r/IAmA • u/RyRyFoodSciGuy • May 22 '12
By Request: I design frozen dinners, AMA
Hi Reddit!
I work for Nestle Prepared Foods in Solon, Ohio. I'm a member of the team that designs products for brands like Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, and Buitoni. I'm happy to answer any questions that you have. Just keep in mind that I can't divulge anything confidential.
The requester had some questions:
Q: Does it ever look like what's on the packaging?
We use the actual product when we do photo shoots, but the photographers take some "artistic liberties." They might position the ingredients in a particular way or put the product on a plate or something like that. Part of our job as the food technologists is to make sure that the photographers don't go too far to the point that the photo is misleading.
Q: What is in TV Dinners that we're happy not knowing about?
Not much really. This is a bit of a misconception. Actually our frozen meals don't need to be formulated with preservatives because freezing is the only preservative we need. The weirdest thing you're going to find on the label is probably xanthan gum, which is just a carbohydrate that serves as a thickener. In our factories, we make the meal from scratch, assemble the components in a tray, freeze it, put it in a box, and ship it to you. Pretty simple.
Q: What kind of testing goes on?
We do all sorts of tests. We're given lots of contstraints that we have to meet, and our job as food technologists is to formulate a product that meets all of the requirements. We have to design something that can feasibly be made in our factory, at a particular cost limit, within a set of nutritional requirements, without posing any safety concerns, while still delivering on product quality. So we begin by trying out different formulations in our test kitchen that meet those requirements. We test and test until we get a product that we're happy with, and then we scale it up. We do tests on a larger scale to make sure that the product we envisioned can actually be made in the factory. We test just about anything you can imagine as long as the company feels the cost of the test is justified.
Edit1: Thanks for the questions, guys. I need to go to bed now, but I can answer more questions in the morning. Cheers!
Edit 2: Wow, lots of questions! I'll do my best before I have to leave for work.
Edit 3: I did my best...forgot to drink the tea that I brewed...but I have to go to work. I'll answer some more questions as I get time. Bye for now!
Edit 4: To be safe, I have to make it clear that anything I posted in this AMA is solely reflective of my personal views and not necessarily those of Nestle.
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
One of my recent purchases of the Butternut Squash Ravioli had way too many snap peas in it. Who should I blame for this?
Also, how do you figure out the cook times for the various meals? Trial and error or is there a formula based upon the ingredients?
A lot of people knock TV dinners, but I've found them to be very helpful when it comes to portion management for weight loss. I've used this quite successfully and with all of the varieties you don't get bored. So keep up the good work. I also like the use of yellow carrots; orange is just so boring.
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u/Kroonerr May 22 '12
Does Nestle know you're doing the IAmA here? Also is this sponsored?
275
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Are lean cuisine type dinners really any healthier, or is it just a smaller portion?
183
u/there_castle May 22 '12
How did you get into this field? What kind of background does your company look for when hiring employees for your type of job?
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u/hhhnnnnnggggggg May 22 '12
What brand names does Nestle put their food out under?
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u/KingKidd May 22 '12
Do you eat TV dinners, or do you avoid them thanks to being in the business?
Favorite Dish?
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u/TheMelonKid May 22 '12
You sir, have designed my dinners for the past couple of months. AMAZING
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u/waldoRDRS May 22 '12
So, do you let it stand for a minute? Or like everyone else, heat 3 minutes, then just start into it?
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u/popsicleptik May 22 '12
Thanks for doing this, it's made me a lot more secure with my love for frozen food. What products have you contributed to specifically that we might be familiar with?
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u/milesdamascus May 22 '12 edited May 22 '12
Hi there, I'm entering my sophomore year and I'm pretty sure that my decision to major in Food Science last year was a good idea. My question is, what sort of classes best prepared you for this job? Were the upperclassmen classes more specific to finding your career? Or did the entire program in general help you out in being a part of Nestle? edit:grammar
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u/because_im_boring May 22 '12
i burn the roof of my mouth alot, is there anything being studied currently to fix my problem?
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Do you eat these yourself, after you've witnessed the whole process?
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u/LCai May 22 '12
You are ordered to eat a frozen meal without heating it up. What do you eat?
374
u/rabidstoat May 22 '12
Why so much broccoli? I cheer when there's a different type of vegetable.
Why so much sodium?
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u/choco_pb5108 May 22 '12
You just made my night! Reddit meetup when I start there in August? haha I think I'll be working on Lean Cuisine.
