We Tried Every Single Frozen Tot We Could Find — These Are Our Favorites
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Having a bag of tots stashed in the freezer is like sitting on a pile of gold. Crispy, chubby, and infinitely poppable, they’re perfect in every way. Tots are a comforting snack , the ultimate casserole topper , a blank canvas for totcho-style creativity, or even just a quick side dish guaranteed to lure reluctant kiddos to the dinner table. I love how they’re just a bit more potato-y than French fries, like bite-sized hash browns or mashed potatoes in snackable form.
How I Chose the Frozen Tots
Ore-Ida is the brand that not only coined the term “tater tots,” but invented them back in 1953. It still reigns as the most ubiquitous frozen potato tot brand at the supermarket. But there’s plenty of competition from companies like Alexia and Cascadian Farm, and store brands like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods 365.
I couldn’t help but wonder if the OG tater tot could still hold its own against the upstarts, so I gathered as many versions that I could find for a taste test. And I included veggie tots too, because this category has exploded in recent years as people try to incorporate more vegetables in their diets. So which tots reign supreme? Let’s take a look.
The Best Potato Tots: Alexia Organic Yukon Select Puffs
Let me be very clear: There were no losers in this category. Alexia may have won, but every single tot we tried was downright delicious. Each taster had their own favorite that came in second or third for someone else, which made judging this overarching category particularly hard. In the end, it was the rich, naturally buttery flavor of Alexia’s Yukon gold puffs that scored enough points to eke out a victory.
Buy: Alexia Organic Yukon Select Puffs , $4.79 for 16 ounces
Best Sweet Potato Tots: 365 Everyday Value Sweet Potato Puffs
Once again, we loved all the sweet potato tots we tried. (Maybe the lesson here is that all tots are amazing?) Whole Foods’ store brand was not too sweet and more dinner compatible than some others we tried, which is why it took the top spot.
Buy: 365 Everyday Value Sweet Potato Puffs , $2.99 for 20 ounces
Best Veggie Tots: Birds Eye Veggie Made Cauliflower & Potato Tots
Birds Eye’s Cauliflower Tots tasted the most like regular potato tots, so of course they scored the highest. They’re puffy and crispy outside, smooth and savory inside, plus they go great with ketchup. Because there’s some potato blended in, the cauliflower flavor becomes a backdrop, which is helpful if you’re feeding picky kids.
Buy : Birds Eye Veggie Made Cauliflower & Potato Tots , $6.99 for 12 ounces
Do you have a favorite brand of frozen tots? Share in the comments below!
Danielle Centoni
Contributor
Danielle Centoni is a James Beard Award-winning food writer, editor, recipe developer, and cookbook author based in Portland, Oregon. Her latest cookbook is "Fried Rice: 50 Ways to Stir Up The World's Favorite Grain."
Source : food
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