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• I tried 19 Trader Joe's frozen appetizers to figure out which is the best for a large party. 
• I thought the artichoke timbales were kind of bland and the pastry pups left much to be desired.
• I was a big fan of the breaded mozzarella-cheese sticks because they were delicious and flavorful.

As a habitual snacker, it'd be cruel not to share my opinions on the best Trader Joe's frozen appetizers to bust out for a party.

So, I picked out 19 of the best-looking frozen appetizers at Trader Joe's to review.

I was disappointed that almost none of the items came with a sauce. As such, I tried almost every item without a sauce to see how the flavor stood up. 

As for the cooking, I ignored the instructions for most dishes and put everything in the air fryer for five to eight minutes at either 370 or 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of them turned out fine. 

Here's how the appetizers stacked up, from my least favorite to my top picks I'd love to eat at a party. 

I started off with a wildcard item, Trader Joe's artichoke timbales.

First Impression: Trader Joe's artichoke timbales were one of the biggest wildcards. I was afraid it would have too much cheese and not enough flavor but I also could see it tasting like spanakopita.

I also anticipated a longer time in the air fryer. The artichoke timbales took 18 minutes to cook at about 370 degrees. 

Review: If I were eating Trader Joe's artichoke timbales at a gathering, I'd likely only have one or half because I think they're pretty big for an appetizer.

I love spinach and artichoke, but this didn't do it for me. I didn't think there was enough cheese to call it cheesy, and I felt like the artichoke tasted bland and salty — there didn't seem to be any additional spice.

I think the timbales would've been much better with lemon and butter. I also didn't like how crispy the top got by the time it was finished cooking.

The coconut shrimp didn't have a lot of flavor to me.

First Impression: Out of the box, I already thought Trader Joe's coconut shrimp could benefit from a sweet-and-sour sauce. I thought they looked easy to overcook, which I could see impacting my decision to repurchase.

I also wondered how well this snack would hold its flavor on its own.

Review: If I was at a party, I'd have two of these. The coconut flavor wasn't very prominent, but I enjoyed the shrimp. After five minutes at 370 degrees, the coconut shrimp was still quite juicy.

I could enjoy the shrimp with the proper sauce but I think it really needs it. By themselves, the breading was way too overpowering and didn't taste like coconut to me.

Trader Joe's Parmesan pastry pups combine cheese and hot dogs.

First Impression: I thought Trader Joe's Parmesan pastry pups looked exciting. I hoped the dough would rise in the air fryer and have a buttery flavor.

I wasn't totally sold on the cheese — I just don't put that on my hot dogs.

Review: I'd only eat about three of the Parmesan pastry pups. The bun tasted close to a Costco chicken bake with its delicious doughy breading and slightly cheesy flavor but it didn't hit the mark. I thought it was a little too bland to carry the entire dish.

The hot dog was basically all end, which, to me, is the worst part of the food. But if the pastry puffs came with a honey-mustard sauce, I might've been down for more.

There was a little too much going on in the vegetable spring rolls.

First Impression: I like spring rolls a lot so I was excited to try the kind from Trader Joe's, which has shredded tofu, kale, mushrooms, and edamame.

I was confused about why Trader Joe's version needed kale — I feel like there are better vegetables for spring rolls. Nevertheless, I love mushrooms and I thought the edamame could be interesting.

Review: I could see myself eating about two of Trader Joe's vegetable spring rolls at a party. In my opinion, the flavors just didn't go well together.

To me, there were too many alpha dogs in the room between the edamame, kale, and tofu so they didn't mesh as a unit. I think the spring rolls needed a sweet-and-sour sauce, just like the coconut shrimp.

I wasn't sure what to expect with the ratatouille bites.

First Impression: Primarily, I predicted the ratatouille bites would be too bread-heavy. I was also a little concerned by the lack of cheese since I'm used to having this ingredient in fried dishes. Still, as a ratatouille fan, I had high hopes for the quality.

Review: I could eat about four or five of Trader Joe's ratatouille bites at a party but I didn't feel the breading was necessary. At the same time, the vegetables weren't enough to carry this dish. I'd rather have a bowl of ratatouille.

However, the bites were easy to eat and unoffensive to the mouth.

Trader Joe's gnocchi alla Romana was missing something.

First Impression: The gnocchi alla Romana looked pretty delicious, but I've been fooled by clever appetizer packaging before.

These were larger than I expected, so I air-fried them at 430 degrees for 13 minutes. The fully cooked gnocchi smelled cheesy, but I was worried they'd taste bland. 

Review: I liked these, but not as much as the other appetizers on this list. The gnocchi texture with the semolina was a little mealy, and I felt like I needed to drink water after I took a bite.

The cheese sauce added a lot of flavor, and the gnocchi itself was well-seasoned with the perfect amount of pepper. But ultimately, it needed another texture or flavor to reach its full potential. 

The mini vegetable samosas were a little bland.

First Impression: I like samosas but I'd never tried a frozen prepackaged version. I was a little nervous to see what they'd taste like but they looked like they'd be good.

I regretted not having a sweet-and-sour sauce.

Review: I could eat three or four samosas. Trader Joe's vegetable samosas were certainly spicier than I expected but ultimately lacked a deep flavor.

I thought the potato and crust were good, but nothing more. I'd like to see what the samosas would taste like with a sauce.

The mini beef tacos were all right but I think they needed more fixings.

