We tried these new products from a Canadian celebrity chef to see if they’re worth it
The convenience of pre-prepped items like marinated meats and frozen meals can help save you time for more important things like spending time with the family, enjoying the outdoors, or doing anything but meal prep.
However, the time you save with pre-prepped items often doesn’t outweigh the freezer-burnt taste or lack of seasoning that comes with it.
As I’m just trying to live my best life while working towards some easy-going, glamorous personal time this summer, I do lean towards eating delicious foods that won’t eat up my time to prepare. But it made me wonder: are there any pre-prepped foods that actually taste good?
So when Sobeys sent us a box of products from its new RICARDO line of gourmet food products, I had to give them a try to see if they could clear this seemingly high bar I’ve set for myself.
Prepared gourmet food with care
This new line of products, RICARDO, comes from Quebec-based celebrity chef, author, and restauranteur Ricardo. With 21 years of hosting his own show on ICI Radio-Canada Télé; 19 best-selling books, 13 in French and six in English; plus three boutiques and three restaurants in Saint-Lambert, Quebec City, and Laval — his pedigree as a chef is impressive.
Ricardo’s gourmet RICARDO product line includes a litany of different offerings, including marinated meats, prepared desserts, frozen meals, and dressings — all exclusively available at Sobeys in Ontario and delivery through Voilà. These products were designed to be ready-to-serve and help Canadians make time to enjoy the summer, all without compromising flavour.
Sobeys was kind enough to send us a few products from each. We’re trying the Montreal-spiced Flap steak and Curry and Ginger Pork Chops for the marinated meats; the General Tao Meatballs and Chicken Pad Thai for the frozen meals; the Caesar and Creamy Mustard dressings; and the Lemon and Raspberry Chocolate cheesecakes for dessert.
Frozen meals that taste fresh
Again, I’ve never been a huge fan of frozen meals, and never have any space for them in my freezer anyways. (Doesn’t everyone have a freezer-space problem?!)
But I have to say, these quick and tasty meals hit the spot as lunch options during a rather busy period at work. All it took was five minutes to heat up in the microwave, and I had a pretty filling meal to devour next to my computer as I was trying to hit deadlines.
The Pad Thai was well cooked and seasoned and the General Tao Meatballs were a satisfying twist on a classic takeout dish. And when you can have delicious meals in under five minutes, you really can’t complain!
Level-up your dinner
Every chef worth their salt (no pun intended) knows to marinate their meat ahead of time before cooking it. But by the time my overworked and underfed brain processes that I’m actually hungry and not bored hungry, I’m left spending hours (minutes) trying my best to thaw meat I’ve forgotten to take out of the freezer. (Maybe I’ve just discovered why it’s so overcrowded…)
With RICARDO’s marinated meat, you get well-seasoned meat that has instructions for different cooking methods on the packaging. That way, whether you want to take these meats to the grill or the frying pan, you’ll have everything you need to not end up with dry, burnt meat.
I personally love a fried pork chop, so the Curry and Ginger Pork Chops were a quick and easy protein served over yellow rice while my salad, dressed in the Honey Mustard dressing, brought it all together.
Steaks can be intimidating and messy, but the Montreal Spiced Flap Steak was super straightforward — with instructions on the package to help you get the perfect medium-rare cook. The leftovers were even better the next day in a steak sandwich dressed in the Caesar dressing. You’ll definitely want to try that!
Delectable desserts to indulge in
While there were no flops in the bunch, a bad meal will always get its just desserts. As somewhat of a baker myself, if it’s not better than the extra cookie dough or pastry in my freezer (okay, I’m starting to see the pattern), then I don’t have time for it.
So when I tell you that, out of everything I’ve tried, if you’re going to get one thing from the RICARDO line, make it one of the delicious cheesecakes! You won’t regret it.
Whether you get the tangy Lemon cheesecake or, my personal favourite, the Chocolate Raspberry cheesecake, these velvety smooth desserts are the perfect ending to any meal. But be warned, these cheesecakes didn’t make it past the second day in my freezer, so while sharing is recommended, I certainly did not follow my own recommendation.
If at any point I’ve tantalized your tastebuds to the point of trying the new and convenient line of gourmet RICARDO foods, just head to Sobeys’ website to find your nearest location and stock up on these perfect-for-summer products.
Branded Content