Trader Joe’s has an extensive selection of dried and frozen grains, including pasta, rice, quinoa, spelt and more. In addition, there are fresh soba and udon noodles in the chilled case and several grain based bowls near the soups.
Dried grains make a healthy and inexpensive base for many meals, including stir fries, spaghetti, and grain & bean combos. However, if you’re often short on time or just too hungry or impatient to cook dried grains, check out TJ’s selection of frozen grains. Many of these are already seasoned and combined with vegetables, beans or sauce for a quick and tasty entree or side dish.
Trader Joe’s carries shelf-stable, cooked brown rice, but the texture is very sturdy. Use this only if you’ll be using it with something that contains a lot of moisture like soup or a curry dish.
For potato fans, there’s a choice of frozen french fries (garlic or sweet potato) and a couple roasted potato options (with and without vegetables).
The chilled case sometimes contains rice or potatoes side dishes, such as wild rice or scalloped potatoes.