16 Costco Frozen Dinners, Ranked Worst To First

Costco offers shoppers enormous convenience by cramming just about everything a person needs under one roof, including frozen foods. Frozen foods streamline the modern diner's life by making delicious and complex meals available at the push of a microwave button. Costco's freezer aisles are vast and varied wonderlands of icy goodness. You can find food from all over the globe in these aisles: Burritos, potstickers, biscuit sandwiches, and lasagna are just a small sampling of what's on offer.

But not every frozen dinner is created equal. Some are sumptuous symphonies of flavor, texture, and convenience. Others are miserably bland hunks of edible matter that look nothing like the picture on the box they came in. It can be difficult to figure out which icy entree is worth your hard-earned cash -- but we're here to make it a bit easier. These are some of Costco's top frozen dinners, ranked from worst to first.

Read more: The 11 Best Frozen Burger Brands Available

Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie

Marie Callender's is a staple of the freezer aisle. The brand's pot pies are particularly famous and can be found in bulk at many Costco locations. You might assume, then, that these products are delicious -- how else could they have earned such ubiquity? But in fact, these pot pies -- especially Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie -- are pretty darn middling. It's largely due to a lack of flavor.

It's not clear what, exactly, makes these pies bland. They boast a fine combination of ingredients, including chicken, carrots, onions, peas, and celery, all wrapped up in a delicate crust. These individual elements aren't so broken down that you can't detect them while you're chowing down, but somehow, they lose their spark in the production process. The veggies are only faintly sweet and vegetal, and the chicken is so mild as to be boring. The crust is probably the best part, as it's impressively flaky and resists sogginess. But it doesn't have quite the sweet, wheaty kick most diners want from their pot pie. It might be time for a new frozen food brand to claim the pot pie crown.

Red's Turkey Sausage Egg'wich

One Instagram user is all-in on the Red's Turkey Sausage Egg'wich, gushing about the brand: "They have convenient, clean label foods packed with protein that helps you fuel your day!" This is true and of particular interest to those who stick to a keto diet. Each Turkey Sausage Egg'wich consists of two egg patties, sausage, and cheese. That sort of protein-heavy grab-and-go sandwich can keep a person going for hours.

But it's also not necessarily the most delicious breakfast sandwich on the market. Don't get us wrong: Red's Egg'wiches aren't bad. But the egg patties tend to be bland. They taste as though they've somehow been sapped of their egginess, which makes them more like vaguely egg-scented sponges than anything else. Beyond that, there's the salt content. These little sandwiches account for a quarter of your recommended daily sodium intake, and you can tell in each bite. This isn't necessarily unpleasant -- lots of people like salty food. But if you're sensitive to sodium, you're in for a bad time.

Kirkland Signature Chicken Bakes

What exactly is a chicken bake? Essentially, it's a sort of cylindrical calzone. A thick crust encases a mixture of chicken, three different kinds of cheese, bacon, green onions, and zesty Caesar dressing. So, they're kind of like what you'd get if you smashed a chicken Caesar salad and a white pizza together.

Is this delicious? Well, the Kirkland Signature Chicken Bakes are certainly not bad, but they are also not necessarily anything to write home about. As Costcuisine put it in their review: "They're a tiny bit on the bland side, but they're satisfying and convenient comfort food." They also noted a slightly problematic dough-to-filling ratio. This is far from a catastrophe, granted, and might even be a godsend to parents with picky kids who aren't quite used to strong flavors. But few adults are likely to go looking for what is, essentially, a lackluster Italian-ish burrito, when Costco offers so many other frozen options.

Trident Seafoods The Ultimate Fish Stick

Reddit is a vast ocean of opinions. It can be difficult to tell which are worth paying attention to, but sometimes, things work out. One Reddit user offered an example of a positive experience on the Costco subreddit, writing: "Someone recommended the trident fish sticks. I bought some and have been pleased. I do cook them longer than the bag states, but for the price and quantity, I'll be buying them again."

