Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Grilled, Seasoned & Fully Cooked White Meat Chicken Strips

 

I popped into Wal-Mart one evening after work and for some reason ended up in the refrigerator section near the prepared meats (heat and eat bagged chicken, pulled pork/chicken containers, etc.). I wanted something quick and easy to have on hand so I opted to give the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Grilled, Seasoned & Fully Cooked White Meat Chicken Strips a shot.

I admit, I’m a big chicken snob. If there’s any fat on it, stringy bits or any hint of a vein my stomach pretty much taps out. Upon opening the package, I was surprised to see the chicken strips inside the package pretty much resembled the picture (you know how food marketing goes). The outside of the strips weren’t as darkly colored as the packaging, but it wasn’t a big deal. I weighed out a 3 ounce serving and wrapped the rest up for another day (which ended up being part of my lunch one day along with a salad).

I have to be honest and say I really liked these – much more than the Purdue Shortcuts. These are flavored well – they are not quite a barbecue, but they have a smoky flavoring to them. They come off as real white meat chicken strips – not chewy like some of the processed stuff can echo. I did find two small pieces of fat on two separate chunks of chicken – but even for my picky stomach that wasn’t a nail in the coffin.

A serving, 3 ounces, is 140 calories or 2 smart points.

 

Trader Joe's Grilled Chicken Strips

Every once in a while I like to have a convenience food on hand to make my meal prepping for lunches a little easier. Last time I went to the store I made sure to pick up a package of the Trader Joe's Grilled Chicken Strips. The chicken is fully cooked chicken breast, which is cut into strips and is plain ole chicken - no extravagant flavors present.

 

Since the chicken is already cooked, all that it requires is a couple minutes in the microwave and it's ready to serve up. What I like to do is open the package and weigh out my serving. I put the individual servings in the fridge and microwave what I need for a particular meal before I'm going to eat it. It just makes things easier to prep and divide servings.

 

I'm a picky eater when it comes to chicken and this is real white meat chicken breast, which pairs perfectly with whatever you decide to pair it with. I typically go with a salad or a grilled chicken salad wrap. Since it's plain it'll adapt to whatever flavors you add to it.

 

A serving, 3 ounces, is 120 calories or 3 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Low Fat Chinese Style Salad with Chicken

Every time I go to Trader Joe's I check out their premade foods sections ... particularly their salad varieties. I've always wanted to try them, but checking out the nutrition facts on some of them has shied me away from trying it. That is until I spotted the Trader Joe's Low Fat Chinese Style Salad with Chicken.

The salad comes packaged with everything you would need to have a satisfying lunch/dinner (well, aside from a fork - but you can pick those up on the way out of your local Trader Joe's). The toppings are assembled in sections across the bed of lettuce, with a container of dressing to use as sparingly or as much as you wish. It was convenient enough that if I didn't like something I could easily pick it off the top because it wasn't all combined freshly opened.

The salad is a mixture of romaine lettuce, grilled white chicken, green cabbage, snow peas and crispy noodles all served alongside a sesame soy dressing. I opted to pour some dressing over the top, close the container and give it a little shake, then opened it up and combined all the toppings with one another with my fork to disperse the flavors and textures evenly. Overall, I found it to be a pretty decent salad and a good thing to grab if in a pinch on the go. The only thing I wished is that there would be a little more protein on top, but overall it was satisfying.

A serving, 1/2 the container is 140 calories or 3 points plus values OR you can have the entire container for 7 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Organic Pea Soup

I was quite intrigued when I noticed Trader Joe's was carrying some pre-made soups which were in the refrigerator section instead of in the canned good aisle. I was even more intrigued when I spotted and picked up the Trader Joe's Organic Pea Soup. Thanks to giving into old "childhood food fears" I learned that I really love pea soup so if I can find a convenient version to have whenever the mood strikes, it's a win for me.

 

Ideally the pea soup I'm used to has bits of ham in it, but this is a vegetarian/vegan version. But what sold me the most was the fact that this soup is very thick. I've had pea soups in the past where they're a little on the runnier side and that's just not enjoyable. This is night, thick and hearty while having a bit of texture to it. It's undoubtedly a step in the right direction if you've tried the canned version of this soup in store (you can see that review here).

