The pros: Trader Joe's Shrimp Stir Fry is a terrific tasting item if you are dieting or just watching calories or carbs. Rich in vitamin C.
The cons: Not enough water chestnuts, bean sprouts were mushy and lots of broccoli stems.
The verdict:
On a trip to Trader Joe's, I picked up this bag of Shrimp Stir Fry. I was a bit hesitant to try it. Honestly, I was looking at the calorie count and wasn't sure as to how tasty it would be. This whole bag is under 200 calories. It's not a small bag either. When cooked it was a tasty bag, but had some minor draw backs.
The shrimp here aren't huge when cooked. They are on the smaller side, but that wasn't a disappointment at a price of $4.99. This bag was packed full of veggies. Most of the veggies consisted of broccoli stems and sugar snap peas. Personally, I prefer the top part of the broccoli, but the stems were alright. Both cooked well in a pan. To me, there weren't nearly enough water chestnuts. And unlike Trader Joe's Pad Thai, these bean sprouts did not hold up well to cooking as they were very mushy. Without the seasoning packet, this was bland. Without the packet of seasoning, it truly felt like eating diet food. However, after adding the seasoning packet, the flavors came more alive. The packet adds flavors like onion powder and garlic which gives everything more of a sautéed flavor. In the end, I did enjoy mine with some rice, but if you are looking to save calories, then skip it. Overall, I really like this. It was a lot of food that tasted very fresh. I would buy this again.
The bag of Trader Joe's Shrimp Stir Fry:
The nutritional information and the ingredients:
How to prepare:
Out of the package you get:
After being cooked you get:
Would I buy this again? Yes. Whether you are watching calories or want an all in one meal, this is a pretty good option to reach for.
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Beth says
I wouldn't have bought this meal if I hadn't read your review and I would have missed out on a pretty tasty, healthy dinner. The shrimp are small but so good. Thank you for what you do! Also, I added a can of drained water chestnut slices to the stir fry based on your review. I served it over brown rice. We'll be having this often for a good, healthy meal.
becomebetty says
Hey Beth! Absolutely. I loved water chestnuts too. I just with Trader Joe's sold them too so I wouldn't have to make an extra stop. Glad I could help and thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this!
amagrouchhotmailcom says
The instructions say to add the veggies after the shrimp, then continue stir-frying for another 3 minutes. It took nearly 6, but I used an actual wok, not a flat pan. I think a flat pan would have worked better. The shrimp are flavorless and the seasoning is too spicy, IMO, but I do like the abundance of veggies. Not sure I’ll buy it again, though: too much work and mess for a bland meal.
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. I know I needed some extra soy sauce to up the flavor too, but I did love the veggies. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to stop by and share.