Place on paper towel to drain about minutes. Slightly messy to get off of the paper towel but overall they kept their shape well:. What are my thoughts on this? Definitely would be a hit at a party as an appetizer or snack.
Taste-Off: The best frozen mac and cheese -- and the Worst Ever
They were fried, full of mac and cheese flavor even though some of them did spring a leak. Once cooled they were a hit in my household. Product Description: Trader Joe's Mac and Cheese Bites have delicious mac and cheese surrounded by a yummy panko-like breading. These are so much better than the original. They are more cheesy, creamy and less dry. I would definitely buy this new version again. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Trader Joe's Mac and Cheese Bites. Pros Better than the original Not as greasy Easy to make. Cons A smidge more expensive than when they were originally on shelves.
User Review 4 1 vote. Like this: Like Loading Comments These are so much better than the original. I'd love to hear what you think! Since TJ's frozen food section is aggressively large, there had to be some parameters: I limited the frozen foods to what could be considered a full meal on its own, meaning none of the chicken patties, veggie burgers, appetizers, or desserts were included.
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- Fried Mac and Cheese Balls.
Also excluded: cauliflower gnocchi, which might just be one of the best items Trader Joe's has ever created. With the help of some very kind taste-testing friends, I tried everything in Trader Joe's frozen food aisle. Here's how the meals stack up, from the few you should skip to the ones you'll want to buy in bulk.
This was rough. I LOVE brie, but the big frozen chunk that came in this was not appealing, and it tasted gummy once it was mixed in. This was a unanimous no among the taste testers. The chicken had a weird, chewy texture, and while the sauce was decent, it still didn't make up for the meat. One tester said these tasted like "warm mush. You're better off making one fresh. The meat is decent here, but the burritos were mushy. These taste delicious, but I cannot in good faith recommend anything that has calories inside one tiny pie.
That said, they're so freaking good, so you do you. The range in TJ's pizzas is nuts. This one tasted artificial and came out runny, with a cardboard-ish crust. Fear not: Some of the other pizzas are in the top This one also had a cardboard-like crust, but the cheese tasted less artificial, so it ranked a tad higher. This frozen pasta is fine, but it doesn't have much flavor to it. You'd definitely want to add a sauce or at least a drizzle of olive oil over a bowl. Again, this one's not bad , but it's about what you'd expect from frozen gnocchi.
The tomato sauce and mozzarella help, but the taste is still pretty bland. The smell is a little funky here, and several testers weren't a fan of the sauce. It does have a solid amount of veggies though — edamame, green beans, and shiitake mushrooms, obvs.
Like the previous pasta, this one is fine, but you can definitely make noodles that are just as good without much more effort. It took a while to heat up five minutes, which is simply too long in my microwave-lunch book, though feel free to disagree.
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In a pinch and with a little chicken , it'll do. There's a surprising amount of shrimp in the bag, and the walnuts are a nice touch. Go easy on the sauce though: Across the board, you can probably make do with about half the sauce packets in the frozen meats and shrimps.
This one's definitely a step up from the three- and four-cheese pizzas.
Deep-Fried Vegan Mac and Cheese
It's a decent pie, with a crunchy crust and more flavor than you'd expect from a stripped-down pie. If you're looking for a frozen pizza, it's a good grab. My main qualm with these is that they didn't heat very easily, but other than that, they're just what you'd expect. Add a little salsa or hot sauce for more flavor. Other than the surprising lack of cheese as in, there's none , these are a pretty good lunch option.
They're filled with tomatoes, potato, corn, onion, broccoli, and black beans. If you have the time, cooking them in the oven works better, but they were still pretty good in the microwave. I didn't know what jackfruit was prior to eating this, but I was very into this vegetarian meal.
It's supposed to have the same texture as pulled pork, and it delivered. There was also more curry than rice, which is not always the case in frozen meals. This one's got a solid amount of veggies, and all you have to do is microwave and stir. I'd definitely buy it again. These smell and taste heavily of gorgonzola, so if you don't like the cheese, stay away. Otherwise, you'll love it, especially with peas and prosciutto. These come in cute little nests of noodles, which makes it easier to portion out meals if you're not making it all at once. The mushroom sauce was light but creamy, and it was super easy to make This is definitely one of the best vegetarian options at TJ's.
It takes a little longer than the directions say to heat through, but the dumplings are good and the rice and veggies have a kick to them. This might give your Chinese takeout order a run for its money, especially since it's super easy to make. It tastes like fancy Top Ramen and has a fair amount of veggies. Go forth. This wasn't the best frozen pizza I've ever had, but it made for a solid dinner, and is obviously very easy to make. Unlike the plain pies, I didn't feel the need to add anything on top, aside from some red pepper flakes.
More recipes to try…
This was way better than expected for a frozen pot pie. The crust was soft and flaky, and there was a good amount of veggies and chicken inside. It's not the healthiest of options, but it does taste good. I was a little skeptical about frozen lamb, but this was surprisingly good, and it had a higher meat-to-rice ratio than I was expecting. The texture is a bit chewier than regular risotto, and the spelt gives it a slightly nutty taste that works with the chickpeas and creamy sauce. Make this with a group, though — the next-day leftovers didn't hold up.
Super easy to make and way cheaper than delivery. If you're not vegetarian, add leftover chicken or some shrimp to make it more filling. Think of these as the Lean Cuisines of Trader Joe's. The reduced-guilt meals taste pretty good and don't make you feel like you're eating something lighter. Ditto what I said above.