Packaged Foods Discussion (Frozen, Canned, Shelf Stable, etc.)

[Renovator2559]

Oooooooh, thinking of pineapple pizza, if Totinos made a pizza roll in Hawaiian style, I'd totally try it. It would have to be better than their cheeseburger roll.

I have bought frozen cheese pizzas (or picked up take-n-bake cheese pizzas) and then added my own toppings at home. It's a great way to make quick custom pizzas at home.

This is a fantastic development for people who watch their sodium intake

Having they recently been sort of backpedaling on the whole "sodium is the devil" idea?

Not that I've known of. Too much sodium has always been bad for blood pressure. That's always been a cardinal rule in nutrition. I did a quick search trying to find an article that claimed sodium wasn't bad for blood pressure. All it really did was put a spin on the facts by saying "Salt isn't bad for you because it's only 40% sodium". It's still not good because just 1/4 tsp of salt has about 500mg of sodium.

Well anyway, for stuff like frozen meals, I've been adding potassium chloride to, because despite there being so much sodium, they still don't taste all that salty. So instead of making it worse, make it better as potassium counters the effects of sodium. They are yin-yang, while adding a salty flavor.

And yeah. I'm still waiting for Totinos to come up with a Hawaiian pizza roll. I would keep them in business by myself lol. I also always doctor up a frozen pizza. There's never enough garlic, sauce, or pepperoni.

It's not the sodium that is boogy man. The use of fake processed table salt is. If someone wants to avoid the detrimental effects, opt for foods that contain "sea salt" and not "salt". Sea salt controls and helps control blood pressure.

For the record, I only eat food that are highly charged with captured electrons from the sun. I eat plenty of sea salt.

I will not trade a few seconds of pleasure for feeling bad and low energy causing degeneration for hours and a day or two of recovery. As well paving for my own cause of chronic conditions, if a person takes meds, it is their poor lifestyle choices not external factors such as genetics. As all chronic conditions are %100 reversible when dropping a high proton diet, which deplete nutrients and stored electrons in the intertstitium. Adopting an alkaline high electron lifestyle is the ultimate medicine and youthful regeneration even onto the elderly years.

I would rather not pervert my taste buds as I used to do years ago, when I was noticing prehypertension, now my blood pressure is very healthy. I would rather eat electrically charged foods with photons and chlorophyll, have consistent high energy throughout the day, with highly focused thinking and not crash.

[ChadJK]

I did read one where they say 20-25% of people are sodium sensitive in that sodium has a very direct affect on their blood pressure. So, for the 75-80% that don't have that sensitivity it may be that consuming 5,000 mg of sodium per day has little affect. The moral of the story is to be in tune with your own body and what works (or doesn't) for you. Myself, I can consume it in large quantities will little affect on my blood pressure and without my doctor freaking out at my bloodwork. So, bring it on!

[Renovator2559]

I did read one where they say 20-25% of people are sodium sensitive in that sodium has a very direct affect on their blood pressure. So, for the 75-80% that don't have that sensitivity it may be that consuming 5,000 mg of sodium per day has little affect. The moral of the story is to be in tune with your own body and what works (or doesn't) for you. Myself, I can consume it in large quantities will little affect on my blood pressure and without my doctor freaking out at my bloodwork. So, bring it on!

Is the sodium "salt" processed table salt, bleached and denatured with other minerals removed? Or is it "sea salt" naturally occurring with a slew of minerals.

Salt is the essence of life and creates the electrolyte matrix for cell communication. Go on a low sodium diet and through time you will die quicker and be sicker.

Also sodium is an apparent ingredient needed in the creation of sodium bicarbonate in the stomach

NaCl+H2O+CO2 -> NaHCO3+HCl

NaHCO3, rises to the top, while HCl sinks to the bottom, away from the food due to the molar mass. Sodium bicarbonate is the fire and Hydrochloric acid is the waste product which is toxic and is expelled to the excretory. All metabolic functions create acid as waste.

It's impossible to be too alkaline.

Every digestive organ from the salivary to the pancreas, release alkaline sodium bicarbonate, to prepare food for biological transformation in the crypts of the small intestine. There's no such thing as going from alkaline to acidic and then alkaline again. It takes 3 parts alkaline to neutralize 1 part of acid. Inefficient and a waste of resources, if switching between alkaline to acidic and then alkaline was the case.

