A friend came up behind me in the supermarket aisle with her trolley full of these packaged meals.
"They're not for me!" she said hastily. "I'm sending them to my niece at university."
Then she paused for a moment.
"They're all right, aren't they?"
I had no idea. I had seen these products arrive on the shelves a while ago but the packaging never really attracted me. Since then Tasti has bought the company and they've had a revamp. And they have featured on Campbell Live as part of the KidsCan lunch programme in schools.
There was nothing for it but to buy one, taste it and see what is in it.
Thai Chicken (54%) (Coconut cream (13%)
Coconut cream is an essential ingredient of most Asian curries as it provides the creaminess. It is quite high in fat and you will get 14.3g of fat (10.7g saturated) in this 350g serving. Many healthy eaters prefer the fat found in coconuts because it is lauric acid which is a medium-chain triglyceride which has health benefits. It goes directly to the liver and is used for energy rather than being stored for fat.
Chicken 13%
This will be your ordinary chicken, not free range.
Water
Vegetables
Carrot (4.5%), onion, green beans (2%)
Sugar
A bit of sugar in here at 10.7 g per serve, that's just over two and a half teaspoons.
Curry paste
Not sure what is in here but usually curry paste is a mix of various spices with some oil and usually tomato.
Starch (potato and maize)
These will be in here as thickeners and the starch is derived from potatoes and corn.
Tamarind
This is a common flavouring in Thai dishes. The tamarind fruit has a sweet and sour taste and is high in tartaric acid, sugar, B vitamins and calcium.
Fish sauce
This gives Thai cooking a salty taste and is made from fish fermented with sea salt.
Salt
There's quite a lot of salt in here. You will get 668mg of sodium per serve.
Spices
Cooked rice 46%
The rice in the sachet is pre-cooked, so it just requires heating in a microwave.
My recommendations
We all have, or know of, young adults studying or working and flatting and probably not eating very well.
So sending off a package of these, as my friend did recently, is a great idea.
They are easy to prepare and provide a lot more nutrition than a bowl of instant noodles or a bowl of sweet cereal.
And the best bit is that unlike many of the fast food options available there are no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. And there is protein and carbs which provide a bit of fibre and some flavour to go with it. This meal will provide 1850kj or 441 calories which is about right for a lunch or dinner.
The ideal would be to throw in some greens in the form of a salad or steamed broccoli, but I think we all know that's not going to happen!
On the web Read Wendyl's columns on other food products at: http://tiny cc/01b9u.
She never told them the five-course meal was vegan. So a cousin decided to act.