Trident Seafoods' The Ultimate Fish Stick products are indeed decent. Unlike lesser options, they're full of flavor -- that of wild Alaskan pollock, to be specific. As fish stick aficionados know, specificity is no guarantee with this foodstuff, which makes Trident even more impressive. Their breading is also bursting with fresh, salty flavor. Happily, these fish sticks hold up well, no matter how long they've been in your freezer. Unfortunately, the breading tends to lose its crispiness during the cooking process. It's not soggy, granted, but it's definitely not as crunchy as it should be.

Tyson Panko Breaded Chicken Breast Tenderloins

The world of poultry is vast and varied. Yet even among such world-class dishes as chicken a la king, chicken paprikash, and chicken tikka masala, the humble breaded chicken strip stands out. Tyson's Panko Breaded Chicken Tenderloins are a solid example of what makes this simple dish so enduring.

First and foremost, the chicken itself is of great quality. These tenderloins are moist and richly flavored. There's no blandness, mushiness, or stringiness here, and absolutely no gristle -- it's just tender meat all the way through. The breading takes each strip to further heights. Using feathery panko is something of a gamble -- when reheated, this breading sometimes loses its crunch and airiness. But something about the Tyson process ensures this doesn't happen. The panko remains crispy, light, and full of savory flavor; even the most robust dipping sauces available can't make it soggy.

The only problem is that these tenderloins come in a 5-pound bag. That's good news for families, but it should give twosomes or solo diners pause. After a few weeks in the freezer, these strips start to lose textural integrity and flavor. They never become tasteless, but a certain blandness creeps in. That's why this frozen item might be best for those with larger households.

Ling Ling Chicken & Vegetable Potstickers

Who doesn't like potstickers? Very few people and it's no wonder why: These plump bundles of deliciousness are basically impossible to resist. Ling Ling does them justice; the brand's Chicken & Vegetable Potstickers, available at Costco, are solidly tasty.

It starts with the wrapper. Ling Ling's dough is perfectly balanced: The bottom of each potsticker is fried to a delectable golden-brown crisp, while the top is melt-in-your-mouth tender. There's a bit of chewiness to it as well, which adds welcome textural interest. As for the fillings, it's hard to pick a favorite -- they each boast an excellent blend of meat, veggies, oils, and seasonings. The Chicken and Vegetable Potstickers pair the bracingly fresh flavors of cabbage and green onion with luscious meat. However, the chicken itself is somewhat bland. That said, Ling Ling's special dipping sauce, which is bursting with salty-sweet goodness, does a lot to disguise this flaw.

Mason Dixie Cheddar Biscuit Sandwich With Sausage & Egg

Few breakfasts are finer than a biscuit sandwich. It's a simple dish, but a perfect one. Mason Dixie gets this -- its biscuit sandwiches are simultaneously humble and decadent, and all the better for it. They come in a few different varieties, and while all are excellent, we're spotlighting the Cheddar Biscuit Sandwich With Sausage & Egg.

This biscuit sandwich consists of a halved biscuit, sausage, egg, and cheddar cheese. What strikes you most upon taking a bite is the sandwich's excellent balance of flavor. The egg is lusciously egg-y, the sausage is full of savory depth, and the cheese is honest-to-goodness cheese rather than processed orange shreds. No wonder one Instagram user decided to spotlight them in a post, which many enthusiasts commented upon. One netizen summed things up by saying: "These are incredible. We're buying two boxes at a time." Unfortunately, the biscuit does tend to get a bit dry and tough if you input too much cooking time. But this is easy to overlook in light of the sandwich's other virtues.

Lilly B's Organic Bean, Rice & Cheese Burritos

The humble burrito is a staple of freezers across the land. It's no mystery as to why: These bundles of deliciousness freeze well, are easy to produce, and sell well at a variety of price points. While even the worst frozen burrito is usually pretty darn good, it is possible to get a little burnt out after having one too many subpar offerings. Not to worry: Lilly B's Organic Bean, Rice & Cheese Burritos are here to cure your burrito fatigue.

