There are days when cooking food, setting the table, and washing the dishes is the last thing you want to do. A home-cooked meal is a blessing, but sometimes the process of getting it on the table can be tiresome. That's when you whip out a frozen dinner and toss it in the microwave. Frozen dinners have been making their way to American households since the 1940s, and they have been feeding families on days when cooking food is the last thing on the agenda. After over 70 years of existence, which frozen dinner brand can claim to be the best? We tried 16 frozen dinners, and here's the best one to buy.
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00:00Nothing beats a home-cooked meal, but sometimes that just isn't possible.
00:05So what's the next best thing after some restaurant takeout? Why, it's frozen dinners,
00:10of course. Frozen dinners, or TV dinners if you prefer, have been popular for decades,
00:16but some are much better than others.
00:18Hungry Man hit grocery shelves back in 1973 with the promise of providing larger portions
00:24than the typical frozen dinner. And while the Hungry Man smoke-in-backyard barbecue
00:29isn't lacking when it comes to portion sizes, everything else about it is absolutely awful.
00:34The Hungry Man smoke-in-backyard barbecue has two kinds of meat,
00:38a grilled chicken patty that's glazed and a pork patty drenched in Chipotle barbecue sauce.
00:43Both of these meats are disgusting. The chicken patty itself has no flavor,
00:47and the glaze has a chemical aftertaste, while the pork patty tastes like a decaying McRib.
00:53With a Chipotle barbecue sauce that's so sweet and inauthentic that it's
00:57much worse than any grocery store barbecue sauce you could possibly find.
01:01Worst of all, while the potatoes and corn are relatively decent,
01:05the brownie will add to your disappointment.
01:08If you follow a vegan diet, you may be tempted by Amy's Veggie Loaf. This plant-based frozen
01:14dinner is not only vegan-friendly, it's gluten-free, kosher, and contains no tree nuts.
01:19Even if those attributes sound tempting and fit what you look for in a meal,
01:24don't you dare buy this frozen disaster.
01:26If you ignore this advice, you will rue the day.
01:30Amy's Veggie Loaf is just plain gross. The loaf itself not only tastes bad,
01:34it falls apart too easily. Even with the brown gravy on top, it doesn't taste anything like
01:39meatloaf. Instead, it tastes like old, congealed veggies, with a lifeless gravy that only piles
01:46on another layer of sadness. To add insult to injury, it comes with grainy mashed potatoes.
01:52Stouffer's, a brand with roots that can be traced back all the way to 1914,
01:58is generally a reliable name in the world of frozen dinners. The glaring exception to that
02:03generalization is the Stouffer's Baked Chicken. Once upon a time, this stuff used to be good,
02:08but these days, Stouffer's evidently changed their recipe and no one is happy about it.
02:14The source of the unhappiness is Stouffer's allegedly switching from including an authentic
02:18chicken breast in this frozen dinner to including a faux chicken breast that's been molded to look
02:23like it's the real thing. Yuck. On your first bite, you will know there is something strange
02:29about this baked chicken. It's fatty and so stringy that it's guaranteed to get stuck in your teeth.
02:36I know what a TV dinner feels like.
02:39When you look at the box of Smart Ones' Santa Fe Rice and Beans, you'll get the impression that
02:44Smart Ones has cracked the code for an adventurous frozen meal that's able to deliver Mexican
02:49yumminess directly to your taste buds. Unfortunately, that's not the case. This
02:54frozen dinner is entirely forgettable. Smart Ones' Santa Fe Rice and Beans features rice,
02:59beans, green chili, zucchini, sour cream, and mozzarella cheese. You might believe that this
03:05meal would offer at least some spiciness. In reality, it's as spicy as mayonnaise.
03:10All the ingredients are really bland, and everything sticks together, which makes it
03:15difficult to eat. If you like your Mexican food to be mild, this frozen dinner won't
03:19disappoint too much. But if you're expecting any spice or any diversity of flavors,
03:24you'll be left in tears while you reassess your life choices.
03:28The best of the Hungryman frozen dinners is called Hungryman Boneless Fried Chicken.
03:33This meal is still more quantity than it is quality. However, it's leaps and bounds better
03:38than anything else this brand sells. While the words fried chicken are in the name,
03:42a more accurate description of the entree would be chicken nuggets.
