When I was getting chemo I lived off of Banquet pot pies. The cheap little frozen ones. They were the only thing that tasted good to me and didn’t bother my stomach or the pain in my mouth (side effect of chemo). My family bought me Marie Calendar and Stouffers thinking they’d be better but honestly, the Banquets were my favorites. Now that I am in remission I still like them (although not for every meal) so I think that says a lot!

@wandamontgomery6030

8 ай бұрын

Glad you're in remission 😊

@Anwelei

8 ай бұрын

Congrats on remission!❤

@mfarley252

8 ай бұрын

@@wandamontgomery6030 thank you!

@mfarley252

8 ай бұрын

@@Anwelei thank you!

@thesearedaydreams6854

8 ай бұрын

All the best to you, @mfarley252! One of my family members went through chemo recently and his go-to were two varieties of Campbell’s Chunky Soup! I hope you’re doing well ❤️

There was a sweet old man that lived across the street from me. The kids called him the gum man cause he gave them wrigleys gum a lot. He always sat on his porch and only interacted with them in public out in the open. I used to send my leftivers to him. He was really a nice man. He invited my daughter and me to dinner one night.. He had the table set and pulled out TV dinners from the oven. It was so sweet of him. Have never forgotten it.

@Trjlal

3 ай бұрын

ThankYou for sharing such a lovely story:) You have a beautiful way with words.

Fun fact, turkey was the first tv dinner ever made. It was made to make use of an excess of frozen turkeys after Thanksgiving.

@StormTrackerWV

7 ай бұрын

I did not know that, very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

@jamesrawlins735

7 ай бұрын

I never had the turkey tv dinner for a long time. Instead, we had the turkey in the boil bag - Mom would make the mash potatoes and heat up corn.

@StormTrackerWV

7 ай бұрын

@@jamesrawlins735 That sounds delicious!

@Tropicanax7x

7 ай бұрын

And now we mass produce both of them. now what do they do with the excess turkeys! lol

@SandraSealySeawomanBDS

7 ай бұрын

Yep.A couple Excellent History channel "Food Thar Built America" episodes on it.

It’s just my roommate and me, so we buy frozen dinners for Thanksgiving. We get 2 hungry man and 2 Banquet, a small can of jellied cranberry sauce (yep, we like the jellied), a tin of Grands biscuits, and I make a pie with Libby pumpkin pie mix and a graham cracker crust. Simple and plain, but we’re poor and usually eat things like oatmeal, bean soup, potatoes, sardines, eggs, rye bread, and vienna sausages. Thanksgiving is so tasty for us! We sleep like babies after such a feast 😊

@julianaferguson6517

7 ай бұрын

Happy Thanksgiving ❤

One year when our kids were little, we lucked out an found a turkey for $5! I got instant potatoes, stuffing mix, gravy mix, cranberry sauce, veggies, and a pie. Came to about $20. I was so happy! Wish I could find a sale like that again!

@salutations5749

8 ай бұрын

Start looking now. Theres an overstock grocery in my area, minus the turkey i bet i could come close still.

@barbwall3678

8 ай бұрын

Aldi has Butterball turkeys on sale this week for $1.29

@rebeccachewning378

8 ай бұрын

Our local grocery stores all year let you earn rewards points everytime you shop and i save them to cash out for a free turkey or ham every thanksgiving xmas or easter. It helps alot. See if your local stores do these offers.

@marydavis5234

8 ай бұрын

For a change this Thanksgiving, We are having pot roast, as it was on sale for 99 cents a pound, I bought three of them and it cost me about $12.00 for them , two are in the freezer for a later meal.

@marydavis5234

8 ай бұрын

@@barbwall3678I saw that, but I had already bought, Pot roast from Thanksgiving, as it was 99 cents a pound.

I like how you plated each to show how LITTLE the portions really are in each packaged meal. Thank you.

@FairyRosee_

8 ай бұрын

yes very helpful!

@VictoriaReginaAnn

8 ай бұрын

Very enlightening. I agree with your taste testing. I now live with my daughter and eat mostly what I call tv dinners. The Turkey dinners are the worst.