First Impression: I thought Trader Joe's mini tacos seemed bare, just beef in a shell, but according to the label, there were salsa ingredients somewhere in there. Looking at the taco, I wasn't sure how it would cook in the air fryer.

Review: I'd eat three or four of the mini beef tacos. The shell held up well while not being overly crunchy and the beef was OK. But my first impression was spot on. I got only a little of the salsa flavor (it was mixed in with the meat), including the tiniest hint of lime.

If I could dip Trader Joe's mini beef tacos in salsa and add other fixings, they'd be pretty good, it just requires more preparation. Later on, I had them with sriracha and enjoyed the dish.

Trader Joe's Southwest-style chicken quesadillas were pretty hearty.

First Impression: When I took the quesadillas out of the box, they looked really good. I was hoping for a little more cheese but I liked how large each quesadilla was.

I thought the beans and corn would go well together and make the quesadillas heartier than the average appetizer.

Review: These were good. There was a decent amount of chicken, but they could have used more cheese. Here, I tasted more corn than cheese and believe those ratios should have been flipped.

Trader Joe's perfectly pickled pups surprised me.

First Impression: I'd tried Trader Joe's dill-pickle items before, so I was excited to try the pickled pups. I didn't have any mustard in my fridge, so I used ketchup for dipping. 

Review: The pickled pups were fantastic. I can't believe I didn't have the foresight to realize that a dipping sauce wasn't even necessary. The dill already gave the pups so much flavor.

The breading was perfect and the hot dog inside was nice and soft. The bread got a little dry by the end, but I didn't mind too much. 

Trader Joe's Buffalo-style chicken poppers came in a shape I didn't expect.

First Impression: I feel like poppers are usually molded into spheres, but I thought an appetizer of any other shape would taste as good. Though the label said the Trader Joe's Buffalo-style chicken poppers were fried, they didn't look particularly crispy to me.

Still, I love Buffalo chicken so I was excited to try them. But even before I tasted them, I felt they'd need sour cream.

Review: I'd eat five or six of Trader Joe's Buffalo-style chicken poppers. For me, there was too much wrapper around the corners of the poppers but the filling was fantastic. I thought it was spicy, with a Frank's RedHot-flavor profile.

I can see them being excellent with a little sour cream just as I predicted. I also thought they could've used more cheese because the amount there was in the filling didn't feel very satisfying.

The mac-and-cheese bites needed a sauce in my opinion.

First Impression: I heard Trader Joe's mac-and-cheese bites had a moment a couple of years ago, though I don't remember trying them. Mac-and-cheese balls seem hard to mess up so I had high hopes.

Review: Trader Joe's mac-and-cheese bites were gooey but the number I'd eat depends on what kind of sauce I'd have with them. The picture on the box depicted what seemed like a marinara, which would have paired well.

With the proper accompaniment, I could have about 10 of these. Without it, I'd probably eat six. Appetizers with cheese are easy for me to eat, though I'd use a tiny pinch of salt and even more pepper if I prepared the mac-and-cheese bites again.

The crispy vegetable pouches had a great combination of ingredients.

First Impression: Trader Joe's crispy vegetable pouches, a holiday item, had what I considered the most exciting vegetables, with jicama, taro, cabbage, carrot, onion, shiitake mushrooms, and garlic.

I was also interested because soy sauce was included in the box. I saw myself having quite a few of these bad boys.

Review: I'd have 10 to 12 of Trader Joe's crispy vegetable pouches at a party. There was a ginger flavor at the end and the jicama and delicious flaky pastry gave them a great crunch.

With some soy sauce, the pouches reached another level. I didn't get that many mushrooms, but overall, this was a tremendous team effort from all of the vegetables. The top of the pouches had too much pastry for me but I ate from the bottom and felt satisfied.

The breaded fried ravioli was tasty.

First Impression: I hoped there'd be some sauce in Trader Joe's breaded fried ravioli. Judging by the packaging, it looked like just bread and cheese. I feared the ravioli would leave me wanting more.

Review: I could probably eat 15. The ravioli tasted almost exactly like Trader Joe's mozzarella sticks but not as good. I prefer the stick's single cheese to the ravioli's complex taste of ricotta, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Asiago, and Parmesan.

Secondly, the ravioli had a little too much breading that wasn't as flavorful as I hoped. It also didn't have any kind of marinara-sauce filling.

The pastry bites with feta cheese and caramelized onions had a great taste.

First Impression: I thought Trader Joe's pastry bites with feta and caramelized onions would be the hardest to cook. I put them in my air fryer for a bit, and they burned a little, but I still wasn't sure if they cooked through. Still, done well, I thought they'd be excellent.

Review: I'd eat 15 of these, if not the entire tray. They were much easier to cook than I thought — seven or eight minutes in my air fryer at 375 degrees — and the caramelized onion added an irresistible sweetness.

The onions went perfectly with the melted feta cheese. I thought the pastry itself was the tiniest bit bland but it didn't matter because it was surrounded by premiere flavors.

Spanakopita was a childhood favorite of mine.

First Impression: Full disclosure, I already knew I loved spanakopita. I made them all the time as a child and had my own method of eating them slowly and savoring the leftover phyllo dough.

Review:  I could see myself having about 18 pieces of spanakopita. I loved the blend of feta and ricotta, and the spinach balanced it nicely.

