Diet Food Reviews
Tai Pei Garlic Shrimp
By: | Jan 21, 2008
Tai Pei doesn't market itself as low calorie, low fat or low anything, but it caught my eye because of that interesting "Chinese take-out carton" shape. A quick scan of the ingredients list showed that this was only 70 calories per serving with 2.5 servings per box, which still puts this entire thing under 200 calories. No way this wasn't going back on the shelf, so into my trolley it went, and I had it for dinner that very evening.
There is no peeling or tearing of packaging required before putting it microwave, because it is m'wave safe. After 5 minutes, I could smell the delicious garlic aroma exuding from the ready-to-be-eaten Garlic Shrimp. I decided to dish out the 1 cup serving size, but I should have weighed it, because 1 cup was almost the entire thing (even though the box says it should be less than 1/3rd). So, I just said, let me eat it all - it's only 175 calories anyway. To complete the meal, I microwaved some BirdsEye SteamFresh Green Beans, and added serving (1 cup). One fabulously filling dinner for less than 210 calories!
Did I already mention that this meal was delicious - close to perfection?! The garlic sauce was light in taste and body. I drizzled it over the vegetables and since it wasn't a heavy sauce, it added only a light flavor. There were vegetables galore. Carrots, broccoli, sugar snap peas, bell peppers and water chestnuts. Lots and lots of veggie - and then I remembered that this should be "garlic shrimp." But where were the shrimp? After a big of digging around, I spotted 1 of the 7 shrimp - yes I counted! If this meal had a flaw, that would be it.
Each serving of Tai Pei Garlic Shrimp Meal has 70 calories, 1.5 grams of fat (3% of the RDA), no saturated fat or trans fat, 8% of the RDA for cholesterol, 21% of the RDA for sodium (510 mg), 6 grams of protein and 10 grams of total carbohydrates which includes 3 grams of sugars and 3 grams of fiber (11% of the RDA).
So, for the entire box, 175 calories, 27.5% of the RDA fiber, but too much salt - 52.5% of the RDA - ouch! With the lack of shrimp being the 1st flaw, then this would be the 2nd. The price tag was $2.00 for a 12 ounce size.
I really enjoyed this meal, and if your eating right and usually don't eat too much sodium, then I would highly recommend this Steamed Vegetables and Shrimp with Garlic Sauce dinner - yes, I have renamed it to let the World know that I, who am not a vegetable lover by nature but by way of a New Years Resolution, actually loved this meal and plan to make it a mainstay on my grocery list.
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Man, I love garlic shrimp and this looks delightful! I hope I can find it near me. Perhaps if you add a couple of frozen shrimp along with the extra veggies you could get two meals out of it?
OK. I tried this stuff, and it wasn't all that! I brought it to lunch at work, and I was still hungary. I think it would be better over rice or more veggies or something like that at home. Oh, and I only found 3 shrimp in the entire box! Quite disappointing.
If you have a chance, try the Orange Chicken package, same folks.. a lot lower in salt, a lot of chicken, and quite filling!
hello can you please tell me what store to buy the tai pei products as i would like to buy some
thank you
I'm eating the sweet and sour chicken as I type. It's quite good, and very filling.YUM!!
I'm eating the sweet and sour chicken as I type. It's quite good, and very filling.YUM!!
Does anyone know where I can get the Spicy Szechuan Style Chicken? They stopped carrying it at Wal-Mart and Fiesta but they still have the others. Can anyone help me find the chicken?
You got lucky with shrimp. Even 1 shrimp would have been nice. I got zero shrimp in mine. I'll never buy again. $3.50 for just vegetables. Hmmm If I were to just buy frozen veggies I could have gotten a huge bag for this price.
My wife and I have recently found this brand and have eaten 4 different flavors, and we have to say we enjoy them a lot! The meat pieces do seem to be random in each carton, but at $2.25 a meal, we are still very happy with them!
I have been eating these for about 2 years. If it doesn't fill you up, then you eat too much anyway. It is full of enough fiber and protein to make you feel like you ate a huge meal afterward. They taste absolutely delicious, and the price is right! I eat them for lunch and buy them at Wal-Mart.
I agree with everyone that said this is a good value. I got the garlic shrimp for $2 and it was a pretty filling meal. I also have to agree that 7 shrimp was lucky! I found 3 in mine and my co-worker only had 1. The most I've had has been 5. Not that one would expect a whole load of shrimp for $2 but come on...
these products are cheap as crap. i get the beef and broccoli and within three packages, i only found four prices of really small beef.
Today I bought the garlic shrimp. There was NO SHRIMP! What gives with that. Please email so that I can get my money back.
I find the Tai Pei dinners to be very good for the price. They are tasy, and have lots of vegetables as compared to other frozen-type dinners. However, you need to either buy the ones with rice, or add your own, to be filled up by them. I also agree that the garlic shrimp dinner is very stingy with the shrimp, but the chicken ones seem to have plenty of chicken.
Had the General Tso's chicken tonight -- blech. It had Splenda in it! It was below the garlic powder on the ingredients list, so they could have substituted about 4 calories worth of sugar and spared us the gaggy aftertaste.
We don't own a microwave. How do we heat Tai Pei frozen meals the conventional (old-fashioned) way?
@Dick Turner I figure if you can get it out of the box, then add a little water to a pot, add the Tai Pei and let it steam for a while - 10 minutes maybe - there are a lot of veggies, so I figured this method is better than putting it a oven.
I find the Tai Pei dinners to be very good for the price also. I got plenty of chicken and a half container of rice with very little vegies in the Bourbon Chicken dinner I just ate. They could pack less rice and more vegies. I had the garlic shrimp dinner once and recall I got about 4 pieces of shrimp in the box, which was enough for me. The only draw back is the amount of sodium. I keep frozen dinners to a minimum because of the sodium, but they are a very good choice for a periodic quick lunch or dinner!
i tried the chicken fried rice by Tai Pei and was very dissatisfied. There was not a drop of chicken in it.
It seems as though the little corns are taking over and eating the shrimps and chicken pieces. I understand they cook it and then fill the cartons but they should have additional meat to fill for a great meal and not just a good one. By the way, I'm a big guy at 275 lbs and it fills me.
How about some coupons for your dinners?
But are there preservatives in it? If so, don't eat it. It's very bad for you despite how many carbs/fat etc. you save.
But are there perservatives in it? If so, don't eat it. It's very bad for you despite how many carbs/fat etc. you save.
I am eating the Chicken Fried Rice and there NO CHICKEN in it. Not one lousy piece. I don't know if I'll by it again... we'll see.
I tried the fried chicken. Only one small piece (dime size)of chicken. It is aweful. I wouldn't eat it again.
We would like to know if there are any pork dinners?
Their General Tso's Chicken is the best I believe. I am doing Weight Watchers and the entire box is only 3 points...becareful of anything other then the shrimp or general tso's for points, they are much higher. Their egg rolls are great too, and WW 2 points each. I buy mine for $2.50 each at Wal-Mart's frozen food section.
You can open the package and heat it up on the stove on low heat