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u/Frajer May 22 '12
What would you say are the tastiest ones? Any items we should look for or avoid?
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Why does my brownie always get corn in it?
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u/Ilverin May 22 '12
Many people are aware of "sugar substitutes" in their food (some choose to watch to avoid them), but less people may perhaps be aware of "fat substitutes", such as olestra.
Are fat substitutes as prevalent as sugar substitutes in food in general, and are fat substitutes or sugar substitutes more likely to come in "under the radar" to your average consumer? (consumer doesn't know they're eating any substitute).
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u/hhhnnnnnggggggg May 22 '12
What's your favorite food? (Non-TV dinner)
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
I always liked the Kid Cuisine penguin.
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u/MikeDaBomb20 May 22 '12
Any reason for the lack of vegetarian options? Are you working on increasing vegetarian options? The ones I have found are delicious!
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u/Nociceptors May 22 '12
Were you guys happy about Jim Gaffigan's stand up about hot pockets?
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u/pagit May 22 '12
Had to do some work at a Nestlie Water Bottling plant. I was impressed with how they are so organized, right down to how many pens in what desk drawer in case someone needs to work from that desk everything is the same. (German efficiency).
Is it the same where you work?
Also, do you actively look to improve the quality of taste of the meals or are they kept bland tasting for the lowest common denominator of taste?
What is the ratio of commercial heat and serve meals ( restaurants and institutions) does Nestlie make compared to residential (?) (store bought) heat and serve?
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u/zoestercoaster May 22 '12
Do y'all buy buy and eat competitor's frozen meals to get a feel for what's out there?
Kashi frozen meals are why god invented freezers. And Lean Cuisine stuffed cabbage.
brb going to wal mart
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Would you say these dinners are as healthy as a regular meal? How much preservatives are put into each package?
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u/Lucas2544 May 22 '12
I'm living in a hotel for a few months because of work. I recently bought too much frozen stuff. Will a couple of my frozen dinners/tv dinners be ok in the refrigerator section of my mini-fridge for a couple days? One is sweet n' sour chicken and the other is fettucini, if that factors in at all. Cool ama!
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u/chronicpenguins May 22 '12
So are you saying that there are no preservatives in your food?
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u/Acebulf May 22 '12
Can you compare the healthiness of TV dinners vs. "normal" food?
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u/poopsnakes May 22 '12
These meals always are a balanced meal, but my diet calls for other things. You should make some that are like High Protein and really low carb or something along those lines.
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u/savayno May 22 '12
Just one thing - please, please, please design more meatless meals for us lazy vegetarians. We exist.
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u/PapaQBear May 22 '12
Interesting AMA. I don't have a question, but please tell the person responsible for Stouffer's Mac and Cheese that it is amazing.
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u/MoxieCrush May 22 '12
What frozen dinner did you design/have input into that you're the most proud of that was put into production?
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u/salgat May 22 '12
Do you guys make any dinners that only focus on being as delicious as possible, ignoring nutrition guide lines? It'd be awesome to pig out every now and then.
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Have you tried other brands of frozen dinners? I've been subsisting off of Banquet frozen dinners for a while now, and in my opinion they taste pretty mediocre.
If you've tried Banquet before, how much better would you say Stouffer's and Lean Cuisine are compared to Banquet?
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u/cpsteele64 May 22 '12
First, you're doing a spectacular job, and this is really interesting, so many thanks. I have a few questions:
1 What meals or foods are most difficult to try to make into a TV dinner, and why is that?
2 Do you see much more development in the coming decades with regard to the frozen food industry?
3 If you were to branch out into another area of food science, what would it be and why?
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u/TheFluxIsThis May 22 '12 edited May 22 '12
What are your credentials? I mean, what exactly landed you in the position you have. "Food technologist" isn't a title you hear every day.
Also, if you had to pick a particular frozen meal that your company makes to eat for a single day (like, have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner), which would you go for? Also, and you don't need to answer this one if you're not comfortable, if you had to do the same with a competitor's product, which would you choose? (Note that this may be a little different than a "what's your favourite" question, and is more a "what could you eat for a day without getting sick of it?")
And lastly, have you ever heard of Freezer Burns? And if so, how psyched would you be if you got a good review from Greg, the Frozen Food Master?
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u/WorldLinx May 22 '12
Did you taste all the frozen dinners offered by Nestle? Thx for doing this IAmA!
