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

Having bought mince and red pasta sauce and lasagne sheets, have just noticed the White sauce button is depressed. Aaargh!

What do we think of using the macaroni cheese sauce in place of the White lasagne sauce?

We tried the creamy cheese and tomato jar tonight!

The kids verdict was that it was very nice (DS ate 3 helpings!!) but they said they found it quite rich. Personally I found it a little too sharp - maybe because I am used to having sugar in my pasta sauces

I would buy it again as seeing how much my DS ate it's clearly a winner!

There weren't any cooking instructions on the jar for this sauce so assumed it was ok to heat up on the stove top rather than oven bake with the pasta. I prefer stove top sauces personally as I feel that if I've got time to do a pasta bake in the oven then I've really got enough time to make something from scratch!

Will report on the meatball sauce tomorrow as that one is on the menu!!

Second lot of feedback:
We just had the lasagne. The tomato sauce (for bolognaise) wasn't as sweet as the meatball sauce. The white sauce was very tasty. The DDs and I really enjoyed the lasagne, it's a family favourite.

Overall, I think the sauces are really good. I do hope Napolina take notice of our comments and ditch the sweeteners though, they really aren't necessary. If they did, I would definitely be buying them as part of my weekly shop.

Glad I saw your thread ErgonomicallyUnsound as my white sauce lid was also clicky. Hadn't thought to check that beforehand.

Am going to try the macaroni cheese one with lasagne instead! Don't think a replacement jar of white sauce will get to us in time otherwise.

as a parent what is the biggest teatime challenge for you
It used to be a fussy eater, but now dh and I are full time working, its often time. time to make dinners, share food, eat together poses a huge challenge for me now.

would you say you are more aware of the 'added sugar' in food now than you were perhaps a year ago
perhaps not a year ago, but certainly more so since having dc. its important to me to limit hidden sugars in their diets.

what is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
5 a day, or rather ensuring a variety of a veg get into them throughout the week.

from the ones you've tried which is your favourite flavour in the range
creamy tomato and cheese. dc and I loved it. as others have said the lasagne sauce was somewhat bland comparatively to homemade

which did your children like
all of the sauces were well received (so far- we have only tried two) but creamy tomato and cheese was a big hit

would you use the products again
yes. easy, quick and useful for after school time conscious meals

would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member
yes- though I do feel the cost would be prohibitive to them (and me :( )

Until these sugar free sauces arrived I'd never really thought about the added sugar in bottled sauces. I usually make my own but do like Loyd Grosman's puttanesca as a stand by cupboard item.
We've only tried two so far but they're OK and my children have eaten them without any bother (for my youngest this is quite a thing).
I might be tempted to have one in for a stand by - esp if they are ever on offer. But yes, they are good and have raised my attention about added sugar.

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

My dh cooks as I am disabled, he says that trying to cook quick , healthy meals that all of our seven children will enjoy is the biggest challenge.

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

No, its something I have always been conscious of.

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

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

So far the meatball sauce, it had a rich flavour.

Which did your children like?
Again the meatball sauce.

Would you use the products again?
Yes.

Why?
Tasty and quick, fairly healthy but I would not use them on a weekly basis as fresh pasta sauce us healthier.

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

Yes for a quick and easy weekday dinner.

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

Finding healthy meals that we all like

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

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

Nutrition - I want to make sure my family eats healthily.

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

Tomato and cheese pasta sauce. I cooked the penne pasta, heated the sauce with a bit of water added in and then popped it in the oven with loads of cheese. Even dh who hates pasta loved it.
Dd wants to try the tomato sauce for meatballs when her best friend comes for tea on Saturday.

Would you use the products again? Why?

Yes for sure. Knowing that they are low sugar and tasty is such a bonus.

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

Yes. We often talk about what to make for dinner amongst our friends group so would recommend.

Thank you for choosing us to take part - we've really enjoyed it.

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

There are a few but I suppose getting food into the fussy eaters would be the biggie. We have 5 DC and only the eldest eats really well. The youngest is a complete nightmare and eats nothing and it stresses me out every single day. The 3 middle ones are, well, in the middle. They inspect/sniff/scrape/pick at food and are generally suspicious of new things. I worry that they don't all get the nutrients they need from food.

