TikTok’s favorite Trader Joe’s items, ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

TikTok’s favorite Trader Joe’s items, ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest

Trader Joe’s has become more than a grocery store — it’s a cultural phenomenon. Ranked as the third most popular grocery chain in the U.S., Trader Joe’s is loved for its unique flavors and quality ingredients. On TikTok alone, there are more than 67 million videos dedicated to Trader Joe’s food hauls, hacks, and recipe ideas. Plus, Trader Joe’s publishes an extensive list of quality assurances, like no artificial flavors or preservatives, genetically modified ingredients, or artificial trans fats.

But do quality ingredients automatically translate into healthy foods? It depends on your personal nutrition goals. That’s why Hers decided to gather TikTok’s favorite Trader Joe’s entrees and rank them based on the following categories:

Key Findings

  • Chicken and shrimp entrees top the list thanks to their high-protein content and relatively low calories.
  • Carb-heavy, low-protein foods rank toward the bottom.
  • Pasta dishes can still be a wise choice when balanced with protein.

TikTok’s Favorite Trader Joe’s Entrees, Ranked From Healthiest to Unhealthiest

Hers' ranking of the healthiest to unhealthiest TikTok's favorite Trader Joe's items.
Hers


1. Shawarma Chicken Thighs

2. Seafood Boil

3. Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

4. Chicken Shu Mai

5. Mandarin Orange Chicken

6. Shrimp Scampi

7. Dill Pickle Mini Falafel

8. Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings

9. Butter Chicken With Basmati Rice

10. 3 Cheese Spinach and Artichoke Pizza, Ginger Shrimp Lo Mein, and Spaghetti With Meat Sauce (tie)

13. Uncured Pepperoni Pizza

14. Cheese Filled Fiocchetti With Pink Sauce

15. Ricotta and Spinach Raviolini 
16. Shrimp Noodle Rolls

17. Cauliflower Gnocchi

18. Vegetable Fried Rice

19. Okonomiyaki Japanese Vegetable Pancake

20. Roti With Thai Red Curry

21. Roti With Thai Red Curry

22. Teriyaki Mushroom Mini Bao Buns

23. Pad See Ew

24. Vegetable Bird’s Nests

25. Korean Japchae Fried Rice

26. Japanese Mini Taiyaki

Get the data.

Trader Joe’s Entree Nutrition: Trends and Insights

Before you start meal prep based on our thoroughly ranked list, consider the best and worst items in each specific nutrition category.

Which Trader Joe’s Entrees Have the Least Calories?

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Fewest Calories

  1. Shrimp Noodle Rolls: 120 calories
  2. Chicken Shu Mai: 130 calories
  3. Cauliflower Gnocchi: 140 calories

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Most Calories

  1. Roti With Thai Red Curry: 830 calories
  2. 3 Cheese Spinach and Artichoke Pasta: 500 calories
  3. Spaghetti With Meat and Sauce: 490 calories

Which Trader Joe’s Entrees Have the Most Protein?

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Most Protein

  1. 3 Cheese Spinach and Artichoke Pasta and Spaghetti With Meat and Sauce (tie): 27 grams
  2. Butter Chicken With Basmati Rice and Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas (tie): 24 grams
  3. Mandarin Orange Chicken, Seafood Boil, and Shawarma Chicken Thighs (tie): 21 grams

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Least Protein

  1. Cauliflower Gnocchi: 2 grams
  2. Shrimp Noodle Rolls and Vegetable Bird’s Nests (tie): 3 grams
  3. Japanese Mini Taiyaki: 4 grams

Which Trader Joe’s Entrees Have the Most Net Carbs?

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Most Net Carbs

  1. Roti With Red Thai Curry: 73 grams
  2. Korean Japchae Fried Rice: 67 grams
  3. Spaghetti With Meat and Sauce: 54 grams

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Least Net Carbs

  1. Shrimp Scampi: 2 grams
  2. Shawarma Chicken Thighs: 3 grams
  3. Chicken Shumai and Dill Pickle Mini Falafel (tie): 15 grams

Which Trader Joe’s Entrees Have the Most Sugar?

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Most Sugar

  1. Japanese Mini Taiyaki: 12 grams
  2. Okonomiyaki Japanese Vegetable Pancake: 10 grams
  3. 3 Cheese Spinach and Artichoke Pasta, Pad See Ew, Spaghetti With Meat and Sauce, and Roti With Thai Red Curry (tie): 9 grams

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Least Sugar

The following entrees have zero grams of sugar: Cauliflower Gnocchi, Shawarma Chicken Thighs, and Shrimp Scampi.