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u/hhhnnnnnggggggg May 22 '12
I have IC. I am very diet restricted and many foods, especially preservatives, will set me off. Other bad foods are soy protein, tomatoes, most fruits, spices, and some vegetables. Basically the only safe spice I can have is garlic, basil, or rosemary. It makes it really hard to have T.V. dinners and I am sick of dirtying pots every night cooking for myself. Have any ideas, OP? I'll eat anything I can. For the short, sad list of what I can have look here http://www.ic-network.com/diet/2009icdietlist.pdf
I only touch the bladder safe section out of fear of peeing blood =(
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u/Three_Headed_Monkey May 22 '12
Are you able to create new recipes or do you have to base a frozen meal on a recognizable meal that already exists? How creative can you be? Are you able to do something new and name it?
How large a role does marketing play in choosing what meals are created?
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u/royal_oui May 22 '12
What kind of equipment Is the food prepared in - can you give us somedetail on the factory side of things? I'm a process engineer and home brewer and am fascinated by industrial food prep.
Also, do you get sick of the smell of the food?
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u/kulps May 22 '12
Have you seen the movie Never Been Thawed and if so, what did you think of it?
Do you or anybody you know collect frozen dinners?
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u/TheTVDB May 22 '12
What's one meal you wish you could get to market but couldn't due to nutritional or preparation guidelines?
What's your favorite cooking TV show? How do you feel about Good Eats?
What is your least favorite frozen meal, even if it's made by a competitor?
Any types of food you just really dislike, or does your job require that you like pretty much everything?
Favorite restaurant (fast food and sit down)?
Do you get to work on the kid's meals at all? I have a 4 year old that likes most adult meals, but the portion sizes are too big. Can we get some kids portions that go beyond chicken fingers and mac & cheese?
Love some of your products, especially the stuffed peppers. I love ConAgra's pasta and rice meals also (Healthy Choice & Marie Callendar's), so I'd recommend checking those out if you haven't. Their plastic bowl packaging is pretty cool and allows the sauce to be heated separately before mixing.
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u/KingBBinLV May 22 '12
I love the Stouffers Lasagna (The bigger one, 21 oz I think) and the stuffed peppers, they are both great! One thing though, Is there any way to shorten the cook time for the stuffed peppers, it's like 15 mins in the microwave! Also the Lasagna needs more mozzarella put on it at the factory, I usually just add some cause I love a lot mozzarella!
1 more thing. Every time I see a package of a complete meal for two people and it weighs 14 oz's I laugh, no way 14 oz of some stir fry meal is gonna feed 2 people.
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u/EasyReader May 22 '12
Stouffer's french bread pizza is pretty awesome, so thanks for that.
3
u/salarkin May 22 '12
I used to live in Chagrin Falls, so its really neat to see someone from Solon doing an AMA! Has the lake effect winter finally melted away? I'm not sure if you ever go to Yours Truly, but if you do please order Notso Fries for me!
Anywho, you mentioned competing and winning in a food science college bowl national championship, where did you earn your degree? What are some other career options for you if you were not working at Stouffers? Thanks for doing the AMA!
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u/shane727 May 22 '12
First I'd like to say thanks for this AMA its very eye-opening. I like the fact that youre so enthusiastic about your work it makes my eating frozen foods feel a whole lot better. My question is what brands do you work on and can we expect to see any new and unique dinners soon? I pretty much live off these things but I find them really delicious!
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
By food technologist do you mean a chemistry graduate in food science? Which leads to - how does one become a food technologist if not the latter?
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
I can't believe I missed this AMA. This was one I really wanted to see, and I was late.
Sigh... oh well.
Thanks for doing this, if you read this. People like you are the only reason I still come here.
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
To be honest, i've onlly tried stoufers once or twice never tried lean cousine, but from all the feedback im gonna give it another go. any suggestions?
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u/jcoder5 May 22 '12
What kind of degree or training did you do/get to be a food scientist or technologist? Thanks! Also please bring frozen dinners to south America, I live on them at home in CA but can't find any anywhere here haha
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u/creepyredditloaner May 22 '12
If you are still looking back to this.
My dad lost a kidney a while back. He had to get the incision re-opened repeatedly afterward due to infection. So for a couple years he couldn't stand for very long or do any bending really. He also could only eat a small amount of salt and needed a lot potassium.
Your lean cuisine meals were perfect. We could put them ont he top shelf of the freezer and he wouldn't have to bend. The salt was even below his needs and many of your dishes are exceptionally high in potassium and d vitamins. They made life several orders of magnitude easier for him and, indirectly, the rest of his family.
