6 Best Trader Joe's Finds For Solo Diners

Cooking for the folks you love can be a fulfilling experience, and tandem food prep has the possibility to be super romantic, as anyone who read up on Trader Joe's Valentine' s Day shopping will concur. But sometimes, a solo meal is what's in the cards. Budgeting, shopping, and cooking when you're by yourself is occasionally onerous, but the same Trader Joe's that shines for sweethearts' dinners also shines when it comes to convenient meals for a party of one. Best of all, none of these meals require very much work ... or very much money, for that matter. 

The vast majority of single diners aren't out to cook a three-course steak dinner when they're eating alone. Luckily, these meals for one are satisfying and convenient. Keep in mind the best time to grocery shop at Trader Joe's is usually an early midweek morning, and you'll be in and out with a quick, tasty meal in no time flat. All pricing information was accurate as of this writing. Keep in mind that TJ's frequently discontinues popular products to make room for new finds, so availability is also subject to vary. 

We've praised Trader Joe's morning buns as one of its best finds under $5, but, when you want a savory and filling start to your day as a solo diner, we like these breakfast bowls. Stuffed with bacon and pork sausage crumbled over potatoes and fluffy scrambled eggs, all topped in cheese, you get a hearty kick of protein (20 grams!) and a filling first meal that's sized for one. At $3.49 apiece, these bowls are a lot cheaper than hitting the drive-thru but will leave you feeling like you cooked a labor-intensive skillet for yourself. 

For many consumers, Campbell's (which underwent a name change in 2024) is the last word in soup, but allow us to open your mind to the notion of Trader Joe's bottled garden vegetable variety. With leeks, zucchini, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and various leafy greens all added to a standard veggie-forward soup base of onions, carrots, celery, and tomatoes, it sounds scrumptious. The $3.99 bottle contains two or three days' worth of lunch for a solo eater, so it's economical as well. Pour a serving into a bowl and stash the rest in the fridge. 

We're not here to fight with folks regarding the eternal beans in chili debate, but in this $2.99 can of turkey chili, we're happy they're there. This is a hearty meal in a can even if you just pour it in a bowl and nuke it, but adventurous single eaters can jazz their meal up by tossing a potato in the air fryer or warming up some rice and serving the chili over the top. With some shredded cheese and sour cream, you'd never know you didn't go to a bistro for a pricey lunch or dinner. 

So many grocery store TV dinners range from "edible" on the good side to "chewy cardboard" on the opposite end of the spectrum, with a whole range of disasters in the middle. TJ's is chalking one up for delish single-serving frozen meals with this vegan-friendly curry that's served over brown rice with roasted cashews. Anything curry-forward is a great meal in our books (we love curry powder in our egg salad as a lunchtime treat), but this $3.99 meal really sets the bar high as a single serving that still feels like an indulgence. 

Speaking of frozen individual meals with pizazz, we implore you to check out this bowl next time the urge to pony up takeout money strikes. There's no need to consider such a thing when you have a $4.49 beef and queso bowl to satisfy your TexMex cravings. Seasoned jasmine rice is studded with rich beef and veggies then smothered in queso ... and all it takes is a quick trip to the microwave to heat it up. We might scoop it up with tortilla chips if we're feeling a snacky meal! 

Laying out charcuterie is normally an effort that serves several guests (why else go through all the work of searching up the charcuterie rule of threes?), but when you're the only mouth to feed, that doesn't mean you have to go without. This refrigerated grown-up take on a Lunchable has luxe ingredients but is fun enough to appeal to your inner child. It's the ultimate "girl dinner" that will suit solo diners of any identity, and it's so easy to stack a few in your fridge for lazy evenings (at $3.49 apiece).