I Tried Dolly Parton’s New Frozen Meals and These 2 Are My Standout Favorites

“You either really love Dolly or you really love mac and cheese,” the grocery cashier said as she slid the nearly five-pound Dolly Parton-branded casserole over the scanner. “You know, it’s mostly just curiosity,” I confessed.

I have loved so many of Dolly’s recipes, and her baking mixes consistently earn rave reviews, so when I saw that Dolly herself had endorsed a line of frozen meals like Shrimp and Grits, Beef Pot Roast, and yes, a party-sized serving of creamy mac and cheese, I had to try it.

Here’s what you need to know about Dolly Parton’s line of frozen meals, available at Walmart and Target nationwide, plus some regional grocery stores. 

Dolly Parton’s Single-Serve Frozen Meals Are a Taste of Southern Comfort

Most of Dolly Parton’s new line of frozen meals are single-serve meals. Here is the current line-up:

Each of these dishes comes with directions for microwave or oven cooking. Cooking times range from 4 to 6 minutes in the microwave to 35 to 40 minutes in the oven. 

Of the four frozen single meals, the Chicken & Dumplings and Shrimps & Grits were standouts, especially for being Southern specialties. The chicken and gravy in the Chicken & Dumplings were really flavorful and generous, which helped the somewhat-squidgy-after-microwaving dumplings feel tender and homemade.

This is the first Shrimp & Grits I’ve ever encountered in the freezer aisle, and it gets kudos on being generous with the shrimp and being delicious (though it wasn’t as spicy as the box marketed, so some hot sauce was required!). 

My Honest Review of Dolly Parton’s Homestyle Mac & Cheese 

The cashier who rang up my Dolly Parton frozen meals also asked if I might dress up Dolly’s Homestyle Macaroni & Cheese, perhaps adding some spices or a crumbled cracker topping. At the time, I said no since I wanted to try the casserole straight up to give an honest review.

Dolly’s frozen mac and cheese takes over an hour to heat through in the oven, baking uncovered on a baking sheet. It smelled delicious, and I was hopeful the long baking time would make for a crispy top layer. 

Unlike the single-serve frozen meals, Dolly’s mac and cheese (which has been available since 2024) wasn’t quite as seasoned as my family likes. It was almost as if the cashier knew that this frozen mac and cheese would need a little zhuzhing! Still, this casserole is rich and creamy and truly party-sized, easily serving 12 as a side, so it would be worth buying and topping with some crumbled butter crackers or more grated cheese. 

Dolly’s frozen meals are available in the freezer aisles across the U.S., making dishes like the Shrimp & Grits, Chicken & Dumplings, and Homestyle Macaroni & Cheese a respite for Southerners who miss home and want an easy, quick way to get some comfort food. 

_{To learn more about our approach to product recommendations, see HERE.}