When you think aboutfrozen lasagna, you probably think of Stouffer’s.
The venerable grocery brand is well-known for its easy and convenient comfort food.
But did you know that wasn’t always the case?
Photo: Stouffer’s. Design: Eat This, Not That!
Not too long after, the first Stouffer’s restaurant was born in Cleveland, Ohio.
But it wasn’t until 1954 that the company finally entered the frozen entree business.
Here’s how each dish ranked in descending order from my least favorite to the overall best.
Megan Hageman/Eat This Not That
The brand claims to be America’s #1 selling brand of mac and cheese.
As such, it presents quite the selection of cheesy options.
The look:Highly reminiscent of SpaghettiOs with tube-like noodles swimming in a thin deep red sauce.
Megan Hageman/Eat This Not That
Tomato chunks are few and far between and the meat is very finely minced.
The taste:The flavor isn’t too far off from the world’s first spoonable spaghetti, either.
Watery with a lack of richness or tang, the tomato-based sauce leaves much to be desired.
Megan Hageman/Eat This Not That
the ingredients are fairly simple and it’s a certified crowd-pleaser.
Stouffer’s certainly didn’t resist the urge and serves up a traditionalFettuccine Alfredoin multiple sizes.
It’s made with a creamy sauce filled with parmesan, romano, and Asiago cheeses.
Megan Hageman/Eat This Not That
The look:The way this meal is packaged is not well planned out.
However, there are still a few glaring flaws, mostly related to the sauce.
To start, it’s more gummy and thick rather than smooth.
Megan Hageman/Eat This Not That
The viscous substance isn’t overly cheesy or buttery and instead had me searching for a nearby salt shaker.
The look:If this was a beauty contest alone, the mac and cheese would win the crown.
The taste: A big letdown after its promising start.
Megan Hageman/Eat This Not That
A handful of tomato chunks do, however, accompany the six small meatballs.
I also appreciate the fact that this is a filling and decent-sized portion for only 450 calories.
The taste:Once again, this mac and cheese looks and smells better than it tastes.
Megan Hageman/Eat This Not That
The layered pasta dish is the company’s most prominent cash cow.
So, it’s no surprise that there are multiple flavors to choose from.
I tested out three for a diverse sampling, includingthis option with meat and sauce.
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The look:It’s hard to see anything under the screen of white cheese.
The taste:A better-than-average frozen lasagna.
A bite of everything together is satisfying.
Megan Hageman/Eat This Not That
I do have a few complaints I have to file, though.
Fix these issues and the lasagna would be golden.
Veggie Lovers Lasagna
Perhaps the most intriguing lasagna in the lineup is theVeggie Lovers.
Megan Hageman/Eat This Not That
It’s still assembled using real pasta noodlesnot ones made with sweet potato or anything like that.
It’s also topped with a fine layer of breadcrumbs.
The look:Like a single-serve pasta casserole.
Veggies are abundant and stick out like orange and green thumbs against the white noodle bake.
The taste:Pot pie meets lasagna.
It’s a strange commingling of comfort foods but it works.
The look:Eight smaller meatballs join what looks like egg noodles in the tray.
The meatballs themselves seem to be from the same batch as the spheres found on the spaghetti and meatballs.
), there are also pasta dishes likethis rigatoni.
Parmesan and Asiago cheeses also work their way into the recipe as well as garlic and other spices.
I also counted six total chunks of white chicken breast.
It’s an appetizing meal all around and one I would definitely purchase again.
But, this one goes heavy on the meat with not only Italian sausage but also premium pepperoni.
The lasagna with meat and sauce, for example, has twice that amount at 40 grams.
The look:A little rough with meat and sauce breaking through the white cheese crust on the top.
Noodles along the edges also appear quite crispy and brittle.
The taste:The extra meat makes all the difference.
At that point, the extra zesty pepperonis were just a bonus.
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