Kitchen & Love’s passion is food and their mission is to provide the best tasting foods with nutritional ingredients at the best value. We’re not sure they hit all three targets with their quinoa cups.

Unfortunately, none of our taste testers indicated it was a product they would purchase again. Why?

For some it was definitely the price. Each quinoa quick cup cost $3.67 each. That’s purchasing them on Amazon with Prime shipping. At Target you can get them for $3.59 each. At Thrive Market you can get them for $2.99 each.

Yes, it’s a cheap “meal”, but each cup is 7.9 oz, and one of these is not going to fill you up like a regular meal. #stillhungry But, if you’re looking for something quick and light, then maybe it would feed the need.

The quinoa cups are intended to be eaten at room temperature. This was another reason some of the taste testers couldn’t get behind the product. It was odd eating this type of food at room temperature. We also tried it hot, too, heating it in the microwave for 30 seconds. #fail They tasted better when not heated.

We sampled the mango & roasted pepper and artichoke & roasted pepper flavor profiles. Each one contained too much oil, and each one had a pronounced vinegar presence. Those that like vinegar even thought it was a bit much.

The mango & roasted red pepper was sweeter which gave it an edge over the artichoke quinoa cup, but it still had too much acid.

While these weren’t enjoyed thoroughly, everyone agreed the quinoa cups might be good to eat when hiking or traveling. They are quick and halfway healthy. In a pinch, they could alleviate hunger pangs. The two flavors we tried are both vegan and gluten free and each contains 6 grams or more of protein. With all that said, the only thing we can give Kitchen & Love Quinoa Quick Cups is an IMBHO-maybe.

Cucina & Amore (the parent company) launched in 2007. The inspiration behind the brand was to simplify preparation of good food for working moms. (We can definitely get behind that!) From what we can tell, it started as a pasta sauce company, which branched out to include balsamic vinegars in 2012 and truffle sauces in 2013. In 2014 the first quinoa meals were introduced.

What we do like about this company is its continual evolution. To stay relevant in business, it is imperative to evolve, especially as the world gets smaller and the online presence of niche brands grows. For that we applaud Cucina & Amore.

For more information on Kitchen & Love quinoa cups, or to check out the farrow or cauliflower cups, visit the Cucina & Amore website.