I'm a dietitian who hates meal planning. Here are 12 things I buy at Trader Joe's to make feeding my family easier.
These are a lifesaver on busy nights — once the tiny spinach-and-ricotta-filled ravioli are in boiling water, they need just a few minutes to cook.
I toss them with butter and salt or pesto, add fruit on the side, and dinner's done. I appreciate that the raviolini contain 7 grams of protein per one-cup serving — and get my kids to eat some spinach.
At $3.50 per 10-ounce pack, these are a budget-friendly meal, too.
The pollo asado works well in tacos, quesadillas, rice bowls, soups, salads, and more.
With minimal meal planning, I don't budget time to marinate meat, so preseasoned proteins like this are convenient staples.
Trader Joe's pollo asado is seasoned with paprika, garlic, onion, lemon juice, and peppers. I throw it in my Instant Pot for 20 minutes (so I can get other things done while it cooks) or grill it for five.
The chicken also freezes well, so I always keep one pack on hand for busy weeks.
The chain's frozen precooked rice is a mealtime hero in my house.
Yes, I have a rice cooker — but some days I need rice ready now.
My kids don't always want the carbs I prepare, so having rice that can be on the table within three minutes is good for my sanity.
Trader Joe's offers jasmine, brown rice, and mixed-grain varieties in the frozen aisle — all are great for building up quick dinners or rounding out leftovers.
I love the microwaveable asparagus from Trader Joe's.
Vegetables usually take the longest for me to prep and cook — and after a full day, I often don't have the time or energy to do it.
So, I love Trader Joe's microwavable asparagus, which steams right in its container for a few minutes. I pair the asparagus with salmon and rice for a simple, heart-healthy meal.
Organic sprouted tofu is the perfect nut- and meat-free protein for lunches.
Since my kids aren't big on sandwiches, I cut and microwave bite-sized pieces of sprouted tofu for them as an easy protein option for lunch.
For an easy dinner, I'll sauté the tofu with garlic and soy sauce. It's a solid choice for the whole family, with 9 grams of protein per serving.
The broccoli and kale slaw salad kit is a top pick when I'm pressed for time.
I don't enjoy making salads from scratch, but salad kits from Trader Joe's come together easily.
I like the broccoli and kale slaw option — with crunchy greens, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and a creamy dressing, it pairs perfectly with leftover salmon or chicken for a quick, balanced meal.
Plus, at only $3.49 per bag, it's a lot more budget-friendly than ordering takeout.
The grilled chimichurri chicken thigh skewers are flavorful and ready in minutes.
These frozen, fully-cooked skewers can be heated up with a grill, oven, or microwave.
I serve the chicken thighs with a salad kit or microwaveable veggies and rice for a fast, complete dinner with minimal cleanup (always a perk).
I rely on many of Trader Joe's frozen meals for my lunches.
While I make my kids' lunches daily, I often forget mine. That's why I stock up on Trader Joe's frozen meals. My favorite is the channa masala — chickpeas stewed in a flavorful onion-y tomato sauce.
Each two-serving container has 12 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber, takes minutes to heat, and keeps me full for the afternoon.
Some of the frozen meals come in handy for dinner — like the shiitake-mushroom chicken.
Many of Trader Joe's frozen meals in a bag are an easy, affordable way to enjoy a dinner that tastes home-cooked but requires minimal prep.
When the kids have leftovers and the adults still need dinner, I reach for the shiitake-mushroom chicken with edamame and green beans in a ginger soy sauce.
It cooks in one pan, can be served on its own or with rice, and packs 20 grams of protein per cup — all for under $5.
Red-lentil sedanini is a great pantry staple for no-fuss, balanced meals.
With 15 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per serving, this lentil pasta is filling enough to enjoy on its own with no extra protein needed.
I pair it with a sauce and veggies for a straightforward meal.
Icelandic-style skyr is a thick, creamy, and satisfying high-protein yogurt.
I keep a few in the fridge for a grab-and-go breakfast, snack, or even a last-minute dinner.
Each single-serving container has about 15 grams of protein with only 5 grams of added sugar — less than what I've found in similar yogurts. At $1.19, it's quite affordable too.
The freeze-dried mango tastes like candy but is 100% fruit.
If I don't have time to pack fruit before heading out, I grab a bag of Trader Joe's unsweetened freeze-dried mango.
The pieces are just fruit, making them a sweet, satisfying snack for both kids and adults. Plus, they're not a bad way to get extra fiber with about 2 grams per serving.
