Tombstone's pizza is the only one that didn't come in a box. Instead, it came wrapped in plastic with a circular base made out of cardboard. 

Cooking directions, ingredients, and nutrition facts were printed on a sticker attached to the shrink-wrap, which I accidentally threw away in my haste (and later retrieved). 

This pizza advertises five different kinds of cheese — mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano — and a buttery, crispy crust.

The cooking directions recommended baking this pizza for 17 to 19 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, but I didn't end up needing the full cooking time. 

It looked beautifully golden and crisp after just 17 minutes. This pizza was very middle-of-the-road for me, and the crust, level of crispiness, and overall flavors were just OK. 

My husband, who also tasted these pizzas, said this Tombstone pie made him nostalgic since it was his family's go-to brand when he was a kid.

He suggested that chopping up extra toppings and baking them into the cheese would vastly improve the taste of this pizza (or maybe we just ought to try a Tomstone pie with toppings next time).

I couldn't help but hear the brand's tagline — "It's not delivery, it's DiGiorno!" — in my head as I picked up this frozen pizza.

DiGiorno had a few different types of crusts available in my grocery store, but I went with the rising crust because it seemed the most standard. 

This pizza has a four-cheese blend of mozzarella, Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano; the same cheeses on Tombstone's frozen pizza, minus cheddar. 

Although the other pizzas I tried were shrink-wrapped, DiGiorno's came in a "freshness wrap" that was easier to remove from the packaging.

I was able to cut around the seal and simply lift the pizza out of the plastic rather than making strategic cuts across the shrink-wrap to remove the frozen pie without disturbing the cheese and getting it all over my kitchen.

The directions on the box called for cooking the pizza in the oven for 19 to 22 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. I took the pizza out after 21 minutes because it looked perfect. 

However, everything wasn't perfect while this pie was in the oven. While the pizza was cooking, the side of it began sliding between the oven grates.

I chose to open the oven and intervene, but judging by the look of the final crust (which was rather puffy), the issue likely would have corrected itself during the rising phase.

Overall, I enjoyed the thick crust of DiGiorno cheese pizza, which had a yeasty flavor and managed to be fluffy and crisp at the same time.

The cheese tended to slide off the pizza a bit as I took bites, but I wasn't too mad since the pie had a lot of it. The sauce's thick consistency was also nice.

Red Baron's classic-crust, four-cheese pizza is topped with mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, and Parmesan.

Following the package's directions, I baked this pizza in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 minutes of the recommended 21, since I saw the crust and cheese had already browned to my liking. 

In terms of flavor, the more orange-hued pieces of cheese provided a stark, flavorful contrast to the rest of the blend. Like the previous two pies, there wasn't a distinguishable crust as the cheese and sauce extended to the edges of the pizza.

Even so, I enjoyed the thin, crispy crust and salty cheese (of which there was a great amount). 

My husband said that, in terms of overall flavor, this pizza lacked the distinct "frozen-pizza taste" that the others had, and that made this his favorite of the bunch so far.

Made with organic flour and tomatoes, Amy's frozen pizza also boasts a hand-stretched wheat crust. It's simply topped with mozzarella cheese.

I cooked Amy's pizza in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for just over 12 minutes of the recommended 14. I appreciated that it was cooked to a perfect golden-brown finish so quickly.

The first thing I noticed when eating a slice was that the tomato sauce, which had an acidic flavor, dominated the overall taste. I enjoyed the sauce, but was let down by the lack of cheesy flavor and spongy texture of the crust.

Although the other pizza slices held firm with their crispy crusts, this pizza sort of flopped over in my hand. 

Advertising no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, the Newman's Own pizza is made with a multigrain crust and topped with a four-cheese blend of mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, and Asiago.

I noticed these were the same cheeses used on several of the other pizzas, such as Tombstone (which also had Romano cheese) and DiGiorno.

When I peeked into the oven toward the end of the recommended cook time, which was 10 to 12 minutes in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, the cheese was hot and super bubbly.