Methodology: How Hers Calculated Scores

Hers started by identifying TikTok Trader Joe’s Finds videos with at least 100,000 views to create the list of 26 favorite entrees. From there, we ranked them using calories, protein, net carbs, and sugar, applying a 3x multiplier to protein since it’s most strongly linked to weight management and satiety. While we typically include trans fat content in our nutrition rankings, we omitted this category since Trader Joe’s does not use it in its products.

3 Tips to Maximize Nutrition at Trader Joe’s

You don’t have to limit your shopping list to Trader Joe's top 10 healthiest items. Try these hacks to enjoy everything on the list while building healthy habits.

  1. Prepare your side dishes: Some of the most calorie- and carb-heavy entrees at Trader Joe’s already have a grain mixed in, whereas other options only contain the main protein. Opt for the more simplified entree choice, then choose a healthier side dish, like roasted vegetables or a Mediterranean salad.
  2. Add extra protein: If you want to indulge in one of Trader Joe’s lower-protein options (like the Cauliflower Gnocchi or Shrimp Noodle Rolls), consider adding another protein source. Eggs and frozen shrimp cook quickly and boost your overall protein intake.
  3. Eat smaller portions of high-sugar entrees: You don’t have to skip high-sugar choices like the Mini Taiyaki entirely. Instead, cut the serving size in half and supplement with more nutritious options on your plate.

This story was produced by Hers and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links


September 26 - Phoenix, AZ
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts


November 2 - Detroit, MI
Zion Christian Church in Troy


October 6 - Los Angeles, CA
Pasadena Convention Center


November 5 - San Antonio, TX
Norris Centers – The Grand Red Oak Ballroom


October 8 - Sacramento, CA
William Jessup University


November 7 - Tampa, FL
The Palladium at St. Pete College


October 22 - Minneapolis, MN
Crowne Plaza AiRE


November 15 - San Francisco, CA
Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley


October 23 - Philadelphia, PA
Green Valley Country Club


November 16 - Denver, CO
CU South Denver - Formerly Wildlife Experience


November 2 - Chicago, IL
Chicago Westin Northwest in Itasca


November 21 - Cleveland, OH
Holiday Inn Rockside in Independence



Salem Radio Network Speakers

Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

Broadcasting from his home station of KRLA in Los Angeles, the Dennis Prager Show is heard across the country. Everything in life – from politics to religion to relationships – is grist for Dennis’ mill. If it’s interesting, if it affects your life, then Dennis will be talking about it – with passion, humor, insight and wisdom.

Sean Hannity is a conservative radio and television host, and one of the original primetime hosts on the Fox News Channel, where he has appeared since 1996. Sean Hannity began his radio career at a college station in California, before moving on to markets in the Southeast and New York. Today, he’s one of the most listened to on-air voices. Hannity’s radio program went into national syndication on September 10, 2001, and airs on more than 500 stations. Talkers Magazine estimates Hannity’s weekly radio audience at 13.5 million. In 1996 he was hired as one of the original hosts on Fox News Channel. As host of several popular Fox programs, Hannity has become the highest-paid news anchor on television.

Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

Sponsored by:

TikTok’s favorite Trader Joe’s items, ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

TikTok’s favorite Trader Joe’s items, ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest

Trader Joe’s has become more than a grocery store — it’s a cultural phenomenon. Ranked as the third most popular grocery chain in the U.S., Trader Joe’s is loved for its unique flavors and quality ingredients. On TikTok alone, there are more than 67 million videos dedicated to Trader Joe’s food hauls, hacks, and recipe ideas. Plus, Trader Joe’s publishes an extensive list of quality assurances, like no artificial flavors or preservatives, genetically modified ingredients, or artificial trans fats.

But do quality ingredients automatically translate into healthy foods? It depends on your personal nutrition goals. That’s why Hers decided to gather TikTok’s favorite Trader Joe’s entrees and rank them based on the following categories:

Key Findings

  • Chicken and shrimp entrees top the list thanks to their high-protein content and relatively low calories.
  • Carb-heavy, low-protein foods rank toward the bottom.
  • Pasta dishes can still be a wise choice when balanced with protein.

