I always try to keep a stash of Madras Lentils from Tasty Bite in my pantry. I pick these up in the 8 pack box pretty much every time I go to Costco.
These are one of my “go to” meals when it’s 10 am and I realize that I haven’t eaten breakfast yet. They also work as a great 3 pm snack when I need something filling to get me through to dinner time.
Let me walk you though the key features of theses lentils so you can decide if they are right for you.
Key Features
The key features that I think are important about these lentils are:
- Flavor
- Price
- Nutrition Information
- Dietary Certifications
Let’s look at each of these features in more detail:
Flavor
Obviously, flavor is subjective and what one person loves another might dislike.
That being said, I really enjoy these lentils. The Madras lentils are filling without being heavy. They deliver a rich, creamy Indian flavor profile while maintain a very low heat level.
I LOVE spicy foods but do not mind that these lentils are mild as they have enough flavor from the creamy tomato sauce to make me happy. The tomato sauce is flavored with dried onion, chili powder, cream, butter and dried ginger.
The product is a mix of black lentils and red kidney beans. I enjoy the textural contrast, both in size and tenderness, between the two legumes.
I have absolutely no idea if the flavor of this product is “authentic”. I have been to multiple Indian restaurants over the years and this does taste exactly like something I would expect to be served off of the menu.
Price of the Lentils
The Tasty Bite Madras Lentils come in a 8 pack at Costco that costs about $13. This results in each 10 oz. package costing $1.62.
I can find equivalent individual packages of Tasty Bite products in regular grocery stores and they typically cost at least $3 per package so you are getting a massive discount at Costco.
One of the things I appreciate about the packaging is that while you are technically buying these lentils in bulk, each serving is in its own pouch which means you can take your time consuming the product.
This is not the case for some items like the jumbo bags of pretzels where once you open them it is only a matter of time before the whole bag goes stale.
Nutrition Information
In general, these lentils are pretty healthy with the only significant concern being the sodium content.
Tasty Bite says that there are two servings per 10 ounce package but I always eat the whole package so that is how I am going to base my nutrition information.
Per Package Nutrition Information:
- Calories: 290
- Fat: 11g (15% DV)
- Cholesterol: 15mg (5% DV)
- Carbohydrates: 35g (13% DV)
- Sodium: 940mg (41% DV)
- Protein: 11g
I appreciate that this product is low in calories, fat and cholesterol. I just wish it had a little less salt.
Dietary Certifications
The Tasty Bite Madras Lentils are certified as:
- Organic
- Vegetarian
- Kosher
- Non GMO
The product does contain dairy and is processed in a facility that handles tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy.
Heating and Serving
Each box of comes with 8 pouches that each contain 10 ounces of food. The packaging states that there are two servings per pouch but I have always eaten the whole bag and my daughter has never offered to share any of hers so…..I am going to call one pouch a single portion!
Heating Instructions
The packaging says to vent the pouch and heat the lentils for 60 seconds on High in your microwave.
After a little testing here is how we heat these up:
- Use the Easy Tear Notch at the top of the package to open the pouch half way.
- Place the pouch in the microwave.
- Heat for 90 seconds on High.
- Pour contents into a bowl and stir.
Serving Ideas
I grab a pouch of these lentils when I am hungry and in a hurry and do not do anything except pour them in a bowl and dig in with a spoon. For me this is a fast and delicious meal that comes in under 300 calories.
Tasty Bite offers the serving suggestions of serving these lentils over a bed of rice or with flatbread. I suspect both of those ideas are excellent. The Tasty Bite website also offers an interesting recipe for using this product for Lettuce Wrapped Lentils and that is probably worth a try!
Disgusting. Absolutely NO FLAVOR at all. I have eaten other Tastybites and other brands of Madras Lentils and like them but this was a huge mistake. Even a large dose of salt barely made them edible.
Wow, very surprising! Hmmm…I have been hearing about people who are having a hard time tasting and smelling…
I found these really good as well. Nicely seasoned, not too much but not too little and very handy since they are shelf stable. They make a great dinner for one over some rice with a salad or veg of some sort.
Too expensive if you are an Indian and regularly eat daal makhni In $13 you could get required ingredients and prepare the Daal makhni and divide in batches and freeze it. It would last for couple of month and when needed take a batch out and reheat. Thus no preservatives or High sodium content.
If you want to enjoy this once in a while it is worth it.