This pizza checked off all the boxes: a crunchy crust; stringy, perfectly salty cheese that didn't slide off when I bit into my slice; and a flavorful sauce that was dotted with herbs.

Albeit a touch too bland for me, the Tombstone pizza offers eaters an opportunity to get creative with toppings and make it their own. 

The DiGiorno pizza had a fluffy, yeasty crust that I enjoyed, even though I had issues with the cheese sliding off the slice as I bit into it. 

Red Baron's pizza had a solid taste, but I didn't like that it didn't have a distinct crust. 

Amy's pie had a tart sauce that I enjoyed, but the other elements of the pizza were bland by contrast — and the texture was too spongy for my liking.

However, I found no faults with the perfect pizza from Newman's Own.

In addition to having the shortest cook time (just under 12 minutes), this pizza also had a great flavor and texture.

Plus, it had a distinct crust — something that several of the other frozen pizzas lacked — and stringy, salty cheese that didn't slide off the pizza when I bit into it. 

However, at the end of the day, you really can't go wrong with any of these frozen pizzas since each of them produces a cheesy meal that's ready in a short period of time.

This story was originally published on February 9, 2021, and most recently updated on April 21, 2025.

I paid $4.59 for four sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit sandwiches from Breakfast Best, an Aldi label.

At about $1.15 per sandwich, these were affordable. Unfortunately, they landed at the bottom of my list.

After following the microwave instructions, the biscuit and parts of the cheese got hard, while some areas of the sausage patty stayed cold.

The sandwich also had some unpleasantly crunchy bits, likely from the cheese and biscuit.

Although it was filling and more affordable than some of the other sandwiches, I'd rather make eggs and sausage from scratch than eat this one again.

I also think this sandwich might benefit from a different cooking method because following the microwave instructions didn't work well for me.

The Jimmy Dean Delights Egg'wich sandwiches cost me $8 for a box of four, or about $2 a sandwich.

Instead of bread, the sandwich uses mini frittatas (seasoned with bacon, spinach, caramelized onion, and Parmesan) as the outer layers.

These sandwiches also contain turkey sausage and cheese.

The egg "buns" were nicely seasoned, which gave the sandwich an almost garlicky kick and great flavor. Plus, the egg patties meant it was filling without feeling overly heavy.

With ingredients like caramelized onion and Parmesan, this sandwich definitely tasted higher quality than the others I tried.

I also appreciated that the microwave worked well for this one. Without bread, there was no risk of it becoming soggy or dry, and the eggs cooked perfectly.

I also picked up a 12-pack of mini sausage buttermilk-biscuit sandwiches from Odom's Tennessee Pride at Walmart for $6.32.

These mini sandwiches came in packs of two, so these cost about $1.05 per serving.

These sandwiches were the simplest of the ones I tried since they had no cheese or egg, but they still had plenty of flavor.

Two mini sandwiches were just the right amount to be satisfying.

Since they were smaller, they cooked faster than the full-sized options I tried, which I also appreciated.

These bite-sized sandwiches would be an especially great choice for families with kids who need a quick breakfast on the go.

I paid $8 for four Swaggerty's Farm sausage, egg, and cheese muffins, making each $2.

These were tied for the priciest pick on the list, costing the same per sandwich as the ones from Jimmy Dean.

The sausage was super flavorful with a nice kick of spice, and the English muffin reheated well — it stayed soft and tasted freshly baked.

Although I found these took slightly longer to microwave than the package suggested, the extra cook time was worth it. The cheese was perfectly melted by the time I took the sandwich out of the microwave.

Plus, the Swaggerty's Farm sandwich felt the biggest and most substantial of all the ones I tried. It kept me full until lunch without any extra snacks in between.

Overall, it was my clear favorite.

I air-fried a couple of frozen shrimp seafood burgers at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through.

They came out plump and juicy with a lovely golden crust on the outside.