Somehow, the dough remained soft and chewy on the inside while staying flaky on the outside. Even the extra-crispy parts were delicious. Trader Joe's spanakopita is a must-have for every plate.

Trader Joe's corn-and-cheese arepas looked amazing when I took them out of the box.

First Impression: Right off the bat, I was a big fan of how the corn-and-cheese arepas looked. The cheese seemed fluffy and rich, and the corn appeared flaky.

I knew the final verdict would come down to the ingredients and flavor, but it looked like the pieces were all there. 

Review: Truthfully, Trader Joe's nailed it. The rich, savory cheese paired perfectly with the sweet corn.

A frozen meal can only be so good, but this was a fantastic imitation of street arepas. My only critique is that it could've used more cheese.  

The breaded mozzarella-cheese sticks were basically perfect.

First Impression: It killed me to not eat Trader Joe's breaded mozzarella-cheese sticks with tomato sauce, but in the name of consistency, I didn't.

I thought the picture on the bag made them look more seasoned than I remembered from times previous times I'd had them. I was expecting delicious melty cheese.

Review: I could easily eat 20 Trader Joe's mozzarella-cheese sticks. The cheese was delicious and worked alongside a tasty, flavorful breading.

Just get a hearty marinara sauce, and you're well on your way to a satisfying appetizer. I also love that the cheese is a little stringy and firm, even after I've cooked it.

I'll definitely be repurchasing Trader Joe's mini cheeseburgers.

First Impression: I was excited to try Trader Joe's mini cheeseburgers, especially since they came with their own sauce.

The bun got a little hard when I air-fried it at 350 degrees for seven minutes, but I'm not holding it against the cheeseburgers. If I'd prepared them in a microwave, I'm sure the bun would've been light and fluffy. 

Review: This is another item I'll buy more of. The bread was good, the meat was perfectly seasoned, and the cheese tied everything together.

Honestly, I'd choose these over a McDonald's patty any day. Even the sweet-and-tangy burger sauce was delicious. I only hope Trader Joe's will consider including more cheeseburgers in the box one day. 

In the end, the mozzarella-cheese bites were the winner.

Overall, there are a variety of respectable contenders for the perfect appetizer. Almost all of the Trader Joe's foods I tried would require little to no oversight while cooking and would give any host more time to chat with guests.

But in the end, Trader Joe's mozzarella-cheese sticks came out on top. Not only are the cheese sticks a classic choice for any party but they're also easy to eat, simple to cook, and pack a wallop. The sticks I had sorely missed a red sauce but they were still delicious even without it.

I think the spanakopita and the pastry bites with feta and onion would also satisfy even the hungriest of guests. Both dishes had great flavors and included plenty of cheese.

The next time I'm choosing what to eat during a party, I know which appetizers I'm picking.

• My family visited Rome during the peak summer season, and it was hot and crowded.
• I wish I'd bought travel insurance for my whole family and hadn't relied on the hop-on, hop-off bus.
• We should've explored more in the morning and at night to avoid the sweltering midday heat. 

When I planned a trip to Rome for my family in late July last year, I knew it was dubious timing, and I could expect the destination to be hot and crowded.

Summer is high season in Rome, and the city saw an estimated 35 million tourists that year — a huge increase from 2022. Plus, those numbers are only predicted to go up in 2024.

But, I reasoned, what choice did I have traveling with school-aged kids bound by school vacation schedules? We went anyway, and our trip wasn't flawless — but I definitely learned a lot.

Here's my first and best tip, unfiltered: If you can, avoid Rome in the high season when landmarks are packed shoulder to shoulder, rates are expensive, and it's extremely hot.

If you go anyway like I did, preparation is key to a successful, comfortable trip that's memorable for the right reasons.

Here are my five top takeaways to help you enjoy your stay.

Just get the travel insurance

Our trip got off to a rough start when my son got sick and couldn't travel as scheduled. Unfortunately, I only had a travel insurance policy for myself, not my whole family.

That meant my daughter and I traveled to Rome without my husband and son, and we spent hours working the phones to get them rebooked for the following day when my son was well enough to fly.

In the high season, this medically necessary reshuffling cost us a small fortune, sending us way over budget right off the bat and setting a stressful tone to the trip.

When I returned home, I bought a policy that covers all four named members of our family for an annual term, and I'll never travel without one again.

Sit out the midday heat indoors

Rome is beyond hot in the high season, with regular highs in the 80s and 90s Fahrenheit. (Fortunately, we missed the historic heat wave the previous week that actually forced the closure of certain European landmarks for safety.)

Try to stay indoors during the excruciating midday heat — ideally in a place with air conditioning. The best option is to plan to explore as much as possible in the cooler early mornings and evenings.

Fortunately, many top attractions are open at night, including the Colosseum, which has lighting installed to make it glow. Unfortunately, we positively baked in the sun here during our daytime tour.

One thing we did right was visit Rome's catacombs at midday. I'd read it's a great thing to do during the heat because it's always cooler underground, and it was indeed a wonderful reprieve from the heat.

Spring for the pre-opening tour at the Vatican to avoid crowds

To that end, if the Vatican is on your list of must-visit landmarks in Rome, I'd strongly advise you to pay extra and book a pre-opening tour. These allow you to visit before the crowds come after the official opening time.

You can avoid the midday heat, and you might have a more spiritual experience if you're not being jostled by crowds of people wielding selfie sticks.

