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What Do You Know About Frozen Foods?

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:50:08 -0800

Last month, I asked what you could tell me about canned foods and since today happens to be National Frozen Foods Day, I thought I'd find out what you know about frozen foods. Although much of the food industry's focus lately has been on farm-fresh produce, it's important to to give flash-frozen products some credit - after all, they help millions of Americans get food on the dinner table each day.

Will you freeze in your tracks when I quiz you on your knowledge of frozen products? There's only one way to find out.

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Next Up For Top Chef's Fabio: TV Show, Frozen Pizza Line

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:30:09 -0800

Well, Fabio wasn't lying when he told us, "unfortunately, you're going to see my face a lot." When we last spoke to the charismatic Top Chef contestant, he mentioned that he had an offer for a TV show and a line of food coming out. Now the star himself has confirmed to at least one source that he will be starring in his own TV show. Although he stayed mum on the concept, Fabio promised that more details would be public by April.

Additionally, Dr. Oetker, one of Europe's top frozen pizza brands, is launching its Ristorante line in America, and has called on the reality TV personality to be the spokesperson for the thin-crust pizza. "We feel Fabio is the perfect voice for the brand," Dr. Oetker USA said in a statement. "He has an incredible personality and a real passion for cooking."

The Florence-born chef, who will tour with the pizza line this Summer, also recalls the frozen pizza from his childhood. "Growing up in Italy, my mom often had Dr. Oetker's products in the home," Fabio said in the same statement. "I'm excited to help introduce Ristorante frozen pizzas to American households."

I'm curious to know if you think Fabio could be a lasting food figure. Do you plan to try the frozen pizzas he's hawking, and will you watch his new TV show?

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Joy of Cooking Frozen Meals: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:15:24 -0800

First published in 1931, the Joy of Cooking has been considered the definitive cookbook for more than the last half-century, and is credited with helping to demystify cooking for home chefs. But the culinary classic is now poising itself to become the star of another market: the frozen-food segment.

Bellisio Foods, the company behind Michelina's meals, is testing a Joy of Cooking line in 3,500 grocery stores in 23 markets, including Boston, Louisville, Orlando, and Rochester.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Perhaps the Joy of Cooking has, ahem, oversimplified itself. Should it change its name to the "Joy of Reheating"?

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Lean Cuisine Recalls Chicken Dinners

partysugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:27 -0800

Yesterday Lean Cuisine's parent company, Nestlé Prepared Foods, recalled approximately 879,565 pounds of frozen chicken meals.

According to the US Department of Agriculture and Food Safety, the meals may contain foreign materials like small pieces of plastic.

To find out what exactly is being recalled, read more.

9.5-ounce packages of “Lean Cuisine Pesto Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta" brand frozen meals.
Printed on each side of each package is a production code of “8280595912,” as well as a use-by date of “Best Before MAY 2010.”
10.5-ounce packages of “Lean Cuisine Chicken Mediterranean” brand frozen meals.
Printed on the side of each package is a production code of “8231595912” or “8241595912,” as well as a use-by date of “Best before SEP 2010”; a production code of “8263595912,” “8269595911” or “8274595912,” as well as a use-by date of “Best before OCT 2010”; or, a production code of “8291595912” or “8301595912,” as well as a use-by date of “Best before NOV 2010.”
12.5-ounce packages of “Lean Cuisine Chicken Tuscan” brand frozen meals.
Printed on the side of each package is a production code of “8234595911” and a use-by date of “Best before SEP 2009”; a production code of “8253595911” or “8269595912” as well as a use-by date of “Best before OCT 2009”; or, a production code of “8292595911” or “8296595911” as well as a use-by date of “Best before NOV 2009.”

Last Summer, Pizza Pockets, another brand under Nestlé, recalled a large number of frozen pepperoni Hot Pockets. I can't help but think plastic in frozen foods is an alarming trend. Let's hope the manufacturers get this problem sorted out soon. Until then, be sure to check the Lean Cuisines in your freezer.