Because the burgers were so juicy, they made a bit of a mess in my air-fryer basket. However, it was quick and easy to clean it out.

I don't like making frozen fried rice in the microwave because it stays soft and mushy, but I don't always have the energy to stand over a frying pan.

The air fryer seems like a smart alternative to enhance crispiness.

I dumped about half the bag of Trader Joe's chicken fried rice directly into my air-fryer drawer and cooked it at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.

The chicken cooked nicely without drying out, and the veggies turned bright and crisp, not overcooked or mushy. My one disappointment was that the rice didn't get quite as crispy as I'd hoped.

Trader Joe's box of frozen chiles rellenos includes two batter-covered, cheese-stuffed peppers.

I followed the box's specified air-fryer instructions to heat the peppers at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, flipping halfway.

They came out beautifully golden — the crust was crunchy and light, and there was no shortage of delicious cheese inside. However, perhaps because of this, the poblanos themselves almost became more of an afterthought flavor-wise.

Trader Joe's carne-asada burritos feature thinly sliced grilled beef and onions wrapped in a thick flour tortilla.

I air-fried a single frozen burrito at 350 degrees for 13 minutes.

The tortilla came out stiffer and darker than if I'd microwaved it, and the interior was still nice and moist. I find the microwave can dry things out sometimes.

The meat was juicy, and there was a good amount of it, but the burrito still benefited from a dunk in spicy salsa for more flavor.

That's right, soup in the air fryer.

According to the instructions on the box, you're supposed to microwave the soup for five minutes. However, I wanted to maximize the crispy, cheesy top to imitate a restaurant-style crock of French onion soup.

I placed the frozen soup puck in an oven-safe glass container and put it in my air fryer at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

When the timer went off, I got the crispy crown I was after, but the center of the soup wasn't totally defrosted. I was forced to stir until it was fully melted, which scattered the cheese.

Even though I didn't have the top I wanted, once the soup was heated through, it was delicious. The cheese found its way into nearly every bite.

Overall, the air fryer seems to be a good match for many of Trader Joe's frozen offerings.

I'd choose the appliance every time for the shrimp burgers since it's hands-off. I think it cooks them a little more evenly and reliably than the stove.

I also loved the texture and cheesiness of the air-fried chiles rellenos, and I'm excited to liven them up in the future with extra salsa or taco sauce.

If you like a crispy burrito, the air fryer is definitely the way to go for Trader Joe's frozen offerings.

Although it wasn't absolutely perfect, when I'm in a rush and can't pan-fry the chicken fried rice, I much prefer the air fryer to the microwave.

All that said — and this may not come as a surprise — there's no clear advantage to cooking the French onion soup in an air fryer. I'm still trying to figure out how to get the perfect, crispy topping for that one.

Trader Joe's sweet-potato gnocchi with butter and sage is an amazing comfort food. The soft gnocchi perfectly sops up the rich, buttery sage sauce.

Best of all, the sweet-potato gnocchi takes about 10 minutes to cook and serve. I like to garnish the dish with fresh sage and serve it with warm, crusty bread.

We typically prefer to eat this vegetarian dish on its own, but you can easily add chicken, sausage, or another protein.

Though frozen lasagna doesn't sound all that exciting, Trader Joe's butternut-squash version is an elevated rendition of the Italian staple.

The butternut-squash-béchamel sauce, made with carrots and butter, is velvety and slightly smoky. The pumpkin seeds, chives, rosemary, and pepper also give the dish a flavorful punch, making it a nice alternative to the typical pasta and tomato sauce. 

Trader Joe's butternut-squash lasagna only takes about 10 minutes in the microwave, but if you have the time, I recommend popping it in the oven to get it perfectly crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside.

This gnocchi is super easy to prepare — simply add the bag's contents and some oil to a skillet. I like to jazz this dish up with vegetables like peas, tomatoes, and spinach, or proteins such as pancetta, sausage, or chicken. 

