Nothing beats a home cooked meal, but sometimes that just isn't possible. So what's the next
best thing after some restaurant takeout? Why it's frozen dinners of course! Frozen dinners,
or TV dinners if you prefer, have been popular for decades, but some are much better than others.
Hungry-Man hit grocery shelves back in 1973 with the promise of providing larger portions
than the typical frozen dinner, and while the Hungry-Man Smokin Backyard Barbeque
isn't lacking when it comes to portion sizes, everything else about it is absolutely awful.
The Hungry-Man Smokin Backyard Barbeque has two kinds of meat: a grilled chicken patty
that's glazed and a pork patty drenched in chipotle barbecue sauce. Both of these meats
are disgusting. The chicken patty itself has no flavor and the glaze has a chemical aftertaste,
while the pork patty tastes like a decaying McRib, with a chipotle barbecue sauce that's so sweet and
inauthentic that it's much worse than any grocery store barbecue sauce you could possibly find.
Worst of all, while the potatoes and corn are relatively decent,
the brownie will add to your disappointment.
If you follow a vegan diet, you may be tempted by Amy's Veggie Loaf. This plant-based frozen
dinner is not only vegan-friendly, it's gluten-free, kosher, and contains no tree nuts.
Even if those attributes sound tempting and fit what you look for in a meal,
don't you dare buy this frozen disaster. If you ignore this advice, you will rue the day.
Amy's Veggie Loaf is just plain gross. The loaf itself not only tastes bad, it falls apart too
easily. Even with the brown gravy on top, it doesn't taste anything like meatloaf. Instead,
it tastes like old, congealed veggies with a lifeless gravy that only piles
on another layer of sadness. To add insult to injury, it comes with grainy mashed potatoes.
Stouffer's , a brand with roots that can be traced back all the way to 1914, is generally
a reliable name in the world of frozen dinners. The glaring exception to that generalization is
the Stouffer's Baked Chicken. Once upon a time, this stuff used to be good. But these days,
Stouffer's evidently changed their recipe and no one is happy about it.
The source of the unhappiness is Stouffer's allegedly switching from
including an authentic chicken breast in this frozen dinner to including a
faux chicken breast that's been molded to look like it's the real thing. Yuck.
On your first bite, you will know there is something strange about this baked chicken.
It's fatty and so stringy that it's guaranteed to get stuck in your teeth.
"Now I know what a TV dinner feels like."
When you look at the box of Smart Ones Santa Fe Rice & Beans,
you'll get the impression that Smart Ones has cracked the code for an adventurous
frozen meal that's able to deliver Mexican yumminess directly to your taste buds.
Unfortunately, that's not the case. This frozen dinner is entirely forgettable.
Smart Ones Santa Fe Rice & Beans features rice, beans, green chile, zucchini,
sour cream, and mozzarella cheese. You might believe that this meal would offer at least
some spiciness. In reality, it's as spicy as mayonaisse. All the ingredients are really
bland and everything sticks together, which makes it difficult to eat.
If you like your Mexican food to be mild, this frozen dinner won't disappoint too much.
But if you're expecting any spice or any diversity of flavors,
you'll be left in tears while you reassess your life choices.
The best of the Hungry-Man frozen dinners is called Hungry-Man Boneless
Fried Chicken. This meal is still more quantity than it is quality. However,
it's leaps and bounds better than anything else this brand sells.
While the words "fried chicken" are in the name,
a more accurate description of the entree would be chicken nuggets.
You get a pair of gigantic, juicy nuggets that pack an acceptable amount of flavor. While they're
not the best chicken nuggets you've ever tasted, they're big enough to fill you up to the brim.
There isn't any gravy or dipping sauce, which is a bit of a letdown. If you buy this frozen meal,
adding some tasty barbecue sauce will help infuse some much needed pizza
into the mix. Beyond the chicken, this frozen meal comes with mashed potatoes,
sweet corn, and a chocolate brownie, just like the previously mentioned Hungry-Man meal.
"I told you we put it in too early!" "It's just a little dry, it's fine…."
Even if you enjoy the restaurant chain by Marie Callender's or even Marie Callender's
beloved chicken pot pie, don't let that cloud your judgement when it comes to their frozen dinner.
Marie Callender's Country Fried Chicken & Gravy is the best of the bunch — and
it's barely even adequate. Let's just say you won't be rushing to
purchase another one of these meals after you finish your first one.
But, let's also talk about the Country Fried Chicken Breast Tenders,
which somes with chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese. The tenders are actually pretty good,
but the macaroni and cheese, on the other hand,
isn't nearly as good, and in fact, this side by Marie Callender's misses the mark
completely. The macaroni's texture is too tough and chewy, while the cheese is way too watery.
Lean Cuisine has targeted dieters in their marketing campaigns since first hitting the
market back in 1981. Their frozen dinners are hit-and-miss when it comes to taste but they are
reliably low in calories and relatively healthy for you. If you want their tastiest offering,
look for the Lean Cuisine Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes.
Once you finish heating up this meal, it doesn't look very appetizing, but as you start eating it,
you'll be pleasantly surprised. The reddish gravy is actually really good,
the meatloaf will fill you up, and the mashed potatoes are also enjoyable.
After you finish eating it, you'll be surprised to learn that this Lean
Cuisine frozen dinner has 20 grams of protein and only 240 calories. If you're on a diet,
eating this meal for dinner will likely help you reach your goals.
The Banquet Chicken Nuggets with Mac and Cheese (and a brownie)
isn't the best of the best, but it's definitely worth your hard-earned
dollar bills. Even picky eaters will be fond of this meal.
The chicken nuggets are similar to Wendy's chicken nuggets, but not quite as good.