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

Yes, I am. Although we all visit the dentist regularly and are very strict with brushing, their teeth aren't brilliant and this is simply down to too much sugar in their diet. I do find this quite a hard thing to manage though.

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

My top priority is to avoid processed foods. I cook from scratch every day and I like to know what's in the food we eat.

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

Our favourite was the Tomato with Hidden Veg pasta sauce. I stirred some minced beef into it. It was thick, rich and tomato-ey and stuck to the pasta really well. We've tried the Dolmio and Ragu versions of this sauce but much prefer this one. The flavour and texture were so much better and all (except the toddler who doesn't eat any actual food) cleared their plates.

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 would. I do occasionally use jars of sauce if the need arises and we really enjoyed these. I would recommend.

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?
Getting a meal that is nutritious That everyone will eat.
Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?
No
What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
Keeping within a budget
From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?
Lasagne white sauce. Children liked macaroni cheese best.
Would you use the products again? Why?
Possibly if they were on offer. Would need to be under £1 though.
If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?
Can't think of a time where this would occur to be honest

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you? Keeping everyone happy
Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago? Yes
What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family? Veggie friendly
From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Meatball sauce
Which did your children like?
Same
Would you use the products again?
Yes
Why?
They were all very nice and tasted homemade.
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 plan and prep a lot of meals in advance, as the children eat before I arrive home during the week.

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?
No, I am quite aware of the amount of sugar in food already.

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
The quality of the food (provenance of meat and ingredients lists in any processed food)

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?
I didn't get to try the sauces, but my children (and their friends) did! Their overall favourite was the creamy tomato and cheese sauce. We used the hidden veg sauce as a base for bolognaise and put a lasagne together with the white lasagne sauce. The children licked their plates clean with the lasagne!

Would you use the products again? Why?
I would probably keep a jar of each of the sauces we tried in the cupboard, but probably not use them on a regular basis, as I make the sauces myself normally.

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

We were delighted to receive our box on Monday. My DDs thoroughly enjoyed playing with all the bubble wrap!

We had the creamy cheese and tomato sauce with the penne pasta on Wednesday night and to my amazement both girls liked it. Normally I have to make a tomato sauce for one and cheese sauce for the other. I quite liked it too. I normally put a small amount of sugar in my sauce so it's great to know that a nice tasting sauce can be made without sugar. It has a nice smooth texture too although I added some left over chicken to the sauce to make to stretch to the four of us. My DS doesn't eat sauces of any kind but happily ate the plain pasta.

We then had meatballs and spaghetti on Thurday night. We used pork mince and parmasan to make the meatballs. On opening the jar I was pleasantly surprised by the smell. It was like spaghetti bolognese in our local Italian restaurant and the taste was really good too. Not bitter at all, rich and full of flavour. DDs ate it without complaint and one DD would have it again tomorrow however the other said meh ( I think that means she would have it if there was nothing else on offer).

I will certainly look out for these in store as they would be handy to have on busy weekday evenings.

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?
We are a large family (5 of our 6 children still at home), so it's tough finding something which everyone will enjoy.

Would you say you are more aware of the 'added sugar' in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?
I've been aware of it for some time now, but have recently had my mind focused on it a little more as I'm following weight watchers new plan which bears this very much in mind.

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
I look at price, of course, but don't want to compromise on quality or taste.

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?
The tomato with hidden veg sauce was our favourite. The veg was so well hidden that the kids didn't have a clue! It was a good texture, quite thick . My husband said it was bland, I thought it was ok but the children really enjoyed it.

Would you use the products again? Why?
Maybe if I saw them on offer. I personally prefer a rival's pasta sauce (sorry!) but I'm increasingly making my own as I always used to. I can't deny though that these are handy to have in the cupboard and so easy to use for say my teenagers who might offer to cook on the odd occasion!

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?
I'd say they are worth a try.

We tested the tomato and hidden veg sauce yesterday so thought i would add my first lot of feedback. I was really impressed with the smell and smoothness of the sauce when opening the jar, normally the smell puts me off but this smelt authentic and really rich. My son is a ninja at sniffing out hidden veg even if there is the tiniest of lumps and he ate his whole portion and never complained once so a win for us there. normally ds will only eat cheese pasta and sd will only eat tomato so to find a tomato one that they would eat was really great.