@ericdickson9037

7 ай бұрын

I like to eat these type of meals on a plate also to show how small the meal is.. The reason for this is because I record myself eating it and then I send the video to poverish countries that receive a lot of humanitarian aid. The reason why I record myself eating and sending it to them is because they see how small my portion is on the plate and they won't feel so bad about their situation. Of course they don't realize that I eat about five or six consecutively. But I feel like I did my part. 😂

@bangbang9ergang524

7 ай бұрын

​@@ericdickson9037😂😂😂😂😂

@megakaren2160

7 ай бұрын

It's mind-boggling how much salt they fit into such small portions

I'm in my early 70s, wife is late 60s. Our Thanksgiving dinner is sourced from our local food bank. We actually got a small turkey and various sides, stuffing and dessert. We're thankful just to be here in our own home. We both got punched in the face with covid in late 2021 and I had a near fatal accident day after Thanksgiving in 2019. So we have a lot to be thankful for. Frankly, we'd be happy with anything you have there. Thanks for the review.

@sophies.munchies

7 ай бұрын

Glad you’re okay❤

@WardDorrity

7 ай бұрын

@@sophies.munchies Thanks, Sophie. We're doing well. We're fortunate to have good friends and neighbors.

@garyneilson3075

7 ай бұрын

"hold fast"! (1 Thess 5 :21)

@garyneilson3075

7 ай бұрын

"hold fast"! (1 Thess 5 :21)

@SirReptitious

7 ай бұрын

@@WardDorrity If any of those friends or neighbors are by themselves on Thanksgiving like you are, you should all get together. That way it would be worth it to buy a turkey breast and make the sides and dessert.

Girl you KNOW we want a $20 budget thanksgiving dinner video !

@wheatie83

8 ай бұрын

There are other content creators who do such.

@eddiem6975

8 ай бұрын

Agreed!

@ImBunniy

8 ай бұрын

Yeppp

@kjking66

8 ай бұрын

Lol ditto❤

@jackryan1809

8 ай бұрын

how many people? thats a good for two pppl lol

I love your reviews of these frozen meals. People often forget that not everyone can afford a big thanksgiving or are alone so there’s no need to make a giant meal for one. It would be amazing to see your version of the Thanksgiving Meal! Just to see how inexpensive and “homemade” it can be.

@muddyshoesgardener

8 ай бұрын

One of these meals will be my Thanksgiving dinner. I’m thrilled not to be blowing my budget!

I've done pizza on Thanksgiving, it's really about the sentiment than it is about the dish. Thanks for your ideas!

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

It really is!

@The3Storms

8 ай бұрын

Amen! When my ma tired of Easter hams, she asked me to take over because she liked my pizzas and for a few years a new tradition was born. This year for Turkey Day I may make my first adventure into making/tasting the famous Kentucky Hot Brown.

@steveleavell114

8 ай бұрын

I was born on Thanksgiving...and I hate Turkey. I went through most of my 20s not eating turkey on Thanksgiving. I am not a fanof following tradition for traditions sake. The Pilgrims ate turkey because the where large, everywhere, and so stupid they were easy to hunt.

@caziontherise

8 ай бұрын

I had an egg sandwich not to feed a man I was tossing out. I didn't have a deep freezer and had bought the meal so I cooked two sides at a time and we ate them like dinner for a long while after the fact. About 4 days later.

@englishatheart

8 ай бұрын

@@steveleavell114 "Stupid." Yup, it's the birds that are stupid and not the humans that destroy everything they touch. Almost anything is "easy" to murder if you have firearms. Also, we don't even know if they actually ate turkey. Deer, fish, and other fowl, probably, but not necessarily turkey.

Does anyone remember the "cranberry" dessert from the frozen meals of the 80/90s? So gooooood!

@morningmoodmagic

8 ай бұрын

I do! Yum

@thesearedaydreams6854

8 ай бұрын

YES!!! Swanson still had into the 2000s, both the regular and HungryMan dinners. IDK why they stopped offering that.

@SarafinaSummers

8 ай бұрын

It’s now turned into an apple, cranberry compote. I think.

@robbieanderson5902

7 ай бұрын

Oh yes… I had forgotten about them but yes they were good

@SuzieQ-lw2kp

7 ай бұрын

Yes don't know why they got rid of it.

