For those of us spending Thanksgiving alone, the holiday can be tough. There will be no gooey casseroles, crispy turkey skins, or shaky cranberry sauce on a platter when the host places it on the table.
A turkey is simply too big for one person. Pasta, burgers or a baked chicken wont scratch that holiday itch, either.
Ah, the frozen turkey dinner. A nostalgic staple of childhood, a quick and easy meal for busy weeknights, and a surprisingly versatile canvas for culinary creativity. But with so many options lining the frozen aisle, how do you choose the best one?
We’ve analyzed two sources to help you navigate this frozen frontier: the Banquet Turkey Meal and Sporked’s Best Frozen Turkey Dinner Taste Test
Banquet Turkey Meal: A Classic Comfort Food
Banquet’s Turkey Meal is a classic, no-frills option that delivers on the promise of homestyle comfort food. It features tender turkey slices, rich gravy, sweet peas, and creamy mashed potatoes made with real cream. This simple yet satisfying meal is perfect for those who crave a taste of home without the hassle of cooking.
Pros:
- Familiar and comforting flavors
- Convenient and easy to prepare
- Made with real cream for a richer taste
- Affordable option
Cons:
- Limited nutritional value
- Not the most exciting or flavorful option
- May contain artificial ingredients
Sporked’s Best Frozen Turkey Dinner Taste Test: A Quest for Flavor and Quality
Sporked, a food website known for its witty and insightful reviews, conducted a taste test of various frozen turkey dinners to find the best of the best. Their top picks offer a range of flavors and textures, catering to different preferences and dietary needs.
Best Overall: Stouffer’s Roast Turkey
Stouffer’s Roast Turkey emerged as the clear winner, impressing with its moist white meat medallions, flavorful gravy, and satisfying sides. The stuffing, infused with the gravy’s richness, and the creamy mashed potatoes complete this classic comfort food experience.
Best Gravy: Hungry Man Roasted Carved White Meat Turkey
If you’re a gravy enthusiast, Hungry Man’s Roasted Carved White Meat Turkey is your go-to choice. The thick, flavorful gravy elevates the otherwise plain turkey slices and bland sides, making it a surprisingly satisfying meal.
Best Low Cal: Lean Cuisine Protein Kick Roasted Turkey Breast
For those watching their calorie intake, Lean Cuisine’s Protein Kick Roasted Turkey Breast offers a surprisingly delicious and satisfying option. The turkey medallions boast a pleasant texture and taste, while the savory gravy and herby stuffing provide a satisfying flavor experience. The bonus? Sweet and crisp cinnamon apples for a touch of dessert indulgence.
The Verdict: A Banquet of Choices
Whether you’re craving a comforting classic like Banquet’s Turkey Meal or seeking a more flavorful and exciting option like Sporked’s top picks, the frozen aisle offers a surprising variety of turkey dinners to satisfy your cravings. So grab a fork, fire up the microwave, and embark on your own frozen turkey dinner adventure!
The blind taste test
The assignment involved evaluating five frozen turkey dinners blindly, but there was a catch: this would be my first time consuming animal meat in more than six months.
At the time of the test, I had been following a fairly strict vegetarian diet. I had found myself eating red meat almost every night: juicy cheeseburgers, peppercorn-crusted center cut sirloin, meatballs. I even experimented with Elvis Presley’s go-to sandwich, the Fools Gold Loaf, which is a toasted hoagie that has been hollowed out and contains a pound of bacon and a jar of peanut butter and jelly.
Something had to change.
I was curious about the results of reintroducing the least expensive, most frozen meat to my diet after going six months without eating any meat. Would my purified palate rebel, or would I discover that my taste buds had developed to the point where I could make the best decisions about frozen foods? Would I pass away in the process?
Thats what I wanted to find out.
On a cool October afternoon, I bought the frozen dinners at the Walmart on West Seventh Street.
I powered a shopping cart with sticky wheels and made my way past inventory pallet stacks clogging the aisles and pick-up order personnel to the frozen foods. I was thrilled to discover five frozen turkey dinner brands because I had only anticipated one or two.
All but one were priced around $3, which is a financial achievement given that the cost of a loaf of bread and a box of teabags is about the same.
Here are the dinners I bought, how much they cost, and how many calories are in each.
- Andrew Zimmern Turkey Dinner – $5.94, 300 calories
- Hungry-Man Roasted Turkey Breast Frozen Dinner – $3.74, 400 calories
- Lean Cuisine Roasted Turkey Breast Meal – $3.49, 300 calories
- Marie Callenders’ Turkey Breast Roast 48, 240 calories.
- Honey-glazed turkey steamers from Healthy Choice Café 12, 240 calories.
Judging frozen dinners by their covers
Though we were not allowed to eat frozen food in front of the television as children, it had been a very long time since I had eaten what my family called a “TV dinner.”
In those days, TV dinners were for the nights when Mom was too tired after work to cook. Hungry Man was the gold standard; I cant remember ever having anything else.
Since then, more players have entered the frozen food game in an attempt to win a piece of the pie.
After perusing the packaging of every frozen meal I owned, I deduced the following consumer types that I believed each company was targeting:
- Frozen food for the brand-conscious consumer: Andrew Zimmern, Marie Callenders
- Frozen food for the calorie-conscious consumer: Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine
- Frozen food for the tired and hungry consumer: Hungry Man
Swanson Turkey Frozen TV Dinners
FAQ
Are Marie Callender TV dinners healthy?
What do TV dinners also known as frozen dinners have to do with Thanksgiving?
Does Costco have a Thanksgiving dinner?
Which company used leftover turkey meat from Thanksgiving to create the first TV dinner in 1953?