Grocery Store Brand Microwave Rice Ranked From Worst To Best, According To Customer Reviews

Although rice can be simple to cook, making the perfect rice with amazing flavor and texture can prove difficult. Many of us would love to consume a wide range of options when it comes to rice, but some are more challenging to cook than others, making microwave alternatives extra tempting, especially when you're low on time and energy. 

Thankfully, there are plenty of grocery store brand microwave rice options to make cooking a little easier. From whole grain brown rice to flavored varieties, there are a multitude of tasty options. Let's explore some popular grocery store brand microwave rice – the cost of each along with what customers think about its texture and flavor – to help you decide which are worth your money. We'll also take note of exactly how much rice comes in each pouch and where you can purchase (or avoid) each grocery store brand microwave rice type. Enticed? This is a ranking of grocery store brand microwave rice from worst to best, according to customer reviews.

You can find Wegmans Steamables Whole Grain Brown Rice for around $1.99 a pouch, but should you pay the higher price point? Compared to most of the grocery store brand microwave rice options on this list, Wegmans Steamables Whole Grain Brown Rice is among the most expensive. It has only 8.8 ounces of rice per pouch, making us wonder why this microwave rice costs so much more than the others. Concerning its ingredients, Wegmens microwave rice is pretty standard for its brown rice variety, containing only water, brown rice, and oil.

Although it has clean ingredients, Wegmans Steamables Whole Grain Brown Rice fails to impress buyers. Most patrons agree that Wegmens microwave brown rice has a weird taste, one reviewer on the Wegmans site had this to say: "... we have had to throw out several bags because it has a strong smell and taste like dirt." The smell is also described as strange, and some were disheartened by its mushy appearance. All in all, we'll have to rank this one the lowest. Not only is it pricier than the other brands, but it's also one of the worst tasting.

Great Value Chicken Flavored Rice 90-Second Pouch is a good deal, but it doesn't resonate with all customers and their taste buds. Priced at $1.42 per pouch, Great Value Chicken Flavored Rice 90-Second Pouch comes with 8.8 ounces of rice. The ingredients label states it contains water, parboiled rice, and a "seasoning blend," which consists of several spices, sugar, and additives. There's also modified cornstarch in the mix, along with a few other ingredients. Nutrition-wise, this rice packs 670 milligrams of sodium per cup, nearly 30% of your daily value in a single serving.

When it comes to how customers feel about Great Value Chicken Flavored Rice 90-Second Pouch, the consensus isn't great. While there are a handful of people who claim this rice is the bee's knees, the rest aren't as impressed. In fact, most people claim that Great Value Chicken Flavored Rice 90-Second Pouch smells funny, barely has any flavor, and features a clumpy texture. One customer on the Walmart site said, "This flavor of rice smells and tastes like it was boiled with a pair of cheap 99-cent flip flops worn by DIRTY STINKY FEET." Thus, while Great Value Chicken Flavored Rice 90-Second Pouch is cheaper than a few of the other grocery store brand microwave rice options on this list, it's still not worth the purchase.

Good & Gather 90-Second Spanish Style Rice sounds promising, but according to shoppers, it isn't all that. Found at Target, this 90-second rice features 8.8 ounces of rice and is sold for $1.49. The ingredients include water, parboiled rice, diced tomatoes, poblano peppers, several spices, and maltodextrin. Vegans and vegetarians should be advised that this grocery store brand microwave rice contains chicken broth powder which might, you know, ruffle a few feathers considering that other Spanish rice brands are vegetarian-friendly.  Good & Gather 90-Second Spanish Style Rice also contains 1,100 milligrams of sodium per serving, which is nearly 50% of your daily recommended value.

At first blush, this Good & Gather 90-Second Spanish Style Rice would seem to taste delicious. With the combination of spices mentioned in the ingredients — along with the poblano peppers and diced tomatoes — you'd expect an amazing savor. As it turns out, the flavoring in this one might be a little too strong, tasting mostly like cumin, much to the chagrin of customers. Other complaints include that the rice is too salty, that it contains mold, and that it contains meat products in the form of chicken broth powder which many deem totally unnecessary. This reviewer said, "They need to adjust this recipe. The entire pack has 1090 mg of sodium. Not healthy!! I would give zero stars if I could." Because of the multiple negative reviews, Good & Gather 90 Second Spanish Style Rice a no-go.

This Walmart Great Value Jasmine Rice 90-Second Pouch costs $1.24 per 8.8-ounce bag. Unlike many of the other grocery store microwave rice options on this list, Great Value Jasmine Rice 90-Second Pouch only has four ingredients: water, rice, sunflower oil, and soy lecithin. In addition to minimal ingredients, another plus is the rice has 0 milligrams of sodium, according to the Walmart site, which is a major victory given the high amount of sodium we've seen in other grocery store brand microwave rice – and because most of us are eating too much salt.