Nice, comprehensive review. As a senior citizen living alone I have a "one pot Thanksgiving dinner". I add 1 can of chicken and a small 8 oz. can of corn to 1 package of "Stove Top" cornbread stuffing. After cooking, serve it in a bowl and stir in some cranberry sauce. This makes 2 substantial bowls of "Thanksgiving dinner". This is under $10 total for 2 servings. It is also an easy clean up. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Always appreciate your family if you have one. 🫂❤️🦃🙏🕊

@puffdaddies622

7 ай бұрын

Happy thanksgiving ❤️❤️

@julianaferguson6517

7 ай бұрын

Happy Thanksgiving❤❤

@scook5599

4 ай бұрын

That's a great idea! I am going to try that!

@beachgirl445

2 ай бұрын

That sounds good!

Lean Cuisine has a glazed turkey tenderloins, mashed sweet potatoes, dressing and cranberry sauce. It is easily the best I have found.

@movingtriangle8527

7 ай бұрын

I've tried those! Super delicious! Wished they could combine it. But I always nab the variation with the sweet potatoes

@Karenswalk1207

7 ай бұрын

I really like that one. The sweet potato is really good in it.

@scook5599

4 ай бұрын

I agree, the Lean Cuisine with the turkey tenderloins and mashed sweet potatoes is very good.

This is a video I didn't know I needed. Thank you. Single 83 year old, gonna get two of those Banquet meals and chow down. I love peas. 😊

@jaeehovaa

7 ай бұрын

If you were my neighbor id invite you for dinner

@jazzbeaux6154

7 ай бұрын

@@jaeehovaa How sweet of you to say. Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family ❤️

@Wefoundwonderland1989

7 ай бұрын

I hope you have an amazing thanksgiving! If I was a neighbor I’d totally bring you a plate

@jazzbeaux6154

7 ай бұрын

@@Wefoundwonderland1989 🙂

@jaeehovaa

7 ай бұрын

@@jazzbeaux6154 happy Thanksgiving friend.

Hungry Man and Banquet are both owned by Conagra foods. Probably why their stuffing tastes similar. Love that you do these types of videos!!

@KorySutherland

8 ай бұрын

Exactly! Same company, same product, same heap of sodium, slightly different portion size

@TheOtherBill

7 ай бұрын

I suspected this and was going through the comments before researching it myself, glad I did, you saved me the trouble.

@BerryBerry1465

7 ай бұрын

I just watched Good Mythical Morning. They rated Hungry Man best out of five. Banquet got 2nd.

@jollyjohnthepirate3168

7 ай бұрын

You get 95% of your daily allowance of sodium in one meal.

Yes! I'd love to see a video where you make a microwave thanksgiving dinner!

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

Coming soon!

@Emme333

8 ай бұрын

Yes

@jeffsmart3

8 ай бұрын

@@DollarTreeDinnersyay! Looking forward to it!

I worked at kroger in the deli 1 thing u can do for 2 or 3 ppl is have them slice thick slices of deli meat turkey you like about a slice size 2-3 get 2 large slices per person and what is neat they have different flavors so someone may like maple or honey flavored. Grab a few Xtra slices just check your local sales it can be frozen till thanksgiving. Then with no turkey to prep or cook just warm up and make sides from dollar tree 😊

@jessicadonley1515

8 ай бұрын

Also works for Christmas ham slices

@thesearedaydreams6854

8 ай бұрын

The Acme delis in my area call that table cut! Great option.

@thesearedaydreams6854

8 ай бұрын

And roast beef! We like to do thick cut deli roast beef in gravy for sandwiches or over mashed potatoes.

@The3Storms

7 ай бұрын

Excellent idea to keep in mind for the future, thank you.

@annebelgard6723

6 ай бұрын

I get sliced deli roast beef, heat in jarred gravy and pour over bread for open-faced sandwiches!

I just wanted to come on here to say that I tried your dollar store dinner tips, and I cut our weekly grocery bill from $60-80 to just $33 for this weeks groceries! Going to do the stuffed bell pepper skillet dinner tonight!

This knocked me for a loop as I haven’t had frozen dinners in a while and the brand performance and pricing has changed a lot. I understand fashions alter and brands remake themselves, so thanks for helping me update. Hungry Man the most expensive? WTF! And new respect for Banquet, I’d happily try one now.

@kingkobra1956

7 ай бұрын

Marie Callender is the real deal. They have a nice variety, they aren't expensive, and they are delicious.

