5 Healthy Frozen Meals Trader Joe’s [Dietitian Approved]

If you’re a Trader Joe’s shopper, you know the frozen food aisle is packed full of clean ingredient foods you know you can count on. The question lies is how do we choose a meal that is following the balanced plate method to keep blood sugars and weight in- check and leaving you feeling satisfied. 

I’m sharing 5 dietitian approved Healthy Frozen Meals Trader Joe’s shoppers can feel good about. After all, I am a Registered Dietitian and you can count on me shopping at Trader Joe’s weekly! 

Frozen meals are always a staple for me and I highly encourage my clients to stock up on these go-to meals for busy weeks. Sometimes we just need a break from cooking!

Keep reading to take the guesswork out and learn how to choose meals that work for you and your lifestyle goals. 

Labels: Let’s Clear the Confusion!

In order to choose healthy frozen meals Trader Joe’s shoppers can count on, to satisfy hunger and keep you feeling fuller longer means we need to take a look at the nutrition label, specifically for carbs and protein.

I teach the Balanced Plate Method in my practice which consists of looking at food groups, specifically protein, carbs, non-stachy veggies and healthy fats. 

We won’t get into the nitty gritty today with counting all macros, but we do want a sense of how many grams of carbs and protein we should aim for in a balanced meal.

This is going to be slightly different for each one of you individually, but we’re going to look at it from a lens of blood sugar regulation to prevent diabetes. In turn, you also may see weight loss results by focusing on how many carbs are in a meal. 

Carbohydrates (Carbs)

In general, aim for 30-45g of carbs per meal if you’re looking for blood sugar regulation, weight loss and potentially weight maintenance. (Again, this should be individualized!) This is easy to quickly see on the nutrition label.

One thing we want to keep in mind when looking at the label is serving size. On many Trader Joes labels, they list the nutrition per serving AND per container. It’s important to read the serving size that’s listed above the calorie section on the label to know what one serving actually is.  We’ll dive into this deeper with specific products! 

Fiber

Just a quick note on fiber. Fiber is helpful in slowing down blood sugars so the body has more time to efficiently process the carbs we eat. A helpful tip is to not only aim for more fiber in meals but subtract total dietary fiber from carbohydrates.

This results in net carbs, which you may be seeing on nutrition labels. If a meal has 60 grams of carbs with 10 grams of fiber, this brings net carbs to 50 grams, closer to the 30-45 gram goal.

Protein

We know all the craze and hype protein has been getting over these last few years. Protein is especially important for blood sugar regulation, satiety and weight regulation.

However, if we consume too much protein, it can be stored as fat, just like carbs. Each person’s protein requirements are very individualized. I’ll cover that in another blog post, but if you want to schedule a session to talk through your protein requirements, learn more here.  

Generally speaking, aim for an average of 28g of protein/meal. This could be a little less, 20-25grams or a little more 30-42grams. 42 grams of protein is equivalent to 6 ounces of protein. (7 grams in 1 ounce of protein). More than this may cause the body to hang onto extra protein in the form of fat. (But again, this is very individualized!) 

A few of these meals have less than 20 grams protein. However, that doesn’t mean they’re a poor choice. I’ll provide simple ideas of how to boost the protein if you desire! 

Now that you know a little more about what to look for on the label, are you ready to get into 5 healthy frozen meals Trader Joe’s offers? Let’s get to it! 

Riced Cauliflower Bowl (Vegan/Gluten Free)

This vegan and gluten free bowl has so much flavor to offer. The riced cauliflower, tahini and red pepper puree are the first 3 ingredients that give this dish so much warmth and texture. In my opinion, it’s a very “earthy” type of dish that I’m glad to see in a frozen meal option! 

This is a meal that you’d want to eat as 1 serving, instead of breaking it down into 2.5 servings per container as the nutrition label suggests. Looking at the “per container” section of the label, there’s 24g of carbs, 8g of dietary fiber and 12g protein. 

This is a great example of how to figure in fiber. We’ll take 24g (Total Carbs) minus 8 (Dietary Fiber) which equals 16 grams of net carbs. The protein is on the lower end, however, we can add extra toppings to boost the protein.

My favorites for this meal are crumbled goat cheese and hemp hearts. These 2 ingredients blend in well and add to the earthiness while adding extra protein and fiber. 

Since the carbs are below 30g, you’re welcome to add a side of fruit or whole grain crackers to the bowl if you’d like. I will say I was pleasantly surprised how filling this was without needing to add the extra carbs.