Trader Joe's vegetable gyoza is stuffed with white cabbage, carrots, chives, white radish, onion, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. These crescent-shaped dumplings can be steamed, microwaved, or pan-fried.

I like to brown the wrappers in a cast-iron skillet for a slight crunch — all you need is a little oil and water. I serve these with extra soy sauce for dipping, steamed rice, and simple stir-fried vegetables. 

My 9-year-old loves Mexican-inspired food as much as I do, and she's a big fan of Trader Joe's bean, rice, and cheese burritos.

Though this two-pack can be prepared in the microwave, I think the burritos taste so much better baked in the oven, especially with enchilada sauce. Once they've cooked through, I add shredded cheese and broil the dish to give the simple meal a restaurant feel. 

I recommend pairing the burritos with Spanish rice and black beans for a complete, inexpensive meal. 

These nest-shaped combinations of onions, carrots, and kale come fully cooked, so all you need to do is heat them and serve.

They can be deep fried, but I prefer to air-fry or bake them on a cookie sheet.

The package also comes with soy dipping sauce, which I defrost by submerging it in a mug of hot water.

These chicken enchiladas come with salsa verde made with tomatillos and green chiles. I like how the shredded chicken really lets the chile flavor come through.

They're great with cilantro, brown rice, beans, and some shredded cheese or guacamole.

I love the convenience of smoothies, so I always stock up on Trader Joe's organic frozen fruit. My favorites are the organic raspberries, wild blueberries, and mango chunks.

I'm lucky to live near a bakery — but they often sell out of baguettes before noon. When this happens, I turn to Trader Joe's mini French baguettes. 

They're already partially baked, so they only need four to six minutes in the oven to get soft, chewy, and crisp on the outside.

They're the perfect accompaniment to a hearty winter soup, stew, or slow-cooked meal. 

When it comes to desserts, Trader Joe's has some unique finds, like this six-count box of green-tea mochi. These chewy bites contain soft, flavorful green-tea ice cream in the center, perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth.

These are best enjoyed when taken out of the freezer to defrost for a few minutes before eating (if you can resist the wait).

Click to keep reading Trader Joe's diaries like this one.

Normally, I'm a fan of anything that's made Buffalo-style. However, the Appetitos Buffalo chicken dip was oddly heavy on onions — which isn't a flavor I typically associate with Buffalo wings.

When I pulled it from the microwave, the combination of earthiness from the onions and vinegar from the hot sauce produced an unpleasant aroma. It didn't look especially appetizing, either.

There was a respectable amount of chicken, and the peppery flavor of the hot sauce was good, but the onions tasted out of place, and the whole dip was a bit too tangy for my taste.

At $5 for a 12.5-ounce portion, it didn't seem like a great value relative to the other deals at Aldi.

Unfortunately, the Fusia chicken egg rolls fell apart a bit while cooking in my air fryer.

The outer crust was more dry and crumbly than the egg rolls I prefer. The stuffing was also heavy on cabbage, leaving a fairly strong aftertaste that I didn't love.

At $3.40 for a package of four, I'll probably skip these next time.

Mama Cozzi's mini pizza bagels looked exactly like the more familiar Bagel Bites brand appetizer.

They tasted a lot like them, too, but to me, they didn't stack up well against the other options I tried. I found the sauce a little too sweet, the bagel a bit too dry, and the pepperoni lacking in flavor.

At $7.10 for a pack of 36 bagel bites, these were less expensive than similar products I've seen at other grocery stores.

Wings are fairly easy to prepare from fresh or frozen chicken, and unfortunately, I didn't think the Kirkwood Buffalo-style chicken wings stood up to the version I make myself.

The wings came with sauce already on them, which likely prevented them from getting crispy in the air fryer. The chicken was a bit on the greasy side, but they packed more spice than I expected.

I thought $5.90 was a good deal for more than a pound of wings, but I would've preferred this product if the sauce came in a separate packet.

