Dinty Moore Beef Stew

As the cold weather rolls in, you may be looking for some cozy dinner options that can easily be made from the comfort of your home.

Enter Dinty Moore Beef Stew, a canned classic that claims to be full of beef and vegetables and can be prepared in just a matter of minutes. The company’s website paints a wholesome picture of this supposed American staple:

An American family favorite for over 80 years, DINTY MOORE® Beef Stew is the trusted name when it comes to flavor and quality. Every mouthful contains large chunks of real, tasty beef, cut carrots, and potatoes, all swimming in a rich and delicious gravy. This preservative-free beef stew is hearty and makes a tasty, homestyle meal to fill up with after a long day.

And if you need more than just words to convince you, Dinty Moore also showcases images on the can and on its website that could easily be mistaken for a home-cooked meal:

But after receiving a consumer tip that the actual stew “resembles nothing like what’s on the label,” TINA.org purchased a can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew and discovered that the advertising is indeed a bit beefed up. Here is how the stew looks in real life:

Plenty of gravy but where are the advertised large chunks of beef? In addition to our tipster, several consumers have left reviews on the company’s website (where the product has a 2.4 out of 5 star-rating) pondering this same question:

Of note, while the consumers above were disappointed by how little they found, others have gotten more than they bargained for – the company recently recalled 250,000 pounds of this beef stew after three consumers reportedly found wood in it.

Dinty Moore did not respond to TINA.org’s request for comment.

The bottom line

Unfortunately, many consumers have likely had the experience of buying a food item that didn’t match an advertiser’s image or description. When grocery shopping, you may want to temper your expectations or consider reading consumer reviews before trying something new.

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