Convenience drives the food industry today. Our grocery stores are expanding their range of heat-and-eat items to give consumers what they want, but there’s often a hidden opportunity cost or two (higher price, inferior flavor, poor texture).

In comes Trader Joe’s Italian Style Turkey Meatloaf--priced at $6.99 for a 1lb 8oz meat loaf, that’s not too bad. When you factor in the convenience of tossing it in the oven without having to spend 15 minutes in the kitchen throwing it together (or longer, if your ground meat is frozen), the price point works for me. The added bonus is little to no cleanup after the meal.

However, there are mixed reviews on this over-mixed meatloaf, which adds to its spongy texture. The flavor profile was okay (too much oregano, imbho), and definitely not as good as homemade--nothing ever really is. But for me, it was hard to get past the all-too-dense texture.

Furthermore, it’s easy to make a low-carb meatloaf (after all, meat doesn’t have carbs) but this turkey meatloaf has 11 grams of carbs per serving, with 4 grams of added sugar.

This meatloaf will not be on my Trader Joe’s shopping list; however, there are those in my household who would make the purchase If I were not there, so it’s a toss-up.

I couldn’t find a link to this product in my quick, 5-minute search, so if you want more information on this product, visit your local Trader Joe’s. To find your local Trader Joe’s, go to  Trader Joe’s.