various Stouffer’s frozen meals on shelves – PJ McDonnell/Shutterstock
Before it began focusing solely on frozen entrées in the 1990s, Stouffer’s was actually a restaurant chain established in 1924. The frozen entrées that the brand is now known for were originally introduced in the 1950s, and Stouffer’s remains a recognizable name to this day. Because of this long legacy and a nice variety of products, Chowhound ranked 14 of Stouffer’s frozen meals, from meatloaf to spaghetti and more. The worst of the bunch was Stouffer’s macaroni and beef, a classic comfort food dish that unfortunately missed the mark in terms of both taste and texture. However, the star of the show was Stouffer’s Swedish meatballs, which had a simple yet satisfying take on this iconic meal.
You may be wondering, what about the lasagna? After all, there’s a large menu button at the top of the Stouffer’s website labeled lasagna — marking it clearly as one of the brand’s signature products. There are many styles of Stouffer’s lasagna to choose from, but Chowhound tasted the classic lasagna with meat and sauce. It came in at a somewhat respectable eighth place, being judged inoffensive but not particularly interesting.
The Swedish meatballs, on the other hand, shone even when expectations were high. The meatballs come in a sour cream sauce on top of fettuccini noodles. Every element of the dish delivered — and the 27 grams of protein are just another bonus. The fettuccine noodles were soft, the meatballs were flavorful and shined as the star element, and the dish overall was very satisfying. The one negative comment was that they’re a bit one-dimensional, taste-wise, from the parsley. But the taste was good, so that wasn’t a major drawback.
Read more: Store-Bought Canned Crab Meat Ranked Worst To Best
Leveling up your Swedish meatballs
Stouffer’s frozen Swedish meatballs – Megan Lim/Chowhound
While Chowhound tried and enjoyed Stouffer’s Swedish meatballs out of the box with no additions, there are ways to take it up a notch. Stouffer’s website suggests stirring in a cup of fresh spinach to the cooked meatballs for a nutritious addition. Other fans of the meal suggest adding a dollop of sour cream — or even cream cheese — and perhaps some green onions, garlic powder, and pepper. Those extra flavors could correct the one-dimensional quality of the meatballs, if that is an issue for you. One thing to note is that while few reviewers had problems with the taste of Stouffer’s Swedish meatballs, some were put off by the texture.
Finally, one of the most wonderful things about frozen meals is the convenience; but sometimes, time saved means a higher price tag. In the case of Stouffer’s Swedish meatballs, this doesn’t seem to be a factor. The 11.5-ounce entrée can be purchased for a little over $3.25. Just as Ikea’s Swedish Meatballs are famously inexpensive ($9.99 for an eight-piece meal that comes with two sides), Stouffer’s Swedish meatballs are easy on the wallet, making for a satisfying meal in every aspect.
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Read the original article on Chowhound.
Dining and Cooking