Taste Testings: Consumer Product Reviews

Stir-fry tofu n’ sauce from Sunrise Soya Foods offers consumers an easier way to cook with tofu. Simply add vegetables to the already prepared tofu and sauce mix, then cook for five minutes. Each 250-g package of tofu contains no trans fat or cholesterol, and is a good source of calcium, iron and omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturates. The mixes are available in a range of spiciness, with four different flavours: Szechuan, Sesame Ginger, Curry and Teriyaki. Each package retails for $2.99.

Here’s what our taste-testing panel had to say:

Female, 20-something, sales
Curry. “I am not a vegetarian but I am all for variety when it comes to my food! I have purchased Sunrise products for over five years, and this is one of the top products thus far. Sunrise “Stir-fry Tofu n’ Sauce” product is great for a quick hearty meal. As a new mom it can be challenging to eat healthy when your attention is on the newborn. Most fast foods out there are not healthy. With the stir fry tofu n’ sauce line I can simply cut my vegetables and throw in the tofu and, as the package mentions, this meal is actually ready in five minutes! This cuts off some preparation time, and I no longer have to get my fingers wet from the liquid that usually sits in the regular tofu package, no need to cube the tofu, and in addition there’s no need to prepare a sauce. The flavour is absolutely great. It is not too much , it is not too little, it is just right. I love the fact that there is some extra sauce to season my vegetables. What a great idea. Thanks Sunrise!”

Male, 40-something, sales
Sesame Ginger. “My first thought was tofu, yuck. But I was willing to give it a try. I’m not a big stir fry fan, and when I make it I use chicken or beef, without much sauce. I was surprised at the taste. It was pretty good. I don’t know if I would chose tofu again – a bit rubbery for my taste – but I did like the sauce. Do they make the sauce on its own? My wife really enjoyed the meal, but my 17-year-old son was less impressed.”

Female, 30-something, teacher
Teriyaki; Szechuan. “The stir fry sauce was easy to make and convenient. I only made a single-portion of the Szechuan for myself, and used half the package, so I was disappointed that I could not reseal it. I was worried it would be too hot for me, and I was right. The Teriyaki was milder, with a pleasant sweet/spicy flavour which I enjoyed.”

Female, 40-something, editor
Sesame Ginger; Curry. “I was a bit skeptical of using a pre-packaged tofu mix – when I make stir fry I always cut up a block of tofu and make my own sauce. But it turned out to be a great way to make stir fry! It was so simple. I normally would stir fry the tofu first in broth, and then add the veggies, but I decided to follow the instructions on the package, which was the other way round. So instead I cut up the veggies and then added the tofu mix. It was great and no mess from tofu ‘juice’ or mixing sauces and spices. And it was definitely faster. The tofu was softer than I usually like though, but still good. The taste of both of these were great, although I think my favourite was the Sesame Ginger. The packaging was easy to open, and I liked the fact that there was lots of info on it, including a recipe. I’d buy these.”

Female, 12
Sesame Ginger. “Tastes good. It’s not too spicy or salty, so that’s OK. I like tofu better when it’s crunchier.”

Female, 10
Sesame Ginger. “The tofu is gross, but the vegetables are OK. The flavour is OK. I picked out all the tofu. I don’t want to eat this again.”

Female, 20-something, writer
Szechuan. “I’m a vegetarian, and I’ve tried tofu and sauce products before, so I was interested to see how Sunrise’s tofu n’ sauce compared (I’ve bought their tofu before). I was impressed with the nutritional content, but the sodium is very high. It was more than simple the make, and as advertised it was ready in about five minutes. I also love hot, hot food, so this was perfect for me. I’ll look for this at my favourite grocery store.”

Male, 30-something, driver
Teriyaki. “Ok, tofu, hmm, don’t think so! Seriously, it was better than I thought. Really easy to make, but I didn’t follow the recipe on the back. What’s a floret anyways? Tasty and a good quick meal.”

Female, 30-something, IT specialist
Sesame Ginger; Curry. “First, I liked the package and the recipes and nutritional information. I also like that this doesn’t come in a glass bottle or box – it’s so easy to store in my refrigerator! I found it easy to make with little mess. Both flavours were tasty, but the Curry needs more of a warning on the bag! It was spicy! We don’t eat stir fry very often, but my whole family enjoyed the product.”