If I had to pick a favorite food for dinner, it would probably be burgers. I’ve loved them my entire life. We don’t go out to eat and get burgers often, but I’ve eaten frozen store-bought White Castle burgers (often from Aldi) for a long time. When I saw Trader Joe’s — which is a cousin to Aldi — selling frozen Trader Joe’s Mini Cheeseburgers, I noticed they look a lot like White Castle burgers, and I decided to get them.
Trader Joe’s Mini Cheeseburgers cost $4.49 for a 7.02-ounce box. Each box has three burgers, so that comes out to about $1.50 per burger.
The box describes these as “a fully cooked seasoned beef patty with cheddar cheese and burger sauce nestled between a sweet aloha roll.”
One burger has 190 calories, and there are a total of 580 calories per box if you eat the entire box in one sitting. The nutrition panel states that the entire box of three burgers is one serving.
Per container, there are 29 grams of total fat (37% daily value), 11 grams of saturated fat (55% daily value), 760 milligrams of sodium (33% daily value), 58 grams of total carbohydrates (21% daily value), 18 grams of total sugars, and 16 grams of added sugars (32% daily value).
If you’re looking out for allergens, these contain milk, egg, and wheat.
Nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
The box has instructions for heating the burgers from frozen.
To heat in a conventional oven, preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the burgers from the plastic package. Place the burgers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes for all three burgers. Let stand 1 minute before serving.
To heat in a microwave (1,200 watt), remove the burgers from the plastic package. Wrap the burger(s) with a damp paper towel and place on a microwave-safe dish. Heat on high for 50 seconds for one burger or 1 minute and 20 seconds for all three burgers. Let stand for one minute before serving.
TJ’s cheeseburgers after microwaving.
I liked these burgers better than White Castle burgers. For one thing, these taste more like traditional burgers you would make yourself (or buy frozen from the grocery store) and grill outside than White Castle burgers do, or at least they taste more like regular beef. I also liked how these have a “burger sauce” on them. It’s a ketchup-based sauce with additional ingredients such as onion powder, relish, and salted egg yolk. I think it improved the taste of the burgers.
TJ’s cheeseburgers at bottom, White Castle cheeseburgers at top for comparison.
The Verdict:
Trader Joe’s Mini Cheeseburgers look similar to White Castle burgers, which are a favorite of mine. I actually liked these TJ’s burgers better than White Castle. I would buy these again, although they’re a bit expensive for three small burgers. That said, these are convenient lunch foods and are quick and easy to make.
