These are the best of TJ’s low calorie entrees. Tasty and relatively filling. Serve with a side salad or sautéed greens for a complete meal. Location: Frozen foods section Quantity: 8.5 oz box, 1 serving per box Calories: 270 calories per serving, 60 calories from fat Cost: $2.69
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Pakoras (vegan)
These are very tasty and have a nice crispy texture without being greasy. Bake them in the oven, instead of microwaving, to maintain the texture. Makes a great side dish for an Indian meal and good enough to serve as a party appetizer. The enclosed tamarind chutney sauce is really good. I wish TJ’s carried […]
Trader Joe’s Mac ‘n Cheese
TJ’s macaroni and cheese is delicious (very creamy and satisfying), but as expected high in calories and fat. The reduced-guilt version isn’t nearly as good – skimpy sauce and cheese. I’d rather have half a container of this mac ‘n cheese than a whole container of the diet one. Location: Frozen foods case Quantity: 14 […]
Trader Joe’s Fudge Sauce
TJ’s Crew Members frequently rave about the caramel sauce, but I think the fudge sauce is better. It’s not overly sweet and stays nice and creamy even in the fridge. Makes a great topping for vanilla ice cream with some added nuts or granola for crunch. Location: Grocery shelves typically above the ice cream. Quantity: […]
Trader Joe’s Pineapple Juice
TJ’s chilled pineapple juice is very fresh, refreshing and great in smoothies. The ingredients are pineapple juice – no color, no preservatives and not from concentrate. I was amused to see that Pink Berry (my favorite frozen yogurt store) uses this juice for their smoothies. Location: Refrigerated section, usually near the milk and yogurt Quantity: […]
Trader Joe’s French Toast
I prefer TJ’s frozen French Toast over the frozen waffles, because they aren’t as dry and look more homemade (less of a food service appearance). You may need to toast a little longer than expected to keep the inside from being cold or soggy. Great topped with fresh fruit and nuts and accompanied by veggie […]
Trader Joe’s Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
One of the few family size entrees at Trader Joe’s. This is really tasty and just needs a salad to become a complete meal. Warning though, this has a lot of veggies, so it may not go over with kids as well as a typical cheesy lasagna. Location: Frozen food case Quantity: 32 oz box, […]
Trader Joe’s Organic Mixed Medley Cherry Tomatoes (vegan)
Convenient, handy and colorful. I eat these as a snack and add them to salads and pasta. My store always has these, but the assortment changes a bit throughout the year. The pear shaped yellow ones are my favorite. I usually leave half the tomatoes at room temperature on my kitchen counter and put the other half […]
Trader Joe’s Creamy Polenta with Spinach & Carrots
This is one of my go-to comfort foods. It’s good as-is, but benefits from some added salt, ground pepper, a splash of olive oil, and some shredded parmesan cheese. Don’t over stir or it’ll get gummy and keep a lid on so it doesn’t dry out. Location: Frozen case, plastic bag Quantity: 16 oz, […]
Trader Joe’s Chocolate Croissants
Trader Joe’s carries chocolate, almond and sometimes pumpkin croissants. The chocolate is my favorite. I don’t typically like products that require a lot of lead time. I have only soaked beans overnight once in my life! These croissants require overnight rising but this works out OK. I generally see them in the freezer when I’m […]