Banquet Crockpot Classics Is OK Minus the Meat

It isn’t a secret with my family and friends that I do not cook. I wish I had inherited the skills and desire of my grandmother, mother and aunt, but I didn’t. It’s just not my cup of tea.

My husband actually prefers it that I don’t cook. After we got married I made a meatloaf with sauerkraut and that about did him in.

So anything that comes frozen and all I have to do is heat it up sounds good to me. Banquet has been making Crockpot Classics for a while, but I just recently tried one. They offer several varieties, but I choose the “chicken with red skin potatoes and vegetables” for us to try.

Everything in the bag is separated and the only prep is adding the ingredients, sauce and water before cooking all day. When I went to look at the chicken I was astonished by the appearance. It looked like regurgitated pieces and all of it was bits and pieces molded together.

The worst part was the color. It wasn’t white meat. It wasn’t dark meat. I don’t know what the hell kind of meat you’d call it. It wasn’t even a worthy meal for our dog.

In a rush I decided to go ahead and cook the vegetables to try and salvage part of the meal I’d planned. When we returned home it smelled pretty good and tasted fine. So I guess you could buy the meal and add your own meat, but that kind of defeats the purpose of no prep.

I realize Banquet meals aren’t known for their gourmet meat selections, but I expected more, especially when it’s advertised as the “complete family meal.” How many executives at ConAgra Foods serve this to their families?

Written by Emily, who is a married working mother of a very energetic 5 year old son. They reside in Southern Indiana (a little too close to the Kentucky border). Someday she’d like to visit Intercourse, PA and have her picture taken with the welcome sign. She writes at her personal blog, Fenicle and loves free samples and trying new things!