If you’re anything like me, there are two things you pray for in a frozen meal: speed and satisfaction. So when Trader Joe’s unveiled their new Teriyaki Bowl, my hopes were sky-high (and probably unrealistic). A steaming bowl of teriyaki goodness, packed with veggies and rice? Yes, please! But, spoiler alert, not all frozen miracles are created equal. While this bowl promises a shortcut to a tasty meal, does it actually deliver flavor, or are we better off dialing down our expectations? Let’s dive into this freezer find to see if it’s a timesaver worth your taste buds—or just another “meh” meal to skip over in aisle four.
I am a bit of a Teriyaki snob I hate to admit. Having spent many years living in the Seattle area, we all seem to be Teriyaki aficionados. You would be too if they were literally in every strip mall and street corner from Everett to Seattle to Tacoma an area encompassing 2 million people. For those that don’t know, Teriyaki is originally from Japan but it’s not something you see all the time. I just spent two weeks in Tokyo and I don’t think I saw it on the menu once. The modern Teriyaki movement started in 1976 in Seattle by a guy named Toshi Kasahara when he opened “Toshi’s” (see here) and has spread to be several thousand Teriyaki joints in the Pacific Northwest. It’s generally cheap but flavorful eats. A typical serving of Chicken Teriyaki is a pile of rice with a pile of grilled chicken thighs slathered in Teriyaki sauce and a small side salad usually with some kind of lemon vinegarette. There are plenty of variations on that but this is Teriyaki at it’s most basic. Needless to say, I have eaten hundreds of servings of real Teriyaki.
Trader Joe’s has had a frozen chicken Teriyaki product for many years and it remains one of their most popular products. You can see my full review of their first Chicken Teriyaki product here) I am not a huge fan of this but it’s hard to beat the sheer convenience and cost for a big bag of pre-cooked chicken and a sauce.
So, when Trader Joe’s released a new frozen Chicken Teriyaki bowl I was kind of shocked because I thought they had that base covered. How hard is it to get some of Trader Joe’s excellent frozen rice, a handful of this Chicken Teriyaki and some frozen vegetables and throw it in a bowl and zap it all together in the microwave? Not hard at all. What this new Teriyaki bowl gives you is a pre-made meal you can take to work. But was it the same?
First let me describe this dish. It’s one of those many bowls that Trader Joe’s makes so you can have a quick meal of your favorite, mostly Asian, dishes. Mostly, something on rice but sometimes other carbs like pasta or orzo. This is very basic food without a lot of interesting elements. It’s Chicken, Rice, veggies and some Teriyaki sauce.
I made the bowl to the directions on the back of the box for the microwave method. I don’t know if my microwave is too powerful or what but the bowl was very very hot when I took it out. I peeled back the plastic and it smelled vaguely like teriyaki. There is plenty of meat as you can see. But it was the rest of it that was meh. Soggy vegetables. Soggy rice. It really needs something to lift it up like a better sauce or some Sriracha or something.
You would be better off buying the separate bags of teriyaki chicken, rice and vegetables and making your own and using the Soyaki sauce which has way more flavor.
Final Thoughts
After all the anticipation, I have to say, Trader Joe’s Teriyaki Bowl turned out to be a letdown. At $4.79/11.25 Oz it was probably isn’t worth the price. The rice was mushy, blending right into the sauce to create a texture that was more “sludge” than “satisfying.” The vegetables, while visually present, lacked any real bite or freshness, giving the whole bowl a bland, one-note taste that just didn’t hit the mark. If you’re looking for an easy dinner option, this bowl might technically save you time—but your taste buds might just pay the price. I’d say save the freezer space and go for something that brings a bit more life to the meal. I am giving it 5 out of 10 stars. Not worth it unless you are desperate.
