The Top 5 Healthy, Frozen Trader Joe's Meals (from a TJ's Employee!)

I love frozen food during busy times. It’s easy and convenient. It’s inexpensive. And fun fact: it’s often just as nutritious as fresh food.

Frozen produce – like fruit and vegetables – are especially amazing frozen. Most fruit and veggies are picked, harvested and frozen when they’re at their peak, meaning that the frozen versions will have just as many nutrients and taste as good as their fresh counterparts. This is especially true when a fruit or veggie is out of season. For example, blueberries – in season in the summer – will be super expensive and probably not taste so great in the winter. Instead, buying them frozen means they’ll be cheaper, taste better and likely have retained more of their nutrients too.

This is also true with the produce in frozen meals. And let’s be real: another huge perk of frozen food is that it lasts longer in your freezer – you don’t have to worry about anything going bad by day 5. It’s also often super inexpensive. And, frozen food is easy to prepare. Most of the time, pretty much all you have to do is put it in the microwave

I’m a big fan of frozen food for the ease and convenience it provides. When you’re really busy or if you’re new to cooking, frozen meals can make the idea of cooking seem so much less daunting. I’m all for them. They’re much easier than cooking anything else from scratch.

So, what do you look for in a frozen meal? In general, try to find frozen meals that contain both protein and fiber. These two nutrients are key in any meal so that it keeps you full. Around at least 5-6 grams of both is ideal. And the more, the better!

Other than that, the only other nutrient of concern in frozen meals is usually the sodium. Salt is added to frozen food to help it retain its flavor and to preserve freshness while frozen. So you know what to look for, as a general rule of thumb, look for options that have 500 milligrams or less of sodium per serving.

And, because I wouldn’t leave ya hanging like that either, I consulted my dietetic intern, Leah, to find the best frozen options for you. Leah works at Trader Joe’s and knows the ins and outs of almost all of the products there, and because you loved her last TJ’s post, she’s sharing her top 5 picks for healthy, filling and delicious frozen meals at Trader Joe’s.

Leah’s top 5 healthy frozen meals at Trader Joe’s – take it away Leah:

1) Chana Masala

This Chana Masala is my tried and true favorite Trader Joe’s frozen meal. I discovered it during my junior year of college and it became an instant favorite. I love that the first few ingredients are all vegetables: onions, chickpeas, and tomatoes. With only 460 milligrams of sodium, plus 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein per serving, this product makes a filling meal all on its own. But, it’s still a little small. To make it even more balanced: try sopping up the delicious sauce with some whole wheat pita or serve it over brown rice. Or, do you have spinach that’s about to wilt? Stir it into this dish when it comes out of the microwave and let the residual heat wilt it down. It’s a super easy way to get some extra greens in and clean out your fridge.

2) Riced Cauliflower Bowl

Okay, truth: the first time I had this Riced Cauliflower Bowl, I was underwhelmed. I wanted to love it. I love the concept of a frozen “grain” style bowl made with cauliflower rice. I love how it has a lot of veggies and that it’s made with tahini. But every time I had it, I felt there was something missing. Eventually, I realized that even though this bowl comes with tahini sauce, just there isn’t enough of it. Thankfully, there’s an easy fix here: add some more sauce. Easy options include adding extra lemon tahini dressing (just combine lemon juice, tahini, water, salt, and mix!), adding plain tahini on its own, or adding some mashed avocado. I tried it both ways and these easily did the trick.

This bowl has 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, and just 160 mg of sodium per serving (extremely low sodium content for a frozen meal!). One serving of this product has only 120 calories, which is a little too low for a meal. I recommended eating the whole thing (2 servings) to up the fiber, protein and calorie content to make the meal a little more complete. Then plus, with the added tahini or avocado, you’ve got a completely balanced, nutritious and delicious meal.

3) Creamy Polenta with Spinach and Carrots

Polenta is one of those foods that can be intimidating if you’ve never encountered it, but don’t let it scare you! It’s essentially just coarsely ground cornmeal that acts as a base for both sweet and savory dishes. Think of it as a starchy food that acts as a blank slate for cooking. I love this Creamy Polenta as an intro to polenta because it’s so simple to make. When you add it into a pan to cook, you might be surprised by large cloud-like frozen pieces. These are just the chunks of frozen polenta that will end up melting down and combining with the veggies for a smooth and creamy end result.

One serving of this polenta has 4 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and only 220 milligrams of sodium (super low for a frozen product). As far as protein and fiber, this product is slightly on the lower end. I recommend adding a few easy additions, like kale or spinach that will cook down while this cooks. Or, for added protein to make this meal completely filling and balanced, easy options to add include chickpeas or sliced chicken sausage.

4) Spelt Risotto with Vegetables and Chickpeas

So, I’ve actually never tried this Spelt Risotto before. BUT, I feel confident recommending it to you because I’ve had SO many customers rave about it. I mean, what could be bad about creamy risotto with veggies? I love that this product uses spelt because it adds a lot of protein and makes for an interesting twist on a traditional risotto. With a whopping 10 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber per serving, this product will likely be filling enough on its own.

Like with other frozen meals though, feel free to add in any extras to give the meal a little boost. This meal is definitely on the smaller side on its own, so adding a little more food is a good idea. For any of these, a great option is to add in frozen veggies. You can cook them with the frozen meal (either in the microwave or on the stovetop) – they’re just as easy to make and just as nutritious.

5) Saucy Scallops with Mushrooms

I love this product for a lot of reasons, but mainly because of this heartwarming story the first time I bought it: I was in college shopping at TJ’s in Vermont (before I worked there). I decided I would try this, and threw it in my cart without much thought. When I got to the register and it rang up at $6, I decided it wasn't worth trying something new at that cost. I told the cashier that I changed my mind because I didn’t expect it to cost that much (okay, looking back they were not that expensive but remember, broke college student mindset). The cashier nonchalantly said that I could have them for FREE! His exact words were something like, “you can try it on us. I know you’ll love it and be hooked.” I was so shocked that they just gave away a product like it was no big deal. I would later learn (when I started working for TJ’s the following year) that employees actually have the liberty to do these kinds of things for customers when they see fit. How freaking cool?! I actually told this exact story when they interviewed me and asked why I was interested in the company. It was something seemingly small that totally stayed with me.

So, besides the lovely sentiment that this meal will always remind me of, these Saucy Scallops in a cheese sauce are to die for. This meal has 13 grams of protein, 1 gram of fiber, only 330mg sodium per serving and 150 calories per serving. To make this a complete meal, and up the fiber content, pair with frozen brown rice or add it on top of whole wheat pasta. This is a great option for when you're craving something rich, indulgent, and heartwarming. It will forever remind me of that story and of the lovely spirit of TJ’s.

This blog post is not sponsored by Trader Joe’s - just written by an employee who really loves it.

Want to learn more about easy, balanced and healthy meals? Check out All Foods Fit, the membership program with 12 lessons designed to teach you how to eat healthy in realistic, simple and convenient ways. Or check out my e-book, 7 Days to Make All Foods Fit, a perfect introduction to healthy eating without the side of guilt.