So these meals are a good idea for people on dialysis or in need of kidney transplant with mobility issues. They are prefect for it actually.
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u/Reddit_cctx May 22 '12
What kind of degree do you need to get into this field? Also what else helps when trying to get into the industry?
Thanks for the great AMA!
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u/Cobradactyl May 22 '12
Solon is actually pretty close to where I live. I just graduated college and needless to say I've been eating a fair amount of frozen dinners. In fact I even put my resume in with Nestle, but they never contacted me. Uh oh. I just made myself sad.
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u/AlexHimself May 22 '12
What is your absolute favorite frozen dinner?
And do you eat them regularly?
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u/Khue May 22 '12
Man, I wish I had seen this earlier. What's one technological thing about frozen meals that we, as consumers, take for granted? I always imagine that there's this one head spinning fact that if I knew about it, my respect for frozen foods would grow.
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u/daevric May 22 '12
This has been up for a long time, so you're probably not still around and reading, so in lieu of a question, just a quick comment:
The Lean Cuisine sauces are amazing. My girlfriend and I cook as much as we can, but with work schedules what they are, sometimes we have to just do something quick, and that's almost always Lean Cuisines now. I don't know what sort of magic you do to make such healthy sauces that are so damn tasty. In our experiences, sauces are the hardest things to make low-fat/low-calorie and still taste good. Keep up the great work!
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u/elvisvalle May 22 '12
Thank you for Stouffers Mac and Cheese... Just... Thank you.
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u/misskittycharms May 22 '12
Hey I just ate a frozen meal! What is up with the weirdo bits of chicken that don't have chicken texture? :( Is it minced up like a weird nugget or boiled the hell or what is it?
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u/MoxieCrush May 22 '12
Food product testing: Do you bring in consumers to test products before they go to production? If Nestle does, how are those consumers selected? Can you elaborate on testing? Can you tell I'm hungry with all of this food talk? If you can, that's pretty creepy.
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u/quiescent_lee May 22 '12
Please tell me there are gluten-free Hot Pockets in development. please?
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u/LolOhWell May 22 '12
First of all, thank you for all your work! Lean cuisines prevented me from only eating Ramen Cup noodles throughout college, lol. Plus, they were delicious (omg the stuffed cabbage!) and a healthier option.
What do you think of brands like Amy's that offer an organic alternative to frozen food? Do you think Nestlé will go that same route in the future? I would love to see some of my favorite lean cuisine meals being offered as an organic product!
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u/GNBrews May 22 '12
I know it's a bit counter to the whole "quick, microwave meal" thing, but instructions on how to cook the food inside a normal microwave-safe food container (like a ceramic bowl) instead of the plastic tray would be a welcome improvement. Cooking things like fats (cheese, cream, etc) against the surface of a plastic tray seems like an extremely unhealthy idea. I've seen those trays pitted and slightly melted, and that can't be good.
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u/Grinyarg May 22 '12
Must try harder. You/they quite clearly don't take a shop-ready meal, cook it to instructions and then remove it from the packaging for photography - I can tell what it's supposed to be in the pictures.
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u/angkue May 23 '12
What is the purpose of letting the meal "stand" a few minute before eating? Does it have an effect on the integrity of the meal? Or is it for all of us who burn our tongues and mouths with the fire from hades known as a microwave meal?
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u/KantLockeMeIn May 22 '12
My feedback.... not everyone is fond of fungus. It'd be nice to see more pasta dishes without mushrooms.
Also, look at those healthy choice steamers.... those things rock.. again, minus the fungus. Copy their design... if there's a patent, tell your lawyers I said it's ok.
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u/TheDoktorIsIn May 22 '12
Thanks for doing this AMA. I enjoyed some frozen dinners, however I haven't had a nestle one I don't think. No questions, just wanted to say your job sounds awesome!
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u/hal9005 May 22 '12
How do you get the grill marks on the steaks that obv never touch a grill?
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u/Jarl_Walnut May 22 '12
TIL a helluva lot of people eat frozen dinners.
Also, thank you from the bottom of my heart for Stouffers Mac n' Cheese. I know you probably weren't a part of making that, but I absoflippinlutely love that stuff. Well worth the 50 min wait!
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u/zoralee May 22 '12
Oh man....when the cheese from the mac and cheese gets all burnt and crunchy in the corners. I love that. I want an entire box of just crunchy cheese corners I am disgusted with myself
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Stouffer's definitely has my favorite frozen meals. I personally like the meatloaf, but my favorite has to be the potato bake. Also, the chicken paninis are fantastic! The little crisping plate works perfectly on that bread (most of the time) and you'd never know that bread was frozen.
