I Cook For A Living, And These Are The Trader Joe's Freezer Aisle Staples I Rely On For Cheap, Stress-Free Meals
Whether you need prepped veggies (I love their mirepoix!), a frozen lunch for work, or a fun snack for your next game night, TJ's has you covered. As a chef, I've come to rely on a handful of their products to make quick and easy meals throughout the week, which I'm often in need of after cooking for work all day. Sometimes, the lowest-effort meals are actually the best, and when it's cheap, too, it's a win-win.
These are some of my favorite frozen items that you'll always find in my freezer!
1.Hash Browns
Let's start with a real crowd-pleaser: the frozen hash browns. You will never not find these in my freezer, because they're literally my favorite thing to have on my breakfast plate. They're even better than McDonald's hash browns, especially because of their price point — but I think they taste better, too.
These are typically $2.99 for a whole pack of 8. Can't beat it. I cook mine in the air fryer while I prep some breakfast sausage and fried eggs, then finish them with a little salt for the perfect hash brown at home. There was a time when they ran out of these hash browns for a few months, and let me just say: thank god that time has passed!
2.Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe
This is a little embarrassing to admit, but I've messed up cacio e pepe quite a few times when making it from scratch. For some reason my sauce tends to get clumpy, no matter what trick or method I've tried. I'm still working on that, but in the meantime, I've gotten by with TJ's frozen Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe.
As a chef, it feels a bit crazy to recommend a frozen pasta dish, but this one is actually delicious, and I've never had anything like it. All you need to make this baby into a complete meal is a little garlic bread or chicken to go on top. I also really love adding broccoli to this pasta!
3.Frozen Ginger Cubes
One of my favorite things to cook with is ginger. It adds a nice bit of spice to any dish, whether you're using it in a lemony ginger salad dressing or in a stir-fry sauce. What I don't love is prepping ginger; peeling it is annoying, and it's quite fibrous which makes it hard to grate sometimes. TJ's saves the day by offering frozen cubes of ginger that come in a little plastic tray. When you need some ginger, you can pop out single cubes and keep the rest in the freezer. This is a genius product, in my humble opinion.
4.Japanese Style Fried Rice
Trader Joe's typically has two types of fried rice in stock: one Chinese version and another Japanese. I am obsessed with their Japanese Fried Rice. It has edamame, carrot, a little bit of tofu, and some seaweed in the mix. I love using this as the base of a quick stir-fry dinner: just cook a protein to go on top, and you have a really quick, filling meal.
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5.Double Chocolate Croissants
Have you tried the frozen TJ's croissants? Because you definitely should. They have a few varieties and they are all super delicious — I really love the double chocolate variety, but even the mini plain croissants are great, too.
Just remember that these are best if you thaw them and let them rise at room temperature overnight. It seems like a long time, but it's worth it when you're rewarded with a warm, freshly baked croissant for your perfect brunch at home.
6.Belgian Waffles
If you can't tell from my favorites list, I'm big on breakfast. So is Trader Joe's, which is probably why I'm always in there. For the longest time, I didn't have a waffle maker, so I soothed my cravings with TJ's Frozen Belgian Waffles. These pop right into the toaster, and trust me when I say the perfect breakfast consists of one or two of these babies with one of those crispy, to-die-for hash browns… and maybe some eggs or bacon for protein.
7.Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
This mac and cheese is enough of a meal on its own. Super creamy with some delicious butternut squash in the sauce, this macaroni is always in my cart when I check out. To build out the perfect meal, I'll roast a chicken (also from TJ's, of course -– I love their newer heirloom chickens!), and serve it with this mac and some sauteed spinach or asparagus for a satisfying Sunday supper type of meal.
8.Parmesan Pastry Pups
Any time I'm hosting friends, I hit up the appetizer section in the freezer aisle. The Parmesan Pastry Pups are basically bougie pigs in a blanket, and their crispy little blankets are made of puff pastry. I make these in the air fryer also and sometimes pair them with the samosas or spanakopita for a fun little appetizer board.
9.Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings
Another great option for a quick lunch is the Pork and Ginger Soup Dumplings. They're microwavable and each package comes with 6, which I find to be enough for a light lunch. If I'm trying to make more of a meal out of it, I'll serve them with some of the aforementioned Japanese Fried Rice or a quick salad with smashed cucumber, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
10.Chocolate Lava Cakes
It'd be weird not to comment on any of the amazing desserts TJ's offers in the frozen aisle, and I had a hard time choosing just one to include (chocolate croissants kinda count, right?). That being said, the Chocolate Lava Cakes are so indulgent and come in handy when you wanna end a meal on a sweet note.
I love that these can be microwaved or baked in the oven depending on how much time you have. I do recommend baking them in the oven if you can because they'll get a tiny bit crisper rather than that microwave-steamed texture you get from mug cakes or other microwaveable desserts. These are absolutely divine on their own, but topping them with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream really puts them over the top.
11.Honorable Mention: Mini French Baguettes
Okay, one more item to round out this list. The Mini French Baguettes! I love bread, and I make sourdough at home, but that literally takes a day in the fridge to rise, and sometimes I just need a little bit of warm bread to complete a meal. These are so good and crisp up perfectly in the oven, giving you fresh-baked bread vibes at home. Truly delicious with a little salty butter and jam.
What's your favorite freezer aisle find at Trader Joe's? Share your go-to's in the comments!
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