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Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers Roasted Chicken Chardonnay
By: Tanya Taylor, PhD | Jul 16, 2007
I tried the Roasted Chicken Chardonnay which is chicken breast with pasta and vegetables in a creamy chardonnay wine sauce. The flavors were subtle and delicate, and I enjoyed this meal. I did think it could have used more salt (how ironic it is that there is 23% of the recommended daily amount of sodium in this - and here I am wishing it had even more)! I liked the inovation in technology, and while I did notice the reduced cooking time, I don't know if there was any improvement in quality - if anybody else has tried the Cafe Steamers, we would love to know if you think it tastes better than the regular microwaveable meals. One serving of Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers Roasted Chicken Chardonnay has 270 calories, 6 grams of total fat and 2 grams of saturated fat, which are both 10% of the RDA, no trans fat, 23% RDA for sodium, 10% of the RDA for cholesterol, 22 grams of protein and 30 grams of total carbohydrates, which includes 2 grams of sugar and 16% of the RDA for dietary fiber (4 grams). I haven't seen a meal with cholesterol in a long time - so I am concluding that "steaming" doesn't equate to healthier in this case. As usual Healthy Choice can usually be found on sale for a little less than $3.00, but note that the Cafe Steamers line costs more than the regular ones. Is it worth paying extra? I'm not sure, but I'm leaning towards ... no. Taste:
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Comments
Fri: August 3, 2007
Bill said: I tried the Beef version (err don't remember the exact name, but it was beef with vegetables) and I liked it a LOT better than normal Lean Cuisine beef meals. They had sugarsnap peas (I think? lol they were the whole pea stalk) and they were crunchy and yummy! The beef didn't taste like frozen beef normally does (gross with a hint of "oh god is this going to give me the poops?" Doubt it's healthier, but it's tastier!
Tue: August 7, 2007
jp said: the dinner the guy is referring to is beef merlot. i run the production line that produces these meals. as for as production goes these dinners are a challenge. i hope everyone enjoys
Thu: August 9, 2007
tanya [admin] said: Thanks JP. Good to hear from the pros. I like the concept and I'm looking forward to trying more.
Tue: August 14, 2007
Anonymous said: These things are nothing more than a marketing scheme, and they're gross. They took a perfectly functional microwavable meal and turned it into a soupy mess that costs even more than before and requires more work to cook. I guess their sales were lax, and they wanted to change something. Well, they did; they lost a customer. Marie Callender's, here I come!
Wed: August 15, 2007
Kiana said: I'm enjoying the Cajun Chicken and Shrimp as I type. It's not bad. I love the steam tray concept. Would buy again.
Sat: August 18, 2007
tanya [admin] said: Anonymous: the original Healthy Choice meals still exist, so you can always get those. As for Marie Callender's meal - notice how you haven't seen any reviews on here of those - hardly any under 600 calories and usually more than 50% of the daily sodium allotment in one meal - no thanks! But to each his own.
Thu: September 27, 2007
Sarah said: I've tried every lean cuisine, south beach, kashi, smart food, etc. meals out there. The healthy choice steamers are not bad at all. Could use a bit more flavoring but it tastes like food, not some food byproduct. The boca soy chili is pretty good too.
Tue: October 16, 2007
robert shahda said: chef steamers are better than peanutbutter jelly.they are fantastic.
Wed: October 31, 2007
martin said: Ok, I'm really enjoying the chicken w/red pepper in alfredo sauce right now & I have to say that for being a microwave meal it is VERY good. I had the dill salmon last week & it just needed a little pepper for the perfect flavoring. Marie Callender's line is AWFUL imo. I've tried it a couple of times & it is saturated in salt! This, to me, is better than the original Healthy Choice line. thanks jp!
Fri: December 14, 2007
Lindsay said: I have tried the Cajun Chicken & Shrimp, and the Chicken w/Red Pepper Alfredo. both are VERY good!!! I think these are much better than other low fat frozen meals and I would definitely buy them again. At Super Wal-Mart, they are only $2.58.
Sat: January 12, 2008
Alice said: I think the steamers are great. They're easy to fix and taste better than the typical Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice dinner. Our favorites are the Chicken w/Red Pepper Alfredo and the General Tso's Chicken. I will definitely buy the steamers again. Thanks for all your hard work, JP!
Fri: February 8, 2008
Kaci said: I just had a cafe steamer healthy choice meal, and I must say it was a fantastic frozen to thawed meal! I've eaten a lot of frozen food (no time to cook most days) and the meat was juicy and tender, the vegetables were tasty and crisp, the pasta was firm and good, and the sauce was a great touch. I had to add a little spice to it, but that's not big deal at all. I'm excited to try this product again, what a quick and easy meal to make, and filling for under 300 calories!
Fri: February 15, 2008
Thomas said: As a professional chef, I am usually very disappointed in the quality of ANY frozen meal. However, after trying the Cafe Steamers line from Healthy Choice, I am falling in love with frozen meals. The Roasted Chicken Chardonnay has a sauce which is somewhat complex while retaining its delicate nature. The Salmon and Pasta with Dill Sauce is another winner. In fact, aside from the cajun inspired Chicken and Shrimp, which is completely insipid, every one of these dishes is of the highest quality. I love them! These are the best frozen dinners on the market and the steaming process seems to create a meal that is VERY close to freshly prepared. Excellent!
Tue: February 26, 2008
s said: i eat one of these cafe steamers almost every day for lunch. anyone who says these are terrible must not have been around the block with frozen dinners. as someone who has a problem with portion regulation, these are the freshest, most filling and high quality dinners on the market. sure, you can buy a marie calendars or something else, but they are loaded with salt, fat, calories...you name it. they aren't very inexpensive either. sooo...why not head to wendys for lunch? i applaud healthy choice for these as someone who is trying to shed a few lbs for her upcoming wedding, and doesnt feel like they have to resort to ricecakes and water. My favorites is the chicken marinara, i just tried the tuscany today which was fabulous, and i also enjoy the chardonney. keep in mind it IS a frozen meal that took 4 minutes to nuke, but when you eat it you almost forget that part! |
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Healthy Choice didn't just come out with a new meal, they came out with a whole new microwaveable meal concept with their Cafe Steamers line - Steams Fresh in Your Microwave. The sauce is in a special compartment on the bottom which acts as a steaming agent for the rest of the meal in a separate compartment above. I'm probably making it sound more complicated than it really is - all you have to do is remove the meal from the box and put it in the microwave (no need to remove the plastic wrap). When it's done, take out the inner steamer tray and slide the food into the bottom tray which will have the sauce. This technology also cuts cooking time from four minutes to three.
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RT from realwomensfitness said:
In Australia the way these things are advertised makes them look disgusting. One night, however, I was so tired I just picked one up and tried it - not bad.