When Plum Organics contacted Cate and I about their new kids’ line of frozen organic meals, I was psyched to say the least. In this house, we avoid foods that are loaded with an array of preservatives, additives and whatnot, so most frozen meals available on the market just don’t cut it — especially the ones geared towards kids. But it’s nice to have something to fall back on for those nights when you just don’t want to cook. At all. Everyone has those nights, right?
So, I whipped out my two Plum Organic meals (there are four varieties in all) the other night to serve up for my preschooler and my nearly-one-year-old.
First up: Rainbow Pasta Shells.
The GOOD: Unlike most kids’ meals on the market, this doesn’t come preloaded with a dessert (score!) and it does come with a veggie. Both of those are really good things. The packaging is earth-friendly. The food is all organic, so no worries about where the carrots came from or what’s lurking in the sauce.
The BAD: Unfortunately, the taste just wasn’t there for my kids. The pasta and sauce tasted like watery mush — not a good thing. It’s also got a relatively high calorie content at 430 calories (the other varieties are in the 200 calorie range). Also, this is supposed to have a creamy Parmesan sauce and we didn’t get that flavor from it.
MONEY MATTERS: Available at Whole Foods, Shaws, Super Target and more. Check the Plum Organics website for locations.
The MOM VERDICT
Sarah says: I had high hopes for this meal. It’s nice to have a healthy, hearty meal that can go from freezer to table in just minutes, and that’s not bad for you to boot. However, this wasn’t it. I felt awful when my son, my decidedly unpicky three-year-old son, said, “Mommy, I don’t like this. It doesn’t taste good.” And when I tried it, I contemplated giving him something else before deciding to doctor it and stick with it. My honest opinion? This is not something I will serve my kids again. And frankly, I think it buys into all the stereotypes of what American moms feed kids: bland, mushy, uninspired food. But there are so many moms out there who are letting their children experience flavor. I hope that Plum Organics goes back to the drawing board on this one and comes out with some tasty, flavorful meals with kid-appropriate calorie contents.