Haven’t been to Trader Joe’s in the last week or two - but in the past they have everything in “sides”. They also have a great Turkey roll that is both white and dark meat AND filled with stuffing. We used it a couple times in the past when it was just my hubby and myself. Bought the roll, and a couple of sides. Perfect inexpensive and (Tj right). Tastes fantastic

I think it’s awesome of you to do a video like this. Not everyone can whip up a dinner for thanksgiving due to work or other things going on in their lives. Cheers!

I grew up LOVING Thanksgiving frozen dinners (even though I dislike peas, so I tend to avoid them as much as possible) 😂 Thank you for this! ❤

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

You are so welcome!

@dawng.8836

8 ай бұрын

Me too! That is why I buy just the turkey. It is great over some bread also .

@Pauline-ir2tr

8 ай бұрын

As a kid, instead of homemade dinner, we would have a "treat" of a TV dinner once in a while. I didn't care for peas but loved the ones in a TV dinner. As an adult I can take or leave peas and don't think of TV dinners as a "treat". Good memories!

@thesearedaydreams6854

8 ай бұрын

Oh, man... Swanson’s turkey TV dinner was my FAVORITE for years! That was a once-in-a-while treat that I so very much enjoyed, especially the cranberry-apple dessert!

@maryfields1462

8 ай бұрын

⁠

when banquet first came out it had a dessert too when the hungry-man came out it was bigger then it is now and often had two desserts. The swanson before they came out with the hungry-man used the aluminum tv dinner trays for the longest time and definitely tasted better cooked in the oven verses in plastic in a microwave

I'm not a regular consumer of frozen dinners but over the years I've had quite a few. Here's a tip that greatly improves flavor - when you open them to stir at the halfway point, put a bit of butter (not margarine) on the veggies and the potatoes. Makes a big difference.

@lindawolffkashmir2768

7 ай бұрын

I do this all the time! It really does help! Butter also helps out those microwave cups of Mac and cheese. Add a little bit before stirring.

You may be one of the most thoughtful people I’ve ever watched. What a nice video as well!

I really do appreciate you doing a video like this for people who may not be able to have a large Thanksgiving dinner for what ever the reason may be. I myself am kinda fund of frozen meals simply because I'm not able to get in the kitchen and cook the way I would like to. You do have to doctor up these meals a bit by adding a little butter to the veggies and maybe a little black pepper, garlic powder or any other seasoning. I do tend to stay away from salt since they are so high in sodium. With the Marie Calendar meal, you do have to cook it a little longer than the instructions say in order to get those potatoes to thicken up. Sorry for the long comment, I love to talk and respond 😊!

Hi, Rebecca! I am a long time follower, but this is my first time commenting! I wanted to tell you what I do when I want turkey and dressing but don't want to spend lots of money or time. I buy a box of Stove Top Stuffing, Turkey flavor, and Walmart has canned turkey that I purchase, just like the canned chicken. I replace the water with chicken broth, add my butter and canned turkey, bring to a boil and let sit for 5 minutes. It is surprisingly delicious! Thanks for all the awesome videos!

@scook5599

4 ай бұрын

Great idea!

Check to see if the same company makes the Banquet and Hungry Man dinners. They do this a lot in factories that make these meals. I used to work in a frozen food factory. They just change the labels. Of course, they had different veggies, but it's still possible.

@Leopardivy

8 ай бұрын

They are from the same company, ConAgra Foods.

@martitasez

8 ай бұрын

@@Leopardivy I thought they were. At one time, when I was young, they were referred to as Banquet Hungry Man dinners

@squisitissima2810

8 ай бұрын

Marie Callendar's is also Conagra.

@robinabernathy2829

8 ай бұрын

They do.

@thesearedaydreams6854

8 ай бұрын

HungryMan was part of Swanson, not Banquet. Both subsidiaries are now part of ConAgra.

Thank you for doing this one and I honestly love that you’re being “brutally honest” these people like Hungry Man makes you feel you get so much more and change your for getting more food. I always raised my daughter on a budget and we always had banquet meals in the freezer. Thank you again

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

My pleasure!! I agree hungry man is a little deceptive considering their marketing vs how much food you actually get, 380 calories isn’t enough for a full meal for an adult

@coleenluvscrochet3391

8 ай бұрын

@@DollarTreeDinners yes exactly and I still can’t get over the price and you’re not getting that much more food. I would’ve thought the plate would’ve been full. And the apple dessert was a joke 😂🤣😂🤣😂

We had Stouffers Turkey with stuffing and mashed for our Thanksgiving meal for two years now. It was good we added cranberry sauce. It is just the two of us now and this works for us. The stuffing was good too its a matter of your taste buds . Some might hate it while others love it.