If a person eats a highly acid lifestyle or are diabetic (depleted alkaline reserves from ingestion of acidic sugar) the food ends up in the small intestine at an acidic pH, damaging the intestinal villi, paving the way for chronic diseases and mental instability, poor mood, napping and accelerated aging; as the intestinal villi is the site for blood and stem cell production. The bone marrow only produces blood during starvation and that's due to reverse decomposition of the bone into red blood cells.

As the body will sacrifice any organ or tissue to keep the blood healthy and at a narrow pH range. That's why at most blood panels only account for 20% of health status and are incomplete data. When not taking into account the vascular, intracellular and interstitial fluids of the interstitium. The interstitium is our alkaline reserves, our alkaline battery (the largest organ in the body that the medical ignores)Which account for the rest of 80% of health markers.

The human body is an amazing self healing machine, when we provide the right foods. Ingesting toxins, poisons and franken foods are our doing and is our own fault if we get sick.Provide the right alkaline raw foods and any chronic ailment, including bone problems, arthritis, osteoarthritis will reverse and yes even terminal cancer is curable with an alkaline lifestyle in 6 months or so, with no debilitating procedures.

There may be environmental toxins that surround us but if our internal core is not toxic, then we would be able to deal with environment toxins easily. The power to self heal is within you.

I only wish people good health, so that they can do more and have a high quality life without pain or suffering.

[Busguy2010]

I came across these new to me Hot Ones Hot Pockets for the first time. I honestly had no regard for nutrition or ingredients. It just sounded good. I was pleased, they're actually pretty hot.

[Athomsfere]

I came across these new to me Hot Ones Hot Pockets for the first time. I honestly had no regard for nutrition or ingredients. It just sounded good. I was pleased, they're actually pretty hot.

I tried those too! Still like a 3/10 overall, but better than a lot of things marked hot. Habenero something Hot Ones.

Even better, no new-age BS on the package about using "real" salt or whatever new crazy I saw at the top of the thread.

[Busguy2010]

I came across these new to me Hot Ones Hot Pockets for the first time. I honestly had no regard for nutrition or ingredients. It just sounded good. I was pleased, they're actually pretty hot.

I tried those too! Still like a 3/10 overall, but better than a lot of things marked hot. Habenero something Hot Ones.

Even better, no new-age BS on the package about using "real" salt or whatever new crazy I saw at the top of the thread.

I had the Philly cheesesteak one. Pretty hot, but I didn't know they had a few other flavors. I'll have to try and find the fiery hot pepperoni.

[Renovator2559]

The New Age movement is controlled opposition and I am opposed in spreading the New Age UN Lucis Trust agenda, founded in 1922 by Alice Bailey and her 10 point tenants for society, which mirrors what's pushed in today's society.

What I say in the previous comments is not New Age BS, as the theories are based on the movement of electrons and salt being the electrolyte matrix.







The blood has been throughly tested and documented with the effects of sea salt and processed salt. however go ahead and eat processed salt to save a few bucks, and feel free to ignore and scroll past any comments relating to health because this information is only possible to understand with an open mind, remember it is your life, your body; your choice.

If all you want is to live the average "healthy" life and your meds later in life by all means, you are in good hands listen to your trusty FDA, afterall society is healthy because of and we are more healthy than decades before.

[BRoss]

So, the healthy choice steamers have been some of my go to frozen dinners, particularly the steak and potatoes one. I always got it the most of them all because it has the most calories, so better bang for the buck. It never did have a TON of sodium (I want to say it was 600-something mg), but I looked at the nutrition facts yesterday, and the sodium has gone down to 450!

These are what I do for lunch most days. No preservatives and less than 25% DV of sodium. I alternate between the Simple and Cafe steamers and one of those is usually on sale for under $4.

[Busguy2010]

Lol, I feel silly admitting it, but I just went to Walmart and I bought a handful of those Armour lunchable style snack things. They actually are a pretty handy snack. Definitely not a healthy thing to eat, but they come in handy to have in the fridge. Ham and cheese crackers, nachos, pepperoni pizza. And they're good and cheap. I feel like a child.

But at the same time Walmart has those snack packs that usually consist of some variation of vegetables, almonds, meat stick, and cheese. I like the apple slices with caramel too. They're a very convenient healthy snack to keep around.

