A Breakdown of How ‘Healthy’ Trader Joe’s Frozen Food Really Is

Mother Jones Food Smackdown

It’d be nice if we could cook a gourmet meal for ourselves every night, but most times that ain’t happening. Quick and easy is always a solid go-to, and if you hit up a local Trader Joe’s, you’ll come across tons of delicious options. But how do these frozen dinners stack up nutritionally? Kiera Butler of Mother Jones has the answers for a few popular picks.

In her latest “food smackdown,” Butler tackles pre-made grub like potstickers, mac ‘n cheese and pad Thai, giving us a general nutrition and taste test breakdown. Here’s  a peek at some of the frozen grub below:

The Chicken Burritos are no doubt delicious and fare well in the calorie department, but they’re pretty heavy with salt.

Trader Joe's Frozen Meals

The veggies on this pizza add some great nutritional value, but again, lots o’ salt isn’t so great.

Trader Joe's Frozen Meals

A solid amount of protein and less salt than other frozen meals make the Chicken Potstickers a guiltless and tasty option.

Trader Joe's Frozen Meals

The polenta is a decent choice considering it’s low-cal and doesn’t contain much sodium, but notice the serving size — it’s really tiny.

Trader Joe's Frozen Meals

Despite its fat content being on the high side, TJ’s Mac ‘n Cheese isn’t as salty as other options here, and word on the street is it’s pretty delicious.

Trader Joe's Frozen Meals

Check out the full breakdown in the video below:

PicThx Mother Jones

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