The Kroger Brand Meat Some Shoppers Are Calling 'Nasty'

Spaghetti and meatballs rock our world, but at least one major grocer isn't delivering on the goods we need. We already knew that Kroger's cheap spaghetti pasta was a problem, according to reviews, but it seems the meatballs that might otherwise top said spaghetti are a fail as well ... at least, to some customers who took the time to write reviews.

Reports on the Mild Italian Style Pork Meatballs are, to say the least, disappointing. When customers take offense to this item, it seems they have a multitude of issues with it, judging from reviews on Kroger's product landing page. "Nasty!" one review griped, in all caps. "These were nasty! They didn't even taste like real meat and were so bad I threw them away." Another unhappy buyer took things even further: "These are the worst meatballs. EVER...Bland, greasy and worst part is that, after cooking them, they're like rubber balls. You can't eat them. Save your money and pass them up."

Further bad reviews called the meatballs' texture bouncy or sticky, and argued that there was little-to-no flavor. It's worth mentioning that the reviewers who didn't hate the meatballs were pretty complimentary about them, appreciating the same (otherwise maligned) flavor, the convenience factor for an easy meal, or their versatility for pasta, meatball subs, and other recipes. Others argued that, since these are pork meatballs, they might be expected to be different from "normal" beef meatballs. But no logic could slow down the overwhelming disappointment of most reviews. 

Looking at the ingredient list for Kroger's Mild Italian Style Pork Meatballs, the main components are pork first and foremost, with 98% of the meatballs being rounded out by water and corn syrup. That last item is the only culprit we can imagine for why folks might complain about texture or flavor. The marginal ingredients, which include spices, sodium lactate, and natural flavoring, includes yet more corn derivatives, in the form of corn oil. 

Corn products have been used to add moisture to meat products in a cheap way, so it kinda makes sense to think about it making its way into Kroger's (reasonably-priced) private label meatball offering. We just can't help but wonder if, in a sea of "normal" meatball ingredients, is corn syrup affecting the taste and texture in an unpleasant way?

If you want to doctor up some store-bought meatballs with a vintage tip involving jelly, you might elect to steer clear of Kroger's raw Italian-style meatballs. You could check out another brand, of course, and hope for better results. Ultimately, however, if you seek true homestyle flavor, your best option is to check out the best way to freeze meatballs as part of meal prep and make a big batch ahead of time. This way, you can control the ingredients (and, by extension, the taste!), and have the food prepped ahead of time for easy cooking when you need a quick meal.