07 Sep, 2009

Episode 217: The Key Lime Pie Frodown

Posted by: Gregory Ng: The Frozen Food Master


There are pies that make you smile and pies that make you pucker. When a key lime pie is the real deal it makes you do both. Now, I have had some pretty phenomenal key lime pies in my life and those that rate high in my book have one thing in common, The Wicked Tart (pronounced Taht) Factor or as I like to call it, the “WTF”. It is only those types of pies that truly deserve the name: Key Lime Pie.

In this frodown, I taste test 3 key lime pies head to head to head. The contenders: Sara Lee Key Lime Pie, Edwards Key Lime Pie, and Smart Ones Key Lime Pie. Who will come out victorious? The Frozen Food Master will tell you!

This episode and the rest of the episodes published this week are inspired by Evan Kleiman’s Pie-A-Day Project. You think I have it bad defrosting pies, Evan is baking a pie every day this summer!

Edwards Key Lime Pie Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 piece (92g)
Calories: 330
Calories from Fat: 140
Total Fat: 16g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 35mg
Sodium: 240mg
Total Carb: 43g
Dietary Fiber: less than 1g
Sugars: 33g
Protein: 4g

Price: $3.29

3 star

Sara Lee Key Lime Creme Pie Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1/2 pie (110g)
Calories: 390
Calories from Fat: 180
Total Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 13g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 10mg
Sodium: 170mg
Total Carb: 49g
Dietary Fiber: less than 1g
Sugars: 34g
Protein: 5g

Price: $3.79

2 1/2 star

Smart Ones Key Lime Pie Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 Dessert (79g)
Calories: 190
Calories from Fat: 40
Total Fat: 4.5g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 10mg
Sodium: 85mg
Total Carb: 33g
Dietary Fiber: less than 1g
Sugars: 25g
Protein: 4g

Price: $2.99

4 1/2 star


This product has received a rating of
Rating: 4.5

Category: 2 1/2 Star| 3 Star| 4 1/2 Star| Desserts| Edwards| Fro-Downs Frozen Food Throwdown| Sara Lee| Smart Ones| Weight Watchers



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  • Stuart Varney
    Hy Hy Hy......Merry New Year! Before We Leave You!...Why Not, Let's All Enjoy The New Year With The "World's Greatest Key Lime Pie" Baked By My Good Friend in North Carolina,
    "Kutchie Pelaez". Kutchie's World Famous Key Lime Pie Will Give You A Pucker as Well as Put a
    Huge Smile On Your Face! Contact Kutchie Pelaez at Kutchie's Key West Kutcharitaville Cafe
    just South of Asheville, NC. and Let Kutchie Put A Big Smile On Your Face as His Pie Does
    Mine! What A Great Way To Start The New Year!!!

    Thanks and God Bless,................................................Stuart Varney
  • Jonathan C.
    yay for smartones! I was hoping it'd win since its the least harmful to my diet, definitely picking it up next time i'm at the grocery.
  • I choose them all because pie is calling me, calling me, calling me.
  • MattUD
    I like pie! I raised my hand when you said who likes key lime pie, I love that stuff. The best key lime pie I have ever had was at some restaurant...in the Florida Keys of course.
  • JamsV
    I'm sick of companies charging more for 'healthy' products that are really the same product but a lot smaller. Of course it's going to be healthier, it's half the size! If you only had half a slice of pie it would be half the fat wouldn't it lol. I'm really enjoying being a real member of you site, I'm such a huge fan, but now I have to find something else to pass my time with because I've watched and read all your stuff. Admittedly I avoided most of the User Submitted Reviews, but other than that I've seen everything. Awesome review, you should have done the new Ben & Jerry's Key Lime Pie Ice Cream I believe they've released in the USA. I'm picky with pie, but I do love a lovely Apple Pie!
    Keep it up FFM!
  • Echo710
    To be honest, when I first heard that this would be "Pie Week", my first thought was "ugh... I *hate* pie!" However, on second thought, this isn't entirely true... in fact, I hate pie *crust* (too greasy; not much taste besides the grease), and my hatred of the crust is surpassed a thousand times over by my hatred of whipped cream. Therefore... I'm the bizarre individual who devours the fruit filling in a fruit pie and leaves the crust behind, and who scrapes the whipped cream off of a cream pie and then happily eats only the creamy custard-like filling, and again, leaves the crust behind. So... I know, this is blasphemy to all of the true pie lovers out there, but the only part of a pie that I enjoy is the filling.

    That said, when it comes to that filling, I *do* love me some key lime pie (okay, okay, the *filling* of key lime pie, meaning the actual lime custard, minus the crust and the whipped cream... get that nasty stuff AWAY from my key lime goodness)... and I agree that the "WTF" is crucial to the greatness of a key lime pie. Best of all is when the slice of pie comes with an actual lime wedge on top, rather than just a piece of lime peel; one can then eat the lime wedge along with the pie in order to really amp up the WTF! I don't know if I should be ashamed to admit this or not, but the best key lime pie I ever tasted was at Disneyland, several years ago... I don't even remember the name of the restaurant, unfortunately, but it was in New Orleans Square... this pie had an *amazing* level of WTF, but the custard was also creamy enough to avoid being *too* sour (although it would be too sour for those who do not believe in the WTF).

    I'm impressed that the Smart Ones pie came out on top in this frodown... I will definitely be trying this one! Not too much crust, and good WTF... and somewhat healthy, too!... sounds like the formula for a great key lime pie experience! I'm surprised that the Sara Lee pie fared so poorly; they usually manage to make pies that are quite good, as far as frozen pies go... usually, Sara Lee beats Edward's (or the nastiness that is Marie Callender's) pies any day. However, it sounds like this particular Sara Lee pie is one to avoid.

    Loved the frodown! As previously stated, I'll have to try the Smart Ones pie soon.

    So what's *your* favorite key lime pie? Or even your favorite pie in general?
  • a
    i'm wondering if you taking a bite of the sarah lee on the edge where the whipped cream is somehow affected your opinion

    thanks for the entertaining review

    i live in south florida, i'm not into key lime pies
  • julia
    Loved this! great review.
    "...Cuz, I wanna eat more." hahaha, i so completely understand....I don't know how you didn't polish off all the pies at once. I'm a sucker for frozen desserts.
    I really want some key lime pie now. I actally dont like pie that much, but soft pies ae awesome. Lemon meringue, key lime, pumpkin.....awesome.
    My best key lime pie? Mom's, of course! Fresh key limes and everything. yum.
  • meg
    Awesome! I do like the top two contenders, but the WW gets extra brownie points for healthiness. Perfect summer pie. I had a really good key lime pie somewhere, but it was so long ago, I can't remember where :( Maybe, just maybe , it was at Joe's Crab shack, but not positive.
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