12 Best Frozen Apps That Really Slap

There are two types of party planners: those who love planning every dip, charcuterie cracker, and frozen finger food well in advance, and those who panic-shop the morning of the event. Luckily, it doesn’t matter which category of host you fall into—our guide to the best frozen appetizers comes in handy either way. So, Type A, sit back, relax, and jot down some notes in that cute $30 Etsy planner. Type B, I know you’re reading this while standing next to your shopping cart, so take a second to breathe. You’ve got this. If you brought hand-warmers, grab them, because we’re sending you straight to the chilliest aisle of the store. Here are the ten best frozen apps to pick up and ensure your guests are well-fed. 

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Best Chicken Wings

Foster Farms Hot & Spicy

Walmart

Foster Farms Hot & Spicy Wings are Buffalo-style wings that might not be drenched in the typical buttery Buffalo sauce you’d expect to eat at a sports bar, but they still deliver an unbeatable spice and zesty tang. The flavor is top notch and the chicken itself is good quality, with tender, juicy meat and decently crispy skin straight out of the oven or air fryer. (And hey, the best frozen appetizers don’t have to involve meat and bones. if you’re looking for vegan buffalo wings, we’ve got those, too!) 

Read our full ranking of the best frozen chicken wings

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

9/10

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Best Mozzarella Sticks

Big Mozz Sticks (Giant Sized)

Instacart

Big Mozz makes a product that’s leagues above other frozen mozzarella sticks—and that’s not just because most store-bought mozzarella sticks taste like melted plastic wrapped in mushy breading. Big Mozz set out to bring a restaurant-quality appetizer to your kitchen, and they succeeded. With ingredients like whole milk mozzarella (no processed, part-skim string cheese) and extra crispy breading seasoned with garlic, parsley, and Pecorino Romano cheese, these are bound to wow your guests. Don’t miss out!

Read our full ranking of the best frozen mozzarella sticks

Credit: Liv Averett / Big Mozz

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best Crab Cakes

Sprouts Maryland Style Crab Cakes

Sprouts

Frozen crab cakes aren’t the easiest frozen apps to find at any regular old grocery store (to our dismay), but Sprouts came in clutch with the win here. Sprotus Maryland Style Crab Cakes have visible, flaky chunks of meaty crab and they actually taste like crab, too (novel concept, we know). You can’t go wrong with these, especially if you’re looking for the best frozen appetizers to pass off as your own cooking.

Read our full ranking of the best frozen crab cakes 

Credit: Merc / Sprouts

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best TJ’s Appetizer

Parmesan Pastry Pups

We’ll never shut up about TJ’s Parmesan Pastry Pups. Grab the toothpicks, because these are juicier, greasier, and more buttery than the pigs in a blanket you may be used to, and we literally can’t get enough of them. Whatever genius decided to put parmesan on sausage rolls deserves eternal success and happiness. 

Read our full ranking of the best TJ’s frozen appetizers

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

10/10

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Best Pigs in a Blanket

Hebrew National Beef Franks in a Puff Pastry Blanket

Instacart

What, did you think just because we put parmesan pastry pups on our list of the best frozen appetizers, we wouldn’t include the best plain-ole pigs in a blanket? Never underestimate our passion for the perfectly puffed pig. Hebrew National Beef Franks are really the opposite of Trader Joe’s—they manage to be flaky, juicy, snappy, and wrapped in a beautiful pastry that doesn’t leak grease all over your fingers. These are two of the best frozen apps you can buy, but it comes down to preference.

Read the full ranking of the best pigs in a blanket

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

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Best TGI Fridays App

Popper Cream Cheese Stuffed Jalapeños with Raspberry Habanero Dip

Walmart

Across the board, TGI Fridays makes some of the best frozen apps you can find, but boy oh boy did these cream cheese stuffed jalapeño poppers bring the heat. The raspberry-habanero dipping sauce (which tastes as divine as it sounds) gives this appetizer a unique quality that may have your guests questioning whether or not you made these yourself. (We won’t tell.)  Every popper is, quite literally, a flavor explosion.

