Organic Bistro Bowls Review

You have heard me say it before, as a busy mother of three it is sometimes really hard to find time to eat anything let alone something healthy. Especially at lunchtime.  Organic Bistro Bowls ($4.49) are the latest from the Organic Bistro frozen meal line.  Made from organic, fresh ingredients and gluten-free the bowls take minutes to heat up in the microwave and can be made in an oven as well.  My oven died the week I tested these meals so I was only able to nuke them. 

First up is the Asian Style Coconut Lemongrass with Chicken Bowl. My local grocery store stocked a lot of the Organic Bistro meals.  The Coconut Lemongrass appealed to me as it is not a typical frozen meal flavor.  I noticed that Organic Bistro has many salmon meals as well, which is another unique attribute with this company.  When I opened the box of the Coconut Lemongrass bowl I thought, "How small..." and "Hm... the vegetables look fresh and bright, the chicken chunks are large, but how do they taste? What is their texture like?" I noticed I had to cook them on high for the maximum amount of time or there was a lot of liquid still in the bowls.  Once I figured that out I was ready to eat.  The taste was surprising.  The flavors were not bland or too salty.  I could definitely taste the coconut and spices of this traditional dish. The scent of this meal was heavenly and a nice departure from my typical mid-day meals. The vegetables were fresh tasting and the chicken, while not abundant, tasted better than many frozen meals.  It was large in size with no rubbery bits or discoloration.  It tasted like real chicken.  You know what I mean. So many frozen meals have meat that looks and tastes totally foreign from what it is supposed to be.  Organic Bistro bowls may be small but they fill you up and last.  I didn't have that mid-afternoon blood sugar drop or massive desire to snack. It was a win!

I wanted to try other Bistro bowls but the second time back to the store there was only salmon bowls left and I don't eat fish.  I was looking forward to trying the Thai Style Yellow Curry with Chicken or the Thai Style Red Curry with Beef.

Many of Organic Bistro's meal- entrees and bowls contain edamame or quinoa pilaf (tastes like brown rice) which is a great way to fill up and add protein.  It's also rare to find in frozen meals.  I eat quinoa at least twice a week at lunch so this is a good option that is a bit quicker than making quinoa traditionally.  You can find Organic Bistro meals in the frozen food section at your local grocery store.

MPR Rating:  Four Stars.

Disclaimer: MPR was not paid for this post.  Products received are for review purposes only.  Opinions are MPR's only. 

Marie Callender's Under 500 Solves My Lunchtime Woes

I never had a problem getting a meal into my schedule in the past. After all, I love food and love to eat. Then, I had three kids and with that last addition to my family came absolutely no time to even think about going to the bathroom on a regular basis let alone what to eat for lunch. Frozen meals are a quick answer but many times they are loaded with sodium, fat and full of calories that I don't like to ingest. Marie Callender's Under 500 meals is an answer to this busy mom's prayers.

Today, I sampled the Chicken Piccata from the Marie Callender's Fresh Flavor Steamers line. At 360 calories it was loaded with grilled chicken, capers, penne pasta and a nice lemon-butter sauce that filled me up but didn't make me feel stuffed. It took three and a half minutes to cook in my microwave, which was about all the time I had in between feeding a baby, toddler and preschool age child. I felt that I was eating a balanced meal, something that is also hard for me to whip up on many days when the kitchen gets really busy, crowded and noisy with the kids. These meals save my sanity and my waistline and I am so happy with that.

Plus? Eating meals like the 'Under 500' group saves me from eating some really funky food combinations like when I have no time to think about what I'm actually eating. There have been days when my lunch has been made up of marshmallows, cheese slices and lemon water. I know, how healthy is that? What kind of example does that set for healthy eating with my kids? Later on, I will become ravenous and end up eating half a bag of tortilla chips. Not good at all. Other days it is the very familiar eating what is left on my kids plate. You know, three green beans, a half a quorn nugget and a swig of coffee. Mmm... that's gourmet eatin' right there.


MPR Rating: Four Stars.

Disclaimer: MPR worked in conjunction with Marie Callender's on behalf of TheMotherhood. MPR was compensated for this post. Opinions are MPR's only.