First and foremost, there's the tortilla. While lesser offerings wrap their contents in dried-out husks, Lilly B's tortillas are tender discs of warm, savory flavor. Then there's the filling. Other burritos tend to stumble on ingredient distribution, offering unpleasantly separated strata of individual elements. But you won't end up with a mouthful of rice here: The rice, cheese, and beans are beautifully intermingled in each bite. The pinto beans could, admittedly, use a bit of work -- they pretty much disappear into the rest of the filling. The brown rice also overwhelms the beans' similarly earthy flavor. But the medley is still strong, and the texture remains pleasantly varied. The fact that these burritos are organic is another point in their favor.

Kirkland Signature Beef Lasagna

Lasagna is a multifaceted delicacy, a seriously complicated kitchen project, and one of the most comforting foods in existence. Every bite of lusciously intermingled pasta, sauce, veggies, and meat is like a hug on a fork. Given the amount of time it takes to make lasagna. However, you might be a bit short of culinary hugs. No longer: Kirkland Signature's Beef Lasagna is here in all its cheesy, meaty, tomato-y glory.

Reddit users were quick to sing its praises: "Meat lasagna is awesome," declared one. They were quickly backed up by others, who wrote, "Yesss!!!" and "Hands down best frozen meal." The pasta is a major part of why: While other lasagna noodles are limp, these are robust, ruffly layers of tender goodness. The cheese and tomato sauce mingle divinely, bringing out each other's rich milkiness and tangy acidity. The beef stumbles a bit -- every now and then, you bite down on a dried-out bit of meat rubble. But this isn't a huge problem, and it's worth enduring for the sake of quick, delicious lasagna.

Bibigo Beef Bulgogi Mandu Dumplings

There is a reason why every culture has its own variety of dumplings: They are basically the perfect food. Bibigo's Beef Bulgogi Mandu Dumplings are a strong example of the form, and Costco fans on Reddit have taken notice. "I love the [bulgogi] dumplings," one user noted. "Bulgogi, yes, FTW," chimed in another. Clearly, the word is out.

These dumplings distinguish themselves in many ways, but flavor is the most prominent. This is beef at its best: hearty, rich, tender, and supremely satisfying. Piquant onions, garlic, and pepper accent it perfectly and never overwhelm each other. The dumpling dough wraps it all up in a meltingly soft and deeply flavorful wrapper. These dumplings are definitely better when pan-fried; they develop a delectable golden-brown crust that kicks the whole experience up to an even higher level of deliciousness. But microwaving them still results in something tasty.

Caribbean Food Delights Jamaican Style Spicy Beef Patties

Jamaican beef patties are one of the world's greatest foods. That's a pretty huge claim, but we stand by it because Caribbean Food Delights' Jamaican Style Spicy Beef Patties provide strong evidence. What you immediately notice upon taking a bite is that these patties are actually spicy. We're not taking face-melting levels of spice here, but this definitely isn't the kind of barely-there burn you get from lesser frozen beef patties. Then there are the other spices. Sweet thyme makes a major impression, followed by good old garlic and onion. It all accents the juicy flavor of the beef itself, which is as moist and rich as you could want.

The crust is fairly simple, boasting little more than a slightly sweet, wheaty flavor. This might bore some diners, but it allows the beef to shine. It also brings out the thyme flavor in a truly wonderful way and plays nicely with the spice level. Furthermore, the crust resists sogginess and dryness, no matter how long it's been sitting in your freezer. If you don't happen to live near a Jamaican beef patty-slinging kiosk or restaurant, these are the next best thing.

Crazy Cuizine Mandarin Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken might just be the king of American Chinese food. For one thing, it's fried chicken, which basically nobody can resist. For another, it drapes the whole crispy, craggy, crunchy affair in a divine orange sauce. What results is pure deliciousness -- and now, you can get it at Costco in frozen dinner form. Reddit users made sure to mention it as one of their go-to frozen meals: "My kids love the Orange Chicken," one netizen mentioned, and was soon backed up by others, who wrote: "Can confirm. Currently eating it," "Solid choice," and "Yes! This is a must!"

