Grocery
27 Trader Joe's Frozen Food Products That Are Always in Our Freezers
Lots of dumplings included.
Between the packed inventory and endless lines of shoppers, the aisles in any Trader Joe's are—how do I put this?—absolute chaos. The freezer section, perhaps the most of all. From peeled-and-chopped produce to microwave-and-eat meals, there’s no shortage of time-saving gems in there, but when making your way through the crowds, it's helpful to know exactly what to look for.
Which is why I asked our staff: What Trader Joe's frozen food products do you always keep stocked in your freezer?
Here’s what they said (lots of dumplings included).
Chicken Potstickers
“The chicken potstickers! They are cheap, easy to make, and perfect for days when I’m not feeling like making an elaborate meal. Just make a side of sautéed veggies or fried rice and you’re good to go." —Megan Güntaş, product designer
Cauliflower Pizza Crust + Frozen Crushed Garlic
"Trader Joe's frozen cauliflower pizza crust is my go-to and worth the sometimes long line to get! It's a great gluten-free option that still allows me to choose my own toppings and take part in the fun of pizza making. Their frozen crushed garlic is another one of my favorites for cooking. It comes in a miniature ice cube tray, and is super handy when you need garlic stat." —Shannon Muldoon, director of client services
Pork Potstickers
“I never leave Trader Joe's without snagging the pork gyoza potstickers. They take 10 minutes tops to fry and last me three meals if I add brown rice and bok choy—and the whole bag costs less than a single serving at a restaurant.” —Maggie Slover, copywriter
Vegetable Potstickers + Quinoa With Vegetables
“Yeah, +1 to gyoza! We always have a bag of the vegetable ones—so easy to make. Also, I always get the Quinoa Duo With Vegetable Melange.” —Alison Green, senior full stack developer
Chicken Tikka Masala + Hold the Cone! Mini Ice Cream Cones
“+1 to the pork gyoza! I also absolutely love, love, love their chicken tikka masala. I'll stock up on two or three boxes at a time so I know I have something quick and yummy on hand at all times. And my love for their mini ice cream cones (which come in vanilla and chocolate, as well as the seasonal pumpkin and peppermint flavors) knows no bounds. You'll rarely find my freezer without them.” —Erin Alexander, associate editor
Gorgonzola Gnocchi + Chicken Spring Rolls
“Gorgonzola gnocchi is 🔥! I can eat it alone, or add whatever veggies or protein I happen to have in the fridge. I always have two or three bags in my freezer. Also, their chicken spring rolls!” —Danielle Curtis-Williams, marketing coordinator
Produce + Mac 'n' Cheese + Butter Chicken
“I love the TJ freezer section for the produce staples: broccoli, artichokes, green peas. I’m not above their microwave “Joe’s Diner” mac and cheese, either. And I’m not gluten-intolerant, but they even have a gluten-free version that’s very good. The paneer tikka masala also has my heart, as does the butter chicken (any of the Indian entrees, really). God, I love TV dinners.” —Eric Kim, Table for One columnist
Yellow Jackfruit Curry With Jasmine Rice
"I always have one of these lying around in my freezer. If you haven’t tried cooked jackfruit yet, I highly recommend it—its meaty texture makes it a great vegan swap for (very moist) chicken breast or pulled pork. The yellow curry is vegan, delicious and plentiful so I drown the rice in it, until it’s basically a soup. Warning: It packs some heat (and that’s half the fun)." —Arati Menon, senior editor
Very Berry Cherry Blend
"Cherries and berries? Hi, hello, sign me up. While so many frozen fruits I've tried are covered in freezer burn, this blend is A+ every time. I blend it into smoothies, stir it into cereal or yogurt, and cook it down into a compote to spoon with abandon on top of pancakes." —Emma Laperruque, food editor
Garlic Naan + Tilapia
“I really like the garlic naan. It goes especially well with the Instant Pot butter chicken! I also really like their frozen tilapia”. —Micki Balder, software engineer
Spanakopita
"I always keep a box of the Trader Joe's spanakopita in the far reaches of my freezer. They (used to be) great for a crowd when friends came over unexpectedly, but these days they're an excellent personal snack with hummus and baba ganoush." —Mollie Doherty, senior account manager
Cheese & Green Chile Tamales
“Green chile and cheese tamales, as well as the pork gyoza. They're tasty, easy, and filling!” —Funmi Ojo, junior web developer
Asparagus Risotto
"This is my go-to anytime I'm in the freezer section of Trader Joe's, thanks to its creamy texture and hint of freshness from the asparagus. It almost feels like an adult mac and cheese situation." —Patrick Moynihan, senior social media manager
Brown Rice
"One of my freezer staples is Trader Joe's brown rice—it's ready in 3 minutes (perfect for those moments when I've come up with a weeknight dinner on the fly), and has a reliably good texture. Bonus points for one less pot to clean." —Claire Chambers, chief commercial officer
Malabar Paratha + Ham, Onion & Gruyère Flatbread
"I recently discovered the malabar paratha because my usual frozen naan was out of stock. I needed something to drench with garlic and serve with my dinner that night, and I'm so glad I grabbed these. They're crispy, chewy, and fluffy all at the same time, and are now one of my favorite-ever items at T-Joe's. I've also been buying the ham, onion and Gruyère flatbread since I discovered it in college, and it almost never lasts longer than the night I buy it. After lugging groceries home on the subway, it's the easiest and most comforting meal to heat up in the oven—even better if I muster the strength for a side salad." —Caroline Mullen, assistant lifestyle editor
Hash Browns
"I love love love potatoes and the Trader Joe's hash browns are one of my favorite ways to eat them. I always keep them stocked so that I'm halfway to a breakfast burrito at all times." —Erin Sanders, customer care operations manager
Pizza Parlanno
"My boyfriend and I never leave TJ's without at least two frozen Pizza Parlannos in our carts— it's the best pizza they have in my opinion!" —Aja Aktay, home buyer
Cauliflower Gnocchi + Cacio E Pepe
"Trader Joe's frozen cauliflower gnocchi is the perfect quick dish for when you want to treat yourself. It’s simple to prepare but also very versatile. You can add protein to the dish or change the sauce. I love to pan-fry the gnocchi to give it a nice, crisp exterior while keeping the interior soft and pillowy. As for their frozen pastas, it's all about the cacio e pepe. Unlike most, it retains its al dente texture and is a quick fix when you’re craving creamy comfort food." —Alana Garcia, senior manager of branded content development
Written by: Emma Laperruque
Popular on Food52
98 Comments
also love cauliflower fried rice and their party meatballs
Yes, they are a decent item from Joe's and very inexpensive.
*Sir Roger Penrose said "remote future" in a recent interview, and that concept is the second thing on that "2020" list.
*Sir Roger Penrose said "remote future" in a recent interview, and that concept is the second thing on that "2020" list.
We always have a fall back menu if I keep these in stock. The Mushroom Medley is probably my favorite item to add incredible flavor to anything from eggs, pasta to steaks. Yum!
See what other Food52 readers are saying.