Trader Joe's 10 best frozen breakfast items to add to your cart right now
Trader Joe
Trader Joe’s store exterior John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images
Trader Joe’s has amassed a truly cult-like devotion from its legions of fans. It’s not a store I frequent, but I can say with veracity that every time I invite a pal over, they arrive with items from said supermarket in hand. (Let’s put it this way: I wouldn’t encourage you to bet otherwise.)
TJ’s is celebrated for its sheer breadth of items, but one of its most beloved sections is actually the breakfast aisle. Breakfast may be an exponentially important meal, but for some, it often goes missed or skipped, lost in the fray of the morning hustle. For others, a banana or granola bar are always in reach, providing just enough energy until lunchtime.
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While a large spread of breakfast foods makes for an amazing weekend indulgence, digging into shatteringly crisp bacon, bagels and cream cheese, fancy eggs, fresh fruit, hot coffee and pressed juices on a Monday or Friday morning isn’t easy for folks on the job from 9 to 5. But thanks to frozen breakfast items, it’s possible to enjoy buttery croissants fresh out of the oven, any day of the week.
Without further ado, here are Trader Joe’s 10 best frozen breakfast products to add to your cart right now. (As always, keep in mind that availability may vary by location.)
01 Gluten & Dairy Free Homestyle Pancakes
Trader Joe’s Gluten & Dairy Free Homestyle Pancakes
Trader Joe’s Gluten & Dairy Free Homestyle Pancakes (Photo courtesy of Joseph Neese)Image_placeholder
While most pancake recipes include requisite dairy (like butter or buttermilk) and gluten (such as flour), these frozen delights contain neither. According to Freezer Meal Frenzy’s review, “These pancakes aren’t a perfect match for the texture of regular pancakes — the ones that are loaded with dairy and gluten — but we’re glad to report that these are absolutely delicious, especially when drizzled with syrup. The pancakes might be dairy-free, but these still mimic the sweet and creamy taste of buttermilk pancakes.” Delicious! 02 Blueberry Waffles
Trader Joe’s Blueberry Waffles
Trader Joe’s Blueberry Waffles (Photo courtesy of Joseph Neese)Image_placeholder
In an Insider article about family-friendly foods at Trader Joe’s, Jenn Morson writes that “blueberry waffles are a big hit when our kids want a warm breakfast.” Simply pop these waffles in the toaster or toaster oven — and voilà — breakfast is served.
Top them with fresh blueberries, butter, maple syrup or some powdered sugar. TJs even posted this recipe, which turns the waffles into a “sandwich” of sorts, held together with a scrumptious, sweetened blueberry cream cheese spread.
03 Quiche Lorraine
Trader Joe’s Quiche Lorraine
Trader Joe’s Quiche Lorraine (Photo courtesy of Joseph Neese)Image_placeholder
A bit more elevated than the usual weekday fare, TJ’s Quiche Lorraine is an indulgent bite. The grocer describes it as such: “Our Quiche Lorraine has a superb pastry crust and contains about 20% uncured ham. The ham is matched with Swiss cheese, both of which are presented in a soft egg custard made from a short list of simple ingredients.”
While this is a great breakfast option, you can also serve it with a lightly dressed, simple green salad for a stellar lunch.
04 Shredded Potato Hash Browns
Trader Joe’s Shredded Potato Hash Browns
Trader Joe’s Shredded Potato Hash Browns (Photo courtesy of Joseph Neese)Image_placeholder
Reddit user u/RVelts confesses, “The frozen hashbrowns are my absolute favorite and I force myself not to buy them since I will eat all of them. So good in the toaster!”
This Redditor isn’t alone; as we researched the items on this list, these frozen hash browns appeared to be the single most popular product. At their core, they’re nothing more than shredded potatoes, meaning they can be prepared in a multitude of different ways (beyond the directions on the packaging). Feel free to use them as you see fit — any time of day.