Book everything well in advance

Don't wing your trip during Rome's high season.

Plan to book all your tours well in advance of your travel dates — months ahead, if possible — otherwise, you'll likely find them all sold out when you try to find last-minute bookings.

If it helps, you can filter for tours with generous cancellation policies when you search on platforms like Viator.

Manage your expectations for the hop-on, hop-off bus system

After a wonderful solo experience riding the hop-on, hop-off bus in the springtime in London, I had high hopes that this mode of transportation would be a great option for our family in Rome.

Unfortunately, our bus moved achingly slow — so much so that we were a half hour late for our Colosseum tour (which we would've had to forfeit had it not been semiprivate with a forgiving guide).

Plus, the air conditioning felt tragically ineffective as we sat in traffic for hours. It was hardly the scenic delight I had hoped for, and I'll know not to depend on it for the next trip.

• Deborah Szekely, 102, still works at the wellness resort she co-founded in 1940.
• Szekely shared her secrets to longevity including daily walks and having no regrets. 
• Her healthy habits are backed up by research. 

At 102, Deborah Szekely still works three days a week at the health resort she cofounded over 80 years ago.

Szekely opened Rancho La Puerta in Baja California, Mexico, with her late husband in June 1940. She doesn't see her age as a reason to change, she told Women's World in May.

"When nature says, 'You got to stop Deborah,' Deborah will stop. Until then, she'll keep going," she told CNBC Make It on June 28.

While how long a person lives depends partly on luck and genetics, certain lifestyle choices can extend our healthspan — or how long into our lives we're healthy and active.

Given that more people are living to 100 than ever before — the number of Americans aged 100 and over is projected to more than quadruple in the next 30 years, according to Pew Research Center — it's easy to see why longevity is a buzzy topic.

Szekely, who has structured her lifestyle to stay healthy, shared four tips on how others can do the same.

Do 'good old-fashioned' exercise

Szekely believes that "good old-fashioned" exercise is a key part of staying healthy, Barrons reported in April.

"The specific type of exercise doesn't matter; what matters is that you're pushing yourself enough to feel it, getting your heart rate up, and breaking a sweat. If you get really huffy puffy, you're doing a good job," Szekely said.

One 2019 study published in The BMJ found that people who were sedentary for 9.5 hours a day were about twice as likely to die early than those who did the most exercise, but any physical activity, regardless of intensity, was linked with a lower risk of dying from any cause.

Szekely walks at least a mile each day, which she likes to do in local parks, she told Women's World.

Eat healthily

Szekely is against fad diets and believes that food is a "way of life," she told Barrons. Dietitian Elena Paravantes previously told Business Insider that making gradual changes to your diet is the best way to start eating healthily.

Szekely has been a pescatarian since childhood and tries to eat "as fresh as possible," growing much of her own food on the ranch's farm.

Her daily breakfast consists of bananas and yogurt, according to Women's World, but she doesn't shy away from the occasional treat — her favorite is coffee ice cream.

BI previously reported on a 2020 study that found eating mostly plant-based whole foods is linked to lower blood pressure and a lower risk of heart disease.

Stay positive and have no regrets

"The world has tons of problems, and you can't do anything about them," Szekely told Women's World. "When you worry, you add to the problems. By not worrying, you subtract from the problems."

She also doesn't believe in looking back, she told CNBC. "That's a total waste of time. You can't do anything about it, it's done," she said.

Instead, she tries to reframe everything in a positive light and always look ahead, moving on from things she can't fix, she told Barrons.

Research suggests that a positive mindset and a tendency to look for silver linings are common traits of centenarians.

Get involved in the community

"Community survival is absolutely vital to longevity. The health and happiness of our neighbors are not only important; they are a requirement. Without the health of the things surrounding you, it's hard to be healthy," Szekly told Barrons.

A 2021 meta-analysis of studies published in Frontiers in Psychology found a link between having a support network and living longer. A 2024 study by researchers at Purdue University, Indiana, meanwhile, found links between positive relationships and longevity, and the ability to continue doing daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries.

• Women hit a certain age, and suddenly, it seems like all their friends are starting families.
• Women Who Walk offers an outlet for women who want to talk about other things.
• The group has grown rapidly, providing a supportive space for women of all ages.

Lisa Collins and Sophie Curthoys love their female friendship groups.

They've known some of their best friends since school. But, like many child-free women, they'd prefer if the conversation at gatherings wasn't always focused on babies and weddings.

"Life comes at you fast," Collins told Business Insider. "You go from 28, and all your friends are around, and you're going out, and everyone's kind of free to just hang out on a Tuesday."

Then, she said, when you get to your mid-30s, "everyone's got two under two, and it takes six months before you get to see them."

In your 30s and beyond, it becomes increasingly difficult to get everyone in the same room, given conflicting schedules, childcare, and other commitments.

Many women find themselves in this situation at some point, either after moving, getting divorced or just feeling like their circle has moved on.

"How do you meet people your age if you don't have kids and you don't meet people through that group?" Collins said.

That's why Collins and Curthoys started Women Who Walk, a community in the UK city of St Albans that meets on Sundays for a leisurely 5km walk and occasional cocktail hours and socials.

Women Who Walk is a nonprofit, so the walks are free. But Collins and Curthoys are keen to find ways to cover their costs, as they are running everything themselves. They sell beanies and socks on the website and tickets to extra events, such as kayaking and paddleboarding days and a summer party.

