As a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and yoga teacher who also works full-time at a nonprofit, my schedule is packed. Meal prepping is essential as I juggle classes, meetings, and more.
Trader Joe's has been my go-to store for high-protein, nutritious meal prep essentials for more than a decade. Plus, as someone who generally eats a plant-based diet, Trader Joe's has plenty of options.
Here are some of the items that always make the cut when I'm meal-prepping.
Trader Joe's has a wide selection of hummus, but the crunchy chili-onion flavor is my favorite. This hummus is delightfully creamy, and the pepper adds texture and a spicy kick.
It's great served in a Mediterranean-inspired lunch bowl or scooped up with raw vegetables or crackers.
My favorite way to prep Trader Joe's firm tofu is to crumble it — no pressing needed.
I toss it with coconut aminos (which is similar to soy sauce) and seasoning, bake it, and then stuff it into pita bread with veggies and hummus for a delicious, plant-based wrap.
I'm all about saving time where I can. Luckily, Trader Joe's frozen brown rice uses a steamer bag to heat up in just three minutes.
I like to pair it with beans, fajita vegetables, salsa, and cheese for a DIY taco bowl — or alongside roasted veggies, hard-boiled eggs, and tahini sauce for a power bowl.
If I'm not prepping a sauce at home, I'm buying one with simple ingredients, like Trader Joe's Guacsalsa — made with tomatillo, avocado, jalapenos, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and salt.
True to its name, it tastes like a cross between guacamole and salsa verde. I love to drizzle this on burrito bowls for extra flavor.
For an easy soup, I like to pop some of Trader Joe's frozen gyoza into the store's miso-ginger broth, along with whatever vegetables I have on hand.
Or, if I'm not meal prepping, I pan-fry them and serve them alongside a homemade soy-sauce-based dip.
Frozen vegetables are typically packed at peak ripeness and flash frozen within hours, so they deliver the same nutritional benefits as their fresh counterparts.
One of my favorite options to buy is frozen broccoli, which I add to a grain bowl or serve alongside a grilled protein.
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