Microwaveable egg rolls tasty, nutritious

Kahiki EasyCrisp Egg Rolls. Vegetable, Pork & Shrimp, and Chicken. $3.99 for 9.75-ounce package of three frozen egg rolls.

Bonnie: I was pleasantly surprised at how crisply these new egg rolls cooked in the microwave — and without the usual cooking-sleeve flavor or aroma. Each box contains three egg rolls, individually wrapped in their cooking pouch. To prepare them, you cut off both ends of the pouch and microwave them for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on your oven wattage.

In terms of nutrition and ingredients, these are winners. No unpronounceable ingredients, no trans fats, no preservatives. Each egg roll contains from 70 to 100 calories and 2 to 5 grams of fat, with the vegetable ones on the low end of both.

Since I couldn't find much chicken or shrimp in those varieties, the vegetable is the one I'd recommend. But skip Kahiki's horrid sauce. I instead dipped mine in some sweet hot sauce called Sweet Heat Addiction from the Art of Chipotle. That or your favorite duck sauce would go well with these.

Carolyn: Kahiki Foods EasyCrisp claims to be the first frozen egg roll designed for the microwave. Also impressive, along with the fast preparation method, is that the company can honestly market these as 100-calorie (or, in the case of the veggie and chicken, 70- and 80-calorie) snacks. And that is for a substantial 4-inch, 3-plus-ounce roll. Next to this, Nabisco's little, anemic 100-calorie packets of cookies and crackers don't stand a chance.

How was Kahiki able to accomplish this when competitive products deliver much more nutritional damage? I'm guessing it might have something to do with the roll wrapping, which, despite what Bonnie just said, is not all that crispy. (They probably need more calorie-filled grease.) But the cabbage, carrot and meat or fish stuffing all look and taste just like good takeout Chinese.

Kraft Jet-Puffed StarMallows Marshmallows. $1.39 per 10-ounce bag.

Bonnie: There's something about the Fourth of July and fireworks that brings out the patriotism in me. Seeing these new star-shaped red- (actually pink) white- and blue-colored marshmallows, I didn't immediately begin thinking about their artificial coloring or empty calories. Instead I began humming, "Hooray for the red, white and blue. ..."

Then I thought how much fun it would be to sprinkle these over the tablecloth at a Fourth of July picnic or use them to make patriotic s'mores.