Description: Sixteen-ounce bag of frozen orange and yellow carrots (julienned) with toasted almonds and a butter sauce infused with honey, ginger and soy sauce.

Preparation summary: Cook on stovetop with 1 tablespoon of butter for three to four minutes or microwave in a covered dish for three minutes.

Highpoints: By far the best frozen vegetable product on the market because of its subtle aromatic butter sauce and the presence of sweet yellow carrots, which are fairly uncommon to North American grocery stores. The product is delicately flavored, easy to prepare and turns out better when microwaved. Makes for a truly gourmet accompaniment to meat and fish entrées.

Lowpoints: None to speak of.

Average retail price: $2.99

Availability: Trader Joe’s

Description: Box of 10 frozen “pure fruit” bars that come in four flavors: blueberry-lemon, strawberry-blueberry, strawberry-orange and strawberry-lemon.

Preparation summary: Ready to eat.

Highpoints: The dual flavor combinations contained in each bar are refreshing and compatible, especially the blueberry-lemon. Bars stay frozen a little longer than traditional Popsicles, as proven when licking them during last week’s heat wave – and finishing each time with unstained clothing.

Lowpoints: Too bad fructose is the leading ingredient, which junks up the natural composition of the bars that actually contain pulp, puree and juices from the various fruits.

Average retail price: $2.50

Availability: Major grocery stores

Description: Canned corned beef hash with water added to cut the fat content by 50 percent.

Preparation summary: Heat in skillet over medium heat until slightly crisp, or place into a glass or ceramic bowl covered with a paper towel and microwave two to three minutes until hot.

Highpoints: Compared to the company’s regular full-fat hash, this stuff doesn’t leave a greasy trail in the mouth. And the water used for cutting the fat content only compromises the flavor of the corned beef ever so slightly.

Lowpoints: Still looks and smells like canned dog food when you open the lid. But, hey, that’s hash for ya.

Average retail price: $2.99

Availability: Major grocery stores

Description: Dried lo mein noodles in a sweet teriyaki sauce by Knorr and Lipton.

Preparation summary: Empty contents of bag into medium saucepan filled with 1 1/2 cups of water and a tablespoon of oil, and heat to boiling. Then cover and simmer for seven minutes.

Highpoints: Saves you a trip to those 99-cent Chinese buffets.

Lowpoints: Noodles turn out goopy and the so-called sweet teriyaki sauce tastes more like stale rice vinegar that the manufacturers somehow dehydrated for dry packaging.

Average retail price: $1.79

Availability: Major grocery stores