It’s that time of year again – time to start breaking the resolutions you made about a month ago. Yeah, I know, I’ve fallen off the bandwagon too. I haven’t quit smoking, and I’m not eating healthier to any noticeable degree. Can’t say I’ve lost any weight either. But, in the interests of helping you and me both be a little more faithful to those New Year’s promises, I offer a review of a dish that, at least according to the name, should help keep us on track.

Lean Cuisine Fiesta Grilled Chicken (seasoned and grilled white meat chicken with Santa Fe-style rice and beans)
The Price: $2.88
The Prep: 8 minutes microwaved
The Dish: Someone wiser than myself once wrote that the better something is for you, the worse it is going to taste. At least I think I remember reading that somewhere. This dish is supposed to be the health friendly option for fast-paced dining, and I’m sorry to say it tasted like it. Actually, it tasted like green peppers… and little else. Rice, beans, chicken, cheese — it didn’t matter. It tasted like green peppers. If you dig green peppers, then by all means, go for it. If, like me, you’re not keen for them – at the most taking them in small doses because they’re part of basically every dish on the menu at most local Mexican places – then you won’t be pleased. Worse still, the prep time may not seem like much, but it’s an eternity in the world of TV dinners. Most disappointing, though, is that this little dish wasn’t filling at all. I was hungry again in no time, and gave in to those cravings. Eating two dinners sort of defeats the purpose.
The Consequences: For what little was there, the numbers were good. At 250 calories (45 from fat) and only 5g of fat, this meal gets a good grade from the get go. With only 560g of sodium, it avoids the common frozen food faux pas and passes as healthy, according to what some experts think. Also under the “healthy” column is the 6g of sugar, but there’s less fiber there than experts advise (2g in this dish when 8 to 10 would be better). And a dish with 20g of protein should be more filling.
Rating: 2 TV trays (out of 5) because it gets high marks for health, but does little to satisfy or satiate. Don’t stake your resolutions on this one.