Pot pies are said to date back to 9500 B.C. They were likely first made in Greece using various meats and were cooked over coals. Needless to say, the modern era has spoiled us. We no longer have to hunt, gather, and spend hours preparing our pot pies. We can go into any grocery store and likely find several pot pie brands that can be conveniently cooked at home with minimal effort. Here are 10 brands for you to consider for buying for your next meal.
Pot Pie Brands
Alpha
Website: eatalphafoods.com
Alpha Foods specializes in manufacturing plant-based pot pies and other foods. All products are vegan certified by the American Vegetarian Association. Additionally, all ingredients are non-GMO Verified.
The pot pie products made by Alpha Foods are:
- Buffalo Chik’n
- Chik’n Veggie
- Beefy Chedd’r
- Spinach Feta
- Chik’n Pesto
Amy’s
Website: amys.com
Amy’s was started in 1987 by Andy and Rachel Berliner. It is currently a privately owned company that specializes in producing frozen/convenience foods with a focus on non-GMO and vegetarian products. Many ingredients are organic.
The company makes over 250 products that include such foods as lasagna, pizza, burritos, candy, salsa, and more. However, the first product made by the founders was a pot pie that was baked in the family kitchen. About a year after the first pot pie came out of the oven, Amy’s moved into a full-sized kitchen that staffed eight employees.
Amy’s makes the following pot pie products:
- Vegetable Pot Pie
- Broccoli Pot Pie
- Vegetable Pot Pie (Dairy-Free)
Banquet
Website: banquet.com
Banquet is a brand of Conagra that purchased the company in 1980. Banquet was first launched in 1953 with frozen meat pies being its first product. The pot pies were required to be cooked in the oven up until the mid-2000s. In 2005, the company started producing microwavable pot pies that offered busy families the convenience of a quick meal.
Banquet makes the following pot pies:
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Turkey Pot Pie
- Beef Pot Pie
- Salisbury Steak Deep Dish
- Chicken & Broccoli Pot Pie
The company also makes a couple of breakfast pies:
- Deep Dish Cheesy Ham & Potato
- Deep Dish Sausage & Gravy
Blake’s
Website: blakesallnatural.com
Charlie Blake was a farmer who one day in 1970 decided to bake a dozen pot pies with his Grandma Clara’s pot pie recipe using extra turkey meat from the farm kitchen. Blake attempted to sell these pies at a local church. They quickly sold out, which inspired him to continue his journey selling pot pies.
Today, Blake’s makes organic and all-natural meals. The pot pie products made by the company are:
- Organic Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Organic Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie
- Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie
- Turkey Pot Pie
Boomerang’s
Website: boomerangspies.com
The idea for Boomerang’s came about after one of the founders, Jack Fennell, visited Australia and fell in love with the popular handheld meat pies there. Fennell partnered with a man named Lance McInnes who shared a love for these pies. The company began as storefronts in Austin, Texas. They eventually made their way into the frozen section of grocery stores as a way to expand outside of Texas.
The company makes the following pies:
- Chicken Classic
- Chicken & Mushroom
- Steak & Potato
- Traditional Beef Aussie
- Spinach & Mushroom
- Veggie Pie
- Beefy Potato (100% Plant-Based)
- Chick’n Classic (100% Plant-Based)
- Southwest Chicken
- Mac & Cheese
- Pepperoni
Boston Market
Website: bostonmarketathome.com
Boston Market is likely best known for its 400+ restaurants across America that serve homestyle meals. Bellisio Foods manufactures frozen meals under the Boston Market name that are sold in grocery stores.
The company makes a chicken pot pie that is made with all-white meat chicken, vegetables, and a gravy that is covered by a delicious pie crust. It can be cooked in a microwave or an oven.
Marie Callender’s
Website: mariecallendersmeals.com
The company began in the 1930s as a pie company. Marie and Cal Callender along with their son Don eventually opened a wholesale bakery in the late 1940s. The success of the bakery allowed the Callender family to launch a pie and coffee shop in 1964. This shop grew into a chain that offered meals and dessert options. Marie Callender’s restaurants are still in business today.
Marie Callender’s frozen foods are manufactured by Conagra Brands. The company makes a variety of pot pies. These products include:
- Turkey Pot Pie
- Beef Pot Pie
- Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie
- Cheesy Chicken & Bacon Pot Pie
- Broccoli & Cheddar Potato Pot Pie
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Corn Chowder Pot Pie
Stouffer’s
Website: goodness.com/stouffers
Stouffer’s is one of America’s most popular frozen food brands. The Stouffer family started a creamery in the late 1800s that eventaully allowed Abraham Stouffer to open a successful restaurant business in the 1920s. By 1929, the Stouffer Corporation had restaurants in major cities such as Cleveland, Detroit, and Pittsburgh. As a way to diversify, the company got into the frozen food business in 1946. Stouffer’s was sold to its current owner, Nestle, in 1973.
Today, lasagna and mac & cheese are two of the favorite frozen entrees made by the company. However, the company makes numerous other frozen meals including pot pies. The Stouffer’s pot pie products are:
- White Meat Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Pot Pie Bites
Swanson
Swanson is a pot pie brand that is manufactured by Conagra. They are known for their single-serve pot pies with chicken and turkey being the two classic flavors. They are credited with launching the first frozen pot pie in 1951.
Willow Tree
Website: willowtreefarm.com
Willow Tree began as a poultry farm in the early 1900s. The farm was located in Attleboro, Massachusetts on a property with several willow trees. Willow Tree sold chicken and eggs for many years door-to-door. In 1954, the company started producing chicken pie and customers soon fell in love with it. The company’s first retail location opened in 1958 where it sold a variety of products such as deli and prepared foods.
Today, Willow Tree’s products are in 3,000+grocery stores. They make the following chicken pies:
- Premium White Meat Chicken Pie
- Premium White Meat Chicken Pie with Vegetables
Sources:
Blakeslee, Karen. “The History of the Humble Pot Pie – You Asked It!” Kansas State University, 12 Jan. 2018, enewsletters.k-state.edu/youaskedit/2018/01/12/the-history-of-the-humble-pot-pie/#:%7E:text=In%201951%2C%20the%20first%20frozen,%2C%20cornbread%2C%20biscuits%20and%20more.
“Roman Era Chefs Made Pot Pies With A Living Bird Inside That Burst Through The Pie Shell When Cut And Fly Out – South Florida Reporter.” South Florida Reporter, southfloridareporter.com/roman-era-chefs-made-pot-pies-with-a-living-bird-inside-that-burst-through-the-pie-shell-when-cut-and-fly-out/?print=print. Accessed 30 Mar. 2021.
