We Went Fishing for the Best Frozen Fish Sticks (and We Caught Some Good Ones)

When’s the last time you had a plate of frozen fish sticks? We’re not talking about breaded, fried fish filets—I’m talking specifically about fish in stick form. Had they been invented sooner, they’d certainly be called “fish fries,” a much snappier name for fodder for kids, but there’s something sweet and nostalgic about breaded, fried sticks of fish.

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What makes good fish sticks the best fish sticks? 

There are two types of fish sticks: 

• Minced fish fish sticks
• Whole fish fish sticks 

We included both here, but we personally prefer whole to minced. Regardless of format, the best fish sticks have: 

• Crispy, crunchy breading that isn’t too greasy and doesn’t taste like stale oil. 
• Fresh tasting fish. Even if they contain a grab bag of minced fish, no fishy aftertaste, please! 

In our third fish stick taste test (which you can watch below), we re-tasted some brands we’d liked in the past and added some new brands to the list, too. These were harder to find than they’d been in the past—in fact, we struck our previous #1 pick from the list because they don’t appear to be available anymore. Is the humble fish stick falling out of favor with the kids? We hope not, but here are the best fish sticks to buy while you still can.

Best Fish Sticks, Ranked

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Best Budget Fish Sticks

Great Value Fish Sticks

Walmart

I firmly believe that fish sticks should be cheap, especially if they’re minced. And these Great Value fish sticks are nice and cheap. The sticks themselves are small, but the breading is very well seasoned and it tastes great with the pollock. I cooked these in the oven rather than the air fryer because the box suggested conventional oven as the preferred method, and they were as crispy-crunchy as any of the air-fried sticks we ate. And you really can’t beat $5 and change for more than a pound of fish sticks. —Gwynedd Stuart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Fish Sticks for Kids

Dr. Praeger’s Lightly Breaded Fish Sticks

Pavilions

Dr. Praeger’s Fish Sticks are the perfect size for children’s hands. They have the nice, meaty texture and thick breading needed to hold up to a hearty plunge in ketchup. They are lightly seasoned to not overwhelm a picky eater. That being said, these may be the “best for kids” but they aren’t only for kids. Even grownups will appreciate that the whole pollock filets flake beautifully and that the coating has a strong crunch. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Ryan Martin / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Cornmeal Breaded Fish Sticks

Ian’s Natural Foods Fish Sticks

Target

I don’t think I’ve ever had a cornmeal-crusted frozen fish stick before, but after trying these Ian’s Natural Foods Fish Sticks, I’m on board! The cornmeal gave them a unique texture compared to the other fish sticks we tried in our taste tests. It’s almost like the breading is made from a hush puppy. They also had the most pronounced seasoning, featuring hints of salt and garlic. The whole pollock filets taste like fish without being fishy tasting. The breading makes me think these would be great in a po boy with some remoulade. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Ryan Martin / Target

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Classic Fish Sticks

Trident Seafoods The Ultimate Fish Stick

Amazon

Picture the fish sticks you grew up eating in elementary school. Trident makes the best version of those classic, nostalgic fish sticks. You could get these in a school cafeteria, but it would be a fancy private school. Like, the school Will Smith’s kids attended. These give fun nostalgia without giving damp breading and a mouth full of fishy aftertaste. Both kids and adults could enjoy these Trident Seafoods fish sticks. They call themselves “the ultimate fish stick” and they’re not wrong. These are definitely some of the best fish sticks out there right now. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Crunchy Fish Sticks

Fremont Wild Caught Breaded Fish Sticks

Instacart

Fremont Wild Caught Breaded Fish Sticks from Aldi have that crunchy, oily, craveable taste and texture you get from a piece of fried, battered fish at a restaurant. Plus, they’re one of the few frozen fish sticks made from “minced fish” that still have good texture rather than being like fish mush. If you’re an Aldi shopper, these should be on your list. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Ryan Martin / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best Fish Sticks

Pacific Seafood Gluten Free Panko Breaded Fish Sticks

Instacart

The Pacific Seafood Fish Sticks are absolutely massive. They are fish with a capital “F.” The whole pollock filets are thick and juicy. You could definitely eat these with some lemon and tartar sauce, but these would also be great to use in quick and easy fish tacos. They are already battered, don’t need to be thawed, and would be awesome slathered in tangy slaw and chipotle crema. A fun bonus is that these are gluten-free for any celiac frozen fish stick fans out there! The best fish sticks are accessible to everyone, and these are! —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Ryan Martin / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Other frozen fish sticks we taste tested:

Van De Kamp, Fisher boyTrader Joe’s, Kroger, Good Catch, Gorton’s Value Pack