I've never stocked up on a freezer find so quickly before, making this an instant Taste of Home Award winner.
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Unfortunately, I’m a bit of a frozen meal snob. I really wish I wasn’t! There are nights when I don’t feel like cooking—or don’t have the time—and wish I could throw something into the microwave without a fuss. But more often than not, frozen food leaves me underwhelmed or straight-up disappointed.
In my years of research as a food writer, I have found exactly two frozen, single-serve meals that I approve of: the Amy’s Spaghetti Italiano Bowl and the Simple Truth Beef and Barley Bowl. My criteria is simple. I just want meals that taste good and feel like something I’d eat if I had the energy to actually cook. Those two passed the test with flying colors.
But, they’re are almost too convincingly “homemade,” and don’t scratch that takeout itch. Since prices are getting so steep, I’ve cut way back on my takeout budget, but it doesn’t mean I don’t miss it. Then, during a Target trip, I spotted a huge display of new frozen meals from a brand I had never heard of: Tem Toa. The packaging was brightly colored, and apparently I’m no better than a bird or a baby because it immediately caught my eye.
I picked up a box almost expecting to be disappointed. And now I am so happy I did, because Tem Toa has made the impossible possible: brought takeout-quality Thai food to the freezer aisle. That’s why I’m giving Tem Toa Chicken Pad Thai a coveted Taste of Home Award.
Tem Toa Chicken Pad Thai
I’m a Certified Frozen Meal Snob
As someone who is picky about frozen meals, I should give you some background on how I prepare them to make them as delicious as possible. First, I always cook frozen meals in my toaster oven. I have a Tovala Smart Oven, so I can bake and steam entrees at the same time. I dumped the Tem Toa Chicken Pad Thai into a Pyrex and put it in the toaster oven for 20 minutes. When it was done cooking, my kitchen smelled delicious.
Second, I always plate frozen meals on real plates. Now, I know this isn’t always possible if you’re at work—or maybe you simply don’t feel like getting a dish dirty. I respect that. But if you can, plate it and use real utensils. It makes everything taste much better!
I Felt Like I Was Eating Takeout Pad Thai
There were four different meal options and I chose the Chicken Pad Thai because it seemed like it would be the most difficult to pull off. Often, frozen chicken chunks end up weirdly gummy or chewy or have no real flavor. That was not the case here at all.
While I was eating this dish, I kept forgetting it wasn’t leftover pad thai I had reheated from the night before. That is how delicious it is! The spice level was perfect; it had heat but it wasn’t overpowering. The noodles were chewy, the chicken was well cooked, and the veggies weren’t mushy. Overall the dish had that characteristic tangy-sweet combo that you would expect from pad thai.
My biggest complaint was that I wanted more immediately. Not because I was still hungry—this dish has 20 grams of protein and it definitely filled me up—but because it tasted so good I wanted to keep eating it. The next time I went to Target, I picked up four more boxes.
In the future, I can see myself making the Tem Toa Chicken Pad Thai on a Friday night. It’s perfect for when I don’t feel like cooking and want to satisfy that takeout craving without breaking the bank. I could pair it with a frozen Thai appetizer from Trader Joe’s to really make it feel like a restaurant meal.
Where To Buy This For Yourself
If you’re not grabbing your keys right now, then I haven’t done my job. You need to go straight to your local Target and find the Tem Toa section in the freezer aisle. Look for brightly colored red, yellow, green and blue boxes and you’ll know that you’re in the right place. These are brand-new products that launched in April 2026, so they might even be highlighted on an end cap at your store—that’s where they were in my Target.
One box retails for $5.99, which is such a good price for the quality of product inside. Along with Chicken Pad Thai, there’s a Vegetable Pad Thai with tofu that is already on my shopping list. There are also two chicken curries (red and green) that come with rice. Since I was so impressed with the Chicken Pad Thai, I’m planning to try those curries as well and see how spicy they are. I love a little heat and I bet they’d be great served alongside the pad thai.
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