What are the best convenience foods at Trader Joe's?
I've been noticing that some of you have been mentioning some delicious-sounding convenience foods from Trader Joe's (I know I saw "TJ" and "birria tacos" in a comment!)
I am not super familiar with the offerings at Trader Joe's because I'm more of an Aldi shopper.
But since I do find myself sometimes needing a very quick meal (like after work shifts), I'm wondering if I should explore some of their convenience options.
I have bought their orange chicken and their fried rice, but that's about it.
Sooo, enlighten me! What do they offer that makes a speedy and reasonably nutritious dinner?
(And of course, it would be good if it's cheaper than takeout, but that's almost a given because most grocery store food is cheaper than takeout!)
P.S. You can give me any suggestions you want, but I'm really looking for main dish options. I already know that TJ's has delicious snacks and such, so I need dinner ideas!
A friend made a creamy sweet potato, butternut squash soup I enjoyerd made from their Autumn Harvest Hash that I obsessed over. Yes, I did buy it over and over and inbetween tried to make my own until I got the combo right (it was the sage.)
But for the real purchases we like the Bao buns...any of them. The stuffed gnocchi is very good and spanish rice with Beef Birria. These are good tasting and quick during times of my life where cooking is not the focus but we want something a little special.
They have a terrific array of jarred sauces. I use them as simmering sauces - dump sauce in small pot, add meat (chix usually best), simmer on low till done) - for easy protein.
Another reason TJs is good for the frugalista is that they really mean it when they say love it or return it. When, as a serious weightlifter, I needed protein bars, I bought one of literally each kind, then returned the 90% I didn't like. It was easy and friendly and we had a nice chat about lifting.
Can you recommend any brands? I also do weight lifting!
Not really, as it's been a while and the market has changed. For the better, if you ask me. Those bars were full of artificial foods and unpronounceable crud. There are many more real food options now.
Now there are protein drinks, too. I like the ones based on filtered milk (Fairlife is a major brand in the US), which have very low sugar and no lactose (naturally removed by filtering) and high protein.
As a general rule, the snacks w very high protein taste chalky to me, from all the whey protein.
That makes sense. I have a bag of protein powder which I usually put in smoothies - I'm always behind on my protein goals! I read Ultra-Processed People last year which put me off a lot of convenience food (only my kitchen is too small and my time is too limited to make everything from scratch).
i used to like mosh they have them at whole foods. but i got tired of them. whole foods is a block from my apt. as is target and tj's.
RX bars get their protein from egg whites. They also have fruit and nuts and taste sweet without added sugar.
I agree with commenter Linda and thanks to Kristen for helping me consider them - Rx bars (or Aldi brand Maxx bars). The "original" versions (like not the ones with oats) have 12g protein per bar and are made with whole foods. I find them tasty. I've never triedd one with higher protein that I can tolerate the taste.
I enjoy the unexpected cheddar chicken sausage (very flavorful for a chicken sausage), French onion soup (way easier than making from scratch!), lasagna (again - easier than making yourself), and cracked wheat sourdough bread (I get this every time I go! Sometimes two!)
I have wondered about the French Onion soup. I will try it.
The French onion soup is sooo good! I do recommend extra croutons (homemade or bagged) for extra crunch as the bread/croutons included will sort of melt away as you reheat it. Besides that it is a great grab and go lunch option for my workdays (so long as your workday includes access to a microwave:))
Seconding the unexpected cheddar chicken sausage! So good.
I’ve never had the unexpected cheddar chicken sausage. I love the unexpected cheddar cheese & will definitely try the sausage!
I’ve never had the unexpected cheddar chicken sausage. I love the unexpected cheddar cheese & will definitely try the sausage!
I like their kimbap from the freezer section and the goat cheese and caramelized onion ravioli from the fresh food section. I've only tried a few of their ready made items but they are convenient.
Tj - Ben a fan of the French onion soup for years. It’s not enough to make me feel full though.
