These Frozen French Fries Are Definitely Worth Buying
French fries from the freezer aisle have come a long way from the soggy disappointments of yesteryear. That is why today’s frozen spuds can rival restaurant offerings when prepared properly.
Whether you’re a team air fryer, oven baker, or deep fryer, the right frozen fry can make or break your burger night, fish fry, or midnight snack attack.
1. Lamb Weston Grown in Idaho Hand-Cut Style Fries
The gold standard of frozen fries has arrived! These hand-cut style beauties deliver that perfect balance of crispy exterior and pillowy interior that fry enthusiasts dream about.
Just last week, I popped these in my air fryer for an impromptu movie night, and my picky brother-in-law asked if I’d made them from scratch.
The right amount of salt and rustic, irregular cuts make these the undisputed champion of the freezer aisle.
2. Ore-Ida Extra Crispy Fast Food Style (Shoestrings)
Craving that drive-thru fry experience without leaving home? These skinny shoestrings nail the fast-food texture that keeps you reaching for just one more.
Their uniform size ensures consistent cooking, while their extra-crispy coating creates that distinctive crunch that echoes through your kitchen.
Air fryers were practically invented for these babies – eight minutes to perfection with zero guilt about sitting in a drive-thru line.
3. Arby’s Seasoned Curly Fries
Spiral-shaped happiness in a bag! These iconic curly fries bring the distinctive Arby’s experience home with their perfect blend of paprika, onion, and garlic seasonings.
Each twisted potato ribbon delivers more surface area for that signature seasoning to cling to. The varying lengths and curly shapes create a fun textural experience – some pieces extra crunchy, others maintaining a bit more potato softness inside.
They’re the life of any finger food party.
4. Red Robin Seasoned Steak Fries
Bottomless fry lovers, rejoice! The beloved restaurant chain’s thick-cut treasures are available in your freezer, complete with their signature seasoning blend that elevates them beyond ordinary steak fries.
Back in 2019, I hosted a burger night and served these without telling anyone their origin. Three guests asked for the “potato seasoning recipe” before I revealed they came from a bag!
Their substantial thickness holds up beautifully to heavy toppings without becoming limp.
5. Checkers/Rally’s Famous Seasoned Fries
Fast food cult favorite alert! These battered beauties faithfully recreate the drive-thru chain’s legendary fries, complete with that distinctive coating that’s neither quite battered nor breaded.
The secret lies in their unique preparation method that creates a crispy exterior shell while maintaining potato integrity inside. Their pepper-forward seasoning profile gives them a distinctive flavor that stands out in the crowded freezer aisle.
No dipping sauce required – these flavorful fries stand proudly on their own.
6. Ore-Ida Crispy Waffle Fries
Grid-marked potato perfection! These waffle-cut wonders offer maximum surface area for exceptional crispiness while maintaining a tender interior.
Their architectural design isn’t just for show – those gridlines create perfect pockets for capturing condiments, cheese sauce, or chili. The neutral seasoning makes them versatile enough for any meal.
Pro tip: arrange them in a single layer on your baking sheet with space between each piece for optimal crispiness.
7. McCain Classic Cut Fries
Sometimes, reliability trumps flash. These no-nonsense fries deliver consistent quality batch after batch with a straightforward potato flavor and satisfying texture.
What they lack in bells and whistles, they make up for in dependable performance. Their uniform size ensures even cooking, while their balanced salt level provides a blank canvas for whatever flavors you want to add.
Perfect for busy weeknights when you need a side dish that won’t let you down.
8. Ore-Ida Zesty Curly Seasoned Fries
Spiral-shaped fun with attitude! These boldly seasoned curly fries bring playground energy to your dinner plate with their distinctive shape and flavor-forward coating.
Unlike their Arby’s counterparts, these spirals lean into a more pronounced pepper and paprika profile that wakes up your taste buds. The varying thickness throughout each spiral creates an interesting textural journey – thinner sections offer crunch while thicker parts deliver satisfying potato chew.
Kids and adults equally fight over the perfect “spring” shaped pieces.
9. Ore-Ida Golden Crinkle-Cut Fries
These classic crinkle-cuts have fueled family dinners for generations with their distinctive shape and reliable performance.
The ridged design isn’t just for looks. Those grooves create extra surface area for exceptional crispiness while trapping pockets of soft potato inside. Something about those wavy edges transports me straight back to childhood dinners.
Air fryer enthusiasts particularly love these – the ridges become extra crunchy while the centers stay perfectly fluffy.