I steamed the Fusia mini wontons in the microwave, and given how many of the appetizers I tried were fried, I was happy about the change of pace.

The pork-and-vegetable stuffing was heavy on scallion flavor and a bit sweet.

At $6.90 for a 24-ounce bag, these were on the costlier side of Aldi's appetizer offerings. However, I'd buy these again because my 4-year-old daughter loved them — and she's particular about dumplings.

Like the pizza bagels I tried, Mama Cozzi's pepperoni pizza snacks closely resembled the brand-name product.

These didn't explode in the air fryer, which is an issue I've had with similar snacks in the past, and their outer shell took on a nice, crispy texture.

The $6.50 price tag seemed very reasonable for an enormous 45-ounce bag. However, I would've preferred a smaller option to keep in my freezer.

The Casa Mamita stuffed beef and cheese nachos looked like toasted ravioli, and the chewy-crunchy outer shell had the same texture.

Inside, the stuffed nachos were reminiscent of a convenience-store microwavable burrito, which is not meant as a knock. The filling was heavier on cheese than seasoned beef, and I could've gone for a bit more of the latter.

However, they had a nice peppery kick to them, and at $4, would make for a fine change of pace at a Super Bowl party.

Aldi had a wide selection of chicken nuggets and tenders. I chose the Kirkwood chicken fries because the $5.30 24-ounce bag was the smallest and least expensive option.

There wasn't much seasoning in the breading, and there was a high bread-to-chicken ratio, but they were great for dipping.

The Appetitos mac-and-cheese bites looked exactly like chicken nuggets but were stuffed with creamy, melty cheese and pasta.

They were salty but a little light on flavor and definitely tastier when dipped in a homemade cajun aioli. However, these blew my 4-year-old's mind, and she insisted on showing me that every bite had "real mac and cheese inside."

I thought $3.50 seemed well worth it for the 8-ounce package.

Since I prefer beef hot dogs to chicken ones, I had reservations about Bremer's mini corn dogs.

However, they cooked up nicely in the air fryer, with a nice crispness to the honey-tinged cornmeal crusts. The franks inside didn't taste like much, but they didn't detract from the snack, either.

Like most corn dogs, these were much better with mustard or ketchup. A huge 26.8-ounce box cost me $6.50.

I didn't realize it at the time, but the SeaPak wild-caught clam strips were the only appetizer I found at Aldi that didn't come from one of the supermarket's house brands.

The clam strips, which cost $5 for an 8-ounce box, took on a great crunch from my air fryer and packed a nice, mildly briny seafood flavor.

The Appetitos jalapeño poppers did not disappoint. At $2.90 for an 11-ounce package, they were the least expensive starters I found.

There wasn't a ton of kick from the jalapeños, but they were a nice, tender complement to the crunchy breading and molten cream cheese.

They weren't the best jalapeño poppers I've ever had, but if I paid for them at a local bar, I wouldn't complain.

Cauliflower is one of my least-favorite vegetables, but after eating so many breaded, fried, cheese-stuffed things, I was excited about a breaded, fried vegetable-stuffed thing.

Unlike the Buffalo wings I tried, the Season's Choice Buffalo cauliflower bites came with the sauce in a separate packet. Even after I tossed them in the sauce, they maintained a nice crunch, and the cauliflower had a nice, hearty texture.

I also thought $3.50 for a 13-ounce bag seemed like a good deal.

The Appetitos breaded cheese curds, which cost $4.40 for a 15-ounce package, were an absolute hit with my whole family.

They had a winning combination of hot, molten cheese and crunchy, salty breading.

I don't normally love potato skins or baked potatoes, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Aldi's cheddar-and-bacon-topped potato skins.

They were hardly "skins" at all — more like baked potato halves.

When cooked, they had more potato flavor than I expected, a smoother texture than I would've imagined possible from a frozen baked potato, and nice bits of salty crunch from the bacon.

They cost $3.50 for a package of four and were my wife's favorite of the appetizers we tried.