At the first Women Who Walk event in September 2023, 80 women showed up.

"It's snowballed," Collins said. "In a great way. We are proud of it, but it's got so big so quickly."

Child-free millennials and Zoomers are on the rise

Millennials aren't having as many kids as previous generations, with some being child-free by choice and others putting it off because they can't afford a family.

According to data from the US National Center for Health Statistics, total births in the US in 2023 fell to 3.59 million — the country's lowest figure in more than 40 years.

In the US in 2022, there were 21.9 million women aged between 20 and 39 who did not have children, which is 4.7 million more women than anticipated, according to the Carsey School of Public Policy.

Gen Zers cite the economy and the climate crisis as reasons they are considering not becoming parents.

Still, many find themselves the odd one out in a friendship group that is full of weddings and babies. With lifestyle changes and friend groups dispersing far and wide, life can suddenly get lonely.

A crop of startups have sprung up to tackle the "loneliness epidemic," BI reported, helping people to make friends in real life.

The WSJ reported that investor money is fueling some of these initiatives since loneliness could be costing the economy $154 billion a year due to work absences caused by loneliness-related stress.

For example, SoulCycle's founders raised $7.2 million in their wellness center, Peoplehood, which aims to improve relationships, and 222, which organizes dinner parties, raised $2.5 million.

'A bit of a beast'

Women Who Walk has branched out to two more British cities, Guildford and Brighton, and Curthoys and Collins would love to take it further.

Now, Collins and Curthoys have 2,000 on their mailing list of all ages, from Gen Zers who have just left university or are starting their first jobs to women in their 30s and 40s to retirees.

"It is becoming a bit of a beast. It's a great beast, but it's a beast," said Curthoys.

They often receive emails from woman who feel socially anxious, who have recently lost their partner or a loved one, or who have moved to the area and feel a bit lost.

"Some of the women that come, it takes months to come," Collins said. "Some of them turn up and they're literally, you can see them visibly shaking."

Within seconds, they relax, Collins said, because one of the group will have welcomed them and started talking to them.

"I think those interactions are everything," she said. "I think they come and they have one little chat with somebody, and it makes them realize that they can do it and that actually the next time won't be so scary."

This type of "light" socializing is so much more important than Collins and Curthoys ever thought.

"You don't realize what that little interaction does for somebody in their life at that point," Curthoys said. "You see the change from the beginning of the walk to the end of the walk."

It's accessible for neurodivergent people too, Curthoys said, because having a conversation while walking along with a group is less intense than sitting down and being face to face.

Making friends can be a difficult skill to master in adulthood, especially since working from home has become so normalized.

For this reason, Curthoys and Collins never expected the women who joined up to be so vulnerable immediately.

"I didn't expect how candid and open and honest people are," Curthoys said. "They share so much with us. It is a privilege when you think they're not probably doing anything else, but they are coming to Women Who Walk, which is amazing."

• I made coleslaw recipes from three celebrity chefs: Guy Fieri, Ina Garten, and Sunny Anderson.
• The recipes from Fieri and Garten were both delicious but could use some flavor improvements.
• Anderson's recipe was the easiest to make and my favorite tasting of the three recipes.

Coleslaw is a classic side dish that's simple to make and goes well with lots of different mains. Though I'll typically just grab a ready-made mix, it can easily be overloaded with mayo or lacking spices for flavor.

In hopes of perfecting a recipe I could make at home and impress my friends and family at our next gathering, I decided to test out different recipes from three celebrity chefs: Guy Fieri, Ina Garten, and Sunny Anderson.

Guy Fieri has a classic, creamy coleslaw recipe.

Fieri's coleslaw is pretty classic, with green and red cabbages, shredded carrots, and plenty of mayo-based dressing. Although many of the ingredients were easy to find at the store, or even in my pantry, it was more difficult to find the mustard powder the dressing called for.

I ended up using ground mustard in place of mustard powder. I thought they were the same thing, but evidently powdered mustard has a finer texture than ground mustard.

Making Fieri's creamy coleslaw was about as simple as it gets.

I cut the recipe in half, so I used a quarter of a head of green cabbage and about one-eighth of a head of red cabbage. The recipe called for pre-shredded carrots, which made things easy.

In a small mixing bowl, I combined the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, celery seeds, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, whole-grain mustard, sugar, and white vinegar.

I added a little bit of dressing at a time for the best texture.

Rather than pouring all of the dressing into the slaw mix at once, Fieri recommends adding only a portion at a time until it reaches the preferred wetness.

I added 3/4 of the total amount in the hopes of achieving a creamy coleslaw that still had some crunch. 

This coleslaw had excellent texture but could use a flavor boost.

I thought Fieri's coleslaw had a great texture. It was creamy without being soggy, and it still had plenty of crunch in the veggies.

Unfortunately, I was hoping for more flavor in the dressing, especially with the additions of whole-grain mustard, ground mustard, and cayenne pepper.

Despite all these ingredients, the dressing was a bit bland. If I make this again, I'd double some of these flavorful additions.

Ina Garten's coleslaw is packed with lots of veggies.

I was excited to try Garten's vegetable coleslaw, which adds some kale into the mix in addition to lots of cabbage and carrots.

The whole batch of veggies is then mixed with a classic mayo-based dressing.