But, on the plus side, the chocolate brownie in this frozen dinner is yummy.
However, the real star of the show is the mac and cheese. The macaroni is the
perfect texture and the cheese is creamy and delicious. In fact, don't be surprised
if you end up scraping your plate until every drop of the creamy cheese is gone.
"I just put it in the oven, and by and by, it was done, and I had a delicious buffet supper!"
While it's difficult to find edible Chinese food in the frozen food aisle, it's not impossible.
Not only is the Birds Eye Beef Lo Mein edible, it's downright good.
This meal has a variety of different flavors and textures, which makes it a joy to eat.
The backbone of Birds Eye Beef (and Chicken) Lo Mein is, of course, the lo mein. These egg
noodles are hearty and tasty, yet soft enough that they don't get in the way. Mixed in with
the noodles you will find beef, bok choy, and strips of carrots and onions. The beef is extra
tender and will delightfully melt in your mouth. The action doesn't stop there, though, as this
frozen dinner is also blessed with soy sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, and garlic powder.
If there's one brand we can trust to do blackened chicken right,
it's Zatarain's . With a history in New Orleans dating back to 1889,
Zatarain's knows all about Cajun food — unlike a vast majority of the competition.
Zatarain's Blackened Chicken Alfredo successfully lives up to expectations.
The bulk of this meal is the penne pasta that is covered with a zesty cheese sauce.
The pasta has a great texture and the cheese sauce makes sure that every bite is flavorful,
but the star of the show is the blackened chicken. The chicken is
grilled and only white meat is present. The blackening seasoning is excellent.
Good Cuban food can be difficult to find in the United States. However,
if you're at Trader Joe's and you're in the frozen dinner aisle,
you can find a Cuban meal that's almost ridiculously tasty.
The Trader Joe's Cuban Style Citrus Garlic Bowl is really impressive. In the bowl, you'll find yellow
rice, chunks of plantains, black beans, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, cilantro, and delicious
pieces of chicken thigh. Everything in the bowl is topped with a zesty sauce that's powered by lime
juice and orange juice. While there's a lot going on, your taste buds will be in a state of bliss.
"Home cooking! There's nothing like it in the world!"
For a frozen dinner that's better than you can find at many Mexican restaurants,
try Amy's Cheese Enchilada.
The enchiladas feature corn tortillas made with organic corn. Each tortilla is filled
with white cheddar cheese and monterey jack cheese, along with slices of onions, olives,
green chiles, and bell peppers. To top things off, the meal is smothered in red enchilada sauce and,
for good measure, a little bit more cheese. Unfortunately, it's not super filling.
While Amy's Cheese Enchilada is gluten-free, soy-free, and kosher,
it's obviously not vegan-friendly. If you want a scrumptious frozen
dinner for your vegan lifestyle, go with Amy's Vegan Chili Mac & Cheeze.
One frozen dinner that never disappoints is the Stouffer's Lasagna with Meat & Sauce.
You've probably eaten this stuff since you were a kid. If you liked it back then,
there's a very good chance that you'll enjoy it even more as an adult.
While Stouffer's did change the recipe in 2016, the changes were for the better.
If you've never eaten Stouffer's Lasagna with Meat & Sauce,
in the layers of lasagna you can actually see the beef, cottage cheese, tomato puree,
mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and a variety of spices. You can buy this frozen
dinner as a single serving or, if you're feeding a family, in family size of large family size.
If a frozen dinner has a lot of vegetables in it, there's usually a better than average
chance that you will be disappointed. That said, Healthy Choice has apparently cracked the code,
because the veggies in the Healthy Choice Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry are phenomenal.
This healthy frozen dinner contains a medley of carrots, onions, red bell peppers, edamame,
and broccoli. Each vegetable is the optimal texture and is packed with flavor. Joining
the veggies are sliced chicken breast and a sesame soy sauce. The chicken is outstanding
and tastes fresh, while the sauce makes both the vegetables and the chicken even better.
Astonishingly, the entire meal has only 190 calories, which includes a robust 23 grams of
protein and just four grams of fat. Add up all the nutritional facts, not to mention the great taste,
and this is without question the best frozen dinner that could also classify as health food.
Trader Joe's is known for their delicious frozen food, most notably the award-winning Mandarin
Orange Chicken. But when it comes to their best frozen dinner, the easy winner is Trader Joe's
Chicken Tikka Masala . Try this meal once and you will agree that it's even better than take-out.
Even if you live near a premier Indian restaurant, this stuff is likely better.
This frozen dinner, which Trader Joe's says uses an authentic Indian recipe, has a chicken breast
that has been roasted and then covered in a red curry sauce that is extra creamy. To add to the
authentic experience, you'll also find basmati rice that is flavored with the perfect amount
of cumin. While the chicken and curry sauce comes in a separate section than the rice, the best way
to eat this meal is to mix it all together. Do that and your mind is sure to be blown.
Salisbury steak was invented by an American named Dr. James Henry Salisbury in the 1800s during the
Civil War. All these years later, Salisbury steak remains a popular — though somewhat
retro — part of the American diet. And while the Salisbury steak in this frozen dinner made
by Banquet contains an unusual combination of beef, pork, and chicken, your taste buds
will testify that this meat is exceptionally good. Odd? Certainly. Scrumptious? Oh, yes!
The Banquet Classic Salisbury Steak frozen dinner also has mashed potatoes, sweet corn, and
a cinnamon apple dessert. The mashed potatoes are excellent, especially if you top it with the gravy
that covers the Salisbury steak. The sweet corn is much, much better than the corn that comes with a
Hungry-Man frozen dinner, and it has a satisfying crunch and an unmistakable pop of sweetness.
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