In Case Of Thanksgiving Emergencies, The Best And Worst Turkey TV Dinners (TASTE TEST) | HuffPost Life

When tragedy strikes, be ready with a Plan B.

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We're all about the homemade Thanksgiving meal here at HuffPost Taste. We've taught you how to cook the perfect turkey, plan the perfect meal, and be the perfect hostess. But sometimes, all you end up with is the perfect storm -- you forget to defrost your turkey, your oven fails to turn on, or the fire department ends up spending some quality time at your house.

Because emergencies happen to the best of us, we all need a Plan B on Thanksgiving Day. We refuse to order takeout, because Chinese food and pizza will only dampen your soul after spending the entire month of November lusting after turkey and stuffing. So what's the best way to get your turkey fix on the quick and easy? The TV dinner.

Frozen Thanksgiving-style meals exist -- and before this taste test, that's about all we could say for them. But now we've tasted five popular brands, and we can say without hesitation that … well, they should still be your Plan B. But will they satisfy your craving for turkey and mashed potatoes? Absolutely -- but only if you buy the right one.

Check out the results of our taste test below to find out which brands to buy and which ones to leave in the freezer case.

As always, this taste test was in no way influenced or sponsored by the brands included.

#5: Marie Callender's (LAST PLACE: STEER CLEAR)

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Comments: "This looked promising because of the copious mashed potatoes, but there's something wrong with the flavor. It's so heavy and sweet! And the turkey is rubbery." "The vegetables are sad and watery. The potatoes are gummy and sweet. The turkey is made of barf and plastic." "The turkey is too sweet and the vegetables are watery." "The vegetables are terrible -- spongy, flavorless."

#4: Smart Ones (Not Recommended)

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Comments: "The roasted vegetables are nice, but it loses points for not having mashed potatoes." "The gravy is really dark, but tastes way too salty." "Heavy on the dried herbs, and the turkey is pretty cardboard-like." "The veggies aren't terrible, but I hated the gravy." "The turkey is really similar to deli meat." "It's pretty to look at, but the stuffing has a sawdust aftertaste."

#3: Lean Cuisine (Mildly Recommended)

Damon Dahlen/The Huffington Post

Comments: "Half of this meal is applesauce! It's not horrible though, and the turkey is nice and tender." "Sad, salty gravy. Really sweet, out-of-place applesauce." "The stuffing tastes stale and almost chewy. The turkey's fine, but what's up with the disproportionate amount of applesauce?" "This is probably the best turkey of the group, has good texture." "The turkey is tender and appealing, but WTF, applesauce?"

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#2: Stouffer's (Recommended)

Damon Dahlen/The Huffington Post

Comments: "Very classic flavors and elements. It's the best turkey of the bunch. My only complaint is a slightly off aftertaste from the mashed potatoes, but that's to be expected with frozen food." "The potatoes taste like KFC mashed potatoes. The stuffing is serviceable. The turkey is actually okay." "The turkey's not awful, probably the best of them all." "The potatoes are actually okay."

#1: Hungry-Man (WINNER: Recommended)

Damon Dahlen/The Huffington Post

Comments: "This is the only offering that includes all the necessary Thanksgiving dishes: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetables and cranberry sauce. Kudos for that." "As frozen turkey dinners go, this is the least depressing. The stuffing sucks, though." "The frozen vegetables are awful, but everything else is decent." "Most bang for your buck: Good tangy cranberry sauce the others don't have. Overall, it's like a school lunch."

