Bear Creek Country Kitchens - Darn Good Chili - Review

I had purchased this after my son's then girlfriend fixed a packet for him and he loved it,
It is currently at Walmart is $3.48 per pack, but I think I picked it up on sale at Kroger on sale recently at $2.99 and might be at Sav-A-Lot at for $2.50 a packet.

It contains dried ingredients that dehydrate when cooked.

I put it in my crockpot the night before on the medium setting. The package advised to add a can of tomato paste, but I also added a .65 cent can of diced Tomatoes and Jalapenos from Kroger for .65 cents and several cups of water from my tap,  which still put the price at under $5 or 8 servings.  It is low in calories, but like with many pre-packaged foods, is high in sodium.

Personally, I am not a fan of Chili with rice and it is prevalent as a filler in this package instead of the standard that I grew up with, which is beans.  Still, not bad for being under .60 cents a serving,


Before cooking with tomato paste and can of tomatoes with chilis and 7 cups of water.

After cooking overnight in the crockpot on medium (on the stove top would be 25 minutes)

Pros:

• An inexpensive way to feed a crowd for under .60 cents a serving or less.
• Flavor is decent for being an inexpensive product.
• The main ingredient is water, which is free if from your tap.
• A bowl will fill you up,
• Low in calories - around 150 calories 1 cup of prepared soup.
• Doesn't take up much space in a cabinet or drawer.
• Is vegetarian as there is no meat in the mix.

Cons:

• Not an all in one - must add tomato paste and might be a good idea to add diced tomatoes or other ingredients to improve the flavor.
• Contains rice instead of a lot of beans, and might be an acquired taste.
• High in Sodium - 1 cup prepared has over 25% of the recommended daily allowance,

It is something I will purchase again to keep on hand, but I prefer to make my own Chili from scratch.