Review of Stouffer's Farmers' Harvest Spaghetti & Meatballs

After purchasing the Stouffers Farmer Harvest macaroni and cheese meal awhile back I felt inclined to try a few other product offerings by this frozen food manufacturer. The next product I selected was the Farmers Harvest Spaghetti & Meatballs with vegetable medley. The decision to purchase a frozen meal was once again due to working long hours and having something easily available that is relatively low calorie and can be heated up in minutes.

The entire cooking process from freezer to table lasts only about six minutes when using the microwave. The process involves peeling back film cover midway through cooking to stir contents to redistribute heat evenly. There are also conventional oven instructions provided which will take the dish about a half hour to complete.

Taste

The first taste of the whole grain spaghetti noodles was surprisingly pleasant. The meatballs also had a good flavor and hinted of garlic, cheese and herbs that I found to be tasty. The marinara sauce was mediocre at best as the meatballs and pasta seemed to be the highlight of this dish. The vegetables are another story. I applaud Stouffer's efforts to throw out some of my favorite vegetables into this dish such as asparagus, yellow carrots, and red peppers. Those vegetables unfortunately converted into a colorful soft mush that really did not adapt to microwave heating. I do not believe these vegetables would have fared any better by cooking via conventional methods. While I enjoyed the vegetable butter sauce, I could not get past the limp consistency of the vegetables which are typically known to be at their best when served al dente.

Quantity

This particular Stouffer's meal is sold in a 12 ounce serving size and the meal is surprisingly filling for what appears to be a relatively small container. The meal contains 320 calories and 9 grams of fat which is considered low for a freeze and heat convenience meal. The spaghetti and meatballs meal yields a hefty 950 milligrams of sodium. I would say that the meal is surprisingly filling but plan on adding a small salad or dessert to prevent later hunger attacks.

Price

The box of Stouffer's Farmers' Harvest Spaghetti & Meatballs runs about $3.50. This price is fair considering the ingredients include premium vegetables as asparagus and yellow carrots. The real cost of this meal is slightly higher considering there is still a need for a supplement to the meal such as a slice or two of bread, dessert, or side salad.

Overall Opinion

This meal was overall quite satisfactory. I would not get too excited to run to the store on stock up on this meal, though it will definitely be selected again when the local grocery stores carry this one on sale closer to the three dollar range.