We Compared 4 Store-Bought Cheese Curds To Culver's And Only One Brand Makes The Cut

Culver's Wisconsin Cheese Curds are so good that they will have you thinking the company invented them. However, the tasty little curds we all know and love actually date back to Ancient Rome. Cool, huh? Regardless of how breaded cheese curds got their start, they are a beloved Canadian and American food. Fortunately, though, thanks to Culver's and a handful of store-bought options, you don't have to live up North to sink your teeth into breaded cheese curds whenever you like. All that being said, is it worth a trip to Culver's to snag some? Or, will purchasing one of the options you find in the frozen aisle of your local grocery store satisfy a craving just as well?

To find out whether or not Culver's Wisconsin Cheese Curds put store-bought options to shame or not, I conducted a head-to-head competition comparing them to four frozen products. After buying and tasting them all, I also determined an overall winner based on flavor, texture, and price. I'll get into my methodology more at the end, but by now, there's no doubt you're curious about which breaded cheese curd came out on top and which ones fell short, if any. Let's find out!

The best place to begin our cheese curd taste-testing adventure is with Culver's. After all, we are trying to figure out how these curds stack up against store-bought options, right? Right. So, for just $5.61, I acquired an order of Culver's Wisconsin Cheese Curds. Let the games begin.

Upon first taste, I knew Culver's didn't dial in its cheese curds recipe. Actually, for a fast-food joint, these curds are pretty darn amazing. According to the company website, they are made with fresh, un-aged white and yellow cheddar cheese curds that come from La Grander Hillside Dairy in Stanley, Wisconsin — and we all know Wisconsin has the cheese game on lock. As a result, both the flavor and the texture of the curds were spectacular. They weren't super gooey and melted, but they had a consistency and taste that was on point with a quality product. You better believe I ate one before I even made it out of the drive-thru, too, so it's not like it had time to cool down before I had a bite.

As for the breading on Culver's Wisconsin Cheese Curds, it was super tasty, too. Thick, crunchy, and flavorful, it exceeded my expectations. This was the first cheese curd I tried in the competition, but my initial thought was that it would be hard for the store-bought options to compete with the savory herb flavor in the breading and, of course, the top-notch cheese curds within.

Next up is Kroger's Breaded Cheese Curds, and let me tell you, they were a far cry from the tasty Culver's curds I sampled right before. At first sight, the curds from Kroger looked like they would be good. They had a nice golden color, and the breading texture looked more than sufficient. Additionally, the box says the cheese curds are made with Wisconsin cheddar, so all systems seemed nominal. However, after just one bite, I knew the flavor didn't live up to my expectations.

There isn't anything wrong with the actual cheese in Kroger's frozen cheese curds. It's the breading that left a bad taste in my mouth, and not just figuratively either. The overwhelming flavor of the breading can only be described as value brand chicken nuggets. So much so that I actually had to look at the box and double-check that there wasn't any chicken used. Much to my relief (I'm vegetarian), there wasn't. Still, there was no mistaking the nugget flavor.

Kroger's Breaded Cheese Curds only cost $2.99 for a 10-ounce box, making them the least expensive of the bunch. Sadly, though, they tasted cheap, and I couldn't get over that meaty aftertaste. Similar to Kroger's unexciting Buffalo sauce, the cheese curds are a fail in my book.

The third cheese curd I sampled was from Market Pantry (one of Target's three in-store grocery brands). Thankfully, it was significantly better than Kroger's. The first thing that stood out to me about Market Pantry Breaded Cheese Curds was their large, plump shape. They looked like they could house a serious amount of cheese, and once I cracked one open, I was glad to see it wasn't just for show. Each piece was filled to the brim with lots of yummy Wisconsin cheddar cheese. The texture proved they were made with curds, too, not just your typical cheddar.

Market Pantry Breaded Cheese Curds were already off to a good start, and lucky us, the actual breading only made them better. It wasn't as thick as Culver's, but it had a nice golden color that drew me in. It also boasted a savory, herb flavor that complemented the cheese within beautifully. Lastly, the breading featured a small crumb style that helped it stand out from the crowd.

