I heard colleagues talk about these sheets they saw at the American Dietetic Association’s conference a few years ago. I didn’t attend that year–I had my son exactly around the same time–and I missed on the cool products are promoted in the Expo part of the conference. Either ways, this was one of them. I was curious, contacted the company, and asked for samples to review and share with my readers.

They are called Flavor Magic Portion Control Sheets, and they come in four flavors, Zesty Cajun, Garlic Citrus Teriyaki, Dijon Honey Mustard, and Riviera Tomato & Basil. My free sample was the Garlic Citrus Teriyaki.

The company’s marketing material say that these sheets help control portions while allowing busy consumers to conveniently make homemade meals and season their food without much added salt and fat to help with weight loss efforts. The sheets can be used with meat, chicken, fish, or tofu, which can be baked, grilled, or steamed.

We started with frozen tilapia fillets. While I love fresh seafood, I like to keep something in my freezer for those emergency meals when I can’t make it to the grocer. The tialpia was narrow but long, so I had to use two sheets per fillet. We placed the fish on top of the sheets, covered (as instructed on the package), and left them in the fridge overnight.

The next day, the tilapia absorbed the spices well. But obviously. only from one side. Then we pan-seared the fish on a cast iron pan.

What did we think?

There were some good things about this products, but sadly, also some things we didn’t like. So let’s start with the negative so we end on a good note!

The bad:

• It’s hard to make your food match the size of the sheets all the time. So there might be waste.
• The spices weren’t strong enough. I’m used to cooking with a lot of spices so this didn’t seem to be as flavorful.
• Because the flavor wasn’t strong enough or satisfying for my taste, I couldn’t help but grab the salt shaker to compensate.
• The cost. The sheets sell for $8.99 for 15 servings (sheets) and $26.97 for 60 sheets. If you’re cooking for one, that’s $26.97 for two months–and multiply by the number of your family members if you’re cooking for more.
• Portion control can’t be guaranteed. These don’t make magic. If you don’t know what the right portion size is, they help show you. If you to overlook this information, you can easily use two sheets and double the amount. Simple.
• Only on side gets the spices.

The good:

• Convenience: simple and took no time to prepare.
• No cleaning required.
• If you’re not a regular cook, they could save you time and offer new flavors.

Do I recommend them?

It depends on your cooking style. If you have the time and interest in cooking, then you’re probably better off learning how to control your portions and using your own favorite flavors. But if convenience is your middle name, they might not be a bad idea to try.