Read our full ranking of the best TGI Fridays frozen apps

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

10/10

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Best Mac & Cheese Bites

Stouffer’s Mac & Cheese Bites

Kroger

The art of the crispy, steamy, decadent mac and cheese bite is lost on many frozen grocery brands, but not Stouffer’s. With ingredients like buttermilk, cream cheese, and sharp cheddar, these mighty little mac bites have a greasy, extra-cheesy, noticeably tangy flavor profile. They are highly, highly addictive, and even worthy opponents to Cheesecake Factory’s famous mac and cheese bites. Just don’t forget the marinara (or the poor man’s marinara, ketchup). 

Read the full ranking of the best frozen mac and cheese bites

Credit: Merc / Kroger

Rating:

10/10

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Best Garlic Bread

Pepperidge Farm Garlic Bread

Walmart

I’m not trying to convince you to stop making your own garlic bread from leftover bread slices, butter, and jarlic. But picture this: garlic bread, in the form of a whole loaf? That’s what Pepperidge Farm brings to the table. The loaf is doused in a thick smear of delicious garlic butter and sprinkled with parsley for a nice aesthetic touch. This is one of the best frozen appetizers for pasta night at home. 

Read the full ranking of the best frozen garlic bread

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

10/10

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Best Frozen Dumplings

Trader Joe’s Pork Gyoza Potstickers

Dumpling guru Jordan Myrick said it best: “It’s puzzling, considering there are plenty of Asian cuisine brands out vying for this top spot, but alas. TJ’s pork gyoza check all the right boxes and still come at an incredibly affordable price.” After several taste tests of frozen dumplings, we have yet to find potstickers as delectable—and downright affordable—as Trader Joe’s in-house brand. These potstickers come off the stove with the perfect crisp on the wrapper, a beautiful, juicy sheen, and irresistible umami flavor. If you’re trying to win over a crowd, one giant bowl of these freshly steamed potstickers will do the trick. Set out some dumpling sauce and let your guests go to town.

Read the full ranking of the best frozen dumplings

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

10/10

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Best Frozen Spring Rolls

Good & Gather Spring Rolls: Chicken Thai Basil

Target

These Chicken Thai Basil Spring Rolls are a triumph. Filled with chicken and Thai spices, they may not match the traditional image of the perfect spring roll, but that doesn’t keep them from being one of the best frozen appetizers we’ve ever tasted. They still deliver a fresh, bright, and veggie-forward flavor that’s as light as any classic spring roll. One bite transports you straight to your favorite Thai spot. Plus, that sweet chili sauce really does the trick.

Read our full review of the best frozen spring rolls

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

10/10

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Best Frozen Taquitos

El Monterey Extra Crunchy Southwest Chicken Taquitos

Target

When our managing editor Gwynedd Stuart takes a bite of something and immediately says, “holy shit,” you know it’s going to be good. El Monterey packed these southwest chicken taquitos to the brim with chicken, cheese, peppers, beans—it actually sort of defies physics that these skinny tubes can contain so much flavor. Plus, the flour shells are super crispy and bubbly. Every bite carries an audible crunch. The Sporked team agrees that these are not only some of the best frozen appetizers you can find, but really one of the best products we’ve ever tasted, period. That’s a ringing endorsement no expert party planner should ignore, just sayin’. 

Read our full ranking of the best frozen taquitos

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

10/10

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Best Coconut Shrimp

Whole Catch Crunchy Coconut Butterfly Shrimp

Amazon

We know better than most how difficult it is to find restaurant-quality coconut shrimp in the frozen aisle. If you see these available at Whole Foods (and don’t have a shellfish allergy or anything), don’t hesitate. Buy ’em; they’re a real catch. They get high marks for good size, juicy flavor, and a yummy coconutty coating that isn’t cloying.

Read our full ranking of the best coconut shrimp

Credit: Merc / Amazon

Rating:

10/10

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