We Tried Oprah's New Line of Side Dishes and Soups, O! That's Good [Video]

Oprah, a fixture of your television screen, is now coming to your kitchen. A Weight Watchers spokesperson since 2015, the talk show host has long been an advocate of healthy living. Now she wants to bring that attitude directly to your refrigerator, with a new line of soups and sides called O! That's Good. The staff at Food & Wine had the opportunity to test several of microwaveable dishes from the upcoming line, which will hit grocery store shelves in October of this year. Here's what we thought of Oprah's food.

She's on your television and newsstands, and now she can be in your kitchen too. Yes, Oprah, arguably the most famous television host on the planet, released her own line of soups and side dishes this year. The Food & Wine staff tried the entire line, in case you're curious if you'll love them as much as you love Oprah.

O, That's Good! Three Cheese Pasta Side with Butternut Squash, $5 on amazon.com

Courtesy of Mealtime Stories, LLC Courtesy of Mealtime Stories, LLC

Soups

• Creamy Tomato Basil Soup: A solid tomato soup, reminiscent of a marinara sauce you might find in a prepared pasta dish, but far healthier—it's mixed with a helping of carrots and celery to up the amount of vegetables you're getting in each bite.
• Creamy Butternut Squash Soup: The standout of the group, this flavorful soup is true to its name: The creamy mix of squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots is just the right amount of salty, sweet, and savory, and tastes exactly like the hearty fall soup you'll want to stock up on once there's a chill in the air.
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup: The texture of this soup is thicker than others, perhaps because the cheese is mixed with butternut squash puree—remember, this is Oprah's take on a healthy diet. Still, it doesn't taste as though you're forcing yourself to eat healthily, and as a bonus, it's hiding satisfying chunks of broccoli and carrots.
• Baked Potato Soup: Another hearty option from the line, this soup could be a meal on its own and stands up to its other canned competitors in the grocery store.

Sides:

• Original Mashed Potatoes: Perhaps not as creamy as we would have hoped, Oprah's mashed potatoes—which are mixed with cauliflower—would still be a welcome addition to a dinner of chicken breast and steamed broccoli, for instance. Just don't expect the denseness you're used to from other potato-based sides.
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Another stand out from the line, the garlic flavor in this potato and cauliflower mix had us eating it straight out of the container. Between the two mashes, we preferred this one.
• Three Cheese Pasta: We know these are supposed to be sides, but this healthy take on mac and cheese—the sauce is mixed with butternut squash puree—could also be eaten as an entree. The sauce, however, is a little thinner than traditional mac and cheese, so it doesn't feel quite as decadent as the real thing.
• Creamy Parmesan Pasta: Made with a mix of white beans and cheese, this dish was another favorite of our team. Add a little spinach to the top or jazz it up with some spicy sausage to make it even more delicious.

In the end, the soups were our favorite items from O! That's Good, with the mashed potatoes coming in a close second. The lower-calorie and vegetable-packed dishes are worth a try, if only for the convenience of microwaveable lunch options or easy-to-prepare dinner sides.

Oh, and because they're from Oprah!