We recently covered Trader Joe’s new mango sticky rice, and the online response hasn’t matched the excitement we felt. After giving it a try, I can understand some of the criticisms people raised.
Public Feedback Across the Web
One major gripe that circulates a lot is the portion size. And I can confirm the serving is on the smaller side. A Redditor in a thread about the portion even noted that a Thai restaurant would easily offer two to three times as much for the same price for fresh mango sticky rice. I hear that. I would have loved a heftier portion too. Still, the product is designed for convenience for those occasions when dining out isn’t feasible or desirable. I get it.
Other concerns stem from the fact that this is a frozen treat intended to be heated in a microwave. Freezing fruit and then microwaving it isn’t always an ideal pairing. Those worries are reasonable. But I also think it’s reasonable to trust the company to deliver something that holds up in the microwave while still retaining some of its character.
Our Verdict
At first I approached this with a touch of skepticism, given the internet’s prevailing opinions. Yet I stayed open-minded and trusted Trader Joe’s to present a quality dessert. They’ve earned that trust before, so I wasn’t expecting this to be any different. Reheating was simple, and although I would have preferred the mango diced into smaller pieces, I’m starting to think the larger mango chunks were deliberate to preserve their texture after heating.
I didn’t notice that at first, but the bigger chunks did indeed hold up well in the microwave. I had a smaller piece that became a touch mushy, which makes the larger mango pieces seem more purposeful in their design. And since we’re only dealing with mango here, it was easy to slice with a spoon to achieve a better mango-to-sticky-rice balance.
The flavor was on point. Is it the best mango sticky rice I’ve ever tasted? No. Fresh mango will always beat frozen. But as a little treat to enjoy at home, it worked nicely. The fried mung beans added a pleasant crunch to a dish that otherwise has a single texture. Would I choose this over a Thai restaurant? Probably not. But I could keep a box on hand for those moments when I crave mango sticky rice and can’t make it out to a restaurant.
That said, it isn’t perfect. There’s definitely room to improve. For instance, keeping the mango separate or dicing it finer would let you heat just the rice and still have fresh mango on the side. And yes, another wish list item would be for a larger portion. With that said, the current serving still let me enjoy mango sticky rice, plus a salted caramel mochi from Trader Joe’s.
I get why some may raise an eyebrow. Still, don’t let online chatter rule your judgment. Try it for yourself. And remember, this is a frozen snack meant to be a handy staple rather than a total stand-in for all the mango sticky rice you could crave.
