trader joe's ideas?

MUSTLOSENOW55
MUSTLOSENOW55 Posts: 181
in Food and Nutrition
Hey I'm making a trip to trader's today. I'm 26 yrs old, single, and hate to cook lol. Any suggestions for easy healthy things I should pick up for myself? Thanks

Replies

  • kmorris246
    kmorris246 Posts: 312 Member
    Ohhhhhhhh, we just got a Trader Joe's in our area and I'm bumping to hear ideas as well!
  • Danam48
    Danam48 Posts: 129 Member
    *Trader Joe's Field Fresh Chopped Salad With Grilled Chicken Breast - Couscous, Currants, Asiago, Pecans, Sweet Basil Dressing
    Best.Salad.Ever and only 310 calories counting the dressing!
  • joolzsd
    joolzsd Posts: 51
    *Trader Joe's Field Fresh Chopped Salad With Grilled Chicken Breast - Couscous, Currants, Asiago, Pecans, Sweet Basil Dressing
    Best.Salad.Ever and only 310 calories counting the dressing!

    Careful with this one, the package has 2 servings!

    I really like the stuffed bell peppers in the refrigerated section. There are two in the package and are 220 cal each. Very tasty and filling! (A little high in sodium if you are watching that, though.) I love the soups that come in boxes (pumpkin, tomato, roasted corn, butternut squash) and the frozen pizzas are relatively low cal. They have a great selection of frozen veggies too.
  • cheshire29
    cheshire29 Posts: 48
    They have great frozen brown rice. I use it when I make bulk stir fry and put it in Tupperware containers for meals to bring to work.
  • sugarbomb83
    sugarbomb83 Posts: 67 Member
    They have some complete salad kits that has the lettuce, other veggies, and dressing in the bag. I like the complete butter salad kit -- it has almonds, artichokes, and radishes. I can't remember the kind of dressing. The bag has 3 servings of 110 calories each. I usually eat the whole bag as a meal :bigsmile:

    Veggie marsala burgers with mango ginger chutney -- 2 burgers and 2 tbsp of mango ginger chutney is 300 calories.

    Tofu edamame nuggets with sweet chili sauce -- 7 nuggets with 2 tbsp of sweet chili sauce is 330 calories,

    I also love their meatless meatballs! 6 meatballs are 140 calories.

    I could just keep going and going...

    Can you tell I'm a vegetarian?!
  • lesliep107
    lesliep107 Posts: 22 Member
    If you have a high speed blender....
    Trader Joe's Tuscan Kale--all chopped and bagged + Frozen Pineapple Tidbits + Coconut Water = Really fantastic green smoothie!
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Here is a funny video about Trader Joe's (If Trader Joe's had a Commercial): http://youtu.be/OdB7GDZY3Pk
  • a_mandolin_
    a_mandolin_ Posts: 336 Member
    Cranberry goat cheese. To die for. Eat it as a snack on crackers, in a salad, just eat the log like it is corn on the cob...

    I don't know about where you are, but I find their frozen seafood prices to be amazing! A pound of medium cooked shrimp for $6, wild tuna for $5.50/lb... that sutff is double digits in a regular grocery store.

    I like to take about a dozen shrimp out, let them sit in some cold water to unthaw, cook with a little seasoning and voila, an easy and tasty protein to salad.

    Same goes for the flavored chicken sausages (not the thawing process - just cooking and adding to salad). I'm really into the sweet apple, at the moment.

