{"id":13052,"date":"2012-07-26T06:00:46","date_gmt":"2012-07-26T16:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/?p=13052"},"modified":"2020-12-24T11:22:16","modified_gmt":"2020-12-24T21:22:16","slug":"review-spam-meal-for-1-spam-penne-pasta-in-alfredo-sauce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2012\/07\/26\/review-spam-meal-for-1-spam-penne-pasta-in-alfredo-sauce\/","title":{"rendered":"REVIEW: SPAM Meal for 1 SPAM & Penne Pasta in Alfredo Sauce"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SPAM<\/a><\/p>\n

Ever since I first tried it, SPAM has always held a special place in my heart. I’d have that special place surgically removed, but my doctor told me the procedure was high-risk. So now I’m stuck with the occasional craving for salty, canned meat products, a fate only slightly better than taking a chance under the knife. <\/p>\n

And while on vacation in Madeira Beach browsing the aisles of Winn-Dixie \u2014 a supermarket chain so rare in my hometown that I’m occasionally surprised to hear it still exists \u2014 my curse kicked in and I was involuntarily willed into purchasing this monstrosity: SPAM & Penne Pasta in Alfredo Sauce.<\/p>\n

SPAM Meal For 1 microwaveable meals sit comfortably on the shelf next to Hormel’s other line of human food troughs, Compleats<\/a>. Considering the reputations that precede both SPAM and Hormel as a whole, the aisle admittedly set the bar pretty low as far as expectations go. But, at five dollars for two trays, and with a sizable chunk of my savings having already been spent on said vacation, my options were relatively limited when it came to sweet, nourishing fuel. And, at 410 calories a serving, I’d say I got a decent bang for my buck. Not that 410 calories worth of pantry-safe TV dinner is a good thing…<\/p>\n

\"SPAM<\/a><\/p>\n

The microwavable marvel has the added benefits of being good to eat for well over a year and being ready to eat in just one minute. After peeling the film back from the tray, I briefly considered awaiting the apocalypse and subsequent post-apocalyptic world that would necessitate the consumption of this and similar foods. But after quickly stirring it around and pouring it onto a plate (for presentation), my meal looked sufficiently more appetizing. <\/p>\n

\"SPAM<\/a><\/p>\n

The first bite left me pleasantly surprised at the actual palatability of the meal itself. I was a bit disappointed that it was nowhere near as comically distasteful as I imagined. I was underwhelmed on both fronts though, that the meal was neither delicious nor disgusting, a pervasive presence devoid of any strong flavor that could only be described as Bland. Spoonful after heaping spoonful I waited, searching desperately for a flavor that didn’t want to be found, or perhaps was never there to begin with. <\/p>\n

After separating out the ingredients for individual tasting, I was pleased to note that the SPAM bits were identifiably SPAM by flavor, sating my accursed desires. The rest of the meal was an inoffensive but not necessarily appetizing experience, similar in consistency and slightly in taste to canned New England Clam Chowder, complete with gratuitous amounts of sodium.<\/p>\n

I’m not saying this SPAM & Penne Pasta With Alfredo Sauce was the worst meal I’ve had in weeks. I’m not saying that because I ate a Chicken With Dumplings MRE a while back, and that is the worst meal I’ve had in weeks. I’m not even saying it tasted BAD, per se. I’m just saying the meal would be more suitable eaten as one of the last things left in your dusty unlit kitchen, boarded up in the zombie-proof haven that was once your home.<\/p>\n

(Nutrition Facts – 410 calories, 230 calories from fat, 26 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 2 grams of trans fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 990 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 1 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.)<\/small><\/p>\n