Crazy Cuizine's Mandarin Orange Chicken combines juicy bites of chicken with a vibrant, citrus-packed sauce. Hints of ginger and garlic take it to further heights. The breading does an excellent job of absorbing the sauce's flavor without ever getting mushy, especially if you prepare the dish in the oven. But you don't have to -- one of the best things about this orange chicken is its versatility. Try it in the air fryer, toss it with steamed rice, cook it on the stovetop, or pair it with sauteed green beans. You really can't go wrong.

Milton's Cauliflower Crust Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Cauliflower has become a workhorse in the modern kitchen. This cruciferous dynamo has been used to approximate everything from rice to noodles to pizza crust. Not every venture works out well, but some of them prove to be seriously tasty. Consider Milton's Cauliflower Crust Roasted Vegetable Pizza. This brassica-heavy take on the beloved Italian dish doesn't just do a decent job of ingredient substitution -- it's crave-able as its own distinct entrée. One Instagram user specifically called it "Everyone's favorite gluten-free, cauliflower crust pizza," and was immediately backed up by fans who raved, "That one is the best!" and "Love this pizza."

The cauliflower crust doesn't taste entirely like a normal, wheat-based crust -- and that's a good thing. Its faintly vegetal sweetness and uniquely tender texture are delicious in their own ways. It's also just as crispy and leopard-spotted as you could ask for and more than capable of supporting sauce, cheese, and toppings. Said sauce is wonderfully piquant, while the cheese and roasted veggies on top are full of vivid flavor. Even those who don't follow a gluten-free diet should check this one out.

Frontera Chicken Fajita Bowl

Elaborate, delicious fajitas never fail to entice. When you live near a great Mexican restaurant that can produce them in all their sizzling, many-plated glory, you can indulge in them whenever you want. But if you don't, you face the complicated process that is making them at home. Don't have the time or finesse necessary? Not to worry -- Frontera's Chicken Fajita Bowl is here for you.

This meal combines deliciously fresh cilantro rice with grilled chicken breast, black beans, bell peppers, pepper jack cheese, and a chipotle sauce. The chicken is plump and juicy, the cheese brings just the right note of milkiness into the mix, the veggies are bright and crunchy, and the sauce wraps it all up in sweet, smoky, spicy goodness. No one ingredient dominates the others; it's all held in perfect balance. Best of all, it really does capture the multifaceted goodness of restaurant-style fajita in one simple bowl.

Amy's Organic Vegetable Lasagna

Amy's frozen foods are well-known to anyone who sticks to a vegetarian diet. The brand specializes in meat-free foods, and its years of experience in the business are apparent in every bite. Vegetables aren't an afterthought here -- they're the core of every dish. This is never more obvious than it is in Amy's Organic Vegetable Lasagna.

It begins with the noodles, which are tender, a little bit sweet, and pleasantly robust. Unlike many frozen lasagnas, Amy's isn't swathed in a too-sugary tomato slurry; this sauce is bold, fresh-tasting, and perfectly acidic. A blend of three cheeses takes things up a further notch: Mild mozzarella melts deliciously into sharp Parmesan and milky ricotta. The veggies are a medley, but the spinach, onions, and zucchini dominate. This is a good thing -- their zesty, vegetal flavor balances the cheese. Plus, as one Reddit user pointed out: "It has a fair amount of protein and tastes really good." When it comes to vegetarian lasagna, what more can a diner ask for?

Sabatasso's Thin Crust Pizza Singles

Pizza is delicious in basically any form. Pizza-flavored chips? Tasty. French bread pizza? Delectable. Sabatasso's Pizza Singles carry on this fine tradition by taking the traditional pizza and shrinking it. One of its mini-pies is perfect for a light meal or a hearty snack, and they come in a couple of different flavors. As one Reddit user put it: "Those mini pizzas are freaking gooooood."

You can microwave or oven-bake these itty-bitty pizzas. Either way works, but the oven is a particularly great choice, as it brings out the tasty crispiness of the crust. This mixes marvelously with the sweet sauce, which has a bit more of an acidic kick than you might anticipate. The pepperoni version takes things even further with genuinely spicy circles of the beloved meat. The four-cheese pizza singles lack that bite but make up for it with a dreamy blend of dairy deliciousness. All that flavor in an adorably tiny package makes Sabatasso's Pizza Singles into a must-buy.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.