Cream Of The New Crusts
Last spring, when The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel sampled frozen pizzas, the new kid on the block DiGiorno, with an unbaked crust that rose right in the oven - was the hands-down winner.
Since then, there’s been some competition in the rising-crust category, including frozen pies from Freschetta and Tombstone. So we decided to see how DiGiorno stood up against the even newer kids on the block.
The verdict: Not very well, according to food panel members, who ranked DiGiorno a distant third in our new taste test.
Panelists’ favorite was Tombstone, which had the thinnest crust of the three and the sweetest sauce (not to mention the most impressive grease stain left on the paper plate).
Freschetta’s garlic-flavored crust was the softest and puffiest, but there was simply too much of it for most people compared to the relatively sparse toppings.
DiGiorno scored well in the toppings department, but the denser crust turned off our tasters. They gave it two stars, half the four-star rating DiGiorno received last year (the truth, to our taste, is somewhere in between).
A footnote: While panelist Jim McGinty declared DiGiorno is “meant to fill teen-agers,” our resident teen, 13-year-old Christie Coleman, deemed it to have “the same texture as beef jerky.”
Faithful readers will note this was the second straight month that we fed pizza to the panel. We heard no complaints (remember, pork and beans always lurks right around the corner).
Panelists probably wouldn’t mind if we fed them chocolate chip cookies made from refrigerated dough every month, either - as long as we skipped the SnackWell’s.
The new reduced-fat, slice-and-bake cookies from Pillsbury were, in a word, dreadful, with an artificial taste and a soggy texture.
Among the full-fat contestants, Nestle edged out the regular offering from Pillsbury, although both of them certainly rose to the occasion.
Tombstone Oven-Rising Crust Supreme Pizza
Price: $3.50 for 31 ounces (6 servings).
Nutrition: 320 calories (41 percent fat calories); 720 milligrams sodium per serving.
Taste: ****
Value: ****
Comments: “Tasty sausage bits! Colors, presentation pretty, crust doesn’t get in the way. … Crust tastes like actual bread dough, plenty of cheese and pepperoni.” - Kathy Kelly
“Greasy (a good sign!) Chewy crust, spicy pepperoni and sausage - not bad for a frozen pizza.” - Jim McGinty
Freschetta Bakes & Rises Supreme Pizza
Price: $4.99 for 31 ounces (6 servings).
Nutrition: 350 calories (40 percent fat calories); 810 milligrams sodium per serving.
Taste: ***
Value: ***
Comments: “Good sausage flavor, but the crust doesn’t make up for it.” - Ken Peters
“Lots of bare crust. Needs more topping or less crust.” - Bob Bates
DiGiorno Rising Crust Supreme Pizza
Price: $5.69 for 35 ounces.
Nutrition: 380 calories (39 percent fat calories); 1,100 milligrams sodium per servng.
Taste: **
Value: **
Comments: “Too much work for not enough pleasure; crust much too chewy” - Helen Span.
“Peppers and onions tasted very fresh. Sauce is spicy, too bad not on a better crust - it forgot to rise!” - Karen Buck
Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Refrigerated Cookie Dough
Price: $2.59 for 18 ounces (16 servings).
Nutrition: 140 calories (43 percent fat calories); 110 milligrams sodium per serving.
Taste: ****
Value: ****
Comments: “Soft yet crunchy, not too sweet. Good chocolate taste - chips melted.” - Emily Bush
“Chewy, soft, Santa would love these! (No, I don’t still believe in him, but my dad would like them.)” - Christie Coleman
Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Refrigerated Cookie Dough
Price: $2.69 for 18 ounces (18 servings).
Nutrition: 130 calories (38 percent fat calories); 85 milligrams sodium per serving.
Taste: ****
Value: ****
Comments: “Chewy, real chocolate, good cookie.” - Madilyn Hutchison Foco “Good chocolate taste, but the dough is not as flavorful (as Nestle).” - Meagan Coffey
SnackWell’s Reduced-Fat Chocolate Chip Refrigerated Cookie Dough
Price: $2.69 for 18 ounces (18 servings).
Nutrition: 110 calories (23 percent fat calories); 85 milligrams sodium per serving.
Taste:*
Value:**
Comments: “OK, I didn’t think anyone could possibly screw up anything with chocolate chips in it, but this is it! My chocolate tooth is incredibly unhappy.” - Helen Span “A crime against cookies everywhere!” - Jim McGinty
Products sampled by The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel are prepared according to package directions. Panelists are not aware of a product’s brand name or price until after they have tasted it. Products are rated from one to five stars for taste and for value, based on quality compared to price.
, DataTimes