As a college student who lives off-campus, I always feel too busy to find time to cook. Now that I am more than a month into school, I have done my fair share of experimenting with different grocery stores and finding my balance. Throughout these trials, I have found a new obsession with Trader Joe’sbecause of their affordable prices and healthy foods. Trader Joe’s has the best premade meals that are perfect for college students who are scurrying for time. Here is a list of some of my favorite foods from Trader Joe’s:
-
Riced Cauliflower Bowl – this bowl is made with tahini sauce, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and roasted onions. It is a perfect healthy option when looking for a quick meal.
-
Sweet Potato Gnocchi – Studying abroad in Italy made me a huge pasta girl. Trader Joe’s twist on this Italian dumpling with sage butter is a perfect combination. Put the gnocchi on a skillet for about five minutes and this dish will leave the perfect taste in your mouth.
-
Chicken Chow Mein – This flavorful noodle dish, which only takes about seven minutes to cook, consists of vegetables, chicken, and sauce to mix with the dish. I would say this dish is almost like a stir fry.
-
Mini Beef Tacos – The beef inside these tacos are the best part. There are some garlic and onion powder inside the tacos for flavor with tiny pieces of green chiles and jalapenos. I usually put these tacos in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, so they are extra crispy.
-
Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings – These steamed dumplings have broth inside them that tastes exactly like chicken noodle soup. I recommend eating them off a spoon in case the dumpling leaks open; the soup falls right onto the spoon. These dumplings take a few minutes in the microwave.
-
Thai Shrimp Gyoza– These dumplings are filled with shrimp, cabbage, chives, and garlic. I only put the dumpling in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes, so I usually eat these for a quick lunch.
-
Cauliflower Gnocchi– My housemates and I usually have cauliflower gnocchi as a side dish with our dinner at least two times a week. I like to eat the gnocchi with the green goddess dressing from Trader Joe’s. The gnocchi tastes best in an air fryer at 350 degrees for seven minutes.
-
Mandarin Orange Chicken – These crispy chicken tenders come with a sweet and spicy orange sauce. This meal reminds me of my favorite orange chicken from my local restaurant. I like to put this meal in the air fryer at 400 for 10 minutes so the tenders are super crispy. Then I heat the sauce in the microwave and pour it over the chicken after.
-
Paneer Tikka Masala with Spinach Basmati Rice – If you are ever in the mood for Indian food, Trader Joe’s has the best Indian-inspired dishes that are super easy to make. The paneer has a soft texture with a tomato-based curry sauce. The rice has a hint of spinach in it that perfectly blends with the sauce.
-
Mini Mint Ice Cream Mouthfuls – I couldn’t make a list without including any sweets. These mini ice cream sandwiches are perfect for Oreo lovers like me. The outside of the ice cream consists of two Oreo-like cookies with mint chocolate chip ice cream in the middle.
