Thanks to Mom Central and Ragu, my family recently tried a sample of Ragu Fresh & Simple All Natural pasta sauce.

The Good:
+It comes in a 90 second microwavable pouch – one less pot to clean, and fast – if you’re cool with microwaving plastic.
+The ingredients really are all natural.
+It contains a full serving of veggies in every ½ cup, many of which are red and therefore high in antioxidants, lycopene and other awesome stuff.
+No sugar.
+No preservatives
+It tastes great!
+Each pouch contains the perfect amount for two people. And a kid or two if they’re small eaters.

The Bad:
-It comes in a 90 second microwavable pouch. I would never suggest that anyone microwave plastic, particularly if you’re feeding children. We just heated it in a small pan and it worked great. It took more than 90 seconds, but just a few minutes and was well worth it.

The Ugly:
-As far as I can tell, these bags are un-recyclable plastic. This means that they will be sitting in landfills for generations to come. Now, that’s ugly. (However, the original Ragu is in recyclable glass and plastic jars…)

The Verdict:
+I’d buy it for both convenience and taste, but I’d never microwave it in the pouch. It would be great for camping, hotels or just a quick meal at home if you don’t want leftovers.

Ragu has put together a free, downloadable recipe booklet that has a bunch of great time saving tips and meal planning suggestions for healthy meals for your family. The booklet includes recipes and tips from the Food Network’s Robin Miller, celebrity fitness trainer Kathy Kaehler, and last but certainly not least, our very own Stacy DeBroff. You can download the booklet from www.FeedOurkidsWell.com.