I’m a dietitian. Here are my 10 favorite things to buy at Trader Joe’s for quick, easy meals.

I work as a dietitian in New York City, and Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite places to buy groceries.

The chain has a rotating variety of staples that make meal prep easy, plus premade dinners and ingredients that are easy to elevate.

Here are a few of my favorite things to buy at Trader Joe’s.

I keep spatchcocked lemon-rosemary chicken ready to go in my fridge.

I keep Trader Joe’s marinated chicken in my fridge for quick dinners. Having an already-prepped chicken saves me some time and energy for lazy-day meals.

I typically pop the spatchcocked lemon-rosemary chicken in the oven with some potatoes and zucchini for a balanced meal of protein, starch, and vegetables on one tray. 

Trader Joe’s spinach tortellini is the star of a quick and cozy dinner.

Trader Joe’s spinach tortellini is perfect on nights when I’m too tired to make a big meal but want something warm and cozy.

The cheese- and spinach-filled pasta is ready in just two to three minutes. A one-cup serving is a good source of protein, fiber, and iron, and only has 230 milligrams of sodium.

Add some roasted vegetables on top for a little extra fiber and flavor, and this is the perfect lazy-day meal.

The chain’s shrimp seafood burgers are easy to prepare.

I like to bake these shrimp patties, but you also have the option to grill or pan-fry them.

The burgers have a pretty short ingredient list and contain only 210 milligrams of sodium, leaving room for tons of toppings and condiments.

I serve them with tomato and lettuce on top of a whole-wheat bun for some extra fiber.

Italian-style meatballs are the perfect final touch for a filling pasta dinner.

Trader Joe’s Italian-style meatballs are one of my favorite frozen foods to have on hand.

They’re fully cooked, so they’re even microwave-friendly for those who don’t have an oven or stovetop. 

Of course, the Italian-style meatballs are perfect to add protein to pasta dishes, but I also like to use them for sandwiches and soups. 

I spice up dinner with a Cuban-style citrus-garlic bowl.

Frozen TV-style dinners will always be a comforting, quick fix, and Trader Joe’s has tons to offer. I especially love the Cuban-style bowl because of its balance of carbs and protein and its great flavor.

Frozen dinners with thick sauces or big seasoning packets are typically going to be high in sodium, fat, or both. So, I’ll sometimes cook extra pasta or rice and mix it into the bowl to distribute the sodium or fat.

This way, the sauce and seasonings still coat the ingredients — and I can have extra portions with cut-down sodium and fat content.

Meal prep is easy with Trader Joe’s mirepoix.

One of the most time-consuming parts of cooking is the preparation, so I love keeping precut vegetables on hand to make meals feel a lot less labor-intensive.

Trader Joe’s mirepoix is a basic combo of celery, carrots, and onions that are perfect to add to soups, stews, sautées, or sauces.

Oven-roasted chicken breast is good for snacks and lunches.

Sometimes, making a meal that reminds me of a school lunch is just what I need. 

I usually keep Trader Joe’s oven-roasted chicken-breast slices on hand as a base for a refreshing sandwich. Add them on top of whole-wheat bread with some lettuce, tomato, and cheese for a simple, no-cook lunch.

They’re also great to have on hand as a snack rolled up with cheese and paired with fruit.

I swear by Trader Joe’s sweet-potato gnocchi with butter and sage.

Though Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi has had its reign, I also want to give the sweet-potato version some time to shine.

It’s not always available, but Trader Joe’s sweet-potato variation has tons of flavor and tastes similar to traditional gnocchi.

I like to prepare the sweet-potato gnocchi on the stovetop with some precooked sausage and vegetables for an easy one-pan meal.

Lentils can add filling fiber and protein to just about any meal.

Fiber- and protein-rich lentils are a great ingredient to base any meal around. Trader Joe’s steamed lentils have just a bit of seasoning, so they’re not overloaded with sodium and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

I love using them for a classic lentil soup, but you can also add them to salads or wraps.

Ready-to-eat Mediterranean-style salad kits are a lunch staple.

When I buy Trader Joe’s premade salads, I always make sure they include some protein source so I know I won’t be hungry again an hour after I eat it.

Between the feta, chickpeas, flatbread, and tomatoes, Trader Joe’s Mediterranean-style salad has a good balance of ingredients that keeps me satisfied.

Click to keep reading Trader Joe’s diaries like this one.

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