Price: $1.66 (On Sale)
Serving: 1 piece, 4.5 oz.
Calories: 250 per serving
Fat: 10%, 7g
Cholesterol: 6%, 20mg
Sodium: 17%, 410mg
Protein: 10g
Carbohydrates: 13%, 40g
Fiber: 15%, 4g
Sugar: 10g
Weight Watchers: 5 POINTS

Lean Pockets says: Enjoy new recipes from Lean Pockets brand sandwiches! Our improved Chicken, Broccoli & Cheddar made with Whole Grain variety features delicious white meat chicken, reduced fat cheddar cheese and broccoli wrapped inside a crispy, chive topped whole grain crust. With more flavor in every bite, eating on the go never tasted so good.

Anj Kay says: The Lean Pocket is a lie!

Don’t believe that product blurb. Sure, the ingredients are correct (although I would have never guessed that was chive on my crust), but words such as, “improved”, “delicious”, “more flavor”, or “so good” are indeed falsehoods. Everyone I complained to suggested that it was the whole grains that I found so offensive, but that’s not the case. I love whole grain products. I spend 7 dollars on Genesis 1:29 bread just because it is chock full full of tasty whole grain goodness. I think the problem with this pocket is that they are clearly using inferior ingredients that people will simply not complain about because they’ll think low-fat, whole grain products will never taste as good as “real” full-fat ingredients. I’m on to you, Lean Pockets.

Is anyone unfamiliar with a Hot/Lean Pocket? It’s filling in a crisped crust that was microwaved in a crisping sleeve. Apparently, you can also bake them in the oven, but who has the patience to wait 30 minutes for a Lean Pocket? I’m dancing in front of the microwave for 2 minutes, as it is. Dancing makes it go faster. As the blurb says, this pocket was filled with chicken, broccoli, and cheese. The chicken (chopped and pressed) was surprisingly in marble-sized chunks and was tender and gristle-free. The broccoli and cheese, however, was a horrible melty, mushy mess. The broccoli was overcooked and had absolutely no bite or crispness. Half of the cheddar cheese was melted, the other half was in little flat, rubbery discs. Upon looking at the ingredients list, margarine seems to be a major ingredient which would explain why part of the “cheese” mixture was so melted and runny. The crust was flavorless, yet tender with no apparent taste of chives that were supposed to be topping it.

I know what you thinking here, “What you described sounds disgusting. Why two stars?” I went back and forth on this as well. I think if there was more than one positive, it deserves more than one star. The positives here are: the chicken was tasty, the cheese sauce had enough flavor and salt to cover the flavor of the broccoli and help the flavor of the crust, and said crust was crisp, yet tender. The negatives were: the broccoli was gross (and I like broccoli) and the crust was essentially flavorless. In other words, the pocket was edible, just not something I would necessarily need to buy again. I also ate both of them, so obviously they couldn’t have been complete rubbish.

Who eats just one Lean Pocket?

[Also, who can help but dance in front of the microwave? -Editrix]

Today’s feature comes from Matt Ventre, a User Experience Designer and Information Architect at Cornell University. Being at Cornell, he gets to take part in some interesting experiments, including a Lean Pockets taste test. Since he wasn’t required to sign a non-disclosure agreement for the taste test, we’re bringing his experience to you.

I count being paid to eat among the rarest of opportunities in life. [This is, of course, disregarding my forays into competitive eating from which I have yet to garner anything more than indigestion] You can imagine my excitement when I discovered two Lean Pocket taste tests to take place in the food science lab at the university where I work. In addition to receiving two morsels to nibble on I would be compensated for my efforts to the tune of five US dollars per test! A full belly and cash, to boot?

I saved the dates.

Fast-forward to the morning of the first test. Having skipped breakfast in anticipation of the meal, I was a bit out of sorts at the office. I reminded my rumbling stomach that it was my duty to remain steadfast and to perform at the highest level possible. I wanted my contribution to culinary progress to be untainted by prior food consumption.

