Ranking the Top 7 Frozen Mozzarella Stick Brands from Worst to Best

Any appetizer fans in the house? I’m not sure who wouldn’t love the often bite-sized, indulgent precursors to a meal. Appetizers come in all shapes and sizes, but some — like chips and salsa, potato skins, and chicken wings — are frequent offerings at any dine-in spot. My personal favorites are the ever-popular mozzarella sticks. Sure, mozzarella sticks are far from the only cheesy appetizer in the food sphere, but there’s something to be said about their simplicity. The stringy, cheesy fried app is a safe choice at many an establishment. Once a market for frozen appetizers developed, it only made sense that mozzarella sticks would become prolific in the freezer section.

Regardless of whether or not you’ve done a deep dive into the French origins of mozzarella sticks, fans of the appetizer may have pretty strong opinions on what makes for the perfect stick. Maybe you prefer yours to be plentifully seasoned and herbed, or perhaps, you prefer the breading just seasoned with a touch of sea salt. Most people probably want an ample cheese pull, but how much cheese the interior should hold is dependent on the eater. I too have my own mozzarella stick preferences; I like a crispy outside, minimal seasoning, and a filling packed with gooey, stringy cheese that can stretch across the table. With that, I went on the hunt for my perfect frozen mozzarella stick. While some sticks could definitely satisfy a craving, others fell woefully short. 

In case you didn’t know, string cheese always has to be mozzarella, and the same principle applies to mozzarella sticks; it’s the only cheese that can produce that stringy quality. In this respect, Market Pantry got its mozzarella sticks right, as the brand did indeed use mozzarella cheese in its version of the frozen appetizer. Everything else about the sticks was woefully wrong. Market Pantry’s was the most underwhelming of all the mozzarella sticks on this list, making it an easy contender for last place.

Alas, not all mozzarella sticks are created equal. I coincidentally tried these just after sampling the brand that got the number two spot in this ranking, and the difference was stark. For starters, Market Pantry’s mozzarella sticks definitely didn’t have the most ample cheese pull. That’s not the most important factor in my ranking, and it was the least of this mozzarella stick’s problems. I couldn’t get behind the flavors, and even its textures were lackluster. The breading wasn’t crispy and the cheese seemed almost congealed. The sticks also didn’t boast any flavor of note, and the flavors that were present tasted underdeveloped and brought back memories of childhood forays at Chuck E. Cheese. I’d pass on these if I were you; there are far better options on this list. 

Coming in at only slightly above Market Pantry’s mozzarella sticks are Signature Select’s version. While they can boast being made with “real cheese,” there’s otherwise nothing here to write home about. The cheese pull on these bad boys isn’t impressive and looks like more of a desperate attempt to stay connected than an easy pull. 

These were better than the previous pick for one simple reason: texture. Whereas the Market Pantry’s sticks didn’t have a satisfying exterior crunch, these did crisp up nicely in the air fryer. My compliments about this appetizer end there. I’m willing to bet the flavor of these mozzarella sticks will evoke the same déjà vu for anyone who went to public elementary school in the early aughts. Remember the extraordinarily mediocre slices of rectangular pizza the cafeteria would serve? I was instantly taken back to foods of yesteryear upon biting into these. Apparently “real” cheese doesn’t have to mean “good” cheese, and I can’t back the taste of these subpar mozzarella sticks. I’d only call them fine for the undiscerning palate, an acceptable budget-friendly buy if you’re only feeding kiddos. 

Kroger’s mozzarella sticks were, in my mind, passable. Were I grading them in a classroom setting, I could give them a solid C-. Was I impressed by the “snack-size” sticks (that still looked about the same size as a normal mozzarella stick)? No. Could I make some if none of the following were available? Sure. I doubt these will blow any eater away, but they could definitely scratch an itch — as long as you haven’t had a stellar mozzarella stick recently.

The still-not-great cheese pull was a negligible factor here — after all, Market Pantry’s had a better pull but still did worse in this tasting due to its not-up-to-snuff flavors and exterior texture. Kroger, on the other hand, pulled off something the previous two brands failed at. These mozzarella sticks have a thick breading that crisps up wonderfully in the air fryer, giving way to a great crunch when you take a bite. As far as its flavors, they were still decidedly “meh.” The cheese was palatable but not stellar, and the breading was lackluster in all aspects except for its crunch. While I’d stand firm that these are superior to the previous offerings in this ranking, I still can’t really recommend them, especially to the hardest-core mozzarella stick enthusiast. 

The mozzarella sticks from Feel Good Foods were fine — nothing more and nothing less. Admittedly, they get a couple bonus points for being gluten-free, as I appreciate the brand bringing the joy of stringy fried cheese to an allergen-friendly market. Because they’re gluten-free, I gave the texture a slight pass here. Is this the crispiest mozzarella stick in the world? No. But if you’re left with this as your sole mozzarella stick option for dietary purposes, I can’t say it’s a bad one. 

