I was selected to be one of those on Gather to receive a coupon for a free meal, compliments of Stouffer's, up to a value of $3.89. All I had to do was go to the supermarket, pick out the one I wanted and write a review about what I chose. I've purchased Stouffer's meals in the past, so I wanted to be sure to select something I've never had in the past to be able to write an unbiased critique over one of my favorites I knew I already liked. I stood in the frozen food section 'studying' the selections that were offered. I shop at Wegmans and they don't stock all of the choices Stouffer's has to offer. Being a frugal shopper, I wanted to get the most for my 'money' even though it was a coupon for a free meal. I skipped over the lower priced selections and zeroed in on the most expensive they had. There were three offerings priced at $3.59 and I decided on the one that weighed the most...16 ounces...one pound. That should make a nice dent in my hunger.
I picked the Stouffer's Meatloaf meal; two meatloaves glazed with ketchup in a homestyle gravy with real mashed potatoes...now with MORE MEATLOAF and no preservatives. The picture on the box looked tasty, but I already know looks can be deceiving. I thought it might be fun to have guests over to join me. Who should I invite? 
The obvious choices to dine with me for this meal; my old 'friends', the singer, Meatloaf, and Mrs. Potatohead. When I'm ready to eat, I want it now! I don't want to wait forever; another reason I don't prepare big, elaborate meals for one. Who wants to cook for an hour with a half hour of clean up only to have the food wolfed down in under ten minutes? I opted for the microwave method...remove tray from box, do not vent, do not remove film cover. (Cooking in a conventional oven takes 40 minutes...more energy and cost to heat it up...and more time to wait before I could eat.) In 8 minutes, including stirring after the first five minutes, my dinner was ready. 'Remove cover and enjoy!' Yah, right! There I had it...mashed potatoes and meatloaf...nothing else.
I prepare a little salad (translation - opened a bag and dumped some on a plate) and took the taters and meat from its cooking tray and put them along side on the plate. I added a couple rolls and butter and had a fresh chocolate covered Persian doughnut I picked up at the neighborhood bakery waiting in the wings for dessert. I was ready to graze!After I finished off the salad, I tried the mashed potatoes plain with only the parsley seasoning that came on them. They had a good potato flavor; not too overpowering; nice and smooth with no lumps like mom's used to have when I was young and not thin and watery like some TV dinner mashed potatoes are. I'm a bland eater, but these needed just a little extra...salt, pepper and a couple pads of butter. I eat one item at a time, and even though I like gravy on mashed potatoes, I bypassed the gravy that came with the meatloaf because I don't care for ketchup on my smashed taters; not even when it's mixed in with the gravy.
I polished off the rolls and butter and prepared to dive into the 'meatloaves'. I actually got a ruler out and measured these little pieces of meat...two of them...3 inches long by 2 inches wide by almost 3/4 inch thick. The picture of them on the box was much larger than they actually were. My 'one pound' meal turned out to be around 12 ounces with the cooking tray accounting for about 4 ounces of the overall weight. I 'tested' the gravy first. Had I known its flavor, I would have definitely put some on the mashed potatoes. There really wasn't a hint of ketchup taste to it at all; more like plain beef gravy...and it wasn't too bad. I slice into the meatloaf and inspected the way it looked. Its consistency appeared smooth; no little pieces of fat. I didn't see any onion; just a couple small specks of green pepper.
Four bites each and both 'meatloaves' were gone. Now, it was time for that doughnut to top my meal off; just what I needed to finish filling me up.I decided to read what was on the box to get a better overview of what I had just dumped into my stomach. The little banner that claimed 'now with MORE MEATLOAF' really made me wonder.
