Stouffer's Lasagna

[Anonymous]

I'm still trying to understand what is problematic about Stouffer's lasagna from an ingredients perspective. Yes, I get that it has a lot of salt and fat, but so does a lot of tasty lasagna. And as a PP noted, one serving is about 1/3 the daily sodium recommended maximum, which isn't terrible.

I like doing my own food. My favorite lasagna was one where I rolled out the pasta myself. The texture was just better. But this?

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Stouffer's Lasagna Ingredients

Sauce: Tomato Puree (water, Tomato Paste), Cooked Beef, Water, Dry Curd Cottage Cheese (cultured Skim Milk, Enzymes), Modified Cornstarch, Natural Flavors, Salt, Soy Sauce (water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Wheat Flour, Sugar, Spices.

Cooked Pasta: Water, Semolina Wheat Flour.

Cheese: Low-moisture Part-skim Mozzarella Cheese (cultured Part-skim Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Parmesan Cheese (cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes).
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What's wrong with any of that? Or do people think the company is lying to the FDA about what's in the package?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find homemade lasagna hard and a huge PIA. Am I the only one?

I make the red sauce, I make a béchamel, I sauté the onions, carrots, and celery and add that to the red sauce. I shred cheese. I parboil the noodles. I brown the ground beef. By the time I’m assuming I’ve dirtied 4 pans and have a huge mess to clean up. I hate making it and reserve it for maybe once per year

I don't think it is hard, but it is a PIA and is a multiple hour production. I don't make béchamel. I just use mozzarella cheese. So I guess I have a few less steps than you!

Folks if you are going to make lasagna with jarred sauce, you might as well just buy a frozen one, like stouffers. Try it. You might decide it isn't too bad.

PP and yes. But hard I meant the time is consumes and mess it makes. I also agree if you are going to be slapping to get her jarred sauce, raw noodles, ricotta and bagged mozzarella, then just buy a frozen one. It will be better

[Anonymous]

Six pages in, and I'm the only one thinking I should maybe try Stouffer's? I've only made lasagna, never bought frozen before...but suddenly I want to....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are very thoughtful, OP, and I’m sure they’ll love this meal.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Six pages in, and I'm the only one thinking I should maybe try Stouffer's? I've only made lasagna, never bought frozen before...but suddenly I want to....

I grew up quite poor, and Stouffer's was fancy. Much more fancy than Chef Boyardee from the can.

I like it as comfort food. Sometimes I get a craving, though it's not a typical meal for me anymore. I hope you enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mid-western dad moved to be closer to us last year and has dinner with us every night. We eat MUCH differently than he is used to, and I can tell it bothers him so about once a month I pop one of these lasagnas in the oven with salad and garlic bread and he is in HEAVEN. He looks forward to that lasagna all month I think lol.

Cute! We are in a similar situation - moved closer to Midwestern ILs. So I’m trying to cater to their tastes a little when they are guests of ours. If it were up to me it would be salmon and lots of vegetables, with a very dark chocolate something for dessert. But I’m not a guest and it’s not my birthday, so it’s going to be store bought lasagna and a funfetti ice cream cake topped with Cool Whip. Speaking of which, Cool Whip is another item I’ve never ever bought… for PPs who think I’m a lazy troll, I’m spending all my normal prep time looking up recipes and driving to stores looking for these products I don’t usually buy! And I’m still not 100% sure this Cool Whip dessert I’ve brainstormed is going to work.

I wouldn’t spread the Cool Whip (and you know I’m pronouncing it “hwhip” in my head like all decent people do) on top. Just serve it on the side, but do thaw it as the other PP suggests. Otherwise it has a more ice cream like consistency and doesn’t look as pretty.

I’m planning to bake a funfetti cake, layer it with ice cream, and cover the whole thing with Cool Whip and sprinkles before freezing. I’ll let it sit out for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

I’m a baker, and this work as well as you hope. The reason is that if you bake your own cake and use butter, butter just doesn’t have the right mouthfeel when it’s cold. Maybe if you use a box mix that calls for oil it might be okay. But I am a person who loves making things from scratch and having the best ingredients but for ice cream cake? Carvel. Or look for a recipe that uses cookie crumbs or something like that instead of actual cake.

Sorry are you saying this will work or won’t? I bought a box mix and will be using grape seed or safflower oil, I think. Honestly I don’t like Carvel (tastes chalky) so I was going to use store bought ice cream. And a kid only turns 5 once and he wanted funfetti with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are very thoughtful, OP, and I’m sure they’ll love this meal.

+1

Ha thank you, although I’m not sure whether it’s thoughtfulness or anxiety. 80 responses in and I’m still checking the thread worried about funfetti cake, so I’m thinking anxiety!

[Anonymous]

I don’t like the incredible condescension displayed by some posters (eg, salmon veggies and dart chocolate normally but I’m so sensitive, so the comfort trash for my elderly relative).

I hope your children talk about you in the same way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t like the incredible condescension displayed by some posters (eg, salmon veggies and dart chocolate normally but I’m so sensitive, so the comfort trash for my elderly relative).

I hope your children talk about you in the same way.

