Napolina pasta sauce feedback thread; find out what MNers think about the latest range - NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

We asked 250 Mners with children to try the latest range of pasta sauces from Napolina – this is the thread for their feedback.

Napolina say “we are excited to launch a new range of No Added Sugar pasta sauces to complement our existing range of over 130 products including pasta, sauces, canned tomatoes, olive oil, pulses, pizzeria and balsamic vinegar. The sauces enable tasty and convenient meals to be created, whilst reducing ‘added sugar’ intake. Flavours are centred around Italian family classic meals and have been developed to appeal to parents and children alike.

All sauces have a smooth texture and are available in seven flavour variants:

~ Bolognese pasta sauce
~ Pasta sauce for Macaroni Cheese
~ Pasta sauce for Meatballs
~ Creamy Cheese and Tomato pasta sauce
~ Red Lasagne pasta sauce
~ White Lasagne pasta sauce
~ Tomato with Hidden Veg pasta sauce

Available in a 480g/500g jar for families of four or more (RRP £1.69), the sauces are perfect for creating Italian inspired family favourites on busy weekdays or leisurely weekends alike”.

Questions for testers

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?
Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?
What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?
Would you use the products again? Why?
If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?

Selected testers who add feedback as required will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will get a £300 John Lewis voucher.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Thanks for letting us be involved with this one, it was a real treat to have some quick and easy meals tucked away!

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?

Finding something quick and nutritious that they will all eat on the nights they have clubs or when the baby is screaming!

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?

Perhaps a little, although I have always been conscious of it

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?

Whether it will be eaten! And also if it is relatively healthy

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?

I have never used pre-prepared sauces and can't say this massively changed my mind- I enjoyed the macaroni cheese the most but found it almost as much of a faff as making it myself, however, the kids loved them all especially the mascapone and tomato one.

Would you use the products again? Why?

Yes I probably wouldn't be desperate to have them myself but I would keep one in the store cupboard as a good solution for the kids tea.

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?

I would perhaps suggest them as an option and say my kids loved them but wouldn't recommend them as something I loved I am afraid.

Thanks for letting us test the sauces we had several excitable dinner times where the kids had fun giving their verdict!

Final review of the last sauce, we used the white lasagne sauce this evening! It was quite thin and ended up being quite watery when we cut into it to serve it up. DH and DC1 weren't keen, DH said it was too highly flavoured and tasted chemically. DC2 and I found it fairly inoffensive, not bad but nothing to write home about either.
So, all in all, not very successful for us, there were no sauces that we all liked as a family, so we won't be using these in future
One more bone to pick . Just a slight grumble about the use of the term 'busy mums' on the print out enclosed with the sauces... why just mums and not dads? Would it have been so hard to put busy parents?

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?
Finding something everyone will eat.

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?
Have been aware and have tried to avoid in unnecessary things for more than a year.

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
Fresh and natural ingredients that are quick to prepare.

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?
Meatballs was everyone's favourite.

Would you use the products again? Why?
If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?
I might buy the meatball one if we needed a very quick dinner. The hidden veg one had an overpowering aroma of celery which was quite off putting. The White lasagne sauce was very thin and I would agree with others who have said it was quite chemically.

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?

Preparing food quickly, healthily and trying to make sure everyone eats it!

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?

I think I have always been fairly aware but the past year with all of the media coverage/information has made it more of a priority for me when cooking family meals.

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?

Healthy and liked by all.

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?

Hidden veg sauce was a big hit, as was the macaroni and tomato and mascarpone. Only complaint was that the macaroni was slightly runnier than we were used to.

Would you use the products again? Why?

Yes, the whole family ate them and I like the fact they are low sugar.

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?

Yes

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?
I'm lucky. My kids eat most things. My problem is time. I also have problems coming up with ideas. Trying not to put the same thing on the table all the time.

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?
I read the ingredients list. I have always done that but I also I look for the traffic lights on the pack as a starting point now. I would say that I'd rather have a small amount of natural sugar than artificial sweetener. For example, with juice, I never buy 'no added sugar' but use one with natural ingredients and cut it much more. I also cut fruit juice and limit juice to meal times. Milk and water at other times. I want my children to eat healthily

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
In an ideal world I would cook from scratch every meal. Everyday life makes that difficult but I do my best. I buy lots of fresh fruit, veg and meat. I want to give my family a balanced diet and explain to my kids why I am giving what I am and that, sadly, they cannot have carbonara every tea time. I would like them to enjoy what I cook!