03:46You get a pair of gigantic, juicy nuggets that pack an acceptable amount of flavor.
03:51While they're not the best chicken nuggets you've ever tasted, they're big enough to
03:55fill you up to the brim. There isn't any gravy or dipping sauce, which is a bit of a letdown.
04:00If you buy this frozen meal, adding some tasty barbecue sauce will help infuse some much-needed
04:05pizzazz into the mix. Beyond the chicken, this frozen meal comes with mashed potatoes,
04:10sweet corn, and a chocolate brownie, just like the previously mentioned Hungryman meal.
04:15I told you we put it in too early.
04:18Oh, it's just a little dry. It's fine.
04:21Even if you enjoy the restaurant chain by Marie Callender's or even Marie Callender's
04:25beloved chicken pot pie, don't let that cloud your judgment when it comes to their frozen dinner.
04:30Marie Callender's Country Fried Chicken and Gravy is the best of the bunch,
04:34and it's barely even adequate. Let's just say you won't be rushing to purchase another one
04:39of these meals after you finish your first one. But let's also talk about the Country Fried
04:44Chicken Breast Tenders, which comes with chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese.
04:48The tenders are actually pretty good, but the macaroni and cheese, on the other hand,
04:52isn't nearly as good. And in fact, this side by Marie Callender's misses the mark completely.
04:58The macaroni's texture is too tough and chewy, while the cheese is way too watery.
05:04Lean Cuisine has targeted dieters in their marketing campaigns since first hitting the
05:08market back in 1981. Their frozen dinners are hit and miss when it comes to taste,
05:13but they are reliably low in calories and relatively healthy for you.
05:17If you want their tastiest offering, look for the Lean Cuisine Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes.
05:22Once you finish heating up this meal, it doesn't look very appetizing,
05:26but as you start eating it, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
05:29The reddish gravy is actually really good. The meatloaf will fill you up,
05:33and the mashed potatoes are also enjoyable. After you finish eating it, you'll be surprised
05:38to learn that this Lean Cuisine frozen dinner has 20 grams of protein and only 240 calories.
05:44If you're on a diet, eating this meal for dinner will likely help you achieve your goals.
05:49The Banquet Chicken Nuggets with Mac and Cheese — and a brownie — isn't the best of the best,
05:54but it's definitely worth your hard-earned dollar bills. Even picky eaters will be fond
05:59of this meal. The chicken nuggets are similar to Wendy's Chicken Nuggets, but not quite as good.
06:04But on the plus side, the chocolate brownie in this frozen dinner is yummy.
06:08However, the real star of the show is the mac and cheese. The macaroni is the perfect texture,
06:13and the cheese is creamy and delicious. In fact, don't be surprised if you end up
06:17scraping your plate until every drop of the creamy cheese is gone.
06:22While it's difficult to find edible Chinese food in the frozen food aisle,
06:34it's not impossible. Not only is the bird's eye beef lo mein edible, it's downright good.
06:39This meal has a variety of different flavors and textures, which makes it a joy to eat.
06:44The backbone of bird's eye beef — and chicken — lo mein is, of course, the lo mein. These
06:49egg noodles are hearty and tasty, yet soft enough that they don't get in the way.
06:54Mixed in with the noodles, you will find beef, bok choy, and strips of carrots and onions.
06:59The beef is extra tender and will delightfully melt in your mouth. The action doesn't stop there,
07:04though, as this frozen dinner is also blessed with soy sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger,
07:09and garlic powder. If there's one brand we can trust to do blackened chicken right,
07:15it's Zatarain's. With a history in New Orleans dating back to 1889,
07:20Zatarain's knows all about Cajun food. Unlike a vast majority of the competition,
07:25Zatarain's Blackened Chicken Alfredo successfully lives up to expectations.
07:29The bulk of this meal is the penne pasta that is covered with a zesty cheese sauce.
07:33The pasta has a great texture and the cheese sauce makes sure that every bite is flavorful.
07:38But the star of the show is the blackened chicken. The chicken is grilled and only
07:43white meat is present. The blackening seasoning is excellent.
07:48Good Cuban food can be difficult to find in the United States. However,
07:52if you're at Trader Joe's and you're in the frozen dinner aisle, you can find a Cuban meal that's
07:56almost ridiculously tasty. The Trader Joe's Cuban-style citrus garlic bowl is really
08:02impressive. In the bowl, you'll find yellow rice, chunks of plantains, black beans,
08:07red bell pepper, onion, garlic, cilantro, and delicious pieces of chicken thigh.
