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Progress in civilization has been accomplished by progress in cookery. ~Fannie Farmer

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Campbell’s Soup at Hand Velvety Potato

May 23, 2007 | Reviewer: Abi

Price: $1.00 (on sale)
Serving: 1 container, 10.75 oz.
Calories: 160
Fat: 11%, 7g
Cholesterol: 2%, less than 5mg
Sodium: 36%, 870mg
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 7%, 21g
Fiber: 16%, 4g

Cambell’s says: Nothing. That should have been the first indication that something was wrong. Then again, tangelos don’t come with a description and they are delicious.

Abi says: The folks at Campbell’s excel in devising descriptive names for their soups. Yes, this item tastes like velvety potatoes, which is to say: mmmmm, fabric. Why do we even use the word ‘velvety’ to describe the way something feels on the tongue. Have you tried licking velvet? It is fuzzy and somewhat uncomfortable, like trying on bras in front of your mother-in-law. Nobody ever talks about that. Everyone just says things like ‘Oh, that soup was divine. I would even go so far as to say it was veeellllvety.’ As though being velvety is a good thing. True velvetiness means having a minor form of cottonmouth. Except it would be called velvetmouth.

In the case of this soup, ‘Velvety’ is a euphemism for bland. Even the 870 milligrams of salt can’t help out Campbell’s Soup at Hand. Salt has been valued to preserve and flavor foods for multiple millenia, so you’d think we humans would be pretty good at using it effectively. Alas, it is undetectable here.

Thank goodness I bought this on sale, otherwise I’d be kicking myself for paying close to $3.00 for some pureed potatoes.

Healthy Choice Breaded Chicken Breast Strips and Macaroni and Cheese

May 22, 2007 | Reviewer: Adina

Price: $2.14 (sale at Pathmark)
Serving: 1 meal, 8 oz.
Calories: 270
Fat: 8%, 5g
Cholesterol: 13%, 40mg
Sodium: 25%, 600mg
Protein: 20g
Carbs: 12%, 35g
Fiber: 12%, 3g
WW Points: 5 Points

Healthy Choice says: Crispy, herbed chicken breast strips and macaroni and cheese that is low in fat because we use real aged cheddar cheese combined with skim milk and fat-free cream cheese.

Adina says: As I look at my empty food container, I wonder Where did my food go? It is ten minutes after I warmed up this 2 star meal and already it is gone, I have the Healthy Choice Hunger, and I am nibbling on reduced fat Cheez-Its.

I have eaten this meal before and have disliked it, and yet I continue to buy it, thinking "This time the macaroni will not taste like soggy stale bread floating around in cheesy water." WRONG. This is the first and only frozen meal that I've actually had to add salt to the mac and cheese. Usually just the smell of a microwave meal pushes my blood pressure to 190 over 100.

I actually don't mind the breaded chicken strips. Dare I say it? They are sort of tasty! Of course, I definitely pull out my ketchup reserve for this meal, and am very generous in my dipping, but I have never met a chicken strip that didn't taste better smothered in ketchup.

Overall, if you don't mind salting stale bread soup mac and cheese and you have some ketchup on hand, this is not a totally horrible meal. Of course, you will be hungry three bites before you are even done and you will end up eating a slice of pizza or a pretzel afterwards, which defeats the purchase of eating this meal in the first place. So I take it back, don't buy this meal. It's not worth it.

Back on track

May 22, 2007 | Reviewer: Abi Jones

Hi, this is Abi, the editor of HeatEatReview.com. You may have noticed the lack of posts over the last week. That is what happens when my family is in town for 7 days. Family in town ≠ eating frozen food. In fact, it means that I’ve been able to eat much terrific food and drink many margaritas that I otherwise would not be able to afford. Many margaritas = not many posts on HeatEatReview.

In other news, I graduated with my M.Ed. on Saturday and just got engaged. Fortunately, I’m not getting married for over a year, so I have plenty of time to dedicate to HeatEatReview.com rather than mulling over bale of hay wedding favors, though if you’re really interested in my mullings, check out StupidWeddingCrap.com, my wedding blog.

Lean Cuisine Teriyaki Steak Bowl

May 17, 2007 | Reviewer: Jenn

Price: $2.99
Serving: 1 bowl, 10.5 oz.
Calories: 280
Fat: 9%, 6g
Cholesterol: 9%, 30mg
Sodium: 28%, 680mg
Carbohydrates: 12%, 37g
Fiber: 12%, 3g
Protein: 19g

Lean Cuisine says: Roasted teriyaki steak tossed with freshly made garlic and ginger flavored pasta, green beans, crispy carrots, red peppers and water chestnuts in a zesty teriyaki sauce accented with ginger and soy.

Jenn says: Usually I take full responsibility for the mistakes I make. However, I'd like to spread the blame for my purchase of Lean Cuisine's Teriyaki Steak. First, I was in a store where I rarely shop. Second, my boyfriend is a speed shopper who does not subscribe to my 'wander down every aisle' shopping philosophy. Third, the meal was on sale.

Now that all my excuses are on the table, let me tell you a little bit more about the meal. Lean Cuisine's Teriyaki Steak Bowl contains a significant amount of meat. (I won't call it steak. That seems like a vast overstatement.) The meat was tender similar to the way the meet in the beef stew at my high school was tender. The noodles were decent and as promised there were vegetables. The sauce was blase.

Bottom line: I went shopping and bought a diet meal that promised steak. I should have known better.