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

Finding something everyone will like that also includes vegetables as they all like different veg

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

Not really, i think there are worse things than added sugar so it doesnt effect my purchases too much in terms of cooking but i do use the sugar app now and again for packed lunch items.

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

A balance of healthy and cost effective as we arent the best off financially i dont want to waste lots of food!

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

Only tried the one so far the tomato and hidden veg, they liked it said it was a bit spicy but thats what made it so nice. i didnt think it was particularly spicy just a richer flavour than they have normally.
I dont think i would buy the lasagne sauces often as its not something we eat due to dps intolerances but thats personal preference rather than an issue with the sauce.

Would you use the products again? Why?
definitely, i never though ds would eat a product with peppers and onion in without it turning in to a war.

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

Yes i would they are really simple for quick meals and the flavours are good.

Tomato and hidden veg pasta with cheese.

Thank you for the products which we received on Monday - nicely packaged and nothing broken.

As a parent, what is the biggest tea-time challenge for you?
Finding a meal that everyone enjoys. Everyone in the family has different tastes and like different things so it can be challenging!

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?
I suppose so - although I have only every made my own sauces so it doesn't really affect us.

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
A tasty, good quality product that doesn't cost too much. I'm not a fan of processed food with lots of additives. I tend to cook things from scratch. However, when you are in a rush it's nice to have sauces like this to hand.

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?
We enjoyed the lasagna white sauce best. I made it with lamb mince and added some paprika and chilli for a kick. It was lovely and creamy and the whole lot was polished off. DCs said it was really yummy and could I make it again.

Would you use the products again? Why?
Yes I think I would. They are perfect for when you are in a rush and don't have time to cook from scratch. They are also very delicious and convenient.

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

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

Fussy eaters and also the need to provide tea quickly otherwise the children turn to snacking as they can't wait

Would you say you are more aware of the ‘added sugar’ in food now than you were perhaps a year ago?
Yes i am consciously trying to cut down sugar intake and the kids are now more aware too as they have been zapping all the bar codes with the app that measures sugar. They were amazed at amounts of sugar in the food they eat....

What is your top priority as a parent when choosing which products to purchase or meals to cook for your family?
Whether the meal cooked will be eaten or wasted, as I hate food waste. So tend to rely a lot on products which have already been a success with the family to avoid waste. But downside is I am slightly reluctant to try new things.
Second is speed as often get home and need to provide tea almost instantly

From the ones you tried, which is your favourite flavour in the range? Which did your children like?
Kids really liked the Tomato and Cheese - cleaned their plates....i found it tasted a little synthetic and wasn't as keen. I liked the white sauce for lasagne - good timesaver and tasted absolutely fine in a Veggie lasagne.
The smooth sauces are a bonus as the kids are suspicious of "bits" in sauce. Was surprised to see the tomato sauces had alternative sweaters in them though, (Stevia)hoped they would be entirely free of sweeteners as if I cook a sauce from stretch I don't add sugar.

Would you use the products again? Why?
Convenience and speed. Plus would like to try the tomato with hidden veg as that would be a good way to get the children to have more veg.

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?
If asked I would speak positively of the sauces we tried. But I don't tend to have conversations about cooking too often with friends.

We have only tried the Tomato with hidden vegetables so far - quick tea needed last night so used the sauce stirred into the penne pasta with cheese on top. Both teenagers really enjoyed it and,as the vegetables were pureed the eldest didn't spend her time picking out any bits! I would definitely use this one again.

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

• Combining speed of preparation with healthy choices which provide balanced nutrition.

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

• No, but food labelling is making it easier to check.

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

• Making healthy and good value choices. Foods which I can keep in stock if I can't get out shopping mid-week due to work.

