My Favorite Trader Joe's Lunches

I posted a few weeks ago about my favorite soups to make on Sundays and bring for lunch. I definitely do that most weeks, but I always have a stock of frozen lunches in the freezer just in case! Back in my first year of teaching, when I had no time and less money, I tried out most of the 1.99 Trader Joe's lunches and like to think I've sussed out the best ones! Here are my picks, though, alas, I do now sometimes buy ones that go past the $2 mark!

Vegetable Pad Thai. This pad thai has green onions, tofu, and crunchy carrots. It's not gross and is pretty filling, which is basically what I'm looking for in a frozen lunch!

Chicken Balti Pies. These were a recent discovery, and they are soooo tasty. Definitely not the healthiest option (I think they're around 700 calories, yikes), but one will keep you full all afternoon. I normally don't like pre-packaged food with meat in it, but this chicken passes muster!

Channa Masala + Garlic Naan. Per not loving pre-packaged meat, I don't eat that many of TJ's Indian options. But this Channa Masala is basically just chickpeas and sauce. It's not enough for me on its own, but pair it with a piece of garlic naan and you're good! If you can get away with it, you can just leave the pack of garlic naan in your school fridge. At my old school, I'd put it in the microwave for 30 seconds and then pop it in the toaster. Sadly, no toaster at my new school, but you can just microwave it for closer to a minute.

Fusilli with Vegetables & Basil Pasta. This is definitely one of the lighter options, so I pair it with yogurt or a piece of fruit. 

Hake En Papillote. My squeamishness over prepackaged meat does in fact extend to fish, but I give this one a pass because it basically comes in an origami box. You microwave it inside this cute little paper box and I think it sort of... steams itself? I don't know, but it's tasty. At around $4, this one might be a splurge, but it's worth it.

Do you have a TJ's near you? What are your top picks? I also have to shout-out my friend/co-worker Melissa who inspired this post by always asking about my lunch!