I'm a big fan of frozen pot pies and have found that Marie Callender's makes a chicken pot pie that is absolutely wonderful. I had a strange experience though, and I'm wondering if it happened to anyone else or if this was just a case of bad luck. I usually buy single servings in regular grocery stores but recently bought a multi pack in Costco. (I forget now how many - 8 or 12?) The quality of the chicken pot pie was so inferior that I was shocked. Everything was terrible, from the thickness of the sauce to the quality of the chicken pieces. Have you ever had this happen to you? What was your experience with Marie Callendar Chicken Pot Pies in bulk in particular?
I'm not sure it's the bulk thing. I think they changed the recipe, opting for lower quality (cheaper) ingredients. I used to enjoy a pot pie once in a while, and the Marie Callendar ones were the best. They were pricey, but I thought the quality was worth it, to have one every so often. Now, not so much. I wonder if the single ones you got were just remainders from the original recipe? I can't even swear that they changed it, but that's my guess. There was a huge difference in the ones I used to get and the last one I got when I was sick. I wanted some "comfort food" without having to cook. Yuck. Also, you might try the Aldi version. I swear they are the same thing.
Thanks so much - you may be right. Truthfully, I haven't had one of the individual Marie Callender chicken pot pies since buying the multi-pack so I was just comparing this bulk purchase with my past purchases. And since we have so many at the moment, and try not to eat them TOO frequently, looks like I may not buy an individual one for comparison for a while. You say Aldi is similar - to the old formula? In other words, the good one I hope so! Because if MC has changed the recipe for cost cutting purposes I'll need to find a good (but economical) substitute. Not sure I have an Aldi around here but I've heard of them so either I do, or it's worth driving a bit to get to one. Thanks for the help, @Zyni
I have had this pack from Costco, I thought it was pretty good. I have only bought them individually in the store once or twice, because they cost so much more than the other pot pies, and have more calories in them as well. They do have a nice flaky crust however. I have heard some commercials recently where they state they are adding more chicken to the pies. I think they should add more vegetables and reduce the sodium personally.
I used to buy the multi-packs but this was before the recession. Haven't bought any in at least five years because my blood pressure was going up but they were good. However, I'm not surprised that the quality is lacking. I had a similar experience with Suja drinks at Costco and none were as tasty as the single drinks. But $22 for a 9-pack vs $4 for a single drink that's too thin to be a meal, I guess somebody has to make money..
Yeah, I'm not certain. It's the only thing that makes sense to me though. I couldn't believe the difference the last time I tried one. It's been a while. I should maybe try one again some time. I kind of hate too though, since they aren't exactly cheap. I don't want to spend that much for something if it's not good any more. The Aldi ones tasted the same to me. The package even resembles the name brand one. I wonder if they are made by the same company. I thought they were just as good, and they cost a lot less. They only have the multipack at Aldi though, as far as I know. I think it contained 4, if I remember correctly. Aldi is a bit of a drive for me. It is worth the trip, when I have the time and am able to go. I save a lot of money shopping there.
Actually I've had the opposite experience when buying items from the grocery store vs. a warehouse club. In particular, MorningStar black bean burgers. The ones they sell at the grocery store are much smaller than the ones they sell in bulk at places like Costco and Sam's Club. When I buy them in bulk, they're 1/4 lb patties that are thick and larger than the burger bun. The ones I get from the grocery store are smaller than the bun and about half as thick. Sometimes you have to pay attention to the product sizes and weights though when buying items at a discount dollar store vs. a regular grocery store - since some brands manufacture slightly smaller size products to be sold at the dollar stores. It may seem like you're getting a bargain on that jar of mayo at the dollar store for example, but it may also be like 30% smaller in size. Or another one I noticed is frozen garlic bread, the ones at the dollar stores may only have like 4-6 slices, whereas the ones in the grocery stores have about 8 slices and they're larger in size overall.