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

• My 4DC were very excited to try the sauces, so we have had a lot of pasta based dishes this week! All of the children really liked the creamy cheese and tomato sauce, but I thought it have a bit of an aftertaste. They also enjoyed the tomato and hidden veg and I added chopped up veggie sausages to it to give them so protein, which went down really well. The macaroni cheese was okay, but didn't cook properly using the instructions on the jar and was a little bland compared to other macaroni cheeses, so we had to add more cheese on top, making it less healthy. Having said that, one of my DC actually preferred it! The white lasagne sauce was as good as our regular brand we use to make veggie lasagne, so would be an easy swap as long as the price was competitive. The sauces we tried are generally quite versatile, so I would like to experiment with them a bit more in other dishes.

Would you use the products again? Why?
-Yes, definitely, but not at the current price.

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the sauces to a friend or family member?
-Yes and I like the fact that they are free of artificial additives and preservatives too, so that would warrant a mention!

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

Catering for three meat eaters and one vegetarian in the same sitting, although people might be eating at different times in the evening.

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

Not more aware, just as aware as I ever was.

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

That they're healthy, good value for money, tasty and straightforward to cook.

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

By the time I'd added beef and smoked bacon to the red lasagne sauce, it tasted as good as any jarred pasta sauce I've had.

Which did your children like?

The tomato and cheese sauce. Clean bowls. Also the vegetarian liked the macaroni cheese (bit too heavy on the nutmeg for me), but he did say it wasn't as good as mine (but that's what he's been used to eating for the past 12 years).

Would you use the products again? Why?

I found the cheese and tomato sauce too sweet. I don't often buy ready-made sauces and when making my own tomato sauce do add a pinch of sugar to take away the sharpness of the tomatoes. I'd be more interested in "reduced sugar" sauces, rather than "No added sugar" (which screams "sweetener" at me). The main thing I avoid when shopping is sweetener. My personal opinion is that we need to educate our palate to eat less sweet foods, rather than finding a substitute to maintain too high a level of sweetness.

Macaroni cheese is a very personal thing. I like my cheese sauce cheesy and always add some Dijon mustard to it. I found the sauce had too much nutmeg in it and needed a large amount of mature cheddar on top. Unfortunately, the cheese powder was dominant in the flavouring too. Not sure about the cooking instructions. The label didn't specify how much pasta to use. I guessed it would be one whole pack for one jar, and I was doing just half a pack. However, I needed in the end to use the whole jar, and additional milk and water, for half a pack of pasta. It took longer to cook and did resort to zapping it in the microwave. If I did use the sauce again, I'd probably cook the pasta first (which is what I would do if I'm making my own cheese sauce).

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

Possibly - particularly if they have a child that doesn't like bits in their food. My teenagers aren't so fussy.

Thanks for the opportunity to try out the new sauces!

Friday 26th February 2016----2pm
I received my 4 jars of Napolina sauces and am so excited to try them.
My son popped in for lunch so I decided to try a Napolina recipe 'Chicken Arrabbiata ' I adjusted the recipe and used a creamy cheese and tomato pasta sauce instead of the Napolina Passata. I used 225g of Penne pasta to the 500g jar of sauce, which was just right.
It was delicious and we had 3 empty plates. Even my husband who is not a great pasta lover said he would like that again, so I am feeling very pleased with myself.

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

Time! It can sometimes be difficult to get a healthy dinner on the table whilst juggling work and the children's social activities and clubs.

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

Yes, there is a lot more information available on the harmful effects of sugar and this has made me think a bit more about the added sugar in foods.

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

Taste, we all have to enjoy it, otherwise mealtimes become a battle!

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

The macaroni cheese was the definite favourite amongst us all. I was really surprised at how nice it was and the children enjoyed it too, both had second helpings. The smooth bolognese was also good. I prepared it with Quorn mince and had no complaints.

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 would definitely buy the macaroni cheese sauce again. It was quick and easy and very tasty. If it came up in conversation then yes I would recommend.

Oh I forgot to add, thank you for the opportunity to test these out

We tried the macaroni cheese one tonight. I thought the instructions were not very clear. It wasn't stated whether the pasta should be cooked or not nor how much to use. I realised it should be uncooked because of the amount of liquid. Dp who isn't a great cook, wouldn't have a clue. I found it rather dry, and artificial tasting and not particularly cheesy. Both dcs said it wasn't as good as the meatball sauce and they both left a lot on their plates. I much prefer my homemade version.