Trader Joe's Best Thanksgiving Foods For People Who Don't Cook

Let's cut to the chase: Preparing a Thanksgiving feast from scratch is an absolute nightmare. The day starts with a few hours in the kitchen, followed by a break to eat to enjoy your culinary creations with your guests, then it's back to the kitchen for a laborious clean-up, and finally, after all that, the exhaustion and the tryptophan kicks in, and that's a wrap. But what if you were able to offer a delicious spread and also skip the cooking and all that soaking and scrubbing so you can spend more time with family and friends? (And if you want to skip the family interaction, you can spend more time watching football or catching up on whatever hot TV show you've been missing out on.)

Enter Trader Joe's, which has plenty of no-hassle and low-cost Turkey Day food and drink options that cover the full meal experience. Whether you want to go traditional or shake things up a bit, serve a massive meat bonanza or strictly veggies, TJ's has you covered. In fact, the beloved grocery chain has such a wide selection of holiday-appropriate snacks, appetizers, mains, beverages, desserts, and, of course, the all-important sides, that narrowing down a menu will require some work.

Well, that's where we come in, as we've done all the research for you with our favorite easy-to-prepare Trader Joe's Thanksgiving picks.

It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without green bean casserole. The American classic is one of those dishes that is absolutely essential once a year but virtually neglected the others 364 days. Perhaps that's because it's extremely heavy (the combination of cream of mushroom soup and evaporated milk is rather indulgent), which is why Trader Joe's Green Bean Casserole Bites are perfect if you want those familiar flavors without all that heft, especially when there are so many other dishes that require your attention. Plus, there's the added bonus of not having to prepare a full casserole — just take your bites out of your freezer, pop 'em in the oven for seven to 12 minutes, and you're good to go. (Alternatively, for maximum crispiness, Trader Joe's recommends skipping the oven and going with a seven-minute stint in the air fryer. So if that's in your kitchen arsenal, consider going that route.)

The bites, which consist of tiny phyllo dough cups packed with a savory blend of greens beans, mushrooms, cheddar cheese, and heavy cream topped with crispy fried onions, can still fill the role of a side, but they also fit the bill as a pre-dinner app.

Here's another Trader Joe's fusion food offering that somehow works. Finding ways to repurpose Thanksgiving leftovers is a post-holiday tradition, and this Mexican and American mashup is definitely a play on that. Roasted turkey breast is the star of the show, of course, and the bird of the hour is reunited with an assortment of fall standards: cranberries, kale, and butternut squash. They're joined by melty mozzarella cheese, and the combo is tucked in a flour tortilla for a tasty South-of-the-Border spin.

Cut the quesadillas into pieces and serve as hors d'oeuvres, add them to your list of side dishes, or, if you're preparing an intimate, low-key Thanksgiving meal, the Gobbler Quesadilla can even fill the role of an entrée. Just be sure to heat them up in the oven instead of the microwave, unless you prefer a soggy tortilla over a crispy one (which, of course, you don't). If you serve these quesadillas at Thanksgiving, or perhaps for another fall meal, there is no doubt they will all be gobbled up (please excuse the awful pun).

We've got another cuckoo bananas Trader Joe's fusion alert! Turkey Sausage Stuffing Fried Rice sounds like something dreamed up mid-way through the second set of a Phish concert. And thus, it's no surprise that Trader Joe's sells a package of the insane fall creation in its hallowed freezer aisle.

This is truly an example of what Trader Joe's does best: Take something that everybody loves (stuffing) and another thing that everybody loves (fried rice), then add a wild card ingredient (turkey sausage), sell it for a song, and there you have the chain's recipe for success. And if you're wondering how exactly the stuffing fits in, this is another case of an "inspired by" situation, with a familiar blend of celery, onions, rosemary, parsley, and thyme, plus some bread crumbs.

Take note: If you want to get the most out of your Turkey Sausage Stuffing Fried Rice, a sauté in butter or oil on the stovetop is advised, but if that seems like too much work, rest assured that the dish will be finished in a jiffy — just a mere five minutes.

Whittling down your Thanksgiving side roster is never an enviable task, and roaming the Trader Joe's aisles in search of your bounty will only add to that pressure. You can always buy a sack of organic gold potatoes and make your own mashed, but we're not about to suggest that, at least when it comes to this article. There's the frozen mashed cauliflower option if you're looking for a healthier side alternative (it's only 50 calories and two grams of fat per serving). But on the final Thursday of November, we're are all-in on the gluttony, which is why Trader Joe's four-cheese scalloped potatoes earns a coveted spot on this list.  

Break out the stretchy pants because this side is, shall we say, a lot. Thinly sliced potatoes get a bath in a cream sauce prepared with garlic, leeks, and the quad-cheese combo of Parmesan, asiago, fontina, and provolone. It's rich and delicious, not to mention the bane of the existence of anyone who is lactose intolerant.   

If you feel guilty about not including vegetables on the menu but don't want to sacrifice any notion of over-the-top Thanksgiving indulgence, Trader Joe's creamed greens are here for you. Sorry spinach. For years, you've had your moment in the spotlight (and, for the record, it's been a job well done). But now Brussels sprouts and kale are getting their chance to shine in the creamed domain, and they certainly don't disappoint as a tag team in the starring role. 

Of course, when you have a Parmesan-laced béchamel supporting your efforts, it's hard to go wrong, and the creamy sauce takes those greens to another level. Prep time for this frozen option is quick and easy: only five minutes in the microwave or 15 to 20 minutes in a conventional oven. This side is truly an angel-and-devil situation, and in this case, the devil definitely wins out — and we're totally cool with that.

So to recap: We've suggested a Cranberry Chèvre opener, plus the obligatory cranberry sauce with your main, and now that we've made it to the dessert portion of our list, we have another Trader Joe's cranberry selection. (And by the way, this isn't even the last stop on our cranberry journey.)

If you're a fan of lemon bars, this TJ's twist is sure to hit the sweet spot. Despite the dual-billed fruits in the name, the cranberry really does the heaving lifting, though the addition of orange zest addition provides a nice final touch. The shortbread bottom offers a bit of sweet and salty goodness as well as a crumbly texture contrast to the jiggly curd topping.

This is a frozen dessert, and while fresh would have been ideal, we like that you can keep some squares in the freezer for the rest of the holiday season if you don't need to dole out the full 12 portions on Thanksgiving. Although, considering how good these cranberry orange bars are, keep in mind that your guests may crave more than one serving of the treat

If pie in chocolate truffle form is too far off the beaten path when it comes to your menu pick for dessert, consider going with Trader Joe's pumpkin cobbler. It's well within the Thanksgiving wheelhouse without being too obvious of a selection. Fruit always tends to be the focus of a cobbler, but it turns out gourds are also able to thrive under a layer of pecan streusel, which TJ's notes is made with actual butter (in case you wondering). Don't worry, that familiar pumpkin filling is unadulterated.

You can enjoy your pumpkin cobbler straight from the package, but we suggest bringing the heat with a quick trip to the oven. And if you happen to be taking that extra step, you're going to need a cool scoop of ice cream to pair with that warm cobbler. As it turns out, Trader Joe's ice cream selection is rather expansive, so it won't be too hard to find a pint (or quart) or two.