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Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business Insider
I'm a dietitian who hates meal planning. Here are 12 things I buy at Trader Joe's to make feeding my family easier.
Trader Joe's spinach and ricotta raviolini can be ready in minutes. These are a lifesaver on busy nights — once the tiny spinach-and-ricotta-filled ravioli are in boiling water, they need just a few minutes to cook. I toss them with butter and salt or pesto, add fruit on the side, and dinner's done. I appreciate that the raviolini contain 7 grams of protein per one-cup serving — and get my kids to eat some spinach. At $3.50 per 10-ounce pack, these are a budget-friendly meal, too. The pollo asado works well in tacos, quesadillas, rice bowls, soups, salads, and more. With minimal meal planning, I don't budget time to marinate meat, so preseasoned proteins like this are convenient staples. Trader Joe's pollo asado is seasoned with paprika, garlic, onion, lemon juice, and peppers. I throw it in my Instant Pot for 20 minutes (so I can get other things done while it cooks) or grill it for five. The chicken also freezes well, so I always keep one pack on hand for busy weeks. The chain's frozen precooked rice is a mealtime hero in my house. Yes, I have a rice cooker — but some days I need rice ready now. My kids don't always want the carbs I prepare, so having rice that can be on the table within three minutes is good for my sanity. Trader Joe's offers jasmine, brown rice, and mixed-grain varieties in the frozen aisle — all are great for building up quick dinners or rounding out leftovers. I love the microwaveable asparagus from Trader Joe's. Vegetables usually take the longest for me to prep and cook — and after a full day, I often don't have the time or energy to do it. So, I love Trader Joe's microwavable asparagus, which steams right in its container for a few minutes. I pair the asparagus with salmon and rice for a simple, heart-healthy meal. Organic sprouted tofu is the perfect nut- and meat-free protein for lunches. Since my kids aren't big on sandwiches, I cut and microwave bite-sized pieces of sprouted tofu for them as an easy protein option for lunch. For an easy dinner, I'll sauté the tofu with garlic and soy sauce. It's a solid choice for the whole family, with 9 grams of protein per serving. The broccoli and kale slaw salad kit is a top pick when I'm pressed for time. I don't enjoy making salads from scratch, but salad kits from Trader Joe's come together easily. I like the broccoli and kale slaw option — with crunchy greens, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and a creamy dressing, it pairs perfectly with leftover salmon or chicken for a quick, balanced meal. Plus, at only $3.49 per bag, it's a lot more budget-friendly than ordering takeout. The grilled chimichurri chicken thigh skewers are flavorful and ready in minutes. These frozen, fully-cooked skewers can be heated up with a grill, oven, or microwave. I serve the chicken thighs with a salad kit or microwaveable veggies and rice for a fast, complete dinner with minimal cleanup (always a perk). I rely on many of Trader Joe's frozen meals for my lunches. While I make my kids' lunches daily, I often forget mine. That's why I stock up on Trader Joe's frozen meals. My favorite is the channa masala — chickpeas stewed in a flavorful onion-y tomato sauce. Each two-serving container has 12 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber, takes minutes to heat, and keeps me full for the afternoon. Some of the frozen meals come in handy for dinner — like the shiitake-mushroom chicken. Many of Trader Joe's frozen meals in a bag are an easy, affordable way to enjoy a dinner that tastes home-cooked but requires minimal prep. When the kids have leftovers and the adults still need dinner, I reach for the shiitake-mushroom chicken with edamame and green beans in a ginger soy sauce. It cooks in one pan, can be served on its own or with rice, and packs 20 grams of protein per cup — all for under $5. Red-lentil sedanini is a great pantry staple for no-fuss, balanced meals. With 15 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per serving, this lentil pasta is filling enough to enjoy on its own with no extra protein needed. I pair it with a sauce and veggies for a straightforward meal. Icelandic-style skyr is a thick, creamy, and satisfying high-protein yogurt. I keep a few in the fridge for a grab-and-go breakfast, snack, or even a last-minute dinner. Each single-serving container has about 15 grams of protein with only 5 grams of added sugar — less than what I've found in similar yogurts. At $1.19, it's quite affordable too. The freeze-dried mango tastes like candy but is 100% fruit. If I don't have time to pack fruit before heading out, I grab a bag of Trader Joe's unsweetened freeze-dried mango. The pieces are just fruit, making them a sweet, satisfying snack for both kids and adults. Plus, they're not a bad way to get extra fiber with about 2 grams per serving.
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business Insider
I tried potato salad from Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Wegmans. One stood out as the clear winner.
