You can get it in a can or jar… What would be the point of freezing soup?
Heather on November 16th, 2006

MaryAnne, I’m think it probably has something to do with freshness and the need for fewer preservatives. Tabatchnick does frozen soups too…in fact, I have one in my freezer waiting to be reviewed. I’ve never seen this brand though. Hm. If there were a vegan option, I might try it merely out of morbid curiousity.
Ace N. on November 16th, 2006

“Waterman”? “Blue Swimming Crab Meat”? Are companies allowed to have trained monkeys working for them?
jessica on November 17th, 2006

Tabatchnick - as best I can tell specializes in ‘ethnic Jewish’ food (I hate these categories, it’s like saying Ethnic Gourmet does ‘Indian’ food when really it’s only a passable facsimile) - comfy soups, blintzes, and the like. I used to eat a lot of their stuff on the east coast, though I think they have it here in CA as well. I think you’ll like their food better - as far as frozen soup goes.
Brooke on April 16th, 2007

I tried this “soup” as well and was equally DISappointed. Do NOT buy this product. There are very few actual solid ingredients and the taste of the chowder is very flat. I can not believe that Phillip’s put their name on this stuff. I am actually not going to the restaurant because this product is so terrible.