Also love their roasted red pepper soup. That’s in the canned goods aisle. There are about three servings in that container. I will grab a box of the multigrain rice pouches (frozen, three pouches in a box) and add half a pouch to a box. Extra yummy if you throw some feta crumbles in too. And grab yourself a loaf of yummy bread to go with it. 👌
Their balela chickpea salad is delicious AND simple to do a knock-off version. Canned dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), canned roasted eggplant, and frozen naan are all the prepared foods of theirs that we do because of my husband's low sodium diet. We buy almost all of our produce, fruit, canned beans* (organic have less sodium, which is worth the 25 cent difference to us) and dry ingredients at Trader Joe's because our location is well-run and has amazing staff.
*I am not a beans from scratch person. When I want to make balela, I want to make it NOW. 😛
I too am a fan of TJ's naan, especially the garlic naan.
I haven't tried that many of the TJ's quick main dish options (except for the orange chicken, which I didn't much care for). But as I believe I've commented in the past, I'm a major fan of the frozen spanakopita (the type in little triangle shapes, not the big round one). It's almost as good as what DH's sister (who married into a Greek family) used to make. I know spanakopita is usually considered an appetizer, but I generally treat it as a main dish. Good for days when I just don't feel like cooking.
I also tried their orange chicken and did not care for it.
I also did not care for the orange chicken. I love the frozen spanakopita in the triangles. They are easy for a quick dinner.
This isn’t a main dish- but you could quickly add something to it to make one: we drive 45 mins to get the fermented sauerkraut with Persian cucumbers! It’s in the refrigerated section. We like the crunchy texture (no soggy sauerkraut for us) and the gut friendly fermentation! Just plain ingredients, too!
We love the spanakopita, too, as an appetizer or a main dish!
i don't like their orange chicken either and i do like the little spanakopita. lately i have only seen the big one. i like the little one better.
I really like their potstickers/gyoza. I have been making a skillet potsticker meal with a little ground beef, whatever veggie I have on hand, a dab of tomato paste, and some teriyaki. Their pizzas are pretty good, as are the chile lime chicken burgers. In the pasta section there are a couple of gnocci or pre-sauced pastas that are time saver bases for adding a protein and getting a quick meal made. Side note: this week I am checking out the current food offerings at IKEA for something new to fix.
I second the frozen gyoza! I usually cook them in boiling water and make an easy sauce of soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic paste and eat with some veggies on the side.
Their frozen soup dumplings are also very good.
Trader Joe’s frozen Indian food is remarkably good and I keep several options in our freezer! My personal favorite is the paneer tikka masala. I think their chicken tikka masala is also good but the butter chicken with basmati rice is a slight favorite in my opinion. My husband really likes the fiery chicken curry!
Not frozen but they also have bags of well seasoned legume stews (like dal or channa masala) that reheat nicely in the microwave. I take these for lunch when I can pair with leftover brown rice.
Good luck!
We also enjoy TJ frozen Indian food. My favorite is channa masala.
Yes! For vegetarian options, I love the palak paneer and the chana masala. Add rice or defrost TJ's naan bread, and voila!
The only thing I make a special trip to Trader Joe's for is their tamales. Freezer department. Wrapped in traditional corn husks, a couple different flavors.
My favorite are the varieties of tamales they have. Super quick, I think 6 minutes in the microwave, and delicious!
My husband loves their meatloaf and chicken piccata. He also enjoys their soups. Not a main dish, but their lemon curd is delicious, too. It comes in a pretty jar, and I often pair it with homemade scones to give as a fun gift.
We mix the lemon curd with plain Greek yogurt. It's delicious. I could eat it with a spoon, straight from the jar (but I don't) 😉
I am interested too! We don't have TJ where I live but we will be taking a 6 week trip in our airstream this fall in Florida. I said to my hubs, we will finally get to buy TJ food and not just things we can carry home without refrigeration! When we travel to Florida now for work we are in a hotel so we get shelf stable goods, snacks, and fruit.
