As a mom and dietitian, I'm a big fan of the ingredients and meals at Trader Joe's.Shoshana Pritzker
- As a dietitian and mom of two boys, I love getting pantry staples and easy meals at Trader Joe's.
- Trader Joe's offers so many easy frozen meals and sides, like breaded shrimp and chicken-fried rice.
The mental load of being a mom can be overwhelming, but every time I go to Trader Joe's, I know the stress of coming up with easy dinners for my family of four will soon fade away.
As a dietitian, I've been shopping at Trader Joe's for two years because the store sells plenty of nutritious snacks and ingredients I feel good about giving to my two sons.
Here are 12 of my favorite dietitian-approved, kid-friendly picks from Trader Joe's.
Trader Joe's vegan creamy dill dressing is one of my refrigerator staples.
Trader Joe's vegan creamy dill dressing doesn't have to go on only salads. Shoshana Pritzker
Trader Joe's vegan creamy dill dressing pairs well with just about anything. It's so silky, so I was very surprised to find out there's no cream in the ingredients list.
I use it as a salad dressing, lather it on salmon before baking, have it as a dip for air-fried breaded shrimp, or add it to a sandwich in place of mayo.
Trader Joe's challah is one of my favorite pieces of bakery at the store.
Trader Joe's challah is kosher. Shoshana Pritzker
Nothing compares to Trader Joe's challah because it's just so incredibly moist and fluffy.
I'll typically buy two or three loaves at a time and store them in the freezer. I love to use the challah for making sandwiches with cream cheese, butter, or avocado, and for French toast.
The gluten-free breaded shrimp are delicious, especially if you air-fry them to a crisp.
Trader Joe's breaded shrimp is the perfect quick snack or meal for my family. Shoshana Pritzker
My family refers to Trader Joe's gluten-free breaded shrimp as popcorn shrimp because they're tiny. I keep a bag or two of the shrimp in my freezer for when I have no idea what to make but I need something fast.
I toss them in the air fryer and cook them until they're crispy. I like to serve them with air-fried french fries, steamed veggies, and Trader Joe's vegan creamy dill dressing.
Trader Joe's squiggly noodles are like ramen packets but better.
Trader Joe's squiggly noodles can be eaten on their own or doctored up. Shoshana Pritzker
Trader Joe's squiggly noodles are similar to ramen in the sense that you get a dried square of noodles that cook quickly (in only four minutes) on the stovetop with a flavor packet to mix in.
In my opinion, they taste more like something you'd find at an actual Asian-inspired restaurant.
I'm also a big fan of the nutritional value of the noodles, as one serving has 12 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 2 1/2 grams of fat. If my kids eat these noodles for dinner and nothing else, I feel good about it.
I make a meal out of them by adding sautéed chicken and veggies and white rice.
Extra-lean ground beef can be used for many dishes.
I buy Trader Joe's ground beef that is 96% lean. Shoshana Pritzker
Red meat is a solid protein source, especially if you can find a lean cut like Trader Joe's 96% extra-lean ground beef.
In my experience, I rarely find leaner ground beef at other grocery stores. I use Trader Joe's beef to make tacos, burgers, shepherd's pie, meat sauce, and tons of other dishes.
I love the papadums because they're a great crispy snack.
Trader Joe's papadums are made with lentils and chickpeas. Shoshana Pritzker
The papadum lentil-and-chickpea crisps are a lot like potato chips and remind me of Pringles.
They're also loaded with nutrients, as one serving has 5 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and 10 grams of fat. My favorite way to eat the papadums is to crumble them on top of a salad.
Trader Joe's Just Chicken is literally just white meat.
Trader Joe's Just Chicken cuts down my prep time for dinner. Shoshana Pritzker
When I make quick, nutritious meals, it's essential to have convenient foods like Just Chicken on hand.
Packages of Just Chicken are in the refrigerator section where the fresh dips are. I love that Just Chicken only contains white meat and is an easy way to add a lean protein source to my favorite meals.
The chain's Soyaki is garlic-y and tasty.
My kids love to use Trader Joe's Soyaki as a dipping sauce. Shoshana Pritzker
If you're making an Asian-inspired stir-fry, you'll want Trader Joe's Soyaki on hand.
My boys like to use Soyaki as a dip for chicken breast and rice balls. Made with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, it's so flavorful and a little goes a long way.
The chicken-fried rice is a simple dinner.
Trader Joe's chicken-fried rice comes with vegetables mixed in. Shoshana Pritzker
I was surprised when I discovered that Trader Joe's frozen chicken-fried rice is really good. Trader Joe's also carries a vegetarian version.
Though it can be heated up in the microwave, I prefer to do so on the stovetop and scramble some eggs to emulate a more authentic version of the dish.
Trader Joe's frozen organic jasmine rice is an easy side.
You can have Trader Joe's frozen jasmine rice with almost anything. Shoshana Pritzker
I love to stock my freezer with bowls of Trader Joe's organic jasmine rice.
I simply heat a serving of sticky rice in the microwave for an easy side dish that only takes a few minutes to prepare.
The maple-chicken breakfast sausage has the right amount of sweetness.
I add extra protein to my breakfasts with Trader Joe's maple-bacon sausages. Shoshana Pritzker
Trader Joe's maple-chicken breakfast sausages are a great way to boost protein in the most important meal of the day. They're slightly sweet with just the right amount of maple.
I recommend serving them with pancakes, scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit.
Trader Joe's PB & C snack duo combines creamy peanut butter and rich chocolate.
I might even have Trader Joe's PB & C snack duo for myself. Shoshana Pritzker
The PB & C snack duos are an easy way to get your kids to eat peanut butter, a nutritious spread.
The pack comes with wafer sticks filled with chocolate cream and smooth peanut butter to dip into. They're so good, you'll probably want to eat some yourself.
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