Express rice this most certainly is (Uncle Ben's Express Golden Vegetable Rice)

Member Name: balfury

Product:	Uncle Ben's Express Golden Vegetable Rice
Date:	12/08/08 (34 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: rice when you need it

Disadvantages: disasterous when i run out!

Uncle Ben's Express Golden Vegetable Rice
History.
Uncle Ben's is a brand name for rice and related food products. Owned by Master foods (makers of famous sweets such as mars bar, snickers and maltesers) . The brand is located in Houston, Texas.
Uncle Ben's rice was first marketed in 1943 and was the top-selling rice in the US from 1950 'till the 1990s.


Nutritional Values per 100g (250g pack)
Energy 630kJ 148kCals
Protein 3.3g
Carbohydrate 29.7g of which is sugars 0.6g
Fat 1.8g of which is saturated 0.3g
Fibre 0.6g
Salt 0.6g
Contains yeast.
This product contains no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Packaging.
The packaging is bright and clear, it uses vibrant colours that catch the eye, there are pictures of real vegetables on the front as well as a bowl of steaming rice which make the product more desirable. However the rice does not look like that when it comes out of the microwave! The back of the packaging has nutritional info as well as ways to cook the product.

Flavour & Texture.
The rice is fluffy and light on the palette there is a sweetness to the rice and a hint of something that I assume is vegetable but it tastes quite synthetic, however it is a pleasant taste but not overpowering.

Availability.
I find this pre packed rice to be of immense value when I am short of time (as I often am around dinner time these days) I usually find this in supermarkets at 2 for £2 or 3 for £3 (its essentially the same offer) and I will stock up. I have yet to go to a supermarket that does not stock this rice along with all the other variations.

Others in the range.
There are also other micro rice in the uncle Ben's range
Thai Sweet Chilli, Wholegrain, Special Fried, Savoury Chicken,Long Grain, Egg Fried, Basmati, Pilau, Chinese Vegetable, Pilau Mushroom, Mexican, Lemon and Rosemary, Garlic and Coriander, Tomato and Basil, Spicy Mexican Rice, Wholegrain and Vegetables and Long grain and wild
Why I love it.
The rice cooks very quickly in the microwave in the packaging it is supplied in and come out light and fluffy, its not gloopy as with other micro rice I have tried. Many times I have found myself eating the rice on its own as a warm snack. my absolute favourite has to be with Ye old oak's chicken sweet and sour, one pack serves 2 people and one packet of rice is quite enough. Both are microwaved though the flavour and texture is so robust you would never know. I micro wave the rice first then the sweet and sour as the sweet and sour keeps the rice warm on the plate. My work colleagues are fond of Pot noodles so one day I bought in a couple packets of rice and they have these instead during their lunch hour now! The vegetables are not to dissimilar to those you would find in a pot noodle, they lack flavour or any real definition, that's why I like to chuck in a small handful of frozen peas or sweet corn. The rice itself works harmoniously with other Uncle bens produce, if you have the time, making uncle bens sweet and sour pork (from jar) with a couple packets of rice will feed a family of four and taste delightful.

Express rice this most defiantly is, to be honest if I had the time I would boil real rice every time but in today's world I barely have time to rip the top off and pop it in the microwave, making it as essential in my kitchen as the microwave itself!
I also have this reviewon ciao.

Summary: a good rice that is ready in a short amount of time