If this is more, how small were the portions before they added 'more'? Reading what my meal was made of, the first thing that stood out in bold letters; CONTAINS MILK, SOY, WHEAT, ANCHOVY INGREDIENTS. Anchovies? Why are they putting salted fish in this dish? Probably filler so they didn't have to use as much ground beef...cheaper to produce, cut back on their costs, higher profit margin. I didn't taste them, so no big deal, I guess. Among the rest of the ingredients; beef, pork, onions, 'catsup', though the front of the box reads ketchup, tomato puree, soy protein concentrate, more soy protein concentrate, rolled oats, green peppers, which amounted to 4 or 5 tiny pieces, bleached wheat flour, Worchestershire sauce, several types of oil including soybean, canola, peanut and cottonseed, several dehydrated items, anchovies and 'natural' flavors...as compared to unnatural flavors. I'm glad it tasted like meat and potatoes and not rubber tires and cardboard.Taking a look at the nutritional facts, based on a 2,000 calories diet, serving size equals one package with one serving per container. You really wouldn't want to split this between two people unless you're both on a starvation diet. The entire meal contains 610 calories. It has half of your daily fat allowance (32 grams), of which two thirds are saturated fats and only 1.5 grams of trans fats. The amount of sodium is 1,230 miligrams; over half of your daily allowance. Carbohydrates total 46 grams with 5 grams of dietary fiber and 34 grams of protein. Sugars were listed at 6 grams. You also get at least 15% of your daily requirements of Vitamin C, calcium and iron and 6% of the Vitamin A needed.
Priced at $3.59, the cost wasn't too bad, especially since I got it for free. If I were to purchase this myself, I'd wait until it was on sale for $2.49 or less; frugal shopper that I am. It can be a bit pricey to feed an 'average' family of four purchasing individual dinners...over $14; pushing close to $20 if you add a vegetable or salad and bread or rolls. Stouffer's also offers larger sized 'family meals' which are better bargains when feeding the entire clan. Overall, I'd have to say this meatloaf dinner was not among my favorite Stouffer's offerings and I probably wouldn't pick it out again. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the top of the line 'gourmet' delight, I'd give this a '6'; slightly better than average...but you wouldn't want to serve this to mom.
The next time I choose a Stouffer's meal, I'll stick with my favorite they offer; Creamed Chipped Beef at $1.99. There's enough to cover six slices of toast and fills me up a lot better. 
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Comments: 70
Thanks for the review.
FYI - the Anchovies are added for depth, complexity and salt when making some tomato sauces. Interesting to see it used here.
*stamps foot*
Yeah the sodium is alarming in frozen and canned fooods
I always get the turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy when I buy Stouffers. It makes a great lunch if I add some fruit.
I thought I was the only person on the planet that liked chipped beef. I tend to make it when hubby is gone, or sometimes I just make a white sauce and use hardboiled eggs either with or without fresh mushrooms and serve that over toast. That is my comfort food, and my husband wants to gag if I make either one.
I am not much of a meatloaf eater, and I certainly wouldn't buy a prepared one. And I like anchovies, but NOT in beef! Ewww!!!
Thanks for the review!
However, I do buy enchilada or Tamale cheap Banquet ‘Mexican’ TV diners at times.
But I also do buy a frozen Pizza or five from time to time, if they are on sale.
Hope you're having a good Monday!
We've never tried the meatloaf, but my husband and I are both pretty picky about meatloaf. We both prefer mine, and it's completely different than any I've ever had.
Ever tried their mac and cheese? Now THAT'S delicious!
I also love the creamed chipped beef on toast!
I don't eat too many Stouffer's meals, but I do like their vegetable lasagna.
saves me the trouble of eating it and not liking it... you rock...
chipped beef sounds much better...
Girly Comments & Graphics
I loved all the detail that you gave.
Well written, too.
GOOD JOB!
The only Stouffer's I've purchased since the 70's is their family-size meat lasagna. I have to say it's amazingly good, and well worth it when you consider how much effort 'real' lasagna is to make.
Good review Rob.
Funny thing is, I was food shopping yesterday and they had them on sale for $2.00 each! I actually picked up the meatloaf one and then decided NOT to buy because of the ketchup! Great review!
I don't gravy, or green peppers and I try to avoid hygrogenated anything, but I do remember eating a family sized meal from this company years ago. It was pretty good, though the salt always over powers me.
I got the free boca burgers, and I really liked them, except for the abundence of salt. When I complain about the salt in pre-made food my son tells me salt is used as a preservative. In others words, I should hush.
I never buy anything with trans fat, and all the Lean Cuisines have none. At least not the ones I buy. You made it sound delicious , you earned your coupon,
I love the cream chipped beef. Though there is another brand of cream chipped beef that is around $.20-.30 cheaper than Stouffer's and tastes just as good.