College is all about ballin’ on a budget. But for someone who, like me, who likes to cook and loves to eat, instant ramen and Easy Mac are not foods I can live off. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Cup-Of-Noodle as much as the next person, but only every once and awhile. My solution to my high expectations for meals and the very small number in my bank account is Trader Joe’s. Here a few easy recipes with foods from Trader Joe’s that are super yummy, healthy and don’t break the bank:
1. Orange Chicken and Brown Rice
Oh. My. Gosh. this meal is by far my favorite thing from Trader Joe’s and one of the easiest to make.
*This will last you for 2-3 meals depending on how hungry you are.
Shopping List:
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1 bag of Trader Joe’s Orange Chicken- 4.99
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1 box of microwaveable brown rice- 2.99 (the box contains 3 bags and you will only use 1)
For this meal simply follow the instructions on the bag of chicken, and as it is cooking microwave the bag of rice for 3 minutes (directions also on box). My pro-tip is to add the rice to the skillet with the chicken and sauce to get everything coated evenly. I also like to add in broccoli or green beans as veggies!
2. One-pan Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice
A little more prep but definitely worth it!
*This will last at least 3 meals
Shopping List:
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3 Trader Joe’s Frozen Chicken Thighs (bag usually contains about 7 boneless, skinless chicken thighs) – roughly $6.50
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1 bag of Trader Joe’s Frozen Vegetable Fried Rice- $2.99
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2 eggs- $1.49 for a dozen (more expensive for organic)
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Trader Joe’s Soyaki Sauce- $2.99 for a 21 oz. bottle
Defrost the chicken thighs and then cut them into bite sized pieces. Then marinate the chicken in ⅔ of a cup of Soyaki sauce for 1-2 hours. Cook chicken and sauce in a deep skillet or wok. Once almost cooked through add the bag of rice. As the rice heats up push to one side of the skillet and on the empty side crack 2 eggs. Chop up the eggs and mix with rice and chicken. Once everything is cooked through you’re ready to eat!
3. Cauliflower Gnocchi & Red Sauce
All of the delightfulness that is gnocchi but none of the gluten
*This will last about 2 meals
Shopping List:
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1 Bag Cauliflower Gnocchi – $2.69
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1 Jar Trader Joe’s Organic Marinara Sauce – $2.49 for a 25 oz. jar
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1 Jar trader Joe’s Basil Pesto – Price varies but always under $3.00
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Trader Joe’s Grated Parmesan
Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Add 1 cup of marinara and 1 tablespoon of pesto. Cook until desired temperature. Serve and top with parmesan.
4. Caprese Turkey Burgers
All I can say is YUM
*Can make up to 4 of these
Shopping List:
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1 Box of Trader Joe’s Turkey Burgers – $3.49 for a box of four
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Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns – usually around $2.00
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1 Tomato 69 cents (depending on the season)
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Mayonnaise – tends to be a bit overpriced so I would recommend getting this from a store like Aldi or Walmart
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Trader Joe’s Fresh Mozzarella – typically around $3.00
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Balsamic Vinegar- typically around $4 for a 21 oz bottle
Cook one Turkey Burger according to box directions. Mix desired amount of mayonnaise with balsamic vinegar. Spread mayo mix on both buns and then stack the cooked turkey burger, a slice of mozzarella and a slice of tomato. And voila!
These recipes are just a few of the awesome things Trader Joe’s has to offer along with some bangin’ frozen pizza’s, fun seasonal treats and so much more. Happy shopping!