No summertime barbecue or picnic is complete without a few good side dishes, and a scoop of potato salad makes a great addition to a juicy cheeseburger, a plate of smoky ribs, or a hearty deli sandwich. To me, a good potato salad has a satisfying mix of textures, and enough flavor to liven up the potatoes without overpowering them. With barbecue season upon us, I decided to try the house-brand potato salads from Wegmans, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods to see how they compare. Here's how I ranked them, from worst to first. Prices may vary by location. Wegmans potato salad was the most expensive A pound of Wegmans potato salad cost me $5.50, which was the most I paid at any of the stores. This potato salad looked a bit soupier than the others I tried, with chunks of potato, celery, and pepper flakes floating in the mayo-heavy base. The potatoes themselves turned out to be the mealiest of any I tried, but there was a nice bit of crunch to the celery and a bit of peppery spice that I liked. There was also an unexpected earthiness from the onions, and they tasted as if they'd been sautéed. This potato salad wasn't bad, but it was my least favorite of the three I tried. In my opinion, it was a little heavy for a poolside barbecue side dish. Since it was also the most expensive, it was an easy choice for third place. I would buy Trader Joe's potato salad again Trader Joe's potato salad cost a little less than Wegmans, at $5 a pound. Of the three salads I tried, it was the most consistent in appearance. It honestly looked and tasted more like egg salad to me, but the yolk-heavy creaminess was enjoyable, and I liked the nice hint of vinegary tang. This was the sweetest of the three potato salads I tried, which isn't necessarily a selling point for me. I also thought it had the least texture. The potatoes were mushy, and the small bits of celery offered little to no crunch. I didn't love it, but it was good enough that I'd buy it again if I were at Trader Joe's and needed potato salad. The Whole Foods Red Bliss potato salad was the clear winner Of the three stores I visited, Whole Foods was the only one that packed my potato salad fresh to order at the deli counter. I can't say for sure if that makes a difference, but the Red Bliss potato salad was undoubtedly the most visually appealing of the three I tried. Red potato skins and green chives added plenty of color to the visibly creamy salad. Although it typically costs $6, it was marked down to $4.50 per pound the day that I went. So, Whole Foods' potato salad was the least expensive of the three, and from the first bite, the clear winner in quality. The potatoes had a nice, hearty texture, the celery was crunchy, and the salad packed a strong, delicious mustard flavor. Since Whole Foods' entry was the least expensive, the best-looking, and the tastiest, its top ranking was a no-brainer. From now on, when the shopping list calls for potato salad, I'll steer toward Whole Foods.
Los Angeles Times
10-08-2025
- Los Angeles Times
What's better than a summer tomato? Make these easy peak-of-season recipes
There comes a moment every year around mid-August when the days are noticeably shorter and the reality hits: I gotta start eating more tomatoes! For the first half of my life, tomatoes were the one food I truly could not stand. When we dined out, I looked for the weirdest thing I could find on the menu and ordered that. At home, I requested liver and onions. But a tomato? Even the memory of a slice on a sandwich, one lonely seed or a speck of the mush that encased it, made me gag. That changed in my mid-twenties when I tasted my first 'real' tomato from a farmer's market. It was, again, August, and the tomato was a big, lumpy, misshapen thing, an off-shade of red, with a thin skin, a firm, meaty texture and all the flavor I presume a tomato is supposed to have. I'm not going to sit here and try to describe the flavor of a tomato for you. It's summer in Southern California. Go buy one! The tomato that blew my mind was an heirloom, which refers to tomatoes grown from seeds that have been passed down through the generations. They're, as my mom would say, the 'real deal.' (Many heirloom tomatoes marketed as 'heirloom' in grocery stores aren't really that.) Heirlooms are the pinnacle of tomato greatness, but any good summer tomato, such as a beefsteak tomato, Early Girl or Sungold, is something to celebrate — and savor. When you see them, buy them. Like a good vintage find: My rule of thumb is buy what you love and figure out what to do with it later. For me, what to do with it often includes using the tomatoes in a quick and easy Greek-inspired salad of wedged tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes with Persian cucumber, sliced red onion, fresh parsley, mint or both, crumbled feta, olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt. To make it a meal, add a can of garbanzo beans or Garlic Croutons. BLTs, as far as I'm concerned, are a summer food. So when the first heirlooms make their way home, I make my first BLT sandwiches. I make them on sliced country bread, toasted, slathered with good mayo, meaty thick-sliced