Packaged frozen schnitzel/nuggets really bad?

honey36

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 6:47 pm

My kids love the store bought frozen schnitzel (of tov brand, but I've also seen other brands). Their cut in shapes like teddy bears or hearts etc. It's not just about the convenience (although that's great also) but when I make my own schnitzel, they just don't like it as much. Some don't eat it, some will have a little depends on their mood. They all love the frozen store bought one and eat with no complaints! I like them to eat healthy though! So how bad is this shnitzel? The ingredients are as follows:
Chicken breast, chicken fat, bread crumbs, textured soy protein, potato flakes, soy protein concentrated, potato flour, salt, sodium phosphate, pepper, garlic, spices and flavor, sugars, onion powder, celery powder.
Coating: wheat flour, water, salt, yeast, vegetable oil, food coloring (paprika extract) pea starch, modified starch, carboxymethyl, cellulose, guar gum, browned in soybean oil.
No preservatives.

The ingredients don't seem that bad to me, obviously my homemade shnitzel is much healthier (just chicken, eggs, salt, cornflake crumbs and spray oil) but they won't always eat it! (They also won't eat any other type of chicken except maybe very well done wings or bbq chicken sometimes).

So can I feel okay about giving them the store bought shnitzel on a regular basis or no? Is it basically like as bad as hot dogs?

Stars

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 7:04 pm

I think the problem is that the chicken is processed but don’t quote me on this, I’m not sure. I don’t think 2-3 times a month is that bad.
Also, how are you making your homemade ones? My kids love my homemade shnitzel, they think the frozen ones are not as good. They’ll eat it cuz they eat almost anything but they’re meh about it.

honey36

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 7:31 pm

Stars wrote:

I can't fry (I've tried, can't handle the smoke, spraying oil everywhere, can never get temp of oil right, either burns or is raw inside.), so I just egg, bread, spray oil and bake. I like it this way also and think it tastes great fresh out of the oven. Sometimes they'll eat this.
My kids don't like any of the fancy garlic/mustard/parsley flakes flavors etc. I've tried that Their food needs to be very simple and plain.
How do you make your shnitzel? Any other ideas of how to get my kids to eat chicken? They dont even like ketchup etc. Nothing saucy, they like chicken soup but no chicken pieces in it.

Stars

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 7:54 pm

honey36 wrote:

I make mine plain too.

Shnitzel In baby steps:
(Don’t skip any steps)

Dip thin pieces of cutlet in flour, egg and cornflake crumbs. The flour should have salt in it. The egg should be beaten very well and have some salt, a drop of garlic and some chicken soup mix in it. The crumbs should have a bit of salt in it too. Keep one hand for the wet layers and one hand for the dry ones.

Once they’re all coated evenly, heat a thin thin layer of oil (I’d say two tablespoons and spread it around the pan. Use a small to medium flame the entire time. Don’t raise it, ever. Spray one droplet of egg in it and see if it bubbles up right away then your pot is ready. Never turn the heat up to more than medium. Starting at the 12:00 spot in the pan, place one cutlet at a time in the oil, flipping them over at the 3 minute mark. Refill the oil after every batch in the pan.
Place them on a paper plate, or a regular plate lined with paper towel.

The tricks are: thin pieces of chicken, seasonings in every layer of the coating, never turning your heat up too high, not using more than a shmear of oil while frying, and letting them sit on a paper towel so they don’t get soggy but the oil has where to go.

Cheiny

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 8:05 pm

honey36 wrote:

The second ingredient is chicken fat, and most of the rest are fillers, food coloring. I think we all know it’s pure junk. Once in a while is ok, I wouldn’t give more than that.

amother

Emerald

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 8:06 pm

honey36 wrote:

Most of the kosher supermarkets have a much better and just as easy option, in the butcher showcase they have raw, breaded chicken cutlets.

amother

Pewter

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 8:08 pm

I consider those on par with hot dogs and deli meat. It's processed food with lots of less healthy fillers. Do I give them to my kids? Sure, on occasion. I don't make a regular habit of it. My preferred frozen meal for my kids is dr praegers fishies. They come in fish shapes and the ingredients are a bit more wholesome than most frozen meals.

amother

Azure

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 8:17 pm

I am very hesitant to give them to my kids. My kids eat my regular shnitzel fine. I actually have bags of them in my freezer from the food distributions and I am so hesitant to try them. I also use dr. Praegers fisheiea as my frozen supper meal.
I think once in a while (maybe 1-2 times a month) is fine but personally I wouldn't do it more than that.