08:12Everything in the bowl is topped with a zesty sauce that's powered by lime juice
08:16and orange juice. While there's a lot going on, your taste buds will be in a state of bliss.
08:22Home cooking! There's nothing like it in the world.
08:27For a frozen dinner that's better than you can find at many Mexican restaurants,
08:31try Amy's Cheese Enchilada. The enchiladas feature corn tortillas made with organic
08:36corn. Each tortilla is filled with white cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese,
08:41along with slices of onions, olives, green chilies, and bell peppers. To top things off,
08:46the meal is smothered in red enchilada sauce and, for good measure, a little bit more cheese.
08:52Unfortunately, it's not super filling. While Amy's Cheese Enchilada is gluten-free,
08:57soy-free, and kosher, it's obviously not vegan-friendly. If you want a scrumptious
09:01frozen dinner for your vegan lifestyle, go with Amy's Vegan Chili Mac and Cheese.
09:07One frozen dinner that never disappoints is the Stouffer's Lasagna with Meat and Sauce.
09:12You've probably eaten this stuff since you were a kid. If you liked it back then,
09:16there's a very good chance that you'll enjoy it even more as an adult.
09:19While Stouffer's did change the recipe in 2016, the changes were for the better.
09:24If you've never eaten Stouffer's Lasagna with Meat and Sauce, in the layers of lasagna,
09:28you can actually see the beef, cottage cheese, tomato puree, mozzarella cheese,
09:33parmesan cheese, and a variety of spices. You can buy this frozen dinner as a single serving
09:38or, if you're feeding a family, in family size or large family size.
09:43If a frozen dinner has a lot of vegetables in it, there's usually a better-than-average chance that
09:48you will be disappointed. That said, Healthy Choice has apparently cracked the code,
09:53because the veggies in the Healthy Choice Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry are phenomenal.
09:57This healthy frozen dinner contains a medley of carrots, onions, red bell peppers,
10:02edamame, and broccoli. Each vegetable is the optimal texture and is packed with flavor.
10:08Joining the veggies are sliced chicken breast and a sesame soy sauce. The chicken is outstanding
10:13and tastes fresh, while the sauce makes both the vegetables and the chicken even better.
10:18Astonishingly, the entire meal has only 190 calories, which includes a robust 23 grams of
10:24protein and just 4 grams of fat. Add up all the nutritional facts, not to mention the great taste,
10:30and this is without question the best frozen dinner that could also classify as health food.
10:36Trader Joe's is known for their delicious frozen food, most notably the award-winning
10:40Mandarin Orange Chicken. But when it comes to their best frozen dinner, the easy winner is
10:45Trader Joe's Chicken Tikka Masala. Try this meal once, and you will agree that it's even better
10:50than takeout. Even if you live near a premier Indian restaurant, this stuff is likely better.
10:55This frozen dinner, which Trader Joe's says uses an authentic Indian recipe,
11:00has a chicken breast that has been roasted and then covered in a red curry sauce that
11:04is extra creamy. To add to the authentic experience, you'll also find basmati rice
11:09that is flavored with the perfect amount of cumin. While the chicken and curry sauce comes
11:13in a separate section than the rice, the best way to eat this meal is to mix it all together.
11:18Do that, and your mind is sure to be blown.
11:22Salisbury steak was invented by an American named Dr. James Henry Salisbury in the 1800s
11:28during the Civil War. All these years later, Salisbury steak remains a popular,
11:32though somewhat retro, part of the American diet. And while the Salisbury steak in this
11:37frozen dinner made by Banquet contains an unusual combination of beef, pork, and chicken,
11:42your taste buds will testify that this meat is exceptionally good. Odd? Certainly. Scrumptious?
11:49Oh yes. The Banquet Classic Salisbury steak frozen dinner also has mashed potatoes,
11:54sweet corn, and a cinnamon apple dessert. The mashed potatoes are excellent,
11:59especially if you top it with the gravy that covers the Salisbury steak.
12:03The sweet corn is much, much better than the corn that comes with a hungry man frozen dinner,
12:08and it has a satisfying crunch and an unmistakable pop of sweetness.