Calories in gluten-free macaroni sinful

Amy's Rice Macaroni With Non-Dairy Cheeze. $4.09 per 8-ounce frozen tray.

Bonnie: As more and more people are being diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition that results in gluten intolerance, gluten-free rice pasta products are being introduced, like this new Amy's Rice Macaroni. I was surprised to see that this mac and "cheeze" is also dairy-free, and pleasantly so by the cheese-like flavor of its non-cheese. A much less pleasant surprise was the notice in small letters that this is made at a plant that also processes wheat. That makes eating this a potential game of roulette for celiacs.

My only issue is the calories and fat in the small 8-ounce portion: 520 calories and a whopping 22 grams fat, or a third of the recommended daily limit. That's because gluten-free "pasta" entrees tend to be very dry unless additional fat is added. Stouffer's red box frozen meals are in no way diet fare, but its macaroni and cheese is about half as sinful as Amy's, with 270 calories and 12 grams fat. Unfortunately for celiac sufferers, the less sinful Stouffer's is not an option.

Carolyn: Amy's has offered a gluten-free rice mac and cheese for some time now. This new Rice Macaroni With Non-Dairy Cheeze is for people with multiple dietary issues. In addition to being gluten-free, this mac and "cheeze" also has no dairy or soy. The product's gluten-free rice pasta is fine: It doesn't taste bad or like rice. The dairy- and soy-free cheeze is the killer: It contains tons of oil and tastes like it.

The result is a health-store food that is anything but healthy. I'd say it's only for people who have problems with wheat, cheese and soy — and who also really, really miss mac and cheese.

Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Frozen Novelties. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Caramel Brownie, and Vanilla Fudge Brownie Sandwiches; Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Vanilla Caramel Chip, and Triple Chocolate Chip Bars. $4.29 per box of six, 3.5-ounce sandwiches or 2.5-ounce bars.

Bonnie: For Carolyn and me, summer usually means freezers overflowing with new ice creams. Tough job, huh? In the case of Breyers Smooth & Dreamy, it actually was.

The low quality of the ingredients and number of chemicals make these bars and ice cream sandwiches not even worth their 120 to 160 calories and 4 to 6 grams of fat. My objection to the chemicals is not just theoretical: In the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream and the Vanilla Fudge Brownie sandwiches, it's also part of the taste.