 

I find it's difficult to really explain how pea soup tastes. If you've had it before, you know the flavor. It's peas ... it's carrots ... and it's whatever flavoring you put into it. Since there's no meat it's straight peas with slight sweetness from the carrots. It's very good and pleasing on the pallet.  Definitely one of my favorite pea soups that I have tried (outside of homemade).

 

A serving, 8 oz/227 g, is 90 calories or 2 points plus values.

Trader Joe’s Chicken Gyoza Potstickers

If you’re a Chinese dumpling fan, then you will understand the love for those delicious filled, flavorful dumplings! Since I enjoy the dish itself I’m always on the lookout for a version that is available in my grocery store freezer. After trying a number of different brands, I decided to give the dumplings available at Trader Joe’s a shot. Out of the 3 flavors available I opted to go with the Trader Joe’s Chicken Gyoza Potstickers.

The potstickers are frozen and are recommended to be fried on all sides with a little bit of olive oil. Once seared it’s the directions to call to add a bit of water to the pan then cover to steam through. I found quickly (as I tried to eliminate the olive oil and just use non-stick cooking spray) that a bit of olive oil is necessary. The dough on the dumplings is quite thin and if there isn’t enough of an oil coating on the pan it will stick a bit and the dough itself will tear.

Overall the dumplings are delicious. Each dumpling is filled with a chicken and vegetable mix which is quite flavorful, even without the use of a gyoza dipping sauce.  The dumplings have a slightly crisp outside due to the frying but the inside is soft and moist.  I’d go out on the line and say these are one of THE best frozen potstickers I have tried. I will undoubtedly be picking up another package to tuck away in the freezer for future meals.

A serving is 7 potstickers, which is 200 calories or 5 points plus values.

Trader Joe’s Grilled Chicken Strips with Teriyaki Sauce

I have been trying to find this particular teriyaki chicken at Trader Joe’s, but had come up empty handed for a long time ... that is until a couple weeks ago when I got my hands on this! The Trader Joe’s Grilled Chicken Strips with Teriyaki Sauce is sold in the refrigerated/prepared food section of Trader Joe’s.

I have tried some of the other various flavors of marinated chicken strips/breast … but this has to be my favorite so far. I’m a fan of teriyaki flavoring in general and this is just a winner because the flavors there and it’s noticeable.  Admittedly if you’re not a fan of teriyaki flavor (that slightly sweet barbecued flavor) then you wouldn’t find this enjoyable. The chicken is of good quality and is real chicken … none of that rib meat stuff that can be seen in other prepared/frozen chicken selections at the grocery store. There is not much else to say about this dish other than its absolutely delicious! The chicken is grilled to perfection, without tasting burnt or too “smoky”. The chicken is moist, juicy, and above all flavorful. The teriyaki flavoring is perfect and not too tangy or sweet. It is one of the best flavored prepared teriyaki chickens I have had … and I enjoyed it so much I had it for lunch for 3-days in a row.

A serving (3 ounces) is 120 calories or 3 points plus values.

Johnsonville Turkey Sausage with Cheddar Cheese

I like to jazz up my breakfast with some sort of protein – and I admit the usual turkey sausage or bacon can get redundant after a while. So while shopping, I decided to pick up a package of Johnsonville Turkey Sausage with Cheddar Cheese to try out … and I am glad I did!

The sausages are fully cooked and only require being heated through before eating. Taste wise they truly remind me of turkey kielbasa that has cheddar cheese infused in it.  I enjoy them most with some scrambled eggbeaters and toast. The sausage brings fourth enough flavoring that it really revamps my breakfast plate -- slightly smoky, cheesy and just delicious.   These would be great on the grill … so I’m looking forward to the spring/summer months when I can take out the grill and put one of these on a bun and call it a day. One great thing about Johnsonville products is they are typically easily accessible. My local Wal-Mart and Target both carry the line.

A serving, 1 link, is 120 calories or 3 points plus values.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of Johnsonville’s products?

Reser’s Main St. Bistro – Zesty Au Gratin Potatoes

I had gone to the market to pick a few things up that we needed at home. While passing the section where the prepared potato dishes are, I spotted this Reser’s Main St. Bistro – Zesty Au Gratin Potatoes and it immediately caught my eye. I haven’t had au gratin potatoes in FOREVER and these were just what the doctor ordered. So I picked up the container.

