Review: Green Giant Rice Pilaf

If you're looking for a quick meal that includes some healthy vegetables, give Green Giant Rice Pilaf a try. Green Giant Rice Pilaf comes in a convenient, single-serving carton and can be found on your grocer's frozen food aisle for about $2. This classic rice pilaf recipe delivers hearty flavor and a combination of luscious vegetables in buttery rice.

Preparing Green Giant Rice Pilaf

You can prepare Green Giant Rice Pilaf on the stove top or in your microwave.

Microwave

Put your plastic pouch of Green Giant Rice Pilaf in your microwave after making a small slit in the center of the pouch. Then, begin cooking the rice pilaf on HIGH for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes has passed, move the pouch a quarter turn and then continue cooking the rice pilaf on HIGH for another 2 to 5 minutes. Be sure you don't under cook the rice pilaf! Make sure your rice pilaf is heated thoroughly before eating it.

Stove Top

Pour water into a 3-quart pot and bring the water to a rapid boil. Once the water is boiling, place the plastic pouch of rice pilaf into the water and leave the pot uncovered. Cook the rice pilaf for 14 minutes. Turn over the pouch after the first 7 minutes. After the rice pilaf has cooked in the pouch for 14 minutes, carefully remove the very hot pouch from the boiling water and then empty the rice pilaf onto a plate or bowl.

Flavor

The Green Giant Rice Pilaf has a rich, buttery flavor. The rice pilaf contains carrots, peas, and mushrooms - so I think the mushrooms contribute significantly to the rich and buttery flavor I describe. The peas and carrots freshly break what would be buttery flavored monotony.

Overall the rice pilaf is pleasing. While the rice pilaf does taste buttery, it doesn't taste very salty. I think most will be pleased. It's important to remember that this rice pilaf may not taste like a homemade recipe - but this is a very convenient and high-quality frozen rice pilaf from a name I trust.

Nutrition

There are some significant health benefits to be had from eating Green Giant Rice Pilaf, notable in the dietary fiber, protein, Vitamin A, and iron categories. I will say right up front, though - this rice pilaf contains the most sodium I can recall seeing in a Green Giant product in a while. The numbers I list below are for a full 10-ounce package, representing a single serving:

Calories 210
Calories from Fat 30
Total Fat 3.5 grams
Saturated Fat 2 grams
Trans Fat 0 grams
Cholesterol 5 milligrams
Sodium 1170 milligrams
Total Carbohydrates 41 grams
Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Sugars 4 grams
Protein 5 grams
Vitamin A 30%
Vitamin C 6%
Calcium 4%
Iron 20%

Resources

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Green Giant Rice Pilaf carton