10 Frozen Foods Moms Swear Actually Taste Like Takeout
For when you can’t muster the energy to cook another meal, but ordering in is too damn pricey.
When I was a kid and thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up, and what city I’d want to live in, and how cute my apartment would be, I didn’t yet realize what adulthood really means: cooking all your meals. Then, when you have a family, the amount of cooking just balloons. If you have a family and are trying to eat on a budget, meaning takeout is usually not an option, it’s so much f*cking cooking. In my family, this is when we crack open the freezer and find something tasty and easy, preferably something that tastes as good as takeout. According to the editors-slash-moms of Scary Mommy, these are the items we reach for the most on nights like those.
01A Solid Dumpling Option
My husband and I have loved Bibigo’s frozen chicken and fried rice, but their dumplings are the real standout product from the lineup. The sauce they come with is so good, and the instructions on the bag help you get that perfect tender-but-crispy outer layer. And for those of you who shop at Wegmans, our editor-in-chief says their chicken dumplings are stellar, too.
02The Best Detroit-Style Frozen Pizza
If you’re in the mood for a Detroit-style pizza, well, it can actually be hard to find a good one depending on where you live. But one of our editors says Motor City Pizza Co.’s frozen pizzas are the best frozen option and surprisingly tasty.
03Soup Dumplings I Want An Entire Box Of
Xiao long bao, aka soup dumplings, are so delicious and comforting and just fun. Instead of floating in soup, the soup is actually inside the dumplings. The broth is ginger-y, and the filling includes chicken, onion, green onion, and more. The TJ’s website suggests nibbling a little hole in your dumpling to let the soup run out and cool before enjoying.
04Chick-fil-A Nuggets, Basically
Fast food is not so fast if you have to wait in a line that wraps around the building twice (looking at you, every Chick-fil-A ever). Personally, I think these Just Bare brand nuggets are almost exactly like Chick-fil-A’s, but I can get a pound and a half of them for the price of one meal at the chain.
05Fast Food-Style Fries
When you have kids in the house, frozen nuggets and fries are as much a grocery staple as eggs or milk. My family loves these because they really do crisp up on the outside when you air-fry them. Because let’s be real — no one likes a limp fry.
06Genuinely Good Sweet Potato Fries
Frozen sweet potato fries are always iffy. Some brands come out floppy and squishy no matter how long you bake or air fry them, but not Alexia’s. No, these little babies come out crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. We first discovered them at Costco, but they’re available at most major retailers.
07The Perfect Frozen Meal For When Curbside Olive Garden Sounds Amazing
TJ’s freezer aisle is full of hits, and one Scary Mommy editor swears by the gnocchi al gorgonzola. Think pillowy potato puffs covered in a nutty, aromatic gorgonzola cream sauce. Serve it with a bagged salad and call it a night.
08A Truly Tasty Curry Option
You have to love a freezer meal that includes everything you need, and this one from Trader Joe’s includes both the jasmine rice base and a delicious vegan green curry to top it with. Reviewers say it’s got plenty of spice for those of you who like it hot.
09A McDonald’s Hashbrown Dupe
Listen here, you air fry one of these bad boys and salt it to high heavens, and you have yourself a hashbrown that is indistinguishable from a McDonald’s one. They’re just delicious and perfect and crispy, and they’re so good with bacon and eggs on Saturday morning.
10The Best Frozen Pizza Brand, Period
Take it from a girl who has tried them all, and tried them more than once, Screamin’ Sicilian pizzas are my absolute favorite. The crust is the perfect thickness. The cheese and pepperoni are plentiful and actually have flavor. It’s just genuinely good, and it hits every single time.
