The 9 Best High-Protein Picks from Trader Joe's for Easy Lunches

When it comes to lunch, quick and easy is the name of the game. To stave off the dreaded midafternoon crash, I always reach for an extra boost of protein. I’m a vegetarian, so getting the right amount of plant protein is important. Even if you’re an omnivore, who wants to go to the trouble of fully cooking a raw protein in the middle of the day? 

Related: I Almost Never Shop at Trader Joe’s, but I’ll Go Back to Stock Up on This Product

That’s where easy grab-and-go products come in handy. I’m always on the lookout for high-protein foods that are easy to add into lunches. Keeping my pantry and fridge stocked with the nine items on this list makes it so much easier to craft a healthy and delicious lunch, even if I only have five minutes. I do all my weekly shopping at my local Trader Joe’s, and these are my must-haves.

1. Sriracha Flavored Baked Tofu

The best thing about the Sriracha Flavored Baked Tofu is that it’s precooked and already flavored. You can even eat it cold out of the package! I love to dice it up and toss it into a salad or grain bowl or slice it thinly and use it in sandwiches, hot or cold. However, my favorite is to cube it into easy homemade mason jar ramen with a few handfuls of veggies, dried ramen noodles, a dash of soy sauce and veggie bouillon—just add boiling water and it’s ready to go.

2. Oven-Baked Cheese Bites

TJ's Oven-Baked Cheese Bites are my secret weapon for the perfect Caesar salad and Caesar salad wraps. Crunch them up and sprinkle them into your salad for major umami flavor and 13 grams of protein per serving. I usually pair these with whatever cooked, leftover protein I have in my fridge from the week. For a homemade dressing, try our creamy Caesar Salad Dressing.

Related: Cabbage Caesar Salad

3. Organic Vegetarian Chili

I reach for this chili year-round for a quick, tasty lunch with 15 grams of protein and almost no effort. I like to top the Organic Vegetarian Chili with a dollop of Greek yogurt, some sliced avocado and scallions for those days when I only have 10 minutes to make lunch and need something I can eat at my desk that isn’t going to make me carb-crash midafternoon.

Related: Healthy Vegetarian Chili Recipes

4. Chickenless Crispy Tenders

I would like to go on record as saying that vegetarian chicken nuggets are my favorite salad topping. They’re salty and filling, and chopping up a few to top off your favorite salad feels indulgent. These Chickenless Crispy Tenders have 13 grams of protein for a 170-calorie serving, making them a great way to get in some extra protein.

Related: The 5 Healthiest & Tastiest Frozen Nuggets to Buy, According to Our Editors

5. Chocolate Almond Protein Smoothie Beverage

Technically, this isn’t a lunch-specific item, but I always grab at least two of these every time I go to Trader Joe’s to throw in my bag. The Chocolate Almond Protein Smoothie Beverage is a perfect addition to a smaller lunch or to hold me over when I’m on the go.

Related: How This Chocolate Shake Helped Me to Heal My Relationship with Food

6. Organic Lentil Vegetable Soup

This soup is super savory and flavorful on its own, but my go-to way to eat the Organic Lentil Vegetable Soup is to actually use it as a pasta sauce on top of whole-wheat pasta. The whole-wheat pasta adds some more fiber and protein, and I can stretch one can of soup across a few days of lunch, making prep a lot easier. If I’m not going to mix this soup with pasta, I like to top it with the oven-baked cheese bites above or a sliced veggie sausage. 

7. Grilled Chicken Strips

I’m a vegetarian, but I live in a house with omnivores, and these Grilled Chicken Strips are always on the grocery list for lunches. They cook surprisingly well in the microwave and are perfect for quick wraps, salads, tacos and especially chicken salad, a favorite in my household. 

8. Cauliflower Slims

I’m not gluten-free, but I’m totally in love with these gluten-free Cauliflower Slims. They’re made with egg and Parmesan cheese as binders, which add some protein and a lot of flavor. I love their versatility; use them in place of tortillas for tacos or as a substitute for bread in a sandwich. I’ve even used them to make mini lunch pizzas with some tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella and Trader Joe's veggie Italian sausages or pepperoni. My current favorite thing to do with these slims is spread on some cottage cheese and then top with avocado and a sprinkling of chile flakes for a filling lunch that takes just a few minutes to pull together.

9. Small Curd Cottage Cheese

Yes, you can get cottage cheese at nearly any grocery store, but as those loyal to Trader Joe’s cottage cheese know, there’s something about the texture of TJ’s Small Curd Cottage Cheese that’s superior. It’s labeled as “small curd,” and I think that’s the secret here. The texture is closer to ricotta than other cottage cheeses I’ve had, making this cottage cheese perfect for spreading on a sandwich, toast, in a wrap or on pretty much anything else for a protein boost. Try using it to create one of these 11 Cottage Cheese Recipes You’ll Want to Make Forever.