We Tried 8 Premade Mashed Potato Brands And This Is Our Favorite

In the same vein as the various shrimp dishes listed by Bubba in "Forest Gump," there's scalloped potatoes, potatoes au gratin, baked potatoes, potato skins, home fried potatoes, French fries...I think you can see where I'm going with this, but in my eyes, there's one type of potato that always wins –- mashed. You can add butter, garlic, sour cream, chives, cheese, bacon, and so much more, to dress up such a simple side dish. However, not everyone has the time to make a potato masterpiece after a long day. That's where premade mashed potatoes come into play, but which store-bought option is worth it?

I scoured the grocery store shelves, from the freezers of Trader Joe's to the hot bar at Whole Foods, to see who has some worthy premade mashed potatoes. Let's see which brands to avoid and if there are any worthy of buying, as premade items tend to be hit or miss. Should you make them at home, or is there one brand that really can give you that homemade feel? Let's find out!

Placing last, and deservedly so, was Stouffer's frozen homestyle mashed potatoes. The package said this option was made with cream and pepper, and that the contents were made with real potatoes, but after trying a few bites, I didn't believe it (and still don't).

The ingredient list did state there were real potatoes in the dish, along with the other ingredients listed on the front of the box. However, the taste did not compute with what my palate knows to be mashed potatoes, or even potatoes in general. I did get an earthy flavor but not root vegetable, as you might think. It almost smelled like a cauliflower substitute, which was quite off from what I was expecting. 

The texture wasn't much better. They were light and fluffy, but they leaned more instant mashed potato vibes versus something homemade. Regarding nutrition, 3/4 of a cup will give you 6 grams of proteins, but you're also taking 480 milligrams of sodium with that bite.

Overall, I'm not sure what else to say about Stouffer's. Its frozen mashed potatoes didn't taste like potatoes, missing that quintessential flavor and texture along with other typical notes such as butter, garlic, and even salt. I only have one word for this premade option: no.

I'm not one to fall for marketing, but out of this entire lineup, I truly believed that Simply Potatoes would be a top contender. I believed the company when it said "made from fresh potatoes," as its branding made me feel like these were homegrown and made with love. Maybe that's true, but it sure didn't taste like it.

I chose the garlic mashed option for this brand, and boy, there sure was a lot of garlic — too much. The potato was drowned in a sea of garlic, leaving my cheeks puckering and a bad taste in my mouth — literally. The only positive thing I could say for these mashed potatoes is that the texture was light and fluffy, but honestly, they were a little over whipped in my opinion.

While this one featured 450 milligrams of sodium in just a 1/2 cup of potatoes, no amount of salt could save Simply Potatoes from their spot in the ranking. That garlic flavor is burned into my memory in the worst way possible.

Next up was Good & Gather's Yukon gold garlic mashed potatoes made with whole milk and butter. Target caught my eye with this packaging, along with the 470 milligrams of sodium in 1/2 cup. I was hopeful from the marketing, and the result was pretty true to the picture. When I stirred this one up, it had the thickest consistency of the bunch. However, I was let down yet again.

From the first bite, everything tasted artificial. The garlic taste was intense, and while there were some hints of butter, nothing tasted homemade (or real for that matter). The texture was okay. These potatoes had the consistency of lumpy mashed potatoes, which I do prefer. At least Good & Gather looked more like something I'd make at home over the rest.

While these weren't great, they beat out the last two contestants easily, which is saying a lot about all the brands involved. At the end of the day, I'm adding Target's premade mashed potatoes to the list of items I'm never buying again.

At this point in the taste test, I was hitting a wall, wondering if any of these brands came close to offering a decent premade mashed potato. The answer — nope. Placing fifth was Bob Evans, and while this wasn't a gold medal option, it was better than the rest of the list by far.

What I didn't like about this brand's original mashed potatoes was the gritty texture. It was thicker than some of the others, but when mixed, the container solidified, leaving some of the potatoes congealed and the rest watery. While they looked more homemade than most, the mouthfeel just wasn't cutting it. 

I also wasn't in love with the taste. This one leaned salty, with 460 milligrams of sodium in 1/2 cup – but that flavor was welcomed after several garlic assaults. I liked that I could taste the pepper on the backend, adding a little something to the flavor profile that most of the others lacked, but again, that's not saying much.

