Trader Joe's Has Been Releasing Tons Of New Frozen Items Lately — Here's Whether Or Not You Should Try Them, According To Very Passionate TJ's Fans
Hi, I'm Hannah, and as you might know, I'm an extremely loyal Trader Joe's shopper. I pretty much know the aisles front to back, so when I see something new pop up on the shelves, it quickly catches my eye.
I don't make frozen food all that often, but I'm a huge fan of having some easy and dependable frozen meals on hand for those moments when you just don't feel like cooking. As a new mom who has recently experienced many a chaotic evening, I'll be the first to admit that I've had my fair share of these recently!
Since having a baby, I've been doing much of my grocery shopping as close to home as possible, which has meant less frequent trips to Trader Joe's. But in recent TJ's visits, I've discovered so many new and intriguing products in the frozen aisle.
So here are 25 new and newish frozen meals I've spotted on Trader Joe's shelves that I really can't wait to try. And to get the lowdown on whether or not these products are worth trying in your own kitchen (and mine), I turned to redditors who are just as passionate about TJ's as I am. Here's what they had to say.
1.Spicy Peanutty Noodle Bowl With Chicken
"This was surprisingly good. The noodles are not soggy, and the chicken has a good texture. The peanuts add a nice texture to the sauce, which has a well-balanced flavor. It's mildly spicy, so you'll enjoy this even if you don't like spicy food."
2.Tortilla Espa?ola
"I really liked this. PSA: It's heavy on the potatoes, but I love potatoes, so it was good for me! I reheated it in a pan with avocado oil. It takes longer than the package directions suggested, and I also put a lid over it. When it was done, I seasoned it with sea salt, black pepper, and a few dabs of my favorite hot sauce. Tasty and easy."
3.Chicken Shawarma Bowl
"I just had this, and it was seriously so good. I put it in the oven, though, so I'm not sure if microwaving changes the flavor. I added a little hot sauce, and it was YUMMY! I'm definitely going to buy more."
4.Garlic Shiitake Green Beans
"I just had these for lunch, and they’re good! I wouldn’t go so far as to say as great as the famous Din Tai Fung version, but for $3, I’ll add it to my weekly shopping list."
5.Kanom Krok Thai Coconut Pancakes
"Just got these, and they are delicious! I never really get to try custardlike products as a vegan. I almost couldn’t believe these were egg- and dairy-free!"
6.Pretzel Bread Pudding
"These are wildly delicious. Our cats even love them! We have purchased eight boxes to have extra because they are going to go quickly."
7.Breaded Cheddar Cheese Curds
"I ate a whole bag of these straight from the air fryer in one sitting."
8.Shrimp Pouches of Many Colors
"We NEED to talk about the Shrimp Pouches of Many Colors. It’s absolutely nuts how good these are."
9.Green Chile Chicken Bowl
"I liked the flavor of this, and there was a good amount of chicken, but the rice was pretty mushy, and there should have been more cheese. I also would’ve preferred it if it were a bit more spicy. Overall, it's a solid frozen dinner and a pretty filling one, too."
10.Chicken Sausage & Cheddar Cheese Breakfast Bake
"So good. I heated it in the oven at 350 degrees for 43 minutes. It was the perfect breakfast. It’s crispy and rich and cheesy and filling. My best friend's mother used to make something like this for Christmas breakfast way back when, and this brings me right back there."
11.Chicken, Lentil & Caramelized Onion Pilaf
"Ignore the cooking directions. Cut the corner of the bag and microwave it for four minutes. It’s fantastic! I honestly would not complain if it were properly warmed and served at a restaurant."
12.Portuguese Bacalhau Tartelettes
"Snagged these today. At first we only made four, but we couldn't resist making the rest of the box! We haven't had the real deal in Portugal, but we are familiar with bacalao, and these really hit the spot. They're only mildly fishy, and there's a great contrast between the crunchy outside and custardy inside. Cooking at 375 degrees for 18 minutes in the air fryer was definitely too much. I cooked them for more like 12–13 minutes. Going back tomorrow for more!"
13.Korean Inspired Bulgogi Beef Fried Rice With Kimchi
"I can’t complain about this quick, 10-minute meal. Eat it with fresh kimchi, and it’s super filling. I plan to stock up on some more."
14.Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties
"I love these! I make them all the time for breakfast. I get the hash browns, too, and I put the chicken patty on top with a fried egg. It's easy to make, and you can cook it all in one pan for easy cleanup!"
15.Apple Tatin Tartelettes
"They are SO good. They would have fooled me in a restaurant."
16.Garlicky Pasta
"On its own, this is like a pretty mild Italian-style dish, but if you lean into the Asian flavors and add something extra like gochujang and TJ's spicy hot honey, it becomes a really tasty Korean-style garlic noodle. I highly recommend."
17.Japchae Korean Sweet Potato Glass Noodles & Vegetable Stir Fry
"This is my favorite TJ's frozen meal! I always stock up when they have it in the frozen aisle. If I have time, I level it up with some extra stir-fried veggies and whatever meat or tofu I have on hand. The flavor of the sauce with the noodles is usually enough, but I sometimes also add soy sauce, sriracha, and sesame oil as needed."
18.Chicken Karaage
"I’m a fan of dark meat, so I was excited to try this one. The sizes of the pieces are very varied. Some are big, and some are a more conventional nugget size. I cooked mine in the oven per the instructions, then added five more minutes until they were crispy. I loved the crunchy texture and moist, juicy chicken. There were some bites where the breading clumped together and tasted soggy and wet. The sauce itself is creamy and rich, but I would recommend adding something acidic to it. It was a nice alternative to regular nuggets, but I didn't love the wet, overly bready bites."
19.Iced Gingerbread Squares
"These are delicious if you microwave them for about 20 seconds straight from frozen."
20.Mango Blueberry Chia Bowl
"These were shockingly delicious! Mine could have used a few more blueberry or mango chunks, but you can easily just toss in some random fruit or granola you have in the kitchen."
21.Jalape?o & Cream Cheese Crispy Wontons
"These are delicious, and the edges crisped up nicely in the oven. I bet they are even better in an air fryer. They were a nice balance of creamy filling and crunchy exterior."
22.Artichoke Bread Pudding
"I really loved this! I just bought it to try again. It takes way longer to bake than the package instructions suggest, but it’s delicious once it’s finally done!"
23.Tteok Bok Ki Korean Spicy Stir-Fried Rice Cakes
"As someone who makes this dish from scratch, I liked this for a quick version. To combat the sweetness, I would add a bit of soy sauce, extra ssamjang, and sesame oil. Frying the rice cakes enhances their chewiness. I'd try making these again by just boiling them in the sauce until the sauce thickens and they're tender. This will help them to absorb the sauce better, making it soft and flavorful. Also, throw a handful of cheese on top and melt it! I like to think of them as Korean SpaghettiOs!"
24.Baingan Bharta Roasted Eggplant Curry
"I just finished a box. It's got a very strong heat and kick to it, and it's salty with a little bit of sweetness. If you hate eggplant, don't worry; you won't detect it. If you love eggplant, then sorry...you simply won't taste it because everything is super mushed together. It doesn't dethrone TJ's palak paneer, but it's a good one to add to the rotation. Pair this with malabari paratha."
25.Double Chocolate Croissants
"These were fun and delectable, with the perfect amount of sweetness. Light, flaky, and soft! I followed the package directions exactly."
Have you tried one of these newish frozen TJ's meals (or another that I didn't mention)!? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Note: Some entries have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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