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range?
We thought the meatball and bolognaise ones were very similar. We have not tried the macaroni one yet. I thought it was going to be a very speedy meal but once I'd read the jar realised there was more work involved. I expected just to add it to pasta! I thought the tomato and mascarpone was artificial. I usually make my own pasta sauce and never add sugar. I don't think pasta sauce needs sweetened at all.

Which did your children like?
The kids liked the tomato and mascarpone. They also liked the meatball one but I would like to hope it was because of the delicious, homemade meatballs that came with it!!

Would you use the products again? Why?
Yes, now and again. I would have a jar in the cupboard as a standby for a busy day.

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?
Yes, they are handy and a good size to feed a family of 4.

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?
Trying to find something all 6 will eat, and is adult friendly as well

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?
Definitely. It is very important

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
Food needs to be healthy and eaten by all

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?
My children loved the cheesy tomato pasta sauce.I liked the white lasagne sauce, but I was the only one who ate it

Would you use the products again? Why?
I would definitely use some of them. Mainly the cheesy tomato pasta and the Bolognese sauce, as they were enjoyed by all

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?
Definitely

I was fortunate enough to test four deuces. I was looking forward to being in the trial because, as most of us would agree, I want to feed the children the best and healthiest food I can. I'd love to be a "prepare everything from scratch" mum bit reality is I like to have good quality store cupboard helpers.
With all the bad press that sugar has been getting the go to ton of spaghetti is now taboo so the option of a low sugar pasta sauce seemed a great idea.
We started off with the sauce for macaroni cheese - deeply disappointed. It has the oddest taste and my 4 yo and 2 yo weren't having any of it. Granted they normally have home made but this was never going to be eaten. It was back to the drawing board for that night's dinner (and quickly!). After that I was less keen to try the other 3. The sauce for bolognese was very bland (tasted unseasoned rather than sugar free) and the White sauce for lasagna had a similar odd taste to the macaroni cheese one. The best was the hidden veg sauce, but by that time I had lost faith in the jars. Which was a shame as I had high hopes for them. If I'm completely honest I doubt I'd recommend them to friends orother mumsnet members. More likely that I would post an easy to follow recipe.

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?
Getting a decent meal into everyone that they like and is healthy.
Finding something that everyone wants to eat - Dh and I have five children aged 14 to 1.5.

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?
Not really, we've been sugar conscious for some time and we've never added sugar to food (except weetabix!)

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
Something that's enough for us all, not too expensive and tastes good.

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?
We all liked the white lasagne sauce.

Would you use the products again? Why?
Probably not. I'm following Slimming World and we prefer to cook sauces like this from scratch, particularly to make enough for us all.

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?
Probably, they're easy to use and taste ok.

As a parent what is the biggest tea time challenge for you?

Getting a decent meal cooked after being at work all day

Would you say you are more aware of the added sugar in food now tha you were perhaps a year ago

Not really. But it is easier to check labels now

What is your top priority as a parent she choosing which products to purchase to cook for your family
Easiness, and healthy and tasty

From the ones you tried which is you favourite in the range. Which did your children like?

The macaroni cheese.

Would you use the products again? Why?

Probably not. They all seems a bit watery

If it came up in coversation would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?

If they needed something really quick to cook the yes

Late doing my feedback as I think I receive my jars much later than everyone else.

We had 2x tomato sauce with hidden veg
2x pasta sauce for macaroni cheese

We've used one of each so far.

biggest tea-time challenge
Making something that everyone will eat and which is reasonably healthy

awareness of added sugar
No different to a year ago. Have always tried to avoid that in recent years.

priority as a parent when choosing products to purchase
A combination of will children eat it balanced against the quality/provenance of the contents

favourite flavour from products tried
This was unanimous - the tomato with hidden veg. Children loved it (Dh and I not so keen).
We all really disliked the macaroni cheese sauce which had a nasty aftertaste to it and was put a patch on the one I make (albeit much quicker).
Neither were my taste.

would you use them again?
Possibly for the Dcs in an emergency but not for the whole family. I'd rather take time and make something that tastes less artificial. Dh and I are food pounces, to some extent, and enjoy cooking from scratch with fresh ingredients. We never use sauces from jars for food we eat ourselves.

woukd you recommend them
Yes, to people who cook with sauces from jars. I like the fact that the ingredients were transparent and there weren't lots of nasty additives.

