economie

I tried frozen stir-fry from Wegmans, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s. The best one blew the others out of the water.

August 9, 20240
Wegmans’ Hong Kong stir-fry was the only option available at my store.

Ted Berg

Wegmans’ website shows a selection of frozen stir-fry blends, but the only one available at my local store was the Wegmans Hong Kong stir-fry, which cost $3.30 for a 16-ounce bag.

The mix included broccoli, carrots, snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, and green peppers.

I appreciated how balanced the Wegmans version was.
The cooked vegetables from the Wegmans Hong Kong stir-fry had a greenish-brown color.

Ted Berg

When I transferred the vegetables to a bowl, they looked a bit unappetizing to me.

As is expected for stir-fry, the edges of the veggies browned a bit while they cooked. By the time it was ready, the dish took on a greenish-brownish color that didn’t make me want to dive in.

The Wegmans version was my least favorite of the three.
The Whole Foods 365 organic stir-fry blend was the cheapest of the three.

Ted Berg

At Whole Foods, the 365 organic stir-fry blend cost me $3 for a 16-ounce bag.

The mix included broccoli, carrots, green beans, onions, red-bell peppers, and mushrooms. Right out of the bag, I noticed it was very heavy on broccoli, which came in a mix of florets and cut stalks.

While cooking, the Whole Foods blend looked more appetizing than the version from Wegmans.
The texture of the Whole Foods stir-fry was perfect.

Ted Berg

The broccoli in both the Wegmans and Whole Foods options had the perfect texture, but the Whole Foods version maintained the flavor from the vegetables better. The stalks, especially, were a pleasant addition to the dish.

The carrots and string beans were a bit less noticeable but still flavorful, and the fruitiness of the red pepper made the whole stir-fry taste lively. There were very few mushrooms, so their flavor got lost in the mix.

I’d buy this stir-fry blend again if I was already at Whole Foods.
Trader Joe’s Asian-style vegetables with stir-fry sauce featured a more unique variety of vegetables.

Ted Berg

Although slightly more expensive at $4 for a 16-ounce bag, Trader Joe’s Asian-style vegetables with stir-fry sauce looked like an obvious upgrade over the other two options.

It featured a larger and more unique blend of vegetables, including baby corn, sugar snap peas, green beans, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, red-bell peppers, and water chestnuts.

The Trader Joe’s version smelled incredible while cooking.
I especially loved the water chestnuts and baby corn from the Trader Joe’s stir-fry.

Ted Berg

The stir-fry looked good on the plate and tasted even better. The green beans and sugar snap peas were bursting with sweetness and flavor, the water chestnuts added a perfect squishy and crispy texture, and the baby corn was moist and crunchy.

In my opinion, it also tasted like Trader Joe’s used some vastly different and more effective methods of freezing and storing the vegetables.

However, I’d skip the sauce from the Trader Joe’s blend.
I’ll definitely repurchase Trader Joe’s Asian-style vegetables with stir-fry sauce.

Ted Berg

Although I’d make both the Whole Foods and Wegmans versions again, Trader Joe’s stir-fry mix has earned a regular spot in my freezer.

In my opinion, it blew the other two out of the water.