* Item: IKEA's Swedish Meatballs and Cream Gravy

* What you get: 2 1/2 pounds of meatballs, 16 ounces of gravy (sold separately)

* Cost: About $10 for meatballs, $2 for gravy

* Preparation time: 15-20 minutes for meatballs, 20 minutes for gravy

* Review: My mother -- who is of Swedish descent -- makes meatballs so light and tasty that guests are disappointed if she has a party and doesn't offer them. So maybe I'm too particular when tasting other meatballs. But I'm a big fan of IKEA's food and furniture, so I was truly disappointed when I tried these frozen meatballs. They had an odd, rubbery flavor -- the kind that gives Swedish meatballs their questionable reputation. The gravy (also frozen) was flavorful, but you really need two containers for this amount of meatballs. Final judgment: Better make your own meatballs from scratch.

Pub Date: 01/27/99