Not Quite Ready to Eat

By Lisa McLaughlin

It's not as if eating out is out, but according to a food marketing institute survey, 85% of consumers ate dinner at home at least three times a week in 2001, up from 74% in 2000. That, however, doesn't mean they're cooking; convenience meals are the fastest growing section of the grocery store. We asked Cesar Casella, author of Italian Cooking for Dummies; Tyler Florence, host of the Food Network's Food 911; Mimi Melek, a working mom of twins; and James Tracey, sous-chef at New York City's Craft, to test the edibility of some popular almost instant meals. --By Lisa McLaughlin

THOMAS E. WILSON BEEF POT ROAST This ready-in-4-min. meat got the best marks from all experts. Melek said she and her husband thought it was "edible and even enjoyable" but their kids wouldn't eat it. Casella found the taste "true, albeit a little sugary," and Tracey thought it could be improved by "braising it in a flavorful liquid like red wine or stock."

CASCADIAN FARMS THAI-STYLE VEGGIE & CHICKEN BOWL Melek and Tracey both deemed this a disappointment for Thai-food fans. Florence liked the all-natural ingredients but said it tasted "like camping food." Casella could "recommend this dish--if one was too tired to cook, eat out or call in for takeout." Everyone noted a scarcity of poultry.

ANNIE CHUN'S NOODLES WITH GARLIC SCALLION SAUCE A lack of garlic and a "metallic aftertaste and sugary flavor" dismayed Casella, but Florence liked the fact that the "instructions encouraged the addition of fresh ingredients"--a suggestion that Melek followed when she prepared the meal, which she rated "just O.K."

UNCLE BEN'S PARMESAN SHRIMP PENNE PASTA BOWL "How can anything be that white?" asked Casella about this 6-min. dish, while Melek detected a similarity to airplane food. Florence described the sauce as "Elmer's glue, warmed through with milk." Tracey's take? "Just gross."

KRAFT'S IT'S PASTA ANYTIME Universally panned. Florence called it "the archnemesis of your Italian grandma," and Casella thought the 3-min. pasta was "starchy" and remarked the sauce was "bitter and desperately needed salt." All noted that pouring a jar of sauce over home-cooked pasta would be tastier and about as simple.