I highly recommend this bowl for a quick 4-5 minute microwavable meal with a ton of flavor, texture and opportunity to add extras as desired! 

Paneer Tikka Masala (Vegetarian/Gluten Free)

This is probably my favorite frozen meal go-to of all time. If you’re a fan of paneer cheese, you won’t be disappointed! I always look forward to biting into the soft texture of the paneer, and experiencing the taste of the flavorful and aromatic tikka masala sauce. 

This meal even has extra veggies cooked into the rice! There’s the option to microwave or heat in the oven, so it could be done in as little as 6 minutes or less than 25 minutes. 

Looking at the nutrition label, this meal has 36g of carbs, 5g of fiber, 14g protein. Similar to the Riced Cauliflower Bowl, this lands within to the carbs recommendations (31g net carbs) and slightly short on the protein. If you have leftover protein in the fridge you’d like to add to boost protein, go for it!

My preference is to add extra veggies to bump up the fiber and portion size. Sometimes the meal leaving me feeling like there could have been more, then other times it’s the perfect amount.

Recently I added leftover sautéed zucchini and roasted carrots to the dish and was extremely satisfied and comfortably satisfied for hours. 

Chicken Burrito Bowl

Craving a meat protein bowl with a Mexican flare? This zesty Chicken Burrito Bowl adds fiber rich quinoa along with brown rice and black beans to build the foundation of this colorful bowl with peppers, corn and tomatoes.

Although not specifically labeled, this meal is gluten free per the ingredient list. 

This bowl is a great option for balancing the plate with protein, carbs, non-starchy veggies and fiber. With 51g of carbs, 9g of fiber (42g net carbs) and 22g protein, this is surely going to satisfy for a while. (I can attest to this too!)

Looking to top it off with avocado or guacamole? That will add some extra healthy fats to balance it even further. 

If you need a quick lunch option to bring to work or heat at home in the microwave, you’ll have a hot balanced meal in 6 minutes!

Family Style Meat Lasagna

Feeling like you need a break from cooking dinner? This meat lasagna is a great option to cook for 1 and have leftovers or feed a family of 4 for a meal. Technically, you could eat a serving size of this lasagna on its own and be satisfied as it contains carbs, protein and veggies (as tomato sauce). 

I recommend adding a side of veggies for extra fiber so it’s not as easy to go overboard with the carb portion of lasagna. Veggies fill us up with fiber, provide antioxidants and add more color to this meal.

Whether that’s grabbing a bagged salad, making frozen broccoli or having raw veggies on hand, it all counts. 

The nutrition label reads: serving size 1 cup, carbs 26g, fiber 2g, protein 21g. I’ve certainly made this meal last longer with dividing the tray into 6 portions instead of 4. If you combine with veggies you’ll be plenty satisfied! 

The preferred method of cooking is the oven, so you’ll need to plan to put this in at least 1 hour before you’re wanting to eat. The lasagna reheats nicely to pack for leftovers too! I’ve had this meal many times and it’s always a solid go-to!

Shiitake Mushroom Chicken

If you’re already a Trader Joe’s shopper, you know this list of 5 healthy frozen meals Trader Joe’s offers is just scratching the surface. Choosing the 5th one to write about was a tough decision! 

I chose this meal, the Shiitake Mushroom Chicken as it’s loaded with protein, has great flavor, and has a different cooking method than the above meals. It’s nice to switch things up! 

This package has 4 servings, again, plenty to feed a few for dinner or reheat for lunch leftovers the next few days. With 9g carbs, 2 g fiber and 20g protein in 1 cup, feel free to increase the portion size a bit or add a side of rice with it to make sure you stay satisfied. 

You have the option to defrost the veggies and chicken in the microwave first, or heat everything in a saute pan on the stove top. Since the sauce comes in a packet, you have control of how much you’d like to use.

I feel it’s the right amount of sweet/savory balance, but you can add all the extra spices and flavors you desire! 

That’s a wrap of 5 Healthy Frozen Meals Trader Joe’s offers!

I hope this was helpful in providing a few ideas on how to stock your freezer for healthy frozen meals Trader Joe’s sells. This is the first of many posts about all the fun, delicious and balanced finds at Trader Joe’s.

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If you’d like to talk more about macros, balancing the plate or your individual nutrition needs, head over to my insurance and self-pay section of my website to learn more. 

Have fun shopping and eating these balanced picks that’ll leave you satisfied and keep your blood sugars in check!