I use whole wheat bread crumbs on my shnitzel hat I flavor with paprika, salt and garlic powder and everyone races about them. I have tried cornflake crumbs but my kids won't touch them. Maybe try to make yours with a different coating and see what happens.

honey36

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 8:18 pm

Stars wrote:

Wow! Thanks so much, ok maybe I'll try my hand at frying again...so you first do flour, then egg? Also what type of oil do you use? Isn't it annoying to refill the oil after every batch? Then you have to wait for it to heat up again? Are you standing over the stove for an hour? I guess if I'm only making 12 pieces or so for dinner shouldn't take too long?

honey36

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 8:22 pm

Cheiny wrote:

The second ingredient is chicken fat, and most of the rest are fillers, food coloring. I think we all know it’s pure junk. Once in a while is ok, I wouldn’t give more than that.

I didn't think chicken fat is so bad for kids. Their not overweight and can use more fat in their diets. Obviously olive oil and avocado would be better, but this way they also get some protein...yes I agree food coloring and some other ingredients are not great, but probably not enough to be too harmfull. No excess sugar or preservatives.

Amelia Bedelia

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 8:33 pm

honey36 wrote:

You don't need to refill the oil between batches, only as needed. Also, I use a lot more than 2 T. Yes, frying can be time consuming but you can't beat the taste to oven frying.

Perhaps consider trying an air fryer. Tastes almost as good as pan frying and much less fattening.

Stars

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 8:34 pm

honey36 wrote:

First flour, then egg, then crumbs (whatever kind you like, just season it a bit).
I use canola oil, don’t shoot me. Olive oil burns too fast for frying.
It’s not annoying to refill, I have a small bottle I keep next to the pan while frying and just give another shpritz every time the pan gets empty again.
You don’t have to wait more than a minute or so since the pan is already hot from before.
I don’t stand there for an hour! No patience for that. I don’t know what you mean by 12 pieces but I don’t stand over the stove for more than 15 minutes or so. less if I have frozen raw shnitzel in the freezer.

honey36

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 8:37 pm

Amelia Bedelia wrote:

The fattening issue doesn't bother me, it's more that the frying is a hassle. Ive been curious about these air fryers but really hesitant to get another kitchen gadget. Also the ones I've seen are huge and I dont really have room, but maybe I'll look into it a bit more and see if ppl rlly think it's worth it...

honey36

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 8:43 pm

Stars wrote:

Yes, I think one of my problems was using olive oil and making the heat too high. Ok, I will try as you said. I guess the canola oil is ok since there won't be that much of it in the final product...

honey36

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 9:17 pm

MiracleMama wrote:

My schnitzel is juicy inside, crisp outside and I don't fry it and I don't patchke with egg and flour dip either. I brush, using pasty brush, with honey mustard and sprinkle with seasoned panko. Both sides. Spray with oil and bake.

Yes I've tried that one. Also tried with mayo instead of the honey mustard. Kids didn't like the mustard one at all, the mayo went over a little better prob. B/c more of a neutral taste. Depends on their mood though...

amother

Violet

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 9:29 pm

Here’s a pretty healthy version of schnitzel with a simple but yummy taste. My picky kids like it. From Jamie Geller cookbook:

Mix 1/2 cup flour with 1/4 cup matzo meal, plus salt and pepper. Dip cutlets in beaten egg, then coat with flour mixture.

Heat olive oil in pan, then cook chicken over high heat for 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t crowd chicken in pan or it won’t brown.

When chicken is thoroughly cooked, remove from pan. Drain oil from pan. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth to pan, stirring to get up all the browned bits. Spoon broth over cutlets.