7 Best Grab & Go Foods at Trader Joe's Right Now
The freezer aisle is perhaps the most popular place at Trader Joe's. I'd dare to say that you're lacking in taste if you're not obsessed with the specialty grocer's Mandarin Orange Chicken or regularly indulge in the Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings. Here's the thing, though: life is busy, and sometimes, even a quick microwave meal isn't quick enough.
That's where the grab and go options come in. Fast, convenient, and cheap—usually $5.99 or less—the ready-to-eat offerings are a godsend for today's bustling laborers. And while they're maybe not quite as cult-followed as the Cauliflower Gnocchi, they deserve just as much, if not more, recognition.
These are the best fresh foods you'll find at TJ's right now, according to expert-level superfans on Reddit.
Chicken Wrap with Pesto Vinaigrette
When I tell you I could drink the pesto vinaigrette, I mean it. TJ's fan-fave wrap—which boasts grilled chicken, ricotta, and sun-dried tomatoes—pairs perfectly with the indulgent sauce. I'm also not the only fiending after it. "I bought this wrap yesterday and am still thinking about how awesome it was—that pesto sauce is SOOOOO good," one user wrote on Reddit. Another chimed in with some advice to up your eating experience: "microwave it for 45 seconds." Noted.
Sign up for our newsletter!
Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
The Lemon Basil Pasta Salad is such a popular grab-and-go product that many users are struggling to snag it. "Love this salad! I always have to call my local TJ's to put it on hold for me in the back—otherwise it's sold out by noon," a Reddit user said. A self-described Trader Joe's employee even joined the online convo with a little fun fact on the favorite: "[T]he Lemon Basil Pasta Salad is based on a recipe of an actual TJ employee."
Spicy Lentil Wrap
Shoppers are obsessed with this vegan bestseller, which is packed with a whopping 14 grams of protein. "Spicy Lentil Wrap absolutely slaps," a fan wrote on the platform. "Somehow I only tried [the Spicy Lentil Wrap] for the first time 2 weeks ago (and I'm a pretty reg shopper since TJ's hit my city) and hoooolllyyyyy shhheeeeeiiiiittttt it is GOOD and SATISFYING," another replied.
Peanut Udon Noodle Salad
The Peanut Udon Noodle Salad is bursting with flavor and texture thanks to the green and red cabbage, red bell peppers, dry roasted peanuts, and wheat-flour noodles, but it's the Thai-inspired peanut-ginger dressing that's the real show-stopper here. "I [just] had the new TJ's Peanut Udon Noodle Salad, and LOVED the dressing it came with," a shopper wrote online, while another added, "the Peanut Udon Noodle Salad came with a really good peanut sauce. There's definitely a little kick to it as far as spice. 10/10 would recommend."
Crunchy Slaw Salad
If you're hankering for another peanut dressing-forward favorite, the Crunchy Slaw Salad is next in line. It's packed with grilled white meat chicken, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, crispy noodles, and yep, a peanut dressing. "The Crunchy Slaw Salad [is] my favorite salad from Trader Joe's," one Reddit user wrote. "I add a little Sriracha to give it a kick."
Lemon Chicken & Arugula Salad
You'll get Moroccan-inspired couscous, red quinoa, parsley, mint, and sweet currants—with that to die for lemon chicken and arugula. Oh, and the spicy red pepper dressing? You'll want to swim in it (with your mouth open). "That particular arugula salad is just about my favorite thing from TJ's, period," a shopper wrote. "I don't normally like dressings that are on the sweet side like that one, but everything goes together so well in that salad, it's just delicious."
Turkey Apple Cheddar Sandwich
The Turkey, Apple, Cheddar Sandwich—which is piled with just that: a turkey breast, sliced apples, aged cheddar, and baby arugula and dijon mayo on a multigrain rustico roll—is so good that it's even swaying vegetarians away from their plant-based lifestyle. No, seriously. "I'm a vegetarian, but I cheat with that sandwich," one TJ's loyalist wrote on the site. If that's not a testament, I don't know what is.