Arriving at the lab that afternoon, I hurriedly scrawled my signature on the waiver and took a seat in front of a testing station. For the uninitiated, these tests are carried out in rooms that have small doors set into a wall. Next to the door is a computer terminal for the participant to fill out a survey. The subject is given a placard with words reading “All Done” or “Ready for Sample” that they use to control the pace of the test.

The menu consisted of two Lean Pockets Whole Grain Grilled Chicken, Mushroom & Spinach sandwiches. I eagerly passed my waiver and placard under the hinged door and signed into my terminal. Minutes later a tasty looking (and smelling) Lean Pocket appeared on a numbered paper plate. It had the balanced aroma that a good Pocket should – a hint of cheese rising above the scent of the seasoned crust. A motherly voice from behind the wall advised me that the sample could be extremely hot and to refrain from diving in too quickly.

Sample 1:
After consuming about half of the Pocket, I observed that the crust was perfectly seasoned if a little on the soft side. I noticed a serious amount of mushrooms in the filling but little else of abundance. That said, the mushroom flavor was not overpowering. In fact, it sat quite nicely in contrast to the gooey, pleasing cheese. The real standout of the first sample, however, was the chicken flavor. Despite the lack of chicken bits, the chicken flavor pulled the Pocket together. It’s a shame to report that the spinach flavor was notably weak. I can’t say this was an unpleasant observation, but it definitely degraded the quality of the product. If it says spinach on the box, I need to taste (and see) some spinach in there.

Sample 2:
The next sample had all the external markings of a winner. The crust was flaky and crisp on the outside and gave way to a firm, but gentle inner layer. That’s about where the goodness ended for this poor sandwich. The seasoning in the filling brutally overpowered any of the other flavors, a typical Hot and Lean Pocket failing. The Pocket powers that be should take this research to heart if they plan on producing a more balanced Lean Pocket. Even more alarming than the seasoning explosion was the realization that this sample was severely lacking any substantial filling. The cheese was more or less the champion of the innards, of which there were almost none. I was disappointed with Sample 2. The near-perfect crust may have been what kept me from tossing the remaining half back through the hole in the wall.

Conclusion:
Sample 2 committed the most egregious of the offenses. The only consolation for the sub-par filling was the delectable crust. The Pocket purveyors would do well by stuffing the crust from Sample 2 with the filling from Sample 1 and pumping up the spinach content.

I’ll spare you the travel details for the following day’s taste test. This time, I’d have my shot at two Chicken Broccoli and Cheddar Whole Grain Lean Pockets. Oh, and five more greenbacks. Yes, it was a good week.

Sample 1:
The first bite of the sample greeted my palate with balanced flavors. The cheese that bubbled forth from the wound I had struck in the exquisite crust was tangy and carried with it notes of chicken and the tiniest bits of broccoli. The chicken weaved itself delicately into the comforting and complex inner seasoning. Continuing on, I discovered that the broccoli chunks were testing the seams of this piece of microwaved heaven. Some would argue that mammoth cubes of broccoli should have detracted from the meal, but I would counter that it pushed the limits of Pocket creativity. It showed some gusto in having the audacity to offer mouthfuls of vegetables in a food-stuff that rarely highlights anything but dairy and game. It was over all too soon. This was the Pocket to beat.

Sample 2:
I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the second sample approached the staggering quality of the first. The difference was, not surprisingly, that the broccoli content was scaled back a considerable amount. The experience suffered somewhat from lack of texture but not enough to dock big points. To my surprise, the cheese was actually sharper and zestier in this sample. The chicken content and flavor were altogether powerful and pleasing. I had no qualms about finishing this Pocket (and nearly licking the plate).

Conclusion:
The Chicken Broccoli and Cheddar Whole Grain Lean Pocket is a winner all around. If the commercial product is adjusted to meet the quality of the taste tests then consumers can rest assured that they will always have a solid product waiting for them in the frozen food aisle. I’m crossing my fingers for that unforgettable mob of broccoli.

By now, I shouldn’t have to sell you on the benefits of being a taste tester. You, too, can enjoy paid meals and the knowledge that your contributions help shape the future of our favorite products. Get out there and start eating.

Want more reviews? Heat Eat Review has an entire section of Hot Pockets reviews.

