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.

Trader Joe's eggplant parmigiana sfogliatelle was the first time I saw sfogliatelle, an Italian pastry, used in a savory dish.

I thought the delicate layered pastry would make for a phenomenal texture.

When I baked the appetizer, the exterior became crispy and flaky, and the interior was moist and chewy.

The eggplant pieces pulled apart easily, though the cheesy, saucy filling was a little messy.

They were simple to make in the air fryer, and I thought they looked more elegant than anything you'd expect to come from the freezer aisle.

I wasn't sure if I'd like Trader Joe's figgy cheddar because I usually prefer unadulterated cheeses. However, I decided to give it a try.

The fig flavor gave the cheese a subtle hint of sweetness, and the rum (in which the figs were marinated) contributed a light, pleasant spiced note.

The cheese paired well with the chili cracker from Trader Joe's scalloped cracker trio, as the sweetness of the fig complemented the spice.

This pack of Trader Joe's mini quiches comes with two flavors: uncured bacon with sweet onion and Swiss cheese with mushroom.

Out of the package, I thought they looked promising and perfectly portioned.

The mini quiches were surprisingly moist.

I especially liked the version with uncured bacon and sweet onion, because they had a nice smoky flavor.

My wife preferred the mushroom-and-Swiss option, but that one was a touch too mushroom-heavy for my taste.

Lasagna is a holiday staple for the Italian-American half of my family, so I had high expectations for Trader Joe's family-style meat lasagna.

At first glance, the components of the baked lasagna were oddly distributed — all the meat sauce was on top of the noodles and the bottom layers were solely pasta and ricotta.

Luckily, there was plenty of sauce to spread around.

I wouldn't be able to pass it off as homemade, but it was good enough to buy for my family of four again.

However, if the Italian side of my family finds out I'm praising a store-bought lasagna, I might not be welcome at the next party.

If there's one thing I could tell from Trader Joe's shrimp pouches of many colors, it's that food in various hues is always better than boring old monochromatic options.

My 3-year-old daughter squealed with delight and insisted on trying each color when she saw these festive dumplings.

I pan-fried my shrimp dumplings so they'd be crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

The dumplings weren't anything super special, but they were still pretty good and fun to look at.

I'll likely serve these as an appetizer this holiday season.

The label for Trader Joe's Brie en croûte listed all sorts of ways to gussy the thing up — like dolloping raspberry preserves or red peppers and pine nuts on top.

I went for the most basic preparation.

On its own, the pastry-wrapped Brie didn't look like something I'd want to put out for guests.

But when I sliced into it, all the molten Brie came cascading out, and I was reminded that cheese is delicious.

I thought the Brie paired perfectly with the flaky bits of pastry.

Many people eat crackers straight from a box, but I usually prefer them crumbled into soup or used as a vessel for a spread.

Though these crackers come in rosemary, red-chili, and garlic flavors, my family wasn't exactly thrilled to try Trader Joe's scalloped cracker trio.

The crackers were a bit thicker and less crunchy than the kinds we usually like.

That being said, they were heartier, and I could see them holding up on a charcuterie tray, especially if dipped into an antipasto spread.

Trader Joe's fried olive bites looked like a simple variation of jalapeño poppers.

When I air-fried them, a lot of the cheese filling oozed out onto the appliance's tray.

I expected a full olive stuffed with cheese, but these were more like breaded and fried cheese-filled balls of olive tapenade.

If you truly love the flavor of olives, this is the appetizer for you.

The label on Trader Joe's holiday hash suggests using the mix of diced butternut squash, sweet potato, red onion, and celery in soups and stuffings.

I sautéed the hash to use as a side dish.

The holiday hash was tasty, thanks to the sage's assertive flavor and the squash's sweetness.

However, the slightly mushy hash didn't look the most appetizing, and it even turned off my squash-loving son.

Still, I could imagine it being a time-saver if I was making a wintertime stew.

As a porchetta lover, I had high hopes for Trader Joe's uncured bacon-wrapped porchetta pork roast.

Per the instructions, I roasted the pork at 500 degrees Fahrenheit until the bacon was browned and crispy.

This was supposed to take 25 minutes, but the bacon didn't seem that crispy even after 30 minutes in the oven.

I still followed the instructions and lowered the temperature to 325 degrees, as I feared I'd scorch the thing.

I enjoy rosemary, but, in my opinion, too much of the herb was stuffed into the pork.

The meat tasted best in a sandwich alongside the holiday vegetable hash, as the vegetables and bread helped cut the rosemary flavor.

I assumed Trader Joe's cranberry chevre would just be goat cheese rolled in sweetened, dried cranberries. However, it looked like the fruit was also whipped into the cheese.

I didn't find the chevre to have enough of a tangy edge.

It was OK on one of the rosemary crackers from the scalloped cracker trio, but I could also picture it on a sandwich with the porchetta and holiday hash.

I didn't know what to expect from Trader Joe's artichoke bread pudding.

Judging from the label, it seemed like a reconfiguration of stuffed artichokes.

The bread pudding also came in an oven-safe casserole dish.

The oven didn't fix the bread pudding's off-putting appearance, in my opinion.

Taste-wise, it was too heavy and had a strong black-pepper flavor.

It was the type of thing that tasted good on the first bite but was unpleasant by the third.

I wasn't certain if I'd like Trader Joe's Portuguese tarts, which had a filling of bechamel, egg yolks, diced potato, and salted cod.

I tried not to let the "cod custard tarts" label deter me.

We try pretty hard not to waste much food in my household but we didn't even come close to finishing the tarts.

These were a bit like a cream-based seafood chowder embedded in pastry, but they mostly tasted like goopy cod.