Excellent review. We are lucky to live in a time where frozen meals are an option for everyone.. nothing wrong with them at all. People should never feel ashamed if they have to go that route due to budget or any other reasons...

@kittybeck151

8 ай бұрын

Except for all the food additives & the fact that those meals are not fresh. Homemade is always healthiest.

@angrysilence1234....

8 ай бұрын

I DON'T FEEL "ashamed", of anything, EVER!! But, that's due to my "past"....😁😁

@Xxxfallen_angelxxX

7 ай бұрын

​@@kittybeck151 exactly 💯

@kingkobra1956

7 ай бұрын

Yeah, I'm single and work everyday so when I get home I don't want to do anything. I put a Marie Callender in the microwave go sit down and wait for the ding.

FYI, Stouffer's makes a "Family" size turkey dinner, called Thanksgiving Tonight, for around $16. It's good for two, but family is a hopeful wish, LOL! It's also a niche product, so it's only available during the holidays.

I love all of your videos. I agree that a box of stuffing, instant potatoes and a can of veggies. A turkey breast can be found fairly cheaply during holiday sales.

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

A raw Turkey breast can’t be cooked well in the microwave though (it can be cooked but it will be rubbery) so precooked protein is a necessity for someone with a microwave only

@seabliss22

8 ай бұрын

@@DollarTreeDinners oh yes I forgot that part 😁 Actually on lazy cook days we get thick sliced turkey from the deli and canned turkey gravy and make hot turkey sandwiches 😁

@seabliss22

8 ай бұрын

@@DollarTreeDinners also can you do a video on boiling bag recipes? Banquet used to have an entire selection of them but no more. Now sous vide is taking the world by storm. I know you are cleaver enough to teach us a cheap way to do it. Please 😊

I prepare Thanksgiving dinner for my family + DIL's. But I really enjoyed your review. I also how you point out those options are going to be Thanksgiving dinner for some people. I felt when you said you are not being ungrateful. I personally don't have to eat these meals anymore but there was a time when I did and had to get them for my family. This video is thoughtful, well communicated and very heartfelt. I appreciate you! Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Thanks so much, Rebecca. I've always liked the Banquet dinners. I've never tried any others, mostly because of the price. I really wanted the Marie Callender's to be the best. Her chicken pot pie is absolutely delicious! I'm really disappointed. I'm also surprised at the Stouffer's. Guess I'll stick with Banquet. Old fashioned, tried and true! 🥰

Yes I want to see more ideas for thanksgiving dinner for 1 to 2 people. Thank you so much. This was a great idea. I haven't tried all of those so I found this review very helpful. I have done the gravy and turkey, stove top stuffing and instant potatoes along with a vegetable of my choice and dessert. I've done that many times. I enjoy doing that because I always love the Thanksgiving leftovers. I also add rolls. Freezer rolls work great because you can just make what you want and save the rest for later.

@lanedaw811

8 ай бұрын

Just FYIfor your turkey for two go to deli and get extra thick sliced turkey and cook. Will not take as long, 1-2 sweet potatoes, frozen corn, fresh carrots, just really small portions.

Thks.for being honest and sharing because alot times I'm on my own for Thanksgiving and these frozen dinners work for me.

Thank you for this. I eat the Banquet dinners all the time and I wonder if I'm missing out with the other brands. I'm glad that I'm not. I think the idea of getting the Banquet meals with a pie is a really great plan and I may do that myself. Great video! I also like the Lean Cuisine turkey. It comes with apples and stuffing. It's pricey though at like 4 dollars a meal.

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

I almost tried lean cuisine too 😄 the only reason I didn’t was because I thought it would be too small of a portion, come to find out they are all a bit too small

@allaboutbunnies7

7 ай бұрын

I really prefer the Lean Cuisine to the others though. Even though pricey for the size of the dinner. I bet you'd like the stuffing more!😊

@kingkobra1956

7 ай бұрын

Try Marie Callender, they are absolutely delicious and make Banquet taste like garbage. I used to eat only Banquet until I tried Marie Callender and now all I eat is Marie.

