Quick dinner ideas from Costco or Trader Joe's

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I also really like the TJ's frozen vegetable lasagna.

I second this. I always keep the multigrain frozen vegetable lasagna on hand for busy evenings. I serve with a bagged salad - very easy dinner that the whole family likes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ughh. All of the TJ's prepackaged food is LOADED with sodium and all sorts of crap. Better just having hummus or yogurt or PBJ for dinner. I was at TJ'S for first time in years this weekend and remembered how much I hate it. Bunch of prepackaged crap and organic section awful and just as expensive as whole foods. Sorry OP!

I don't like it either. Plus, if you are feeding a family, you have to buy so much of each package because their portions are so small (at least for us; we like to eat!). That said, I like the fake meat from TJ's -- fake chicken and beef strips. I make a stir fry with whatever vegetables I have on hand, add the fake meat and serve it over rice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Immediate PPs - do let us know what you like to eat so we can trash it. No one cares what you think. On second thought don't tell me what you eat - just shut your pie hole or cram it full of organic quinoa and kale.

What the hell?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ughh. All of the TJ's prepackaged food is LOADED with sodium and all sorts of crap. Better just having hummus or yogurt or PBJ for dinner. I was at TJ'S for first time in years this weekend and remembered how much I hate it. Bunch of prepackaged crap and organic section awful and just as expensive as whole foods. Sorry OP!

I don't like it either. Plus, if you are feeding a family, you have to buy so much of each package because their portions are so small (at least for us; we like to eat!). That said, I like the fake meat from TJ's -- fake chicken and beef strips. I make a stir fry with whatever vegetables I have on hand, add the fake meat and serve it over rice.

TJ's as expensive as Whole Foods? I think not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ughh. All of the TJ's prepackaged food is LOADED with sodium and all sorts of crap. Better just having hummus or yogurt or PBJ for dinner. I was at TJ'S for first time in years this weekend and remembered how much I hate it. Bunch of prepackaged crap and organic section awful and just as expensive as whole foods. Sorry OP!

You have posted that you were "in TJ's for the first time in years this weekend" in several threads over a considerable period of time. Do you have a short-cut to this post to save key strokes every time someone starts a TJ's thread?

[Anonymous]

Don't mind the TJ complainer. I think she's on some anti TJ's vendetta because her ex worked there or something. She's basically the psycho ex girlfriend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't mind the TJ complainer. I think she's on some anti TJ's vendetta because her ex worked there or something. She's basically the psycho ex girlfriend.

Uh, I'm the PP who responded to the original "complaining" post that I agreed with her. I know no one who works there. But if it helps you feel better to assume I am psycho for not liking a store that you like then go for it. Pretty small world to live in though if you ask me. I post on the Food forum because i like a wide variety of food. I assume not everyone likes what I like, and they are free to say as much without it bothering me one bit.

[Anonymous]

There are just some simple/quick foods to make, not necessarily TJs:

1. Baked salmon with olive oil and a dash of kosher salt and pepper. Pre-cut veggies or fruit. Boxed rice if you prefer.
2. Rotisserie chicken and a salad with jar dressing
3. Whole wheat pasta with meat sauce (hamburger or turkey and low sodium jar sauce ).
4. 20 minute tacos- sauté ground turkey, add pre-made seasoning and a cup of tomato sauce to the skillet. Dump the mixture into taco shells, add cheese and bake for five minutes.

It's not what you asked for, but these are staples for a busy night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From Costco:

Mozarella and Chicken Ravioli in the refrigerated section; I haven't looked at it in a while, but I used to buy a great Kirkland Marinara Sauce also
Chicken Tikka Masala, also refrigerated
Fish sticks - DD likes them with just ketchup and some raw veggies like carrots or red pepper on the side

From TJs:

A frozen pasta dish that comes in a bag, something like Pepperonata, it's a red pepper and tomato based sauce and tastes great
Their frozen Macaroni and Cheese tastes great, and I am not even a fan of Mac & Cheese; I don't really serve that to the whole family though, just the kids when I am out of time
DH likes to take a bag of their frozen Fired Roasted Veggies (they come with a sauce), and add grilled or baked chicken to it

We also buy the mozarella and chicken ravioli and the fresh pesto. It takes about 10 minutes to put together. Yummy!

[Anonymous]

I like TJs because they have smaller sizes. My latest find is their frozen turkey burgers. In Giant I have to buy a...I don't know...12 pack or something. In TJs, I can buy a 4 pack.

I also love about 3 of their salsas (pineapple, the green verde, and one that is black beans and corn). I actually get stressed out if I am making some sort of Mexican dish, realize I am out of their salsa, and have to revert to other grocery store salsa

[Anonymous]

Tonight I discovered the prepared caesar salad at the DC Costco. They also had fresh wild salmon so I got both, and threw the salmon on the grill while I unpacked the rest of the groceries. Put the grilled salmon on top of the salad - easily enough for three salmon caesar salads, with salmon left over (the fillet was over two pounds.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't mind the TJ complainer. I think she's on some anti TJ's vendetta because her ex worked there or something. She's basically the psycho ex girlfriend.

Uh, I'm the PP who responded to the original "complaining" post that I agreed with her. I know no one who works there. But if it helps you feel better to assume I am psycho for not liking a store that you like then go for it. Pretty small world to live in though if you ask me. I post on the Food forum because i like a wide variety of food. I assume not everyone likes what I like, and they are free to say as much without it bothering me one bit.

You are ok, you just said you dont like it which is fine.
The previous one makes all false claims, saying it is full of processed food, organic is awful and as expensive as Whole Foods, all of which is untrue.
Yes there is processed food, but tell me one store which does not have any processed food. No one is forcing you to buy anything. And anyway this thread is asking about packaged dinner options, so talking about evils of processing here is fruitless.
And you can have hummus, PBJ and yougurt for dinner also from TJ. Their cilantro and jalapeno hummus is so yummy.

So either this is a pyscho ex girlfriend or Whole Foods die hard fan

- Signed, a TJ die hard fan

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are just some simple/quick foods to make, not necessarily TJs:

1. Baked salmon with olive oil and a dash of kosher salt and pepper. Pre-cut veggies or fruit. Boxed rice if you prefer.
2. Rotisserie chicken and a salad with jar dressing
3. Whole wheat pasta with meat sauce (hamburger or turkey and low sodium jar sauce ).
4. 20 minute tacos- sauté ground turkey, add pre-made seasoning and a cup of tomato sauce to the skillet. Dump the mixture into taco shells, add cheese and bake for five minutes.

It's not what you asked for, but these are staples for a busy night.

This is basically how I cook as well, plus a bag of microwaveable veggies.

[Anonymous]

I love the aforementioned Costco pesto. I love it and it has a pretty short ingredient list. I buy refrigerated tortellini (my son's favorite food) and serve it with pesto. If I really want to go crazy I add some steamed broccoli. Quick and easy, tasty meal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love the aforementioned Costco pesto. I love it and it has a pretty short ingredient list. I buy refrigerated tortellini (my son's favorite food) and serve it with pesto. If I really want to go crazy I add some steamed broccoli. Quick and easy, tasty meal.

I couldn't find it. What is it near/with?