The Meatballs That Fooled My Meat-Loving Husband and 12 Other Must-Try Trader Joe's Vegan Products
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I haven't eaten meat since I was 13 (almost 30 years!), not only because I want to live a more compassionate life and do good for the environment, but also selfishly, because I feel amazing when I eat a plant-based diet. Of course, I want my husband to reap the same benefits, so I try to get him to go meatless most nights of the week, and with these Trader Joe's products, it's a cinch. No joke — I served him Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs without telling him, and he said, "You didn't have to buy me meat, I know how you feel about it." I just smiled and told him I loved him, then later posted a video of him enjoying his dinner on Facebook. He saw the video an hour later and yelled, "What else have you been lying to me about?!"
Moral of the story: if your goal is to eat a more plant-based diet, buy those meatless meatballs! And while you're cruising the aisles of your local Trader Joe's, pick up these 12 other meatless products.
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Hi-Protein Veggie Burger
Made with pea protein, this veggie burger offers 26 grams of protein! Serve it in a bun, cut up in a wrap, or on a salad.
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Meatless Breakfast Patties
For your breakfast sausage cravings, each savory patty is 80 calories and offers seven grams of protein.
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Chickenless Crispy Tenders
I actually like these better than other brands like Gardein or Dr. Praeger's. Eat these tenders alone, or add them to burritos or stir-fries.
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Chicken-Less Mandarin Orange Morsels
Just sauté the chicken-less bites, add the sauce, and serve with rice and steamed broccoli for an amazing dinner.
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Quinoa Cowboy Veggie Burger
Slightly spicy black, these bean and corn veggie burgers are great served inside a bun or chopped up in a burrito.
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Beef-Less Ground Beef
Use this beef-less ground beef for lasagna, meat sauces, tacos, or as shown in the photo, in stuffed peppers.
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Soy Chorizo
Add this to wraps, serve with roasted root veggies and rice, or add to chili or soups.
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Yellow Jackfruit Curry With Jasmine Rice
This prepared jackfruit is great for a quick meal. If you've never tried jackfruit, it has a consistency like shredded chicken.
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Canned Green Jackfruit
Drain a can of jackfruit, cut it in small pieces, and cook it in Trader Joe's BBQ sauce for "pulled pork" sandwiches or tacos. It's another recipe that floored my meat-eating husband.
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Jackfruit Cakes
Crabless cakes made from jackfruit can be eaten as an appetizer or served as a main dish.
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Breaded Turkey-Less Stuffed Roast With Gravy
It's not just for Thanksgiving!
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Meatless Meatballs
These are great cooked in tomato sauce served over pasta, with zoodles, or in buns. Six pieces offers 14 grams of protein.