Yes. Like you eat salmon every night for dinner. Hope it isn’t farm-raised either….

[Anonymous]

Where are you all from that you love frozen food so much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mid-western dad moved to be closer to us last year and has dinner with us every night. We eat MUCH differently than he is used to, and I can tell it bothers him so about once a month I pop one of these lasagnas in the oven with salad and garlic bread and he is in HEAVEN. He looks forward to that lasagna all month I think lol.

Cute! We are in a similar situation - moved closer to Midwestern ILs. So I’m trying to cater to their tastes a little when they are guests of ours. If it were up to me it would be salmon and lots of vegetables, with a very dark chocolate something for dessert. But I’m not a guest and it’s not my birthday, so it’s going to be store bought lasagna and a funfetti ice cream cake topped with Cool Whip. Speaking of which, Cool Whip is another item I’ve never ever bought… for PPs who think I’m a lazy troll, I’m spending all my normal prep time looking up recipes and driving to stores looking for these products I don’t usually buy! And I’m still not 100% sure this Cool Whip dessert I’ve brainstormed is going to work.

I wouldn’t spread the Cool Whip (and you know I’m pronouncing it “hwhip” in my head like all decent people do) on top. Just serve it on the side, but do thaw it as the other PP suggests. Otherwise it has a more ice cream like consistency and doesn’t look as pretty.

I’m planning to bake a funfetti cake, layer it with ice cream, and cover the whole thing with Cool Whip and sprinkles before freezing. I’ll let it sit out for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Sorry, I swear the autocorrect on this website is extra weird. Won’t work. But if it’s a box mix cake made with oil it might be fine.
I’m a baker, and this work as well as you hope. The reason is that if you bake your own cake and use butter, butter just doesn’t have the right mouthfeel when it’s cold. Maybe if you use a box mix that calls for oil it might be okay. But I am a person who loves making things from scratch and having the best ingredients but for ice cream cake? Carvel. Or look for a recipe that uses cookie crumbs or something like that instead of actual cake.

Sorry are you saying this will work or won’t? I bought a box mix and will be using grape seed or safflower oil, I think. Honestly I don’t like Carvel (tastes chalky) so I was going to use store bought ice cream. And a kid only turns 5 once and he wanted funfetti with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mid-western dad moved to be closer to us last year and has dinner with us every night. We eat MUCH differently than he is used to, and I can tell it bothers him so about once a month I pop one of these lasagnas in the oven with salad and garlic bread and he is in HEAVEN. He looks forward to that lasagna all month I think lol.

Cute! We are in a similar situation - moved closer to Midwestern ILs. So I’m trying to cater to their tastes a little when they are guests of ours. If it were up to me it would be salmon and lots of vegetables, with a very dark chocolate something for dessert. But I’m not a guest and it’s not my birthday, so it’s going to be store bought lasagna and a funfetti ice cream cake topped with Cool Whip. Speaking of which, Cool Whip is another item I’ve never ever bought… for PPs who think I’m a lazy troll, I’m spending all my normal prep time looking up recipes and driving to stores looking for these products I don’t usually buy! And I’m still not 100% sure this Cool Whip dessert I’ve brainstormed is going to work.

I wouldn’t spread the Cool Whip (and you know I’m pronouncing it “hwhip” in my head like all decent people do) on top. Just serve it on the side, but do thaw it as the other PP suggests. Otherwise it has a more ice cream like consistency and doesn’t look as pretty.

I’m planning to bake a funfetti cake, layer it with ice cream, and cover the whole thing with Cool Whip and sprinkles before freezing. I’ll let it sit out for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

I’m a baker, and this work as well as you hope. The reason is that if you bake your own cake and use butter, butter just doesn’t have the right mouthfeel when it’s cold. Maybe if you use a box mix that calls for oil it might be okay. But I am a person who loves making things from scratch and having the best ingredients but for ice cream cake? Carvel. Or look for a recipe that uses cookie crumbs or something like that instead of actual cake.

Sorry are you saying this will work or won’t? I bought a box mix and will be using grape seed or safflower oil, I think. Honestly I don’t like Carvel (tastes chalky) so I was going to use store bought ice cream. And a kid only turns 5 once and he wanted funfetti with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles.

Ugh above I actually was typing in the middle of the quote! I swear you have to be a coder to post here.

Won’t work, is what I meant. But a box mix with oil might be fine.

[Anonymous]

My mom is from the Midwest and was a home ec major. Her lasagna tastes EXACTLY like Stouffer's. (I would never tell her that, but it's true. It's total comfort food.)

[Anonymous]

You are hosting people and serving Stouffers lasagna. Wow. Pathetic.

What is your HHI?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No shade, but why not make your own lasagna, if you're concerned with baking plastic? Lasagna is not difficult to make, especially if you use the noodles that you do not have to boil beforehand.

I just don’t want to, to be honest! I’m still coming off thanksgiving and have two different birthdays to plan and host. Making a big short rib or pork rib meal and don’t want to assemble a lasagna too. Stouffers because ILs are used to that kind of food and a local lasagna might be too “spicy” for them.

Just order pizza.