The One Healthy Freezer Staple I Always Buy at Trader Joe’s

By Geraldine Campbell

March 13, 2021

Photo Credit: Corinna Haselmayer

I have to confess that I am not a frequent Trader Joe’s shopper. There are two main reasons for this: First, in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, there always seems to be a line snaking around the corner and down the block and I just can’t think of a good reason to wait on line when there are a million other grocery stores, specialty stores, corner stores, and delis where I can pick up what I need. Second, because I don’t have the patience to wait on line, I haven’t shopped at Trader Joe’s often enough to have a good sense of where everything is. (Is anyone else as confused as I am?) Regardless, I do still really like Trader Joe’s and when I do go, I try to stock up on the things that I really love: all the snacks, cauliflower gnocchi, and Trader Joe’s Petite Peas.

Every time I go to Trader Joe’s, I get at least one bag of Trader Joe’s Petite Peas. Often I’ll grab two or three. (Any more and I feel like I’m just being greedy.) Here’s why I stock up on this freezer staple — and why you should, too.

Why I Love Trader Joe’s Petite Peas

If there is one thing the pandemic has taught me, it is the importance of my freezer. Early on, there was a weeklong stretch when I ate eggs and not much else. I quickly learned that having a supply of frozen veggies in my freezer was the key to eating a more rounded diet that still included eggs, but also other things. I like frozen broccoli because you can get it super-crispy by roasting it at high heat. But I like frozen peas even better. Specifically I love Trader Joe’s petite peas.

They are small and cute and cook up quickly. Toss them in literally any dish and they will go from frozen to cooked in a few minutes. They are also slightly sweet, which helps balance out the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes that I like to put on or in just about everything. And they taste, well, green. These peas taste like spring! They bring freshness and hopefulness to everything from pesto to pasta. They are made for fried rice. Seriously, if you’re not putting peas in your fried rice, you are doing it wrong. You can add them to soups, spruce up your morning eggs, or warm them in a bit of olive oil and toss them on top of salads.

In short, they are one of the most versatile frozen vegetables you can have on hand. They also have plenty of fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C, and they cost less than $2 for a 16-ounce bag.