meals on wheels vs light n easy

[davidc4430]

ive been getting meals on wheels for many years and although they are fine for a pre prepared frozen meal for a while ive thought they are pretty ordinary.

my meals are/were delivered once a week on a friday lunch time so i had to be home.

my delivery comprised 1 hot meal and 6 frozen meals with deserts.

they would not let me order just the meals so every week i got 7 deserts i threw away, i dont like thawed out deserts. in fact i hardly ever eat desert, if i do its fresh fruit.

the aluminium packs often looked like they had been used for footy practice, all squished and unsealed in places.

but the meals were mostly ok.

some time back i was regularly getting some really nice meals, roast lamb, roast beef, roast pork, chicken snitzel, fish in batter.

but lately its all stews with the occasional fish, roast meal thrown in.

and allways with pumpkin which i dont like.

i dont get any choice as to my meals, its not until they are delivered i find out what i get.

i have no problem with the volunteers delivering the meals they are allways friendly.

so a friend said she was getting 'ligh n easy' meals and said she found them very good.

so i took the plunge and ordered some from light n easy as you can order just one time or regularly there are no ongoing contracts, you order and pay.

i recieved my first order today and i'm impressed by the paching!

they come in a lage polysteyrene box wuth a dry ice bag inside to keep them cold, the box is sealed with tape.

the meals are in perfect order ready to go into my freezer. not damaged at all!

online when ordering i get to choose what meals i want from a huge range! no pot luck here.

if i wanted i could order 7 of the same meal! not that i ever wood with such a large choice.

the delivery is left at my door if i'm not home. not possible with MOW.

so now i'm ready for the taste test, fingers crossed they are as good as they look.

btw, yes MOW is cheaper but when i dont have to buy deserts it works out cheaper.

i only buy main meals.

[davidc4430]

Tonights dinner, Macaroni Cheese

was ok but a little plain for a meal

better for lunch really.

[springyzone]

If they are much the same price, I'd definitely be going for the steak one again in preference to the macaroni cheese one. It does look a bit bland. I know macaroni cheese does have a white look to it but not that white!

[davidc4430]

all meals are the same price, i pay $149 for 14 meals delivered.

the more you buy the price gets a bit lower but its a fixed number, 5, 7, 14, 21 and 28.

i think 2 weeks meals is best for me.

[springyzone]

Yes, that sounds like enough as you would have to store them in the freezer.

Sometimes buying in too much bulk is more trouble than it is worth.

[lyndal1838]

David you could improve the mac and cheese both in appearance and taste by adding some chopped parsley.

[davidc4430]

i know i can add to the meals, i could also use the 'cook in the microwave' vegi packs, to add extra to the ones like this one but this reporting is to show exactly what you get and how it looks when cooked and ready to eat. and what i thought of it as a stand alone meal.

your point is a good one.

i dont have parsley in my garden, maybe i should plant some rather than buying it.

[lyndal1838]

One plant could probably keep you going for the whole season.....if it goes to seed you will have plants for next year.

Or you could buy the dried parsley in the supermarket.  I always have a jar of it on hand for emergencies.

Or you could dry your own from the plant you grow....let me know if you would like instructions.  It is very easy.

[imastawka]

Parsley's not hard to grow - wouldn't hurt to grow some.

I think the mac and cheese is a bit overpriced.

You get get microwave ones in Woolies for between $3 and $6 depending on the brand and size.

And like you said, more of a lunch than a dinner.

And I noticed it had tomato slices in it?  

Some that I know wouldn't eat it  'cos it's contaminated'

[springyzone]

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@davidc4430 wrote:

i know i can add to the meals, i could also use the 'cook in the microwave' vegi packs, to add extra to the ones like this one but this reporting is to show exactly what you get and how it looks when cooked and ready to eat. and what i thought of it as a stand alone meal.

your point is a good one.

i dont have parsley in my garden, maybe i should plant some rather than buying it.

---

If I were you, I'd definitely try to grow the parsley. Mind you, if you're like me with plants, it won't be easy. I've heard people complain about plants like mint & how they try to take over a garden. I give a cynical laugh. Mine always curls up & dies.

The macaroni cheese definitely needs something like parsley for a colour & flavour boost.

But can I just say I am applauding you here for showing the meals exactly as they are. I often visit recipe sites online and one thing that bugs me is I always look at the star ratings & comments and I'll see 5 star rating after 5 star rating, all saying how marvellous the recipe is, but then they go on to mention all the other 16 ingredients they added that aren't there in the original recipe & oh, they only added half the liquid or whatever.

I sit there thinking-that is NOT the same recipe then!! What would be the star rating for the recipe exactly as it is?

So that's why I am enjoying your photos-not enhanced, telling it like it is.

[davidc4430]

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@imastawka wrote:

Parsley's not hard to grow - wouldn't hurt to grow some.

I think the mac and cheese is a bit overpriced.

You get get microwave ones in Woolies for between $3 and $6 depending on the brand and size.

And like you said, more of a lunch than a dinner.

And I noticed it had tomato slices in it?  

Some that I know wouldn't eat it  'cos it's contaminated'

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i have in the past made up the 'continental' pastas in a pack and although they were good, the time it took to make them was way too long for me to bother and then there was all the clean up after.

i love the 'just wash the plate and cutlery' with these meals.

my dishwasher stopped working years ago so i do hand wash ups.

the cost of a new dishwasher was way too much to be bothered with.

not for 1 small wash a day, id never leave grotty dishes for days waiting.

i'll get some parsley seed next trip out, my gardens actually looking good at last. i dug it all up 2 years ago and replanted all the bulby things and put in some ground covers that are looking really good.

beared irises are flowering now.