I was recently able to try a new product from Green Giant called Seasoned Steamers. It's a frozen vegetable line with more flavor and variety than your average frozen vegetables. I grow my own garden each summer, but here in Utah a garden only lasts so long, so I do end up purchasing a decent amount of frozen vegetables. My kids are not picky eaters and actually like vegetables, so I was excited to try some new varieties.
I tried three of the six different kinds offered: Roasted Sweet Corn, Mediterranean Blend and Seasoned Broccoli. Looking at the nutrition information, I was surprised and pleased! The vegetables all have relatively low sodium and are seasoned with spices like parsley, onion and garlic. They're also infused with vegetables and other elements that add flavor- bell peppers, olive oil and Parmesan cheese.
I received the veggies from Green Giant so that I could review them. I also purchased a couple bags from Walmart for $2.38 each.
The Roasted Sweet Corn ended up having quite a few bell peppers, which my kids weren't thrilled about. They do tend to like vegetables more than your average kid, but even still, they have their limits. I served it with grilled sausage and wild rice and well, it was okay. The peppers added a more southwest taste so I didn't feel like it went with our meal perfectly and it was a lot more seasoned than I thought it'd be. Just as a personal preference, I like canned corn more because of the crisp texture. Frozen corn tends to be more soft and this was no different. One thing I was pleasantly surprised about was despite being well seasoned, the sodium content was pretty low- 180 mg, which is just above as the "low sodium" varieties I like to purchase.
I'm not sure if I'll buy this again, but if I did, I'd serve it alongside fajitas, or maybe even make it into a summer salad with tomatoes and avocado.
Up next was the Mediterranean Blend. This combo includes red potatoes, zucchini and carrots. I served it with grilled chicken and French bread for a quick summer meal.
Again, this variety was heavily seasoned. Everything tasted good- the kids thought it was okay, but it just felt like it was missing something to me. Later on I realized that serving this blend by itself was probably where I went wrong. It would be fantastic added to a chicken pot pie or even a hearty chicken soup as more of a recipe shortcut as opposed to being served as a stand alone side dish.
It felt like more of a winter-type blend to me, so I would buy this variety again and incorporate it into a cold weather meal.
I've saved the best for last. I served the Seasoned Broccoli just two nights ago alongside Teriyaki chicken and white rice. I was a little hesitant about the Parmesan with my Asian-inspired meal, but I really wanted to try it so I went with it. We loved it! The seasoning was much lighter than the others and it really had a nice flavor. My kids all ate a healthy portion and I barely had enough to put into a lunch for the next day! Despite having an array of seasonings, the flavor was light and versatile- it went well with my Asian dish and I imagine it'd go well with just about anything.
I'll definitely be buying this variety of frozen broccoli again!
If you'd like to try Green Giant Seasoned Steamers on your own, print this .50 off coupon and take with you! Save a little money while adding more variety to your dinners- it's a win-win!