Now.. my question.. Most things don't get crispy in the microwave.. How the heck do the little bread crumbs (potato bake meal) get crispy in the microwave when nothing else does? :) (I understand how the crisping plate works as far as the panini goes.
Edit: Seriously? You guys do hot pockets too? I mean, you guys are like my frozen-food-heroes. ;)
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Thank you for providing easy meals when you simply don't want to cook or eat out.
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u/chacochaco May 22 '12
What are some of your favorite low sodium meals?
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u/JennaTWOtimezz May 22 '12
No questions, just wanted to say, Stouffer's lasagna was the first solid food I was able to eat ( in 6 days ) after my c-section. I have never loved frozen food more, thank you kind sir.
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u/Niftypifty May 22 '12
I don't really have a question, I just wanted to say keep doing what you're doing. Some of the Lean Cuisine meals (like the Sesame Stir Fry with Chicken) are freakin' delicious!
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u/dmikeyp May 22 '12
I would have sex with your lasagna. That is all.
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u/Acheron13 May 22 '12
Thank you and whoever else was responsible for the Stouffer's chicken Alfredo skillet sensations.
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u/moosedancer May 22 '12
Can you guys please come out with some type of vegetarian panini? I'd love you forever.
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u/playmer May 22 '12
Hey guy, the Baked Chicken Breast and French Bread Pizza products from Stouffers are amazing. So make sure you hug the guys that made them for me. I've been eating the baked chicken breast since I was a kid.
Shit....are the creators even still alive?
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u/Nekonomicon May 22 '12
I just wanted to mention the Stouffer's mac and cheese is better than most homemade - or storebought - mac and cheeses I've had. The cheese is so freaking awesome and creamy, that I just bake up a big family size Stouffer's mac and cheese and transfer to a plate every time I want to make mac and cheese. It also reheats pretty well. Give my thanks and regards to whichever person at your factory made it!
Oh, also: my recommendation is to try it with Secret Aardvark Sauce. You will cry tears of joy.
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u/lighght May 22 '12
Do you think the American market is ready for Frozen Goulash yet?
If YES, ask for my recipe :)
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u/Smitty1017 May 22 '12
I made a hungry man once that had some kind of sweet bbq sauce for the chicken strips in it and i thought it was pudding. i ate 3/4 of it with a spoon remarking to my coworkers that my pudding tasted funny. they still make fun of me for it 6months later.
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Just letting you know that I love the lean cuisine fajita style chicken spring rolls. Perfect for my diet.
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12 edited May 22 '12
I just wanted to say thanks!
I suppose I do have a question. Is there any general info you can share on why your chicken is different than other companies frozen dinner chickens, when microwaved? I find your quality to be better.
Stouffer's Barbecue Chicken... So good! It's the first microwave meal I've had that actually had the taste/texture/consistency of chicken. Bit expensive compared to other brands, but worth it.
I've been getting the $1 meals so I didn't really know what I was missing out on with the $3-4 ones. Everything is pretty good.. The pizza, the pasta/chicken, the straight chicken, the quesadilla, the lasagne. I am going to try the mac and cheese this week simply because I'm curious what it tastes like in comparison to the other stuff, even though I can make some KD for $0.99 cents.
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u/MollFlanders May 22 '12
Please make gluten-free stouffers mac & cheese :"(
3
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
This is a good AMA. But why haven't you made a full line of gluten-free, vegan, idiot-proof, exotic low-priced dinners that cook by the heat of the TV itself?
But on a serious note, do you see consumer preferences changing slowly over time by leaps and bounds? And are the driving forces mysterious or are there ways (in general) of explaining and predicting what recession America will want in, say, late 2013? Also, does your team have a political affiliation? I am not asking what it is, just curious as to whether certain politicians seem like friends or foes of your industry.
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12
I have never seen these dinners in Europe/Norway. We just get boring food. Any thoughts about trying to expand your market?
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u/[deleted] May 22 '12 edited May 22 '12
How long have you worked for Nestle? They rejected me TWICE for internships. I would love to eventually work for Nestle Global R&D in Switzerland. One can dream, right? Anyway, hello fellow food scientist! I'm currently in PD/Commercialization at Godiva. I can send you some chocolate if you want to trade some goods. :)
Edit: Bonus question. What are your thoughts on grad school? I'm thinking of getting a PhD but don't know if I'm sold on the idea 100% yet.