This Trader Joe’s Frozen Dinner Is Better Than Homemade—And So Much Easier

If you’ve ever made a homemade lasagna, you know how much effort it takes… only for it to be devoured by your family in 35 seconds. To save myself the effort, but still enjoy homemade results, I go straight for Trader Joe’s Family Style Meat Lasagna.

Why I Love Trader Joe’s Family Style Meat Lasagna

I’ve always been a huge fan of lasagna and have tried what feels like every variation—at restaurants and friends’ homes, and also in my kitchen after spending hours trying to recreate my favorites. Among those I’d never turn down is the vegetarian Lasagna alla Norma that uses slices of eggplant in place of pasta, and the classic that features red sauce and all the meat and cheese.

After eating the Trader Joe’s version more times than I can count, I can tell you that they’ve mastered the classic that’s perhaps the most popular lasagna of all.

This frozen dinner find tastes like someone’s nonna made it from scratch and, at just under $7 per four-serving box, it’s also a super budget-friendly meal. It has all the authentic ingredients you’d expect, including a generous blend of ground beef and pork perfectly seasoned with onion and garlic, plus tangy tomato sauce with a chunky texture for an extra satisfying bite—all layered between sturdy sheets of rich egg pasta.

And because almost no lasagna would be complete without cheese, Trader Joe’s triples down, using a blend of creamy ricotta, nutty Parmesan, and mozzarella that seems to stretch for days.

It’s so good that it’s become a go-to dinner in my home that my kids love, and also an elaborate-looking meal that I often bring to parties (but not before baking two side-by-side in a ceramic casserole dish in an attempt to look like I’ve put in more effort that I actually have). The truth is, Trader Joe’s lasagna takes zero effort—unless you count preheating the oven, slicing it into squares, and putting them on a plate.

Plus, unlike the times I’ve experimented with making new lasagna recipes, there’s basically no way you can mess up the TJ’s pre-made version. All you have to do is bake it for about an hour, then brown it for another 10, and wait for it to cool before digging in. And you can even microwave it if you’re pressed for time. In other words, it’s a low-lift dinner that’s highly impressive.

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