[ChadJK]

I've been getting into tinned fish a lot lately. There's a lot of interesting varieties out there now. The market is certainly much bigger than the King Oscar Sardines in Oil on the shelf at Walmart. Lots of protein, Vit D, and calcium. There are some crazy flavors/sauces out there now too. Most aren't any more "fishy" tasting than canned tuna.

This is one of the more popular online retailers in the tinned fish community (yes, that's a thing):
https://rainbowtomatoesgarden.com/produ ... conservas/

[Busguy2010]

I've been getting into tinned fish a lot lately. There's a lot of interesting varieties out there now. The market is certainly much bigger than the King Oscar Sardines in Oil on the shelf at Walmart. Lots of protein, Vit D, and calcium. There are some crazy flavors/sauces out there now too. Most aren't any more "fishy" tasting than canned tuna.

This is one of the more popular online retailers in the tinned fish community (yes, that's a thing):
https://rainbowtomatoesgarden.com/produ ... conservas/

Ha, that's awesome. Thanks for that link, you may have found me that squid in ink I've been looking for for so long. Looks like there's more ways to spend way too much money on... tinned fish who wouldda thought?

I know well it's probably one of the least popular foods out there, but I like how they say "we believe tinned fish is smart people food", and well, with all the brain supporting omega 3 fatty acids in fish, that's a solid statement. It's been a hot minute since I've gotten into a can of sardines, so that will be my snack later today.

[Busguy2010]

Any raise of hands as to who's tried and liked coconut water?

I'm tellin ya, it's made a difference for me. It's got to be a combination of the potassium, vitamin c, and other minerals. For lack of a better explanation I've tended to hold onto and use the water in my body rather than get rid of it, ya know what I mean. I'm better hydrated than drinking tap water.

Then there's all the electrolyte solutions. Starting with Gatorade and all the powders that have shown up in the last 3-5 years. None of them hold a candle to coconut water, if you can acclimate to the flavor.

Bottom line, incorporating coconut water into my diet has been nothing but beneficial. I didn't like the taste at first, but it's been growing on me and now I barely know if I'm drinking water or coconut water. I moreso tend to be off put by regular water now.

[Busguy2010]

Ayy! I just noticed another one of my pantry staples for an under the weather day, Campbell's tomato soup, has gotten in on the potassium party! I just noticed the sodium in the normal can is oddly way lower, and the potassium is way higher. This is a very good development. I can't wait to find another very mainstream pantry product that has switched to potassium.

[Athomsfere]

Any raise of hands as to who's tried and liked coconut water?

I'm tellin ya, it's made a difference for me. It's got to be a combination of the potassium, vitamin c, and other minerals. For lack of a better explanation I've tended to hold onto and use the water in my body rather than get rid of it, ya know what I mean. I'm better hydrated than drinking tap water.

Then there's all the electrolyte solutions. Starting with Gatorade and all the powders that have shown up in the last 3-5 years. None of them hold a candle to coconut water, if you can acclimate to the flavor.

Bottom line, incorporating coconut water into my diet has been nothing but beneficial. I didn't like the taste at first, but it's been growing on me and now I barely know if I'm drinking water or coconut water. I moreso tend to be off put by regular water now.

Not exactly the same: But a couple times a year we like to grab some coconuts, hollow them out, and make pina coladas.

Pour the drinks back into the husk, add a tiny umbrella... Island time in Omaha.

[ChadJK]

I just learned that Planters discontinued Cheez Curls.

[nebugeater]

I just learned that Planters discontinued Cheez Curls.

I'm pretty sure they discontinued them and the Cheez Balls back in the 90s for a few years and then brought them back. Consumed too many in my college years, and I remember them being gone for a while after I graduated.

[Busguy2010]

How I didnt know about these is beyond me. I used to LOVE and I mean with a passion, Trader Joe's microwaveable frozen mussels in garlic butter sauce, and when I found out they pulled them, I was so bummed. I was just at Walmart of all places, and I randomly saw out of the corner of my eye Marketside frozen mussels in garlic butter. I usually think about what I buy, but this time, I said say no more, done deal haha. They are good. I just microwaved them because I was so excited. Next time I get them, I'll probably do them in the skillet and maybe add some more garlic and butter, but you can't beat the convenience! That discovery made my day.

