Look at what I received in the mail last week...
1 free Birds Eye® Voila!® coupon for me and 100 BOGO coupons to share with my family, friends and readers. They were sent to me as part of Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program! After the wonderful experience I had with BIRDS EYE Steamfresh Chef’s Favorites, I was so excited to try Voila!® products! Would you believe that there are 17 varieties of Birds Eye® Voila!®??! It's good that there were just 6 flavors available at the nearby Super Walmart so it was a lot easier for me to choose what I want to try. I got one each of Beef Lo Mein, Garlic Shrimp and Three Cheese Chicken...and of course, my Asian taste buds told me to try the Beef Lo Mein first...
...and that's what I did! I followed the skillet cooking instructions which according to the package is the preferred method. I just placed the contents of the bag and sauce pouch in a large skillet...
...cooked it covered on high for 6 minutes with occasional stirring, then reduced heat to medium-high and cooked for 4 minutes more.
I wanted more green veggies, so I cooked it with some snow peas and green beans. It was really so easy to prepare, and a 21 oz. package can feed two...so Ryan and I had a tasty meal in 10 minutes! We ate it with extra long Filipino Egg Rolls! :)
The package says "Made with Kikkoman Soy Sauce"...and it wasn't lying! Birds Eye® Voila!® Beef Lo Mein smells and tastes like Kikkoman Soy Sauce! I know because Kikkoman is my favorite brand. The package description "Traditonal Lo Mein with Tender Beef, Bok Choy, Onion Strips and Shoe String Carrots" is also true. As you can see from the picture, the Lo Mein is filled with all those ingredients...and the good thing is that the natural flavor of beef, bok choy, onions and carrots are still there, and the vegetables still have the crisp I am looking for! The quality of the beef used is also good.
Overall, Birds Eye® Voila!® Beef Lo Mein is a good product. It looks so fresh and appetizing after cooking! It has true Lo Mein flavor and for the price of $3.98 (at our Walmart), it can bring delight especially to Asian palates. If it's just for the taste and the ease it brings in serving dinner at a very affordable cost, I would highly recommend it just like BIRDS EYE Steamfresh Chef’s Favorites.
But I cook Asian noodles a lot, and I can cook a very tasty Lo Mein in less than 10 ingredients. After seeing all these ingredients (Pasta: Cooked Linguini Pasta (Water, Semolina, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid). Vegetables: Onions, Carrots, Bok Choy. Seasoned Cooked Roasted Beef Steak Strips And Binder Product: Beef, Beef Stock, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Seared Steak Flavor (Maltodextrin, Natural Flavor, Beef Extract, Chicken Fat, Salt, Modified Food Starch, Beef Tallow, Yeast Extract), Sodium Phosphates, Natural Butter Flavor (Maltodextrin, Butter Flavor), Caramel Color, Spices Extractives. Sauce: Kikkoman Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Water, Sugar, Garlic, Soybean Oil, Wok Flavor (Ginger Root, Garlic Puree, Potato Maltodextrin, Sunflower Oil, Rice Flour, Toasted Sesame Oil, Salt, Guar Gum, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Extractives Of Rosemary), Modified Food Starch, Sesame Oil, Caramel Color, Ginger Flavor (Maltodextrin, Modified Food Starch, Sugar, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Natural Flavor, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Mono- And Diglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Soybean Oil), Garlic Flavor (Corn Syrup Solids, Modified Food Starch, Soybean Oil, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor), Xanthan Gum, Chive Flavor (Modified Food Starch, Sugar, Maltodextrin, Triacetin, Natural Flavor) listed in the package, I kinda ask myself what were all those ingredients for, and it made me uncomfortable! But yeah, that's how frozen foods are..they need additives to keep them fresh or enhance its color, flavor or texture. Knowing that Birds Eye makes good quality frozen food was a great relief!
If I have time to cook, I still prefer to do it from scratch...but if I don't, Birds Eye Voila! products are my top choice as substitute to made-from-scratch dinner! I would again emphasize that homemade is still the best for me...but I must say that Birds Eye® Voila!® is a quick and delicious home cooked meal alternative!
I have given out 50 of the BOGO coupons to our friends, and I have used 1 so I still have 49 of them! For those who are interested in trying Birds Eye® Voila!®, just leave a comment here and let me know. I'll contact you to get your mailing address. :)
Disclosure: I was offered a complimentary Birds Eye® Voila!® coupon through the Foodbuzz Tastemakers Program. I was not required to provide a positive nor negative product review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Good option when you're short on time!
ReplyDeleteGreat job that looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious! I used to buy this kinda convenient packs a lot when I don't cook at all in the past when Trinke was just born. She's too much a super difficult baby to take care of, just can't be outta her sight at all or else she'd tear the whole house! :0
ReplyDeleteSome I tried were really tasty but I forgotten the brands and anyway now I don't have to buy these anymore. ;)
I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!! When your super busy this is a great treat! Love the egg rolls!!
ReplyDeleteWe just started following you!! Cannot wait for more recipes!
Love,
http://chickswholovetoeat.blogspot.com/
I got the same packet in the mail! I've been giving away my coupons like crazy lol
ReplyDelete@Amy J. & Tiffanie A.: Thanks for the follow!
ReplyDelete@Peggy: Me too! I've given away half of it already! LOL
That's a great and thorough review Tina! I guess we all prefer to eat fresh food, but we don't always have the time... and those days, it is good to have something in the freezer to help us! :-)
ReplyDeleteOur household loves Asian cuisine and I also only use Kikkoman Soy Sauce, it is the best! A quick stir-fry is our meal of choice on those busy nights when no one wants to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I would love to have a coupon to try this new product.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog and have tried many of the recipes which my family really liked.
lyndaclark81(at)yahoo(dot)com
Sounds like someone is getting a lot of free food gift! =) I TOTALLY need this Tina... I'm so busy that I need easy and tasty dinner backup! Glad you review this - I trust your judgement!
ReplyDeleteLike that pairing you did with the rolls and thanks for the infor on the varieties this brand offers.
ReplyDeleteIt's always nice to have a speedy back up dinner! Beautiful presentation~
ReplyDeleteThe "10 mins" in the title got me! LOL!!! Quick and easy and yummy ... good for me at the moment. I've never seen those Lo Mein here. Perhaps they don't bring it in. But it sure would make a lot of lives easier tho.
ReplyDeleteQuick, easy and delicious!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting from VoiceBoks! It looks really yummy. I've never heard of the Foodbuzz progam - sounds cool!
ReplyDeleteIf you still have coupons I would take one!
Thanks!
http://confessionsofafrugalmind.blogspot.com/
Nice .. loads of free goodies coming up huh :) That's a great review and i like these kind of meal on friday nights.
ReplyDeleteThat was a great review, Tina! Good to know that you recommend it when you don't have the time to make your own. And I love that you added extra veggies! : )
ReplyDeleteIt's always good to have this type of instant dish in the fridge or freezer. Sometime we can't just cook fresh dish everyday, so this comes very handy. Have a blessed weekend, Tina!
ReplyDelete~ ray ~
I tried this and it was very good. I also added more veggies and added some crushed red pepper for a bit of a spicy kick. Tasty
ReplyDelete