Getting lunch or dinner on the table is not always an easy feat. Between long work hours, busy schedules and expensive delivery fees, having ready-to-go frozen food stocked up can help take away some of the stress of meal time. Whether it’s for your favorite red sauce and pasta, a veggie bake, or just on their own – meatballs can be a nutritious staple item to have on hand. Finding the best frozen meatballs can help you get the highest quality ingredients for your money, as well as leaving you with a delicious and easy meal in minutes!
High in protein, low in carbohydrates and often packed with whole foods like ground beef, eggs and herbs, meatballs are also a great choice if you’re looking to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Researchers even recently discovered that a low-carb diet can help treat both diabetes and prediabetes, which millions currently suffer from in the U.S. alone. The study out of Tulane University reports that a low-carb diet can indeed help both those with unmedicated diabetes and those at risk for diabetes lower their blood sugar. Study authors say that a low-carb diet group displayed greater drops in hemoglobin A1c, a marker for blood sugar levels, in comparison to the standard dieting group. Patients in the eating a low-carb diet also tended to lose weight and had lower fasting glucose levels.
Having a freezer stash of meatballs is also a great way to meal prep with the addition of fresh foods, possibly leading to an overall healthier lifestyle. Research suggests that meal planning could be a potential tool to offset time scarcity and therefore encourage more thoughtful meal preparation, which has been linked with an improved diet quality, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Additionally, many at-home cooks (specifically parents) feel they lack the talent and time to make a proper meal all by themselves. A recent study found that that parents often get frustrated by the time it takes to prepare ingredients (54%) and cook their kids’ meals (44%). Additionally, three in five parents say the burden of cooking in their household usually falls to one parent (62%) – and it’s usually themselves (62%). It’s pretty clear that we could all use a little help from the freezer section, right?
So with tons of options in hundreds of grocery shops, where do you go about finding the best frozen meatballs? StudyFinds searched the web to find the top brands to get a delicious meal on the table in no time at all. For our findings, we visited 10 of the leading expert websites to see which frozen meatballs were rated the best. Our list is ranked based on the most-recommended frozen meatballs across these sites.
The List: Best Frozen Meatballs, According To Experts
1. Kirkland Signature Italian-Style Meatballs

The Kirkland Signature Italian-Style Meatballs from Costco have gained an almost cult-like following due to their excellent texture, flavor, and value.
“Quite frankly, Kirkland puts every other meatball to shame with its deliciously fatty, spicy, porky flavor. There’s some noticeable black pepper flavor, and the meatballs are salted well, too,” Sporked writes. “These were the closest to homemade meatballs that I’ve experienced from a retail grocery store, so they’re the winner by a wide margin.”
These meatballs are also an easy dinner go-to as they come in a generous 140-piece bag.
“Kirkland Signature’s meatballs are meaty, well-seasoned, and juicy. Yes, the bag is enormous (six pounds!), but it’s very easy to use them all up. Turn them into sandwiches, grill them up (if you’re willing to brave the cold), pack some in a lunch box, use them in a sheet pan meal, add them to pasta — you’ll need another bag before you know it!” The Kitchn writes.
2. Rosina Italian Meatballs

Known for their authentic taste and versatile ingredients, Rosina’s Italian Meatballs are the perfect addition to any quick meal.
“Made with a combination of beef, pork, and chicken, these are oven-baked and fully cooked to perfection. They give a healthier take on traditional meatballs cooked on the stovetop,” Recipe Marker writes. “Romano cheese is one of the standout ingredients that make Rosina Italian meatballs flavorful. While they may be a tad smaller, they retain their shape and texture better and make sharing with your family easy.”
The brand has been around since the 1940s and has still managed to keep a loyal fanbase among its many competitors on the market.
“Seeking to provide you with an authentic Italian cuisine experience, this Italian family-owned company can guarantee that it can offer top-notch ‘Real Italian Goodness.’ While the brand may have undergone several changes since its foundation, it still keeps its values of service, quality, and consistency,” L’Academie writes.
3. Farm Rich Italian Style Meatballs

Farm Rich is the brand the comes to mind for many meatball aficionados, and rightfully so due to its reliable and consistent products.
“These frozen meatballs are a great option if you’re looking for something that’s both affordable and high quality,” My Frozen Picks writes. “They’re made with beef, pork, and authentic bread crumbs, so they have a really rich flavor that you won’t find in most other frozen meatballs. Plus, they’re fully cooked, so all you need to do is heat them up in the oven or microwave, and they’re ready to go.”
Parsley and oregano are also on the ingredient list and brighten up the flavor of these ready-to-eat meatballs.
“These meatballs from Farm Rich are herbaceous and juicy, and they’re a good size to boot. Most of the meatballs on this list fall on the medium-to-small scale, but these actually look like the monster homemade meatballs your grandma makes,” Sporked writes.
4. Rao’s Made for Home Meatballs & Sauce

Rao’s is known and loved for its high-quality jarred pasta sauces, and its meatballs and sauce is no different – packed with trustworthy ingredients and flavor.
“These meatballs are a blend of beef and pork smothered in delicious marinara sauce. Each regular pack comes with six big meatballs that are soft and mouth-watering once reheated, retaining their juiciness throughout your meal,” Recipe Marker writes.
At just six meatballs per pack, Rao’s is more of a high-end frozen food pick, but reviewers say they’re well worth the investment.
“First of all, the meatballs are giant. But not too dense, which is often the risk with big meatballs. They’re made of pork and beef and are oh-so soft and juicy,” The Kitchn writes.
You might also be interested in:
- Best Bagels In The USA
- Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Best English Muffins
- Best Frozen Mac And Cheese
- Best Hot Dogs
Sources:
- The Kitchn
- Taste of Home
- Sporked
- Delish
- My Frozen Picks
- The Daring Kitchen
- L’Acadamie
- Eat This, Not That
- Recipe Marker
- A Geek Outside
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.
It would be very helpful to have photos of the actual packages, so readers could know what to look for — or avoid– when shopping. Without a saveable pic, I’m going to be looking at meatballs and scratching me head: was it this one or that one?
It would be very helpful to have photos of the actual packages, so readers could know what to look for — or avoid– when shopping. Without a saveable pic, I’m going to be looking at meatballs and scratching my head: was it this one or that one?
Going to try the ROAs brand their restaurant is right across the street from me. If not I’ll just make them homemade better taste to me with do them Spanish style