Price: $2.25
Serving: 4.5 oz.or 1 sandwich
Calories: 270 per serving
Fat: 12%, 8g
Cholesterol: 10%, 30mg
Sodium: 23%, 560mg
Protein: 13g
Carbohydrates: 13%, 38g
Fiber: 12%, 3g
Sugar: 9g
Weight Watchers Points: 5 per pocket

Lean Pockets says: New from Lean Pockets brand – chef inspired flavors combined with the goodness of whole grain. A delicious combination of grilled chicken, mozzarella, parmesan, and fontina cheeses with a creamy garlic sauce are wrapped inside a crisp whole grain crust sprinkled with herbs and cheeses. Lean Pockets brand Made with Whole Grain contains the same amount of whole grain as one slice of whole grain bread. Feel good about eating on the go!

Angela says: Garlic Chicken White Pizza is by far my favorite flavor of Lean Pockets, although that isn’t saying much, considering how much I detest the other varieties I have tried, such as the meatball and mozzarella and pepperoni pizza.

First off, every time I microwave these, they explode and leak their insides all over the plate. If I somehow manage to avoid exploding them, it means that I didn’t microwave them enough, and they are cold or only lukewarm in the middle. The crisping sleeve, in my opinion, is worthless for these Lean Pockets, because it in no way crisps the product. The crust, although flavorful because of the herbs and cheeses, was not crisp at all. It was chewy and had a definite whole grain flavor to it. While I appreciate the addition of whole grains because of their nutritional value, I don’t necessarily enjoy the flavor the unpleasant aftertaste they add to the pocket.

The filling definitely had a lot of garlic in it, which was just fine by me. I love garlic. Unfortunately, it also tended to have the texture of and closely resembled very thick, white glue. There was some stringy cheese, which helped, but it was mostly the thick, white, garlicky paste. What chicken I managed to find was not bad and had the texture of real chicken; however, the garlic cheese flavor completely overwhelmed the chicken, and thus I only noticed the texture. There was definitely not the amount of chicken in the pocket pictured on the front of the package.

If you are watching your diet, these Lean Pockets aren’t bad, considering they contain mostly cheese/white paste. The sodium content is modest, at 560mg, and there are only 270 calories in one pocket. I microwaved two of these for lunch and had trouble finishing the second one, so I assume one pocket would make a filling lunch for most people, perhaps paired with a cup of soup or a small salad.

I only paid $2.25 for a box of two, so Lean Pockets are nice for a quick, filling meal if they are on sale. They don’t taste good enough that I would buy them regularly. If you enjoy other Lean Pocket flavors and love garlic, you might want to give these a try.

Price: $2.00 (on sale 5 for $10 at Shoprite)
Serving:1 pocket, 4 oz
Calories: 240 per serving
Fat: 10%, 7 g
Cholesterol: 5%, 15mg
Sodium: 23% 560mg
Protein: 12g
Carbohydrates: 11%, 33 g
Fiber: 17%, 4 g
Sugar: 6 g
Weight Watchers Points: 5 Points

Lean Pockets says:Ham With Turkey Added & Low Fat Cheese With Sauce In A Crust

Karen says: Your review: Why are you so sneaky and deceitful Lean Pockets? In giant letters you say you are just ham and cheese, then the fine print reveals that you are made of turkey with sauce too!

What is this mysterious sauce? I taste a blandish Velveta cousin with the essence of cured meat in a yes flakey, but not so terribly crispy crust. I guess the title should really be Turkham and Bionic Cheese Sauce. Being that the main cheese ingredient is mozzarella cheese, I’m a little confused by it’s bright orange resemblance to yellow American cheese. Oh Nestle, why must you confuse me so? I can’t say the ol’ pocket is terrible, but it’s not winning any frozen food award either. These two per package puppies weigh in at 4 oz each, and I don’t know about you folks, but 1/4 of a pound does not constitute meal to me. This is more of a midday snack.

This ‘Ham’ and Low Fat Cheese pocket earns one star for its nifty little hand held size, and another for that essence of cured meat flavor. Who doesn’t love cured meat? Everyone! Well, except vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists.