For several years now I have been eating a few different types of Michelina’s frozen dinners on a semi-regular basis. Usually I purchase these frozen entrees at a West Hartford, Connecticut, Walgreens Pharmacy and at a Hartford, Connecticut Family Dollar store.
A few months ago I spotted a display of Michelina’s Beef & Peppers dinner in the freezer case at Family Dollar and decided to purchase one dinner. The flavor, texture and overall high quality of the dinner has compelled me to write a review of it.
Presented here in an effort to assist the consumer, is one frozen food lover’s review of Michelina’s Beef & Peppers frozen dinner.
Size
The net weight of the standard sized package of Michelina’s Beef & Peppers frozen dinner is eight ounces. According to the product’s nutrition facts label, one package equals one serving. The package measures approximately 8″ x 6″
Price
The regular retail price charged for one Michelina’s Beef & Peppers entree at Hartford, Connecticut food stores ranges between 99 cents and $1.49. The regular retail price that I pay for one of these tasty entrees at a Hartford, Connecticut Family Dollar store is approximately $1.29.
Texture / Consistency
Several different textures are offered with the Michelina’s Beef & Peppers entree. There are pieces of lean beef, bell peppers, onions and celery as well as a good amount of long grain white rice. When cooked according to instructions, the various ingredients maintain appealing textures.
Nutritional Facts
Michelina’s Beef & Peppers entree contains 280 calories with 45 calories from fat per one package serving. This product also contains 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 5 grams total fat, 10 mg of cholesterol, 780 mg of sodium, 48 grams total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 4 grams of sugars and 10 grams of protein per one package serving.
Taste / Flavor
Before I ever took one bite of a Michelina’s Beef & Peppers entree, I figured I would really like how it tasted because the other varieties of Michelina’s entrees I’ve tried have been very good.
The Beef & Peppers entree from Michelina’s offers a somewhat unusual but very good flavor. While the flavor is not exactly like stuffed peppers, it is also reminiscent of the dish. The pieces of beef in this entree are lean and real, not unidentifiable pieces of protein that are loaded with fat. The sauce is almost sweet and it complements the beef, vegetables and white rice splendidly.
On the top label of the box the entree is described as “bell pepper sauce with rice and seasoned beef”.
On a flavor scale of one through ten I would assign the Michelina’s Beef & Peppers entree a rating of 9.75, which is very good.
Packaging
Michelina’s Beef & Peppers entree is packaged in a sturdy cardboard box that doubles as the cooking container for the entree.
The top label on the box features a mostly green background with a little photo of “Mama” Michelina in the upper corner and a closeup photo of the enclosed entree in the foreground. The bottom label on the box lists all relevant ingredient and nutritional information as well as cooking guidelines.
A great thing about this product, as with the other Michelina’s frozen entrees, is the way they are designed to cook. To cook this entree, simply lift one corner of the lid to vent, then heat in a microwave oven for a few mminutes.
Overall Rating
All things considered, the Michelina’s Beef & Peppers entree is a pleasing change of pace from the more common varieties of frozen dinners that are out there.
This frozen entree is very reasonably priced, quick and easy to prepare and quite tasty. For what it’s worth, since I tried one of these entrees for the first time a few months ago, I have subsequently purchased at least another five or six more entrees.
Would I recommend this product to other consumers? The answer to that question is “absolutely, positively yes”.
Sources:
Personal experience with the product
The product label
