Lean Cuisine Dinnertime Selects Salisbury Steak

January 11, 2007 | Reviewer: Nicole

Price: $4.59
Serving: 1 package, 12.5oz.
Calories: 270
Fat: 13%, 8g
Sodium: 27%, 650mg
Protein: 20g
Carbs: 9%, 27g
Fiber: 40%, 10g
WW Points: 5 Points

Lean Cuisine says: A freshly roasted beef patty in a savory portabello mushroom gravy, accompanied by freshly whipped sour cream and chive potatoes and honey glazed carrots.

Nicole says: The cooking time on the package is far too long… I cooked only for the five initial minutes and the meat was heated through, as were the potatoes and carrots. I was supposed to heat this for an additional one and one-half to three minutes. Don’t go for three more unless your microwave is really weak. I can only imagine how burnt the gravy would be had I continued on with the instructions.

The honey glazed carrots required the addition of a tablespoon or water pre-cooking - and turned out pretty decent. I dipped into a watery, lightly buttered pool with tons of large, bright orange carrot slices. The coins of carrot were fairly crisp and tasty. You know, for microwaved
vegetables cooked in a pool of water.

Chive mashed potatoes kick ass. They are super yummy. The texture is not as creamy as some (ahem, Banquet). But these potatoes have a terrific out-of-the-box starchy texture. The lumps make it feel more like home-cooked. And the chives and pepper - delish!

Unfortunately, it seems Lean Cuisine used the tasty potatoes to make up for a salisbury steak deficiency. The mushrooms in here are actually pretty appealing - similiar in taste and texture to your own home sauteed mushrooms (unless you get the fancy kind.) But the salisbury steak is simply bland hamburger meat. I think it needs more salt. And pepper. And taste. The gravy does not even approach ‘inviting’. It’s pretty messed up, when gravy smells quite good but is actually vapid.

Okay. Just found one piece of the “steak” that was only just warm. So go ahead and add a minute to the initial cooking period. But still not three minutes more.

So, say you like Salisbury Steak but are REALLY trying to drop some calories and sodium. Go ahead and eat this. I dare you. Your stomach may be satisfied (the meal is a good size… had to push myself to finish all these carrots!) but your taste buds will need some Lithium, going between these FABULOUS potatoes and this… meat. Sorry, LC. This meal only gets three stars, but the potatoes alone earn four point five.

comments

9 Responses to “Lean Cuisine Dinnertime Selects Salisbury Steak”

Sir Jorge on January 11th, 2007

I’ve always eaten the Microwavable Salisbury Steak, including the ones found from Hungry Man and others. Always a good call, but the consistency reminds me the soles of a shoe…or at least the appearance.
Nicole on January 11th, 2007

Jorge:

I dig most microwavable salisbury steak - I grew up on it. Hungry Man and Boston Market please me a great deal. I’m plenty happy even with the Banquet brand, especially since it’s generally 10/$10.00. This meal had a fairly standard consistency, but the flavor was at the back of the pack.

Nicole
Colleen on January 13th, 2007

I hate when LC wants me to pay over 4 bucks for a meal worthy of the elementary school lunch line. But in smaller portions with no salad bar OR milk. Really, these “Salisbury Steak” meals bring me back to the days, and not in a good way.
charlie on January 13th, 2007

Mushrooms always turn me off to a meal. I don’t think they taste bad but its just the texture. The good thing is there is usally only 3 or 4 mushrooms and they can be picked off.

I can’t believe they charge so much for these and i always think the only reason they are considered lean is because the portion is so small.

There is no doubt that i would devower this meal to the point where i would be licking the plastic (minus the mushrooms) but it would not be my first choice. And i would have to get it on sale for $1.99.
MaryAnne on January 15th, 2007

Charlie “I canâ€™t believe they charge so much for these and i always think the only reason they are considered lean is because the portion is so small.”

Exactly my theory! Salisbury steak isn’t exactly known for its healthiness and 8 grams of fat, 650 grams of sodium, along with the diet unfriendly whipped white potatos, isn’t exactly a diet meal. Because the calories are so low, I think Lean Cuisine thinks it’s ok to pass it off as lean when it is actually just a smaller portion. I also don’t like how they advertise 30% more food on the box to make you think you’re getting a larger portion than average, when it’s really just 30% more than their even smaller portion than before.

My sister loves these but I refuse to eat a LC meal. I hate the commercials too.
Nicole on January 16th, 2007

Keep in mind we rarely pay the retail package price… sometimes I forget to let Abi know how much I actually paid. The sale price at Safeway or Giant in the DC MEtro area is usually comes to $2.00 or $2.50.
MaryAnne on January 16th, 2007

We haven’t had a new review in a while. Is my computer broken or did Abi OD on frozen food?
HeatEatReview.com » Lean Cuisine Salisbury Steak with Macaroni and Cheese on February 22nd, 2007

[…] remember reading Nicoleâ€™s review of the Dinnertime Selects Salisbury Steak and thinking, â€œBut I like hamburger meat.â€ I donâ€™t know how Salisburians eat their steak, but […]
Lee on February 18th, 2008

I just ate my LC Salisbury Steak and it was satisfying. Way better than some of the other LC meals. Since I cannot eat cheese, most LC dishes are out for me. I will definitely be buying more of these over the usual sesame chicken I usually get. Kroger unfortunately sells these Salisbury steak meals for 3.99