This Simple Fix Makes Frozen Fish Sticks Taste 10x Better

You probably have a bag of frozen fish sticks in your freezer right now, tucked beneath a hundred other frozen meals (but above the peas you've saved for minor injuries and the batch of shepherd's or cottage pie). These spears of mild white fish coated in breading are not glamorous, but they're a staple just the same, and incredibly tasty. Still, even the classics need a bit of a refresh sometimes, and perking up your frozen fish sticks is really rather simple: just add spice and seasonings.

You can use any dry seasoning combination you prefer for this upgrade, from salt, pepper, and paprika, to seafood-ready Old Bay. The easiest way to coat your fish sticks is to first drop them in a large, resealable freezer bag with a small amount of oil or melted butter. Seal, toss until coated, then move your fish sticks to another bag with your mix of dry seasonings, and repeat. Finally, cook as usual. The result is an uber-tasty, refreshed take on fish sticks.

While Old Bay is a great place to start when it comes to seasoning fish sticks, it's just that: a starting place. Another seasoning combination you can bring to your fish sticks is lemon pepper. Made with dried lemon zest, salt, and cracked pepper, this simple combination is just the thing to perk up fish sticks. After all, lemon wedges are often served with the dish to give them a bit of zing, so this cuts out the middleman. You can also make lemon pepper wet (à la Atlanta's JR Crickets) fish sticks by tossing them in butter and lemon pepper seasonings. This gives your fish sticks a hefty dose of flavor and richness they would otherwise lack.

You can also use seasoning blends, such as Buffalo seasoning powder, garlic and Parmesan seasoning blends, or even a packet of ranch dressing mix. Don't be afraid to get heavy on themes; fish sticks are pretty neutral in flavor, and can hold up to plenty of profiles. You don't have to stop at powders, either. You can toss cooked fish sticks in a sauce of your choosing and serve up as you would, say, a nice, crispy chicken tender.

Fish stick flavor enhancements don't have to end with a coating of spices and seasonings. You can also fix up fish stick dips. The two most popular dips for fish sticks in my household are ketchup and cocktail sauce; both are absolutely delicious, but why not spice it up? If, say, you're using Old Bay to coat fish sticks, lean ketchup in a bloody mary direction by adding a bit of pickle brine, Tabasco, and celery salt. This perks up your sauce and gives it a more sophisticated flavor profile to match your enhanced sticks.

You could also go with a lovely aioli, Buffalo ranch, or even a fresh-made hollandaise sauce; the latter especially has a lemony zip and a rich butter base that goes exceptionally well with, say, an everything but the bagel-coated fish sticks batch. You can also use seasoned fish sticks as part of another meal; add fish sticks to a sandwich, or try a fish stick eggs Benedict, which makes for an unexpectedly delicious breakfast. Who knows? You might just find that fish sticks are more versatile than you think.