Whether you are a vegan, a vegetarian or just trying to consume less animal products, it can be helpful to have a few go-to, easy options that are compatible with your dietary needs. That’s where Trader Joe’s comes in. The cult-favorite grocery chain is constantly pushing out new products and resurrecting old favorites — many of which are vegan! Here’s your guide to shopping the aisles for the best plant-based items to get you through your day deliciously.
Breakfast
Trader Joe’s Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls fall into one of my favorite food categories: accidentally vegan. Flip over the cardboard tube and scan the ingredients list. Not an animal product in sight! If you’re looking for something a little more protein-packed to get your day started, steer your cart over to the frozen aisle and pick up the tofu scramble with soy chorizo; it’s filling and flavorful without being too heavy. If you’re in the mood for something sweeter, TJ’s gluten-free organic rolled oats with ancient grains and seeds are a perfect complement to their blueberry cultured coconut milk yogurt. Eating on the run? Spread some vegan buttery spread on toast and you’re out the door in no time.
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Lunch
With a little food prep, you can set yourself up for a delicious week of vegan lunches sourced from within the aisles of your local Trader Joe’s. Whip up a batch of their falafel mix (or buy the frozen falafel if your store carries them) and bake them off on a sheet pan or in the air fryer until crispy. Toss them on some mixed greens with olives, cherry tomatoes and the store’s vegan feta alternative. Drizzle a little vegan tzatziki dip over the whole thing and you’ve got a delicious salad.
If you’re running short on time or energy, thankfully TJ’s has some grab-and-go vegan options. Two of our favorites are the organic hearty minestrone soup and the peanut udon noodle salad.
Dinner
If your weeknights, like mine, are a flurry of impending deadlines underscored by overwhelming desire to just fade into the couch, perhaps frozen dinners are a good option. Thankfully, Trader Joe’s has you covered. their vegan enchilada casserole is melty, saucy and lightly spiced. their vegan tikka masala and vegan pad thai are both classics for a reason. If you’re looking for something that gives the same vibes as old-school Chinese carry-out, pair their chicken-less mandarin orange morsels with instant white rice and frozen broccoli. For an all-in-one meal, consider their yellow jackfruit curry with jasmine rice.
Snack
There are so many great vegan snack options at Trader Joe’s. Three that are consistently on-rotation in my kitchen are the spicy porkless plant-based snack rinds (these are also really fun to sprinkle on black bean tacos), the chile-spiced dried pineapple (which is addictive) and the veggie-gyoza.
deserts
Time for the sweet stuff. As the weather gets warmer, spend some time in the frozen aisle and pick up a treat or two, like the Hold the Dairy! Vegan chocolate mini cones, oat non-dairy frozen dessert sandwiches or the vegan cookies & cream vanilla bean bon bons. For something classic, grab a box of the vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and a glass of your non-dairy milk of choice.
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