You had us at pizza. Which brand is a freezer must-have?

At IN Food, all we’ve been thinking about is pizza (hey, Pizza Expo). Can’t say anything would be different if we weren’t going, we love this staple favorite. So, inspired by our love of cheesy, saucy goodness, we decided to compare a few frozen pizza brands to determine which is the absolute freezer must-have.

The criteria

We purchased 4 brands of frozen pizzas (all cheese only) and tested them based on overall taste, cheesiness, and sauce. After revealing the brands, we reviewed the packaging.

The contenders (price: low to high)

JACK’S

Price: $4.19

Overall Taste: 2.2/5

Cheesiness: 2.4/5

Sauce: 2.4/5

Notes:

• Overall, we enjoyed the sauce, the crispy crust, and an even melt of cheese. However, compared to the other pizzas it left us feeling uninspired. When it comes to improvements, we wouldn’t say no to more cheese!

Packaging:

• We found it interesting that Jack’s was the only brand that used photography of an enticing cheese pull on their packaging. They effectively matched packaging with their target audience (younger male, college students).

HEGGIE’S (local)

Price: $7.99

Overall taste: 3.5/5

Cheesiness: 3.2/5

Sauce: 3.7/5

Notes:

• This local pizza offers a nice, cheesy flavor that’s rich and satisfying. It has a favorable amount of cheese and tangy sauce with notes of fresh tomato.

Packaging:

• We like the smaller label that shows off the cheese and pizza goodness. A less-sophisticated design provides that ‘local brand’ appeal.

KOWALSKI’S (local)

Price: $7.99

Overall taste: 3.5/5

Cheesiness: 3.1/5

Sauce: 3/5

Notes:

• Authentic ingredient flavor profile, topped with two cheeses and seasoning. The sauce leaves something to be desired – we wish there was more!

Packaging:

• The busy design distracts from the pizza itself. The illustrated ingredients give an artisanal feel, but overall it doesn’t have us craving pizza. Compared to other brands, it has us wishing we could see some of the pizza.

 

BREW PUB- LOTZZA MOTZZA (local)

Price: $11.99

Overall taste: 4/5

Cheesiness: 4.25/5

Sauce: 4.2/5

Notes:

• When they say Lotzza Motzza, they mean it. We LOVED the abundance of cheese on this pizza. Brew Pub perfected the cheese pull with great coverage and texture. Accompanied by a full-bodied and flavorful sauce, this pizza left us wanting another slice (or two!).

Packaging:

• Again, we love the smaller label that shows off the cheese. Especially when this pizza has so much! The circular label works well with the shape of the pizza. We thought Brew Pub did the best job showcasing their pizza and brand with their packaging.

The results

Lotzza Motzza is the winner on all fronts. Though its regular price is most expensive, our taste test confirms that, in this case at least, you get what you pay for!

Top Dog! Which Natural-Casing, All-Beef Hot Dog is Best?

Though often shadowed by its disc-shaped rival, the hot dog is popping up on an increasing number of restaurant menus. An upgrade from the classic mustard, ketchup and relish combo, offerings such as Prairie Dog’s Micho’s Sonoran Dog and Butcher and the Boar’s Berkshire Pork & Cheddar are all the rage.

We dusted off the grill and hit the stores with one question in mind: which premium hot dog brand is best?

The criteria

We purchased four brands of natural-casing, all-beef hot dogs. Our taste testers blindly sampled each and were asked to rate the brands in regards to flavor, appearance and juiciness. Packaging was reviewed once each brand was revealed.

The contenders (price: low to high)

Schweigert

Price: $4.99/12 oz. = $0.42/oz.

Taste and appearance: Buttery and salty flavor; crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside.

Packaging: We like the heritage from the font and monogram of the Schweigert logo. We also noted that this was the only package to include a product photo. While we agree with their choice to do so, we think that the product in the photo doesn’t look much different from the product in the package. We’d like to see a little more juiciness in the photo for added appetite appeal.

Cher-Make Authentic Wisconsin

Price: $5.49/12 oz. = $0.46/oz.

