The 32 Best and Worst Frozen Foods at Trader Joe's

Even though Trader Joe's is known for its healthy options, there are still some Trader Joe's frozen food staples that you need to give the cold shoulder. A cookie butter cheesecake may seem like an obvious red flag, but other products sneak under the radar with words like "organic," "spinach," or "chicken" when they're secretly loaded with more sodium and fat than you want in one meal. Likewise, there are some waist-friendly treats that are as delicious as they are healthy.

Even though the Trader Joe's frozen food section can be hit or miss, we've compiled a list of the best and worst Trader Joe's frozen foods that will help you navigate the budget-friendly store with confidence.

The best frozen Trader Joe's food you can buy.

This Trader Joe's product sells out quickly every morning at most locations, so act fast! Whether you're gluten-free or just looking to cut carbs, you should stock up on this pizza crust. With nutty, riced cauliflower, and corn flour serving as its base, each slice is under 100 calories. And since there's no fat and less than one gram of sugar, you can pile on the toppings without piling on the pounds.

$3.99 at most stores.

If you're looking to bulk up your brunch, you need to grab a bag of these hash browns. Making your own is tedious (you have to get out the peeler, shredder…) and completely unnecessary when you can buy such a high-quality product from Trader Joe's that cooks up just like what you can order from a diner. We love that this is a blank canvas to make any flavor your heart desires. We add sliced onions, garlic, and paprika to ours.

Don't let the colorful produce section in the front of the store distract you from the variety of fruit hiding in Trader Joe's frozen section. With a mixed blend like this one, you can go home with a variety of berries for less than four dollars. They're organic, pesticide-free, and the perfect addition to oatmeal, smoothies, or Greek yogurt.

$3.49 at most stores.

If you need a quick, veggie-rich dinner that's ready in minutes, this fried rice is one of the best options you can find in Trader Joe's freezer aisle. You can microwave it, or, if you like your rice extra crispy, pour a bit of oil in a pan and fry it up. We like to add extra frozen corn, frozen peas, and frozen carrots to boost the veggie content. Bulk up the protein content even more by scrambling a couple of eggs and mix those in.

$2.49 at most stores.

Yogurt, spices, and tomatoes come together to dress chicken in a buttery, spicy sauce. In under five minutes, you'll have 21 grams of protein ready to eat. When you're heating the chicken and rice dish for the last one minute, add a few tablespoons of frozen peas to the container for a pop of green and a serving of veggies.

Keep a bag of frozen shrimp in your freezer at all times, and you have the perfect protein for quick weeknight meals made with frozen foods. These are high in protein and are ready for your shrimp scampi, Vietnamese salad, Thai curry, or fried rice in minutes.

$9.99 at most stores.

Breakfast doesn't get much easier than stocking this Trader Joe's frozen food in your freezer. Much like salsa, steel cut oatmeal may not be on your mind when you're perusing the freezer aisle, but keep an eye out for this package. Each serving is set apart so you can have a hot bowl of porridge in front of you after just three microwaveable minutes. Don't miss out on all the toppings Trader Joe's has to offer throughout the rest of the store. We recommend a spoonful of natural peanut butter or handful of fresh (or frozen!) berries.

$1.69 at most stores.

Let's continue on the cauliflower train, shall we? No list of the best Trader Joe's frozen meals is complete without the addition of cauliflower gnocchi. This frozen item has gone viral—and with good reason. It's a blank canvas for you to work your dinner magic on. (Plus it serves up a healthy 6 grams of fiber.) Pair with pesto and sausage for an easy sheet pan dinner or cover in buffalo sauce and dip into a Greek yogurt blue cheese spread. Have fun!

$4.49 at most stores.

For the lowest-effort taco Tuesday you can muster, stash these vegetarian taquitos in your freezer. Stuffed with seasoned black beans and Monterey Jack cheese, these corn-tortilla-wrapped sticks are ready in minutes.

$3.99 at most stores.

While we admit plain skewers would be a better choice than grilled chicken that's seasoned and glazed, this jerk chicken doesn't sacrifice too much sugar or fat for a stronger flavor. Besides the taste of black pepper, chili, peaches, and oranges, the package comes with a mango chutney that you can drizzle on top. If one serving doesn't fill you up, you can complement all these tangy flavors with a healthy, satiating side like organic brown rice.

$5.49 at most stores.