Overall, I didn't like these potatoes and wouldn't buy them again. I think if you're in a pinch and see this brand, you're better off over the rest of the list, but this is not a direct recommendation from me.

Reser's Main St. Bistro was a brand I'd never encountered, so I was interested to see where it would fall in this lineup. I grabbed its steakhouse Yukon gold mashed potatoes, dreaming of a nice steak dinner with the perfect side. As with Bob Evans, I don't think I'd buy these again, but they pushed their way up the list with a slight elevation over the rest.

The garlic was balanced, which was a nice surprise, but the majority of the flavor profile came from salt and pepper, with 1/2 cup containing a whopping 480 milligrams of sodium. While that wasn't ideal, it wasn't the worst thing I'd tried that day, even if the flavor of the potato was overwhelmed by that of milk, butter, sea salt, and cracked pepper.I did appreciate the texture, as they were thick and a little lumpy, making me feel like someone had made these the same day.

I think as far as premade mashed potatoes go, you can make a decent meal with these. However, there are a few on this list that truly stood out with an actual recommendation. Keep reading!

Breaking into the top three and offering a product I'd actually recommend was Signature Select Mix + Match garlic mashed potatoes. This one featured a combo of red bliss and Idaho potatoes whipped with garlic, milk, and butter. With no microwave directions, into the oven they went, and it made me wonder if that's why this brand had a higher quality offering over the rest.

Signature Select had a good consistency. They were a little gooey, but after you mixed it thoroughly and let it sit, they congealed in a way that looked more natural than the rest. I could also taste the butter in this brand with hints of garlic coming through instead of an assault. The best part? 1/2 cup of these mashed potatoes only has 325 milligrams of sodium.

While I don't have much more to say — positive or negative — I think that point speaks for itself. As far as premade, frozen mashed potatoes goes, these ones are all right. However, the best is yet to come with the top two spots. In a pinch, head to Shaw's, Albertsons, or Safeway and grab their Mix + Match option. If you have time, keep reading.

Now, we're getting to the good stuff with the second place winner — Whole Foods. This package stated it was made with real potatoes, and I absolutely believe it. This option also contained whole milk, butter, and salt, which could all be found within each balanced bite.

The consistency of these mashed potatoes honestly felt a little like the standard cafeteria food potatoes — thick, soft, and just right. They weren't watery or dry. They were also the first option I tried to actually taste like real potatoes, offering an earthy foundation with the additions of light butter and light salt. 1/2 cup is only 400 milligrams of sodium, too.

Why didn't they place first? You'll have to finish this article for more information, but at the end of the day, the first place option was simply better. What I will say is that if you shop at Whole Foods and or you need mashed potatoes in a pinch, you can't go wrong with this one. These potatoes are also neutral enough that you could add your own additions, too. Think garlic butter, sour cream, even some bacon bits, and cheese. Whole Foods passed the premade mashed potato test.

I have a lot to say about Trader Joe's frozen mashed potatoes. As the only frozen bag option, I honestly laughed as I made my way to the checkout counter. But I should have known better. When it comes freezer food, TJ's knows its stuff.

While I already had my guard up, opening the bag only made my apprehension worse. Inside, I found 1- to 2-inch tubes of frozen mashed potato. I had never seen anything like this in my life. Be that as it may, I followed the directions and couldn't believe the results.

Once cooked, these weird, frozen tubes most closely resembled homemade mashed potatoes. I found light hints of garlic with real butter flavor, making me feel like I'd actually made these from scratch. When it came to taste, nothing on this list beats Trader Joe's. The texture wasn't quite as good — there was something a little off, as the mouthfeel felt more like clay compared to the offering from Whole Foods. Overall, however, I couldn't place these second. The taste was too good to be the runner up.

The wildest part? 1 cup of these frozen mashed potatoes has only 250 milligrams of sodium. Seriously, TJ's, I don't know how you did this, but well done. 

For this taste test, I went to all of my local grocery stores and picked up eight different brands of premade mashed potatoes. From frozen options to hot bar, I felt I had a decent selection to accurately assess the gambit.

I cooked up each option and followed the instructions to a T, from microwaving to oven roasting. There were two main factors that I took into account: taste and texture. While texture was important, as I wanted to ensure the top spots felt more like homemade than not, taste definitely tipped the scales when it came to close calls. The bite needed to be balanced — tasting like real potatoes while also offering light flavors of salt and butter. If one flavor was too much, those potatoes went to the back of the list.