Bettergoods Gluten-Free Broccoli Cheddar Bake is a frozen broccoli, cheese, and pasta casserole from Walmart's Bettergoods line. Since I eat primarily gluten-free, I'm always looking for quick meal options that I can keep in the freezer, so I was excited to give this one a try.
In this review, we'll go over everything you need to know, including the taste, texture, ingredients, nutrition, preparation, price, and whether I think it's worth buying.
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About Bettergoods Gluten-Free Broccoli Cheddar Bake
Bettergoods is Walmart's private-label brand offering everything from frozen meals and snacks to pantry staples and specialty products.
This particular frozen meal combines broccoli, cheese, gluten-free pasta, and a rice flour breadcrumb topping into a broccoli cheddar-style bake.
The package contains 9.5 ounces and is listed as one serving. Personally, I think it's more realistically enough for one small meal or two smaller side dishes.
At my local Walmart, it costs $4.92.
Bettergoods is a Walmart-exclusive brand, so that's where you'll need to go if you want to give it a try.
The package is also clearly labeled and marketed as gluten-free.
It is vegetarian, although it is not vegan since it contains milk and eggs.
Nutrition & Ingredients
The main ingredients include:
- 2% milk
- Brown rice flour
- Potato starch
- Tapioca starch
- Egg
- Cheddar cheese
- Rice flour breadcrumbs
This meal is labeled gluten-free and is vegetarian. It contains milk and eggs, so it is not vegan.
One serving is the entire bowl and contains:
- 260 calories
- 23g carbohydrates
- 9g protein
- 14g fat
- 2g fiber
- 1,020mg sodium
The sodium is particularly high for a meal this small, with more than 1,000mg in the entire bowl.
How to Cook Bettergoods Broccoli Cheddar Bake
There are two ways to prepare this meal: in the microwave or in the oven.
The package recommends microwaving it for 4-5 minutes, or baking it at 375°F for 38-40 minutes.
Since the whole reason I bought this was to have a quick gluten-free meal option, I decided to microwave mine for the full 5 minutes.
And, unfortunately, this is where things started going downhill.
Taste Test
After five minutes in the microwave, the appearance was...not great.
The first thing I noticed was how wet everything looked. The breadcrumb topping had become soggy and essentially fell apart as soon as I touched it with my fork.
I dug a little deeper to see what was underneath. The noodles were about the size and shape of egg noodles, although they're made with rice flour. There were also small pieces of broccoli scattered throughout.
The cheese was probably the least appetizing part visually. It looked very wet and almost curdled.
At this point, I decided to give everything a really good stir, hoping that mixing the cheese and breadcrumbs throughout the pasta would improve the texture.
The noodles themselves were actually okay. They had a nice texture that was surprisingly similar to al dente pasta, and I don't think you would immediately guess they were gluten-free.
The broccoli pieces were small but soft, which was perfectly fine.
The cheese sauce, however, was extremely mild. There was just the slightest hint of cheddar flavor, and overall the dish was pretty bland.
But the texture...
Uhhh.
It was not great.
Between the wet cheese sauce and the soggy breadcrumbs, the whole thing became extremely soft and wet. The consistency reminded me of oatmeal, and I'll be honest-it wasn't far removed from a texture that I found pretty unpleasant.
My first thought was, "Well, it's not inedible."
But after a few bites, I found myself not wanting to eat anymore. Eventually, I couldn't finish it because the texture was just too unappealing.
I do wonder if this would have been better cooked in the oven. The rice flour breadcrumbs may have crisped up rather than becoming soggy, which could have made a pretty significant difference.
Unfortunately, that would require nearly 40 minutes in the oven, which takes away one of the biggest reasons I was interested in this meal in the first place.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Labeled gluten-free
- Vegetarian
- Easy to prepare in the microwave
- Affordable at under $5
- Pasta has a surprisingly good texture
Cons:
- Very small portion
- Extremely high in sodium for one small meal
- Microwave preparation resulted in a very wet, unpleasant texture
- Very little cheddar flavor
- Overall quite bland
- Soggy breadcrumb topping
- I couldn't finish it because of the texture
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Bettergoods Broccoli Cheddar Bake gluten-free? Yes! The package is labeled and marketed as gluten-free.
- Is Bettergoods Broccoli Cheddar Bake vegetarian? Yes. It is vegetarian but not vegan since it contains milk and eggs.
- How do you cook Bettergoods Broccoli Cheddar Bake? You can prepare it either in the microwave or in the oven. The microwave takes about 4-5 minutes, while the oven takes approximately 38-40 minutes at 375°F.
- Is Bettergoods Broccoli Cheddar Bake creamy or watery? When I prepared mine in the microwave, it was very watery in a way that I found pretty unappealing. The cheese sauce and breadcrumbs became extremely soft and wet. It's possible that oven preparation would produce a better texture, particularly if the breadcrumb topping had a chance to crisp up.
- How many people does one package serve? The package lists the entire bowl as one serving. I would consider it enough for one small meal or two small side dishes.
- Where can you buy Bettergoods Broccoli Cheddar Bake? Bettergoods is a Walmart-exclusive brand, so you'll find it at Walmart.
Final Thoughts
Oof. This one was a big ol' nope from me, unfortunately.
I was actually excited to try this as a gluten-free quick meal option. I really like Amy's frozen meals and was hoping this might be a less expensive alternative for keeping a few easy gluten-free meals in the freezer.
Unfortunately, the lack of flavor and, more importantly, the texture left me unable to finish the bowl.
The pasta itself was surprisingly good, but the watery cheese sauce and soggy breadcrumbs created a texture that I just couldn't get past.
I do think this might have turned out better if I had baked it in the oven instead of microwaving it. A crisp breadcrumb topping could have completely changed the experience. But when the microwave option takes only five minutes and the oven takes around 40, the quick preparation is a pretty big part of the appeal.
For me, this one just wasn't worth it.
Have you tried Bettergoods Gluten-Free Broccoli Cheddar Bake? Did you bake yours instead of microwaving it? I'd love to hear if you had a better experience!
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