One of my long standing complaints about new products at Trader Joe’s is that they tend to be carb heavy. But there is a substantial enough audience for good tasting low carb alternatives that have been all but ignore up until recently.
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Trader Joe's Vegetables
While many Trader Joe's customers are health conscious, there are some hits and misses in with their vegetables. Quality can vary, fortunately, that's why you have this site!
From the refrigerated Butternut Squash Zig Zags to the frozen Stir Fry Vegetables find dozens of reviews of Trader Joe's vegetable products and see which ones are worth your time and which ones you may want to consider leaving on the shelf!
Trader Joe’s Spicy Thai Eggplant
Well, after having some of Trader Joe’s Brookies, I guess my next view has to be some lighter fare. And just in time for dieting season is this frozen entree. From what I’ve been seeing posted around the internet, there are going to be some new additions in the freezer aisle. Certain items are scheduled to be discontinued like Trader Joe’s Cream Cheese Broiche Pastries, their French Toast, and even the tasty Sunflower Seed Drops are rumored to be discontinued. So with extra freezer room, I guess we will be seeing new items hitting shelves.
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Trader Joe’s Super Sweet Fresh Corn
The pros: Trader Joe’s Super Sweet Fresh Corn is ready to be cooked corn on the cob.
The cons: Far more expensive that buying corn that needs to be husked. My local Trader Joe’s was selling those for $0.29 each.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Artichoke Hearts
The pros: Trader Joe’s Artichoke Hearts is one of several artichoke options available at Trader Joe’s. This is cheaper than the marinated and has fewer calories.
The cons: This is a staple in my house can be sold out often at my local store.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
Done correctly, a good gnocchi should be light, soft, delicate. It should have a smooth mouthfeel. Done poorly, you get little potato torpedos that are dense and chewy. I’ve eaten from both ends of the spectrum. But there is something that is just so comforting about a gnocchi….
Trader Joe’s Asian Vegetables with Beijing Style Soy Sauce
The pros: Trader Joe’s Asian Vegetables with Beijing Style Soy Sauce is a solid blend of Asian veggies with a thick and flavorful sauce.
The cons: Nothing stands out.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Grilled Cauliflower
The pros: Trader Joe’s Grilled Cauliflower is one of a number of cauliflower options available in the freezer aisle. This is also priced the same as Trader Joe’s Rainbow Cauliflower.
The cons: While priced the same as Trader Joe’s Rainbow Cauliflower, this is not organic. This also wasn’t as good either.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Mushroom Medley
The pros: Trader Joe’s Mushroom Medley are quick and easy mushrooms that can used in place in of freshly sautéed mushrooms.
The cons: Not as low-calorie as some other frozen vegetable options, but not terrible either. They are simple in flavor as they only contain mushrooms, olive oil, salt, parsley, and garlic.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Organic Rainbow Cauliflower
The pros: Trader Joe’s Organic Rainbow Cauliflower is new and adds to a growing list of cauliflower products. This is a solid choice if you are looking for a side.
The cons: While cauliflower may help you feel full, there doesn’t seem to be much fiber in this stuff.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Stir Fry Vegetables
The pros: Trader Joe’s Stir Fry Vegetables is a nice sized and easy to prepare stir fry mix.
The cons: The balance of the veggies could have been better. Mine seemed to be mostly pea pods.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Melange
The pros: Trader Joe’s Vegetable Melange is a pleasant blend of veggies that can be made quickly without needing to add much of anything.
The cons: If you don’t like the seasoned butter sauce it has been part of the coating of the veggies. Bag cannot is not resealable.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Roasted Potatoes with Peppers and Onions
The pros: Trader Joe’s Roasted Potatoes with Peppers and Onions is a well done all in one bag of potatoes, onions, and peppers.
The cons: This is primary roasted potatoes rather than onions or peppers. If you are hoping for crisp veggies, then make sure to make this in a pan instead of the microwave. The bag cannot be resealed.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Roasted Rainbow Potatoes
The pros: Trader Joe’s Roasted Rainbow Potatoes make for a beautiful presentation for those who don’t have the time to do the prep work.
The cons: This is a seasonal item. Does not come in a resealable bag.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Hasselback Potatoes
The pros: Trader Joe’s Hasselback Potatoes are a good potato that is prepped for you and ready to go. The taste and texture was better in the oven than in the microwave.
The cons: These are truly overpriced potatoes. There was nothing notable or that made these standout in anyway.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Mashed Sweet Potatoes
The pros: Trader Joe’s Mashed Sweet Potatoes taste pretty darn close to homemade mashed sweet potatoes and were perfect from the microwave.
The cons: This is a seasonal item, so if you enjoy it then you’ll want to pick up a few. I wished they had packaged this in a resealable bag.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Riced Cauliflower Stuffing
If there is one food item I look forward to at the Thanksgiving dinner table, it is stuffing. I’m not 100% convinced that stove top stuffing actually has THAT MANY servings in it. Stuffing goes quickly in my household. There is something completely comforting about the bread/veggie combo that stuffing is….
Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Ribbons
The pros: Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Ribbons are found in the refrigerated section and are another substitute for pasta.
The cons: With a little bit of prep, you could probably make these yourself.
The verdict:
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Trader Joe’s Mashed Cauliflower
The pros: Trader Joe’s Mashed Cauliflower is for the people who need cauliflower everything. If you are looking to cut calories, this is a starting point but maybe not the best avenue.
The cons: From the microwave it seems more like soup and less like a mash. The bag this comes in should be resealable. Have a bag clip ready if you are not going to make the whole thing.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Zucchini Spirals
The pros: Trader Joe’s Zucchini Spirals are frozen, ready in about 10 minutes, and as easy as can be.
The cons: Trader Joe’s Zucchini Spirals gave up a lot of water, the box indicates that there are 4 servings and I ate the whole thing in one sitting, and is a bit expensive for what you are getting here.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Kung Pao Tempura Cauliflower
The pros: Trader Joe’s Kung Pao Tempura Cauliflower is tasty and can be reheated so as long as you don’t put the sauce on it.
The cons: There were 13 pieces of cauliflower in my bag which means a serving size is about 2 pieces. Those two pieces were 150 calories. Compare that to a bag of Trader Joe’s Riced Cauliflower and this can be a diet buster.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Mexican Style Roasted Corn
The pros: Trader Joe’s Mexican Style Roasted Corn is a flavor explosion. I thought it was fantastic on its own and could be used to compliment a number of dishes.
The cons: If you have food allergies, then some of the allergy information was a bit unexpected.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Carrot Spirals
The pros: Trader Joe’s Carrot Spirals are the newest addition to the frozen veggies section. While it contains only simple ingredients, the end result was very good.
The cons: On the other hand, this took longer to cook from frozen than the package stated. Also, a few spirals were very, very long. Be careful about overcooking these. You do want al dente.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Eggplant Cutlets
The pros: Trader Joe’s Eggplant Cutlets are affordable and super convenient, not to mention tasty and pretty darn close to tasting homemade.
The cons: I was wishing for it to be a tad crispier, but I guess you give some of that up when you buy frozen.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Cauliflower and Broccoli Vegetable Patties
The pros: A new addition to the freezer section. Trader Joe’s Cauliflower and Broccoli Vegetable Patties are quick and easy that taste fresh and require minimal work. While they won’t work out as a burger, they will make a nutritious side dish.
The cons: You’ll need to add something here to make it more flavorful. This is a blank canvas. I found the addition of a bit of salt to be essential. No microwave allowed on this one.
The verdict: …
