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Frozen Food Taste Test
Food.com declares the best and worst frozen dinners in the industry

By Dan Liszt, Food.com

TV Dinners are as American as jazz and apple pie. In fact, the first TV Dinner package (housing Swanson's legendary turkey, potatoes and peas) is on display at the Smithsonian's collection of Americana. Even the man behind the meal, inventor Gerry Thomas, has his handprints immortalized alongside other "TV" stars outside famous Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California.

What Thomas built as a makeshift solution aimed at addressing a more than half-million-pound turkey surplus in 1954 has since exploded and now accounts for more than $5 billion a year in supermarket sales (according to a survey published by the American Frozen Food Industry). And with these hefty profits has come increased competition. An abundance of prepackaged entrees now floods the open market; finicky consumers don't just want the convenience afforded by these zappable entrees, they also want tongue-tickling taste, beneficial nutrition and palatable presentation.

Recognizing that the typical frozen-dinner consumer is time-starved, Food.com taste-tested the industry's top-sellers (based on original research of manufacturers, retailers and consumers). Here's what we dug up -- come 'n' get it!

ENTREE ACTUAL FOOD VS. PACKAGE PHOTO PORTION SIZE PALATE VERDICT

BOSTON MARKET OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN
(15 oz, $4.99) The dinner's only flaw: the mashed potatoes look like grits Need more, please Tasty chicken; salty mashed potatoes
Smells and tastes like the real Market

MARIE CALLENDER'S BEEF SIRLOIN SALISBURY STEAK
(14 oz, $3.45) Aside from anemic onions, identical to photo on box Need a little more Stellar mac 'n' cheese beneath (oddly) smooth-textured beef
Authentic steak aroma coupled with great mac 'n' cheese make this a dinner winner

LEAN CUSINE GLAZED CHICKEN
(8.5 oz, $3.15) Mysterious grill marks on chicken don't appear in box photo. Otherwise, they're twins. Eat two of these and call us in the morning Dry rice; delectable chicken
Stellar chicken; low in fat -- but skimpy airline portions

STOUFFER'S LASAGNA
(21 oz, $3.35) A touch too burnt; looks like a long-lost cousin 1 box = 3 portions (and still barely enough!) Salt OD. But we'll have more -- stat!
Great dish, but the whole entree = 90% of daily salt allowance

HEALTHY CHOICE BEEF TIPS
(11.2 oz, $3.45) Our food actually looked far better than box photo! Not as beefy as Marie's steak Flavorful potatoes with real skin -- yum!
Smells like the holidays, and tastes like a real meal.

ENTREE ACTUAL FOOD VS. PACKAGE PHOTO PORTION SIZE PALATE VERDICT

MARIE CALLENDER'S BREADED CHICKEN PARMAGIANA
(16 oz, $3.45) Broccoli's pale, and where's the sprinkled cheese? Otherwise, a good ringer More veggies, please Sweet and scrumptious, but veggies need resuscitation
Aside from mushy veggies, tastes just like the Olive Garden

LEAN CUISINE CHICKEN FETTUCINI ALFREDO
(9 oz, $2.99) Whoa! Noodles even have the same curl Would do well with a baguette and salad Pitiful pasta; delicious chicken
Great chicken; low-fat but needs salt

SWANSON'S BONELESS WHITE MEAT FRIED CHICKEN
(11 oz, $2.89) Sibling rivalry Decent Moist, but salty chicken. We found corn beneath our brownie?!
Good green beans, but way too salty

WOLFGANG PUCK RAVIOLI
(13 oz, $2.99) Where's the cream shown on the box? Large and in charge Oily sauce, gummy pasta; but nice herb aroma.
Like a first date: left us wanting more than what was in store

STOUFFER'S MAC 'N' CHEESE
(20 oz, $3.05) Why doesn't the package show the bubbling layer of grease? Not enough variety as an entre; too big as a side dish Tastes pasty; spongy texture
Too salty, mushy and soft

SWANSON'S TRADITIONAL TURKEY BREAST
(11.7 oz, $2.89) Phony imitation of box photo Where's the beef (err, turkey)? Hard, dry stuffing; gummy potatoes
They don't make 'em like they used to.

(This article originated from http://www.foodtv.com)

ENTREE	ACTUAL FOOD VS. PACKAGE PHOTO	PORTION SIZE	PALATE	VERDICT
BOSTON MARKET OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN (15 oz, $4.99)	The dinner's only flaw: the mashed potatoes look like grits	Need more, please	Tasty chicken; salty mashed potatoes	Smells and tastes like the real Market
MARIE CALLENDER'S BEEF SIRLOIN SALISBURY STEAK (14 oz, $3.45)	Aside from anemic onions, identical to photo on box	Need a little more	Stellar mac 'n' cheese beneath (oddly) smooth-textured beef	Authentic steak aroma coupled with great mac 'n' cheese make this a dinner winner
LEAN CUSINE GLAZED CHICKEN (8.5 oz, $3.15)	Mysterious grill marks on chicken don't appear in box photo. Otherwise, they're twins.	Eat two of these and call us in the morning	Dry rice; delectable chicken	Stellar chicken; low in fat -- but skimpy airline portions
STOUFFER'S LASAGNA (21 oz, $3.35)	A touch too burnt; looks like a long-lost cousin	1 box = 3 portions (and still barely enough!)	Salt OD. But we'll have more -- stat!	Great dish, but the whole entree = 90% of daily salt allowance
HEALTHY CHOICE BEEF TIPS (11.2 oz, $3.45)	Our food actually looked far better than box photo!	Not as beefy as Marie's steak	Flavorful potatoes with real skin -- yum!	Smells like the holidays, and tastes like a real meal.
ENTREE	ACTUAL FOOD VS. PACKAGE PHOTO	PORTION SIZE	PALATE	VERDICT
MARIE CALLENDER'S BREADED CHICKEN PARMAGIANA (16 oz, $3.45)	Broccoli's pale, and where's the sprinkled cheese? Otherwise, a good ringer	More veggies, please	Sweet and scrumptious, but veggies need resuscitation	Aside from mushy veggies, tastes just like the Olive Garden
LEAN CUISINE CHICKEN FETTUCINI ALFREDO (9 oz, $2.99)	Whoa! Noodles even have the same curl	Would do well with a baguette and salad	Pitiful pasta; delicious chicken	Great chicken; low-fat but needs salt
SWANSON'S BONELESS WHITE MEAT FRIED CHICKEN (11 oz, $2.89)	Sibling rivalry	Decent	Moist, but salty chicken. We found corn beneath our brownie?!	Good green beans, but way too salty
WOLFGANG PUCK RAVIOLI (13 oz, $2.99)	Where's the cream shown on the box?	Large and in charge	Oily sauce, gummy pasta; but nice herb aroma.	Like a first date: left us wanting more than what was in store
STOUFFER'S MAC 'N' CHEESE (20 oz, $3.05)	Why doesn't the package show the bubbling layer of grease?	Not enough variety as an entre; too big as a side dish	Tastes pasty; spongy texture	Too salty, mushy and soft
SWANSON'S TRADITIONAL TURKEY BREAST (11.7 oz, $2.89)	Phony imitation of box photo	Where's the beef (err, turkey)?	Hard, dry stuffing; gummy potatoes	They don't make 'em like they used to.