Low-Fat Foods Flunk Taste Test

Since it’s no longer politically correct to ask, “How’s that New Year’s diet coming along?” we’ll ask instead: “How’s that transition to an entirely new lifestyle of low-fat, high-fiber eating coming along?”

We thought so, which is The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel is riding to the rescue with a comprehensive test (that is, if you consider three samples comprehensive) of low-cal frozen dinners.

Panel members sampled these before the holidays (they were trying to get in shape (ital) before (unital) Christmas) and were mostly unimpressed. Budget Gourmet had won this category in another testing but bombed this time, with its alleged “sirloin of beef” drawing snorts from meat lovers on the panel; not one member said he or she would purchase it.

A new brand called Just Help Yourself (available only at Tidyman’s) was disliked almost as much, at least in its “beef pepper steak” version. The meat was dry, dry, dry.

But there was a ray of sunshine: a pot roast dinner from Healthy Choice featuring meat that tasted like meat, real potatoes and recognizable carrots. It was cheaper than the much-hyped Just Help Yourself, tasted better, and was lower in fat.

The panel also tested fruit pies - fresh and frozen - and discovered, again, that brand names don’t always ensure consistency. A fresh strawberry-rhubarb pie from Spokane producer Cyrus O’Leary’s was a disappointment - overly sweet and gummy. The news that it contained strawberries also came as a surprise to the panel, although other pies from this company have fared well in previous tastings. A frozen cherry pie from Mrs. Smith’s had great filling, but a disappointing crust, though the price was right - $3.39. But the sleeper of the bunch was a frozen, lower-fat, reduced-calorie fruit pie from a Minnesota company called Pies Inc.

The apple pie formally evaluated by the panel looked like something grandma would make - lots of fruit under a towering crust. The panel liked it, and would have loved it if the cooking directions had been more accurate, since we baked it according to instructions and it still emerged underdone.

And a berry pie from the same company won unqualified, total raves, even though it wasn’t being tasted formally. Tasters thought it was superb, with lively fruit flavors, and they couldn’t believe it was a reduced-fat product. Both pies also were sweetened with Equal, instead of sugar - something our panelists usually notice, but they didn’t this time.

Unfortunately, the Pies Inc. products have only limited availability in Spokane - two Tidyman’s stores on Addison and Cedar, both north of Francis, and some company cafeterias, including Sacred Heart Medical Center, Washington Water Power, and Spokane Falls Community College. But it’s worth making a trip, or bribing a security guard, for a sample.

The product: Healthy Choice, Yankee Pot Roast, 11 ounces for $2.59.

Would panelists buy for adults? Yes: 6. No: 1.

Would panelists buy for children? Yes: 5. No: 2.

Nutrition notes: 16 percent fat calories and 280 calories.

Kind comments: “Looks like a real meal; that alone makes it worthwhile. Meat was fair, potatoes were good, carrots and apples, what an assortment. Definitely worthwhile.” - Vivian Thiele.

Unkind comments: “Potatoes good tasting, though soft. Carrots overdone but taste OK. Apples much too spiced.” Mary Aegerter.

In conclusion: “Looked close to home cooked. Real chunks of potato with skin. Meat appeared to be the genuine thing. Not bad.” - Stacy Casto.

The product: Just Help Yourself! Dinner, Beef Pepper Steak, 11 ounces for $3.99.

Nutrition notes: 21 percent fat calories and 260 calories in meal.

Would panelists buy for adults? Yes: 1. No: 6.

Would panelists buy for children? Yes: 1. No: 5.

Kind comments: “The meat was really good and chunky. I would buy this.” - Jarretta Manning.

Unkind comments:”Carrots too soft, without flavor. Meat not flavorful.” - Jim Coulson.

In conclusion: “Carrots way overcooked and no flavor. Fruit tastier. Smells bad.” - Mary Aegerter.

The product: Budget Gourmet Light & Healthy Dinner, Special Recipe Sirloin of Beef, 11 ounces for $2.47. Would panelists buy for adults? Yes: 0. No: 7.

Would panelists buy for children? Yes: 0. No: 7.

Nutrition notes: 22 percent fat calories and 330 calories.

Kind comments: “The meat wasn’t bad and it looked very appealing. Noodles tasted of the red pepper and little else. Vegetables were not very good.” - Vivian Thiele.

Unkind comments: “Questionable origin of meat. Bland pasta. Watery vegetables.” - Jim Eggers.

In conclusion: “Rubbery noodles with gray meat. Vegetables were bright.” - Stacy Casto.

The product: Pies Inc. Lite Apple Pie, 36 ounces for $5.99.

Would panelists buy for adults? Yes: 3. No: 2.

Would panelists buy for children? Yes: 3. No: 2.

Nutrition notes: 7 grams of fat and 230 calories per slice.

Kind comments: “Lots of great crunchy apples. Seems like a pretty traditional apple pie.” - Jessica Burch.

Unkind comments: “Much too much cinnamon. Pastry very doughy - apples very firm. Lots of firm pieces of apple packed under an acceptable crust.”- Maria Ranniger.

In conclusion: “Lots of apples, potentially nice crust. Low fat too!” - Susi Faville.

The product: Mrs. Smith’s Cherry Bake & Serve Pie, 26 ounces for $3.39.

Would panelists buy for adults? Yes: 2. No: 3.

Would panelists buy for children? Yes: 2. No: 3.

Nutrition note: 11 grams of fat and 270 calories per slice. Kind comments: “A little bland. But the cherries are nice and sour. The crust was a little greasy and soft.” - Jessica Burch.

Unkind comments: “Tart cherries! Crust kind of heavy instead of light & flaky. Great filling but crust was disappointing.” - Mike Harrington.

In conclusion: “Pastry singularly undistinguished. Mealy, gray, unappetizing. Cherries very tart. Yummy and good filling.” - Maria Ranniger.

The product: Cyrus O’Leary’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie, 41 ounces for $5.99.

Would panelists buy for adults? Yes: 2. No: 3.

Would panelists buy for children? Yes: 1. No: 4.

Nutrition note: No nutrition label provided.

Kind comments: “Crust has nice color. Bottom crust is dry, not soggy. Very sweet, no tang.” - Susi Faville.

Unkind comments: “Good rhubarb and the bottom crust remains intact rather than becoming a gummy mess. Where was the strawberry?” - Vivian Thiele.

In conclusion: “Nice rhubarb, but it’s not sour enough. Better pastry and it looks more like ‘real’ homemade pie.” - Jessica Burch.