Written by: Emily White
Since I moved out of the dorm last year, I have had the freedom to cook my own meals. However, I cannot cook to save my life (or anyone else’s), so I had to resort to other options to get my nutrition, namely frozen meals.
I credit the local Trader Joe’s with my being able to survive this long because it offers an excellent selection of tasty and somewhat inexpensive frozen meals. Being a frequent patron of the store, I have tried many of its products, both frozen and not.
I have culminated my findings thus far into a tier list for those of you who are looking to try (or avoid) something new!
S Tier
Frozen kimbap: Depending on how hungry you are, this can function as a meal or a side. It doesn’t take too long to cook in the microwave, and the mix of tofu and vegetables is scrumptious!
I recommended the kimbap to my friend Linda Kirby, a senior music education major, and it’s become a regular part of her meal planning. One day after dinner she told me, “I couldn’t wait to get home and eat it because I had been craving it all day.”
Spicy tempura seaweed snack: Salty, spicy and perfectly crunchy, these bite-sized crisps are perfect to share with a friend or two. Everyone I’ve given these to likes them!
“I’m not the biggest seaweed fan, but those are pretty good,” Ethan Braun, sophomore outdoor education major said.
“I like the almost seafood-ish kind of flavor,” Dr. Kurt Miyashiro, an associate professor in the School of Music faculty, enthusiastically expressed. “ . . . I 100 percent endorse that.”
A Tier
Japchae: Last year, my housemates and I would stock up on this, there was always at least one box in the freezer. This tastes best made in a frying pan, but it does well in the microwave, too.
Penne arrabbiata: I first tried this my sophomore year in the dorm, and it did fine in my little 600-watt microwave, though it tastes best cooked in a pan. The sauce is just spicy enough, and the penne is the perfect texture — not too soft, not too firm.
Mini vegetable samosas: These cook well in the microwave and are tasty and not too spicy. You will, however, need a plate to make this (unless you want to use the cardboard box as a plate — I won’t judge).
B Tier
Crumpets: These are a favorite of my family. Every time I visit home, I take a couple of packs. They taste best toasted and topped with butter and jam or preserves.
Peanut noodle udon salad: This isn’t something I get on the regular, but it’s nice to have every once in a while. The sauce, fresh vegetables and cold noodles make for a light but somewhat filling meal.
C Tier
Frozen pad thai: Yes, I love pad thai, but the Trader Joe’s version is always a little too watery, and if I cook it in the microwave for longer, it ends up burning. This might be rectified if I heat it up in a pan — I will have to try that.
Sparkling peach black tea: This was on my list to try for over a year, and I was underwhelmed when I finally tried it. It’s a little too fizzy, and it has a weird aftertaste, but it’s not terrible.
D Tier
Blueberry frozen waffles: The blueberry taste is overwhelming (and it seems pretty artificial, too). If I want blueberry waffles, I think I’ll just top some regular ones with fresh blueberries instead.
Vegan Italian-style sausage: This is not very flavorful; the texture is also a little tough. Sometimes I forget I don’t like this very much and end up buying it, only to remember my dislike after I’ve spent ten minutes pan-frying it and have gotten two bites into eating it.
F Tier
Baked pizza-flavored pillow crisps: These taste like thin, crunchy cardboard that used to be part of a pizza takeout box — very bland and unsatisfying.
Strawberry jalapeno crisps: This quote from Bianca Amaya-Hernandez, sophomore English major, sums it up perfectly:
“They look good, but they taste like rancid wheat . . . blegh.”
Well, there you have it. Though this is certainly not a comprehensive list, I hope that my recommendations inspire some of you to try something new. If any of you visit the music department and see me there, come try a seaweed snack!
