Meal assembly services promise to make Thanksgiving easier.

But do they deliver on stuffing, the most-anticipated part of the meal for many?

RICH ADDICKS/Staff (ENLARGE)

Patti Cotter packs up a bag of turkey seasoning rub at Dream Dinners, a meal-assembly chain catering to those who don't have time to cook from scratch.

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We checked out dressings from three services with franchises in metro Atlanta. Dream Dinners in Roswell offers its Thanksgiving side dish station as part of a package of three to 12 meals, and customers bag up the fixings for the dressing themselves. Super Suppers and the Dinner A'Fare sell stuffing separately, already prepared.

Dream Dinners

Bread stuffing with dried cranberries, fresh apples, pecans and sausage

Packaging: 3 plastic bags

Prep work: Thaw. Sauté celery in butter; mix with stuffing blend and chicken broth in your pan; place in oven.

Taste: Best of the bunch, with an herb seasoning blend and good mix of flavors adding interest. Large bread cubes were too dry; more broth from your pantry would cure that.

Cost: $16-$32, depending on package chosen. Includes mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, turkey seasoning rub and cranberry relish.

The Dinner A'Fare

Bread stuffing with raisins and fresh apples

Packaging: 3 plastic bags

Prep work: Thaw. Combine bread cubes, broth and raisin/apple/onion mixture in your pan; place in oven. Stir once during baking.

The verdict: If you like raisins, it's good. Moist and sweet.

Cost: $18

Super Suppers

Corn bread dressing

Packaging: Large foil pan

Prep work: Thaw and place in oven

The verdict: Salty, with a harsh onion flavor. Child tasters preferred this one because it didn't have dried fruit. For the money and freezer space, you're better off with a bag of corn bread stuffing from the grocery store, canned broth and ready-chopped celery and onions.

Cost: Varies by franchise; we paid $21.