I am very excited to have discovered the Meals To Live line of frozen foods! In their words, Meals To Live is "a strong advocate for diabetes prevention, healthy lifestyles, and proper nutrition". I was contacted by the company and asked if I would like some sample meals to review on my site...you know me, I never pass up free food. After I received the meals I was immediately contacted by Nisha who told me that they had accidentally sent me a "standard" sample pack which included meals with gluten, and she told me to throw them away. I greatly appreciate Nisha's diligence and attention to detail, many companies wouldn't have noticed or acted upon such a mistake. Of course I didn't throw them away because I myself don't have any allergies, so I gobbled them up! Now we come to my dilemma...six of the meals are gluten free, four are not, and one of the gluten free meals contains eggs and dairy...how do I present this to my allergy free readers? That's when I realized that many of you moms and dads are just like me, no allergies of your own but cooking for allergic kids. We need to eat too! These meals are amazingly like good wholesome home made food. They use top of the line ingredients and absolutely no fillers. They are packed with vitamins, high in protein and fiber, and low in fats and calories. Wonderful! I am told they retail for $3.99 to $4.99 which amazes me because of the quality of the foods used compared to most frozen meals already on the market. They are currently available at Ralph's, Walgreens, Rite-Aide and Food For Less. On to the review...I am actually going to review the foods as a whole, then I will list which ones are allergen free. Every single meal was of incredible quality! The green beans were crisp like they were fresh steamed, the meats were real meat, and the sauces were minimal and delicious. My favorites were the Mexican style dishes, the spices and seasonings were very authentic. The first meal I tried was the white chicken burrito and it is still my favorite, it really tasted like something I would pay $10.00 for at a Mexican restaurant. It had quinoa and veggies inside with a nice green sauce on top. Emily's favorite was the sliced turkey with balsamic sauce and butternut squash. It was the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. The omelet with spinach and turkey sausage was impressive too, eggs don't always microwave well but this was really good ( I have to admit though, I cheated a little on this one and added some extra cheese). I will definitely be keeping a few of these meals on hand for those days when I spend so much time cooking for the kids that I forget to cook for myself. Following is a list of the current meals available and their allergen contents:
Gluten Free, Egg Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Nut Free: White Chicken Fajita, Sliced Turkey with Balsamic Sauce and Butternut Squash, Grilled White Chicken with Brown Rice Pilaf and Vegetables, Shrimp Jambalaya , and Grilled White Chicken with Roasted Red Potatoes and Green Beans
Gluten Free, Soy Free, Nut Free: Spinach Omelet with Turkey Sausage
The following items DO CONTAIN eggs, dairy, and wheat: Stacked Eggplant with Seasoned White Chicken (also contains pine nuts), and White Chicken Chili Relleno
The following items DO CONTAIN dairy, and wheat: Turkey Meatballs with Whole Wheat Spaghetti, and White Chicken Burrito with Green Sauce
IMPORTANT NOTE: I read each and every ingredient with my own eyes...which are not perfect and sometimes make mistakes. Please remember to always read labels and only trust yourself to know what is OK for you and your family! :)
