by Frank Sabatini Jr.

Product: Chocolate Orange Cake & Baking Mix

Description: Dry cake mix with semi-sweet chocolate chips and orange peel

Preparation summary: Blend with two large eggs, one stick of melted butter and three-quarters of a cup of water. Bake at 350 degrees in a square, greased cake pan for 40 to 45 minutes.

High points: Flavor affirms that the marriage between orange and chocolate is a solid, happy one

Low points: Texture turned out shockingly dry and crumbly, even after making a second batch baked for a few minutes less time than what the directions give. The orange peel in the mix is chewy and excessive.

Average retail price: $3.29

Availability: Trader Joe’s

Product: Simply Lemonade

Description: One quart, plastic container of ready-made, pasteurized lemonade

Preparation summary: Shake well and serve cold.

High points: Customers who feel the product doesn’t taste like fresh-squeezed lemons (or limes when Limeade is purchased) get a free bag of lemons or limes. I’m waiting for mine to arrive after calling the company’s toll-free number.

Low points: The front label states, “Not from concentrate.” Yet the back panel reveals the beverage contains only 12 percent lemon juice. The reality is sugary lemonade that tastes like a certain furniture polish.

Average retail price: $2.99

Availability: Most major grocery stores

Product: Reduced Fat Natural Ruffles, Sea Salted

Description: Preservative-free Ruffles with sea salt, zero grams of trans fat and one-fourth less fat than regular Ruffles

Preparation summary: Ready to eat

High points: Rarely do revised or reduced-fat food products upstage their original predecessors. This one does with a less-metallic and titillating salt taste, which helps boost the flavor of these supposedly “natural” chips.

Low points: The old saying about potato chips that “you can’t just eat one” applies to pretty much the whole bag here.

Average retail price: $3.49

Availability: Major grocery stores

Product: Jose Ole Fire-Grilled Steak & Monterey Jack Quesadillas

Description: Three frozen, moon-shaped quesadillas filled with shredded steak, cheese, green chilies, seasonings and salsa

Preparation summary: Place each quesadilla on a plate and microwave on high for one-and-a-half to two minutes. Conventional oven and skillet instructions are also provided.

High points: Savory grilled flavor rivals most of the slapdash grub served at those favorite taco shacks that we all have secret affairs with. The flour tortillas stay relatively moist from a meaty, cheesy filling spiked with just the right amount of chilies and seasoning. No salsa needed.

Low points: None to report

Average retail price: $3.99

Availability: Major grocery stores