You might know Trader Joe’s for its variety of fun and filling snacks, but the store also stocks a bounty of products perfect for lunch—many of which lend themselves really well to meal prepping. And that comes in clutch, since the last thing you want to worry about when you’re trying to get out the door is throwing together a sandwich.
Meal prepping “helps with sustainable eating habits,” as well as making sure you’re taking in enough of the nutrients your body needs regularly, Alexa Nichols, MS, RD, lead associate dietitian at Nourishing NY, tells SELF. By preparing everything in bulk, you’ll also save yourself time—and money, too, since you won’t be forced to buy from the nearest food stand when your stomach starts growling at the office.
But figuring out great ways to do this for lunch can be a little tricky. So we asked some registered dietitians to share their favorite meal prep hacks featuring Trader Joe’s stuff. These recipes are substantial enough to keep you full, flavorful enough to keep you from straying to takeout, and don’t take a ton of time to make. Read on—you just might find your new favorite quick and easy lunch.
1. Organic Mediterranean Style Salad Kit with Shawarma Chicken Thighs
If you’re feeling sleepy after breakfast, this lunch will give you a boost: It packs an energizing combo of fat (from the feta cheese and dressing in the salad kit), protein (from the chicken), and fiber (from the veggies). Toss the (premarinated!) shawarma chicken thighs into an air fryer or oven for 20 minutes, place them on top of the salad, and, voilà, you’ve got a meal that will “help you stay fueled throughout your workday,” Mia Rossi, MS, RD, an associate dietitian at Nourishing NY, tells SELF. Once you cook the chicken, putting everything together only takes about five minutes.
While the salad’s base of romaine lettuce, shredded broccoli stalks, and radicchio is already rich in fiber, you can add even more by going the wrap route: Rossi recommends filling one (or a slice of Trader Joe’s Lavash flatbread) with the salad-chicken mixture and then dipping it in TJ’s Vegan Tzatziki Dip. This will also help you stretch your lunch out for a few more days, which makes meal prep even more productive. If you choose a wrap, you should have enough salad and chicken for four days’ worth of lunches, Rossi says. If you skip the covering, you’ll probably have enough salad for just two.
2. Egg Muffin Sandwich
Breakfast-for-lunch fans, this one’s for you. Microwave a Trader Joe’s frozen cheesy egg frittata (a solid source of protein), sandwich it between two English muffin halves, and stick in some tomato, arugula and maybe an avocado for added bulk, flavor, and texture. “If it’s just the frittata by itself, it’s not going to keep us satisfied for very long,” Jamie Lopez, MS, RDN, a dietitian nutritionist based in New York City and New Jersey, tells SELF. The veggies provide filling fiber, plus some vitamins and antioxidants, Lopez says. And, she adds, the English muffin serves “as a nice kind of carbohydrate element” to help provide some quick energy.
Because the frittata comes precooked and keeps well in the freezer, this recipe is perfect for those days when “we’re just too busy or too tired to prepare anything, really, from scratch,” Lopez says. What’s more, it’s almost endlessly tweakable. Consider adding hash brown patties and switching up the bread type. (Lopez subs out the English muffin with a bagel or biscuit when she wants a change.) For an extra kick, drizzle hot sauce over top. The frittatas come two to a pack, so you can prep one for today’s lunch and have another ready for tomorrow’s.
3. Greek Chickpea Salad with Crackers
Garbanzo beans are delicious on their own, but Trader Joe’s goes the extra mile here by adding cumin and parsley for a result that’s almost like a “deconstructed” hummus, as TJ’s describes it. Chickpeas provide “a good pack of fiber and protein together, which is really important for giving you a nice, filling lunch,” Leah Gorham, MPH, RD, a cofounder of Love & Grits Nutrition Therapy, tells SELF.