@IamTMichelle1

7 ай бұрын

@@kingkobra1956 Thanks! I will give them a go.

Thank you for this review. Spot on! I so appreciate how compassionate and respectful you are of those that are struggling.

I definitely have a weak spot for the frozen dinners. Thanks for sharing 😅

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

You are so welcome!

I love all of the frozen dinners that you showed! I really really like Marie Callender's I get those once in awhile just because I love them so much.

I ate so many of those exact same banquet dinners when I was in college.

This was a unique video. I usually only want the sides on Thanksgiving. I love stuffing!

Love your honest review! For someone missing the ol' school youtube video feel and looking for the best budget items when it comes to food, this video is a win win!

I am a fan of the Banquet roast turkey dinner and have been for years, its my favorite of all the Banquet dinners. I think its the turkey and stuffing and the price, a couple of slices of bread, a side salad and you can't go wrong.

You’re certainly up and running with November, and I’m very thankful for this new video you’ve posted. Looks like another classic!

Thank you so much for doing this! Some of us can't stand for long so microwaving is very important. You are so kind to do these!

Thank you for your honesty.

I’ve been craving a thanksgiving restaurant style dinner, like when they do turkey and gravy open faced sandwiches, it sounds so good. I think after watching this I’d just make my own. I’m not shocked I used to always like the banquet dinners lol. You could always buy the banquet dinner and dollar tree apple pie filling.

@thesearedaydreams6854

8 ай бұрын

A hot, open-faced turkey sandwiches from a diner is one of my top contenders for a final meal. We order thick-cut or table-cut store-roasted turkey breast at the grocery store if we want this at home. Love it!

It is ages since I have had a frozen dinner. Personally, I feel that they are unfairly maligned. Much nicer than people give them credit for and they are a great way to regulate time management especially for people who are not keen on cooking. Thank you for the video!

@amandapiacenza7281

8 ай бұрын

Agreed. Due to disability for me and old age issues for my dad, we live on frozen meals. We eat them for dinner every night except for the very rare occasion we get burgers or pizza from restaurants/gas stations. We have found very delicious frozen meals from the different brands and we have our favorite go to's. Some of them are too expensive for their portions though.

@BerryBerry1465

7 ай бұрын

​@@amandapiacenza7281Amanda, do you have Meals on Wheels I your area? They have been a lifesaver for us. Happy Thanksgiving 🦃

I fell like 2 banquet dinners would be the best option. I also believe that Hungry Man is made by banquet.

@thesearedaydreams6854

8 ай бұрын

HungryMan was part of Swanson, not Banquet. Both subsidiaries are now part of ConAgra, though.

YES! Please make a Thanksgiving dinner for around $20.

The "meal" with all that stuffing, wow! 😄😄

We appreciate your honesty. You are trying to help and to educate us as to cost, value and benefit. Thank you.

Ok, I had to laugh when you were trying to get the mashed potatoes out of the peas on the Banquet meal. I thought all foods were supposed to touch on Thanksgiving. At least in my family, the plates are a mile high and EVERYTHING touches everything! Looking forward to your DT Thanksgiving dinner video this year. Have a great week!

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

You too! Hope I do ya proud!

@allyrooh3628

8 ай бұрын

@@DollarTreeDinners you always do!

Price to portion is something that really hit me recently. I used to love these forzen meals and thought they were a decent meal but I can get so much more value making alot of these meals myself and often cheaper. Thats why I love this channel

@anti-ethniccleansing465

7 ай бұрын

That’s because frozen meals are only about convenience, not saving money.

@katobrucelee08

7 ай бұрын

@@anti-ethniccleansing465 you're right, it's just crazy cause I started getting them because they were cheaper than buying meals at my job so they came across as cheaper than I guess they thought they were

I used to buy deli turkey, thick sliced. Place a slice of bread, gravy, turkey, bagged mashed potatoes, frozen veggies. My kids throughout the year always asked for turkey dinner. It was an easy dinner n everything can be microwaved for those who don’t have a stovetop. They even sell a prepared frozen turkey breast roll that can be defrosted, sliced and microwaved instead of the deli turkey.

This was a fun video to watch and I think you being honest is so important for people who are planning to have a frozen dinner option for thanksgiving.