Taste and appearance: Natural, woodsy flavor; meaty texture; pale appearance.

Packaging: We found that the brand on the Cher-Make label is difficult to determine, as “Authentic Wisconsin” is at the top of the label, and the Cher-Make logo is equal in size and side-by-side with the Wisconsin logo. This was also the only package to use black backing instead of clear, which doesn’t allow for as full of a product view as the others with clear backing.

Ambassador

Price: $5.99/13 oz. = $0.46/oz.

Taste and appearance: Sweet, smoky, complex flavor; robust red interior; less juicy.

Packaging: We like the retro feel of the Ambassador label and the playfulness of the hot dog mascot. We’d like to see the label simplified to just red, white and black to really own that retro feel.

Boar’s Head

Price: $6.99/14 oz. = $0.50/oz.

Taste and appearance: Standard, salty taste; wrinkled appearance; greasy mouthfeel.

Packaging: The font and color choices for the Boar’s Head label give it a sophisticated feel. The package stands out among the rest as appearing most “straight from the butcher” with the bundled-style wrapping. However, we noticed that it was also the most difficult to open.

So, which brand of hot dogs are we grilling up this summer?

Schweigert! We loved the meaty, juicy flavor and the golden brown color. The slightly crisp, yet tender bite was a homerun in our books!

Packaging Wrap-up

Working at a food marketing agency, we all often find packaging to be a main factor in our purchasing decisions. But aside from communicating branding and product information, this hot dog packaging becomes secondary to seeing the color and quality of the hot dogs themselves, though not completely irrelevant. The bundled-style packaging of Boar’s Head, for example, stands out from the others and lends itself to a sophisticated “straight from the butcher” feel. For the flat-style packaging, the clear backing for Schweigert and Ambassador allows the consumer to see much more of the product than the black backing on the Cher-Make hot dogs.

American Cheese Taste Test

In the spirit of #GrilledCheeseMonth, it is only fitting that we pay homage to our very first brand test–American cheese slices. Neither glamourous nor gourmet, and actually not a cheese at all, but a “cheese food,” rather, American cheese is a staple. Admit it, we’ve all had it at one time or another, whether it be in a grilled cheese or on a burger.

The criteria

We purchased three brands of processed cheese slices and tested them in regard to taste and melt.

The contenders

• Crystal Farms
• Kraft
• Kowalski’s

The results

• Best Taste: Kraft
• Best Melt: Crystal Farms
• Biggest Surprise: Kowalski’s

Interesting Observation

The first ingredient in Kraft was milk, the first ingredient in the Crystal Farms and Kowalski’s brand was American Cheese.

So, which brand of American Cheese will we be using in our next grilled cheese? Kraft!

(Almond) milkin’ it: is premium worth the price?

Remember when milk came from cows and the almond’s crowning glory was the Almond Joy bar? Yeah, that was 2010. Between 2011 and 2012, sales of almond milk grew by a whopping 70 percent. That’s — dare we say it — nuts! Fast forward to 2017 and we’re faced with a wall of nut-based milks at any major grocery store. Which do you choose? The cheapest of the bunch, because surely they’re all the same? Or do you pick the one with the higher price tag, because higher price = better quality, right?

Thirsty for answers, our team hit the stores on a mission: is premium almond milk worth the extra cost?

The criteria

We purchased six brands of almond milk, all unsweetened vanilla, and blindly sampled each. We then rated the brands in regards to taste, appearance and creaminess. Once each brand was revealed, we reviewed packaging and compared prices.

The contenders (priced: low to high)

Essential Everyday

Price: $2.79/64 fl oz = $0.04/fl oz

Taste and appearance: Cloudy, gray color; nutty aftertaste; neutral flavor.

Packaging: The first word that comes to mind when looking at Essential Everyday’s package is “generic.” Falling short on appetite appeal, the almonds are almost completely hidden in the imagery. Also, we couldn’t help but note how unnatural the milk pour looks.

