(Frozen) Lasagna Bolognese

I've had a few different types of lasagna at Trader Joe's, and overall my experiences were good (some were even excellent). I've had the refrigerated Lasagna Bolognese from Trader Joe's before, so I decided recently it would only make sense to give the frozen version a try.

I'm a fan of the refrigerated version, even though it's admittedly nowhere near as good as a homemade lasagna. As far as grocery store lasagna though, it's probably my favorite.

However, whatever works so well in the refrigerated version, seems to be lacking in the frozen version. The consistency of the egg noodles seemed a bit off, the sauce had an unpleasant aftertaste to me, and there was something peculiar about the meat in the sauce (but I can't quite put my finger on it). Not only was I not fond of the flavor itself, it seemed a bit overpriced at $3.49 for a one serving frozen lasagna. And by expensive, I mean by Trader Joe's standards.

Frozen Turkey Burgers

Just like everyone else, I enjoy a good burger every now and then. But truth be told, I've never been a big fan of premade patties, especially those of the frozen variety. However, there is no denying that having some frozen burger patties on hand is quite convenient at times.

Since I am a fan of turkey burgers, I figured I would buy a package of the Frozen Turkey Burgers from Trader Joe's. After all, four large patties for $2.99, surely makes it worth the risk. Besides, Trader Joe's does have a good track record (for the most part).

Eventually, I found myself too lazy to make a proper dinner, and since the family dog was also pestering us for a good treat, I decided it was time to cook up the turkey burgers. The burgers did cook well, and there was no unpleasant smell that lingered in the kitchen (which does seem to be the case for many frozen burgers, and frozen meat products in general).

As for the taste, the turkey was good quality , but something about the flavor bothered me. I expect a plain turkey burger to taste that way....Plain, and ready to be altered to my liking. But the burgers had a rather strange seasoning, which I can only describe as being eerily akin to that of a turkey breakfast sausage. Surely this wouldn't be an issue for those that enjoy turkey breakfast sausage, but personally I didn't care for it. I doubt I'd buy these again for myself, but the dog did enjoy his. And my mother liked hers, although she did say it tasted like "breakfast meat."

Trader Joe's Sushi

After trying several different Trader Joe's prepared foods, I decided to finally give in and try one of their sushi's. It was hardly an amazing deal, with a small package of shrimp rolls costing $3.99. Yes, that is cheap for sushi, but the truth is the sushi counter at the local grocery store offers a better selection, and a larger serving, for the same price range.

But the real issue, is that the grocery store sushi is also far superior in quality to the rubbish that Trader Joe's is currently selling. I don't know if this is true for all locations, but the sushi I sampled was disgusting. It had been obviously thawed from a frozen state, and had a strange aftertaste and consistency, as though it had been frozen for many months. Other than this factor, the quality was still bad. I couldn't even stomach more than one bite of the sushi, and quickly guzzled down a liter of water in a desperate attempt to try to rid my mouth of the taste.

For the first time in my life, I actually felt it was necessary to get a refund. Normally, I can just have someone else finish off whatever I don't care for. But this sushi actually insulted me. The manager was nice about the whole thing, and I did receive a refund, but this left a bad taste in my mouth (and not just literally). Since I did not even take the sushi home, and did return it, I do not have a photo available  Maybe the sushi changes from store to store, but I highly suggest everyone is EXTREMELY cautious when it comes to sushi at Trader Joe's. After this experience, I'll also be more cautious about any non-frozen fish products as well.