Since we were having mini meatloaves for dinner, I opted to heat this up for myself (my boyfriend doesn’t like cheese) and it was heavenly! Granted, I could have made a boxed au gratin potatoes for less calories and points plus values, but these were worth it. Since they’re prepared all that was left for me to do was heat them up – either in the microwave or in the oven. I opted for the microwave since it was the fastest method and dinner was going to be served shortly.  Even after being microwaved, they came out perfectly. The sides of the au gratin were nice and crispy as they had just come out of the oven. They were creamy, potatoey and they had great flavor from the bacon and a nice mild zest from the jalapenos. All around perfect and delicious!

A 2/3 cup serving is 180 calories or 5 points plus values.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the au gratin potatoes from Reser’s Main St. Bistro?

Mama Mancini’s Turkey Meatballs

While at the grocery store I was hungry and considering I didn’t really want to end up in a drive thru before heading home I decided to just pick something up I could heat up quickly. I ended up grabbing a pack of Mama Mancini’s Turkey Meatballs to heat up and have with some spaghetti squash.

I have never had this brand of heat and eat turkey meatballs before, but considering the nutrition facts weren’t terrible I opted to give them a try. Heating them in the microwave, I topped my spaghetti squash with some sauce and 2 meatballs and I have to say… they’re not bad! They’re not the greatest meatball I have ever had, but they’re decent for a quick on-the-go type of meal. The outside of the meatballs are softer and they are mildly flavored. The sauce is good but it’s very thin and a bit watery.

2 meatballs are 110 calories or 3 points plus values.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the Mama Mancini’s products?

Trader Joe’s Roasted Rosemary Boneless Chicken Breast with Wild Rice Pilaf

I spotted this Trader Joe’s Roasted Rosemary Boneless Chicken Breast with Wild Rice Pilaf in the prepared foods section of my local Trader Joe’s and was intrigued. It looked good, it sounded good, so I decided to give it a shot.  I had it in the fridge for a few days, and then decided on having it for lunch with a small side salad.

I pierced the film and put it into the microwave, took it out when it was done and measured out my serving.  I initially raised an eyebrow at the chicken and realized the skin was still on it. Now, I don’t eat skin on any meat so it grossed me out just a bit –but I ended up pulling the skin off and chucking it in the garbage. Granted the removal of the skin would lower the points and calories, but since I wasn’t able to recalculate I left it as is.  The meal was quite filling with a small side salad.  The chicken was moist and the pilaf was delicious and packed with flavor and vegetables. It was one of the better heat and eat rice pilafs I have had.

Price wise these come in at right below $6, which truly isn’t bad for a convenience meal for two people.  A serving is half the container (255 grams), which is 310 calories or 8 points plus values.

QUESTION:

What is one of your favorite prepared meal at a grocery chain?

Trader Joe’s Stuffed Peppers with Seasoned Turkey & Rice

This is an oldie but a goodie – and it’s only an oldie because my local Trader Joe’s have not carried this before even though from what I understand these are sold at other Trader Joe’s.  So when I spotted the Trader Joe’s Stuffed Peppers with Seasoned Turkey & Rice I made sure to pick up a pack.

I’m a big stuffed pepper fan, so much that I make them at home from time to time. My personal stuffed peppers are quite simple, with simple ingredients and these stuffed peppers are flavorful, bold and simply delicious.  They’re made up of a large red pepper, split in half and stuffed with a mixture of turkey, rice, spinach, mushrooms, carrots, onions, sauce and spices. I will note, there is fennel seed in it, which gives the turkey meat a sausage quality which really makes it unique.  The vegetables for the most part are cut up pretty small so it’s not like chunks of mushrooms, but more like slivers throughout the mixture.  It was a little reminiscent of the stuffed peppers I make, just a lot bolder with new and unique flavors.  They’re filling and simply delicious.  I enjoyed them and will repurchase these again.

A serving is 1 pepper (1/2 the container), which is 190 calories or 5 points plus values. You could eat the entire container for 10 points plus values.  Definitely worth it!

QUESTION:

What is your favorite prepared meal from Trader Joe’s?

Trader Joe’s – Trader Giotto’s Gorgonzola Chicken

I’m a big fan of Trader Joe’s products and have since been dabbling in the prepared foods at Trader Joe’s. As with any sort of prepared dish, it’s hit or miss, you can only judge by the look on the box, the description and your personal food tastes.

