If you have a new product you want to test on our seventh-and eighth grade panelists, contact Diane Toops at [email protected], or 630-467-1300 ext. 321.
Angel Giordano, 7th grade:It tastes healthy, and looks appealing because it has a cool design. Before I knew it was healthy, it tasted like normal pasta. This would attract health-conscious people. It also would appeal to workers who bring their lunch to work because it is a home cooked meal that is made very quickly. One thing, it needs more pasta.Lexi McOwen, 7th grade:I really like the taste of the pasta. When I tried it, I thought it was normal white pasta, but after that I found out it is Ultra Grain pasta. I was surprised something that tasty could be healthy. But there is too much sauce for the amount of pasta. The sauce tastes really good and so does the pasta. Mikey Barnett, 7th grade:The pasta is very good; it tastes like normal pasta. The texture is very nice. I have nothing against this product; it's a home run. I could eat this every day. The sauce is also very good. I would definitely buy this pasta.Cece Martin, 7th grade:This is nothing special. I don't really it that much, but it isn't horrible. I think the packaging is good because the sauce is on top of the pasta. But the aftertaste of the pasta isn't good; it is grainy. The sauce is pretty good, so with the sauce it is altogether good.Ruby Schneider, 7th grade:When it is first put into the bowl, it looks like regular pasta, but also like mini lasagna. Without the sauce, it tastes fine and has whole grain goodness. But with the sauce, the tomato overpowers with the spice, so you can't really taste the pasta anymore. It does smell good at first. I would recommend this, but without the sauce.Steven Medina, 7th grade:I have always been a huge fan of pasta. I've seen lots of noodles, but never any that look like this. It reminds me a lot of amoeba. Unfortunately, it isn't anything special in flavor; it just tastes like regular pasta. Luckily, its package makes it extremely easy to make – pour hot water on it then microwave. It is an easy-to-make meal. I definitely recommend this.Rakael Fidis, 7th grade:The pasta tastes pretty plain by itself, but with sauce it tastes much better! I probably would buy it, or my mom would. The packaging is very plain. The sauce makes the pasta much better; it could use a bit more spice. I'm a vegetarian, so I wouldn't eat the meatballs, but I ate as much as I could of the sauce. It is pretty good. I would definitely buy it.Daniela Flores, 7th grade:The pasta is good and it's easy to make and open. It tastes like any other regular pasta. You can eat it with tomato sauce and basically any other condiment. It's flexible and it can probably melt right in your mouth, but you do have to chew it a little. Even little kids can eat this pasta. It's healthy because it has grain in it. The package has a plastic lid, and you can put it in the microwave and add water. A kid can do that with adult supervision. It's like a fast dinner food. It's perfect for when you are in a rush, and is great for kids. Devonte Elcock, 7th grade:The pasta is soft. All I got was one noodle. It tastes good, but still no sauce. And that's all I've got to say because I didn't get any sauce and that is bogus. Sorry for that, but one noodle only – come on now!Micaela Homer, 7th grade:The pasta is very comparable to regular, boiled pasta and much like it with a bland flavor. But add the great sauce, and pow! The meal is transformed. The shape of the pasta holds the sauce nicely. The sauce is flavorful and has surprise meatballs! The only problem is that the portions are definitely not big enough for an average meal. The packaging is the only thing that shows it isn't just like, if not better, than traditional pasta.Reginal Murphy, 7th grade:All I have to say is it is off the chain. Everthing is perfect. The texture is phenomenal. I will be buying this in the store. You really hit it big on this one. Bella Castilla, 7th grade:I like the pasta because it tastes good and it's healthy. I like the tomato sauce because it is sweet and has tasty meatballs in it. I think it would appeal to families who like good taste, but want to start eating healthy. I like the packaging because it looks like it will taste -- healthy. I like the smell of the tomato sauce because it's warm and sweet.Tatyana Young, 7th grade:The pasta tastes so good; it is the best pasta you would ever taste. The only problem is the sauce. I think it tastes better without it. If you go to the store and look for pasta, you should buy this pasta.Khaled Yehia, 7th grade:The pasta is great. You have a big hit. The flavor blows up in your mouth. The shape looks good and the packaging looks yummy. And it has a taste you can't explain; it is great.Cia Brooks, 7th grade:Ultra Grain Pasta is very tasty and tender. The meatballs bring the tang or the most flavor to the entrée. The package on the outside isn't very exciting; it doesn't scream, “buy me.” It's very enjoyable, and I will buy this product.Wali Deutsch, 7th grade:I loved this product. The tangy tomato sauce has a great flavor and really complements the pasta. This is a great product for lunch at school or work. The packaging is very appealing to the eye and it is very useful and convenient. I love it. By the way, it has great portion size.Gabrielle Linares, 7th grade:Ultra Grain Pasta is delicious and easy to open and it is very good with sauce. I personally don't like it without the sauce, but with the sauce, it is good. The pasta is very healthy but still tastes good.Sebastian Perez, 7th grade:I like this Ultra Grain Pasta; it looks and tastes like ordinary pasta. I didn't know until after that it was Ultra Grain. There is too much sauce for the pasta. The sauce is awesome – really good – and the pasta tastes much better with the sauce. It also has meatballs. I would really recommend this product.Rae Killebrew, 7th