[ricko]

Trader Joe’s Mandarin Chicken is my go-to comfort food, although I think they’ve cut back on the quality of their meat; but maybe it’s just my delusional paranoia.

[Busguy2010]

Trader Joe’s Mandarin Chicken is my go-to comfort food, although I think they’ve cut back on the quality of their meat; but maybe it’s just my delusional paranoia.

I haven't been to Trader Joe's in forever. Soon as they dropped the mussels, I had no reason.

Now that you mention mandarin chicken, they had (wouldnt know if they still do) vegetarian nuggets with mandarin sauce that were pretty good. That had to be my first vegetarian-imitation product I tried. Most others I've had are yuck. Only thing I'll eat now that's deliberately vegetarian now is tofu.

Years ago I had a food delivery subscription, I forget what it was, dont even know if its around. But one of the recipes was Teriyaki tofu with vegetables. Never had it before and was skeptical, but cooked it up, and I was darned. It was really good! I kept that recipe in my back pocked. Ever since, I get a hankering for that dish, but its a B to make so I have to really be feeling it, so maybe once a year.

[Stan]

microwaveable frozen mussels in garlic butter sauce

Sir. I guffawed at this. This sounds about as appetizing as egg salad at a gas station. I'm not talking about that fancy Japanese 7/11 egg salad either.

I can't help but think this wasn't a market leader at Trader Joe's and you might have been keeping this market alive all on your own.

I've had some questionable frozen food buys in my life and even I would take pause seeing this in store, but I also know that Trader Joe's does some amazing packaging that probably made it seem like a good choice by the picture alone.

[ChadJK]

What is everyone preferring for jarred spaghetti sauce these days? (Yes, yes, we all know homemade is better... blah blah blah blah)

[ricko]

What is everyone preferring for jarred spaghetti sauce these days? (Yes, yes, we all know homemade is better... blah blah blah blah)

I usually make my own, but when I’m feeling lazy, Target’s house brand (I forget the name) is surprisingly good, for my taste anyway.

[Busguy2010]

microwaveable frozen mussels in garlic butter sauce

Sir. I guffawed at this. This sounds about as appetizing as egg salad at a gas station. I'm not talking about that fancy Japanese 7/11 egg salad either.

I can't help but think this wasn't a market leader at Trader Joe's and you might have been keeping this market alive all on your own.

I've had some questionable frozen food buys in my life and even I would take pause seeing this in store, but I also know that Trader Joe's does some amazing packaging that probably made it seem like a good choice by the picture alone.

It depends on what you like. I loved them, and I only got them every now and then. I can't say in exact terms, but from the time they came to town (?) til I dunno, maybe 2014, I got them maybe 20 times? They were the BOMB. And a few years ago there was an internet cry to bring them back.

And in searching the lore, I discovered that they recently brought them back. Well I'll be. I dont make it to Regency often, so maybe these Walmart ones will suffice.

I love how in the description, it says "good for date night" haha. I dunno about that one with how garlicy they are haha. But they do pair well with a cheap pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc that's the ticket. All for 10 bucks.

[nebugeater]

What is everyone preferring for jarred spaghetti sauce these days? (Yes, yes, we all know homemade is better... blah blah blah blah)

For a national brand, we like Rao's

The go-to most of the time is Papa Rico's out of Iowa

Usually the Medium

https://paparicossauce.com/shop/all-pro ... ce-medium/

I actually tried them several years ago when they were selling and sampling at the Nebraska State Fair. Many HyVee's carry it

[Busguy2010]

What is everyone preferring for jarred spaghetti sauce these days? (Yes, yes, we all know homemade is better... blah blah blah blah)

I usually make my own, but when I’m feeling lazy, Target’s house brand (I forget the name) is surprisingly good, for my taste anyway.

I tend to make my own with a can of crushed tomatoes, like I did last week. Cheapest 28 oz can I can find, don't remember the price.

But I'll have to say, I really don't have a taste preference. But I do have a price preference. So most of the time, depending where I'm shopping, its always the house brand. 2 bucks vs 5, and I won't notice a difference. Everybody also makes a pizza sauce in a metal can that's even cheaper, and works just as good for spaghetti sauce. I'm not real picky.