Silk

Price: $2.99/64 fl oz = $0.05/fl oz

Taste and appearance: slightly nutty flavor; smooth texture; natural, off-white coloring.

Packaging: Silk’s recent brand refresh makes its package stand out among other cartons on the shelves. The logo is very prominent on the package, prioritizing brand recognition over product category. Featuring just two oversized almonds simplifies the design while clearly calling it out as a non-dairy milk. With all the nut and flavor options out there, we also appreciate the clear callout for “unsweetened”.

Simply Balanced  

Price: $2.99/64 fl oz = $0.05/fl oz

Taste and appearance: thin-looking; hint of vanilla flavor; creamy texture.

Packaging: Like Silk, Simply Balanced relies heavily on its branding to be noticed on shelves. The brand has a very modern, minimalist approach and features imagery that feels natural. With very subtle callouts for flavor and variety, the design depends on this imagery for product category and flavor recognition.

Whole Foods 365  

Price: $3.99/64 fl oz = $0.06/fl oz

Taste and appearance: Indulgent vanilla flavor; creamy texture; slightly gray color.

Packaging: Much like Essential Everyday, Whole Foods 365’s packaging also has a generic feel. The branding feels secondary, as the product category takes prominence on the carton. Though the imagery clearly reads “almond”, we’re missing the color callout for unsweetened and a visual flavor indicator for vanilla.

Califia Farms

Price: $3.99/48 fl oz = $0.08/fl oz

Taste and appearance: Gray color; strong vanilla smell; smooth, creamy texture; noticeable aftertaste.

Packaging: Califia Farms’ unique bottle design is a refreshing break from the other cartons in the category. Its simplicity and fresh typography give it a modern, premium feel. The minimalist approach makes it seem natural and fresh.

Pacific  

Price: $3.49/32 fl oz = $0.11/fl oz

Taste and appearance: pale yellow color with noticeable chunks; paper-like taste; chalky texture. NOTE: shelf-stable.

Packaging: Pacific’s package design fell flat for us. The carton’s imagery lacks appetite appeal and feels dated. We’d also like to see more clear color variation or callouts for their flavor varieties.

So, does price actually matter?

We didn’t find a clear relationship between price and taste, as our favorite brands were low-to-mid-range in cost. Among the brands tested, the three most expensive had premium packaging or were organic. One we loved (Whole Foods 365), the other two didn’t quite measure up in taste (Pacific & Califia Farms). The three least expensive brands tested almost equally in terms of flavor, all tasting good but fairly standard.

Overall Thoughts

Our Favorite

Whole Foods 365. We loved its rich, nutty taste and creamy texture. And, at $3.99 per 64 fluid ounces, it falls into the middle price-range of the brands we tested, with the added bonus of being organic.

Best Overall Value

Silk. At $2.99 for 64 fluid ounces, Silk just edged out the other budget-friendly contenders with its subtle nutty flavor and creamy texture.

Best Packaging

Califia Farms is a great example of how, in a crowded category, a brand can set itself apart with beautiful packaging. This unique bottle is a clear standout among the competition and has a significant impact on perceived valued. Regardless of actual product quality, consumers see the premium packaging and think: premium product.

Biggest Shock

Shelf-stable vs. refrigerated. We were surprised to taste a very clear difference between these categories. As the only shelf-stable brand we tested, Pacific missed the mark in flavor and appearance. Though the brand has historically performed well in our brand tests, it couldn’t compete in this almond milk head-to-head. Perhaps it would perform better among other shelf-stable varieties.

Raising the (chocolate) bar. Which brand are we sweet on?

Chocolate: It’s a Valentine’s Day must! But which brand you gift your sweetheart is crucial. In our latest blind taste test, we tried four brands of dark chocolate, all hovering around 70 percent cocoa.

The Criteria

• 70-72% cocoa
• Between $3.00 and $4.00
• 3-3.5 oz.

Ghirardelli

Taste and appearance

We all agreed that Ghirardelli had an intense chocolatey flavor but was the most bitter of the brands we tested. The bar didn’t melt quite as smoothly as we’d like, some noting an almost grainy texture.