Look at that cheese pull! It’s certainly the best so far (though still not the best to be found on this list). The breading could be crispier, and even though it appeared to be slightly herbed, it still didn’t have much going on in the flavor department. The cheese certainly tasted better than any of the aforementioned options. Still, I can’t call this a stellar mozzarella stick. My biggest qualm was that it was kind of greasy on the inside, with small liquidy pockets that got insanely hot. Definitely give them ample time to cool before chowing down. I can only recommend these to my gluten-free companions; if you fall under that umbrella, consider them a decent choice. 

As a Trader Joe’s super-fan, I really wanted to love its mozzarella sticks. In fact, this wasn’t my first time grabbing a bag of them. But, I just can never fully get behind them for a couple reasons. I feel this placement will get some pushback. I’m sure there are some die-hard TJ’s mozzarella stick fans out there, and to them I’d say, “you do you” loudly and proudly. Unfortunately, I don’t know that these will ever impress me.

Admittedly, Trader Joe’s seasoned breading does upgrade its mozzarella sticks, but I don’t think it’s super necessary. When I’m seeking out mozzarella sticks in the frozen section, I don’t want anything gourmet; I’m always just after a late-night gaming snack or a mid-afternoon snack. These mozzarella sticks boast an ultra-herby exterior that does, admittedly, get nice and crunchy upon cooking; I just didn’t find its herbaceousness necessary. 

However, these definitely have the best cheese pull of any mozzarella sticks I’ve discussed so far, and though I think the flavor is a little over-the-top, I’ll take that over a bland option any day. Its textures are on point and these mozzarella sticks are flavorful and inviting. Whether you enjoy the added seasoning or not will be up to personal preference. 

I have a confession to make — I’m no newbie to Farm Rich’s mozzarella sticks, and up until now, I’d have called these my favorite frozen mozzarella stick brand. They’re classic and reliable, and I seem to always happen upon them in the freezer section, no matter which grocery store I’m at. Though Farm Rich’s mozzarella sticks can’t beat Trader Joe’s in terms of cheese pull, the flavor this brand boasts can make any eater forget about their subpar pull. 

Crunchy outside? Check. Gooey inside? Check. Bland? Not in the slightest. I’ve been a Farm Rich fan for years for a reason. These mozzarella sticks are solid and boast no frills, perfect for when I need a comforting food that won’t take me by surprise. The interior gets soft and gooey while the exterior gives perhaps the best crunch of any of the mozzarella sticks on this list. The exterior is flavorful without being super herby, and its flavor doesn’t detract from the smooth interior. Farm Rich’s mozzarella sticks are far from groundbreaking, but they’ll give you exactly what you’re hoping for after just seven minutes in air fryer heaven.

I should have known that TGI Fridays would make the best frozen mozzarella stick on the market. After all, the brand is practically synonymous with the word “appetizer,” and its frozen options are plentiful. TGI Fridays’ frozen mozzarella sticks are fantastically gooey, stringy, and check all the boxes. Plus, I have to take a minute to compliment the shape — an oblong, flattened mozzarella stick only gives more room for a cheesy interior, which is good news in my book. 

These were an easy top choice. Not only do they boast an ample cheese pull, but they have a well-seasoned breading that’s not too otherworldly and a rich, full, and cheesy flavor. Not to mention, this box contained something none of the aforementioned mozzarella sticks did: marinara sauce. Why marinara sauce isn’t a staple inclusion with frozen mozzarella sticks, I’ll never know, but the flavorful, herby sauce was definitely appreciated here. Not a fan of marinara sauce? Melba sauce can offer a sweeter take on the mozzarella stick accompaniment. However you take your mozzarella sticks, TGI Fridays’ are an easy recommendation for frequent frozen food shoppers. 

In order to compile a list of the best mozzarella stick brands for this ranking, I stuck with options popularly available a my local grocery stores. The lowest on the list ended up being store-brand versions of the appetizer, which was merely coincidental. I considered a few factors when ranking these mozzarella sticks, including cheese pull, flavor, and texture. My bottom-ranked picks were bland at best and off-putting at worst. Some gave off a childlike aura that wasn’t appealing. Though I wasn’t hoping my mozzarella sticks would exude maturity, I didn’t want their flavor to take me back to elementary school.

My top mozzarella sticks checked three boxes: gooey cheese, a crispy outside, and a flavorful cheesy interior. I didn’t want to be wowed, but comforted. No points were given for innovation; if they were, Trader Joe’s may have been my top pick. But I don’t want ingenuity in a mozzarella stick. Rather, I looked for perfection of the basic elements, all of which were readily found in my top two choices. Farm Rich, if you ever decide to include marinara sauce in your mozz stick boxes, you could come in at number one next time.