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Before You Go

Turkey Recipes

Soy-Sauce-And-Honey-Glazed Turkey(01 of15)

Here, turkey is marinated and basted with Asian ingredients like soy, sesame, honey and ginger, giving it superb flavor and a beautiful mahogany color.Get the Recipe for Soy-Sauce-and-Honey-Glazed Turkey (credit:Con Poulos/Food & Wine)

Southwestern Rubbed Turkey (02 of15)

Smoked paprika is the key to the turkey rub in this Southwestern-inspired recipe. Roasting the bird breast-side down for the first half keeps the breast meat succulent and moist.Get the Recipe for Southwestern Rubbed Turkey (credit:EatingWell)

Slow-Roasted Herbed Turkey Breast(03 of15)

Searing this turkey breast in a skillet before roasting it keeps it extra moist. Sage, rosemary and thyme make a fabulous "turkey trifecta," but you can also create your own herb combinations.Get the Recipe for Slow-Roasted Herbed Turkey Breast (credit:Quentin Bacon)

Roast Turkey Breast With Sage And Vegetable Stuffing(04 of15)

Tender, roasted turkey pairs phenomenally well with buttery sage stuffing.Get the Recipe for Roast Turkey Breast with Sage and Vegetable Stuffing (credit:Julie Toy)

Rosemary-Maple Glazed Turkey Breast With Gravy(05 of15)

A rosemary orange-butter glaze makes this turkey breast special.Get the Recipe for Rosemary-Maple Glazed Turkey Breast with Gravy (credit:Frances Janisch)

Roasted Garlic And Meyer Lemon-Rubbed Turkey(06 of15)

The secret ingredient in this amazing roast turkey rubbed with Meyer lemon and roasted garlic? Mellow white miso paste. The miso gives the turkey a mildly salted taste without the hassle of brining.Get the Recipe for Roasted Garlic and Meyer Lemon-Rubbed Turkey (credit:EatingWell)

Turkey With Orange-Thyme Butter And Fennel And Bacon Stuffing(07 of15)

If you're craving a hearty and decadent holiday turkey, try this recipe -- the stuffing is filled with applewood-smoked bacon and spicy Italian sausage. Get the Recipe for Turkey with Orange-Thyme Butter and Fennel and Bacon Stuffing (credit:Ray Kachatorian)

Herbed Turkey Two Ways (08 of15)

Cooking a turkey's white and dark meats separately prevents the breast from drying out before the tougher leg meat is fully cooked. This clever method also cuts the turkey cooking time by two-thirds. Because of this turkey's large size, salting at least 8 hours before cooking allows the delicious herby seasoning to shine through.Get the Recipe for Herbed Turkey Two Ways (credit:Quentin Bacon/Food & Wine)

Apple-Shallot Roasted Turkey(09 of15)

Roasting this herb-rubbed turkey with apples and shallots is the secret to its flavorful meat. Extra shallots in the roasting pan give the gravy a rich, caramelized shallot flavor.Get the Recipe for Apple-Shallot Roasted Turkey (credit:EatingWell)

Roasted Turkey Drumsticks(10 of15)

Dark meat lovers unite! In this recipe, turkey drumsticks are oven-roasted, which results in crisp, beautifully browned skin. The addition of wine and water make a lovely gravy.Get the Recipe for Roasted Turkey Drumsticks (credit:New Media Publishing)

Roast Turkey(11 of15)

This turkey recipe delivers exactly what everyone wants most on their Thanksgiving table: a juicy, gorgeous browned bird.Get the Recipe for Roast Turkey (credit:New Media Publishing)

Roast Turkey With Chestnut Stuffing(12 of15)

Chestnuts add a rich nutty flavor and some crunch to this Italian-inspired roast turkey.Get the Recipe for Roast Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing (credit:EatingWell)

Brine-Cured Roast Turkey(13 of15)

You'll need to start preparing this turkey three days ahead of time, but it's worth it because the brining process makes the meat so juicy and flavorful that you'll remember it for years to come.Get the Recipe for Brine-Cured Roast Turkey (credit:EatingWell)

Pomegranate Rosemary Roasted Turkey (14 of15)

This roasted turkey's one-of-a-kind glaze is a fantastic combination of sweet (honey) and tart (pomegranates). Get the Recipe for Pomegranate Rosemary Roasted Turkey (credit:New Media Publishing)

Lemon-Garlic Roast Turkey And White-Wine Gravy(15 of15)

This turkey's zesty lemon-garlic rub gives it amazing tangy flavor. Brining the turkey makes it extra juicy.Get the Recipe for Lemon-Garlic Roast Turkey and White-Wine Gravy (credit:EatingWell)

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