If you're into chocolate, Trader Joe's chocolates are far above in taste and quality than most chocolates elsewhere. They have a ton of different options in both dark and milk chocolate. Not a meal, but a nice treat.
Oh, very true. Their chocolate occupies the sweet spot of quality and price.
safe trip enjoy. tj's is the best
My favorite is their Butter Chicken; my daughter prefers their chicken Tikki Masala.
Both are in the prepared frozen foods. Seven minutes in the microwave. Faster,
cheaper and tastier than drive-thru food.
For a super quick meal, we enjoy TJ's Gyro Slices with Tzatziki sauce.
This is so good! I had never seen this in the meat section before and tried it recently. Yum.
We really like their taquitos in the air fryer or toaster oven. We mix sour cream and salsa for the dipping sauce.
We enjoy any of their stuffed gnocchi and raviolis. Also, their naan bread is very good (and I think affordable). They have an excellent jarred cacio e pepe pasta sauce and I also think their dried pasta is affordable.
Yes, the dried pastas of all types are extremely affordable. I always buy mine there.
Our closest TJ is an hour from home, so we go about once/quarter to stock up on things from there. It is fun to just wander the aisles though it is usually so busy it is more frustrating than relaxing! LOL 🙂
My closest Trader Joe's is about 40 minutes from my house and I go about every two weeks and stock up. Primarily on their array of chocolate items. They have excellent chocolate items. Not frugal (especially if you have kids who want to eat an entire pack at one sitting), but it's a nice treat.
I enjoy a trip to TJ's a few times a year but because the closest one is over an hour from us, we rarely purchase frozen meals there, but I love their soy chorizo.
Also, I'd like to point out that most anything you purchase at TJ's can be purchased elsewhere, in spite of the fact that most TJ fans think products are indigenous to TJ's or "better than the original," the items that they sell are frequently, if not always, sold elsewhere. As proof of this, please see recall lists where products are sold under varying names at stores ranging from TJ's to Wal-Mart, Costo and Publix, to Aldi, Lidl and Kroger. I've been in enough food manufacturing plants and factory outlets over the years to know this is true. While there may still be a few "proprietary" items on the market, the vast majority of processed foods come from from an ever shrinking number of manufacturers.
My husband is a big fan of their Thai vegan frozen entrees and there are quite a few to choose from. I don't think he's had a dud. He often holds them for when I'm away or the random time we don't have leftovers for lunch.
For a treat he used to ask for their refrigerated udon noodle salad with his packed lunch. Also love their vegetable samosas baked in the oven and their vegetable bird's nests (oven dish) are a delicious treat but not a main dish. I guess you could do in an air fryer but I haven't.
1. Thai Shrimp Gyoza (I remember that Zoe is allergic to shrimp, but if you're cooking just for you, these are SO much better than the veggie ones)
2. I sometimes make a "Mediterranean plate" with TJ Hummus + 1 can TJ Grape Leaves + whatever salady ingredients you have around
3. I don't use many/any TJ prepared meals these days because I work remotely, but when I commuted more, I liked the Palak Paneer, Tamales, Shitake Mushroom Chicken, Risotto, and others...
I think their offerings change frequently, so those may be dated suggestions.
I love the idea of a plate and will throw that together far too often. Don't forget their little packs of marinated artichoke hearts and the ones with little green olives. They also have a nice array of tinned fish.
For meals, we like the cost and taste of their Spanish Tortilla Espanola, Thai Vegetable Gyoza and the Cheese and Tomato Pizza. The Hashbrown Patties are also inexpensive and yummy.
Oh, and their 16 oz. bag of 99 cent orzo is a great deal!
Oh, oh, and for the ultimate frugal meal: Trader Joe's O's cold cereal. Just $1.99 for eight 1.5 cup servings!
As a vegetarian, I always buy tofu at TJs; they have a nice variety of types and also marinated flavors such sriracha. When I make the orange chicken for the kids, I like to pair it with the buffalo cauliflower where I add tofu for protein for myself (I'm a vegetarian).
