Review of Medifast's Turkey Meatballs Marinara

Review Summary

Before getting into the merits and weaknesses of Medifast’s Turkey Meatballs Marinara, I want to point out what (IMO) are the key selling points of all Medifast meals. Weight loss & Convenience. 

On those to points, these Turkey Meatballs score well. The meal could not be simpler to make. It comes fully cooked AND shelf stable, so you don’t need to keep it in the fridge. And it means it would be super easy to take one to work, or when traveling, and you don’t need to keep it cool. Hell, you could keep a dozen in your desk at work. It literally takes about 3 minutes to get it fully prepared.

The meal contains 6 ping pong ball size meatballs, in plenty (probably a full cup’s worth) of tomato sauce. It’d call it a reasonable lunch size portion, for someone on a diet. And it’s only 290 calories.  That’s a small fraction of what I pound down anytime I make a trip to the deli for a sandwich & chips.

So…now on the flavor. I have to say, that I had low to moderate expectations going into this meal. I’m not a huge fan of pre-packaged food, and diet oriented doesn’t help my expectations.

The reality is, I can say that the meatballs & sauce were OK.  And probably a bit better than I expected. The meatball itself had a smooth/homogenous texture, similar to other pre-packaged meatballs I’ve had.

The sauce was plentiful, and again tasted like a decent jarred/canned sauce from the grocery store. There were a few vegetables that I could identify, as well as bits of turkey integrated into the sauce.

If I’ve got a need/desire to get a very simple meal cooked, that was easily calorie controlled, and tasted ok, this definitely gets the job done.

Ingredients

Because Medifast’s Flavors of home come as fully cooked & packaged meals, the notion of “ingredients” in the sense of a meal kit, doesn’t really apply. You’re not cooking anything. That said, what goes into the food we eat is obviously pretty important. So, into these turkey meatballs marinara goes:

  • Water (fascinating this is the first ingredient!)
  • Cooked turkey meatballs
  • Onion
  • Salt
  • Spices
  • Cooked ground turkey
  • Tomatoes in juice
  • Onions
  • Crushed tomatoes
  • Mushrooms
  • Tomato paste
  • Red bell pepper
  • Canola oil
  • Many other things, I don't really know anything about, like "xanthan gum"

Making the dish

One of the best things about these Flavors of Home meals, for many people, is there is no “making the dish”. The meals come shipped fully cooked and packaged in a microwaveable tray.

They don’t need to be kept in the fridge, making it really easy to bring them with you wherever you go. Each meal comes in a light cardboard wrapping that has nurtrition and heating info. It’s easily removed and you’re left with a microwave ready container.

Simply poke a few holes in the plastic cover to allow steam to escape and microwave on high for about 2 minutes. Obviously times may vary a bit.

Once it rests for a minute you’re ready to eat – either out of the tray, or you can plate it up.
 

Taste

While these are not gourmet meatballs, they are pretty decent. The texture is very similar to any other frozen/pre-packaged meatball you’ve ever had.

I tend to call it a “smooth” texture, as there are no pockets of firmer or softer meat, like you’ll normally see with hand rolled meatballs.

The flavor of the meat itself is clean, and fairly mild tasting. Most of the flavor comes from the sauce.

Fortunately, tomato sauce is something relatively easy to make taste good. Medifast’s sauce has a good consistency, perhaps just a bit on the thin side. There are a few pieces of veggies (I saw mushroom & red pepper) visible in the sauce, as well as, what I think were small bits of ground turkey.

It’s not an Italian Grandma’s sauce, but I’d say it’s the equal to just about any jarred grocery store sauce I’ve had. The combo works pretty well, and while I was in no way wowed by the flavor, it tasted fine.

Medifast's Turkey Meatballs Marinara

Review of Medifast's Turkey Meatballs Marinara

Overall

I went in expecting something akin to the canned spaghetti & meatballs of my youth. I was pleasantly surprised to find the meatballs were significantly better than that.

I wasn't blown away with the flavor. And I don't think I'd make this a normal meal UNLESS, I was highly motivated by either the convenience or the portion size/calorie count.

If you're looking for a decent meal, that you can take anywhere, and be eating in 2 minutes, this would be a good one. Or if you've got the desire & discipline to keep your meal to around 300 calories, this is also right for you.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes.

Comments (461 )

Reply
ufaauto789
April 22nd, 2024 - 7:53pm

ufa789 เข้าสู่ระบบ เว็บแทงบอลที่ใหญ่ และการเงินมั่นคงที่สุด สล็อตออนไลน์ ไม่มีขั้นต่ำ ใช้ทุนน้อย เล่นได้ทุกเกม

Reply
Anonymous
April 24th, 2024 - 5:32am

I have recently started a blog, and the info you offer on this website has helped me greatly. Thanx for all of your time & work. Cermin4d

Reply
Anonymous
April 29th, 2024 - 1:42am

Swiss casino is somewhat of a snowy mountain dream for every casino player that has now turned in to reality. The featured jackpots at this casino are certainly progressive and unbelievably high. Many players at Swiss Casino have been lucky enough to win these jackpots. For the sake of assurance, you can read the testimonials of members who have won the jackpots at the website itself and in gambling forums. 온라인슬롯

Reply
Anonymous
April 29th, 2024 - 1:42am

Some good news for all casino lovers out there - now you can enjoy some quite novel online casino games at the Club Dice online casino. All this of course at the expense of going to a land based casino in person to play casino games. But whether you prefer playing online or at the live casino, you will certainly enjoy the Club Dice - which is a nice blend of both. 온라인슬롯

Reply
Aliza Khan
April 30th, 2024 - 4:12am

<p><a href="https://karachimovers.com/service/movers-and-packers-lahore/">
Movers and Packers Lahore</a></p> 
Movers and Packers Lahore offers tailored services for individuals and businesses, now benefiting from Karachi Movers and Packers' expertise. From secure packing to smooth transit, their skilled team ensures a hassle-free moving experience in Lahore

Reply
Anonymous
April 30th, 2024 - 6:30am

I was recommended this blog by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my problem. You’re incredible! Thanks! 犀利士

Reply
Debra J. Groves
May 2nd, 2024 - 1:17am

Transform your writing process with Writer AI free, the budget-friendly solution for anyone looking to enhance their writing skills without breaking the bank. With our intuitive platform, you can access a wide range of writing tools and resources, all available at no cost. Whether you're drafting an essay, polishing a blog post, or refining a research paper, this free AI writing tool provides the support and guidance you need to succeed. Say goodbye to expensive writing software and hello to a more accessible and inclusive writing experience with this free AI tool.

Reply
Anonymous
May 2nd, 2024 - 7:19am

This is the right blog for wants to be familiar with this topic. You know a lot its almost challenging to argue along with you (not too I just would want…HaHa). You actually put a new spin on the topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just excellent! بتفروارد

Leave a comment