Healthy Choice Power Bowls Roasted Red Pepper Romesco Chicken Pasta

Healthy Choice Power Bowls Roasted Red Pepper Romesco Chicken Pasta has one of those long names that I truly hate. Did you really need to tell me that there was Roasted red pepper in this, because I didn’t taste them. I think the red pepper was pureed and made into the sauce. The sauce was honestly very good.

I’ve had a lot worse from Healthy Choice, but I still wouldn’t recommend this product because it’s just too small. You get a big box full of air with these things and the food may look good and taste okay but be a real disappointment.

 

Tastee Choice Linguine Del Pescatore

 Tastee Choice Linguine Del Pescatore was fishy but not bad fishy. I mean, it tasted like fish stuff but it didn't taste bad. I would even say that if you had a real meal with this then you would have been able to stretch this for two people. 

I mean, if you had a salad and maybe some kind of appetizer this would have been a solid meal for two on date night.   These things are food for single man who know nothing about nutrition, but this one was good enough.

American Classics Hot Chili with Beans

American Classics Hot Chili with Beans are not hot. For that matter they are sweet. Why would they be sweet? I don't know, but they were also not all that even. There were some dryer looking beans in there. 

This was some bad chili. I mean, I didn't expect much but I can say that I'm dropping the second can into box for the homeless because I couldn't even finish the first can. 
 

Hidden Valley Ranch Dipping Sauce

Hidden Valley Ranch Dipping Sauce is what you get at Burger King. I was never one for putting white stuff on my food but as white stuff goes this is the good white stuff. I've never known anyone who liked ranch who disliked this.

Good show, Burger King, you use the name brand. 
 

Tony's Chocolonely Milk Chocolate with Nougat

 

Tony's Chocolonely Milk Chocolate with Nougat has hard bits in it that taste like brittle or caramel. I didn’t really detect any nougat like you would see in a Snickers bar.

Tony’s comes with a promise that as little suffering as possible has happened for this chocolate so when I saw this I had to buy it and I can say it is good chocolate. I just don’t know about that nougat.

 

Jelly Belly Sunkist Orange Jelly Beans

 Jelly Belly Sunkist Orange Jelly Beans need more orange. I mean, they just don't taste very orange but they do leave you with an orange aftertaste.

Smart Ones Creamy Basil Chicken with Vegetables

A solid entry in the Smart Ones catalog Creamy Basil Chicken with Vegetables starts you off by smelling great then keeps you going by not being total garbage. Frozen food edibility is something of a low bar, but it is the bar.

Other than the fact that this was rather small it was well made and balanced so that I liked it, which is more than I can say for a good number of the frozen meals I have had as of late. There could have been a more even distribution of basil, but past that this was fine.

 

The Father's Table Brownie Cheesecake

The Father's Table Brownie Cheesecake really needs to have some Brownie in it. I couldn't taste any. Brownie is more than a flavor but also a texture and had I closed my eyes I would have tasted nothing but cheesecake.

It was still good. 
 

Prime Lemon Lime Energy Drink

 Prime Lemon Lime Energy Drink isn't disgusting. It tastes a bit like lemon lime soda and isn't bad. It passes a low bar. It doesn't taste like diet soda, but it doesn't taste as good as Sprite or Seven Up. 

If you want to drink this to cool off it won't work. If you need a boost it will give it to you. 

I still don't recommend these things, but I work the night shift and need to keep them eyes open to keep the paychecks coming.

Glico Pocky Matcha Covered Biscuit Sticks

Glico Pocky Matcha Covered Biscuit Sticks are what you expect. They don't have a lot of flavor and are kind of forgettable, but they do taste like Matcha.

Look, I just don't think I get Pocky. I like Matcha, but I still drink it to wake up and get going. This will simply not get you going so it defeats the purpose to me.
 

Maruchan Noodle Soup Ramen Soy Sauce

 Maruchan is the poor peoples' Ramen with a six pack being two dollars last I went to the store. I spiced up this Soy Sauce flavored noodle pack with carrots, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and a salmon patty to make it a meal. 

I'm not at all disappointed, this tasted great and was filling. Just looking at the picture makes me want to make another.  

The big thing about Ramen is that you just need to know what to add to it and this Ramen is simple and common starting with little but enough flavor. It's not bad and I would buy it again. 