    Wasabi almonds

    22oz of Arrogant *kitten*

    The only thing I"ve had there which I do not like is their greek yogurt. Too thick or something, for my tastes.
  • czapp1
    czapp1 Posts: 18 Member
    the orange chicken and terriyaki chicken are awesome and soooo low in calories--esp. when you compare to what actual general tso's chicken is like for you. grab a veggie fried rice, too. also, pick up some light strong cheese. numnumnum im hungry now
  • 60x60
    60x60 Posts: 75 Member
    We use it primarily for "treats". They have a reduced celtic cheddar cheese that tastes better than many full-fat cheddars. I know you can get it other places, but they carry Country Choice multi-grain hot cereal which is very hearty and only takes about four minutes to cook; it is great. If you are into treats, you can really have a reasonable dessert with the three-ginger snap cookies, ginger cats, etc. Another delight is the dried white peaches.
  • Danam48
    Danam48 Posts: 129 Member
    *Trader Joe's Field Fresh Chopped Salad With Grilled Chicken Breast - Couscous, Currants, Asiago, Pecans, Sweet Basil Dressing
    Best.Salad.Ever and only 310 calories counting the dressing!

    Careful with this one, the package has 2 servings!

    I really like the stuffed bell peppers in the refrigerated section. There are two in the package and are 220 cal each. Very tasty and filling! (A little high in sodium if you are watching that, though.) I love the soups that come in boxes (pumpkin, tomato, roasted corn, butternut squash) and the frozen pizzas are relatively low cal. They have a great selection of frozen veggies too.

    Clearly you and I are looking at two different packages. The salad I was referring to has only 1 serving. I took a picture of the label after your comments just about gave me a panic attack. I am pretty diligent about reading labels

    salad-1.jpg
  • Danam48
    Danam48 Posts: 129 Member
    If you do a search for Trader Joes, I think there is another thread where people list their favorites and you can get more ideas..
  • gabbyshewrote
    gabbyshewrote Posts: 10
    I love Trader Joes! I go weekly. I always buy the frozen turkey burgers, frozen chile lime chicken burgers and frozen turkey meatballs. The frozen produce and bagged salads are great, and usually cheaper then a standard grocery store. Today I also grabbed the reduced guilt popcorn, pumpkin butter, and canned lentil soup.
  • deadmittens
    deadmittens Posts: 536 Member
    their mandarine chicken and fried rice in a bag is great. Anything at trader joe's is great.
  • joolzsd
    joolzsd Posts: 51
    *Trader Joe's Field Fresh Chopped Salad With Grilled Chicken Breast - Couscous, Currants, Asiago, Pecans, Sweet Basil Dressing
    Best.Salad.Ever and only 310 calories counting the dressing!

    Careful with this one, the package has 2 servings!

    Clearly you and I are looking at two different packages. The salad I was referring to has only 1 serving. I took a picture of the label after your comments just about gave me a panic attack. I am pretty diligent about reading labels

    salad-1.jpg

    So so sorry about that!! Must be different suppliers for different regions :( I don't have one in the house at the moment (they were out this week) but ours is definitely two servings... it's 480 cals w/ all the dressing for the whole container. I wish we had the smaller one that you have, actually!
  • cncrafton
    cncrafton Posts: 82 Member
    I live off Trader Joe's, I swear to God.

    For snacks, I love their kettle corn, wasabi peas, peanut butter & oats bars, lentil and potato curls, sea salt and rice crisps, FRUIT FRENZY BARS!!!! (Sorry, I get really excited about that one, hahah).

    For meals, I keep my freezer stocked with:

    Tempura chicken
    Thai jasmine rice
    Vegetable fried rice
    Chile lime chicken burgers
    Bean So Green (a medley of peas, romanesco, broccoli, green beans in a garlicy sauce)
    Roasted red potatoes with peppers and onions
    Just...grilled chicken strips
    Italian Penne Arrabbiata
    Reduced guilt mac and cheese

    Love the whole wheat tortillas as well. Also, they stock frozen cubes of basil and garlic, made by Dorot. I LOVE this. Each cube of the garlic is a clove and it is such an easy way to add flavor or keep garlic on hand without having to keep the actual cloves.
  • Drudoo
    Drudoo Posts: 275 Member
    Fill up your cart with cheap wine...that's all you should need to survive!
  • michmill98
    michmill98 Posts: 83
    So totally not healthy - but I love their dark chocolate coconut bon bons! Coconut is a fruit + dark chocolate antioxidents = good for you, right? :laugh:

