I rely on Trader Joe's frozen and refrigerated sections for quick, easy meals. Here are 10 premade items that taste homemade.

When Trader Joe's broccoli-and-cheddar-cheese quiche comes out of the oven, it's hard to believe it's a frozen meal. The crust bakes into a flaky, buttery heaven, and the broccoli and cheddar taste great together.

I always make these when it's "fend-for-yourself night" at home or if I'm alone and don't want to bother putting a big meal together.

I love rich, creamy risotto, especially on a chilly winter's night. However, it typically takes 30 to 40 minutes of standing over a stove and stirring for it to be perfect.

But with Trader Joe's mushroom risotto, I can just add a little water and stir on the stovetop for about 10 minutes to get the same luscious, decadent risotto I'd find at a restaurant.

I always have a bag or two of Trader Joe's Italian-style meatballs in my freezer. Since they're fully cooked, I just throw them into a pot of simmering tomato sauce and add to my favorite pasta.

I also thaw them to make meatball subs, pizza toppings, and lasagna.

I discovered Trader Joe's premade meals when we were remodeling our kitchen. Having only a refrigerator and microwave meant happily eating Trader Joe's chicken parmigiana every night.

What I love about this frozen dish is that after a few minutes in the microwave, it's just as good as it would be if it had come out of the oven. The chicken is tender, the breading is nice and crispy, and the melted mozzarella has a gooey, delicious texture.

Chicken Marsala is one of my favorite dinners, but if the sauce isn't prepared correctly, it can ruin the whole dish.

With Trader Joe's frozen chicken Marsala, I don't have to worry about that. The sauce coats the chicken and creamy mashed potatoes perfectly, making for a mouthwatering meal that I can't get enough of.

Italian food is one of our favorites, and Trader Joe's meat lasagna tastes as if I spent hours making it.

The sauce is rich and spicy, while the pasta is tender and doesn't fall apart when stabbed with a fork. The dish is big enough to serve at least three people.

I like to round out the meal with a salad and a nice glass of red wine.

Whenever I'm at a loss for what to make for dinner, I pull out a bag of Trader Joe's Asian-style vegetables with stir-fry sauce.

It contains some of our favorite vegetables — such as carrots, baby corn, and broccoli — and they're already chopped up into the perfect bite-sized pieces, saving me a ton of prep time.

For a little more protein, I sometimes add the Trader Joe's grilled-chicken strips.

There's nothing better than a chicken sandwich or salad for dinner, but I hate cooking a whole chicken for one meal.

Luckily, these grilled-chicken strips are always in my fridge, ready to be added to any meal. I often toss a few into a fresh salad or add them to a nice pot of chicken soup. My son has even started adding them to his quesadillas.

The flavorful brown-and-wild-rice blend makes this premade chicken dinner even better.

Don't get me wrong, the chicken is delicious, but I could eat the rice all by itself and be completely satisfied.

There's nothing like a tangy-lemon sauce to wake up the senses, and Trader Joe's chicken piccata does the trick.

The white wine, lemon, and caper sauce is rich and bright, bringing out the flavors of the breaded chicken. I like to add a simple salad for a restaurant-worthy dinner from home.

Click to keep reading Trader Joe's diaries like this one.

This story was originally published on September 14, 2024, and most recently updated on January 27, 2026.