Fresh Direct has started a new section called Fresh Dining. It is a collection of portable meals that can be microwaved in under 4 minutes. The newest line is Presto Italiano, created by Chef Tina Bourbeau. We tried 2 flavors, the Parmesan Meatballs with Mezzi Rigatoni and Basil and the Shrimp Fettuccine with Mint, Peas, and Berkshire Bacon.
I enjoyed the meatball meal more. The meatballs were tender and the sauce had a good flavor. The Shrimp meal was way too greasy and the bacon overpowered the rest of the pasta. However, the fetuccini was cooked perfectly and the rigatoni was a bit too soft.
Overall, the Presto Italiano meals were leaps and bounds better than the standard microwave dinner. They look just like real food and taste like freshly made food. The catch is that they are also leaps and bounds more expensive. At $8.99 each, the portion size is not large enough for me personally (maybe lunch but not dinner), yet the calorie and fat content is disproportionately high. They do have another line called Fresh & Simple where they are all 500 calories or less but I haven’t tasted any so I don’t know how good they are.