A quick meal can be made from the frozen breaded tillapia (frozen jackfruit version for me) with sweet potato fries and baby peas. Make a quick tartar sauce while everything cooks.
Not a whole meal, but we also buy the green Zhoug sauce to elevate many dishes, it's a little spicy but very herbaceous Middle Eastern sauce made with cilantro and other spices.
Frozen isle has scallion pancakes and nan that make a nice base for eating leftovers as a wrap. In the bread isle the fresh Lavash bread also makes a great base for grilled sandwiches.
For taco night, I love their Sonora style flour tortillas, best flavor of any premade tortillas.
Their fresh raviolis are very good and more affordable than most other places. They are a nice "glow-up" meal when we are tired of regular pasta.
Frozen tamales are also a favorite, and nice that you can get vegetarian ones as well.
Frozen gyoza potsticker dumplings (pork and veggie) often make it into the cart, but I'm not a fan of some of the other kinds found at TJ.
For a quick Friday night pizza meal, the flatbreads Tarte aux Champignons and Burrata, Prosciutto & Arugula are really good, paired with the lemon/arugula readymade bag salad.
Forgot to mentioned the precooked carnitas meat in the deli, we often buy that to have with tacos.
Kristina, as a fellow vegetarian, I appreciate your many recommendations!
It's ironic that you have this post today. Last night I watched a youtube post from "My Beautiful Chaos" with Emily and her husband Jake reviewing Yellowstone frozen meals sold at Walmart. Most of the meals received a rating from Emily and Jake of 8 or higher out of 10. The meals provided generous portions. Just a thought.
I will stand by any of the Mexican frozen meals by Amy's (sold at many places).
Trader Joe’s frozen mushroom risotto is a family favorite!
Did you knowTrader Joe's and Aldi share a common, intertwined history originating from the German Albrecht family, with both operating under separate branches of the same family's retail empire (Aldi Nord owns Trader Joe's, while Aldi Süd operates U.S. Aldi stores). Both chains are renowned for high-quality, and low-price.
I love their frozen falafel and spatchcock chicken.
Yup, I did! Being a diehard Aldi fan. Hehe.
Their frozen Tamales are a staple in my house - I eat them alone, with beans and rice or on a salad!
-shrimp scampi and jasmine rice
-their frozen pizzas are pretty good, particularly the margarita and the gluten-free cheese (drizzle balsamic glaze on them!)
-dolmas, hummus, grilled olives
-pouches of Indian entrees (shelf stable) over basmati rice (freezer section). I like to add cottage cheese or plain Greek yogurt for added protein
-red lentil pasta with canned chickpeas and rosatella sauce
-mini frittatas
I love their gyro meat. At my Trader Joe's, it's by the tofu and not in the frozen section. It's precooked and can be microwaved or browned in a frying pan. I never pita, so I eat it on a flour tortilla with veggies, and it's great. Freezes nicely, too.
I picked up the book Trader Joes 5 Items or Less Cookbook and found some great recipes there! You don’t have to buy the book, most of the recipes are on Instagram @traderjoes5itemsorless (I just like a hard copy).
I don’t do a lot of TJs shopping, but there is one across the street from my office so I’ll stop in every once in a while. Keep an eye on the servings per package because they can be surprisingly small. But it you aren't feeding a crowd they are great.
A few of their items I keep in the freezer for a quick meal for two are:
• Orange Chicken – because of course
• Tamales – paired with rice and beans
• Shrimp burgers – I keep buns in the freezer just for these
• Birria Tacos – I make sure I have the mini tortillas in the freezer as well
• Pork Belly – to add protein to a ramen dish. We keep packs of David Chang’s ramen in the pantry because the sauce is amazing. Add whatever veggies you have!
• Vegetable Fried Rice – add the protein of your choice. I sometimes add potstickers as a side
• Spatchcocked chicken – this is on the more expensive side and is in the refrigerated section, but I keep one in my freezer because it is cheaper than take out.