Make your salad by chopping up a tomato and a cucumber—“really the only work involved,” Gorham says—toss the pieces with Trader Joe’s Greek chickpeas, and sprinkle some feta cheese on top. (If you follow a plant-based diet, TJ’s has you covered with a vegan option too). Flavor- and texture-wise, you get “a little bit of saltiness from the cheese, crunchiness from the vegetables,” and juiciness from the tomatoes and cukes, Gorham says. If you want to bulk the meal up even further, she says, scoop up the salad with some carb-rich crackers (or eat them on the side) for some added crunch: “That should definitely keep you full for a few hours.”
Plus, the crackers are excellent for meal prepping because they’re easily portable and won’t make a mess. “[A]ll you have to do is put your desired portion into a baggie or reusable silicone bag—my favorite for packing lunches—and you are good to go,” Gorham says. She’s particularly fond of Trader Joe’s Organic Seedy Crackers, which are gluten-free and made with fiber-rich whole grains and seeds.
4. Southwestern Chopped Salad Kit With Black Beans and Avocado
There’s absolutely no cooking necessary here. Just add a diced avocado and a can of organic black beans to Trader Joe’s Southwestern Chopped Salad Kit, and you’ve got a combo that will cover all your nutritional bases and keep you fueled throughout the day. The protein-packed black beans in the salad will keep you full for a while, so you won’t immediately be reaching for a snack, Nichols says. Meanwhile, she adds, the avocado and dressing contain healthy fats, and the cheese in the salad adds flavor, which makes the whole thing just as satisfying emotionally as it is physically.
This recipe takes just about five minutes to prep, which may play a part in why Nichols has some variation for lunch on an almost weekly basis. (One of her recommended riffs: sub in tofu or Trader Joe’s precooked grilled chicken strips). When all is said and done, you’ll likely end up with enough food for two to three meals, Nichols says. Pro tip: When refrigerating leftovers, keep the dressing in a container on the side to prevent the greens from getting soggy.
5. Baked Zucchini Parm
If you’re looking to eat more veggies, this baked ziti alternative is a must-try. Zucchini “is rich in vitamin A and antioxidants,” Elyse Metelka, MS, RD, a dietitian based in New York City, tells SELF. Grease a pan, then mix together zoodles, roasted garlic marinara sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese. Top with more mozz and Parm, and stick in the oven to bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
Metelka says she typically preps the zucchini bake on a Sunday to set her up for lunchtime success in the coming days. “It’s really simple to just whip it up; you just put it in the oven and then you’re good for the week for leftovers.” For added protein, she suggests using Trader Joe’s precooked grilled chicken strips or another frozen chicken product as a base.
6. Rice Bowl with Baked Tofu, Veggies, and Sriracha Mayo
This Asian-inspired recipe is “so easy, so accessible that it really meets all those points that I’m looking for in a meal,” Estee Glikman, RDN, CDN, a cofounder of Love & Grits Nutrition Therapy, tells SELF. Fiber, protein, fat, and micronutrients like vitamins? It’s got them all.
Start by microwaving a pouch of Trader Joe’s frozen rice for three minutes. Once the rice is done, add in precooked shelled edamame, cucumber slices, shredded carrots, and Trader Joe’s organic baked tofu (already precooked!) in either teriyaki or sriracha “depending on which savory flavor” you’re feeling that day. (Glikman also likes to take the flavor up a notch with a DIY mix of mayo plus Trader Joe’s sriracha sauce.)
What makes this recipe so appealing is its versatility, Glikman says. You can opt for white or brown rice—whichever you prefer—teriyaki or sriracha tofu, and as many or as few veggies as you want, she says. Feeling carnivorous? Swap out the tofu for Trader Joe’s precooked Hardwood Smoked Pulled Chicken. Not a fan of sriracha mayo? Try soy sauce or make your own savory dressing with maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, teriyaki sauce, and a dash of oil.
If you have a little more time on your hands, you can also pop the tofu in an oven or air-fryer for a few minutes to add some extra crunch, Glikman says. But since it’s already cooked, “you can just open it and cut and go” if you’re pressed for time, she says.
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