The Appetitos cream-cheese wontons had a crispy, flaky crust that I really enjoyed. They weren't overwhelmingly greasy, and the cream cheese inside was smooth and rich.

I tried them with a few different dips, but I liked them best on their own. However, there were only six wontons in the $3.70 package, so I'd need to buy multiple boxes if I were to serve them to guests.

Appetitos' cheese-stuffed pretzels were another family favorite. The warm, sweet, soft pretzels provided a great vehicle for the hot, creamy cheddar cheese inside.

I especially liked that they weren't overwhelmingly salty. A few of them lost some cheese in the cooking process, but I trust that I can make the necessary adjustments moving forward.

At $3 for a 10-ounce box, I'll absolutely buy these again.

Most of Aldi's cheese-stuffed appetizers were good, but in my opinion, the Fremont shrimp queso bites were the best.

At $5 for an 11-ounce bag, they were on the expensive side by Aldi standards. There was definitely a lot more queso than shrimp inside the golden-brown puffs, but I could definitely taste the seafood.

The cheese also had a sharp, peppery spice. Of the 18 appetizers I tried, these were a narrow favorite.

The 2-½ pound box of Kirkland Signature panko shrimp, which cost $19, was the most expensive meal I purchased. According to its packaging, each box comes with 40 to 50 shrimp that can be prepared in the oven.

The slightly peppery seasoning on the shrimp was tasty, but I thought there was too much breading, making the shellfish feel like an afterthought.

Next time, I'll make my own version with frozen uncooked shrimp, which is also quick and easy to prepare.

The Sandwich Bros. chicken-melt sandwiches, which I'd wanted to try for a while, looked enormous and delicious on the box. But when I opened the package, they were smaller than I'd expected.

A pack of 15 individually wrapped sandwiches cost $12.70, which seemed reasonable to me.

The pita got a little rubbery in the microwave, but no other cooking methods were listed on the box. I tried heating the sandwiches in the oven and air-fryer, but both methods essentially baked the pita into a cracker.

Taste-wise, the chicken had a mildly peppery seasoning. The strongest flavor was the American cheese, which never came out as beautifully melted as it looked on the packaging. The sandwiches tasted best when I added a condiment like spicy mayo or hot sauce.

My 3-year-old loved these sandwiches, which seemed appropriate for someone whose favorite foods are bread, cheese, and chicken nuggets.

I picked up a four-pack of the Kirkland Signature thin-crust pepperoni pizza for $13.70, which came out to just over $3.40 per pie.

I thought the price was reasonable, but I'd prefer to spend a little more money on Target's single Red Baron pie, which doesn't require nearly as much freezer space. 

Each Kirkland Signature pizza was individually wrapped in plastic. However, during transport, most of the pepperoni shifted to one side of the pizza, so I manually redistributed the slices before baking it for about 12 minutes. 

The finished pizza looked exactly how I expected. The cheese melted, the edges of the crust browned, and the pepperoni glimmered with grease.

In my opinion, this pizza was sort of bland — the thin, cracker-like crust had a nice texture but little flavor, the sauce was slightly sweet but light on seasoning, and the pepperoni didn't have much spice. 

It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great, either. I would probably serve one as a convenient appetizer if I needed to cook a more elaborate meal for guests, especially if kids were around.

But since this pizza wasn't better or cheaper than other frozen pies I've had, I don't expect to buy it again.

The Ajinomoto frozen ramen featured big chunks of chicken, noodles, dehydrated carrots, corn, red peppers, and green onions.

This pack came with six individual bowls, which required a decent amount of freezer space.

I added water and microwaved the ramen for four minutes per the instructions. The noodles were tender, the chicken was a bit spongy and sweet, and the salty soy-based broth was tasty without being overpowering.

They were a great size for a small but satisfying lunch, though far less portable than other forms of ramen. And at $18 for six bowls, they didn't seem like a very good value.