• Cauliflower rice – this is great in a specific pastina soup I make but also bulks up fried rice nicely
• Tomato Pepper Soup (pantry) – Blend in a little cottage cheese for protein and serve with a salad or sandwich
My family likes the frozen pasta arribiatta and the frozen fettucine alfredo. Sauce and pasta in one - just warm in a pan. I like the vegetable gyoza and saw a youtube video (google allrecipes trader joe's 5 ingredients) where they threw a bag of stirfry veggies, gyoza, coconut milk, and soyaki into a baking dish, stirred it and then baked it. Pretty delicious and balanced. For a while, the kimbap was a staple for us. Daughter likes their korean noodle salad in the fresh area (I sometimes get the balela). I don't care for the texture of the frozen indian foods (tofu or chicken) but some people love it. I also get their vegan canned chili - it's a little bland but also convenient so I usually put some extra salt and chili powder in it as it's warming up.
Also, we just tried the black cod with Miso marinade and the kids liked it! It's a little pricier at ~$10 but it was a quick, healthy and easy protein. They said it was a little on the sweet side though.
I see a lot of people have already mentioned TJ’s gyozo and tamales as well as their frozen Indian food, so I will just add my voice to the chorus. All those things are good!
I’ve always liked buying the fried rice (frozen) and combining that with the teriyaki chicken (frozen).
Cook them up separately and then combine them 😋. Add a salad or some broccoli on the side and you’re good to go!
Oh good idea! I do like their fried rice.
My go-to Trader Joe’s convenience foods are the frozen vegetable spring rolls, both the tandoori and garlic naan, the Taiwanese green onion pancakes, and the butternut squash ravioli.
i am the tj's queen as it is a block from my apt. anything indian is great in our home. butter chicken, patak paneer, vegan tikka masala, korean beef bulgogi, bin pap. just a few. my zozo loves scallion pancakes but the large ones not the ones with a lot ov vegetable. don't have any right now so i can't give you the exact name.
I like their frozen turkey burgers- easy and only like 3 ingredients. Their chicken sausages are all good and you get 5 vs 4 of other brands and cheaper. They have great noodle bowls- 3 different types where you just add sauce to noodle and microwave. I have yet to try it, but I think you could use their spinach artichoke dip (in freezer) tossed with pasta and a protein and it would be delicious.
I'd generally advise just walking down the frozen food aisles and grabbing one of anything that looks good. I've been a little disappointed by their burrito bowls and pizza offerings, but pretty much everything else I've tried has been a winner. We love the mini party meatballs for spaghetti - thaw a few in the microwave and then add them to the sauce to simmer. They also have some good jarred sauces - I'm a fan of the creamy tomato basil - and some fun seasonal pastas in the refrigerated aisle that you can throw into the freezer if you're not eating them right away. I'm not a big Indian food eater, but I thought their paneer tikka masala frozen dinner was pretty good. And the Joe's Diner frozen mac and cheese is actually really great.
I can't leave there without pilak paneer and naan bread and a carton of the tomato and red pepper soup. I also love the butternut squash and mushroom ravioli, though they change fillings that are available.bkth absolute delicious with just a bit of a creamy buttery sauce.
Oh my Goddess, the multiple things I eat from Trader Joe's. Any of the frozen rices will make you happy, Jasmine rice, Chicken Fried Rice, pork Fried Rice or, the vegetable Fried Rice. The pork and vegetable dumplings are absolutely incredible. The frozen tamales. Any of the tempura items they have in stock. The Mac and cheese is good, it was better when it was hatched chili Mac and cheese. The Mandarin chicken, mixed frozen vegetables. The spring rolls and the egg rolls are wonderful. I've never been unhappy with anything that I picked up at Trader Joe's. It is a drive for me to get there, it's like a destination shopping. Yes, I do buy snacks there as well. I love their dark chocolate almonds. If you can get there on your day off, then slowly go up and down the frozen food aisles and you'll be amazed at prices and I think you should be happy with pretty much anything you pick up. They've got some good deals on their pasta, their spices are wonderful. My favorite is the Chili Lime seasoning. I sprinkle that on bacon before I cook it, on before chicken goes out on the grill, I add it to cream cheese to put on crackers, there's nothing I've had quite like it. I buy 3 bottles whenever I go in. Have fun and eat well. Blessings to all.
