Frozen food is meant to be convenient and quick, but oftentimes it leaves us dissatisfied and frustrated. Most food turns out soggy, bland, or even cold. But that’s because we follow the instructions a little too closely. There are many ways to make frozen foods taste better by ignoring the package instructions.
If your freezer is stocked with French fries, breakfast sandwiches, or even berries, but you’re not sure how to make them without feeling like you wasted food and money, then check out our helpful tips and tricks to heat frozen food.
10. Dumplings
While dumplings are one of those foods you don’t necessarily want frozen, sometimes it’s the only option. Thankfully, there is a skill behind making the best dumplings from the frozen section. You can microwave or boil them, but for the best taste, it’s better to either pan-fry or steam.
Steaming is a classic option that’s best for both speed and quality, but not everyone can steam dumplings. If not, pan-fry them instead. This also steams the dumpling because you’ll add a shot of water to the pan while they cook. Plus, you can add your favorite sauce blend to make it a unique meal every time.
9. Burritos
Microwaving food, especially burritos, is a quick and efficient way to get an easy meal. But most of us go into it knowing the middle might be cold, or too hot, and the texture will be slightly off. But that doesn’t have to be the case anymore. You can make restaurant-worthy burritos at home.
Burritos are one of the best frozen foods that taste better when you ignore the package instructions. Start by defrosting your burrito, either leaving it in the fridge overnight or defrosting it in the microwave. Then wrap it in tinfoil and bake in the oven. Uncover it in the last couple of minutes for a crispy tortilla shell.
8. Mozzarella Sticks
It’s rarely worth grabbing a box of mozzarella sticks. They’re difficult to make just right. Oftentimes, the sticks aren’t crispy, or they’re overcooked, and the cheese leaks. But this is one of the ways to make frozen foods taste better by ignoring the package instructions.
What you need to do is keep them in the freezer until the point that you’re ready to cook them, then air fry or bake at a higher temperature than recommended. You’ll have to watch for the coating to get golden, then immediately pull them before the cheese leaks. It takes some precision, but it’s worth it once you get the hang of it.
7. Berries
When it comes to berries, there’s another trick to making frozen food taste better by ignoring the package instructions. This might be an odd one to try, but many swear by this.
Berries, especially strawberries and blueberries, taste better when left frozen. Instead of thawing them or incorporating them in baked dishes, try adding them frozen to your favorite yogurt, or on their own with a sprinkle of sugar for a sweet treat. Other fruits, like bananas and grapes, are the same way.
6. Vegetables
It’s so easy to grab the packages of frozen vegetables that allow you to steam them quickly in the microwave. But what if you could save money and make tastier vegetables differently?
Usually, the steamer bags cost a bit more at stores compared to the normal bags of frozen vegetables. Grab the more affordable bags, then add them to a pan with oil, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper, and sauté.
5. Breakfast Sandwiches
Breakfast sandwiches are a staple in many households, but most of us aren’t heating them properly, leaving us with a cold center and an unsatisfying meal.
Instead of microwaving them and turning them into rubber, it’s best to separate all the components and heat them on their own in the microwave, but toasting the bread. It might be a little extra work, but it’s worth it when you bite into a crispy, delicious, and fresh-tasting sandwich.
4. Waffles
Stocking up on frozen waffles makes breakfast that much easier, but it’s also underwhelming. They turn out soggy and bland. But that’s normally because they’re heating up slowly, which causes the moisture from the melted water content to be retained.
In order to make crispy and satisfying waffles, you need to cook your waffles fast so the water evaporates quickly. Do this by cooking them on the stovetop. While labor-intensive, you can add butter on each side to ensure a crispy outer layer, and some extra cinnamon on top for extra flavor.
3. French Fries
An easy side dish to many dinners is French fries or tater tots. Anything you can easily toss in the air fryer or oven that makes the kids happy is a win. But you can actually make crispier potatoes if you ignore the packaging instructions.
Following the instructions usually offers a mushy texture that leaves you wanting more. Either crank up the heat or let them cook longer to experience a true crunchy fry or tot.
2. Chicken Nuggets
Want a crispy chicken nugget for lunch but can never seem to get it right? The batter usually ends up soggy, leaving you more disappointed than excited.
One of the easiest hacks for making the perfect nugget every time is spraying them with some oil, like avocado oil, and cooking them in the air fryer. Oil and the circulating heat crisps up the breading while keeping the inside juicy. If you don’t have an air fryer, use the oven, but place the nuggets on a wire rack to replicate an air fryer.
1. Pizza
Similar to French fries, frozen pizzas don’t satisfy like you want them to. But that’s because we’ve been doing it all wrong. Here is another one of the many ways to make frozen foods taste better by ignoring the package instructions.
The key to making the ultimate home pizza is letting it thaw first. Whether you leave it on the counter for a few minutes or plop it in the microwave to defrost. Step up your frozen pizza game even more by cooking it right on the rack instead of on a baking dish for the perfect crust.
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