05 Belgian Waffles
Trader Joe’s Belgian Waffles
Trader Joe’s Belgian Waffles (Photo courtesy of Joseph Neese)Image_placeholder
Picture-perfect, Trader Joe’s Belgian Waffles don’t skimp on size. As Freezer Meal Frenzy notes, “Even though these waffles are fairly chunky, they have an airy quality to them. The batter also has a bit of natural sweetness to it, which means you could enjoy these waffles sans syrup.” Again, don’t limit these to breakfast. Pair them with deep-fried chicken for brunch, enjoy them with scoops of ice cream for dessert or use them to make a sandwich. The options for this culinary journey are endless. 06 Mini Croissants
Trader Joe’s Mini Croissants
Trader Joe’s Mini Croissants (Photo courtesy of Joseph Neese)Image_placeholder
One of the unimpeachable victors of breakfast offerings, rich-and-buttery croissants are unbeatable, especially when slightly pared down in size. According to TJ’s website, these croissants “don’t require any proofing or thawing. They go from freezer to table in under 30 minutes, and better yet, folks are finding them flakier and tastier than ever!” These are one of Trader Joe’s most cherished items, so you can rest assured that the quality is good. 07 Chocolate Croissants
Trader Joe’s Chocolate Croissants
Trader Joe’s Chocolate Croissants (Photo courtesy of Joseph Neese)Image_placeholder
But those aren’t the only croissants here to impress you. As Kate Oczypok writes for The Kitchn, “There are few frozen items at Trader Joe’s that are more beloved than their frozen chocolate croissants. They’re by no means a new, buzz-worthy item — simply an Old Faithful offering that will likely remain on shelves as long as TJ’s keeps its doors open.” If the bulk of comments and reviews of this beloved item are to be believed, then you may want to stock up on your next shopping trip. Making chocolate croissants at home is quite a laborious task, so purchasing these frozen ones will free up extra time for indulging. 08 Eggwich
Trader Joe’s Eggwich
Trader Joe’s Eggwich (Photo courtesy of Joseph Neese)Image_placeholder
These gluten-free breakfast sandwiches have recently skyrocketed in popularity. Trader Joe’s website describes them as such: “Each Eggwich comes fully cooked and ready to reheat from frozen, which only takes about two minutes in the microwave. Once heated through (and given a moment to cool), the cheese becomes marvelously melty, the turkey sausage takes on a crisp, yet yielding, texture and the egg patties become fantastically fluffy, while still maintaining enough structure to act as handholds.” That sounds pretty terrific to us. While this is the only “Eggwich” variation currently on offer, we hope there’s a vegetarian iteration on the horizon. 09 Mixed Mushroom & Spinach Quiche
Trader Joe’s Mixed Mushroom and Spinach Quiche
Trader Joe’s Mixed Mushroom and Spinach Quiche (Photo courtesy of Joseph Neese)Image_placeholder
TJ’s went to town in its online description of this product, waxing poetic for nearly five paragraphs about the ingredients, the flavor and even ideal drink pairings. It appears pretty evident that a lot of thought and preparation went into the chain’s version of this icon of French cuisine.
TL;DR: This vegetarian quiche contains a mixture of “eggs, crème fraîche and Emmental Swiss, with chopped spinach and a blend of white button and oyster mushrooms. Just the right amount of salt and nutmeg (that not-so-secret, secret ingredient) help delicately balance all the flavors.” Of course, this is also yet another option that doesn’t have to be limited to breakfast whatsoever; quiche tastes stellar no matter the time day.
10 Brioche French Toast
Trader Joe’s Brioche French Toast
Trader Joe’s Brioche French Toast (Photo courtesy of Joseph Neese)Image_placeholder
Flavorful, fluffy and light, this is a prime breakfast option for a busy morning. Freezer Meal Frenzy reports that “the taste and texture of this French toast will vary greatly based on how you choose to cook it. When it’s heated in the oven, it’ll be crispy around the edges and soft in the middle, which is pretty much our ideal French toast.”
Good to know! The same site also notes that cooking this French toast in the microwave makes the consistency a bit chewy. We’ll certainly keep that in mind.
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