HORMEL COMPLEATS Protein Variety Pack Microwave Trays (Pack of 5)

I purchased these to use for dinner at Disneyland and Sea World. They have a lot of sodium in them, but they don’t have to be refrigerated and are ready to eat, by peeling off the plastic lid. I did have to bring my own plastic utensils and napkins. I also had fruits, nuts, vegetables, string cheese, etc. to carry around with us, to supplement these.I was unable to heat them in the park at Disney, so we ate them room temperature. They had been stored in the lockers, inside the park, during the day so when we were finally hungry enough to stop and eat, these worked perfectly. They don’t look quite as good as the picture on the package, but as far as a quick, easy meal, they were great. All meal prices in the park are high and I had to feed a group of 7. When people are hungry they don’t complain as much.The day we went to Sea World we left them in the car with other food. At lunchtime I put them on the dashboard of the car, on top of the sunshade, in the sunshine. They were pretty warm by the time we stopped for dinner. Once again food prices are very high in the park, which made these look like a bargain.Are these better heated in a microwave? Absolutely. Would I buy these to replace regular meals? No way. Will I buy these again to eat room temperature when traveling in a car for over 5 hours though areas of the country that only has rest stops along the side of the road? Definitely. If I do end up doing more road trips, I might get a heated lunch box to heat these in.

Great taste, easy to use and ready quickly for quick lunch or for the kids v

Good. No issues. As expected (have had them before). These are not culinary feasts. It is simple, convenient food. They're not great, but they work as emergency food, for super quick meals, to stock the pantry in these questionable times. If you're picky, then its best to try one before loading up. If you have a huge appetite, then plan to eat more than one, or plan to stretch your meal with other food items. This can provide the "variety" aspect to rice and beans, if you know what I mean.Easy to find in stores, so you likely know what the typical cost per tray is. I was able to buy these on sale, which made it a better deal than what can be found in store. I don't buy these often as it doesn't entirely suit my taste, but they are convenient, shelf stable, and can be eaten hot or cold in a pinch. Basically I buy it for adding to my pantry for emergency use options. Or I am simply hungry and dont want to cook anything. I have some family members who love this stuff. So it comes down to own personal preference. Also nice way to stock the pantry as food prices and such climb. I figure add a variety and I can always add to it (more rice, more noodle, more vegetables, etc).Not huge portions by any means. But I imagine works well for those with light appetites (seniors, maybe those that are ill, or simply those with naturally tiny appetites)Main thing to know is that it arrived in a branded box, well sealed, each tray and package were intact, each having a far off "best by" date (purchased Nov 2022, with dates into 2023 and 2024). But that doesnt matter to me as that is simply a guaranteed freshness date and not a safety date. Still nice to know that these have dates well into the future. Glad to have them in my pantry.

Variety of meals was ok, not very appetizing. Beef, chicken and turkey w/mashed potatoes,gravy, stuffing, Very salty and mushed together so you couldn’t tell what it was. Would never buy again.

5 pack of ready to eat meals you make in just a minute or two in the microwave. They're non frozen, come nicely wrapped and have a good amount of protein. I like the variation in the set. You get beef, chicken and pasta. The flavor is good and they have a lot of gravy making them a hearty satisfying yet well proportioned meal. Great if you aren't in the mood for cooking or want something easy and satisfying to curb hunger. Good value.

Pretext for on the go families

I'd never tried these, and was looking for something with a relatively small portion size that was quick and easy to heat up. Saw these on Prime Day and thought I'd give them a try. Now, at this point, I've only tried the Roast Beef & Mashed Potatoes, but it was such a bad experience that I'm afraid to try the rest of them and will probably throw them away. The "beef" was a weird, cardboard-textured slab of what might have been meat, but it was hard to tell, because the texture was just so weird. The potatoes were even worse - a solid slab of something white in the bottom of the tray - and if you stirred them up to try and make them more of a "mashed" texture, they turned a weird grainy texture. And the flavor was just...not good. I don't know what else to say. Very disappointed. I wasn't expecting gourmet fare here, but this was so far from even low-grade convenience food that I actually pulled the outer package out of the trash to check the "best if used by" date on it, because I was concerned it might have been out of date and that was why it was so bad. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case - it's just so bad that it makes you think it might be.Hard pass.

Love this quick, no work easy meals. I have ordered these a number of times from Amazon because I can not always g et them in the store. They come in an ideal size, and the taste and texture are superb. Another note here is that they do not have to be put in the freezer or in the fridge. Unbelievable! Will continue to order them as needed. Works well for when I have to work late.