A 10-ounce box of Market Pantry Breaded Cheese Curds costs $5.49, so not bad. For the price, flavor, and quality, you could do a lot worse. They are definitely tastier than Market Pantry French Fries, which didn't do well in our ranking of store-bought fries. I'd have no issues buying these cheese curds again. Still, I think you could do better.

Farm Rich Breaded Cheese Curds are the only store-bought product I tried that isn't a generic grocery brand. As such, they can be found in quite a few stores. While this makes them a convenient pick, I can't wholeheartedly recommend them. For starters, a 15-ounce box costs me $7.99, so they were the most expensive cheese curds I tried on my taste-testing adventure. While I'd be willing to pay that for drool-worthy breaded cheese curds, that is not what they were.

Made with real Wisconsin cheddar, Farm Rich Breaded Cheese Curds have all the right ingredients to make most of us happy. Unfortunately, though, I found them to be somewhat lacking in the flavor department. The curds had a nice texture, and the bread was good and crunchy, but the flavor was just meh. It wasn't bad, per se, but it left a lot to be desired. Minus Kroger, the flavor simply doesn't live up to the other cheese curds I tried. Yes, these curds have some redeeming qualities, but the breading could benefit from some additional seasoning. It probably isn't as noticeable if you aren't eating five different kinds of cheese curds at one time (like I did), but relatively speaking, they pale in comparison to most of the other brands in the competition.

The second-cheapest brand of breaded cheese curds I sampled comes to us from Trader Joe's. Admittedly, I'm typically a fan of the brand's frozen products, so I had high hopes for the breaded cheese curds. Much to my delight, they didn't let me down.

A 16-ounce bag of Trader Joe's Breaded Cheese Curds costs only $4.99, so they come at a fantastic value. That's just the start of what the company did right, though. The cheddar cheese within each piece had a delicious flavor and the chewy texture of a quality curd. The bread was thin and crispy as well. What really stood out, though, was the breading's flavor. It was packed with lots of savory herbs that basically punch you in the mouth with deliciousness. I tasted lots of yummy garlic and onion flavor in each morsel. As a result, it gave the curds a unique, bold taste that anyone could love. Well, unless you don't like garlic (if so, we can't be friends).

I'll admit, Trader Joe's Breaded Cheese Curds had a much lighter color than the other products I tasted. While it didn't affect the yummy flavor, it did make them look less appetizing than the other, more golden-colored cheese curds on my plate. However, I'm more than willing to give them a pass on appearance due to the tasty flavor within. They may not be much for the eye, but they are so yummy!

Culver's cheese curds put up a good fight against the four store-bought cheese curds I compared them to. In fact, if I were ranking them all, I'd say Culver's tied for first with Trader Joe's. Culver's was the only cheese curd I sampled that came with a mix of white and yellow cheese curds. The breading was also the thickest of the group, allowing it to easily contain an abundance of cheese. To top it all off, the curds boasted a rich, savory flavor that kept me coming back for more.

Moving forward, I recommend you get Culver's Wisconsin Cheese Curds when it's convenient — like if you are already there for a burger or a location is close by when a cheese curd craving hits. However, I also think picking up a bag of Trader Joe's Breaded Cheese Curds the next time you visit the store is a smart move. They come at a better price, and they are easily just as good as Culver's. As for the rest of the products I tried, I'd opt for Culver's over all of them. Market Pantry's curds are decent, but curds from Farm Rich and Kroger were letdowns (especially Kroger's, yuck).

Pro tip: The next time you order Culver's Wisconsin Cheese Curds, put some on your burger. You'll be glad you did.

If you didn't skip ahead to the end, you already know that I personally bought and tasted each of the five cheese curds discussed above. Since I wanted to find out how Culver's Wisconsin Cheese Curds compared to store-bought options, this process was the best way — and dare I say the only way — to get the job done. Once I acquired all of the cheese curds, I cooked the store-bought ones in my air fryer in an effort to help them stand a fighting chance against Culver's deep-fried ones.

While tasting all five different cheese curds, I paid close attention to texture and flavor — the two primary factors I considered when determining an overall winner. I also let price play a small role, but it was a secondary consideration. In the end, Culver's managed to hold its own. There are a few menu items you want to avoid ordering at Culver's, but the Wisconsin Cheese Curds aren't one of them. Stick to them and Trader Joe's if you want the best of the best.