Kashi Lemongrass Coconut Chicken: Crunchy, Healthy Goodness

Usually when I hear the name "Kashi", I think "lots of crunchy, nutty breakfast stuff from Japan." That, to me, still describes their cereal, but Kashi has slowly but surely expanded their product line to snack bars, crackers, waffles and frozen meals. Kashi seems to be ready to make their stake in the healthy eating industry.

I decided to give one of their frozen meals a try. I chose the lemongrass coconut chicken meal because I'm a big coconut fan and lemongrass seems like a flavor not often used in healthy meals. Would Kashi stack up against other healthy, frozen foods, or should they just stick to cereal for people that really like their fiber?

Ingredients. Other than the lemongrass and coconut, Kashi has plenty of ingredients in this meal. Broccoli florets, carrot slivers, snap peas are nice, natural decorations. There's also Kashi's signature Pilaf blend- that trademark crunch you get from all kinds of wheats and barlies. For you allergy people, the Kashi Lemongrass Coconut chicken does contain soy and milk products.

Nutrition. For the one serving you get in the Lemongrass Coconut Chicken meal, Kashi packs a few small punches. There are 300 calories, 8 grams of fat, 18 grams of protein, 7 fiber grams, and 38 grams of carbs. The Lemongrass Coconut Chicken also has 680 milligrams of salt, so watch your intake for the rest of the day!

I was surprised to see that there was a significant amount of Vitamin A (40% of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance) and Vitamin C (20%) in the Kashi meal.

Taste. Crunchy. Very crunchy. You can definitely taste the Kashi crunch that is lead by cooked quinoa. I suspect there's more than 7 grams of fiber in the Lemongrass Coconut Chicken. However, the lemongrass flavoring comes out once you get used to the initial overall texture in the meal. It's not long before your tongue gets a hold of the coconut and then finally the chicken. This meal is definitely an acquired taste if you've never had Kashi products, but once it gets going, the Lemongrass Coconut Chicken is pretty good and far from bland. It's not the usual "chicken and rice" meal, and it's not over-seasoned in salt and garlic.

If you are into something daring, this is the Kashi frozen meal for you. An unusual but palatable taste, the Lemongrass Coconut Chicken is great to throw in your lunch plans if you're feeling your menu is getting boring.