Although I'm not picky about the brand of mayo we keep at home, Garten's recipe specifically calls for "good mayonnaise," like Hellmann's or Best. I went with the latter.

Using the food processor seemed unnecessary, but it made the prep easy.

I used a slicing blade to finely shred green and red cabbage. Then I flipped the blade to a grater to shred the carrots.

I only had to remove the ribs of the kale and thinly chop the leaves before adding them to the mix.

The recipe called for celery-heavy ingredients.

In a separate bowl, I combined all of the dressing ingredients: mayo, Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, celery seeds, celery salt, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

It called for quite a bit of both celery seeds and celery salt, and I'm not a very big fan of celery. The smell had me concerned about the flavor, but it was still easy to whip up.

I poured the mixed dressing into the shredded veggies and combined them.

This would be a top pick for me if it didn't have so much celery flavor.

I loved the extra veggies in this side dish. They helped give the slaw plenty of crunch to combat all the dressing.

The dressing also had great flavors, but I wish it wasn't so heavy on the celery.

I'd definitely make this again, but I'd tone down the celery for my own taste preferences.

Sunny Anderson's recipe featured multiple sweet ingredients.

Anderson's coleslaw recipe was unique, with the addition of Granny Smith apples and golden raisins. I wasn't sure how this would go with the mayo and sour cream, but I was looking forward to trying the sweet-and-savory combination.

Despite looking at three different grocery stores, I couldn't find any savoy cabbage, which the recipe called for. I figured the flavor would be similar if I subbed in green cabbage, but the savoy would've resulted in a more delicate texture.

I love some crunch in my slaw, so I was fine with the substitution.

Anderson's slaw was easy to mix up and came together in minutes.

To make Anderson's easy apple-raisin slaw, I started by assembling the dressing. It combined mayo, sour cream, golden raisins, celery seeds, and apple-cider vinegar.

The rest of the recipe came together quickly.

In a large, separate bowl, I mixed the green cabbage (in place of savoy cabbage), shredded carrots, and shredded apples.

The apples were browning quickly, so I had to move fast to get them mixed with the dressing.

I couldn't stop eating this flavor-packed coleslaw.

I never would've thought to put raisins in coleslaw or that I'd like them this much, but this dish was delicious. It balanced sweetness, savoriness, acidity, and some tanginess from ingredients like sour cream, Granny Smith apples, and raisins. 

I also liked that the slaw veggies were really crunchy, and the dressing was creamy without being too wet or soggy. The raisins added a nice chewiness.

I immediately wanted to whip up some spicy barbecue tofu to balance the sweetness in this slaw.

All of these coleslaws were easy to make, but Anderson's unique take was my favorite.

I'd make Fieri's and Garten's coleslaws again with some tweaks — more spices in Fieri's and fewer celery-based ingredients in Garten's.

But Anderson's sweet, savory, and tangy coleslaw came out perfect, even though I had to swap out the main cabbage.

I've already started planning meals around this side dish, and I can't wait to impress loved ones with it at summer cookouts. 

This story was originally published on July 3, 2023, and most recently updated on July 3, 2024. 

Click to check out the other celebrity-chef recipes we've put head-to-head so far.

• My family of three spent three nights at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North.
• Rates start at about $369 a night, and upgrades to the next category are often just $20 a night.
• There were lots of complimentary or low-cost treats and experiences throughout our stay.

Scottsdale, Arizona, is a luxury travel destination, which means it has a lot of competition when it comes to high-end accommodations.

Fortunately, the many luxurious options often means that booking a five-star hotel in the city doesn't require taking out a second mortgage.

My husband, 4-year-old son, and I spent three days at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, renowned among many brand aficionados as the least expensive Four Seasons in the country. (Although, notably, it may depend on the time of year you book).

Rates vary but around the time of our stay they started at $369 a night for a 480-square-foot room — and the cost to upgrade to a 500-square-foot premier casita is typically just $20 or $30.

Although the experience was luxe, it didn't feel at all stuffy. Here's what our stay was like.

An hour's drive from the airport brought us to what felt like an oasis.

The Four Seasons is delightfully nestled into a secluded corner of the desert near the foothills of Pinnacle Peak.

The summit is visible from many of the 210 accommodations, but the layout of the casitas across a portion of 40 groomed acres with cacti and flora makes the whole property feel more intimate.

The lodgings and main buildings are designed to become part of the landscape, not tower above it. It felt like our hotel was in the middle of a botanical garden.

The adobe-style architecture and muted tones were understated but expensive-looking.

Casita means "small home," and our premier casita felt like one.

Our well-designed 500-square-foot space had a king bed, a comfy pullout couch, and a covered outdoor patio overlooking the Sonoran Desert.

With such great views even our son wasn't tempted to turn on the patio TV — instead, he opted to spot wildlife like bunnies and lizards.

Plus, the closet had room to stash all of our luggage so we didn't trip over it and our space didn't feel cluttered.

The accommodations felt ideal for family travel.

We also loved the spacious, modern bathroom. It had enough space for all of our toiletries to be stashed away and hidden, and a separate closet for the commode so multiple family members could get ready at once.

I was glad the Four Seasons kept a soaking tub, which is ideal for families with toddlers who don't want to use spa showers.

There were extras for all ages.

Our room had robes and slippers for all three of us to lounge in, and my son's tiny duds were so cute.

