Topical Freeze: Marie Callender's Meals with Cat Solen

"Topical Freeze: Marie Callender's Meals with Cat Solen" is Episode 253 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Topical Freeze: Marie Callender's Meals with Cat Solen" was released on May 28, 2020.

## Synopsis

As **Topical Freeze**, our month of frozen food reviews, concludes, the 'boys are joined by director Cat Solen (*The Shivering Truth* on Adult Swim) to discuss frozen dinner and pie brand Marie Callender's. And, the debut of a new game show format, Meal or No Meal.

## Nick's intro

Chef Boyardee. Hebrew National. Reddi-wip. Slim Jim.

What do these disparate American supermarket staples have in common? They're all owned by ConAgra Brands.

Founded in Omaha in 1919 as Nebraska Consolidated Mills, in 1971, the corporation ditched the Cornhusker State moniker to become Consolidated Agriculture (ConAgra, for short).

With a vast portfolio - among its holdings are Vlasic pickles, Orville Redenbacher popcorn, and three distinct and ostensibly competing maple-flavored syrup brands, Aunt Jemima, Log Cabin, and Mrs. Butterworth - today, the now Chicago-based processed-food megalith hovers at around 8 billion dollars in annual sales.

And part of its success is its sprawling umbrella of frozen-food holdings - healthy adult brand Healthy Choice, unhealthy kid's brand Kid Cuisine, scouring Italian matriarch Mama Celeste pizza, and two listings licensed from chain restaurants, P.F. Chang's and an American-diner and pie-shop concept first opened in Orange County, California by Marie and her husband Cal, and grown into a regional institution by their son, Don.

While the frozen-diner brand offers an extensive line of pre-fab complete meals, it's best known for its pies - both the savory pot kind and the sweet-pastry dessert varietal. But though the restaurant continues to operate in the American West, unfortunately its best days may be in the rearviewmirror. It twice sought bankruptcy protection during the 2010s and closed over two dozen locations this past year.

Perhaps only its frozen brand survives the current restaurant apocalypse, as small- and mid-sized businesses continue to shutter, gobbled up by ever-growing abominations like ConAgra Brands.

This week on *Doughboys*, our month of frozen-food reviews **Doughboys Topical Freeze** concludes with Marie Callender's Meals.

## Fork rating

In their visit to the Marie Callender's restaurant, Nick and Mitch both rated it a 3.25.

For this episode, they instead focus on the Marie Callender's Meals frozen-food line.

* Italiano Lasagna
* Kansas City Style Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese Bowl
* Coconut Cream Pie
 Mike Mitchell
* Country Fried Chicken & Gravy
* Vermont Cheddar Mac and Cheese
* Roasted Turkey Breast & Stuffing
* Chocolate Satin Mini Pie
 Cat Solen
* \*Cheesy Chicken & Rice
* \*Creamy Vermont Mac & Cheese Bowl
* \*Broccoli & Cheddar Potato Pot Pie
* \*Banana Cream Mini Pie
* \*Coconut Cream Mini Pie
* \*Key Lime Mini Pie
* \*Chocolate Satin Mini Pie
* \*Small Peach Pie
* Salisbury Steak
* Roasted Turkey Breast & Stuffing
* Meat Loaf & Gravy
* Sweet & Sour Chicken
* Brown Butter Butternut Squash Ravioli Bowl
* New Orleans Style Chicken Alfredo Bowl
* Roasted Garlic Chicken
* Sweet and Savory Sesame Chicken Bowl

Cat did not eat all that, but she did buy it all from the grocery store(s). The asterisked items are what she tried for the show.

## Meal or No Meal

In this debut of a new game, Nick has six boxes, each one with a meal hidden inside. Mitch and the guest pick through the boxes and can earn or trade prizes, attempting to get the grand prize in the end.

For this episode, the theme is chicken. One of the boxes contains a Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich Combo Meal (the grand prize), and the other five boxes also contain various fast-food chicken items.

Cat and Mitch first choose box 4 to hold on to.

They next eliminate box 1. Nick reveals box 1 has a footlong Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki Sub from Subway.

The Dranker then calls and offers a deal: McDonald's 4-piece Chicken McNuggets for box 4. They turn him down.

Cat and Mitch now eliminate box 5, which contained the Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich Combo! The grand prize is lost.

The Dranker comes with a new deal: a McDonald's 6-piece Chicken McNuggets for box 4. He is denied!

Box 2 is eliminated next; the Popeye's 3-piece Chicken Combo is lost.

A new deal comes from The Dranker offering again a McDonald's 4-piece Chicken McNuggets for box 4. Cat and Mitch do not want that and decide to keep going.

Box 3 is eliminated next, which contains one White Castle Chicken Ring.

The Dranker calls with his final offer. He tempts them with a McDonald's 10-piece Chicken McNuggets. This is still not enough for Mitch and Cat, and they reject his final deal.

Now Cat and Mitch get to decide to keep Box 4 or swap it for the remaining Box 6.

They decide to stick with Box 4!

Box 6 had a Yoshinoya Chicken Teriyaki Bowl.

They are left with Box 4: a KFC Famous Bowl!

## Mt. MayoSaladMore

Mitch asks them to rank their favorite "mayo-based protein salads," but quickly drops the protein idea so he can include potato and macaroni. Because of this, Cat and Nick offer both ratings. Their two ratings have been combined into one below.

## Related Episodes

* 251. Tina's Burritos
* 252. Ore-ida
* 253. **Marie Callendar's Meals**
* 253. Marie Callender's Meals
* 264. Bonchon Chicken

## Photos (via @doughboyspod)

Italiano LasagnaItaliano LasagnaItaliano LasagnaChicken Pot PieChicken Pot PieChicken Pot PieCoconut Cream PieCoconut Cream PieCoconut Cream Pie