The portion sizes Schwan's recommends are generally short of what a real person eats, but they are much more realistic than they used to be. I had to adjust my review accordingly. I am showing the portion size I think is realistic in the picture.
The Four Cheese Penne with Prosciutto could be on a TV commercial where they go into a famous Italian restaurant and swap the same meal on the menu with the Schwan's version. I don't think anyone would detect the difference and be happy to pay about $15 for the meal. The sauce is so creamy, and Schwan's didn't skimp on chunks of Prosciutto either. In my opinion, it is a great value at $5.39 per serving.
The Spaghetti with Meat Sauce may have been one of the best prepared meals of this type. The sauce was above average, and the pasta reheated well. The chunks of meat in the sauce was plentiful and tasty. In my opinion, this is another good value for $4.45 per serving.
The best part of my order was Creamed Chipped Beef. This is a traditional New England dish that you don't see on many menus these days. It is to the Northeast what Biscuits and Gravy is to the South. My father used make this when I was a boy, and this version of it was perfectly done. In fact, it brought back memories of the times my father and I would make this. It comes in two 15 oz. trays, and I used a whole tray as one serving, because it was that good. Not only would I order it again, I would order it by the case.
The Beef Shepherd's Pie (Shepherd's' Pie is made from Lamb, Cottage Pie is made from Beef) was also one of the best I have ever had from a meal delivery service. At $2.78 per serving, it is an excellent value.
The Beef Merlot Stew was quite impressive. First, I used the whole package as one serving, so it would be even a better value if you were able to get two servings out of it. It doesn't cook in the microwave, but on your stove top. All you have to do empty the contents of the package into a covered non-stick pan, heat for 8 minutes, and you have an amazing stew with a strong Merlot flavor. The vegetables are fresh, and the sauce is outstanding. A great value for $10.99.