One thing I do prefer when buying amongst jarred sauces, is the ones that have added ingredients. Garlic, especially, and basil, oregano, mushroom. Whatever I'm feeling. I never buy the plain stuff.

Ragu is overrated.

[ChadJK]

I heard good things about Rao's, but then it sold to Campbell's in 2024 and then people were complaining it didn't taste the same and the ingredients had changed. I never had it before to know.

[nebugeater]

I heard good things about Rao's, but then it sold to Campbell's in 2024 and then people were complaining it didn't taste the same and the ingredients had changed. I never had it before to know.

It HAS NOT changed. My taste says that, and there was enough rumor going around that Campbell's made a statement saying it has not changed and has no plans to. Of course, that is not a guarantee that it will not someday. We buy it at Costco and it is a better price that way.

[ChadJK]

I heard good things about Rao's, but then it sold to Campbell's in 2024 and then people were complaining it didn't taste the same and the ingredients had changed. I never had it before to know.

It HAS NOT changed. My taste says that, and there was enough rumor going around that Campbell's made a statement saying it has not changed and has no plans to. Of course, that is not a guarantee that it will not someday. We buy it at Costco and it is a better price that way.

I thought somebody showed the label and said the nutrition information changed, but the ingredient list didn't or something like that. The implication being that they switch tomato varieties and other minor things to cheaper variations and those changes adjust the sodium and carbs in the sauce while not necessarily changing the ingredient list. *shrug*

[Busguy2010]

Anybody have a preference for canned chili? I just remembered I had a can and today's the perfect day for that. Today is Hormel. Its okay. Pretty vanilla, I usually prefer a chunkier chili.

Canned chili is one of the things I actually buy the name brands of. I can't say I have a preference, I just usually go for the cheapest among them, as I don't really find any of them to be great. But can't beat the convenience on a chilly, damp day like this, where nobody's open. Great for camping too.

Lastly, beans, or no beans? I'm beans all the way. I was always perplexed that they make chili no beans. Half the point to me is the texture, flavor, and fiber the beans give. I get that its probably mainly for chili dogs, but even for that, I still always used beans.

[Stan]

Anybody have a preference for canned chili? I just remembered I had a can and today's the perfect day for that. Today is Hormel. Its okay. Pretty vanilla, I usually prefer a chunkier chili.

Canned chili is one of the things I actually buy the name brands of. I can't say I have a preference, I just usually go for the cheapest among them, as I don't really find any of them to be great. But can't beat the convenience on a chilly, damp day like this, where nobody's open. Great for camping too.

Lastly, beans, or no beans? I'm beans all the way. I was always perplexed that they make chili no beans. Half the point to me is the texture, flavor, and fiber the beans give. I get that its probably mainly for chili dogs, but even for that, I still always used beans.

I guess I don't buy chili in a can to eat on it's own like I would a bowl of made chili. If I'm buying a can of chili, it's for chili dogs and might just go with the chili sauce more than a hearty chunky chili with meat and beans.

As for the beans or no beans in chili, it has beans. Texans are weirdly territorial with some foods even though those same foods will have variations. They refer to chili con carne as chili, but those are two seperate things and it's likely the same Texans that added beans to it to begin with as a way to stretch a meal.

[nativeomahan]

I make my own chili, and people seem to like it. I haven’t eaten chili out of a can in more than 20 years. It’s just gross.
And of course my chili has beans!

[Busguy2010]

Now I feel old. I was at Walmart and picked up a lot more than I went there for, so I just had all this stuff in my grasp, and remembered I was gonna get some Nesquik to mix with protein to taste better. No clue where it would be, never bought it myself, but I figured coffee aisle more toward the front. That wasn't correct, but I saw something that sort of looked like Nesquik, which I also never bought. Well, I wanted to get out of there so I chuckled and bought it. Carnation instant breakfast.

I took it home and stirred up a cup. They say stir it with milk, I said "psh, this is gonna take 24 hours to dissolve" having had plenty of experience with protein powders. I was really surprised. Not only did it mix up immaculately, it tasted great, and has a whole bunch of essential vitamins and minerals! My immediate reaction was "what in tarnation?"

I laughed and felt like an old fart, but this stuff is all that. Ill probably continually buy it the rest of my life. Highly recommended.