Banquets, Feasts And Buffets... Oh My!

With almost anything in today's capitalist driven society you've got tiers of products.  Ones that cost more (that tends to be of better quality and/or is some kinds of status symbol) and those that cost less (sometimes of lesser quality and can come with stigmas because of what it is).  Food is no different (except when it comes to perishables) with store brands and name brands.  There are also tiers of name brands.  Some brands are considered good, while others aren't due to their cheaper costs and perceived lower quality.   Banquet is one of those brands known for their price (cheap) and not for their quality.  Societal stigma on mac n' cheese?  Not in this blog!


Brand:
Banquet Macaroni & Cheese Meal

Price:
$1.29 at Safeway

Product Description:
(On Front)
Macaroni and Rich Cheddar Cheese Sauce

(On Back)
N/A
Preparation:
*Remove the tray from the box.

OK, it's frozen.  We're good.  **wipes brow**

 *Put the tray into the microwave and cook for two minutes.

Really doesn't look all that different from when we put it into the microwave.

 *Peel back the film and stir up the mac n' cheese.

It's actually quite hard to stir semi frozen stuff.  You really push it around and hope to break up the chunks more than anything else.

*Place back in the microwave and cook for an additional one to two minutes.  Like always, I split the difference and cooked it for a minute and a half.
*Let the tray sit in the microwave for one to two minutes to cool.
*After taking out the tray, mix up the meal one more time.

Now it looks like mac n' cheese

*Commence with the nomming!


Taste:
Pulling this out of the microwave I got the faint aroma of mac n' cheese when I was handling the tray, but sitting on the counter I couldn't smell anything.  The noodles were overcooked, but not to the point of instantly disolving in your mouth.  The sauce had a very mild cheese taste that was most simliar to American cheese (even though it was a Cheddar sauce), but the sauce was very faint for most of the meal.
Final Score:
I'm not big on status symbols and brands.  If I find something I like and it's half the cost of something else that looks (or in this case tastes) the same as another item, then I'm saving money and getting the cheaper one.  Banquet did not however stand up to their namesake.  Overcooked noodles and a bland sauce is not something that is tasty, simply because they forgot to add the taste.  If you're buying frozen meals on a budget (and many people these days on on VERY tight budgets) slide down the freezer aisle to your left (well at my local Safeway it's to the left) and grab one of the Michelina's meals I've already reviewed here and here.  They cost the same (or less by a few cents) and they taste better.

Nutritional Information:
Serving Size 1 Meal (227g)


Calories  250  Calories From Fat 60
Total Fat 6g (9% Daily Value)
Saturated Fat 3g (15% DV)
Trans Fat 0g (0% DV) 
Cholesterol 15mg (5% DV)
Sodium 760mg (32% DV)
Total Carbohydrates 39g (13% DV)
Dietary Fiber 3g (12% DV)
Sugar 4g
Protein 10g