Best Things I Always Buy at Trader Joe’s, As a Professional Chef

The last thing that I want to do after a long day in the kitchen is peel more garlic or ginger. Instead, I use these frozen, pre-portioned, crushed ginger and garlic cubes.

They’re so easy to throw into a curry, stir-fry, or pasta sauce — I always keep these in my freezer.

I also usually keep a packet of super-firm tofu, which doesn’t need any pressing, in my fridge. I’ll use this as the base for a quick stir-fry or toss it in a sauce and bake it in the oven for some low-effort protein.

Plus, it lasts for ages — so even if I do come home with leftovers from work, I don’t have to worry about my groceries going bad and wasting my money.

To go with the super-firm tofu, I keep a bottle of stir-fry sauce and pre-cooked Thai wheat noodles in my pantry.

Then, all I need to grab is a packet of stir-fry veggie blend on my way home, and I can have dinner on the table in under 15 minutes.

I always keep a bag of vegetable fried rice in my freezer. It’s ready in five minutes and full of vegetables, and I can throw in some tofu, eggs, or pre-cooked chicken to amp up the protein if I want.

It’s extremely comforting and easy to eat on the couch after a long day.

I love Trader Joe’s selection of fresh, filled pastas. I’ve tried them all, but my favorites are the spinach-ricotta raviolini and the cheese tortellini.

I’ve found that both of these cook in under five minutes, and are so good with jarred pesto. They’re perfect for days when I haven’t had the chance to eat much during my shift and feel starving by the time I get home.

I cook dishes from a lot of different cuisines at work, but we rarely make Indian food.

On days when I want to eat something completely different from what I’ve been cooking all day — and feel too tired to stand at the stove at all — I’ll eat an entire box of about 12 mini samosas in front of the TV.

Crispy and flavorful, they manage to rival the best samosas I ate at London’s Indian restaurants.

Keep reading our Trader Joe’s diaries here.