Best Frozen Food We Tasted in 2023

The frozen food section of the grocery store is a wonderland. Where once there was just frozen peas, waffles, TV dinners, and ice cream, there’s now more types of frozen pizza than anyone could have imagined, Trader Joe’s has frozen appetizers you’ve never even heard of, and, heck, even Gordon Ramsay is making frozen food. So, choosing the best frozen food we tasted in 2023 was no easy task. We debated the amazing mini tater tots from Ore-Ida. We considered Eggo’s new liege-style waffles. And we shared fond memories of eating Trader Joe’s Meatless Cheeseburger Pizza. But in the end, we couldn’t deny the prowess of these two frozen foods. They really wowed us. And we think they’ll wow you, too.

Runner-Up

Zatarain’s Blackened Chicken Alfredo

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This frozen pasta from Louisiana spice company, Zatarain’s, was the best high-protein frozen meal we tried in our taste test. But while its 21 grams of protein are impressive, that’s not what earned it a Runner-Up Sporked award. That would be its extremely creamy, extremely cheesy, deliciously decadent flavor. It tastes like some of the best microwavable mac and cheese mixed with blackening spice for kick and topped with chicken that actually tastes like chicken. Frozen pasta is tough to ace, but Zatarain’s did it.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Winner

Bibigo Pho Beef Soup Dumplings

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Did you even know you could buy frozen soup dumplings? Well, you can. And these are some of the best frozen soup dumplings out there. They actually taste like pho—but in a dumpling pouch. They really blew our socks off, in terms of execution and innovation. They’re the kind of food you never even thought you needed but now you can’t get enough. You can eat these unadorned or you can dip them into a mix of sriracha and hoisin sauce with a squeeze of lime for a true pho experience. Want to truly experience the wonders of the frozen food aisle, get these dumplings.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

About the Author

Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients. Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now). Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test! Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.