Description: Twenty-four frozen filo pastry “purses” by Fresh & Easy, each filled with a tablespoon’s worth of carrots, peas, potatoes, onions and peppers.

Preparation summary: Bake on a cookie sheet in a 375-degree preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes.

High points: Cute and party-worthy, and obscure enough that you can claim you made them yourself.

Low points: Plain-tasting on their own, but they sing to soy sauce spiked with a little crushed garlic.

Average Retail Price: $4.69

Availability: Fresh & Easy

Description: Six wheat-flour toaster pastries, sugar-frosted, and filled with a thin layer of organic strawberries and organic flavoring.

Preparation summary: Heat in toaster on lowest setting

High points: Unlike Pop Tarts made with white bleached flour, the wheat pastry feels less deadly and the strawberry filling tastes more authentic without appearing artificially red.

Low points: The filling stops short at the corners and edges, leaving them impossible to ingest without milk.

Average Retail Price: $1.99

Availability: Trader Joe’s

Description: Ralph’s brand refried pinto beans in a 16-ounce can, flavored with chili pepper, onion and garlic powders and a trace of lard

Preparation summary: Cover and heat on high in the microwave until hot

High points: The cheapest frijoles on the retail market. About 10 percent lower in sodium compared to other brands. And their mild bean-y flavor hits close to what leaps from the big pots at local taco shacks

Low points: Oddly pale in color

Average Retail Price: 69 cents

Availability: Ralph’s

Description: Low calorie, zero-carb powdered drink mix portioned into six individual plastic tubs.

Preparation summary: Empty contents of single “tub” into a plastic or glass pitcher. Stir in 8 cups of cold water and serve.

High points: None.

Low points: Lashes the tongue with aspartame and tastes highly artificial. Think tropical-flavored penicillin.

Average Retail Price: $3.99

Availability: Most major grocery stores.