In the past year of moving, now juggling a toddler on top of our big boy, and the biggest time thing that I saw coming but you don't know until you are there... full time ministry.
I've had to learn to reorganize my time, or better plan it out. And y'all know I'm a loon when it comes to planning anyway. On Wednesday and Sunday nights when I am on my own with the kids I need something easy, generally Wednesday is leftovers to make it super easy.
But Sunday night is the night I live for... Trader Joe's freezer meals.
We are fortunate enough to live close enough to a Trader Joe's to justify making this haul now. In the past I just grabbed a fun item or two when we would be in Baton Rouge.
Let me tell y'all why I love their freezer meals though, they are by far the best quality and taste I've had from any grocery freezer meal.
I just can't deal with hum drum tolerable, otherwise I'll just tough it out and actually cook. But Trader Joe's, especially their Asian style freezer items are on par with our favorite Chinese takeout... if not better.
So let's go down the list of my favorite go-to items, as well as a few fun ones I picked up this month. Since their stock rotates so often the fun items tend to change.
First up is the Chicken and Pork Gyoza, I buy a bag of stir fry veggies to go with each and serve it with the Island Soyaki Sauce (not pictured because I still had some in the fridge).
I picked up their premade Acai bowl this time as well, one for each of us, for a night we want something lighter. Jeremy loved the Acai in Brazil last summer so it's always worth a shot to try.
Two more regulars are the Steak and Stout Pies and Pepperoni Pizza Mac and Cheese Bowl. Both are delicious and not even remotely healthy. But that isn't the theme of Sunday night. The theme is fun and easy take-out-esque food, not macro counting friends.
I also grabbed two Butter Chicken with Rice & an Aloo Chaat as a side for that. I could eat all of the Indian all of time, but Jeremy isn't so hot on Tikka Masala so I'm often on my own here.
A friend of ours swears by the Brown Rice Fusilli Pasta and I finally jumped on board... it's every bit of amazing. You can't tell it's gluten free. So I got two bags this time.
I also grabbed, but I'm not sure you can see it two of their pizza dough bags, pizza sauce, pepperoni, and mozzarella. The plain crust (I also got the garlic herb) was great, this was our dinner this past Sunday night. Harrison loves to make pizza.
Fun items you see here - Jalapeno Limeade (holy amazing-ness), Everyday seasoning (loving it), Pineapple Carbonated Spring Water (I always treat myself to a flavored bubbly water when there), Dark Chocolate PB cups (a now staple), and Popcorn in a Pickle (best pickle flavored item I've ever had). Oh yeah, the gummy lobsters. They were gummy lobsters... I need sour or something.
Aww, here's the Mozzarella, pepperoni, and pizza dough! By the way the Trader Joe's Mozzarella is the best shredded mozzarella I've ever purchased. It cost more than I want to spend on the regular (about 4.99) but it actually had taste. Unlike everything I've ever bought from Kraft.
I grabbed a few kombuchas while there too, we started using Shipt and only get Winn-Dixie and Publix where we live. Y'all they price their kombucha like it has gold in it. So I've been getting it from Sam's Club in a case or pick some up elsewhere if I can. And as a long time Bucha lover can I just point out that I love that this has become more mainstream and I don't have to go to a health food store to buy it.
Who else remembers the great kombucha crisis of 2010-ish?
I also grabbed a Vit-C juice shot - fun food category, my allergies have been bad with the trees flowering at the house.
Also, baby spinach & a shallot because I needed another side this week and I have a great recipe for a warm spinach salad.
More of the big gun items!
BBQ Chichen Teriyaki, Mandarin Orange Chicken, Beef & Broccoli, and Kung Pao Chicken - all with a bag of the vegetable fried rice as a side. The Orange Chicken is my FAVORITE!
I got us each a Bibimbap Bowl too, spicy and yummy.
Finally a new item (to me) I thought I'd take for a spin - Chicken and Mushroom Pelmeni. It's Russian, we haven't had it, and I'm always up for a good time.
That brings me to SIXTEEN meals. Plus a side or two and some snacks.
I spent $145 this time and this will actually get us through 3-4 months of Sunday nights.
Because of snacks this comes out to about $9 a meal (but isn't really... snacks) and even at that it's cheaper than if we were to order takeout on Sunday nights. Plus I can whip this up quick and everyone is happy.