If you're mourning the loss of orange chicken in your freezer now that you've seen its nutrition label, satisfy your craving for Chinese with this dish instead. Green beans and edamame are sprinkled throughout dark-meat chicken and mushroom caps, which all adds up to a high-protein meal that's loaded with healthy veggies. And even though it's mixed with a ginger-soy sauce, the calorie count and sodium content remain low.

$4.99 at most stores.

Pumpkin season is arguably the best time to shop at Trader Joe's, but you don't have to wait for fall to pick up some yummy squash. Head to the frozen section for a bag of kabocha, which has 90 percent of your daily dose of Vitamin A. You can reap all the benefits that come from this vitamin — bone strength, tissue growth and repair — without putting in any effort. Trader Joe's has already peeled and cut the squash for you!

$2.69 at most stores.

It's hard to find an acai smoothie or bowl that isn't packed with sugar. The Primo Bowl at Jamba Juice, for example, has 67 grams of the sweet stuff, which is why we're so glad Trader Joe's has started selling these unsweetened puree packs. You can take control of your acai intake with the same great taste and far less sugar, whether you're mixing one of these with coconut milk for your own bowl or adding it to Greek yogurt. Thanks to the low calorie count in each pack, you can have fun choosing toppings!

$4.49 at most stores.

We told you there were better burger options. Swap your beloved beef patty for chicken that's got 6 grams of fat and 19 grams of protein. And if you're worried that a food this healthy can't possibly taste good, give this patty a chance! It's made up of more than just chicken; it's got onions, bell peppers, garlic, cilantro, salt, lime juice, and red pepper flakes. Looks like your BBQ just got a much-needed makeover.

3.49 at most stores.

Tri-color quinoa, sweet potatoes, kale, and carrots teamed up in this new superfood pilaf. You won't just love seeing this colorful concoction on your plate, but you'll love its effect on your body. These organic ingredients are packed with vitamins, and one serving of the stuff will only set you back 160 calories. If that's not super, we don't know what is.

$3.99 at most stores.

What's not to love about a bowl of seasoned chicken, brown rice, red quinoa, black beans, corn, bell peppers, and cheddar cheese with smoky Chipotle sauce and a ton of protein? With a whopping 22 grams in each bowl, this microwaveable meal fits right into the range of exactly how much protein you need after a workout, so head straight from the gym to the kitchen table with this easily prepared dish.

$3.49 at most stores.

For only four bucks, you can walk out of Trader Joe's with the newest meat substitute: jackfruit. This fruit has a meaty texture that absorbs any seasoning you throw on it. In this case, TJ's adds classic crab cake flavors like green onions, celery salt, paprika, and cilantro. What's amazing is that you can have two cakes for only 150 calories. Plus, you'll be way on your way to getting enough fiber for the day with a whopping 6 grams. Serve these alongside a fresh arugula salad and topped with spicy horseradish aioli.

$3.99 at most stores.

This salsa may be sweet, but thanks to some jalapeno peppers, it's got a bite. We love incorporating spicy peppers like this into our diet because they can speed up metabolism, so don't miss out on TJ's mango salsa just because it's hiding in the frozen section. Combine this low-fat, low-cal dip with one of the healthy tortilla chip options a couple aisles over, and you've got a snack you can feel good about.

$2.99 at most stores.

Foods you should avoid buying at Trader Joe's if you're trying to lose weight

Once upon a time, shoppers thought this was a healthy frozen find. But then Trader Joe's remembered that their nutrition label should actually include the sauce that sets this orange chicken apart from just plain chicken. Bye-bye, guilt-free Chinese. Hello, 16 grams of fat. Leave the Mandarin chicken in the freezer box and instead opt for one of these quick and easy dinner recipes using Trader Joe's products.

$4.99 at most stores.

If we can't convince you to walk away from this quiche, at least make sure you share it — with multiple people. There's no other way to consume this fluffy, flavorful dish without overloading on calories, fat, and sodium.

$2.29 at most stores.

At first glance, the nutrition label on this one doesn't seem too bad. While the fat content is higher than we'd like it to be, it's under 300 calories with a decent amount of protein. But let's be honest. Eating one of these isn't going to fill you up, so you'll end up adding at least one more pastry-encased hot dog to your plate, not to mention some dipping sauce, and the calories will skyrocket before you know it.

