The 10 Healthiest Trader Joe’s Meals, According to a Dietitian

Since 1967, Trader Joe’s has built a devoted following by offering a unique variety of foods, from frozen meals and snacks to affordable pantry staples and fresh produce. While shoppers love discovering the chain’s latest products, many dietitians are fans too, swearing by specific items for their nutritional value. 

We asked registered dietitian and fitness specialist Cynthia Ray, author of the books The 21-Day Sugar Detox and The Faster Way to Fat Loss After 40, to share her top premade breakfast, lunch, and dinner picks.

When choosing the healthiest fare, Ray looked for meals that were relatively low in sodium and added sugar; prioritized fiber and blood-sugar-stabilizing protein; included plenty of vegetables; and were made with healthy fats and “simple, recognizable ingredients.” Here are her favorites. 

Breakfast

Best Overall: Harvest Vegetable Hash Egg White Bites

Ray’s top breakfast pick is made with egg whites, cottage cheese, and whole-food carbohydrates like sweet potato and butternut squash. “These ingredients make a balanced meal that is nourishing and filling,” she says, so these bites are ideal for a quick, nutritious breakfast or afternoon snack. She also loves that there are no added sugars or seed oils. (Seed oils are a hotly debated topic due in part to their presence in processed foods — which Americans eat a lot of, and which are often loaded with fat, sugar, and sodium — and the idea that consuming too much of the oils may contribute to inflammation, among other issues. Not all experts agree that seed oils are bad for you, however, and institutions like the American Heart Association recommend them over other sources of fat such as butter, which are high in saturated fats. You should focus on eating a healthy diet and make choices based on your dietary needs. For her part, Ray prefers to avoid seed oils and recommends using olive or avocado oil and getting fats from whole food sources instead.)

Best Sit-Down Breakfast: Broccoli & Cheddar Quiche

“I’d definitely recommend this over most frozen breakfast sandwiches or other pastry options,” Ray says. That’s because it’s made mostly with whole-food ingredients, including eggs, cheese, broccoli, and onions. That said, it’s not a perfect dish due to its refined-flour crust and a modest amount of canola oil. She suggests adding antioxidant-rich fresh berries or another fiber-rich fruit to add more nutrients. 

Best High-Protein, Low-Carb Breakfast: Egg Frittata

This dish makes Ray’s list because it’s made with eggs, Swiss cheese, and other protein-packed ingredients that will balance blood sugar and energy throughout the morning. She loves the fluffy texture, but docks it slightly for canola oil and some ingredients used for texture and stability. Ray still calls it “one of the healthier prepared breakfasts at Trader Joe’s.”

Lunch

Best Overall: Fiesta Salad With Shrimp

“This meal provides three servings, the ideal balance of 12 grams of total protein, plenty of vegetables, fiber-rich black beans, quality carbohydrates, and very little added sugar in the dressing,” Ray says. Her main critiques are the 570 milligrams of sodium, which is “a bit higher than ideal,” and the seed oils in the dressing. She suggests using less dressing or using a seed-oil-free option instead.

Best Plant-Based Meal: Coconut Chickpea Curry

Ray considers this high-fiber, shelf-stable pouch meal one of the healthiest options at Trader Joe’s and praises its whole-food and clean ingredients. However, “it only has 6 grams of protein per serving,” Ray says. She recommends adding grilled chicken, eggs, shrimp, cottage cheese, or plain Greek yogurt to boost protein. 

Best Mediterranean Lunch: Greek-Style Chicken Salad

This salad bursts with Mediterranean flavors and delivers 10 grams of protein per serving, along with crisp vegetables, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and dill. Ray flags the higher sodium content of 670 milligrams and notes the mayonnaise lists canola oil as its first ingredient. Even so, “it’s still one of my favorite healthy lunch options,” Ray says. 

Best Vegetable-Packed Lunch: Green Goddess Salad

Ray calls this salad “one of the healthier grab-and-go lunch options at Trader Joe’s.” It’s packed with leafy greens, colorful vegetables, and lean chicken. Her only critique is the dressing, which is made primarily with canola oil; she suggests using less of it or swapping in olive oil and lemon juice instead. 

Dinner

Best Overall: Seafood Boil

“This is truly one of the healthiest complete prepared dinners I have found at Trader Joe’s,” Ray says. It has 21 grams of protein per serving, 6 grams of fiber, 520 milligrams of sodium, and 2 grams of added sugars. She notes that this Louisiana-style dish is loaded with whole-food ingredients, including tilapia, shrimp, and clams, along with potatoes, corn, and a butter-based sauce. The only drawback, she says, is a small amount of processed andouille sausage. “This is a meal I would bring home to my family and enjoy myself,” she says. “If you are looking for a well-rounded, whole-food, satisfying, healthy clean-food meal to make on a busy night, this is the one to bring home.”

Best Light Vegan Meal or Protein Boost: Madras Lentils

This shelf-stable dish is one of Ray’s personal favorite pantry staples. “I love the rich flavor provided by the variety of spices in the ingredients,” she says. On its own, it’s a simple vegan meal loaded with fiber, but it’s “lower in protein than I recommend for a complete meal,” Ray says. She suggests adding grilled chicken, shrimp, tofu, or plain Greek yogurt to make the dinner more filling. 

Best High-Protein Dinner: Chicken Tikka Masala

“Another one of my longtime favorites,” Ray says of this hearty, flavorful frozen entree. It has 21 grams of protein, under 600 milligrams of sodium, and a clean ingredient list, “making it one of the better frozen entrees” at Trader Joe’s. The dish is low in fiber due to white rice and a lack of plant foods, so Ray suggests adding a side of vegetables to boost fiber content.

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