Package

Ghirardelli’s stately package design paired with a matte-finish wrapper and subtle use of gold foil give it a premium feel. We like the large, bold callout of the cacao percentage for easy shopping. The recognizable blue logo really pops off the dark chocolate background for clear brand recognition.

Price

$3.29 (3.5 oz) = $0.94/oz

Chocolove

Taste and appearance

Of the bars tested, Chocolove 70% was the darkest in color and had the most shine. Our testers noted the more rich, complex flavor, a nice compliment to the smooth texture.

Package

The all-black wrapper clearly identifies this chocolate as dark. We are fans of the very youthful “love letter” vibe we get from the stamp and foil seal motif. We only question the typewriter font Chocolove chose for its flavor callout. Though the typewriter style feels postal, we don’t love the distressed details of this particular font.

Price

$2.99 (3.2 oz) = $0.93/oz

Godiva

Taste and appearance

Expecting the typical bold chocolate flavor, we were pleasantly surprised by the addition of nutty notes in Godiva. The texture, however, didn’t have quite as smooth of a melt as we expected—some described it as almost waxy.

Package

Godiva recently underwent a major package re-design, and we approve of the results. Most notably, we love the drool-worthy swoosh of chocolate running across the wrapper. With this bold element of taste-appeal and overall simple design, Godiva moved from classic to a much more modern, casual look.

Price

$2.99 (3.1 oz) = $0.96/oz

Lindt

Taste and appearance

The lightest in color and mildest in flavor of the brands we tested, Lindt received high marks from our milk chocolate lovers. Though the subtle flavor wasn’t off-putting, we would have liked a deeper flavor. But the velvety texture was favored all-around.

Package

Lindt’s package design is clearly going for a very classic European feel. We like this direction for Lindt, but we’re getting a bit of a dated vibe here with the lighting effects in the imagery. Though the use of gold foil feels premium, we don’t get any sense of that high-quality taste-appeal in the chocolate representation.

Price

$3.69 (3.5 oz) = $1.05/oz

The Results

So what dark chocolate will we be pairing with our wine this Valentine’s Day? Our overall consensus is that you couldn’t go wrong with any of these brands. But, if we had to pick just one, we’d go for the Chocolove. The specialty feel of the packaging is matched by the rich, smooth chocolate inside—a very giftable combination.

Which gravy are we inviting over for Thanksgiving dinner?

Between the turkey, the stuffing and the green bean casserole, who has time to fuss with gravy? Sometimes you need a shortcut. In our recent blind taste test, we tried three store-bought gravies on a mission to find our favorite.

Heinz

Taste and appearance: Heinz offered a robust, herbal flavor. The light color was appealing, but the chunks of turkey were a bit questionable. Overall thoughts? Decent, but not great.

Packaging: While the red label feels warm and homey, the photography is generic and unappetizing we would like to see Heinz take a more modern approach to their photography for a fresher appeal.

Price: $0.18/oz.

Swanson

Taste and appearance: Of the three, Swanson was well-seasoned and had the best turkey flavor. Its light, smooth texture looked the most authentic and appetizing.

Packaging: We love the fresh photography and bold typeface that Swanson uses to set itself apart from the competition. The simple white background allows the product to take center stage. We’re also in favor of the easy-to-store box design.

Price: $0.15/oz.

Our Family

Taste and appearance: Our Family’s artificial taste and lack of saltiness did not sit well with our testers. The dark color and chunks were also a turnoff.

Packaging: Our Family’s packaging fell as flat as the product inside. The overall dark tones of the label and photography paired with dated fonts gives this a very “you get what you pay for” vibe – and not in a good way.

Price: $0.11/oz.

 So, who gets the invite?

Swanson! The fresh, real-turkey flavor gives it a taste that competes with homemade. The texture is light and creamy and doesn’t have the polarizing meat pieces that we found in the competitions’. Go ahead and throw it in the cart this holiday season – we won’t tell.

Which popcorn is Netflix binge-worthy?