Dunkin Iced Chai Latte

 Dunkin's Iced Chai Latte is big and cold. Big an cold is often good as I live in California and we have a lot of hot and miserable. I would say that I was unimpressed. I mean, it was fine but didn't have enough flavor to cover that ice. 

It was fine, but I wouldn't get it again.

Jell-O Girl Scouts Coconut Caramel Pudding Cups

 Jell-O Girl Scouts Coconut Caramel Pudding Cups are an odd bird. I mean, I found them at a discount and figured why not. You put the two halves of the container together and shake them to mix up your snack. 

This leads to the two halves getting covered in pudding and you having to watch it get tossed away or lick it clean, neither of which is fun for a grown man. These are better for home eating for that reason but are an interesting thing to add to the menu.

I say, if you can deal with the coconut you should try them.

Jack in the Box Classic Sauced & Loaded Waffle Fries

Jack in the Box Classic Sauced & Loaded Waffle Fries are a low effort snack that isn't all that great. The topping are unevenly distributed, the bacon is soggy, the cheese is slime. 

I didn't think much of these. I wouldn't get them again. 
 

Lean Cuisine Shrimp Scampi

 Lean Cuisine Shrimp Scampi is the kind of diet food that leaves you wanting. I know it is supposed to be high in protein but it really doesn't look very balanced as a meal. There is not enough shrimp and what you get is smaller than what you see on the box. 

Now that rotting monster ejaculate they put on this stuff is not on the box art and I guess that's for a good reason because it really doesn't do much for the meal. They did have the good manners to place it on the side and let you mix as much or little as you want into your noodles. 

At the end this wasn't bad, but it just wasn't good.

McDonald's 2025 Shamrock Shake

 I have never understood the Shamrock Shake from McDonald's. I have never gotten how Shamrock and mint came together to make this.

That said, this was okay. I mean, it didn't have much flavor and wasn't all that great but I guess it didn't taste bad. 

If you like these this is a lessor version than the one that had the cherry on top a few yeas ago. They may get you in the mood for the day but will fail at being all that jazz.  

Superior on Main Shamrock Sprinkle Iced Cake Cookies

 Superior on Main Shamrock Sprinkle Iced Cake Cookies are the kind of things you throw to your kids as you drink yourself into oblivion. 

I have never gotten drunk on St. Patrick's Day and I would never drink beer with green food coloring in it.

These cookies are what I would celebrate with and they are disappointing. I mean, the sprinkles don't do much, and the cake is thin so it dries out.  

I can't eat these without coffee so the day after you're bender you may just eat these to have something to wash down your coffee and ibuprofen.

McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Bacon

 Just getting my hands on a McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Bacon was harder than I thought it would be. First I got one and it didn't have bacon. I mean, what was the point there? 

Anyway, I found this to be about as good as the original. Maybe a little bit less. The bacon really did little to add to the overall burger. 

It will kill you just a bit faster, but it won't taste all that much better.

Urban Pie Pizza Co. Calzones Mini Chicken Pesto

Urban Pie Pizza Co. Calzones Mini Chicken Pesto could use more chicken and will get your pan all dirty with pesto drippings. There is enough pesto that you don't need a dipping pesto but some ranch would be nice. 

These are delicious. I would get them again. 
 

Jack in the Box Classic Crispy Boneless Wings

 I note that they have not used the word chicken to describe these Jack in the Box Classic Crispy Boneless Wings. There is no wing in this and they are in fact breast meat so not bad I think. That is to say if this is really chicken.

I batter is heavy and thick with little in the way of flavor so the ranch these come with really saves them. I mean, these are expensive for what you get and not that great. I find they make me feel like sleeping after eating them.

Healthy Choice Power Bowls Adobo Chicken

 The Healthy Choice Power Bowls Adobo Chicken has the power to leave you wanting. This is one of the better Power Bowls from Healthy Choice. The beans and grains that make up the bulk of this snack are hearty and filling, there just aren’t enough of them to fill up an active human. The chicken was also of solid quality and there could have been more of it but what do you really expect?

This is what you get when you really want healthy frozen food. It stinks, you’re still hungry after eating two of them, but they are good for you.