Despite its low salt content and minimal ingredients, Great Value Jasmine Rice 90-Second Pouch struck a nerve with customers. Rather than being the soft and tender grains of rice most of us would expect, patrons instead claim that the rice has an undercooked texture. One customer on the Walmart site says, "The rice is hard like it is uncooked, even when cooked longer than the recommended time. It is entirely unappetizing." Another described a weird plasticky smell: "I think the pouch it's in may have given the rice a funky plastic smell." And it isn't only one customer who had this complaint, but many. As a result, Great Value Jasmine Rice 90 Second Pouch ranks a low eight on the list.

Though not as flavorful as Spanish rice, Good & Gather 90-Second Whole Grain Brown Rice Microwavable Pouch is a more straightforward option coming from Target. Its ingredients include water, whole grain parboiled brown rice, and oil — and only 25 milligrams of sodium per bag which totals 1% of your daily value. 

Though most reviewers find Good & Gather 90-Second Whole Grain Brown Rice Microwavable Pouch convenient and there aren't nearly as many complaints concerning this flavor as there were for the Spanish rice option, some customers still claim it smells and tastes a little strange compared to fresh rice. One reviewer said, "I was disappointed in this rice ... this is sticky and smells like oatmeal." Another customer even claimed to have felt ill after eating Target's whole grain brown rice: "[I] got very ill after eating. Other reviewers said they saw mold in the rice, but I didn't see any."This might not be your experience with eating this rice, but it's worth noting — consider skipping this Good & Gather pick.

Kroger 90-Second Roasted Chicken Rice is found at Kroger and other stores owned by the company, and proves a flavorful option for quick microwaved rice. It is sold at $1.59 per pack and contains 8.8 ounces of rice. According to the package description, this store brand microwave rice contains parboiled long grain rice and water as its main ingredients. Other ingredients also found within the pack include chicken meat and juices, turmeric, garlic, sugar, and several additives including maltodextrin and gum arabic. It's worth mentioning that Kroger 90-Second Roasted Chicken Rice has quite a bit of sodium, with 1 cup containing as much as 430 milligrams.

Reviews indicate that Kroger 90-Second Roasted Chicken Rice is a pretty tasty grab. One reviewer states that the rice is a go-to for a quick dinner. Others claim that a little water, salt, and pepper does wonders and enhances the rice's overall flavor and texture. Overall, Kroger 90-Second Roasted Chicken Rice is a good savory side dish for last-minute meals, which is why it lands at number six on the list. 

If you live in one of the six states that have Meijer locations, you may have seen the grocer's 90-second whole grain brown rice on store shelves. In this grocery store brand microwave package, you'll find 8.8 ounces of rice sold for $1.59 per pouch. Each bag contains only cooked whole-grain brown rice and oil, unlike other varieties with water and parboiled rice.

Given that this is one of the costlier microwave rice varieties out there, it's interesting to see how it compares to the others. While most of the grocery store brand microwave rice options on the list have lots of reviews, this one had a meager amount of customers weighing-in. On the bright side, the reviews are positive, stating that the rice is simple, easy to make, and taste pretty good. Another sign this rice is worth the purchase is that it does sell out at certain Meijer locations, which is a strong indication customers really like this brand. One reviewer said this on the site, "This rice was super easy to make, and it tasted pretty good as well! For the price, I'd definitely purchase it again." Another happy customer wrote, "Quick and easy, when I'm short on time I'll make this instead of the longer rice." All in all, while Meijer's 90-Second Whole Grain Brown Rice might not have as many reviews as some of the others, the ones we do see are strong indicators that this grocery store brand microwave rice is worth trying.

Kroger 90-Second Cilantro Lime Rice might not suit everyone, but fans find it well worth the purchase. The rice costs $1.49 per 8.8 ounce pack, and contains only a handful of ingredients, which is great considering the additives found in other Kroger-branded 90-second rice flavors. Kroger 90-Second Cilantro Lime Rice contains mostly natural ingredients, some of which include water, parboiled long grain rice, cilantro leaves, salt, and lime juice.

Aside from the minimalist ingredients found in Kroger 90-Second Cilantro Lime Rice, reviewers also love its flavor — for the most part. Cilantro (yes, the fresh herb Julia Child loathed) lime surely isn't everyone's favorite; some customers even say this particular rice variety tastes like artificial lime, similar to Fruit Loops. For others, however, Kroger's cilantro lime rice proves a beautiful alternative to plain rice with the perfect balance of flavors. One patron even says they are confused by any negative ratings on this one, considering how delicious it is. This reviewer said, "We love the cilantro lime rice! I love how fast it is to add this as a side for any meal! Cooks up perfect every time!" Whether you use it on burritos, as a flavorful side dish, or enjoy it on its own, this Kroger 90-Second Cilantro Lime Rice seems to be one of the better grocery store brand microwave rice options available.

