The Underwhelming Frozen Seafood We Won't Be Buying At Costco Again

Frozen prepared fish can be a quick and easy meal in a matter of minutes, but the quality of such food can vary. Daily Meal tasted and ranked eight frozen prepared seafoods from Costco, based on taste and texture. While the bar was pleasantly high, one product was a relative disappointment compared to the competition.

The beer-battered Alaska cod by Trident Seafoods was, in one word, underwhelming. Unlike other frozen prepared fish options we tested, the minimal aroma this cod gave off — both while cooking and on the plate — did not excite the senses before the first bite.

Despite this poor olfactory impression, Trident Seafoods' beer-battered Alaska cod wasn't terrible. The fish was appropriately tender and flaky, and the crust was pleasantly crunchy, without being too heavy or laden with grease. But with the unfortunate under-seasoning of the beer batter, there just wasn't a lot to like either, especially versus more flavorful competition.

Although we found Trident Seafoods' beer-battered Alaska cod unimpressive overall, the frozen prepared fish has its defenders. On Reddit, one user noted, "The beer battered [cod] is good if you like that stuff." But the praise was far from universal, even if opinions differed with some of our conclusions. One critical Reddit user complained, "The beer smell is overwhelming and the taste seems off." Perhaps, then, inconsistency in aroma and flavor is also an issue with this particular offering.

Trident Seafoods is one of the largest seafood companies in the world, and it's industry-renowned for its sense of business ethics, including sustainable fishing practices. These are all the more relevant with cod being listed as vulnerable to extinction since 1996, thanks to decades of overfishing, which once stopped Costco from selling cod altogether. 

Responsible business practices don't make up for a lack of flavor, though. Trident Seafoods also makes frozen fish sticks we deemed one of the 12 types of seafood to avoid at Costco. Although the beer-battered Alaska cod did not land on that unfortunate list, two disappointing entries from this brand are proof enough that better options exist.