Trader Joe's Tuesday Treats: Mediterranean Style Orzo Pasta Salad

The one exceptional grab-and-go meal from Trader Joe's

Trader Joe’s excels at a lot of things. To-go prepackaged meals is generally not one of them. There is, in my view, precisely one exception to this Trader Joe’s no go zone (unless you’re truly desperate): Mediterranean Style Orzo Pasta Salad.

This closest thing to a complete meal that I regularly pick up at TJ’s works great in a hungry pinch. Say you’re stopping for groceries after work and just can’t wait to eat something real, this salad can tide you over in the car until you get home and take in something a little warmer and more substantial.

Orzo is beautifully balanced in the salad by equal portions of sliced kalamatas, feta cheese, red onion, and shredded spinach. It’s all tied together with a light balsamic and pesto dressing.

It’s really tasty, if a bit heavy on the starch and light on everything else. I have in some instances dumped the core salad into a bowl and mixed in more olives, feta, tomatoes and onion. But it’s plenty tasty as is.

I’m not going to pretend this is a most nourishing meal. It’s got plenty of calories, and while it’s no fast food fried chicken, this is not what your doctor meant when they recommended “a Mediterranean diet.” That said, it definitely won’t kill you, and as a vegetarian crowd pleaser Trader Joe’s Mediterranean Style Orzo Pasta Salad is a cheap and easy option freeing up your time to focus on from-scratch proteins and veggies when hosting your next dinner party.

Fair warning: Eating Trader Joe’s to-go food in the parking lot is acceptable, if not downright encouraged. But try not to stay there for more than ten minutes. Those parking spots are precious; be a good consumer citizen and get a move on.

See you next week.