    Up until a couple of months ago, there wasn't a TJ in my area, so it was just the occassional lucky spot while travelling. Therefore we tended to get snacks that could easily be eaten in the car/plane. Even now with two of them within 50 miles, I rarely get to those parts of Houston so I couldn't tell you about their "meals". They do have a decent assortment of affordable cheeses if you eat cheese.
  • a_mandolin_
    a_mandolin_ Posts: 336 Member


    Love the whole wheat tortillas as well. Also, they stock frozen cubes of basil and garlic, made by Dorot. I LOVE this. Each cube of the garlic is a clove and it is such an easy way to add flavor or keep garlic on hand without having to keep the actual cloves.

    That sounds delightful, I must look for these! Are they by the frozen veggies/fruits?

    Not like they are big stores, but I still hate wandering :p
  • juliedozier
    juliedozier Posts: 184 Member
    I just bought some candy cane green tea there. It is the best tea I've ever had. I was traveling, we don't have a Trader Joes .. wish I had bought more!
  • Eskimopie
    Eskimopie Posts: 235 Member
    In their refrigerated section near the salads and such are already cooked lentils. Delicious and all you have to do is microwave them. No added ingrediants either, I don't think. I usually add veggies or something else to them, but super quick and tasty!
  • Akumu
    Akumu Posts: 120 Member
    I get a lot of stuff from there. Frozen rice, vegetables, marsala burgers, pre cooked and single packaged chicken breasts, chicken burgers, all sorts of stuff good for one person and very convenient. Scan the freezer section, you can find tons of good stuff to get for quick meals.
  • MissNations
    MissNations Posts: 513 Member
    I love the frozen chicken verde burritos. Top one with salsa, microwave it and you've got a delicious lunch. :flowerforyou:
  • KilikiMom
    KilikiMom Posts: 237 Member
    ohh i LOVE trader joe's!!!! ummmm hrm....i dunno all the thing i reallly like are not that healthy for ya haha! meaning lots of cals!! i do hear the guilt free frozen mac and cheese is good...i hven't tried it yet personally but i want to!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    The reduced guild heat and eat sole and ziti are pretty good; the poblano chicken is ok.
  • cncrafton
    cncrafton Posts: 82 Member


    Love the whole wheat tortillas as well. Also, they stock frozen cubes of basil and garlic, made by Dorot. I LOVE this. Each cube of the garlic is a clove and it is such an easy way to add flavor or keep garlic on hand without having to keep the actual cloves.

    That sounds delightful, I must look for these! Are they by the frozen veggies/fruits?

    Not like they are big stores, but I still hate wandering :p

    Yes, by the frozen vegetables! They're great. :)
  • soulfulsally
    soulfulsally Posts: 326
    Pick up their ready-to-eat salmon. Easy, delicious, good for you. I've been mixing mine lately with Kerrygold butter and garlic flakes. Nice comfort food.

    Make sure you have time to browse around during your first visit. Enjoy the shopping!
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
    If you don't like to prep food, check out the frozen section. Great tamales and enchiladas! Opt for the chicken or black bean ones for lower calories. Also, the frozen meals a lot cheaper than the fresh pre made meals. Also check out the soups. Don't bother with the snacks... just because it's at Trader Joe's, that doesn't mean it's healthy.
  • Aross83
    Aross83 Posts: 936 Member
    I always get:
    Frozen organic brown rice
    organic chicken breast
    marsala burgers
    the frozen organic sweet corn is amazing..
    the frozen organic green beans
    low carb whole wheat wraps
    organic eggs
    greek yogurt
    nuts
    the potstickers are good too
    peanut butter with flax seeds
    the flax seed tortilla chips
    whole kernal organic popping corn
    it goes on and on.. but I always try something new when i go.

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