I'm somewhat particular about meatballs, but the deal on this Kirkland Signature product was hard to pass up. A 6-pound bag filled with 140 walnut-sized meatballs was only $18.

When I brought them home, the meatballs heated quickly in my air fryer and got a nice crust on the outside.

Unfortunately, the meatballs were a bit too spongy for my taste. Without sauce, they had a fairly strong garlic taste with some mild black-pepper spice. Still, they were neutral enough to take on the flavor of any sauce I paired them with.

I served my kids a few plain meatballs alongside some mac and cheese, and they seemed unimpressed.

When I tried the meatballs on a roll with cheese, barbecue sauce, and pickles, I thought the finished product tasted a bit like a McRib.

However, I liked them best as an appetizer, tossed in a sweet-and-sour sauce I made with ketchup, jelly, Sriracha, and Worcestershire sauce.

Overall, they seemed like a good value, but the 6-pound bag took up so much freezer space that I can't imagine buying these again.

On the day I went shopping, Costco offered samples of these dumplings, so I knew what to expect before I brought them home.

They seemed plain, but I was impressed by the price. The 3-pound bag was on sale for $7.50, though it normally costs $10.

When I opened the bag, I noticed some of the wontons fused in the freezer and didn't easily come apart without ripping. Though it didn't affect the flavor, this might make me less likely to use them as an appetizer while hosting.

I tried pan-frying them, but they took on a lot of the oil flavor. They were better when I steamed them in the microwave, as this cooking method allowed the filling's subtle sweetness and cilantro flavor to shine through.

The Kirkland Signature lasagna requires 65 minutes in the oven, so it's a little less convenient than many other frozen meals from Costco. That is, unless you risk the 24-minute microwave option suggested on the packaging.

But other than the baking time, the lasagna requires very little work. Each two-pack of lasagna was $16.70.

The finished meal looked appealing, covered with brown, bubbly mozzarella cheese. The lasagna was surprisingly spicy, with a black-pepper taste.

The sauce was subtly sweet but more seasoned than I'd like. The noodles came out perfectly tender, and the meaty sausage had a nice fennel flavor.

Each lasagna was enough to feed my family, with plenty left for the next day's lunch.

Red's turkey-sausage egg'wich caught my attention as a quick, protein-forward, low-carb breakfast option at the perfect time — I'm trying to eat lighter meals ahead of three family weddings.

The preparation was fast and simple. I microwaved the egg'wich for 50 seconds on each side, and I had a piping-hot turkey-sausage sandwich with eggs patties for bread. 

This eight-pack of egg'wiches cost $15, which didn't seem especially cost-efficient as far as Costco frozen meals go. 

I was a bit surprised I enjoyed these, as I don't usually like precooked egg patties. However, these were moist without being too greasy (though they were a little greasier than most foods I'd eat with my hands). The flavorful turkey sausage, which had a hint of black pepper, was good, too.

However, the egg'wich, which was only 190 calories and had 17 grams of protein, didn't fill me up. I usually like to spice up my egg breakfasts with some hot sauce, but I was worried it would spill out the sides or off the top of the sandwich.

After some consideration, I took a hamburger bun and put the entire egg'wich between the bread to better protect my hands from grease and condiments. I found the egg'wiches tasted much better and were more satisfying this way, though they were no longer keto-friendly.

I'll probably buy these again — along with more buns.

This was similar to a frozen orange-chicken meal I frequently buy at Trader Joe's. Both the Crazy Cuizine and Trader Joe's versions contain frozen chicken nuggets and pouches of sweet, brown, tangy sauce.

Without the sauce, the meat pieces' crispy, salty, outer breading reminded me of chicken nuggets.

The meal seemed tailor-made for preparation in an air fryer and was ready in about 20 minutes. The chicken pieces came out super crispy and were even tastier than some Chinese takeout meals I've had.

I'd buy this $16.50 box again, especially since the chicken was enough for four meals for my family when I served it with white rice and vegetables.