I am adding my post again, as mumsnet keep emailing me to remind me to leave my feedback.

Here is what I put down a few dsys ago:

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Napolina pasta sauce feedback thread; find out what MNers think about the latest range386Show OP
01/03/2016 14:21 TennesseeDays

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?
Finding something that everyone likes, that isn't too boring, and with enough variety for every day.

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?
Probably - I don't actively go out of my way to avoid sugar, just try to make choices of less processed food.

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
That it tastes good, is reasonably healthy and everyone in the family will eat it.

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?
We all really enjoyed the creamy tomato and cheese sauce. I added a bit of bacon, mushrooms and courgettes to make it a bit chunkier. Full marks from the whole family. We also liked the bolognese tomato sauce - I did it with meatballs rather than traditional bolognese. I think my children liked that one best. I wasn't massively keen on the macaroni cheese sauce (I added peas, ham and more cheese) but the children liked it, and it was really quick.

Would you use the products again? Why?
I might use them again. I'd prefer if they came in smaller jars, as some nights I need to cook tea for the children early and the adults eat later, but I supose I could just put half a jar in the fridge.

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?
I might do. I was expecting them to be a bit glutinous and bland tasting, but in fact they tasted pretty good; I would certainly recommend them to family members who usually use jars of pasta sauce - perhaps less likely to recommend to those that make sauce from scratch.

01/03/2016 14:22 wheat32

Spaghetti Bolognese Pie which was declared yummier than normal by my 5 year old

01/03/2016 14:55 poppy1973

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?

I have to often prepare a meal for a fussy pre teen boy, a young daughter who will eat anything and separate meal for husband and myself as dh comes home quite late a night.

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?

Yes, I particularly like to ensure that I don't give the children too much sugar in their diet and look quite closely at labels.

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?

That I can use them for one mail meal and vary the food to suit everybody and for different meal times.

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?

Apart from my fussy son we all liked the meatball sauce. It was nice and rich and stuck to the meatballs really well.

Would you use the products again? Why?

I wouldn't use the mac. cheese sauce, it was really bland and therefore I put in extra strong cheese on top. It didn't smell nice from the jar which put my son off from eating in the first place. To be honest, it is quicker to mix a cheese sauce yourself.

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?

Yes I would recommend some of the sauces, the white sauce for lasagne and the cheese sauce for mac cheese. No I wouldn't recommend. By the time you are making the other ingredients for the recipe, then it is easy enough to make your own sauce.

Still waiting for my final replacement jar. Really enjoyed the macaroni sauce. So simple

Think I have copied extra mumsnetters posts too. Oops

I did use the left over jar of white sauce for a small lasagne. Added lots of cheese on top tonight and it tasted quite nice. We would use this again in a hurry.

Hello! Enjoyed being part of this product test, thank you! The kids thought it was very funny to receive a parcel full of pasta and sauce!

1.Biggest mealtime challenge.
Very fortunate to have non fussy eaters. Biggest challenge is sometimes having something quick to whip up on an evening we are unexpectedly delayed/late for tea and no leftovers left over in the fridge!!

2.More aware of added sugar than a year ago?

Honestly, no, not more so than a year ago, but definitely more so in the past five years since having kids. I had no idea before. I think it's quite a scandal actually, particularly when hidden sugar is unnecessary in many foods and rates of type two diabetes are rocketing.

3.Top priority?
Healthy, nutritious, tasty, varied!

4.Which sauce did you like best?
We received four jars but that included two of the hidden veg sauce. So had that with the white sauce in a lasagne. Was pleasantly surprised!!! Middle child found it a bit spicy?! But I have never used a white sauce from a jar so I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.

5.Would you use again?
Yes, I think I would. Usually make sauces from scratch but would be happy to have the hidden veg and white lasagne sauce in the cupboard to make a quicker version of lasagne if required/desired. Not sure that I would buy the macaroni as in the time the pasta cooks you can just make the sauce easily whereas lasagne is a favourite but always seems a bit more of a palaver involving numerous pots and utensils!!!

