01:02 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 21, 2006

The Lunch Ladies, our taste-testing gurus, talked with readers about eating healthy on the go on Wednesday, June 21.

Moderator: The Lunch Ladies are ready to take your questions now.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Hi, what's everyone eating for lunch today?

Lunch Lady Gretchen: I'm having one of Lean Cuisine's new bistro style pizzas -- the BBQ chicken. Pretty good!

Lunch Lady Kimberly: Great minds think alike. I'm having Lean Cuisine's new bistro style mushroom pizza. It's OK, but not as good as the BBQ chicken.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: I like how crispy these get; I think they're better than round crispy and deep dish and far better than the French bread (which sort of smell like vomit). Sorry if you're eating right now.

Dorothy asks (via e-mail): Could you please start listing the sugar grams? This has become a big issue and I read every label for this count. Love your column.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Hi Dorothy, we'll certainly try to start including sugar in the nutritional information. Thanks for the suggestion.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: By the way readers, stay tuned for our upcoming review of light and low-carb beer. Kimberly and I taste-tested yesterday after work -- quite fun!

Lunch Lady Kimberly: Yeah, when I bought the beer at the grocery store the clerk asked if if was for the Mavs game. He seemed confused when I told him it was for work.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Kimberly's no-name puppy was even more amusing after several beer samples. He looks like an overgrown hamster.

Lunch Lady Kimberly: He's an 8-week-old Shih Tzu. He can't help it.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Also, our next review on July 5th will be on gelato!

Moderator: Hey, Ladies, let's talk about Amy's Pockets. Did you try all the flavors offered, or were there others? And which one was your favorite?

Lunch Lady Kimberly: No, we did not try all of them. You might want to check out their Web site at www.amys.com to check out the other pockets. We really love the spinach pockets.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: My favorite of Amy's pocket sandwiches was the Spinach Pizza.

sokker06: What should people watch out the most the calories they intake on a daily basis or the fat grams?

Lunch Lady Kimberly: We really can't answer that question because we are not dieticians. There are some great ones in our region who would probably love to talk to about it.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: OK, I'm done with my Lean Cuisine pizza, and I must say VERY good, but the crust was too crispy for me. I have leftover bits of crust all over my desk (and keyboard now).

Lunch Lady Kimberly: Those pizzas are low in calories and large in size. Very filling and delicious.

MichelleA: Have you guys tried the Dreyer's Slow Churned with 1/3 the fat? The French Silk is good.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Actually I just had some last night, the caramel. Let me see if I can find the exact name on the web site.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Actually, that ice cream is 1/2 the fat! See dreyers.com

Lunch Lady Kimberly: Hey Michelle, I didn't know about this. I must try it. I'm hooked with the slow churned phrase.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: The one I tried is called Caramel Delight and has 120 calories and 3.5 grams of fat per 1/2 cup serving (but who eats just 1/2 a cup?)

MichelleA: My roommate is addicted. I've had to remind her that just because it's 1/2, doesn't mean you can eat the entire half gallon.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Yep, especially when you pour chocolate fudge over it like I do (they have light and sugar free fudge now!).

Lunch Lady Gretchen: I try to stick to portion-controlled ice cream, like the Weight Watchers cookies and cream bar. My current favorite!

MichelleA: What I'm trying to create now is a meatloaf recipe using ground turkey. We've switched completely to that - but it lacks the consistency of ground beef - and doesn't make a good loaf. You make meat goo with a crispy crust, which is repellent.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Perhaps other readers have some good turkey meatloaf recipes. If so, e-mail us at breakroom@dallasnews.com and we'll post some in our next newsletter.

Lunch Lady Kimberly: Sounds interesting. At least you are trying new recipes. What else do you have?

MichelleA: well, so far with the meatloaf - I've discovered you pretty much have to omit the eggs you'd use in a regular meatloaf - the goo factor rachets up when you use eggs. But the easiest dinner I make - the kind you can throw in the oven when you come home, and then get a quick workout in while it's cooking - is simply to take a chicken breast, some frozen veggies, sprinkle on some Mrs. Dash, wrap in foil, and stick in the oven at 350. You don't even have to thaw the chicken breasts.

Lunch Lady Kimberly: Yes, wrapping it in foil works every time. Speaking of quick meals, have you ever tried Super Suppers? We reviewed that place a few months ago and were really impressed.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: How long do you have to cook it usually?

MichelleA: If you're using frozen chicken breasts, about 45 to an hour. If you're using thawed, probably 30 or so. Obviously, you can get a workout and a shower if you use the frozen instead!

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Great tips!

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Self promotional plug: To sign up for our newsletter go to: http://www.dallasnews.com/newsletters

Moderator: Ladies, can you give us any sneak peek info about your beer tasting? Were there any really bad ones?

Lunch Lady Kimberly: Well, we weren't all that enthralled by the watery taste of the low-carb beer Michelob Ultra. Gretchen thought it could be used for marathon-drinking and I suggested using it to water the plants.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: My boyfriend told me last night that he wouldn't trust us "girls" to review beer. I guess he thinks his manly tastebuds would do a better job. Well, we might not know about barley and hops, but we know what we like!

slw: Have you reviewed Roly Poly Sandwiches? Or do you plan to?

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Yes, in fact we have long, long ago. We loved the Chicken Popper. Let me see if I can dig up a link to the old review.

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Here's the url.

slw: thanks

Lunch Lady Gretchen: What is your favorite at Roly Poly?

Moderator: The Ladies just have a few more minutes -- send in your last questions now.

slw: Turkey Cristo I think...I've only just started going there...

Lunch Lady Gretchen: Hope everyone has a great day! Be sure to e-mail us at breakroom@dallasnews.com if you have other questions or review suggestions.

Lunch Lady Kimberly: Take care everyone and keep the emails coming.

Moderator: Thanks to Kimberly and Gretchen for chatting today, and thanks everyone for participating. See you in two weeks!