Nutrisystem Turkey Hot Dog

When I think weight loss, I think hot dogs.

Our first item is the Nutrisystem Turkey Hot Dog, a hot dog in a box that doesn't require refrigeration.  I did a double-take at that.  Even the best hot dogs are kind of sketchy -- do you really trust one that has been sitting on a warm shelf for weeks?

Given the size of the box you might think you were getting a five-pack, but no.  There's just a single lonely dog in there.  On the bright side, you are cheerfully informed that the hot dog is "Perfectly Portioned for Weight Loss".

Price:  $0.25

Don't be fooled by the sticker on the box.  Our store was having a 4-for-a-dollar sale on certain Nutrisystem food items.  Imagine how little it will cost to fill your cupboard with these puppies!  For what it's worth, I also tried the Nutrisystem Butter Popcorn (funky) and Snack Mix (pretty normal) along with a product I'll review next week.

What's in there?  Would you eat it?

Preparation Time: 30 seconds

Thankfully the hot dog comes in an air-tight plastic wrapper.  It's too much to hope that it will be fresh, but at least there's a chance it won't be fatal.  Rip it open, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds and you'll have... a warm hot dog.  The instructions tell you to "Enjoy on a small whole grain roll (not included)".  Why stop there?  Why not "Enjoy on a small whole grain roll with chili made from grass-fed beef and a salad of organic vegetables washed down with a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade (not included)". 

Notable Nutrition: There are only 80 calories, which isn't bad.  Still, I'm a little wary of any meat that has more fat (6 grams) than protein (5 grams).

Taste: It smelled weird coming out of the plastic, but after heating it, sticking it in a piece of bread and dumping some ketchup, mustard and relish on it it really wasn't much different from most hot dogs I've had.

Verdict: I expected a lot worse.  5/10 stars.