Yes, I thought their veggie fried rice was really good!
I had to stop going to TJ because I was buying three of everything to feed my family of 5 🙁 but I still love it and dream of the days where I am only feeding myself and can go back to TJ, not buying in bulk! I liked combining the black bean soup with a can of black beans and the peruvian style chimicurri frozen rice. The combo bulked up a watery soup to make a nice meal with leftovers (bc the kids won't eat it!) add some cheese toast on the sourdough bread....so good!
For quick meals, we love:
Canned Grecian Eggplant with Tomatoes and Onions,
Canned Greek Chickpeas with Cumin and Oregano,
Hummus, and either their pita bread or Naan. I tend to throw the fresh hummus and naan or pita in the freezer so I can quickly defrost them for a quick meal with the canned items. Delicious.
We're also fans of the frozen various types of gyoza, shumai or Kimbap, served with frozen shelled edamame,
Or
Frozen Cooked Turkey Meatballs heated in a jar of their marinara sauce for extra protein, with pasta
Or
Frozen tamales with a side of frozen veggies and/or their excellent canned refried beans
Or
Less healthy, but a treat, their frozen Hatch Chili Mac n' Cheese with a side salad
As a first responder family, who worked 12-15-hour shifts, l fully understand the struggle, especially when things go off the rails at work and you get held over. These types of meals are so helpful to have in the freezer or pantry.
Thanks for all you do to serve your community!
We don't have Trader Joe's in Canada (though I do enjoy it when I visit the US,) but I did really enjoy the memoir by Joe Coulombe (the actual Joe in Trader Joe's!) It was a really interesting look at how the grocery business works and how TJ's succeeds as a business. I'd recommend it.
I'm always going to choose something that I'm unlikely to make from scratch at home. Perfect example is their potstickers, which are consistently delicious and as good as ones I've had in restaurants. My kids love their tamales, but the rate they eat them makes them not a bargain whatsoever.
My husband and I had potstickers last night after landing at the airport at 9 P.M. I knew we'd be starving upon arrival, so I froze some home cooked rice before the trip and it took maybe ten minutes to pull the meal together. It wasn't something I had to stand over, so I also threw all our dirty vacation clothes in the wash during that time.
I sear them in a cast iron skillet and then add water and top with a lid to steam once you've got a crunchy bottom.
Don't forget that their heavy produce is always a bargain, so it's the place to pick up butternut squash, cauliflower and cabbage. This because they charge per item instead of by the pound.
Katy, I thought of you yesterday when I selected the largest butternut squash and head of cauliflower. And a sweet elderly gentlemen told me to make sure I chose the largest 23-cent bananas.
The two items I keep on hand at all times for those days when I’ve forgotten to pre-pack my lunch:
*(Frozen) Riced Cauliflower Bowl - extra good with a spoonful of chutney added to it)
* (frozen) channa masala
No Aldi anywhere near to us in the city (a cab ride away with items you buy so it wipes out the savings), but TJs is only three blocks.
There are a million things to buy to create your own stuff, but you asked for ready to go:
Indian Tikka Masala and Butter chicken. Delish
Channa Masala chickpeas (Oh, the sauce)
Mini shrimp bao (Wish they just sold as shrimp burgers.)
Unexpected cheddar chicken sausage. Super quick in the microwave for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Can: Veggie Chili (we add tomatoes, cheese, avocado)
Grilled chicken strips, refrigerated ones. Quick into a salad or sandwich
Arugula: Huge bag, very inexpensive. Quick into a salad or on its own.
There are a bunch of pre-made/mixed salads. There is a mediterranean one with feta and orzo and something else. Our favorite.
Chicken gyoza. Mini chicken tacos.