Jack in the Box Oreo Mint Mocha Sweet Cream Iced Coffee

If you like your sugar with cream then Jack in the Box Oreo Mint Mocha Sweet Cream Iced Coffee is for you. Me, I'd like some coffee in that mix so this didn't appeal to me at all. 

This has so much sugar in it it set off my diabetes and made me feel bad for 12 hours. I could taste some mint and the Oreo bits were fine, but there was just so little coffee in this that I would have never thought of it as a coffee drink.

This was a fail, I would never get this again. 

Tony's Chocolonely Milk Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt

Tony's Chocolonely Milk Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt has chunks of salt that slowly melt in your mouth to grow the flavor of their chocolate. The caramel is hard and will not get all over your fingers. 

Tony's is a high quality chocolate and it is fair trade coco. I don't get this candy often but when I do I often saver it because of the high quality. 

I do not inhale this chocolate like a typical fat man. Stop laughing. 
 

McDonald's 2025 OREO Shamrock McFlurry

The McDonald's 2025 OREO Shamrock McFlurry is as unimpressive as the one I had last year or so. The mint isn't mixed well and the Oreo is still Oreo. 

I only have these because of the blog because they don't impress me. This year I found that it still had most of its vanilla ice cream intact and that the green was just at the top.  

If I could put this in the blender it would have been less disappointing but to me it just was too little and poorly executed.  

 
 

Somos Mexican Brown Rice

Somos Mexican Brown Rice is really mild by comparison to the hotter Mexican rice I used to make for my family. I wouldn't call it great but it is a solid product for pre-made rice. 

I have to point out that rice is easy to make but red rice is harder and so this product makes a little more sense than some of the ready rice I've had. 

I can take or leave this, but I don't think ill of it in any way.
 

Carl's Jr. Redhook Beer-Battered Fish Sandwich

When I heard that Carl's Jr. had a Redhook Beer-Battered Fish Sandwich I had to have one. I love Redhook! Then I had one and I just wasn't impressed.

The batter is far too thin, and you can't taste any Redhook. The whole point of beer batter is to make the batter thicker and change the temperature of the fish. 

The fish itself is too soft and taste too farm raised. 

I was disappointed but this sandwich, and now I really want some Redhook.
 

Coca-Cola Ultimate

Coca-Cola Ultimate is probably no longer available. I mean I got it back when it just came out and forgot until I found the box under some laundry. Don’t look at me like that. I’m depressed. I’ve had some large things go missing in my house like brooms and computers.

Anyway, stuff just taste like coke to me. I mean for the most part it tastes like coke with a little odd flavor that could be my imagination.

I miss Coke Starlight. This stuff is just kind of there.

 

McDonald's Double BBQ Bacon Quarter Pounder

McDonald's  has the new Double BBQ Bacon Quarter Pounder which has a poor distribution of barbecue sauce and bacon that should be thicker to give you flavor. I think they made the patties flatter and they just have less appeal than they used to.  

This burger is fine but it could be a lot better. It's a fast food burger and as such isn't going to rock your world.
 

Western Bagel Sesame Bagel

Just in case you didn't know from the fact that you are buying their bagels Western Bagel wanted you to know they make bagels so they put bagel in the name. 

Then they named this product the Sesame Bagel because it's a bagel with sesame seeds on top. 

If buy now you haven't heard bagel enough to make you not want one these are okay bagels. I wouldn't say they're great because some fail to have enough seeds but they do okay.

 

Jerry the McDonald's Happy Meal Toy

So Jerry over here looks just like I felt when I saw him and asked myself what kind of a toy is this. It looks like a sex toy for a little person. I have to admit that I don't get what a kid would see in this but I was never a big fan of the Despicable Me movies.
 

Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Fried Rice Bowl

 Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Fried Rice Bowl has too many onions. If you don’t mind onions this will work for you, but I do mind onions, and this didn’t work for me. It also isn’t fried. That rice was as white as when it was steamed.  You could say that is a good thing as it is then not fried in oil but why call it fried rice if you don’t fry it.

I also would have liked more vegetables, but I didn’t eat most of this anyway.

Bud Light Seltzer Cocktail Hour Lime Margarita

Bud Light Seltzer Cocktail Hour Lime Margarita taste like cleaning solution. I mean, it reminds me of Lime A-Way. Don't ask how I know what that tastes like, because I don't remember how I came to taste it. I have tasted it, and it is not good.

