By

Trader Joe’s frozen food section is my secret to quick, kid-friendly meals. Emily Holi

2025-11-11T15:07:01.272Z

• I’m a stay-at-home mom of six who grocery shops weekly — and Trader Joe’s is my favorite store.
• I rely on Trader Joe’s frozen food section for quick, easy lunches and snacks for my picky kids.
• My go-to purchases include gluten-free chicken nuggets, frozen latkes, and mac and cheese bites.

As a stay-at-home mom of six tiny humans, grocery shopping is a major part of my weekly responsibilities.

I’ve shopped pretty much everywhere — chain supermarkets, Walmart, Target, you name it — but my favorite store, hands-down, is Trader Joe’s.

In my opinion, Trader Joe’s is the best grocery store. It’s fun, it’s easy to navigate, and most importantly, there’s always something new and delicious to try.

Although I love all of TJ’s unique offerings, I live and die by its freezer section. Life is busy enough without having to cook fresh meals every weeknight — and these affordable, slam-drunk freezer staples help me always feel prepared. Not to mention, they’re a hit with even my pickiest kids.

Here are the 10 freezer items that I try to grab on every trip to Trader Joe’s.

I stay stocked up on mini French baguettes.

A pack of Trader Joe’s six mini French baguettes goes quickly in my house. Emily Holi

These baguettes are the perfect side dish for soups, salads, and pasta. They’re also delicious dunked in marinara sauce or drizzled with Trader Joe’s garlic olive oil.

My kids call these baguettes “tiny breads,” and I will never not buy them. We always have a bag (or four) in our freezer for bread-mergencies.

Trader Joe’s family-size organic cheese and tomato pizza has amazing value.

My family loves Trader Joe’s cheese and tomato pizza. Emily Holi

This pizza is thin, crunchy, and a little bit tangy in the best way.

If you cut it into bite-sized pieces, it makes for a fun “appetizers for dinner” meal that can surprisingly feed six whole children (and occasionally me!).

At my Trader Joe’s, one pizza costs just $5 — an unbeatable price, in my opinion.

Mac-and-cheese bites are a huge hit in my household.

I always stock up on mac-and-cheese bites. Emily Holi

The only thing better than mac and cheese is deep-fried mac and cheese.

After just 15 minutes in my air fryer, these bad boys are better than most chain-restaurant appetizers. Two boxes feed my whole crew, and they’re usually gone before I can reach for condiments.

I always grab Parmesan Pastry Pups for quick, easy meals.

Trader Joe’s Parmesan Pastry Pups are the perfect quick, tasty snack. Emily Holi

Trader Joe’s elevated take on pigs in a blanket is great for days I need to make an easy weeknight dinner.

In my opinion, they’re more delicious than other hot-dog bites I’ve tried: The crispy, lightly cheesy Parmesan-crust layer makes them feel fancier than classic pigs in a blanket.

One of my other favorite quick meals includes Trader Joe’s gluten-free chicken nuggets.

I always serve these chicken nuggets with Trader Joe’s waffle fries. Emily Holi

Even if you’re not gluten-free, these nuggets are worth the purchase. They’re juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and one bag is the perfect size for our family.

For an amazing, kid-friendly meal, I love pairing them with Trader Joe’s incredibly delicious waffle fries.

There’s no better breakfast than chicken-sausage breakfast patties.

These sausage patties are one of my favorite air-fryer breakfasts. Emily Holi

When I first bought these Trader Joe’s patties, I was beyond skeptical that they would pass the “kid test” — my 4-year-old son can smell “healthy food” from a mile away, and this was no pork sausage.

So, I was pleasantly surprised when they raved about these and asked for seconds. These are a quick and easy breakfast for busy school mornings — I just pop them in the air fryer.

My kids love Trader Joe’s frozen latkes, and so do I.

TJ’s potato pancakes are a huge hit in my household. Emily Holi

Trader Joe’s potato pancakes are absolutely incredible. I crisp these up in my trusty air fryer, and the result is perfect every time.

Some of my kids eat these plain, and others slather them in ketchup. I eat their leftovers either way — that is, on the rare occasion that leftovers exist.

Trader Joe’s organic silver-dollar pancakes are the perfect snack.

My kids love pairing these mini pancakes with fruit. Emily Holi

Why are tiny things so cute? My kids like these fun-sized pancakes infinitely better than regular-sized pancakes, which defies all logic, but there you have it.

They are the perfect base for berries, shredded coconut, and even an occasional dollop of whipped cream.

I always stock up on chocolate-chip poffertjes, or mini pancake puffs.

Pancake puffs are one of my favorite Trader Joe’s treats. Emily Holi

Full transparency: These mini pancake puffs are not necessarily the most nutritious breakfast option.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, though, I can’t recommend them enough. They’re light, airy, and deliciously chocolate-forward. I like to pair them with a side of chicken sausage breakfast patties for a little more protein.

My favorite dessert treat is Trader Joe’s mini ice-cream cones.

I always look forward to buying peppermint-flavored mini ice-cream cones when they’re in season. Emily Holi

I remain unconvinced that a more perfect dessert exists. These tiny ice cream cones — which contain chocolate-chip ice cream and a delicious fudge bite at the tip — are the ideal after-dinner treat.

Plus, they’re small enough to fit seamlessly into tiny toddler palms. Pro tip: The seasonal peppermint flavor is the best!

Read next