Better Than Noodles - USDA Organic Certified Shirataki Noodles, Low Carb, Keto-Friendly, Gluten-Free, No Odor, Instant Ready, Konjac Pasta & Rice Alternative – 14oz (Pack of 6)USDA Organic

My husband grew up having rice most days of his life, but can't indulge since we were both diagnosed with diabetes several years ago. I purchased both this as well as another brand to try, and Better Than Rice was the best of the two by far, coming closer to the look and texture of the real thing. Admittedly, it does smell odd upon opening the package, but following the directions by draining, rinsing, and then boiling the product for a few minutes honestly does eliminate that odor completely. Being plant-based, the texture is just a bit different than regular rice, but when mixed with curries, soups, etc., you can hardly tell. The fact that it's high in very low-carb fiber makes it have a minimal impact on blood sugar spikes. High fiber diets also have the benefit of lowering cholesterol and glucose absorption, making this product actually healthy to eat. I did have to buy a mesh strainer because, like normal rice, the 'grains' are small enough that I was losing some down the drain using typical colanders and strainers. I resorted to using a splatter screen temporarily, but that was too flat and some of the product kept washing over the edge while rinsing. Ordering a new, inexpensive mesh one was a small price to pay.The steps that I've found to work best are:1. Rinse using a mesh strainer for 15+ seconds (the pieces are small and will wash out of a regular colander)2. Place into boiling water for 2+ minutes. (You can't really overcook this, so allow the water to return to a boil and then leave it for a few minutes without worry)3. Strain well, then place back into the original pot over medium heat. Stir frequently for 1-2 minutes to eliminate the excess water that's absorbed by the grains. This, again, isn't something that's time sensitive, so just use your personal preference. I simply find that this last step helps make the final dish less soggy, resulting in something more closely resembling regular rice.I've also tried the Better Than Pasta/Noodles versions and we actually had homemade spaghetti sauce last week for the first time in years. The pasta-like products would be great for people who like theirs al dente, as it's just a bit firmer than I'm used to. It was great to enjoy spaghetti again, though, especially while knowing that you weren't 'cheating' at all. I'm hoping that the price will come down gradually because we're enjoying this line of products and could purchase them more frequently if it were less costly.

UPDATED: I now know why it was so bad. It looks like some of the product wasn't completely processed. The bag I initially opened (first photo) looked and tasted like rubber bands. The second bag (second photo) was exactly like I hoped for, it tasted and felt like regular Konnyaku noodles. It was very good! The third photo is the manufacturer codes so they know which batch was affected.It seemed like someone in the processing plant forgot to "cook" half of them and just bagged the raw product. 3 bags in my order were like this, so ½ of my order was inedible. It's still a horrible deal since the manufacturer won't let me return the inedible product to get a replacement, so I am keeping my 1 star review. If they reach out to me to give me a replacement, I will change my review.+++++I had such high hopes for this product. I have tried other brands and liked them but this, by far is the worst out of them all. I followed the directions on the package, rinsed them and boiled them for the recommended 5 minutes. Then I tried the noodles... it's like chewing a rubber bands... I couldn't even break it down by chewing them. THEY GOT STUCK IN MY TEETH! I thought maybe boiling it longer would help. NOPE! This time it was harder to chew, if that is even possible.What really stinks is I cannot return it so I wasted the $28 on garbage!Do yourself a favor and don't buy this product!

This is perfect - no carb rice substitute that’s easy to use and works in everything from rice dishes to pudding. It has no aftertaste. I made a risotto, couldn’t tell the difference—great for me as a diabetic.

Yes, it's expensive, and yes it smells bad when you first open the package, and yes it's a lot like chewing rubber bands. On the other hand, if your a diabetic, or pre-diabetic, which I am, then this is the best alternative to pasta noodles that I've found so far. It's also great for those with gluten allergies. Bottom line gluten free, low calorie, sugar free, and most importantly low carb. A similar serving of my whole grain pasta has 40 grams of carbs vs. 4 grams of carbs for Better Than Noodles. The package came on time, and the packaging itself is excellent. The product is sealed in a plastic bag that comes inside the outer bag which is very sturdy. Expiration date is 1 1/2 to 2 years from purchase date. They smell when you open the inner bag yes, but rinse them really well in cold water before cooking and that smell disappears. I added mine to pasta sauce after boiling for 5 or 6 minutes. I suggest going heavy on the pasta sauce because it's not entirely pleasant eating this product, it's a lot like chewing rubber bands. I ate the entire serving right after cooking it because you don't want to put the leftover noodles in the frig and reheat them later, trust me. Bottom line, gluten free, and only about 10% of the carbs that regular pasta noodles have.

It’s exactly as described—also tasteless. It says it picks up flavor from whatever you add it to, so basically it’s a filler. I was trying to find a low carb sub for rice. This is not it.

The texture of this rice is a bit unusual—more jelly-like than regular rice. It took some getting used to, but once I mixed it with my stir-fried veggies, it tasted great. If you're looking to cut back on carbs and don’t mind the texture, it’s a great alternative.