Item:<\/b> SPAM Meal for 1 SPAM & Penne Pasta in Alfredo Sauce
\nPurchased Price:<\/b> $2.50
\nSize:<\/b> 12 ounces
\nPurchased at:<\/b> Winn-Dixie
\nRating:<\/b> 4 out of 10
\nPros:<\/b> Surprisingly palatable. Real SPAM bits. Not expensive. Filling. Ready in 60 seconds. Ready in a year and 60 seconds. Winn-Dixie.
\nCons:<\/b> Bland. Not comically disgusting. Not very healthy. Curses. Chicken With Dumplings MREs. The zombie apocalypse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever since I first tried it, SPAM has always held a special place in my heart. I’d have that special place surgically removed, but my doctor told me the procedure was high-risk. So now I’m stuck with the occasional craving for salty, canned meat products, a fate only slightly better than taking a chance under […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1440],"tags":[1538],"class_list":["post-13052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","tag-spam"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6648,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2010\/06\/23\/review-lean-cuisine-market-creations-chicken-alfredo\/","url_meta":{"origin":13052,"position":0},"title":"REVIEW: Lean Cuisine Market Creations Chicken Alfredo","author":"Marvo","date":"June 23, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"While most frozen food entrees that involve steaming, like the Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers line, come with a bowl to help steam the dish in the microwave, the new Lean Cuisine Market Creations Chicken Alfredo is prepared differently. Instead, they decided to chuck the bowl and, apparently, go the microwaveable\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":76294,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2026\/03\/16\/spotted-bachans-japanese-barbecue-sauce-flavored-spam\/","url_meta":{"origin":13052,"position":1},"title":"SPOTTED: Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce Flavored SPAM","author":"Marvo","date":"March 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"I guess I'm off to Walmart to get this Walmart-exclusive SPAM. (Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.) Send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com if you spot something new.","rel":"","context":"In "Spotted on Shelves"","block_context":{"text":"Spotted on Shelves","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/spotted-on-shelves\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bachansjpnbbqsauflaspam.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bachansjpnbbqsauflaspam.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bachansjpnbbqsauflaspam.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bachansjpnbbqsauflaspam.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bachansjpnbbqsauflaspam.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17453,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2014\/08\/11\/fast-food-news-jack-in-the-box-spam-teri-jr-jack\/","url_meta":{"origin":13052,"position":2},"title":"FAST FOOD NEWS: Jack in the Box Spam Teri Jr. Jack","author":"Marvo","date":"August 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Yup, we have exclusive stuff like this here in Hawaii, because we love our Spam. But it's not the first Spam sandwich Jack in the Box has offered in Hawaii. The burger appears to consist of a small beef patty, a slice of Spam, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and teriyaki\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fast Food News"","block_context":{"text":"Fast Food News","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/fast-food-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Jack in the Box Spam Teri Jr. Jack","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm4.staticflickr.com\/3864\/14879791781_c7ac29ef62_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm4.staticflickr.com\/3864\/14879791781_c7ac29ef62_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm4.staticflickr.com\/3864\/14879791781_c7ac29ef62_z.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42311,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2020\/02\/07\/spotted-spam-breaded-pork-patties\/","url_meta":{"origin":13052,"position":3},"title":"SPOTTED: Spam Breaded Pork Patties","author":"Marvo","date":"February 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Yes, this is sitting in my freezer right now. Now I need to get some King's Hawaiian dinner rolls to use as buns. But I'm trying to figure out what sauce would pair well with the spam. I was thinking some Bull Dog Tonkatsu Sauce or a thick teriyaki sauce.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spotted on Shelves"","block_context":{"text":"Spotted on Shelves","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/spotted-on-shelves\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Spam-Breaded-Pork-Patties.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Spam-Breaded-Pork-Patties.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Spam-Breaded-Pork-Patties.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Spam-Breaded-Pork-Patties.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Spam-Breaded-Pork-Patties.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":43701,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2020\/04\/24\/spam-breaded-pork-patties-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":13052,"position":4},"title":"REVIEW: SPAM Breaded Pork Patties","author":"Marvo","date":"April 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I had HUGE plans for these SPAM Breaded Pork Patties. I hoped to top one with pineapple chutney and then put it on a bed of homemade coleslaw with a side of mashed sweet potatoes. Then I wanted to drizzle another one with a made-from-scratch barbecue sauce, top it with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/SPAM-Breaded-Pork-Patties-Sandwich.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/SPAM-Breaded-Pork-Patties-Sandwich.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/SPAM-Breaded-Pork-Patties-Sandwich.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/SPAM-Breaded-Pork-Patties-Sandwich.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/SPAM-Breaded-Pork-Patties-Sandwich.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54307,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2023\/01\/03\/spotted-1-3-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":13052,"position":5},"title":"SPOTTED: 1\/3\/2023","author":"Marvo","date":"January 3, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you've tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments. (Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.) (Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.) (Spotted by Prentice at Meijer.) (Spotted by Tommy at Dollar General.) 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