Alright, so everyone’s got an opinion on frozen dinners, right? Especially store brands. I found myself staring down the barrel of the Schnucks frozen dinner aisle not too long ago, and figured, what the heck, let’s give this a proper go.
You might be wondering why a guy like me is messing with frozen meals. Well, life throws curveballs. Last month, the old water heater decided to give up the ghost. Spectacularly. Turned my basement into a shallow, lukewarm swimming pool. I spent the better part of three days mopping, shop-vaccing, and then wrestling a new beast of a heater into place. By the time evening rolled around, I was so tired I could barely see straight, let alone think about chopping vegetables or, God forbid, washing dishes.
So, off to Schnucks I went, looking like I’d wrestled a bear and lost. I headed straight for the frozen section. It’s a bit overwhelming, isn’t it? All those colorful boxes promising a quick and easy meal. I wasn’t expecting Michelin stars, just something to stop the stomach rumbles. I decided to grab a selection, get a real feel for what they’re offering.
- One of those classic Salisbury Steak things – you know, with the gravy and mashed potatoes.
- A pasta bake, looked kinda cheesy and comforting.
- And, just for kicks, some sort of chicken and broccoli alfredo. I was trying to cover the bases.
I got ’em home. The ritual is pretty universal. You pierce the film, nuke it in the microwave for the prescribed minutes, let it sit, then peel back the film hoping you don’t get a steam burn. The Salisbury steak was up first. The aroma filled the kitchen… well, it smelled like a TV dinner. No surprises there. The mashed potatoes were a bit on the gluey side, but the steak itself? Edible. The gravy did its job, I guess.
Next night, I tackled the pasta bake. This one actually went in the oven, I thought that might improve things. It took longer, obviously. Came out bubbly and browned on top. Taste-wise, it was probably the best of the bunch. Cheesy, decent amount of sauce. Still, you know, it’s a frozen pasta bake. It’s not gonna change your life.
The chicken and broccoli alfredo was the last one. I microwaved that sucker. Chicken pieces were a bit…rubbery. The sauce was okay. Broccoli was, well, microwaved broccoli. You get the picture.
So, what’s the verdict after my little experiment? Schnucks frozen dinners, they’re there. They exist. They fill a void when you’re too exhausted, too busy, or just plain don’t care enough to cook a real meal. Are they culinary masterpieces? Absolutely not. Will I stock my freezer with them? Probably not. But in a pinch, like when your basement’s flooded and your back’s killing you, yeah, they’ll do. They got me through a rough few days without resorting to fast food every night, and for that, I suppose I can’t complain too much. It’s just food, plain and simple. Sometimes that’s all you need.
