Trader Joe's Butternut Squash and Creamed Spinach Gratin

The pros:  Ready super quick in the microwave, no oven required. Trader Joe's Butternut Squash and Creamed Spinach Gratin is a tasty a break from traditional butternut squash dishes.

The cons:  Wish there was more creamed spinach. Or cheese for that matter. I actually think that Trader Joe’s Scalloped Potatoes with Quattro Formaggio should set the cheesy basis for all other gratin dishes.

The verdict:  For $4.99, this is a good choice but could be better. I was really hoping for creamy spinach and tender butternut squash, almost like a lasagna. What I got was something close. You'll have to watch cook times (opt for the higher microwave time, mine wasn't cooked through and its hard with a steamy cover to check for doneness).

The box in the refrigerated section:

The nutritional information, ingredients, and how to prepare:

How Trader Joe's describes it:

What comes in the box:

After coming out of the microwave (yes, you read that right the directions are very clear, don't use the oven):

Would I buy this again? This is only a maybe for me. They have so many stellar side dishes right now for the holiday season. Your best choices right now are Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gratin, Trader Joe’s Carrot Souffle, and my personal favorite Trader Joe’s Scalloped Potatoes with Quattro Formaggio. Those three alone could each be polished off as a meal themselves they are so good. This was good, visually this isn't a pretty dish, but totally could be. If they were in lasagna like stacks where you could portion them out in a neater way, that would be better, but I understand that by spreading them out it ensures a more even cooking. This is a good dish to have just for a Sunday dinner.

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.