Staff remembered our names and loaded my son up with small stuffed animals and bubbles shortly after check-in. They gave us plenty of cold water bottles, too.

Our stay also came with access to free laundry facilities, which can also be especially helpful when traveling with kids.

We loved our room's fireplace and other special touches.

We loved that each our room came with a gas fireplace, a feature usually only reserved for most expensive categories at other hotels.

And we all appreciated receiving cactus-shaped cookies when we checked in.

The property's pools never felt too crowded.

You can't have an oasis without water, and there's lots of ways to splash here. The property has a massive main pool, adults-only pool, and a smaller one for small children.

Our son was too big for kiddie pool, but adored standing up or floating on toys in the main one. Other thoughtful touches for families included free swim diapers in the restrooms.

There were lots of other complimentary or low-cost activities for all ages.

Activities available to us included complimentary astronomer-led stargazing on Thursdays and free guided hikes in the morning. Tai chi and yoga classes were available to book for a small fee.

To beat the midday heat, we brought our son to the complimentary Kids for All Seasons club, where he reenacted scenes from the "Barbie" movie at the giant dollhouse, and played video games and air hockey.

The club also hosted free scheduled arts and crafts for kids daily.

The lobby bar became a coffee station in the early mornings.

As an early riser – and one on East Coast time at that – I appreciated free morning coffee and muffins in the lobby.

It was yet another nice touch at the Four Seasons.

We also enjoyed delicious regional eats at the hotel restaurant, Proof.

At Proof, the aroma of smoked meats drew my husband in like Yogi Bear. We enjoyed outside seating at several meals here, each time getting set up with kids menus, coloring supplies, and child-sized cutlery.

The resort was also extremely attentive to my son's nut allergy, with the chef visiting unprompted to reassure us they were aware of it.

Although we would've been happy to stay at the Four Seasons the whole time, there were other activities nearby.

We spent an afternoon at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, where admission is free.

There are several Western-themed playgrounds, a train museum, and massive indoor model tracks with interactive features. Tickets are required for the carousel and the steam train, but rides are under $5 a pop.

We were also able to do some light hiking with plenty of sunlight. We enjoyed walking on the Four Seasons' paved paths so much we opted to explore the area more at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.

A special draw there is the butterfly pavilion, where monarchs fluttered inches from us.

Overall, we had a great time and we'd definitely come back.

We ventured out most days but for the real royal treatment, we headed back to the Four Seasons, at our son's request.

He told us the resort was "magical" and asked to come back. Mom and Dad would gladly, in a heartbeat.

• Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are meeting in Kazakhstan Wednesday. 
• It comes amid increasing tensions between two of the group's most powerful members. 
• Russia and China are competing over influence in Central Asia. 

The leaders of a club of countries touted by Russia and China as a counterweight to Western global power are meeting this week in Kazakhstan.

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, Russia's President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet China's President Xi Jinping.

During their discussion, they will reportedly seek ways to expand the organization as part of their shared mission to roll back US global power.

But despite their "no limits" partnership brokered over shared enmity toward the US and its NATO allies, there are growing differences between frenemies Putin and Xi.

Ukraine has shifted the balance of power

The leaders are in fierce competition for influence over the original members of the SCO — the Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

The SCO was formed as a regional security pact, but has in recent years expanded to include India, Pakistan, and Iran. Belarus, another opponent of NATO, is expected to be admitted this week.

The Central Asian republics were formerly part of the Soviet Union and are seen as traditionally part of the Kremlin's sphere of influence.

But the Ukraine war has shifted the balance of power.

Russia's Ukraine invasion has eaten up the Kremlin's resources, money, and energy, while countries trading with Russia run the risk of incurring Western sanctions.

Meanwhile, Beijing has been quietly seizing advantage, brokering trade deals, and building political influence in the region.

"The war in Ukraine has proven to the central Asian countries that the diversification of their ties with the world is key to their successful existence in the region," Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, told The Guardian.

China is building car plants and power stations in Ukbekistan and Kazakhstan, brokering surveillance software deals, and expanding its direct railway line into Kazakhstan, to further strengthen trade links.

Trade between China and Central Asia grew by 27% in 2023 to $89 billion, according to Chinese customs data.

Although Russia is likely to be concerned by the developments, it cannot do much about them.

A lopsided partnership

Russia has become increasingly dependent on China for diplomatic and economic support amid attempts by the West to isolate it over the Ukraine war.

"The importance of Chinese aid and indirect support for Ukraine takes precedence for Moscow and will shape its approach toward Beijing as long as the confrontation with the West continues," wrote Emil Avdaliani, a professor of international relations at European University in Tbilisi, in January for the Centre for European Policy Analysis.

Russia is seeking to strengthen trade with the Central Asian republics and, according to reports, is using them to obtain goods banned under Western sanctions. But it can't compete with China's economic might.

While Russia has brandished its ties with China as proof of the failure of the West to isolate it, it's a friendship that comes at a steep cost.

"We are friends with Russia but at the same time, we are looking for opportunities," Mirshohid Aslanov, founder of the Tashkent-based think tank Center for Progressive Reform, told The Wall Street Journal. "Very eagerly, we are looking eastwards."

• Coney Island has been a popular destination for the Fourth of July since the early 20th century.
• Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest has been held on July 4 since the 1970s.
• Vintage photos of July 4 on Coney Island show crowded beaches and the annual hot-dog contest.

Coney Island has been a destination for Fourth of July celebrations for over a century. 