We've already explored one of Wegmans Steamables microwave rice flavors, and the consensus regarding its flavor and texture wasn't great. Thankfully, Wegmans Organic Steamables Microwavable Jasmine Rice fares better. This organic Wegmen's rice comes frozen and is designed to go straight into the microwave. It comes with three 8-ounce pouches of organic rice, all of which contain only one ingredient: jasmine rice. At $4.29 for three, each packet costs about $1.43, which is noteworthy considering that Wegmans Organic Steamables Microwavable Jasmine Rice is the only organic grocery store brand microwave rice on our list. Moreover, this jasmine rice contains 0 milligrams of sodium, making it a great option for those looking to lower their salt intake.

So, how does it taste? Most customers are satisfied with Wegmans Organic Steamables Microwavable Jasmine Rice. One reviewer had this to say: "After 3 minutes in the microwave, this rice has the texture, aroma and taste of real jasmine rice from a rice cooker." Patrons love how easy it is to make and how well it pairs with various dishes. This pleased customer said, "Perfect texture, good on it's own or incorporated into a dish. Quick, easy, and inexpensive." Given that the majority of customers are happy, we're deeming Wegmans Organic Steamables Microwavable Jasmine Rice a solid option for quick and inexpensive white rice. Oh, and don't forget to use the steam from your rice to wipe your microwave clean afterward – just a little expert tip! 

Yes, we've got another of Target's Good & Gather microwave rice here — and this variation of Target's rice is delicious, with little to no complaints about unsafe mold (what actually happens you accidentally eat mold, anyway?) in reviews. Good & Gather 90-Second Cultivated Wild Rice comes with 8.5-ounces of rice at $3.19 per pouch. As the priciest grocery store brand microwave rice on the list, its higher cost stands out, especially because the other Good & Gather rice varieties are nearly half the price. We're guessing this type of rice is a bit "fancier" because it is cultivated wild rice, but the true reason for the upcharge is confusing. Either way, expect to get nothing but water and wild rice in this package, along with about 5 milligrams of sodium per serving.

Despite the few ingredients in Good & Gather 90-Second Cultivated Wild Rice microwavable pouch, it has garnered a number of positive reviews. Consumers claim this rice is delicious, and is the single best product that Target has. "The most delicious wild rice I have ever tried! Plus so convenient packaged and ready to heat," a happy customer said. Its chewy, earthy, and overall yummy flavor lends itself perfectly to soups and casseroles or as a side dish. Whether you eat it seasoned or plain, one thing's for certain: Target's Good & Gather 90-Second Cultivated Wild Rice Microwavable Pouch is a great grocery store brand microwave rice option.

Wellsley Farms Ready to Heat Jasmine Rice can be found at BJ's Wholesale and is an amazing 90-second rice option according to customers. In fact, buyers are so impressed that we're uplifting Wellsley Farms jasmine rice as the best grocery store brand microwave rice on the market. This satisfied customer said, "Delicious rice and only takes a little over one minute from microwave to table." And another praised the convenience: "These bagged rice is the easiest and most convenient come dinner time. Pop the bag for 90 sec in microwave and it's ready to go. Perfect amount for the two of us."

Why the accolades? To start, you get six pouches of Wellsley Farms Ready to Heat Jasmine Rice per box, each containing 8.8 ounces of rice at approximately $1.67 per pouch (with the entire box priced at $9.99). As far as ingredients go, Wellsley Farms Ready to Heat Jasmine Rice contains water, jasmine rice, oil, and salt. Though some jasmine rice options on our list come with 0 milligrams of sodium, this one comes lightly salted with 190 milligrams, accounting for only 8% of your daily value per pouch.

On top of being low sodium, inexpensive bulk buy option, customers love the quality of Wellsley Farms Ready to Heat Jasmine Rice. Unlike many of the other brands mentioned, Wellesley Farms jasmine rice maintains amazing texture after it's cooked and tastes wonderfully light and fresh, just as jasmine rice should. Shoppers pair it with various meals from Asian cuisine to soup. Overall, Wellsley Farms Ready to Heat Jasmine Rice is one of the best grocery store brand microwave rice options out there.

Grocery store brand microwave rice were ranked from worst to best through careful consideration including cost, ingredients, and customer opinion. Even so, whether or not a rice option ranked low or high within this post was based primarily on customer satisfaction. Please be advised that pricing and availability of the aforementioned grocery store microwave rice options are subject to change. The opinions mentioned here are completely subjective and may or may not align with the consensus of the majority. As always, consider the ingredients, pricing, availability, and overall quality of any rice product mentioned in this post before purchasing.