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Do You Freeze Things?

partysugar — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:48:38 -0700

The only things in my freezer are ice, frozen berries, puff pastry, and vodka. There was a time when my freezer was full of tupperware, but I never ended up eating anything I froze, so I stopped. Although I make soups and casseroles, I prefer to eat the leftovers rather than freeze them for a later date. How about you?

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Recall Alert: Don't Bite Down on That Hot Pocket!

YumSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:15:36 -0700

Yikes! Nestlé Prepared Foods, the manufacturer of Hot Pockets, is recalling more than 215,000 pounds of Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza after several pieces of red, hard plastic and clear rubber material were discovered inside some of the pockets. The recall is for 54-ounce, 12-pack cartons of Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza with the following codes printed on the sides of each carton: 8157544614D, EST 7721A, and BEST BEFORE JAN2010.

This is the second recall this Summer for Hot Pockets. Just last month, 350,000 packages of two-pack Spinach Artichoke Chicken Lean Pockets were recalled for the same reason. Perhaps it's time to lay off the pockets for a while.

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Can You Identify These Frozen Food Brands?

partysugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:31:56 -0800

Happy National Frozen Foods Day! While my freezer currently only has an oversized bottle of Grey Goose, I do have a weakness for Stouffer's frozen French bread pizzas. I don't consume frozen foods all the time, but I'm pretty familiar with the brands that package them. You had so much fun identifying the canned foods, I thought it would be cool to play the same game, but with frozen foods. Can you identify these frozen foods brands?

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What Frozen Food Products Do You Consume?

partysugar — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 12:01:33 -0700

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Thomas Keller in the Frozen Food Aisle?

YumSugar — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:18:37 -0700

The man behind the Best Restaurant in America is surprising everyone with a new frozen food line. The folks at Bloomberg are reporting that Thomas Keller - owner of The French Laundry and Per Se - has designed and placed his name on two frozen dishes for FiveLeaf, a unit of Cuisine Solutions Inc. The first one, Mac and Cheese Lobster with Orzo will be pitched to retail stores soon.

In addition to his new frozen food line and two fancy pants fine dining establishments, Keller has two bistros, an American family-style spot, two bakeries and a catering operation. If this sounds like too much for one man to control, I might mention that Keller is also planning to open a meat shop, an inn at the French Laundry and a hamburger and wine restaurant.

When asked why he's willing to spread out his empire, Keller explained that it was mostly due to his staff. By creating advanced placement possibilities for his current employees.

"To maintain the consistency and quality of the staff, you have to give them opportunities."

However, all of this Keller leaves some food critics skeptical. San Francisco Chronicle editor Michael Bauer made comparisons to Wolfgang Puck and wondered if the fine dining brand could work with frozen food.

"Once you get into frozen food and pizzas, your fine dining brand gets a little fuzzed out."

Either way, I know I can't wait to try Keller's fancy mac and cheese, how about you?

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Texas Woman Faces Frog in Frozen Beans

YumSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:30:26 -0700

What's the deal with frozen green beans? Last Fall, a New Zealander discovered a shrunken mouse's head in hers, and, proving we're just as prone to the situation stateside, a Texas woman reportedly opened a bag to find a frog's face staring back at her.

Chasity Erbaugh from Tyler, TX, went to stir butter into her green beans and encountered the whole front end of a frog, spinal cord attached, with its tongue hanging out. Horrified, she notified county health inspectors, who got in touch with the Wal-Mart where she purchased the beans to have the rest of the lot pulled from shelves. Although the county health department filed a complaint with the FDA, it also urged consumers to look closely at their food before eating it. But Erbaugh has lost her confidence with frozen foods. Moving forward, she vows to only buy fresh vegetables, even if the measure is at her expense. "Do you know how much my grocery bill is fixing to go up?" she said.

After hearing about a shopper who - almost literally - got a frog in her throat, are you less likely to buy frozen fruits and vegetables? Do you agree with the health department, which insinuated that the responsibility lies with each diner to ensure he is eating safe food? Have you ever found something that's less than kosher in your frozen produce?