Recently, there has been a resurgence in popularity of movie-viewers’ favorite snack. With sales nearly doubling between 2014 and 2015 (expected to reach $12 billion by 2020), and new products seeming to “pop” up everyday, popcorn is more cinematic than ever. Keeping in mind that not all kernels are created equal, we set out on a mission to find the brands with the most pep to their pop in our latest blind taste test. Whatever your preference, surely there’s a popcorn for you!

THE CONTESTANTS

Pop Secret White Popping Corn

• Crunchiness – With fewer hulls, we found Pop Secret to have a chewy texture rather than a crunchy, crisp bite. More hulls = more crunch.
• Packaging/Branding – Pop Secret’s branding received high marks. The identity is simple, yet classic and recognizable – a definite plus. We also appreciate the functionality of the packaging. A lid that doubles as a measuring cup is smart design.
• Appetite Appeal – The bright white kernels of this white corn variety fell flat for some testers. In addition to looking bland, the popped kernels lacked the fluffiness we were looking for.
• Price – $4.20/32 oz

Tiny But Mighty Popcorn

• Crunchiness – Our testers noted the crispiness of the smaller kernels and a balanced puff-to-hull ratio.
• Packaging/Branding – We liked the distinctive black packaging, which exudes “specialty brand”. The package is also resealable, making for convenient storage.
• Appetite Appeal – It’s all in the name – these kernels are TINY! Though an advantage for some, most of our testers much prefer “meatier” kernels. Size-shaming aside, the earthy, nutty nature of this popcorn is definitely mighty!
• Price – $5.79/20 oz

Jack’s Superior

• Crunchiness –  Remember: more hulls = more crunch. We found Jack’s Superior to be crisp and crunchy. The yellow popcorn delivers a nutty flavor. Yum!
• Packaging/Branding – We found there to be a disconnect between the premium price and the generic packaging. Also, the package does not reseal, making it hard to store.
• Appetite Appeal – Jack’s Superior received many positive remarks for its soft yellow kernels. However, we would have liked to see a little more fluffiness in its pop.
• Price – $8.00/32 oz

Pop Crazy Gourmet Popcorn

• Crunchiness – Scoring high in the “crunch” factor, Pop Crazy is the most light and airy of all brands tested, but continues to hold a crisp bite.
• Packaging/Branding – The cube-like container makes for easy storage, a plus among our testers. The red and yellow color palette says “movie theater popcorn,” but its branding lacks the own-able personality we expect in a gourmet product.
• Appetite Appeal – The light, fluffly appearance of these yellow kernels was drool-worthy for our testers – everything we’re looking for in popcorn!
• Price – $5.99/28 oz

ANALYSIS*

*reviews based on a 5-kernel scale

SPICE IT UP!

Try adding these flavor mix-ins to butter for an extra special movie treat:

• Pumpkin pie spice
• Sriracha
• Truffle oil
• Sea salt
• Cardamon and clove sugar
• Parsley and parmasean
• Powdered Ranch
• Nutritional Yeast
• Cumin

Tomato, tomahto…which boxed soup gets our vote?

What’s a grilled cheese sandwich without its best sidekick: a steaming bowl of creamy tomato soup? With so many great boxed brands to choose from, we set out to find the one that gets our INdorsement.

 

The Contestants:

Trader Joe’s Organic Creamy Tomato Soup

Cost: $0.08/oz.

Appearance and taste: This soup had a lighter orange color but was relatively watery. It had a sweet taste that was polarizing to our group. A few people likened it to Campbell’s tomato soup.

Pacific Organic Creamy Tomato Soup

Cost: $0.12/oz.

Appearance and taste: This soup had a rich, orange color and a true tomato taste. Most of our team really sparked to the flavor of this one. One person even called it “life changing.”

Imagine Organic Creamy Tomato Soup

Cost: $0.12/oz.

Appearance and taste: This soup was much darker than the other two. The appearance was appealing to us, however the taste wasn’t as great as we were hoping. It had a slightly off-putting aftertaste that lingered a little too long.

