Quick Barilla Meals: Saving Me From a Hangry Moment (With a Giveaway!)

This is a sponsored post brought to you by Barilla. Barilla provided me with product in order to conduct this review. However, my opinions on the product are entirely my own, and I have not been paid to publish positive sentiments towards Barilla or their products. For our sponsored post policy, click here. 
You know those days when you totally eat a sensible breakfast, but then all of a sudden, BAM, 11 a.m. rolls around, and you know you’re not going to make it until noon? You’re starving. Like, NOW. When that happens to me, I start to get shaky. And when I start to get shaky-hungry, I’m steps away from getting hangry. You know hangry; when you’re so hungry that you’re angry. And you start to feel like a caveman who will knock anyone down who gets in the way of you and your next meal. A Barilla survey said that 33 percent of respondents skip lunch because they don’t have time, and I’m just curious: Who are you people!? (Hopefully not the same ones that skip breakfast, too!)
For those moments, which honestly happen to me a few times a month, I love the Barilla Italian Entrees. A sneak peak:

Ready in just 60 seconds, they’re a microwavable meal that is ready so fast you won’t even be able to remember what hangry feels like. And while these meals are fantastic at helping me out in a pinch, I know from experience that they are also perfect for kids who decide they are starving the moment the clock strikes five. They don’t care that you haven’t even thought about dinner yet — they want food, NOW. (They must get it from me.)
Ok, so yes, they’re super convenient and super easy. But how do they taste? And do they deliver any sort of nutritional value? Luckily for you, yes and yes.
To make these, you simply peel back the edge of the packaging to vent…

…and pop it in the microwave for 60 seconds. Once it’s done, pull it out and pull the packaging off to reveal this:

The meals keep the pasta and sauce separate in the tray, so you can customize your pasta experience. If you’re saucy like me, dump it all in. If you like light sauce, save some for another day. If you like to dip one pasta noodle at a time, no one’s stopping you! One note: The packaging does say to hold the sauce tray down with your thumb while peeling the plastic packaging off. After a few of these, I forgot to do that, and I’ll just say that, yes, pasta sauce does go flying, so play careful, kids!
Then you simply pour …

… and enjoy!
Because Jenn’s gluten-free, I took on this tasting challenge. (She’s actually in luck, too, as Barilla will be coming out with a gluten-free variety in 2014!) I’ve long been a Barilla pasta customer, but I didn’t know what a prepackaged meal would be like — and I was so pleasantly surprised by the taste. I’ll just say it’s a far cry from your kids’ canned ravioli. The new Meat Sauce Gemelli variety tasted fresh, with chunks of tomatoes and meat you could see.

And a close-up so you can see the detail.

The pasta is al dente — it’s soft but has a bit of a bite — and you can add a splash of water and 30 extra seconds for softer pasta if you like. It has roughly a quarter of your daily value of sodium, but there are no preservatives, and you can actually pronounce all of the ingredients, which is really nice. The Meat Sauce Gemelli version clocks in at 350 calories, 13 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber — all in all, not bad for a nukeable meal. The meatless Marinara Penne comes in at 310 calories, 10 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. While you’d probably need to top off  your meal with a piece of fruit, some veggies or yogurt, these are certainly satisfying meals that are great in a pinch — and that will totally save you from hitting a drive-thru.

We’re giving some of these away to readers, so tell us: When do you most often get “hangry”? Is it before lunch? Dinner? Breakfast? How would a solution like this help you? Comment below for a chance to win. U.S. residents only, please! —Erin