I love so much you do things like this. I grew up with having frozen dinners here and there (never for Thanksgiving personally). But I have always liked "Banquet" meals and I didn't know if it was because it was it reminds me of childhood...but even today I like the "Banquet Turkey Dinner". I am guessing Swanson no longer has frozen dinners, because their turkey dinner was my fav

@kimcat3760

7 ай бұрын

Hungry Man is Swanson

Rebecca, I watch your videos as much for your lovely voice and kind words as much as I do for money saving recipes and shopping tips. I think you bring a lot of comfort to people ❤️

If u add a little bit of butter and pepper to any tv dinner mashed potatoes it greatly improves the taste

I no joke love the Banquet Turkey meal, it's my top 5 favorites meals to have, regardless of homemade or frozen . I just love it

Ok sis. Now you know we need to see your version of Thanksgiving! I love your honesty though. ❤

As a single person I've found that frozen Thanksgiving dinners are an excellent option for solo dining. 🦃 Sacramento, California USA 🇺🇸

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

Love it!!

I’ve always been curious about these when I see them in stores but have been hesitant to try them so thanks for the reviews!

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

You are so welcome!

Roasted Turkey from Marie Callender goes hard and has no business being as good as it does. Lot of their meals are just very good, especially their pot pies. I would recommend for everyone to please please use the oven. Microwave does not do these justice.

Absolutely LOVE stuffing… my favorite of any holiday meal! Just wish there were a larger portion in the frozen entrees. I’d forgo the turkey for more stuffing and gravy. Paired with creamy mashed potatoes & buttered peas (yes, love peas too)… YUMMY!😋

This is such a cool idea for a video. I enjoyed your review of each and playing them def made a difference in seeing what you really get. I think it would be interesting for you to take the favorite pieces of each and make the “perfect” tv dinner.

Oh this video was fantastic! We need the follow up! While i have several dietary restrictions I still get some great meal ideas that can be adapted to my needs. Great job! ❤

Thank you so much for doing these videos. You are helpful to many people who need ideas for meals on a budget.

I’m binge watching your videos! I love your content. You are respectful and genuine.

I would like to see a $20 Thanksgiving Dinner that uses the regular oven, because I have the smallest kitchen you ever saw, and I don't even have room for a microwave. But I do have a small stove. Thanks for your work!

Please make the $20 Thanksgiving dinner video! Thank you for all your amazing content and your honesty :)

The extra stuffing instead of extra mashed potatoes was a nice touch

When I cook the Stouffers ( my favorite of these), I remove the turkey and potatoes cook the stuffing a couple minutes to 3 mins longer to take the grainy texture out of it. Hungry man would be my second favorite , the vegetables and desert is my least favorite portion of that meal. Banquet while my least favorite holds a place in my heart for the nostalgia growing up. I usually just make a sandwich out of the turkey. Loved this review, keep up the great work. God bless

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one who thought their stuffing needed some extra work, thank you for sharing your tips and experiences!

Mix the peas WITH the mashed potatoes lol that's my favorite

@rangerannie5636

8 ай бұрын

Yuck, LOL... I don't like peas either! 🤣🤣🤣

I remember back in the day when Marie Callendars was very good. But they went down hill fast. Stouffers used to be great too, but they have cheaped out on their ingredients especially their mac n cheese, which used to be my all time favorite. I gave up on frozen meals years ago because they just aren't worth the price. Just imagine if these frozen meals were actually what they look like on their boxes. The only veggie I don't like is green beans, and I LOVE fresh and frozen petite peas :) Hot with butter and salt and pepper. Yummmm! Thanks for the reviews. You always do such a great job on your videos 🍃🍂🍁Happy Fall🍃🍂🍃🍂🍁

@mrc302

7 ай бұрын

Agree with you on the Mac and Cheese. Stouffers definitely changed the recipe. Not what I grew up on.👎👎

@BrianK-zz4fk

7 ай бұрын

i bought stofers classic french bread pizza and think they skimping on the cheese as i didnt burn the roof of my mouth 😂

@mrc302

7 ай бұрын

@@BrianK-zz4fk I remember those days. 😆😆

What you said at 26:29 really touched my heart. That’s a instant subscribe for me. Thank you for what you’re doing for those who can’t afford a whole feast🥺💗

Thank you for doing this video specifically with dinners that are Microwave Friendly. Much appreciated! 😀

You are helping so many people! I've recommended your channel in reddit frugal subs. Keep up the good work! ❤

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

Thank you! Will do!