A box of eight individually wrapped Kirkland Signature breakfast sandwiches, made with bacon, egg, cheese, and a croissant, cost $16 at my Costco.

The sandwiches were extremely easy to prepare — after just six minutes in the air fryer, I had a quick, hot-breakfast option.

We enjoyed these sandwiches. The croissant (though a bit flimsy) had a nice hint of sweetness, the bacon was flavorful with a bit of crunch, and the melted cheese kept the sandwich from becoming too dry.

The sandwich also had enough flavor and moisture that it didn't need ketchup or hot sauce.

They reminded my wife and me of similar options from chain coffee shops. However, at about $2 per sandwich, they cost less than many of the options at my local Starbucks.

I'll likely repurchase the Kirkland Signature sandwiches when I need a break from my typical breakfast routine.

I picked up this 30-count box of the Kirkland Signature tempura shrimp on a week when I needed an easy dinner to make.

I thought I knew what to expect from the $18 box, as I'd previously bought this item for a holiday party. But I didn't try many, and though I remember my kids eating them, I wasn't sure if they'd still like this meal — that was over a year ago, and children can be fickle. 

The box contained a resealable bag of frozen shrimp and pouches of a soy-based dipping sauce.

The shrimp were extremely easy to prepare — I simply heated them in the air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

The shrimp were light on flavor yet hearty, so each piece felt substantial. When I tried them with the soy dipping sauce, they soaked up the sweet-salty taste.

All four of us liked this meal — which is a rarity. My 7-year-old deemed them "shrimp sticks" and delighted in the way the tails acted like little handles.

I was eager to try this staple of the Costco frozen section. The package came with two six-serving pizzas and was on sale for $10, though it normally costs $13.

It may be a deep-dish pizza, but the crust was nice and airy. Each pie had plenty of molten mozzarella and both sliced and diced pepperoni.

The pepperoni got shaken up in the package, but that allowed me to rearrange the pieces to leave a meat-free section for my 6-year-old, who doesn't like it.

The instructions called for baking the pizza directly on the oven rack in the tray it comes in. I tried this method, but I thought the buttery crust had more texture when I set the tray on top of a preheated cast-iron pizza pan.

A box of Kirkland Signature garlic-butter shrimp cost $16, which seemed like a good price for seafood that wasn't breaded.

The box contained two 1-pound bags of shrimp, which I found convenient — a pound of shrimp is usually just enough for a family dinner.

The meal couldn't have been easier to prepare. I opened the bag and dropped the shrimp into a skillet over medium heat. As the meal cooked, the buttery crust on the pieces of shrimp melted into a sauce.

With frequent stirring, the shrimp was ready to eat in about 10 minutes. 

The shrimp was surprisingly tender, considering it was cooked straight from the freezer. The buttery, rich sauce also burst with garlic and Parmesan flavors.

I served the shrimp over white rice, which was a perfect medium for soaking up the excess sauce. I sometimes make a similar shrimp meal from scratch, but it never goes over as well as this one did.

My only issue with the meal was that my kids wanted more shrimp than their usual share. I'll buy this again, but I'll cook both bags for future dinners.

I experimented a lot with preparing Red's turkey-sausage breakfast burritos. The tortillas tended to burst open when I cooked the burritos in the air fryer, and the microwave made them too chewy.

Eventually, I settled on a combination — 30 seconds on each side in the microwave, then 10 minutes in the air fryer at a low temperature.

I don't normally enjoy precooked frozen eggs in dishes like these. However, these burritos and their egg fillings tasted freshly made. The cheese was gooey, the sausage was tasty, and the flavor was spicy enough to be interesting without turning off my kids.

Don't let the name fool you — these do not have to be reserved for breakfast. Since this taste test, the turkey-sausage burritos have become my go-to lunch.

At $15.70 for 10 small burritos, they're a similar price to some convenience-store burritos, but these taste like premium versions.

This story was originally published on June 6, 2024, and most recently updated on December 19, 2024.