grade:Ultra Grain Pasta has a kind of sticky texture. It has a form of squiggly thick lines and tastes plain. Adding the sauce makes it taste very good. It has pepper in it, which makes it very spicy. With the addition of meat, it is very delicious.Christian Stankovic, 7th grade:This pasta tastes great and unique. It has a great texture that makes my mouth water. It looks very pleasing. Together with sauce, it creates a taste that makes me want more. I would definitely recommend this product to any pasta lover.Natalie Cleland, 7th grade:Ultra Grain Pasta is OK. At first, I didn't know it was whole grain, so that is good, but it didn't taste like anything. The packaging isn't very pretty, but it's cool because the sauce is separate. The sauce is amazing, and overall, it's good.Noah Bearman, 7th grade:The texture is too rough to resemble plain pasta. Also, the taste is almost the same as whole grain. The packaging is OK, but could use brighter colors to attract more people. Personally, I would buy regular whole grain noodles.Amy Rodriguez, 7th grade:It's slippery, dry and tasty. It smells like dough, tastes like regular pasta, looks like lasagna, attracts adults, has easy packaging, and is healthy.Jeffrey Brown, 7th grade:I think Ultra Grain Pasta is mostly healthy but plain. With the sauce, it is likely unhealthy. I would agree this is for people who love pasta. Maddy Behr, 7th grade:I don't really like it that much. It has a very grainy taste, so I guess people that like that will like this. I wasn't very surprised that it is healthy since it tastes like it. The packaging is a waste of plastic. I wasn't very enjoyable, but it is better when you add the sauce.Nick Pigozzi, 7th grade:Ultra Grain Pasta tastes very much like normal pasta and has a great, rich flavor. The sauce is probably my favorite part; it is very tasty and has meatballs in it. Without the sauce though, it isn't that great. I would suggest this product to any pasta lovers. I like this product.Marty Leoni, 7th grade:It is really good. I thought it was going to be bad, but it has a very good sauce. It is packed very efficiently and is portable. It would be liked by people 25-30 who work in an office. It is good!Mario Villegas, 7th grade:Everything is the sauce because the noodles by themselves are bad. With the sauce, it is good.Blaise Filippini, 7th grade:It dries out in your mouth, and it also has a weird shape. It's good sauce, spicy with a good garlic flavor. The pasta is bad though. Sell the sauce alone; with the sauce it's good.Russell Snapp, 7th grade: Ultra Grain Pasta is really good. I think it tastes exactly like regular pasta, which is good, considering what it's made of. The sauce is also delicious, and the product has really cool packaging.Ashley Roberts, 7th grade:The noodles have a good taste to them, and the sauce is OK. It has a decent taste with the sauce, but overall it isn't that good. To me, it doesn't meet the standards.Michael Matthew, 7th grade:Ultra Grain Pasta is packaged in an average container that doesn't stand out. The pasta itself tastes like regular pasta. The only difference is that it has more grain. It is not really necessary to buy because it tastes the same as regular pasta.Juliette Shesgreen, 7th grade:A first look at the pasta is that it looks unique, like a type of lasagna. Although it looks good and different, it is not; it is like any type of pasta. The only thing unique is the way it is made with an easy to make method with the instructions. I would recommend this to any worker or mother that needs an easy and fast way to make pasta.Rohan Murray, 7th grade:It tastes like Italian spaghetti, but the aftertaste of the sauce is sour. It tastes like vegetable and tomato soup. It is good, but needs more meat.Liliana Vasquez, 7th grade:When you look at the pasta, it looks appealing and something you want to eat. When you taste it, it's as good as it looks. Even if it's good, it's quick and easy to prepare. It should be a cheap product because it's easy to prepare and good. Without the sauce, it doesn't taste good, but adding the sauce makes it really good.Jack Brennan, 7th grade:This pasta is good. It smells good and tastes the same as regular pasta. There is no way to tell that it is made from healthier things. It is easy to open, and it is perfect. Mary Bauer, 7th grade:The pasta doesn't taste different than regular pasta, but it is healthier. The sauce given is too much for the pasta given. The sauce gives the pasta a lot of flavor and the meatballs taste wonderful. It also smells great. All in all, I think Ultra Grain Pasta is great.Nick Giangreco, 7th grade:These Ultra Grain noodles are very good. I was not able to tell that it is whole grain. The sauce is good and has many good little meatballs. The packaging looks very good and is something I'd buy. I like this product.Xavier Amandaji, 7th grade:Without anything else, it tastes pretty bland. It looks pretty healthy, and it is made with whole grain flour. It doesn't really taste like whole grain though. I think people who would buy it would buy it to stay healthy. It tastes better with the sauce. This product will make a lot (of sales). It is very good.Daphney Ambrose, 7th grade:The packaging is good for traveling. I can tell there is pepper in the sauce; the meatball, beef sausages are kind of chewy. The taste of the noodles is nice with the combination of the sauce.Jose Gonzalez, 7th grade:The pasta tastes awesome. It does taste like traditional pasta and it tastes good. The sauce is very tangy and meatballs go very well with it. I would buy it anytime I go to the store. It's very rich in flavor.Sucheta Bandyopadhyay, 7th grade:The pasta is very soft and yummy. I would recommend it to young people because there is a lot of oil in the sauce. It is in a plastic container, and you have to microwave it first before you eat it. The pasta is separate from the sauce. It is yummy, so enjoy!