Best Trader Joe’s Dinner Ideas

The best Trader Joe’s meals are ready in minutes and require limited prep. These dinner ideas are easy to make when you don’t have time to cook / don’t feel like cooking.

What I love most about Trader Joe’s is not only how many quick meals they sell but that there are also healthy options. They don’t have as much sodium or preservatives as the typical TV dinner meal. It’s also easy to freeze the refrigerated meals so that no food goes to waste. I do one big shopping trip one weekend that lasts me a few weeks. This also helps save money because we don’t find ourselves in a bind and have to eat out.

Below are the 10 best Trader Joe’s meals in minutes. Many of these quick dinners are also frozen so it’s easy to buy three weeks worth of groceries at once. And, while you’re at Trader Joe’s, don’t forget to pick up some Trader Joe’s snacks! What’s best of all – these dinner ideas are also cheap! When it’s just me, each of these can stretch for a few meals. If I’m eating dinner with my partner, we usually double the pastas. When we know we’ll have time to cook the upcoming week I create meal plans and buy ingredients from Trader Joe’s for these recipes.

Whole30 Approved Trader Joe’s Meal In Minutes: Chili Lime Chicken Burgers with Guacamole

Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Chicken Burgers with Guacamole is quick and healthy. This meal was one of my go to meals when I did Whole 30. In total it cost less than $8 and last multiple meals. This Whole 30 approved frozen meal at Trader Joe’s requires almost no effort to prepare. Even though the guacamole is more expensive in these snack packs (and avocados $1.70/ each) I’ve found it cheaper to buy these. I never know when I’m going to eat this. Avocados or regular guacamole tends to go bad quickly and then I have to buy more. With these snack packs of 6 servings you only have to open what you need and can make these last for a few weeks. We usually eat this without a bun to cut carbs.

Trader Joe’s Yellow Jackfruit Curry with Jasmine Rice

The Yellow Jackfruit Curry with Jasmine Rice from Trader Joe’s is great dinner for 1 and this dinner is also vegan! This Trader Joe’s prepared meal is ready in minutes and cost ~$3.

Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken and Organic Jasmine Rice

Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken is one of their most popular products for a reason! This Trader Joe’s prepared meal takes a little longer as the oven needs to preheat and 25 minutes to cook. At only $5 per bag, this dinner is also cheap. The Organic Jasmine Rice takes only 3 minutes in the microwave and comes with three pouches!

Trader Joe’s Chicken & Vegetable Wonton Soup

This is a great dinner when you want something light but filling. Another Trader Joe’s meal in minutes. While not expensive at $3, if you’re only looking for soup a cheaper alternative is to buy one of their boxed soups that last multiple meals but is a little less hearty.

My Personal Favorite Trader Joe’s Quick Dinner: Thai Vegetable Gyoza

Trader Joe’s Thai Vegetable Gyoza are one of my favorite Trader Joe’s quick meals. In total, this takes less than 10 minutes and adds some variety to a weekly quick meal plan. This dinner is also cheap at approx $4 per bag and last multiple meals. I like to use their Coconut Amino Sauce instead of Soy Sauce and make these with the 3 minute Jasmine Rice.

Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi

The Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi is not the healthiest meal on the list but it is definitely delicious. For 2 people I usually make 2 bags and each bag cost about $3.

Trader Joe’s Breaded Eggplant

Trader Joe’s Breaded Eggplant can make a few dinners for one person. If I want to make this Trader Joe’s meal in minutes, I’ll make these in the toaster over and sometimes put some sauce and cheese on top to make a very quick eggplant parmesan. It’s much quicker than making eggplant parmesan from scratch and then waiting another 30-40 minutes for it to bake. This dinner is also cheap with each box costing less than $3.

Trader Joe’s Sweet Italian Sausage & 4-Cheese Ravioli

This ravioli available year round is one of the heartiest ravioli meals at Trader Joe’s. For two people we usually make 2 of these, costing us about $7 in total. I make my own sauce and freeze it and usually use this with that. Even if you use store bought sauce ($2), it only lasts a week in the fridge so make sure you freeze any extra so you can use it for later. All of the pre made pasta dishes from Trader Joe’s are meals ready in minutes and are easy to freeze for later so you don’t have to throw it out if you don’t get around to eating pasta that week.

Trader Joe’s Ricotta & Lemon Zest Ravioli

Trader Joe’s Ricotta & Lemon Zest Ravioli is one of my favorite pasta dishes in the spring and summer. This seasonal ravioli tastes great with butter or olive oil. For two people we usually make two of these and cost about $7 in total.

Bonus: Trader Joe’s Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage

Trader Joe’s Spicy Italian Sausage is also Whole 30 approved! I’ll make these with eggs and do a breakfast for dinner meal. Each package cost about $4. Other times I’ll make pasta ($1) and sauce ($2) and add the sausage to the pasta dish.

There you have it, over a weeks worth of Trader Joe’s dinner ideas that are quick, easy and cheap. What are your favorite Trader Joe’s meals that are ready in minutes?