# TV dinners and frozen foods that are really good! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 29, 2012, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756 "2012-07-29T11:49:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/1 "2012-07-29T11:49:16Z")
Rosina brand Italian foods are all very good, the only downside is they aren’t the cheapest and really do need to be cooked in a conventional oven rather than microwave for best taste. Their lasagna is delicious! Michelina’s line of budget TV dinners range from passable to really damn good, only downside is the rather small portion size but it is budget after all. Totino’s pizza rolls are absolute garbage food, they don’t even have real cheese in them, yet they are pretty good tasting. An occasional greasy indulgence. The horrible: Totino’s party pizzas are horrible, even if you’re only paying a buck for one you might want to know Little Caesar’s takeaway is superior!(and that is saying a lot). Interestingly my wife came up with a way to cook these that tastes a lot better than in the oven, in a big cast iron pot that is lightly greased place the frozen pizza and cover with a lid and cook for 20 or so minutes on high(it won’t burn) which makes the pizza dough rise and get fluffy. ---
**Author:** ![oreally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/2 "2012-07-29T13:31:54Z")
I guess it depends how you define “really good.” None fit that description IMO, but some are “good enough,” given that they are after all frozen meals. I tend to get these for lunches at work and bounce around depending on if I want to save money (Michelenos), get something more filling (Marie Callendars) or what is IMO just better quality (Healthy Heart, some of Stouffers). Most of the other popular ones (Smart Ones, Lean Cuisine, hungry man) I’m not a fan of. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/3 "2012-07-29T13:35:39Z")
Night Hawk. Night Hawk. [Night Hawk!!!](http://www.nighthawkfoods.com/products.htm) God, I miss Night Hawk dinners. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/4 "2012-07-29T13:52:32Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > God, I miss Night Hawk dinners. They were very good for frozen dinners. I don’t see them here anymore. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/5 "2012-07-29T14:02:55Z")
I just love Lean Cuisine. I can’t remember a really bad one, though a few have been mediocre. My new favorite is the Thai-style chicken spring roles, very spicy and tasty. In fact, most frozen eggrolls are passable-to-very-good. (The eggroll I got at the local Chinese takeout was awful, leathery and filled with too much white minced cabbage, I would rather get a P.F. Chang’s frozen, or even a generic store brand package). ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/6 "2012-07-29T15:02:23Z")
I absolutely love Swanson’s fried chicken. I wish they just sold boxes of the chicken (or do they?). ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/7 "2012-07-29T15:17:56Z")
Stouffers lasagna is really quite tasty for a frozen dinner. When the big family sized ones are on sale, I usually buy three or four and use them up over a couple of months. I couldn’t honestly call them “good” but the cheap chicken pot pies really do satisfy an occasional craving of mine. Usually in the early winter when we get the first good cold snap, I’ll just need to consume a few. Comfort foods and childhood memories I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/8 "2012-07-29T15:42:24Z")
I loved Mexican TV dinners when I was a kid. There was no other way to get something remotely resembling Mexican food. They were and still are pretty awful, but nostalgia tempers that somewhat. ---
**Author:** ![simple\_homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@simple\_homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simple_homer)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/9 "2012-07-29T15:52:21Z")
Stouffers macaroni and cheese ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/10 "2012-07-29T15:57:43Z")
Marie Calendar’s chicken pot pies are quite good. They recently brought out some single-serving fruit pies that are pretty tasty. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/11 "2012-07-29T16:38:23Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I absolutely love Swanson’s fried chicken. I wish they just sold boxes of the chicken (or do they?). I seem to remember seeing them in the freezer section back in the late 70s. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/12 "2012-07-29T16:41:49Z")
Stouffer’s mac and cheese is excellent. Likewise the lasagna, spinach souffle, and the corn pudding/souffle thing. Their stuffed green peppers aren’t bad either. Actually most of their food is good. Michaelangelo’s eggplant parmesan is as almost as good as you can get in any restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/13 "2012-07-29T16:47:14Z")
Lean Cuisine Thai Peanut Chicken Dr. Oetkers pizzas ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/14 "2012-07-29T17:19:24Z")
I like the Healthy Choice meals because they don’t taste like everything was cooked in lard. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/15 "2012-07-29T17:40:28Z")
Just about anything from Stoffers, but especially their French bread pizzas. If you don’t mind having your heart stop from fat/salt/sugar/etc, anything from Marie Calendar’s Most stuff from Lean Cuisine is good. On the other side, Michellina’s frozen dinners are too salty–it’s like they’re using 30x the salt that they should be. Heathy choice frozen dinners are way overpriced and generally gross. (Their breakfast offerings aren’t bad though) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/16 "2012-07-29T17:41:52Z")
Stouffer’s Vegetable Lasagna. It is SO GOOD. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/17 "2012-07-29T17:50:30Z")
I like a lot of **Amy’s** frozen meals, especially the vegetable lasagna and the bean & cheese burrito. Marie Callendar’s Chicken Alfredo Bake isn’t bad. it isn’t organic, like Amy’s, but we are talking processed food, after all. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/18 "2012-07-29T17:59:32Z")
I eat a lot of the Lean Cuisine frozen lunches at work. They’re low calorie and I can stock up at Wegmans when they have them on sale for $1.99. Some of the asian ones, especially, are quite tasty. Health-wise, I know they have a lot of sodium, but blood pressure is one problem I don’t have. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/19 "2012-07-29T18:00:52Z")
Trader Joe’s has a whole bunch of good frozen dinners. There’s a lemon flavored salmon pasta thing that’s truly delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756/20 "2012-07-29T18:33:35Z")
Tyson used to have a great line of frozen meals but they don’t make them anymore. My current favorites are: Healthy Choice Chicken Margarita Healthy Choice Spicy Caribbean Chicken El Charrito Grande Saltillo Enchilada Dinner Hungry-Man Pub Favorites Beer Battered Chicken Kashi Lemongrass Coconut Chicken Kashi Mayan Harvest Bake Lean Cuisine Fiesta Grilled Chicken Lean Cuisine Thai Chicken Stouffer’s Monterey Chicken [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-dinners-and-frozen-foods-that-are-really-good/629756.md?page=2)