These are the ones we get almost every time we shop but there are so many more complete frozen meals. It's worth a bit of googling (Best frozen meals at Trader Joe's) and looking online as there are lots of folks who regularly provide content.
You can also go to the TJ web site and do a quick check of frozen items (it's a category).
Does Aldi's have frozen meals? Do you eat any of those?
If you want veggies, there are many good frozen ones, but can't think of at the moment.
Love all of its sourdough breads, especially the two little boules for $2.99. Perfect for one person household to make yummy sandwiches (and not full of holes like so much sourdough bread).
Their refrigerated or frozen wild salmon and various types of cooked and raw shrimp are great for quick meals.
I do like Aldi's frozen potstickers. But their frozen fried rice is definitely not as good as Trader Joe's. And I know TJ's has way more variety in their frozen offerings.
To reiterate what some others have written, their tamales are wonderful! The frozen Indian and Mexican dishes are also fantastic. I haven't had it in a while, but I remember their frozen pizzas are quite tasty, too.
For us with high blood pressure, we avoid high sodium foods. Most of the packaged foods at TJ's are off our menu.
We have a TJ in our town. I like their lasagna a lot; the tortellini is better at Aldi. I don’t care for TJ’s spaghetti sauce, as it’s too oily. I also am not a fan of TJ’s orange chicken. I like TJ mainly for little gifts - small candles, cookies, seasonal chips. They also have nice .99 greeting cards.
Yes!! The greeting cards! I stock up and keep them in a box so I usually have something appropriate on hand when I need it.
I like the vegan bulgogi. Saute some veggies, stir in the thawed bulgogi and presto - dinner on the table. I get several meals out of one package but your mileage will vary depending on amount of veggies. Can serve with rice if you like. Warms nicely and makes great leftovers.
My husband and I love the Orange Chicken that you mentioned. Other favorites include the Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe pasta (not sure if I spelled that correctly. I’m blanking on the actual name and there is a flatbread French pizza that is so good. I can’t remember the name of the blogger (she is from France lives in the U.S. & said this pizza is just like the ones in France. The eggplant Parmesan, Shrimp Boom Bah, & Beef Biryani (I actually think it’s Birria but my husband had Biryani in his phone - also this may be seasonal) are great. The frozen brown rice is very convenient. We also love the Parmesan/Romano (I think - the one that is $3.50 . $5 for straight Parmesan.
The cacio e pepe (frozen) is very good if you like that flavor profile. I like to add chicken breast or a can of tuna for more protein and serve with a salad.
They have a good selection of salad greens and salad kits I don't see at regular stores so check those out if you haven't already.
Their turkey lasagna soup and unexpected cheddar broccoli soups (refrigerated section) are pretty good.
They have a new pizza Bianca (frozen) that is delicious but not very healthy. Of course, it can be doctored up with veggies etc for a slightly more nutritious meal.
I also recommend the tomato burrata ravioli (refrigerated) but it may be seasonal.
The giant baked beans in tomato sauce (canned) are good if you like beans. They are not overly sweet like BBQ baked beans and have a creamy texture.
Definitely the beef tamales, eggplant parmesan and lasagna. While you're there, pick up the dark chocolate peanut butter cups because they are delicious.
Trader Joe’s is my favorite grocery store and here in the Greater Boston area we are fortunate to have many of them.
I didn’t notice anyone mention Trader Joe’s chicken cilantro mini wontons? We love them heated up in a carton of TJ’s miso broth.
The orange chicken is a favorite especially if I broil some canned pineapple chunks to serve with it.
DD29 just purchased some BBQ pork fried rice - we haven’t tried it yet.
We also love the Kung Pao chicken that I stretch by adding some shelled edamame.
Not from TJ's, but we really like the orange chicken from Sam's Club. It comes with 2 bags in it. Toss in the air fryer and serve with rice and frozen broccoli or green beans. Leftovers are pretty good for lunch the next day too. Easy and less than 15 minutes.
