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SMALL BUSINESS
Frozen Foods:
Packaging vs. Reality
Previous-
Cassandra Shie, AOL
What You See Is ...
You wander the frozen food aisle, looking for a quick-and-easy meal. The package looks so appealing, but is it really an accurate representation of the entree that awaits you?
See our ratings for both "look" and "taste" of 19 products.
Our Rating Scale:
1 star = lost appetite
2 stars = bland
3 stars = okay
4 stars = good
5 stars = great
Next: Corn Dog Meal -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Corn Dog Meal
Brand: Banquet
Look: ****
Taste: ****
What you get: Batter-dipped frank made with chicken on a stick with a fudge brownie, french-fried potatoes and corn
Comments: "The fries were crispy, the corn dog was flavorful, and the rich brownie melted in my mouth."
Next: Honey Roasted Chicken -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Honey Roasted Chicken with Au Gratin Potatoes
Brand: Boston Market Home Style Meals
Look: **
Taste: ***
What you get: Honey roasted chicken with au gratin potatoes
Comments: "Right off the bat the smell wasn't pleasant to me, however the food tasted okay."
Next: Four Cheese Manicotti -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Four Cheese Manicotti
Brand: Healthy Choice
Look: ***
Taste: ****
What you get: Ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan and romano cheese-stuffed pasta in marinara sauce with carmel apple crisps, and broccoli florets
Comments: "The manicotti was great, although there was too much sauce and the dessert was just okay."
Next: Chicken Fried Steak -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Chicken Fried Steak
Brand: Michelina's
Look: *
Taste: *
What you get: Michelina's signature chicken fried steak
Comments: "I love fried steak, but this was by far the worst fried steak experience of my life. Once I found the small chicken fried steak under the gravy and began to eat, I couldn't finish. It was bad."
Next: Cheese Pizza Strips -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Cheese Pizza Strips
Brand: Dip & Dunk Kid Cuisine
Look: *****
Taste: *****
What you get: Cheese pizza strips with dipping sauce, corn and fruit flavored snacks
Comments: "This meal was fun, satisfying and delightfully delicious."
Next: Pineapple Beef Teriyaki -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Pineapple Beef Teriyaki
Brand: Smart Ones, Weight Watchers
Look: ****
Taste: *
What you get: Pineapple beef teriyaki with vegetables and rice
Comments: "This meal looked great, but flavored it was not. The beef was spongy and the rice had no taste."
Next: Herb Roasted Chicken -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Marie Callender's Herb Roasted Chicken
Brand: Marie Callender's
Look: ***
Taste: ***
What you get: Two pieces of herb roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and a mixture of carrots and broccoli
Next: Kapow Seafood with Jasmine Rice -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Kapow Seafood with Jasmine Rice
Brand: Neisha Thai Cuisine
Look: *****
Taste: *****
What you get: Seafood sauteed with fresh basil, chili and garlic sauce, with steamed jasmine rice
Comments: "The smell was delicious, the taste was even better. There was in total 6 tasty shrimp pieces that left me wanting more."
Next: Pot Pie -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Roasted White Meat
Pot PieBrand: Premium Pot Pie, Pepperidge Farm
Look: ***
Taste: *****
What you get: Pot pie with roasted white meat, vegetables and a flaky crust
Comments: "It looked a little funny, but it tasted delicious. I felt full and was extremely pleased with this pie."
Next: Chicken Parmesan -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Chicken Parmesan
Brand: Smart Ones, Weight Watchers
Look: *
Taste: *
What you get: Roasted chicken breast and spaghetti with marinara sauce topped with cheese
Comments: "It says it tastes better than ever on the box -- if that's true I'm afraid to know how it used to taste. This meal looked bad and tasted old and rubbery. I couldn't finish it."
Next: Pizza -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza
Brand: Michelina's
Look: *
Taste: ***
What you get: Roasted garlic chicken pizza with cheese, onions and bell peppers
Comments: "This 89-cent meal was easy on the wallet but hard on the eyes. It tasted OK, but I was hard pressed to see or taste any chicken that appeared on the box as chunky."
Next: Sweet & Sour Chicken -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Sweet & Sour Chicken
Brand: Kashi Entrees
Look: *****
Taste: ****
What you get: Sliced chicken with roasted green beans and yellow pepper, red pepper, crimini mushrooms, onions and edamame (soybeans), served over pilaf, and topped with a tangy sweet and sour sauce
Comments: "This healthy dish tasted tangy and good. It was filling even though it wasn't a lot."
Next: Chicken Tandoori -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Chicken Tandoori
Brand: Tandoor Chef
Look: *
Taste: ***
What you get: Chicken tandoori with spinach
Comments: "I enjoy Indian food very much. This meal however was average tasting and I felt it didn't have enough meat."
Next: Mexican Style Fiesta -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Mexican Style Fiesta
Brand: Hungry-Man
Look: **
Taste: **
What you get: Beef enchiladas in chili sauce with Mexican style rice, refried beans and a brownie
Next: Vegan Moroccan Chicken -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Vegan Moroccan Chicken
Brand: Mon Cuisine
Look: ****
Taste: ****
What you get: Vegetarian "chicken" and almonds with whole wheat couscous and vegetables
Comments: "It sparked my taste buds -- the couscous was very flavorful. However the vegetables were tiny and sparse."
Next: Savory Beef -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Savory Beef with Cheesy Broccoli
Brand: South Beach Diet by Kraft
Look: **
Taste: **
What you get: Chunks of beef with broccoli, mushrooms and grated carrot
Next: Spaghetti -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Spaghetti
Brand: Stouffer's
Look: ****
Taste: ****
What you get: Spaghetti with meatballs in tomato sauce
Comments: "Looked great, tasted great. I'd buy this again for sure."
Next: Steak 'n Mac -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Steak 'n Mac
Brand: Night Hawk
Look: *
Taste: ****
What you get: Macaroni and cheese and a charbroiled chopped beef pattie with steak sauce
Next: Cheese Lasagna With Chicken Scaloppini -
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Cheese Lasagna With Chicken Scaloppini
Brand: Stouffer's Lean Cuisine
Look: *
Taste: **
What you get: A serving of cheese lasagna and thin slices of lightly breaded chicken breast and rib meat scaloppini
Comments: "The chicken tasted very bland and low-quality. The lasagna was easier to eat but wasn't memorable."
Next: More Product Reviews -
MORE PRODUCT REVIEWS
As Seen on TV Products:
Do They Really Work?
You've seen the commercials and seen the products in your favorite stores. You may even own some of them, but how well do they actually work?
We put 20 of them to the test to see which are best. Check out our ratings for the Foreman Grill, S'mores Wizard, One Touch Can Opener, Magic Bullet Blender, Deni Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker and more.
20 As Seen on TV RatingsMore Money & Finance:
Still Hungry?
Check out AOL Food for recipes and more filling features:
- Tyler Florence
Watch the celeb chef create a steak sandwich. Take notes.
- Get Dinner Tonight
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- Best Boxed Wines
- Snack Food Quiz
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