Oscar Mayer scores with Deli Creations

You might think of them as Lunchables for adults.

Oscar Mayer’s new Deli Creations Hot Sandwich Melts are grown-up versions of the convenient pre-made lunches that kids love. It turns out, adults love them, too.

The Spokesman-Review Reader Food panel gave two of the three sandwiches they sampled five stars, our highest rating for taste.

“Outstanding. Like a fresh sandwich and reasonably priced,” said Larry Inman after eating the Shaved Oven-Roasted Ham and Cheddar Sandwich.

“Keep this in your house, and fast-food will be a drive-by,” said Marilyn Moore. “(It is) very filling. The meat was an inch thick, and cheese was visible oozing out.”

“Delicious. Bread has fresh taste and meat, cheese and spread are perfect,” Larry Inman said of the Shaved Turkey and Cheddar Dijon sandwich.

The sandwiches are sold in small boxes in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. You build your own sandwich with the enclosed meat, cheese and sauces on the sub sandwich roll. Then heat it in the microwave for 60 seconds for “fresh baked taste,” according to Oscar Mayer.

Skip Hubbard said the sandwiches lived up to that promise.

“I’m not sure how a virtually perfect sandwich can come from a microwave, but I’m told this did. Chalk one up for convenience food,” he said.

Tasters gave a slightly lower rating to Shaved Steakhouse Cheddar sandwich, mostly because the roast beef looked “odd,” and the sauce wasn’t what other tasters expected. Still, the sandwich earned a solid 4-star rating.

Hubbard loved all three offerings. “Rarely do products go three for three, but whoever makes these sandwiches did just that. Yummy. Yummy. Yummy,” he said.

Deli creations are also sold in Shaved Honey Ham and Swiss and Shaved Turkey Monterey.

Deli Creations, Shaved Turkey and Cheddar Dijon

Price: $3.49 per 6.8-ounce sandwich

Nutrition per serving: 430 calories, 15 grams fat (5 grams saturated, 31 percent fat calories), 27 grams protein, 51 grams carbohydrate, 45 milligrams cholesterol, 5 grams dietary fiber, 1,450 milligrams sodium.

Taste: • • • • •

Value: • • • •

Comments:

“Nice and tasty. Good flavor… soft yummy bread. This is good.” – Nancy Robinson

“Delicious. Bread has fresh taste, and meat, cheese and spread are perfect.” – Larry Inman

“Warm soft bread, melted cheddar and just the right amount of turkey all topped with mayo and spicy mustard. I know there’s not a deli in the kitchen, so this must be easy and I’d buy it.” – Skip Hubbard

Deli Creations, Shaved Oven-Roasted Ham and Cheddar

Price: $3.49 per 6.8 ounce sandwich

Nutrition per serving: 430 calories, 15 grams fat, (6 grams saturated, 31 percent fat calories), 28 grams protein, 48 grams carbohydrate, 55 milligrams cholesterol, 5 grams dietary fiber, 1,550 milligrams sodium.

Taste: • • • • •

Value: • • • •

Comments:

“Yum. Yum. Yum. Whole wheat bread, ham and cheese. Nice size and very tasty. What a nice idea for a quick and good meal.” – Nancy Robinson

“Keep this in your house and fast-food will be a drive-by. Very filling. The meat was an inch thick and cheese was visible oozing out.” – Marilyn Moore

“Outstanding. Like a fresh sandwich and reasonably priced.” – Larry Inman

“Stone-ground mustard complements the smoky ham and cheese. Delis beware.” – Andy Hoye

Deli Creations, Shaved Steakhouse Cheddar

Price: $3.49 per 7.1 ounce sandwich

Nutrition per serving: 450 calories, 15 grams fat (6 grams saturated, 30 percent fat calories), 29 grams protein, 50 grams carbohydrate, 60 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams dietary fiber, 1,420 milligrams sodium.

Taste: • • • •

Value: • • • •

Comments: “Sauce not quite as good as the other two sandwiches, but overall, still very good.” – Larry Inman

“Rarely do products go three for three, but whoever makes these sandwiches did just that. Yummy. Yummy. Yummy.” – Skip Hubbard

“Overall, this is great, but the shaved beef has an odd color. Tangy sauce is a plus.” – Andy Hoye