Not really in the "heat-n-serve" category, but this is a meal that we LOVE and always stock up on when we shop at TJ. It's jalapeño chicken salad. To 1 can of premium chunk white chicken, add 1/2 jar of hot n' sweet jalapeños drained and chopped. Mix this with mayo to your liking and serve on bread or crackers. I LOVE this on pretzel buns from TJ, but my husband likes it on everything bagel thins. It definitely makes more than 1 serving, but the jalapeños get hotter the longer this sits. This is a favorite lunch or hot weather dinner for us with a side of fruit. So easy and delicious.
The canned chickpeas with cumin, lemon and parsely are fantastic and great for a quick side. I tried to make them myself using ingredients on can, but the chick peas are not as infused with flavor as they are in the can.
I also like the refridgerated raviolis - they only take a few minutes to cook and are great topped with pesto or butter and parmesan.
Some of the frozen prepared pastas are good. There used to be gnocchi with gorgonzola that I liked a lot - have not bought in a while, so not sure what types they have at the moment.
I liked the frozen vegetable lasagna but they don't seem to have it anymore (I am vegetarian, but I am going to guess that the meat lasagna they have now is good as well).
The frozen nan with garlic is great.
My kids like the salmon burgers, which can be cooked quite quickly.
Have fun!
Japanese fried rice (we pair with a salad or veg)
Three (or four) cheese frozen pizza
Butternut squash ravioli
Kimbibap
Frozen Indian food entrees (if you enjoy that!)
I'm a huge fan of the frozen pot stickers. I either sauteed then steam them. Or boil some no salt added bone broth and through in dumplings for a quick soup.
There's whole wheat couscous, with a side of the box recipe that is amazing! The frozen dumplings are great, the tiny fruit yogurts...try them in yogurt parfaits with a sprinkle of your homemade granola! Their skim milk mozzarella sticks are good. And I love their pesto chicken wrap sandwich too. They used to have a eggplant parmesan frozen item that was really good, and lower calorie.
I have recently fallen in love with their orange chicken. Cook according to the directions while you steam a bag of frozen broccoli in the microwave, and then add jasmine rice. (I was bothered by the lack of veggies so I threw in some cooked broccoli I had and mixed up all 3 ingredients and now I’m excited to eat it again.)
You have a lot of great suggestions already, but my go-to Trader Joe’s lazy meal is frozen pork gyoza + frozen edamame. (You can find both in the freezer section.) Both bags last me 2–3 meals, so it’s cheap and easy. I’ll usually defrost the edamame in the fridge overnight and eat it cold, then cook the gyoza on the stove in under 10 minutes. (They also have chicken gyoza and a thai veggie dumpling gyoza if that's more your thing.) Add chili crisp and soy sauce and call it a day.
I like their teriyaki bbq chicken and I like paring it with friend rice.
I also like their gluten free breaded shrimp and their sweet potato fries.
My son likes their beef bulgogi
We also like their potstickers!
All of these are frozen 🙂
I like their already cooked lemon chicken, rosemary chicken and plain chicken. For the lemon and rosemary you could get three servings out of each package at the cost of about $6.99 where I live at least. I love their bagged salad with apple. Their pasta is 99 cents a bag and I recently bought orzo and spinach and made an orzo spinach chicken dish. I don't love all of their prepared foods I have tried. I love their frozen Jasmine rice, though. That also can stretch to quite a few servings.
Lots of great ideas so far. I wanted to add that I love their spinach artichoke dip a lot. It is good of course with chips/crackers, and I am one to call that a meal if I want to lol...but the dip also is great on a baked potato or w/ pasta or chicken stirred in.
I prefer the teriyaki chicken to the orange chicken and I find there is enough sauce for me to add broccoli or rice if I want.
We got a box of the Thai Wheat noodles. I added frozen vegetables, some protein (tofu), and peanut sauce. So quick and delicious.
We also tried their boxed Roasted Red Pepper Soup. I added stuff to it to make a meal. We got quite a few servings from one box.