Price: $5.99
Serving: 1/2 package, 5.5oz.
Servings per package 2
REALITY CHECK:
Calories per container: 576
Fat: 50%, 32g
Cholesterol: 4%, 12mg
Sodium: 18%, 420mg
Protein: 16g
Carbohydrates: 20%, 58g
Fiber: 24%, 6g
Sugar: 4g
Weight Watchers Points: 13 Points

Sukhi says: Delicate and flavorful Indian cheese pieces in a creamy and delicious blend of diced spinach and authentic Indian herbs and spices.

Abi says: Palak Paneer is an ugly dish. Dark brownish-green muck hides the occasional cheese cube, defies efforts of spoonless eaters and has the potential to wreak intestinal havoc.

Palak Paneer is also the best version of cooked spinach in existence, so you take the good with the bad.

This palak paneer from Sukhi’s features the frightening price of $5.99 for approximately 9 ounces of palak paneer and a piece of naan. This is an insane price for frozen food, even if it does included naan. But according to Sukhi, this box contains two servings, so three bucks per serving is a great deal if you believe in voodoo microwavonomics.

This palak paneer isn’t rich and savory. Instead it is thin and hot, with jalapeno peppers overpowering all other spices. Add the use of cheaper-than-butter (or ghee) canola oil and the dish goes from rich and creamy to bland (yes, spicily bland) and, well, still creamy.

The paneer (fresh Indian cheese) isn’t a player in this meal and the included microwaved naan shows that the claim “It’s Better With Naan!” is only true when the naan is fresh from the Tandoor or reheated in an oven. Naan needs crispiness to counteract its inherent fluffiness and this microwaved version falls short. It is also invisible, as you can see from the photo above. Okay, so it is not invisible, but there’s also not nearly enough to make it a suitable rice replacement. Size of naan: 1.25 CD jewel cases. If you can even remember the size of a jewel case. And 1.25 jewelcases of naan is not enough naan to deal with this spinach.

If you’re trying to pay north of $4.00 for a mediocre frozen meal, you could get this or Amy’s Palak Paneer (the bland version of this meal) and enjoy a toss-up in terms of tasty.

Price: Free from PR people
Serving: 1 Filled Bagel, 2.5oz.
Servings per package 4
Calories per serving: 180
Fat: 9%, 6g
Cholesterol: 5%, 15mg
Sodium: 8%, 200mg
Protein: 7g
Carbohydrates: 9%, 26g
Fiber: 12%, 3g
Sugar: 4g
Weight Watchers Points: 3 Points

Kraft says: A bagel and cream cheese all in one. The warm, golden crust and soft, chewy texture of an authentic bagel wrapped around a center of cool and creamy Philadelphia cream cheese.

The review below is by the director of my department at work. He is French, so you will need to imagine his responses with a French accent.

1. Which type of Bagel-ful did you eat?
   First I couldn’t tell which one I took, I had to look at the packaging to confirm that I was indeed eating what is referred to as whole grain with cream cheese.
   If it had mint in it, I could have sworn I was chewing on some fresh Trident. The doughy taste of the bagel could have probably been avoided by cooking this thing properly. I would have preferred somewhat of a saltier taste rather than the almost sweet taste that is typical to this kind of products.
2. What did you like about the Bagel-ful (aside from that it was free)?
   …I was hungry
3. What would you change about the Bagel-ful?
   Close the factory down. Seriously, it has nothing of a good bagel. The crust is almost more doughy than the inside. The inside should be moist but not sticky and a lot more compact than it is. They’ve got to get rid of the fake chemical taste. I would categorize this as a failed attempt.
4. How much would you be willing to pay for a package of 4 (if you liked them)?
   I wouldn’t buy those so what ever price is not right. But if really I have to put a price I’d say $4.99.
5. How often do you eat bagels (free or not free)?
   Once to twice a week.

P.S. I did it eat it all as I am hungry coming out of the gym.

