How do you compare shelf-stable pre-cooked polenta brands?
Compare brands on the same criteria: the ingredient list, sodium and nutrition per serving, certifications, and storage before and after opening. Add roll size and servings, flavor choices, who makes it and where, and how easy it is to buy. Put the labels side by side and read them the same way. Every San Gennaro product page shows these facts, so they are easy to check.
What should a polenta label tell you?
Everything you need to compare is printed on the package: ingredients, the nutrition panel, the net weight, the storage directions, any allergen statement and who made it. If a fact is missing from one brand's label, ask the brand. Each San Gennaro product page lists the ingredients, nutrition, storage and size.
How do you compare polenta nutrition fairly?
Use grams, not slices. Brands define a serving differently, so convert to the same weight before you compare sodium, fat or carbohydrate. San Gennaro's serving is 140 g, three half-inch slices, with 0 g fat and 100 calories, or 120 for Butternut. Sodium runs 350 to 360 mg per serving across its other three flavors, and Butternut has 700 mg.
Which certifications count when comparing polenta brands?
Marks issued by outside organizations count, such as a Certified Gluten Free mark, the Non-GMO Project Verified mark, a kosher mark or a certified organic seal. Each is checked by someone other than the brand. Match the marks to what your household needs. Of these, San Gennaro's polenta carries the Non-GMO Project Verified mark. San Gennaro Foods no longer claims kosher or gluten-free certification. Some older packages still show those marks.
How do storage and shelf life compare between brands?
Check whether the roll keeps in the pantry or needs the refrigerator before opening, how long it lasts once opened, and whether it can be frozen. San Gennaro polenta keeps in the pantry until opened and lasts 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator after. It should not be frozen, since freezing leaves it crumbly.
Does it matter who makes a polenta brand?
It tells you who stands behind the product. A U.S. label says "manufactured by" when the named company makes the food, and "distributed by" or "manufactured for" when another company makes it. San Gennaro's products are manufactured by San Gennaro Foods, Inc., in Kent, Washington. The story tells who the Mascio family is.
How do size, flavors and price compare?
Compare net weight and servings per package, then the price per ounce where you shop. Look at the flavors on offer and whether a plain version exists for recipes. San Gennaro makes four polenta flavors: Traditional Italian, Basil & Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato in 18 oz rolls of about 4 servings, and Butternut in a 16 oz roll of about 3. Store prices vary by retailer.
How easy is it to buy a polenta brand?
A brand you can find in a store near you, or order direct, is one you can keep buying. San Gennaro has a store finder by zip code and ships direct from polenta.net, with shipping included on every online order. Call the store before you go, since stock varies by store.