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You are here: Home / Smart Spending / Best Trader Joe’s Dinner Ideas

Best Trader Joe’s Dinner Ideas

06.10.2019 by admin // 6 Comments

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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. 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 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 Trader Joe’s dinner recipes.

The Best Trader Joe’s Ravioli: Cacio E Pepe Ravioli

Trader Joe's Cacio e Pepe, Trader Joe's dinner recipes

New for 2020, the Cacio e Pepe Ravioli at Trader Joe’s is the best Trader Joe’s ravioli I have ever had! It’s so good you don’t even need to add sauce. The frozen Cacio e Pepe was sold out when I went, so I’m not sure how it compares.

Trader Joe’s Cheese Fiocchetti with Pink Sauce

Trader Joe's cheese fiocchetti with pink sauce, trader joe's dinners

Another new 2020 Trader Joe’s item is the Cheese Fiocchetti. This quick Trader Joe’s meal is made by putting the ingredients in a skillet with water and stirring. Easy meal ready in less than 10 minutes! This was the first time I bought this pasta and I will definitely buy it again.

Trader Joe’s Balsamic Rosemary Beef Steak Tips

Trader Joe's Balsamic Rosemary Beef Steak Tips, best trader joe's dinners

The Trader Joe’s Balsamic Rosemary Beef Steak Tips aren’t new, but were new to me. I bought this steak for the first time this year and it’s quickly become my favorite meat at Trader Joe’s! The rosemary seasoning is so flavorful. It’s also easy to freeze.

Trader Joe’s Peppered Beef Hanger Steak

The Trader Joe’s Peppered Beef Hanger Steak is another Trader Joe’s meal ready in minutes. Pre-marinated, all you need to do is put it on the grill. My favorite pre-marinated steak is the steak tips, but this is also on regular rotation in my household.

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 Meals In Minutes: Chili Lime Burgers and Guacamole

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 Meals In Minutes: Yellow Jackfruit Curry with Jasmine Rice

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!

Easy Trader Joe's Dinner Ideas: Mandarin Orange Chicken and Organic Jasmine Rice. Another Trader Joe meals in minutes!

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.

Best Trader Joe's Quick Meals: Chicken & Vegetable Wonton Soup

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 Meals In Minutes: Thai Vegetable Gyoza

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.

Easy Trader Joe's Dinner Ideas: Sweet Potato Gnocchi

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 Meals in Minutes: Sweet Italian Sausage & 4- Cheese Ravioli

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.

Best Trader Joe's Quick Meals: Ricotta & Lemon Zest Ravioli

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.

Best Trader Joe's Quick Meals: Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage

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?

Trader Joe's Meals in Minutes Pinterest Pin

Related

Categories // Smart Spending Tags // Cheap Meals, Food, Recipes

Comments

  1. Time In the Market says

    March 17, 2020 at 8:56 pm

    Good choice. I’m partial to the Palak Paneer frozen meals. I eat one of those daily and hope they never get rid of it, it’s a staple for me.

    Reply
    • admin says

      March 21, 2020 at 12:28 pm

      That is now one of my staples too!

      Reply
  2. semiretireplan says

    June 3, 2019 at 5:07 pm

    Awesome! My wife and I are big Trader Joe’s fans for tasty budget dinners as well. Aldi is an excellent choice too!

    Reply
    • admin says

      June 10, 2019 at 4:27 pm

      I went to an Aldi’s for the first time over the weekend, I’ll need to look up tips from someone! Ended up walking out with fruit as I wasn’t sure what to get and didn’t go in with a list.

      Reply
      • semiretireplan says

        June 10, 2019 at 4:45 pm

        Yeah the fruit prices are the best. The Winking Owl brand wine and the beer is also pretty solid for the price. Also, they have store brand versions of popular Girl Scout cookie flavors and they are super inexpensive.

        Can you tell I like the prices there? Haha

        Reply
        • admin says

          June 10, 2019 at 6:33 pm

          Thanks for the tips!!

          Reply

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