I saw this Trader Giotto’s Gorgonzola Chicken pasta dish in the refrigerated section at Trader Joe’s. It intrigued me simply by the picture on the box. I checked out the nutrition facts, calculated the points plus values and decided it was point friendly enough to give it a go.  I admit, I haven’t had any dish in a gorgonzola cheese sauce, but since I like bleu cheese (which gorgonzola is similar to) I decided to give it a shot.  I heated the dish up in the microwave per the box directions and split it into two servings.

After pulling the plastic covering off the dish once heated, I noticed mushrooms. Huh? I looked back at the box and read the description “white chicken meat, bowtie pasta, asparagus and peas in a Gorgonzola cheese sauce.”  Yeah, as I suspected, no mention of mushrooms. I’m not a big fan of mushrooms – I enjoy mushrooms in certain dishes, but in others I just do not, this is one that I did not enjoy it in. Plus, I’ve got an odd nose (along with my food texture issues) but I can smell a mushroom in a dish and the mushroom scent was overwhelming. Swallowing my moderate dislike in mushrooms, I took a bite – WHOA bold. The gorgonzola cheese sauce is definitely pungent … a pack a punch and knock you down pungent.

The cheese naturally is salty, but this was very salty and very strong in flavor. Not for the faint of heart. I couldn’t handle it. Three bites in I threw in the towel and tossed the dish.

Points plus wise, a serving (half a container) is 7 points plus values.

QUESTION:

What is one of your favorite OR unfavorite Trader Joe’s products?

Trader Joe’s Lemon Bars

I had purchased these Lemon Bars from Trader Joe’s about a month or so back and they’ve been sitting in the freezer waiting to be eaten.  Last week my boyfriend and I wanted something sweet, but since we didn’t have anything in the house that we both wanted, we took the box of these out of the freezer and set them on the counter to defrost for 45 minutes.

One thing I should say is that my boyfriend and I are lovers of lemon desserts.  Lemon donuts, lemon tarts, lemon cake, lemon anything in a dessert is a-okay with us!  So I imagined these would be phenomenal.  Trader Joe’s makes some of the best hidden jewels so I already knew these would be a homerun.  And I was right.

They are VERY lemony, but the powdered sugar on top of the dessert really brings it down a notch. The consistency of the lemon portion is more of along the lines of a soft cheesecake, if you will.  The bottom portion is a delicious graham like cracker crust.  They are small – two normal size bites and it will be gone, but the perfect thing is it’s JUST enough to satisfy that sweet tooth.  I had 1 and was satisfied. My boyfriend happily munched away on them and finished the remainder that night. I’ve got to add them to my Trader Joe’s shopping list to pick up on the next trip through Trader Joe’s!

Points plus wise 1 bar (a serving) is 2 points plus. You can have 2 for 4 points plus.

QUESTION:

What is your favorite lemon dessert?

Trader Joe’s Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken

I picked up this package of Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken from the refrigerator section at Trader Joe’s figuring it would be a quick and easy addition to any lunch.  I love grilled chicken, but considering I live in New England and even though the weather is continuously fluctuating it is definitely not grill worthy weather.  I also tend to enjoy a quick and easy lunch especially on days where there 1) aren’t any leftovers and 2) when I just want a simple salad and need something to throw on top of it.

Originally I was looking for the teriyaki flavor I had heard Trader Joe’s sold, but after not finding it, I settled on the lemon pepper.  The chicken itself is already cooked before being placed into the container and the chicken pieces are topped with a few slices of fresh lemon.  The packages houses four, 3 ounce servings of chicken and heating it up is quite an easy task.  The plastic has to be vented and the whole container is microwaved for a few minutes to heat through.

The only downside is, the chicken after re-heating it (if you are not going to eat it all in that one serving) can get a little dry after reheating in the microwave the second day.  Granted, I’m sure the first heat through in the packaging could be skipped which would eliminate the dryness.  I split the chicken into 2 meals – each for two separate lunches.  Straight out of the package the chicken is nice and moist with a charcoal flavoring on it (from grilling), but after the 2^nd reheat it starts to lose that moistness – which is expected when heating foods in the microwave.

A 3 ounce serving is 3 Weight Watchers Points Plus, whereas a 6 ounce serving would be 5 points plus.  Definitely a great buy for anyone looking for a “on the fly” lunch.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the prepackaged, prepared meats at Trader Joe’s?