Hanover Foods, you shouldn’t have.

I regularly purchase Hanover frozen vegetables. So, when I saw the company’s “Asian Stir Fry Style Riced Cauliflower”  in the frozen food section of my grocery store earlier this week, I had visions of easy  lunches that were both low carb and low calorie.

I could microwave a $2.79 bag of stir fry style riced cauliflower, combine with any  leftover cooked protein in the fridge and  – voila – have a colorful meal in a flash.

What a find!   I put a 10 oz. bag in my cart, then added a second for good measure.

Back home, I cubed some leftover cooked chicken and then microwaved the riced cauliflower mix as directed. I waited the required minute, then opened the bag. I saw lots of brown liquid, riced cauliflower, peas and shreds of broccoli and carrots. It did not resemble the appetizing photo on the front of the bag.

“It can’t taste as bad as it looks,” I thought.

I took a bite and tasted what seemed like straight soy sauce mixed with a chaser of strong ginger.  As far as the vegetables –  my tastebuds were so jackhammered by the soy sauce and ginger, I had trouble focusing on the quality of the other ingredients.

A Good Idea, Gone Wrong

The company, founded in 1924 and based in  (surprise)  Hanover, PA.,  generally offers a fine variety of frozen vegetables, often at prices slightly lower than other name  brands. That’s why it was so  surprising that  “Asian Stir Fry Style Riced Cauliflower” completely missed the mark.

The riced cauliflower mix would be so much better packaged without any sauce, accompanied  by a a suggestion to add soy sauce and other flavorings to taste.  Another option: Include a small packet of sauce with the vegetables, to be added to taste when the vegetables are done.

The riced cauliflower mix gets wildly different online reviews. Some people liked it; others did not. You can always try it and see for yourself.

As for me, I’ll stick to the company’s plain frozen riced cauliflower and jazz it up with extra veggies and a little soy sauce.