From fireworks displays, parades, and live performances to the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, Coney Island has been hosting Independence Day celebrations since the early 20th century.

Coney Island is still popular for New Yorkers who want to escape the city for the day, walk along the boardwalk, enjoy some rides, and eat a hot dog or two — or many more. 

Here are vintage photos that show what Coney Island Fourth of July celebrations have looked like through the years.

Fourth of July marks one of the busiest days of the year in Coney Island.

In a black-and-white aerial photo from 1920, you can see thousands of people gathered on the boardwalk and Coney Island Beach during the Fourth of July.

In the 1930s, Coney Island exploded as a popular destination for beachgoers and families on the Fourth of July.

This photo, taken on July 4, 1938, shows crowds of people gathered on the beach. There are so many people that you can hardly see the sand.

Thirty years later, revelers still visited Coney Island Beach to celebrate Independence Day.

In this photo, a pair of unidentified men in shorts pose for the camera.

The beaches were also popular in the mid-'90s.

In a 1995 photo, children can be seen running and playing in the water while their parents look on.

People also came to Coney Island to shop on the boardwalk.

In this photo from July 4, 1968, customers shop inside a Coney Island store that sells tobacco-related products, candy, and portable radios.

The first Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest was held in the 1970s.

The first official contest was held in 1972, CNN reported.

Nathan's had at one time claimed the tradition started in 1916, but PR professionals Max Rosey and Mortimer Matz, hired by Nathan's, later told The New York Times they had fabricated the legend about it starting that year.

The first official winner of the contest was a woman named Melody Andorfer.

According to the Coney Island History Project, she ate 12 hot dogs in five minutes and won a paper crown as her prize.

In this photo from 1961, an unidentified man eats a Nathan's Famous hot dog outside the iconic restaurant.

Edward Krachie was the 1995 champion of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

He's pictured holding up his trophy after winning the 1995 annual contest.

According to The New York Times, he won after eating 19 and a half hot dogs and beating the defending champion by just half a dog.

The contest has been successful ever since and draws thousands of in-person attendees and even more online viewers each year.

Here, three unidentified contestants pose with plates of hot dogs prior to the 1987 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Nathan's was and still is a popular establishment in Coney Island to grab a cheap dog — on the Fourth of July or any other summer day.

In this circa 1968 photograph, a couple eats hot dogs in front of Nathan's Famous fast-food restaurant in Coney Island.

Polyester is one of the most popular fabrics in the world. Made from PET plastic, it is prized for its durability, lightness, and low cost of production.

While these characteristics make it ideal for various uses across the textile industry, the oversupply of polyester has also fueled an environmental disaster. Now, brands like Adidas, Nike, and Shein are trying to increase the amount of polyester made from recycled plastics — but is this the best use of old plastic?

We visited Tamil Nadu, India, to see how one company makes clothing from used plastic bottles and whether this is the best solution for this waste stream.

• President Joe Biden faces growing calls to exit the race after his disastrous debate performance.
• He's due to meet with Democratic governors on Wednesday to try to reassure them of his competence.
• But 25 Democratic House members are ready to call for him to quit, a House Democratic aide said.

President Joe Biden is set to meet with Democratic governors on Wednesday as dozens of House members appear ready to call for him to drop out of the presidential race.

Biden will talk to the governors in virtual meetings and in person at the White House on Wednesday, White House officials said, per Reuters.

Since his disastrous debate performance on June 27, Biden has come under increasing pressure to exit the race.

During the debate with former President Donald Trump, Biden's performance was at times marked by vacant expressions and incoherent sentences.

Biden's campaign has offered a series of excuses, citing jet lag, a bad night, and a cold going into the event. But this hasn't stopped calls for his exit.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas became the first Democratic sitting member of Congress to publicly urge the president to quit the race on Tuesday.

"Too much is at stake to risk a Trump victory — too great a risk to assume that what could not be turned around in a year, what was not turned around in the debate, can be turned around now," Doggett said in a statement.

Former Democratic House members, party strategists, and candidates have also issued similar calls, some urging Vice President Kamala Harris to replace Biden on the Democratic ticket.

Former Rep. Tim Ryan said in a social media post on Tuesday that Harris should replace Biden.

He said Harris "has significantly grown into her job, she will destroy Trump in debate, highlight choice issue, energize our base, bring back young voters and give us generational change. It's time!"

In a video message on Tuesday, Adam Frisch, a Democrat running for Colorado's 3rd congressional district, said "we deserve better. President Biden should withdraw from this race."

James Carville, a longtime Democratic strategist, told CNN that the party needs to do "something different."

"Give the people a shot, let them see who's in the party, and I believe there's staggering talent in the Democratic Party," he said, adding: "Get out of the way and let a thousand flowers bloom."

Twenty-five Democratic members of the House are now preparing to urge Biden to pull out of the race, a House Democratic aide said, per The Guardian.

In the event that Biden does pull out, several possible replacements could throw their hat in the ring.

Replacing Biden at the top of the ticket just a few months short of the November elections would be a challenge for the party, however.

President Lyndon B. Johnson dropped out of the race in 1968, and his vice president, Hubert Humphrey, entered the Democratic primary but went on to lose the election to former Vice President Richard Nixon.

ABC News said it will air parts of Biden's first television interview since last week's presidential debate on Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET on "World News Tonight with David Muir."