I get the idea that eating 2 might give more calories, but the sodium I assume would be unreal.

@notsheepish8304

7 ай бұрын

She should have mentioned the sodium content in each of them.

I truly enjoy watching your video , you give some great recipes and love when you do the frozen taste test.

Thanks for the honest review. And definitely yes on the 20 dollar meal.

As a single senior who lives alone, I found this quite interesting. I will have to see what my grocer store carries, but the Banuet sounded interesting. The last Hungry Man turkey dinners i got even very disappointing, so they are out. Thank you for the time, money and effort you put into this episode. I have subscribed.

@julianaferguson6517

7 ай бұрын

Happy Thanksgiving ❤

Oh, also i really love instant potatoes made with lots of butter (more than the instructions say) and stovetop stuffing. I just do all the sides and skip the turkey. And i can usually find a cheap but tasty dessert. Yes, please share a twenty dollar two meal Thanksgiving dinner. You probably did it last year, but with inflation this year, things are more expensive.

I’ll definitely look into that for this Thanksgiving. Thank you.

watched this last night and needed to come back to say that this video is very thoughtful, especially for those who cannot afford to make thanksgiving dinners, those who don't have access to a kitchen, etc. keep up the great work:)

When I still ate frozen dinners yet I bought lean cuisine and they had a turkey dinner and it had a dessert in it . Plus it was much healthier and it tasted better than all of the ones that you tried .

honestly, it hurts my heart that anyone would have to have a microwave dinner on thanksgiving! But, with that being said, it is great that you are being a guinea pig and trying some out for us! I used to eat microwave dinners all the time for dinner at work. I was just trying to think of what my husband and I could do this year. He has had a double knee replacement and he usually smokes our turkey! so....time to rethink strategy! thanks so much rebecca for sharing! xoxo

@Anwelei

8 ай бұрын

I worked nights for a few years, and one year on Thanksgiving my coworker and I decided we’d do an all microwave thanksgiving. It’s been nearly 14 years so I don’t quite remember what we found In stores but we enjoyed everything thoroughly. It was one of the cutest holiday dinners I’ve ever had. Plus very little clean up after since we were always exhausted working nights.

Another fun video, thanks for "taking one for the team" by trying them!

Use to use banquet meals when traveling for work. Saved a ton of time. Bought some healthy snacks for dessert

I would love to see a Thanksgiving dinner for two around the $20 mark!

a really good idea for a single person dessert is also a baked apple, basically you core an apple and put brown sugar (or maple syrup), cinnamon, butter and oatmeal (also a great way to use apples that are still good but slightly too mushy to enjoyably eat)

What a great video, thank you so much for showing these frozen dinners, and your brutal honesty is very much appreciated. Thank you also for the time, care and attention to detail you've taken in explaining every detail about each dinner and the comparisons, it's very much appreciated. I'm going to stock up on a couple of the banquet ones on my next grocery trip. While these are great for a Thanksgiving dinner for someone who doesn't have the time, money or means to make a full dinner, they would also be good for just a regular dinner anytime, especially during the winter months. Adding a pat of butter to the veggies and a little salt or maybe a small can of cranberry sauce on the side, would make them even better. It's so caring of you to show ways that anyone in any situation can have. a good Thanksgiving dinner, thank you so much again.

What a great video!! Such amazing options for low key Thanksgiving dinners for individuals.

I think the reason you see the similarities between the banquet and Hungry Man is because they come from the same subsidiary company Conagra Brands

@DollarTreeDinners

8 ай бұрын

I had a feeling they had the same parent company

@cziegle3794

8 ай бұрын

​@@DollarTreeDinnersmix some of the too-salty stuffing with the mashed potatoes. Mush up the peas into the potatoes so you can't see them as much. Add some gravy to the potatoes til they're how you like them.

I love no nonsense videos like this. No stupid music and no over-editing. Thankyou.

Rebecca great video I enjoyed watching you and I love your honest review of the boxes meals. your truly amazing and honest and that is what I like. love you and the channel and I will always be watching.

This is great to see just because some people don't have a family for the holidays, or they have to work, and now they know maybe what to look for.

Hi Rebecca, love your channel! I would love to see your dollar store thanksgiving dinner! I know you can do better than these frozen meals!