Cheapism / Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / SolStock/istockphoto
From ice cream treats to frozen meals, grocery store frozen food sections offer shoppers plenty of convenient eats. But most grocery stores' freezer aisles aren't too discernable from one another — it's the same old slew of frozen foods that we've seen for decades. There are, however, a handful of stores with frozen food sections that stand out from the rest, and we've ranked them below starting with the best.
Be honest: As soon as you saw the headline for this slideshow, you knew you'd see TJ's at the top spot, didn't you? The only way the answer is "No" is if you've never been to Trader Joe's. The grocer offers things in its frozen food section that you can't find at other stores — at affordable prices to boot. We love a lot of things about Trader Joe's, but its frozen food section might be the thing we love most of all. The orange chicken alone has us in a chokehold we don't even want to fight our way out of, and Hold the Cone? Forget about it.
Forget the hot bar, the star of Whole Foods is the frozen food section. From frozen pizzas to entrées and ice cream, shoppers can find an assortment of goodies in the freezer aisles, including international flavors and plenty of organic options.
If you're looking for a five-and-a-half pound bag of frozen stir-fry veggies, Costco's frozen food section is the place to be. Shoppers can stock up on staples like french fries and frozen fruit thanks to Costco's bulk sizes. Plus, the store offers other sought-after frozen foods like their frozen lasagna and mini tacos.
As one of the leading Asian supermarkets in the States, H Mart has an eclectic frozen food section chock full of things you won't find at your average local grocery store. From Korean corn dogs to kimchi fried rice, we dare you not to drool when you stroll the freezer aisle of H Mart.
Aldi offers a solid lineup of staples in its frozen food section from french toast sticks to pizzas, but the grocer really shines in the rotating options. You can find favorites like stuffed shrimp, deep-fried macaroni and cheese bites, pasta dishes, and items catered to a specific season or holiday.
Don't sleep on Target's frozen food aisle. You'll see lots of options that look familiar, but the store's Good & Gather brand ponies up an assortment of tasty options like seasoned potato wedges and jalapeño cream cheese wontons.
Kroger's frozen food section is impressively robust, and its store-brand Private Selection ice cream boasts a variety of eclectic flavors. In fact, the store-brand frozen foods at the grocery store are the most elite of the aisle, from roasted redskin potatoes to cheeseburger pan sliders.
For more grocery tips, sign up for our free newsletters.
Publix's Premium ice cream brings lures shoppers to the frozen food section of the store, and along the way, they continue being pulled in other directions until their carts are full. Jamaican spicy beef turnovers and Plantános Maduros ripe plantains are just some of the eclectic options you'll feel compelled to try.
Related: Our 7 Favorite Things To Buy From the Publix Bakery
While we rock with Costco when it comes to wholesale frozen foods, Sam's Club leaves its member's mark too (see what we did there?). In this section of the store, you'll find the usual suspects — meatballs, chicken wings, and frozen pizzas — but there's also a decent selection of desserts (cheesecake bites are the bomb), appetizers, and entrées. The variety is commendable.
