# Prego Vs. Ragu **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2012, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526 "2012-03-02T06:16:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/101 "2015-03-09T23:11:09Z")
Prego used to be the same price as Ragu where I shop, and then my preference was Prego. They recently raised the price of Prego by a quarter, so I went with Ragu a few times, then decided to bite the bullet and go with Newman’s Own, which is more expensive than the Ragu, but less than the Prego. ---
**Author:** ![mikeysgirl14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@mikeysgirl14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikeysgirl14)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/102 "2017-05-10T12:56:19Z")
> [@Top\_Hat](#): > > Ragu is a nicer word than Prego so it wins… my vote has nothing to do with quality of the sauce which is most likely exactly the same or at least very close in taste. How is hot girl a better word than thank you? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/103 "2017-05-10T13:12:11Z")
Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/104 "2017-05-10T13:29:58Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Huh? According to Urban dictionary, ragu means a “hot girl of Italian decent”. Prego, means “thank you” in Italian. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/105 "2017-05-10T14:23:37Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > According to Urban dictionary, ragu means a “hot girl of Italian decent”. Prego, means “thank you” in Italian. Kids these days. When I was growing up a good looking girl was a braciole. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/106 "2017-05-10T14:27:08Z")
I’m confused. Where is the poll option for “Neither: if you’re using jared pasta sauce you deserve to be whipped by Mama Rosa, who will then gladly share her home-made carbonara sauce recipe with you!”? ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/107 "2017-05-10T15:07:58Z")
> [@mikeysgirl14](#): > > How is hot girl a better word than thank you? > [@zoid](#): > > Huh? > [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > According to Urban dictionary, ragu means a “hot girl of Italian decent”. Prego, means “thank you” in Italian. My favorite sauce is “morto vivente” ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/108 "2017-05-10T16:05:43Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > According to Urban dictionary, ragu means a “hot girl of Italian decent”. Prego, means “thank you” in Italian. Of course for Italians, at a minimum, she has to be decent to be brought home to meet your folks. Ragù (note the accented ù; it matters in Italian) is a loanword from French ragoût literally meaning meat stew, which in Italian versions became a tomato and meat stew. Prego literally means ‘I pray’ and by extension can mean either ‘please’ or ‘you’re welcome’ depending on context. I thought they already covered that lexical entry in Prego commercials back in the 1980s. But if that was before you were born… Anyway, Urban Dictionary is a festering hive of infamy and deceit more often than not. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/109 "2017-05-10T16:17:05Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Kids these days. When I was growing up a good looking girl was a braciole. A ‘hefty armful’. That sounds about right. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/110 "2017-05-10T17:29:58Z")
I’m 58 and have never had a jarred spaghetti sauce until about a year ago when I tried both Ragu and Prego for curiosity. For whatever reason since my early teens I have always prided myself on making my own sauce. Both were just massively inferior concoctions they both tasted like pimped up ketchup. They were both terrible in terms of what I expect a decent spaghetti sauce to be. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/111 "2017-05-10T18:14:27Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > I thought they already covered that lexical entry in Prego commercials back in the 1980s. But if that was before you were born… > > Anyway, Urban Dictionary is a festering hive of infamy and deceit more often than not. I’m old enough to have completely forgotten about 80’s Prego commercials. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/112 "2017-05-10T19:23:56Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > I’m confused. Where is the poll option for “Neither: if you’re using jared pasta sauce you deserve to be whipped by Mama Rosa, who will then gladly share her home-made carbonara sauce recipe with you!”? In lieu of Mama Rosa, maybe you’d care to share? I’m always down for a new pasta sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/113 "2017-05-10T21:39:34Z")
I’ve had both, but not in years. I grew up on Ragu. Lately I buy Francesco Rinaldi. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/114 "2017-05-11T00:42:52Z")
The only jarred sauce that I can stand is Muir Glen Organic Tomato Basil ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/115 "2017-05-11T01:12:25Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > The only jarred sauce that I can stand is Muir Glen Organic Tomato Basil I’ll have to give that a shot for when I’m feeling really, really lazy. The only brand I found that I enjoy is still the Rao’s that I think I mentioned years ago in this thread, and that’s like something stupid like $7-$9 a jar. I’ve seen the Muir Glen stuff and I remember it being much more reasonable and, since I like their regular canned tomatoes, I suspect I might like their sauce, too. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/116 "2017-05-13T22:23:09Z")
Muir Glen is fine. Do they still sell Newman’s Own? I’m one of those who never buy tomato sauce but always make it at home. I sauté onion and garlic (and mushrooms if available) with pepper, then give it 1 large can of crushed tomatoes, 1 medium can of petite diced tomatoes, and ½ a small can of tomato paste and a bay leaf. Cover and simmer on low for ½–1 hour. Growing up in the 1960s there was no Prego yet and all my parents ever fed me was Ragù. Italian family, with my non-Italian mom cooking, meant a night with Ragù pretty much every week. I loathed the damn swill. It never tasted like tomato sauce ought to taste. When Prego came along in the 1980s I was pleased that it was vastly better than Ragù. Not that it was great, but that it was edible where Ragù was not. If I’m offered the choice of only the two, it will be Prego 100% of the time (thus my vote in the poll). But like I said I always make my own tomato sauce now and haven’t bought any in years. For economic reasons as well as taste. It’s a pretty easy recipe. I absolutely avoid all Hunt’s tomato products. I don’t know what they do to them, but damn they’re nasty. I economize by using the store brand, which in my grocery is as good as any other but cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/117 "2017-05-14T00:19:42Z")
Red Gold is an excellent canned tomato brand. If you live where it’s sold, you should try it. Also, my mother never used canned or jarred 'sketti sauce. In her house it was packet mixes all the way! IMHO, I have never met a spaghetti sauce packet mix that didn’t produce at least acceptable results. Some were better than others, but they all were good. This is an old thread, and I didn’t read it all, so I may have posted this earlier here. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/118 "2017-05-14T00:33:59Z")
Ragu too watery, has square onion pieces in it. Prego, too thick with big tomato cubes. I grew up on Prego, so it got my vote, but as I got older I started to make my own or I went with doctored up Trader Joe’s sauce. Barilla sauce isn’t that bad either. Try taking **Pastorelli** pizza sauce, add a little bit of purified water, some basil and a hint of rosemary. It’s so fantastic. I’m not sure if you can get it outside of Chicago (company is based here) without a special order online, I’ve only seen it here and in the surrounding suburbs. If you are in Chicago, you’re in luck, most Target stores carry it, especially closer to the city. It’s about 1.50 per 16 oz can. That’s right, only comes in Cans. Please try it, you will be amazed. Great by itself as a dip for garlic bread, not to mention for homemade pizza. Edit: Website is [Pastorelli.com](http://Pastorelli.com) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/119 "2017-05-14T03:32:26Z")
Prego, no question. My family has been eating and enjoying it on spaghetti for many years. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526/120 "2017-05-14T04:52:32Z")
To my knowledge, I have never had either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prego-vs-ragu/614526.md?page=7)