Trader Joe’s Mushroom Rice Noodle Bowl

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Trader Joe's Mushroom Rice Noodle Bowl

There aren’t any Trader Joe’s in my area, so this edition of Food In Real Life comes to you courtesy of reader Emily Tanoury. Thanks Emily!

Looks: “Definitely no corn (although the written description on the back of the packaging never lists corn in the description) and you don’t really see those bits of rehydrated mushrooms. Also, there is not as much separation of the noodles and liquids as the picture depicts. These rice noodles suck up the broth, and the broth and the noodles are all the same color. In the picture the broth looks a little more of a rich brown.” 3 out of 5

Taste: “Wonderful-ness. Not overly salty, but definitely had a mushroom taste to it and the seasonings were quite good as well. The noodles absorbed most of the liquid, but it made it easy to eat with chop sticks. If you are looking for a soup, these noodle bowls definitely are not it, but if you are looking for sticky noodles, these are the best way to go. Missed the corn though.” 4.5 out of 5

Healthy Choice Roasted Chicken Marsala Cafe Steamer

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Healthy Choice Roasted Chicken Marsala Cafe Steamer

Looks: Mushrooms are MIA. Sauce is much too watery. Chicken-to-noodle ratio is far too low. 3 out of 5

Taste: Bland, but the chicken was nice and juicy. The vegetables were still quite crisp, which somewhat made up for the overcooked and mushy noodles. Not a keeper. 2 out of 5

Healthy Choice Five-Spice Beef & Vegetables Cafe Steamer

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Healthy Choice Five-Spice Beef & Vegetables Cafe Steamer

Looks: Everything’s on the up-and-up, except for the usual problem that the directions instruct you to stir the meal, but the meal on the box is obviously not stirred. Come on! 4.5 out of 5

Taste: When I saw “five-spice” on the box, I expected something spicy. (Five-spicy, to be exact.) But the sauce had no spice, only sweetness – it tasted and smelled like gingerbread cookies. Also, the beef was dry, as most microwave beef is, and the rest of the ingredients had no taste except for the overwhelming sauce. (Note: the ingredients list does not list “beef”; it lists “cooked beef and binder product.” Take that for what you will.) 2.5 out of 5

Jimmy Dean Scrambled Eggs with Bacon and Cheese

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Jimmy Dean Scrambled Eggs with Bacon and Cheese

Looks: Small differences: the eggs are not so cheesy in real life, and the apples lack any sort of sauce or extra moisture. If you squint, the two pictures look pretty much the same. 4 out of 5

Taste: Good, and good for you!

Jimmy Dean Scrambled Eggs with Bacon and Cheese - Nutrition

Just kidding. The eggs were dry and uncheesy; the potatoes were rubbery and tasteless. The sad little apple pieces were actually the best part of this meal, but that’s not saying much at all. Nothing tasted terrible, and if I was in a hurry and really needed to get my cholesterol levels up, this would be an ok choice. Other than that exact situation, I can’t see ever eating this again. 1.5 out of 5