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When Dinner Disappears: We Ranked 8 Frozen Meatloaf Meals So You Don’t Have To!
Ever had one of those days? The clock’s ticking, hunger’s growling, and the idea of cooking anything from scratch feels like an impossible mission.
That’s when the frozen aisle beckons, promising a quick fix. And for many, that fix might just be a classic American comfort food: meatloaf.
But navigating the sea of frozen options can be a gamble. Which one will actually hit the spot, and which will leave you wishing you’d just ordered pizza?
Our team bravely delved into the frosty depths of the grocery store, putting eight popular frozen meatloaf brands to the ultimate taste test. It wasn’t always pretty, but someone had to do it! Here’s how they stacked up, from surprisingly palatable to downright questionable.
Best: Lean Cuisine Protein Kick Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes
Let’s be real, going into a frozen meatloaf taste test, expectations are usually set somewhere between “edible” and “sigh.” But Lean Cuisine?
They pulled off a culinary miracle! Our reviewer practically wanted to give the Lean Cuisine team a standing ovation.
This wasn’t just “not bad”; it was actual food!
The meatloaf patty itself boasted visible green herbs and tasted like it came from, you know, this planet. The sauce wasn’t a ketchupy mess, featuring real tomato chunks.
And those mashed potatoes? Legitimately good — chunky, garlicky, and speckled with chives.
In a category often filled with culinary disappointments, Lean Cuisine emerged as the undisputed champion, winning by a landslide and then some.
2. Yellowstone Dutton Family BBQ Meatloaf and Mash
The folks behind the “Yellowstone” empire are clearly using a secret weapon in the frozen food game: BBQ sauce and melted cheese. Let’s face it, when you drench anything in those two glorious ingredients, it’s probably going to taste better.
This dish definitely leveraged that advantage, soaring past much of the competition. The only slight hiccup?
Despite following the microwave instructions to a tee, the mashed potatoes stubbornly remained cold. A minor flaw, but worth noting!
3. Marie Callender’s Meat Loaf & Gravy
Much like our top pick, Marie Callender’s frozen meatloaf managed to taste and look like it was crafted from, well, actual beef. No mysterious lab-created squirt-tube meat here!
The accompanying corn might have been a bit bland, but honestly, in the world of frozen meals, sometimes bland is a blessed relief compared to some of the more “sinister” flavors lurking out there. An acceptable meal for those hurried evenings.
4. Stouffer’s Meatloaf
If only we could swap Stouffer’s gravy with Boston Market’s! This meatloaf patty held its own, impressive considering it was practically swimming in a rather watery gravy.
On the brighter side, the mashed potatoes offered a pleasant garlic kick. It’s edible, but a gravy upgrade would make a world of difference.
5. Boston Market Meatloaf
Turns out, the frozen version of Boston Market’s meatloaf isn’t too far off from what you’d get in their restaurant. Our reviewer found no watery potatoes, no unappetizing gray meat, and the microwave instructions were spot on.
The real hero here is that thick, salty gravy – it’s doing all the heavy lifting! No other frozen meatloaf in our test came close to this gravy’s proper consistency.
While not a personal favorite, it was a significant step up from the lower-ranked options.
6. Healthy Choice Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
Looking at this dish, you might find yourself in a movie moment, with a voiceover asking, “How did I get into this situation?” Unlike many of its sauced counterparts, Healthy Choice opted for an unsauced meatloaf, which our reviewer found a bit unsettling.
The meat itself was incredibly bland, which, surprisingly, felt like a gift compared to some other brands. The true tragedy?
The best corn of the entire taste test was trapped alongside this uninspired meatloaf.
7. Banquet Meatloaf Meal
Here’s a little secret for those “whiz kids” in frozen food development: a two-part microwave process often leads to a watery mess. And Banquet’s offering was no exception.
The potatoes emerged so wet they resembled an extra-liquidy porridge. Flavor-wise, the meatloaf was the bare minimum of acceptable – it barely tasted like anything, which was a pass compared to what came next.
Oh, and our reviewer politely declined to try the apple dessert. Some battles aren’t worth fighting.
8. Atkins Meatloaf with Portobello Mushroom Gravy
Prepare for an adventure! Atkins suggests venting this meal in the microwave.
What they don’t mention is the potential for a full-on microwave explosion, leaving you with a cleanup worthy of a crime scene. Our reviewer described a tense standoff with this meatloaf, a “gunslinger” moment before the first bite.
The verdict? It’s every bit as horrendous as it looks.
The perplexing pattern, the pale color, the taste that veered closer to “bad Chinese food” than homestyle meatloaf – it all left our reviewer wondering if it was created with “evil intentions.” And don’t even get us started on the “side” of vegetables; calling it a side is like calling a celery stick in a Bloody Mary a salad.
This one was a hard pass.
More Frozen Food Finds from Our Kitchen Team
Looking for other quick meal solutions? Our team has tackled more frozen food challenges:
- We Tried 8 Frozen Bean and Cheese Burritos, and This Was the Best — While nothing beats homemade, we found the top pick for convenience.
- Frozen Mac and Cheese Meals, Ranked — Find out which cheesy, gooey option deserves a spot in your freezer.
- The Best Frozen French Fries, Ranked — Skip the slicing and discover which bagged fries are perfect for your oven or air fryer.