The Analysis:

Taste:

Our consensus? Pacific Organic Creamy Tomato Soup had the creamy texture and clean tomato flavor perfect for pairing with our grilled cheese sandwiches. Additionally, its packaging trumped the other 2 brands.

Packaging:

The Trader Joe’s package felt very generic and un-designed with its font choice and dark tones. We didn’t find the pinkish hues of the Imagine packaging to work well, and thought the “organic” got lost at the top. We liked Pacific’s color palette and use of fresh tomatoes for flavor cues. The color of the soup also seemed true, unlike the unnatural darkness of the other two.

Is Honeycrisp Your Go-To Minnesota Apple? Discover Our Favorite.

Minnesota is home to many delicious varieties of apples, so we narrowed it down to three of our favorites: Honeycrisp, Sweet Tango, and Zestar. Of course we all thought Honeycrisp would be the winner, but we may have discovered a new favorite…

The Contestants:

Honeycrisp
Cost: $2.99/lb.
Appearance and taste: Honeycrisps were light red with tinges of green and yellow, giving them an appearance similar to a tie-dye shirt. They were noticeably larger than the other two apple variations. They were soft and easy to bite into and had a nice crunch and firm texture. We immediately took note of its juiciness and pleasant tartness. The taste and cell structure was more complex than the other two contenders. We certainly had to have more than one piece of this apple!

Sweet Tango
Cost: $4.49/lb.
Appearance and taste: These apples were dark red with numerous small, bright green and yellow color variations. It had a really great and satisfying crunch to it. It had a more muted and mellow taste about it, which many of us really liked. A few people noted it tasted like a baked apple, or even an apple that was freshly picked from a tree. It would be a perfect addition to any cheese plate.

Zestar
Cost: $2.49/lb.
Appearance and taste: Similar to the Honeycrisp apple, the Zestar had a mixed color of soft red and muted yellow. Although it looked appetizing, the taste didn’t quite do it for us. The apples we tried were grainy and soft, lacking a desired crunch. Most people were outright displeased with this apple after trying the previous two.

The Results:

In a very, very close vote, Sweet Tango beat out the heavily-favored Honeycrisp. Although everyone enjoyed the Honeycrisps, there was something in Sweet Tango’s fresh-picked taste that won over even its most dedicated fans.

Does Organic Lemonade Taste Better?

The July heat is in full force, and one of the best ways to cool down is with a refreshing glass of lemonade. Which brand should you use to cool off while sitting in the sun? In our recent blind taste test, we put three lemonades to the test to see which we deem the most refreshing.

The Contestants:

Newman’s Own
Cost: $0.04/fluid ounce
Taste and appearance: The first lemonade we blindly tasted was Newman’s Own. At first look, it had a very deep, nice yellow look to it, looking the most like true lemonade. When we tasted it, almost everyone thought it had a sweet, and then very sour, tart taste to it.
Packaging: Newman’s Own is an older brand, so the name alone gives it a different level of trustworthiness than the others, however, we thought the packaging could use a little bit of an update.

Simply Lemonade
Cost: $0.05/fluid ounce
Taste and Appearance: While looking at it, we were able to see the pulp, which gave it a more natural and organic appeal to us. When tasting it, we realized that it had a really great balance between sweet and sour, which made it the most refreshing.
Packaging: Simply Lemonade was our favorite packaging of them all because it was simple and modern.

Santa Cruz Organic
Cost: $0.11/fluid ounce
Taste and Appearance: We were thrown off by its dark yellow, almost brown, color and off-putting smell. None of us were impressed with how it tasted it either. It just lacked a true, clean lemonade flavor.
Packaging: We liked that it was simple, like Simply Lemonade’s, but what we thought really gave it a premium feel was its glass bottle, something neither of the other two had. However, we didn’t feel the packaging justified the cost.

The Results:

So which will we be using to cool down for the rest of the summer? Simply Lemonade. Its reasonable cost, perfect sweet/sour balance, and sleek packaging made it our favorite.