bacon (my favorite these days is Trader Joe's black forest bacon), a leaf or two of lettuce (butter lettuce is my preference) and a big slab of heirloom tomato, salted. (If it's not the best BLT you've ever had, let me know what is.) One of my favorite things to do with the giant lumpy heirlooms is to slice them, lay them on a platter, drizzle them with oil, sprinkle them with salt and, from there, any number of things can happen. I might dress a big bowl of arugula and pile it on top. Or spoon tuna salad over the tomatoes. (That could be regular ol' American style or chunks of Italian tuna mixed with sliced red onion and parsley.) I discovered the magic of shell beans on tomatoes such as simple stewed white beans or borlotti beans while doing a weeklong internship at Chez Panisse (yes, it was August) and fresh basil or Nancy Silverton's Shell Bean Salad. Nothing about Grilled Sardines With White Bean Salad And Pesto, for me, wouldn't be better on a bed of heirloom tomatoes. And instead of a traditional Caprese made of sliced tomatoes layered with sliced mozzarella (Ti amo, Italia, but can we mix it up a bit?), I add spoonfuls of fresh burrata and a sprinkling of fresh basil leaves. Any of these would make a light meal, and even better with Buttery Garlic Bread on the side. I love that former L.A. Times Food editor Russ Parsons turns that simple platter of heirlooms into a recipe, and not just a shopping list, by putting pickled shallots on top — and that he mentions my all-time favorite name for a tomato: Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter, so named, so the story goes, because selling the seeds enabled this radiator repair guy, Charlie, to pay off his mortgage. Not all heirloom tomatoes have such colorful names, but they are just as colorful — they come in a rainbow of shades of pink, yellow, orange, green and striped — and like all heirlooms, they have a story. In a world where nearly anything and everything is at your access at all time, there's something nice about a thin-skinned, lumpy, misshapen tomato that tastes as it did 100 years ago. Something that doesn't travel. Has a shelf life of a fish out of water. And that, like fresh powder or Christmas, you have to wait all year long for. Something for which there really is no substitute and that, like rainbows, cannot be recreated. That's what makes them special. You just can't get it when you can't get it. So when you can, do! As the saying goes: Carpe freaking tomato! Eating out this week? Sign up for Tasting Notes to get our restaurant experts' insights and off-the-cuff takes on where they're dining right now. American-born Florence-adopted Italian food aficionado Faith Willinger passes the tomatoes through a strainer to remove the seeds, leaving only the sweet pulp and juice for this silky, luxurious tomato salad. Serve it with toasted bread doused in olive oil and burrata or mozzarella on the side. Talk about a girl the recipe. Serves 6 to 8. Cooking time: 15 minutes. Pan con tomate is a simple Spanish delight that consists of toasted bread smeared with the insides of a (really good) tomato. This recipe suggests that the tomato is 'gently' rubbed on the toast. The way I've been taught to make it, and the way I recommend, is that you rub the tomato on the toast until all the delicious pulp is on or in the toast and the only thing left in your hand is its thin the 1 or 2. Cooking time: 10 minutes. Heirloom tomato season for me always means summer spaghetti. This recipe closely reflects how I make mine. Skip the step of skinning the tomatoes because heirloom tomatoes have thin skins. I toss the pasta in the same bowl the chopped tomatoes are in. This version is served cold. I like it the 4. Cooking time: 20 minutes. This salad from L.A.'s 'chicken chef' Josiah Citrin couldn't be simpler — and if you buy the roasted chicken instead of roasting it — which (shhh!) I would — it requires no heat. Just to go overboard with the tomatoes, I'd serve it on a bed of sliced heirlooms. And if I were looking to beef it up, I'd add some white beans — and why not double down on the basil while you're at the recipe. Serves 2. Cooking time: 25 minutes. Russ Parsons managed to turn a simple platter of sliced heirloom tomatoes into a recipe (and not just a shopping list) by putting pickled shallots on top. With goat cheese toast, it's a midsummer night's the recipe. Serves 4 to 6. Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes. If you remember Hungry Cat, the casual seafood-forward restaurant by chef David Lentz, you probably also remember its tomato and watermelon salad. Dressed with a sweet watermelon vinaigrette and topped with peppery arugula, it's summertime on a the 4. Cooking time: 40 minutes. Preserve the flavor of summer with this tomato conserva from chef Paul Bertolli's game-changing book Cooking by Hand. Spoon it into pasta sauce, risotto, soups, braises and stews. This recipe calls for 5 pounds of tomatoes, so it's the recipe if you find yourself with a farmers market haul that is quickly over-ripening, or if you've grown your own and have more than you know what to do the 1¼ cups. Cooking time: 20 minutes.