6.Would I recommend?
If it came up in conversation, yes, for the same reason as in 5. A quick, tasty lasagne

Thank you!!!

Wr had a long day yesterday, we all got in late and were hungry. Luckily I had one jar of sauce left. I was so happy to remember it was there. I could throw some food together and make a decent meal for us, served with some garlic bread.

I have had another email requesting I leave my feedback but unfortunately I have still not received any pasta sauces to leave feedback on so I can't do so.

Finally got a around to doing the macaroni cheese tonight, and it was gone in minutes!

The greatest challenges in our house at teatime are:

1. Time - we are both working parents
2. Meeting everybody's individual preferences ( if I can avoid an all out war over food after a day at work then I will do) 3)eating healthily

Jamie Oliver's programme did remind me of how much sugar goes into ready meals/ sauces - I'm very concious of salt and sugar content in food so generally try to avoid ready made food and sauces.

However , Naoolinas sauces ticked the box for me in helping to manage my afore mentioned challenges at teatime.

Particularly the tomato based ones as obviously the vitamin content is higher than that of the cheesy ones.

Amazingly my children liked the tomato sauce based ones , which Napolina should feel very honoured about as they normally will only eat homemade pasta sauces !

I've received another email asking me to leave my views - would love to but I haven't received the sauces (as yet!)

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?
Time restriction on certain days of the week. Need to get something cooked quickly after picking up children and before they start raiding the cupboards for junk food.

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?

No, I was aware of added sugar a year ago.

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
Products that they will all eat.

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?
Would you use the products again? Why?
We tried; Pasta sauce for Meatballs, Red Lasagne pasta sauce, Pasta sauce for Macaroni Cheese, Tomato with Hidden Veg pasta sauce.
Favourite all round was Tomato with Hidden Veg pasta sauce. Everyone ate that one.
I use the meatball sauce in bolognaise which was ok.
The macaroni cheese did not go down well. Ds1 is big fan of cheese sauce but wouldn’t eat this one. I didn’t like it either and will stick to making my own.
The red lasagne I thought was a bit sweet. I don’t add sugar or sweeteners to my own sauce. I just don’t like my savoury food to be sweet. I think that is why I’ve never been a massive fan of jars of sauce, they are often quite sweet. I am bothered about the healthiness of foods now that I am older and have children, but back in my uni days I was only bothered by what was quick and easy and tasted good. I didn’t buy jars of sauce then either because I didn’t like how they tasted too sweet.

Out of any of them I would buy the hidden veg one again but not the others. I would probably only buy them for a caravan holiday etc rather than for use at home.

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?
If someone was asking me about ready made pasta sauces then I might. I am unlikely to raise the subject myself though.

Thank you for allowing us to take part in this trial.
As a parent the biggest tea time challenge has to be finding something everyone will eat.
I am definitely more aware of added sugar in products.
My top priority is that something is healthy and tasty.
Our favourite flavour had to be the Macaroni cheese but everyone loved all of the flavours.
I would definitely used Napolina again I must admit it isn't always my first choice in the supermarket but this trial has opened my eyes.
I would not hesitate to recommend all the products we tested, we were very impressed.

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?

Getting enough protein that isn't friend fast food into my very fussy son

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?

Not really. I am more aware if the increase in artificial sweeteners.

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?

Food they will actually eat.

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range?

I didn't try any as I don't like pasta or pasta sauce. My husband's favourite wa the meatball sauce.

Which did your children like?
My son's favourite by far was the creamy cheese & tomato one which was ironic as it was the one my husband said he really didn't like. My son found the meatball sauce too spicy. Both liked the red lasagne sauce though I used it for Bolognese instead. Husband said it was a bit bland which was probably good for my son who ate every bit.

Would you use the products again? Why?

Yes. Although I can easily knock up a simple passata or cheesy pasta sauce (my son's just likes me to add Philadelphia and a few herbs) he LOVED the cheesy tomato sauce and I wouldn't have those kind of ingredients (cream) in usually. The creaminess added a little extra protein too. Also my son refuses to eat any sauce with bits or lumps in so these were good for him.

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?

Yes if they had similar issues to us.

The link I was emailed says the survey has expired.

Same as heavenscent and Sarahj68
-nothing received