A house full of people working and learning from home means kitchen craziness. Between breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner, anyone without a full-time chef on hand could use a hack. Especially a snack hack.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are always good snack choices, but when the craving hits for something soft, warm, filling and comforting, it’s time for a fast, no-mess, heat-and-eat snack from the freezer.
Thankfully, supermarket freezer cases are packed with promising options. For this feature, we reached past the usual frozen snacks — pizza pockets, bagel bites and taquitos — to find some new and uncommon bites that are likely to appeal to young eaters. We rounded up a random stash of promising contenders and put the toaster oven to work.
Our snack caper taught us a few things. First, those pictures and illustrations on the package? Don’t be fooled. In most cases, the snacks inside bear very little resemblance. We also learned that great-looking snacks are often the biggest disappointments.
The best snacks are carefully made with the best ingredients. They bake evenly and are so tasty that it’s hard to stick to a single serving. Sadly, not every snack hits that mark. The worst are doughy, gummy and nearly taste-free.
Here are details on the best heat-and-eat snacks and those that are likely to get freezer burn. Nutrition details refer to servings of about two ounces, or between one and four pieces, depending on size.
Trader Joe’s Brazilian Style Cheese Bread
Moist, chewy interior and a slightly crisp crust make these pingpong-sized balls a delicious, flavor-packed bite. They’re made with tapioca flour, a bonus for gluten-free eaters. 2 pieces have 190 calories, 11 g fat, 310 mg sodium, 5 g protein. $3.99 for an 11-ounce box of 12. (4 stars)
Brazi Bites Cheddar & Parmesan Brazilian Cheese Bread
Lovers of cheese will have a hard time resisting these crispy, chewy, cheesy balls of awesomeness. The Three Cheese Pizza flavor is also stellar. 3 pieces have 173 calories, 8 g fat, 347 mg sodium, 4 g protein. $4.99 for an 11.5-ounce bag of 18 at Target. (4 stars)
Trader Joe’s Mac And Cheese Bites
Rich cheddar cheese, a touch of herbs and a light crumb coating make these a flavorful surprise. They are unctuous, toasty and tasty. 2 pieces have 127 calories, 7 g fat, 187 mg sodium, 5 g protein. $3.99 for a 10-ounce bag of 10. (4 stars)
Trader Joe’s Mini Beef Tacos
Juicy, flavor-packed shredded beef tucked inside a crispy corn tortilla makes for an impressive bite. Dunk these in salsa or guacamole for a perfect snack. 3 pieces have 142 calories, 6 g fat, 232 mg sodium, 7.5 g protein. $4.49 for a 17.5-ounce box of about 24. (3 1/2 stars)
Sprouts Everything Hot Dogs in Puff Pastry
Kids will love the flaky dough surrounding this mini dog, but may be a bit dubious about the tiny seeds sprinkled on top. 2 pieces have 155 calories, 12 g fat, 270 mg sodium, 5 g protein. $3.99 for a 5.95-ounce box of 7. (3 1/2 stars)
Perfect Pasta Sausage & Peppers Toasted Bites
These fun bites of toasted ravioli are crisp and the filling is both ample and unctuous, but it suffers from being overly pureed. 2 pieces have 115 calories, 7 g fat, 170 mg sodium, 7 g protein. $4.99 for a 12-ounce bag of 12 at Sprouts. (3 stars)
Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Empanadas
These half-moons of pie-like pastry have a generous squeeze of minimally sweet pumpkin filling, and they toast up well, turning crisp on the edges. One piece has 160 calories, 6 g fat, 95 mg sodium, 5 g protein. $3.99 for a 9.6-ounce box of 4. (3 stars)
Eastern Standard Provisions Pretzel Bites
Those who love a warm soft pretzel will appreciate these authentic bites that come in a variety of sizes and shapes. 5 bites have 180 calories, 3 g fat, 340 mg sodium, 5 g protein. $25.99 plus $9.99 shipping for a multi-pack that includes about 16 servings. Online only at www.esprovisions.com. (3 stars)
Signature Select Uncured Ham & Cheese Mini Croissants
Tender, buttery pastry is a great start, but the flavors of ham and cheese are overwhelmed by too much mustard. 3 pieces have 207 calories, 15 g fat, 220 mg sodium, 4 g protein. $5.49 for a 9.84-ounce box of 12 at Safeway. (2 stars)
Brazi Bites Black Bean & Cheddar Empanadas
It’s OK that these are made with non-traditional, cheese-flavored dough, but the dough turns gummy inside and there is a mere trace of filling. 2 pieces have 140 calories, 6 g fat, 247 mg sodium, 5 g protein. $4.99 for a bag of 10 at Target. (1 1/2 stars)
The Pioneer Woman Toasted Ravioli
Great sauce and tasty sausage are a win, but the ravioli dough is extra-thick and there is so little filling that you have to rip it apart to find it. 2 pieces have 127 calories, 5 g fat, 353 mg sodium, 4 g protein. $8.99 for a 15-ounce box of 12 at Safeway. (1 1/2 stars)
365 Whole Foods Market Small Bites Macaroni & Cheese
As melty and enticing as these look, they are incredibly bland. 2 pieces have 140 calories, 5 g fat, 227 mg sodium, 5 g protein. $4.99 for an 8.47-ounce box of 10. (1 star)
Hummus Pod Zesty Lemon
This unusual little bite filled with hummus isn’t terrible, but the pastry is dry and cracker-like — not in a good way — and the filling has far too much lemon. 3 pieces have 150 calories, 6 g fat, 190 mg sodium,6 g protein. $2.99 for a 5.5-ounce box of 9 at Sprouts. (1 1/2 stars)
365 Whole Foods Everything Pastry Wrapped Franks
These greasy bites wrapped in thin pastry are a guaranteed mess in the hand. The hot dog is good, but the rest is a mistake. 2 pieces has 160 calories, 12 g fat, 253 mg sodium, 4 g protein. $4.99 for an 8.7-ounce box of 10. (1/2 star)
Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at timespickyeater@gmail.com. Read more Taste-off columns at www.mercurynews.com/tag/taste-off.