I didn't want to spit this out but it wasn't something I would want more of. It was bad but not totally disgusting. 
 

Veggiecraft Rice Made with Cauliflower Four Cheese

Veggiecraft Rice Made with Cauliflower Four Cheese is a side dish that would appear to be good for you. I wouldn't say that it's all that much better than rice but then you can get a good amount of different rice these days and it is up to you to read the label. 

As for me, I like it fine. I had no trouble finishing this off after making it and my box expired three years ago. 

As a food it isn't bad. Is it good for you? Well, that's a relative question but it looks to be a good option. 
 

Van de Kamp's Fish Sticks

Van de Kamp's Fish Sticks look so much better on the box. You look at that box and see flaky white fish with a fine breading and then you cook these and they are small and sad looking. 

They are still the fish sticks I had as a kid and they are what fish sticks are to me. I would say that these are even good fish sticks with all fish sticks of lesser quality to be bad fish sticks and all fish sticks of greater quality to be great fish sticks.  

This is the middle of the breaded fish road. 

 

Lean Cuisine French Bread Pepperoni Frozen Pizza

 Lean Cuisine French Bread Pepperoni Pizza tastes like the kind of thing a single man would make for himself on a lonely night after he just got home from the store and realized he has nothing easy to make. 

That salad is going to go bad, Ralf, you need to eat it right now.

It hasn't enough cheese and is, well, okay. I grand this is supposed to help you get thin so you need to eat it with a massive amount of green stuff. Salad, Ralf, salad! 

I would still have likes something like olives or mushrooms to cover that no cheese issue but maybe those don't freeze well. 

I've had worse, but this isn't what I would call good.

Smart Ones Angel Hair Pasta Marinara

Smart Ones Angel Hair Pasta Marinara is edible. I would not go as far as to say that it’s great, but I would definitely say edible. The marinara is on the side so you can mix in as much or as little as you want without issue.

In a world where I often put more of these frozen dinners in the trash than I eat this one isn’t too bad. I wouldn’t get it again, but it didn’t make me sick. 

 

Trader Joe's Organic Maple Butter

Trader Joe's Organic Maple Butter is no longer on offer from what I understand, and it's a much missed product. I'm not sure why, but I left this in the back of my fridge for the longest time.

Maple Butter as a concept doesn't go bad. It's like sugar or honey.  What you have is super thick maple syrup that will drip all over and would be better on toast than the bagel I used. 

All and all, if you love real maple then this is a fine thing to have and if maple isn't a major thing for you than this will fall short. If Trader Joe's brings it back you should talk up because it doesn't go bad. 
 

Sonic Ranch Dressing

 Sonic's Ranch Dressing is passable. It isn't good and I had no idea there was so lack luster ranch dressing until I tried this because I almost never eat ranch. I didn't order ranch and it was extra so I didn't want ranch but the girl at Sonic gave me ranch so I tried it and wasn't impressed. 

If you're at Sonic you may need this ranch to eat their trash chicken but as ranch goes this is just a sad version of a better product. 

Oscar Mayer Natural Slow Roasted Turkey Breast

Oscar Mayer Natural Slow Roasted Turkey Breast was on sale and so I got some to feed to my cats. They loved it. I mean they had a ball eating it frozen. 

I didn't freeze mine but it was that odd soft lunch meat that is just strong enough so that it does not come apart before it gets in the bread. 

Solid product, makes cat's happy. What more could you want. 
 

Campbell's Chunky New England Clam Chowder

 I have never understood clam chowder nor how it can be New England. I don't know what makes one different from the other, but I guess if I read up on it more I would find out. The  idea of eating clams in and of itself is lost on me as they are the water filter for the ocean and full of things that other things poop out. 

Thus, Campbell's Chunky New England Clam Chowder left an odd taste in my mouth. Don't get me wrong, we eat vegetables which are fed off the poop of other animals so clams aren't abnormally poop filled. I just never saw why we eat them.

I guess you could say that this stuff is mostly potato chowder with the clam being sprinkled in. It hasn't much flavor and is, as I often say, unoffensive. 

It's food like this that makes me ask, 'what is it that I'm looking for in a canned soup?' I mean, really, what should I be saying about this stuff?