Price: $2.00 on sale
Serving: 2/3 cup, 3.5oz.
Servings per package 2
Calories per serving: 50
Fat: 5%, 3g
Cholesterol: 0%, 0mg
Sodium: 5%, 115mg
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrates: 2%, 7g
Fiber: 9%, 2g
Sugar: 3g
Weight Watchers Points: 1 Point per serving

Green Giant says: Broccoli Florets, Julienne Carrots and Red & Yellow Sweet Pepper Strips in a Garlic-Herb Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil Seasoning

Abi says: These Green Giant nutriceuticals are the dietary equivalent of the “For Dummies” book line. Instead of “Dungeons and Dragons for Dummies” or “Heartburn and Reflux for Dummies” we’re being marketed to with “Immunity for Dummies” and “Weight Control for Dummies.” Granted, I still buy this stuff but that’s because it is easy and can sit in my freezer for weeks before being cooked. You can’t say the latter about fresh vegetables.

This vegetable combo steams up significantly better than the zucchini-focused Healthy Vision item, keeping the broccoli tender-yet-toothy and the potentially mushy red and yellow peppers to a minimum. The carrots are in cube/matchstick form, making them less stabbable than other carrot incarnations. This lack of fork-friendliness makes me think that these vegetables are better used as an integrated element in a pasta dish (or with some couscous) than as a stand-alone side.

In other Green Giant products the butter flavorings have always been so overpowering that I haven’t been willing to use the vegetables as an ingredient. In the case of the Immunity Boost pack, the “garlic-herb infused extra virgin olive oil” was negligible. This is bad if you want a lot of flavor, but great if you’re looking to combine your vegetables with other ingredients.

If you’re looking for an easy, healthy way to bulk up those Lean Cuisines, I highly recommend picking up a few packages of Green Giant vegetables when they go on sale. Your eyes and mouth will both enjoy this vibrantly hued, subtly-flavored vegetable mix. And you can leave them in your freezer for weeks without worry.

Price: $2.50 on sale (usually $4.00)
Serving: 1 package, 4.25oz.
Servings per package 1
Calories: 180
Fat: 10%, 7g
Cholesterol: 15%, 5mg
Sodium: 17%, 400mg
Protein: 7g
Carbohydrates: 8%, 23g
Fiber: 20%, 5g
Sugar: 15g
Weight Watchers Points: 3 Points

Eat Smart says: A local favorite here in the Santa Maria Valley, this salad combines our California Slaw with soy nuts, sunflower kernels, dried cranberries and a tangy low fat dressing.

Abi says: This salad consists of about a cup of vegetables, plus a small handful of fruits and nuts, plus an enormous package of dressing.

While that small a quantity of green items would never do in an at-home dining situation, it seemed a nice thing to keep in the fridge in anticipation of craving some green during the work day. And with the warmer weather (nearly 80 degrees in San Francisco!) I’m no longer ardent about the Green Giant Green Beans with almonds.

It is with great regret that I’m also not ardent about this salad. Instead of bringing fresh coolness to my afternoon, the broccoli acted as a delivery system for the mouth burningest salad dressing ever. I like vinegar. It makes egg salad zippy and brings pep to the easiest salad in the universe (also, the most universally loved salad I’ve ever made). It does not belong in this quantity in a salad dressing unless you are playing a cruel joke on a loved one. And that loved one better really, really love you if they’re going to get over this one.

At first I didn’t even think it was the fault of the dressing. It didn’t smell spicy, so perhaps the broccoli was extra astringent or the fruit and nut combo (soynuts, sunflower seeds and cranberries, yum) contained an unknown spicy element. Neither happened to be the case, but a girl can wish. I love spice and heat, but after a few minutes I was glad that I’d only used 1/3 of the dressing packet.

If you feel brave and not-too-hungry and this is on a tremendous sale, go for it. Otherwise, you’d be better off buying a head of broccoli (or purchasing a bag of pre-chopped, pre-washed broccoli) and keeping a bottle of your favorite salad dressing in the office fridge.