$6.49 at most stores.

There are rumors going around that this golden caramel swirl ice cream is seriously devoid of caramel, but that's the least of your worries. Even if this french vanilla and chocolate combo has a misleading name, its nutrition label doesn't lie. There are eight servings in one carton, each of which contains more calories, fat, and sugar than we can justify with so many delish diet ice creams on the rise.

$4.49 at most stores.

Trader Joe's freezer aisle strikes again with another fatty frozen food. We love that this four-cheese pizza is made from wheat flour and topped with uncured pepperoni, but our list of pros stops there. Even if you split this with a couple of friends, you're looking at ingesting almost 400 calories and 1,000 milligrams of sodium, not to mention 40 grams of carbs. While this might be better than some of the greasy slices at popular chains, that doesn't mean we approve.

$4.99 at most stores.

Sorry, sweet tooth. This is a tasty treat you're just going to have to say no to. By sandwiching a cheesecake between two layers of Speculoos — cookie crumbs on the bottom and cookie butter on the top — Trader Joe's has crafted a dessert that will cost you 70 percent of your recommended daily value of saturated fat, as well as set you back 25 grams of sugar. And that's if you've got the willpower to stick to just one slice, unless you want to try out our no-sacrifice ways to bounce back after a binge.

$6.99 at most stores

If you thought something was missing the last time you had a bite of mac and cheese, maybe it was a slice of pepperoni. With this microwaveable meal, Trader Joe's combines two fan favorites — pizza and macaroni. Multiply the nutritionals by two and you've got yourself a bowl with about as much fat as protein and more sodium than we know what to do with. Maybe it's time to rethink this combo, or at least rethink its place in your shopping cart.

$2.99 at most stores.

What could possibly be wrong with a bowl of soup comprised of chicken and vegetables? It sure sounds healthy enough and a quick glance at the nutrition label will only reassure you that it is… until you reach the sodium content. Eating this means spooning up more than 1,000 milligrams of salt and for every extra gram you eat a day, your obesity risk is raised 25 percent, according to a Queen Mary University study. So don't let this much sneak by you.

$2.29 at most stores.

If you're looking to knock out an entire day's worth of saturated fat in one sitting, just microwave this package of shells and eat both servings (which, if we're being honest with ourselves, is what most of us do). With its rich, creamy sauce and an extra slice of Brie laid on top, Trader Joe's refers to this pasta dish as "upscale macaroni," and they're sort of right — it won't bring the number on your scale down, that's for sure.

$3.69 at most stores.

When it comes to mozzarella, you're much better off eating it in string cheese form instead of seasoned in panko bread crumbs. Trader Joe's sells both options, but if you opt out of these frozen sticks, string cheese will give you just as much protein while cutting down heavily on calories and carbs.

$3.99 at most stores.

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There are a lot of sweet desserts who call the TJ's frozen section home, but we decided this one took the cake with its chocolate cookie crumb crust, fudge lining, coffee ice cream, chocolate drizzle, and fudge rosettes. An ingredients list like that leads to 27 grams of sugar in every serving, and it's no secret that consuming high doses of the sweet stuff has been linked to health issues like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. No slice of pie, regardless of how rich and moist it is, is worth that.

$6.49 at most stores.

Grass-fed beef is one of our best high-protein foods for weight loss, but for being 80 percent lean, these patties are full of fat. Not to mention, they're probably just one of many ingredients that will go into the burger you're making. So why not load up on some of the other frozen options? Trader Joe's turkey patties have half the fat, while the salmon ones have even less.

$5.99 at most stores.

This pie may be created for dinner, but it packs more punch than a dessert. It clocks in at 800 calories, which is more than you'd get from three McDonald's apple pies! So don't be fooled by the promise of golden potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and mushrooms waiting inside. Despite all the veggies, this is still a butter pastry bursting with beef, gravy, and half your daily dose of sodium and fat.

$6.49 at most stores.

We all crave quesadillas once in a while, but that's what you should limit yourself to when it comes to this box of Trader Joe's frozen food: only having them once in a while. You'll get two 6-ounce quesadillas in a box, but eating two means you'll be gulping down 50 percent of your day's worth of saturated fat and 1,020 milligrams of sodium—also nearly half a day's worth. The one redeeming quality, we will admit, is the 15 grams of protein you get in each cheesy packet.

$3.49 at most stores.