5 Easy Meals That Start with a Trader Joe's Salad Kit
Courtesy of Brand
When I need a healthy meal in a pinch, I often turn to Trader Joe's. The aisles of the popular grocer are packed with tasty, convenient products that make throwing together a meal effortless. One item that is often in my cart is the bagged salad kits. Compared to those at other grocers, I find the salad mixes from Trader Joe's to feature better-looking and better-tasting ingredients.
Salad kits are a convenient item to have on hand when you need a nutritious, tasty meal. With plenty of flavor combinations available, salad kits are an easy way to meet your daily veggie intake. While I'm a big fan of eating a salad kit as is, it can be just as delicious to jazz it up with the addition of a few simple ingredients. Here are five easy meals to try that start with a salad kit from Trader Joe's.
Related: The 10 Best Trader Joe's Items under $5, According to Food Editors
Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap
Alex Loh
Perfect for lunch or dinner, this three-ingredient meal uses a Caesar salad kit as the base. Buying cooked grilled chicken strips saves time, but you could easily substitute leftover chicken if you have it on hand. I like to add the croutons to my wrap for some crunch, but you can omit them and save them for another use if desired.
Active: 5 min Total: 5 min
Ingredients:
1 (10-ounce) Organic Caesar Salad Kit
4 (10-inch) whole-wheat tortillas
2 (6-ounce) bags cooked grilled chicken breast
Directions:
Toss together salad kit in a large bowl.
To assemble wraps, place a tortilla on a cutting board. Add 3 ounces chicken strips and top with one-quarter of the salad. Roll up like a burrito and slice in half, if desired. Repeat with the remaining ingredients for a total of 4 wraps.
Serves 4
Serving size: 1 wrap (382 calories, 16g fat (3g sat. fat), 76mg cholesterol, 32g carbohydrates, 2g total sugars, 29g protein, 5g fiber, 657mg sodium, 641mg potassium)
Creamy Black Bean Tostada
Alex Loh
We use black beans in this easy vegetarian dinner, but other canned beans like pinto or kidney would work just as well. Mashing the beans creates a creamy spread for the tostada, and helps anchor the salad from falling off when you take a bite.
Active: 25 min Total: 25 min
Ingredients:
8 (8-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray
1 (13-ounce) Southwestern Chopped Salad Kit
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed
2 teaspoons taco seasoning mix
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Coat tortillas with cooking spray; arrange on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake, flipping halfway, until crisp, 12 to 14 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss together salad kit in a large bowl.
Place black beans in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on High until warmed, about 1 minute. Mash with a fork; sprinkle with taco seasoning.
To assemble, evenly divide and spread the black bean mash across each tostada. Evenly top each tostada with salad mix.
Serves 4
Serving size: 2 tostadas (354 calories, 13g fat (3g sat. fat), 5mg cholesterol, 44g carbohydrates, 4g total sugars, 12g protein, 8g fiber, 309mg sodium, 422mg potassium)
Arugula Salad Pizza
Alex Loh
You can easily make pizza on a weeknight when you use store-bought crust. Here, we top the crust with fresh mozzarella and tomato slices. Be sure to pat the mozzarella dry to remove any excess moisture so the crust doesn't get soggy. A topping of arugula and lemon juice adds freshness to this easy dinner.
Active: 20 min Total: 20 min
Ingredients:
1 (2-count) package pizza crusts
2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1 (7-ounce) package arugula
1 large lemon, juiced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place pizza crusts on a baking sheet; bake until slightly crispy, about 5 minutes. Evenly divide tomatoes and cheese between the crusts. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, add arugula to a large bowl. Add lemon juice and toss to combine.
Remove the pizzas from oven; cut each into thirds. Top evenly with the arugula.
Serves 6
Serving size: 1 slice (289 calories, 10g fat (4g sat. fat), 20mg cholesterol, 39g carbohydrates, 4g total sugars, 12 grams protein, 3g fiber, 506mg sodium, 303mg potassium)
Tuna-Veggie Melt
Alex Loh
Canned tuna is a helpful pantry staple to keep on hand. You can toss it in pasta, use it for a protein boost in a salad or make a sandwich like we do here. Toasting the bread and draining the tuna is important, so you don't end up with a soggy sandwich. Topping the open-faced sandwich with coleslaw adds color and crunch and amps up your veggie intake.
Active: 15 min Total: 15 min
Ingredients:
1 (10-ounce) Organic Coleslaw Kit
4 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted
2 (5-ounce) cans chunk light tuna, drained
4 slices sharp Cheddar cheese
Directions:
Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Place toast on the baking sheet. Top each slice with 2 1/2 ounces tuna and 1 slice cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss together coleslaw kit in a medium bowl.
Top each sandwich with about 1/4 cup coleslaw. Serve the remaining coleslaw on the side.
Serves 4
Serving size: 1 sandwich (319 calories, 17g fat (6g sat. fat), 50mg cholesterol, 21g carbohydrates, 8g total sugars, 20g protein, 3g fiber, 557mg sodium, 289mg potassium)
Salmon Quinoa Bowl
Alex Loh
This three-ingredient grain bowl is packed with veggies and hearty protein. Look for a Mediterranean- or Greek-inspired salad kit with a variety of veggies like broccoli, radicchio and carrots for a colorful bowl. Make this recipe when you need a quick and easy lunch or dinner.
Active: 5 min Total: 5 min
Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) microwaveable pouch quinoa
1 (12-ounce) Organic Mediterranean Style Salad Kit
6 ounces cooked salmon fillet
Directions:
Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Toss together salad kit in a medium bowl.
To assemble, evenly divide the quinoa and salad kit into two bowls. Top each bowl with 3 ounces salmon.
Serves 2
Serving size: 1 bowl (495 calories, 19g fat (4g sat. fat), 55mg cholesterol, 9g carbohydrates, 5g total sugars, 7g fiber, 31 grams protein, 548mg sodium, 1,140mg potassium)