TikTok’s Favorite Trader Joe’s Entrees, Ranked From Healthiest to Unhealthiest

Hers' ranking of the healthiest to unhealthiest TikTok's favorite Trader Joe's items.
Hers


1. Shawarma Chicken Thighs

2. Seafood Boil

3. Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

4. Chicken Shu Mai

5. Mandarin Orange Chicken

6. Shrimp Scampi

7. Dill Pickle Mini Falafel

8. Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings

9. Butter Chicken With Basmati Rice

10. 3 Cheese Spinach and Artichoke Pizza, Ginger Shrimp Lo Mein, and Spaghetti With Meat Sauce (tie)

13. Uncured Pepperoni Pizza

14. Cheese Filled Fiocchetti With Pink Sauce

15. Ricotta and Spinach Raviolini 
16. Shrimp Noodle Rolls

17. Cauliflower Gnocchi

18. Vegetable Fried Rice

19. Okonomiyaki Japanese Vegetable Pancake

20. Roti With Thai Red Curry

21. Roti With Thai Red Curry

22. Teriyaki Mushroom Mini Bao Buns

23. Pad See Ew

24. Vegetable Bird’s Nests

25. Korean Japchae Fried Rice

26. Japanese Mini Taiyaki

Get the data.

Trader Joe’s Entree Nutrition: Trends and Insights

Before you start meal prep based on our thoroughly ranked list, consider the best and worst items in each specific nutrition category.

Which Trader Joe’s Entrees Have the Least Calories?

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Fewest Calories

  1. Shrimp Noodle Rolls: 120 calories
  2. Chicken Shu Mai: 130 calories
  3. Cauliflower Gnocchi: 140 calories

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Most Calories

  1. Roti With Thai Red Curry: 830 calories
  2. 3 Cheese Spinach and Artichoke Pasta: 500 calories
  3. Spaghetti With Meat and Sauce: 490 calories

Which Trader Joe’s Entrees Have the Most Protein?

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Most Protein

  1. 3 Cheese Spinach and Artichoke Pasta and Spaghetti With Meat and Sauce (tie): 27 grams
  2. Butter Chicken With Basmati Rice and Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas (tie): 24 grams
  3. Mandarin Orange Chicken, Seafood Boil, and Shawarma Chicken Thighs (tie): 21 grams

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Least Protein

  1. Cauliflower Gnocchi: 2 grams
  2. Shrimp Noodle Rolls and Vegetable Bird’s Nests (tie): 3 grams
  3. Japanese Mini Taiyaki: 4 grams

Which Trader Joe’s Entrees Have the Most Net Carbs?

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Most Net Carbs

  1. Roti With Red Thai Curry: 73 grams
  2. Korean Japchae Fried Rice: 67 grams
  3. Spaghetti With Meat and Sauce: 54 grams

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Least Net Carbs

  1. Shrimp Scampi: 2 grams
  2. Shawarma Chicken Thighs: 3 grams
  3. Chicken Shumai and Dill Pickle Mini Falafel (tie): 15 grams

Which Trader Joe’s Entrees Have the Most Sugar?

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Most Sugar

  1. Japanese Mini Taiyaki: 12 grams
  2. Okonomiyaki Japanese Vegetable Pancake: 10 grams
  3. 3 Cheese Spinach and Artichoke Pasta, Pad See Ew, Spaghetti With Meat and Sauce, and Roti With Thai Red Curry (tie): 9 grams

Trader Joe’s Entrees With the Least Sugar

The following entrees have zero grams of sugar: Cauliflower Gnocchi, Shawarma Chicken Thighs, and Shrimp Scampi.

Methodology: How Hers Calculated Scores

Hers started by identifying TikTok Trader Joe’s Finds videos with at least 100,000 views to create the list of 26 favorite entrees. From there, we ranked them using calories, protein, net carbs, and sugar, applying a 3x multiplier to protein since it’s most strongly linked to weight management and satiety. While we typically include trans fat content in our nutrition rankings, we omitted this category since Trader Joe’s does not use it in its products.

3 Tips to Maximize Nutrition at Trader Joe’s

You don’t have to limit your shopping list to Trader Joe's top 10 healthiest items. Try these hacks to enjoy everything on the list while building healthy habits.

  1. Prepare your side dishes: Some of the most calorie- and carb-heavy entrees at Trader Joe’s already have a grain mixed in, whereas other options only contain the main protein. Opt for the more simplified entree choice, then choose a healthier side dish, like roasted vegetables or a Mediterranean salad.
  2. Add extra protein: If you want to indulge in one of Trader Joe’s lower-protein options (like the Cauliflower Gnocchi or Shrimp Noodle Rolls), consider adding another protein source. Eggs and frozen shrimp cook quickly and boost your overall protein intake.
  3. Eat smaller portions of high-sugar entrees: You don’t have to skip high-sugar choices like the Mini Taiyaki entirely. Instead, cut the serving size in half and supplement with more nutritious options on your plate.

This story was produced by Hers and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links

On Air & Up Next

See the Full Program Guide