Thursday 16 February 2017

Prepackaged Meals Yea or Nay????



Hi Guys,

I've been seeing prepackaged meals popping up around Port-of -Spain for some time now. Places such as Superpharm , Starlite and Linda's , they all seem pretty attractive but I've been a bit skeptical to purchase, not to sure on the safety and taste. I like to cook and pack my own lunch or if I have to purchase I have  specific places that I will go. I really dislike spending my money on food and its no good!!!

Anyways, Tuesday evening I had class got home late was exhausted and not in the mood to prepare anything for lunch , for the following day. I decided to purchase a prepackage meal from Linda's reason being , I trust them!! I buy their breads they have a great line of  Healthy choices which I enjoy.

Of course, before I made my purchase I  had to interrogate the poor lady who was actually packing the meals in the chiller!!! Is it fresh? Does it taste good? I know , I could be pretty annoying!! I got my answers bought my lunch and headed back to the office.


Here's my honest view;


  • Let's start with price - It's relatively affordable ,for what you are getting 
  • There was an excellent balance of vegetable / carbs/ protein ratio 
  • The broccoli was fresh and crunchy 
  • Tomatoes were nice and firm 
  • Bellpeppers were also crunchy
  • Chicken was nicely seasoned not over powering at all
  • The pasta had that perfect texture which I like not too soft 
  • It filled me , I had a little leftover.
All in all I'll give Linda's a Yea!!! I really enjoyed it. Let me know if this is something you would purchase.







23 comments:

  1. I have purchased that particular meal and have to agree that it was really tasty, well balanced and filling at the same time and the price was not bad. I would definitely buy it again. I absolutely love the prepackaged meals sold at Starlight, although they are a bit pricey..

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    1. Thanks Kiyomi, I will try Starlight but I have to agree with you it's on the pricey side.

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  2. I am very weary of the meals also! I'm always very tempted to buy them (because you know I hate cooking) but I can never be sure of the taste. I would rather go somewhere selling food where I know it's freshly made! Well... based on your review, I'll give Linda's a try!

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    1. LOL, yes cousin I am aware of your dislike for cooking... I was pleasantly surprised.

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  3. I have always seen them in Linda's but I am very skeptical myself, but it won't hurt to give it a try.

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    1. No it won't!!! give it a try I do recommend that you go before noon though just to be on the safe side.

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  4. Would'nt mind giving it a try now that you said it tasted good Nadia

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  5. Hmmm, I'm not sure how I feel about it, although I have had pre packaged sushi before. The last few times I had it though, I decided I wouldn't anymore as I was concerned about the age of the food.

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    1. Thanks T, I feel you hun ... it was fresh , that was my first time though don't know about a second ..

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  6. Greetings Nadia, I have never been one to consumed pre-packed meals for several reasons.
    1. I have had bad experiences with foods that have been packed
    2. Have always been suspicious of how long the food has been packed. Reason being, any meats, fruits of vegetables have a very small window of time before it goes off especially if it’s kept warm
    3. Given the short time it takes for micro-bacterial organisms to form on any food. I’ve always preferred to cook myself this way I know what I am putting in the foods.
    4. I have grown mistrustful of the food industry concerning packed packages, as the sugar entries are not always helpful or correct.
    Having reviewed your findings on your post regarding pre-packed foods, you seem to have a great grasp on the look, feel and smell of packed foods. Your description to LINDA’S Chicken Penne Pasta was of such, that when I arrive; I will definitely be looking for that shop/store.
    Kind Regards - Antonio

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    1. Thank you Antonio for your comment , those were my exact sentiments before I made this purchase.

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  7. I have tried these before and they were great! I've seen videos of how they prepare and package the meals at Linda's and they put my mind at ease a bit about the safety of the food.

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    1. Great news Shanny , thanks again for your input.

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    2. No problem, here's a link to one of the videos https://www.facebook.com/LindasTT/videos/822513544553194/

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  8. As a last resort healthy meal I've had the prepackaged salads from Linda's and I found them not to be worth the price. The vegetables were fresh but was very basic. I would prefer to make my own.

    Osei.

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  9. Thanks Osei... Appreciate your comments..

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  10. I myself am very weary of consuming pre packaged meals. It's an issue of mind over matter as in some establishments that serve "fresh" food daily some of the items are actually left overs that are reheated. However I've been able to convince myself that the prepackaged meal may have a higher risk of not being freshly prepared versus an establishment that prepares food for purchase daily. For this reason I prepare my own lunch most of time but if I do need to purchase I wouldn't go for a prepackaged meal. Therefore my response to prepackaged meals is Nay.

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  11. I've often thought about buying one of those packaged meals, but I'm a bit skeptical bout it. Then again I shouldn't judge something until I try it

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  12. I'm about to sound really bad but when I see the price of pre-packed meals I tend to think of the other things I could buy with the money. I enjoy subway salads though. Now that I can say is fresh.

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