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  • Home
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Review: Trader Joe’s Meatless Meatballs

February 6, 2017 //  by Di Hickman//  85 Comments

Sometimes I forget that not everyone knows the same things I do. When one of my friends recently told me she was trying to make more plant based choices in her diet, she asked for a list of brands to look for while shopping. That question prompted my 15 meatless brands blog post. When I looked at my YouTube statistics recently I noticed my review of the Gardein Holiday Roast was one of my more popular recent videos. All I did was cook it on camera. This all got me thinking that I need to approach everything I consider ‘common knowledge’ as a future blog post. Or as Gary Vaynerchuk says “document don’t create”. So today begins the reinstatement of meatless food reviews and recipes! Starting with a review of the Trader Joe’s Meatless Meatballs.

meatless meatballs feat

Trader Joe’s Meatless Meatballs

When I was a kid one thing I loved was spaghetti and meatballs. Back then our meatballs came in a can with gravy. You can find so many meatless products now that pretty much just about anything meat based has a vegan alternative. Meatballs are no exception. Since being vegan I’ve tried a lot of different meatless meatballs but these from Trader Joe’s are pretty tasty so let’s dive in.

meatless meatballs

This bag of meatless meatballs is found in the freezer section of Trader Joe’s. Sometimes they are with the other meatless products, and other times they put them with the other meat based meatballs, so you might have to look around. I’m pretty sure they switch things around just to confuse me. Each bag costs around $3 and contains 5 servings.  I LOVE the pic on the bag of the little mini sliders, cute!

meatless meatballs

Nutrition, Cost & Macros

One thing I liked about these is that for a mock meat they are relatively low in ingredients. This obviously is a processed food, but really by processed food standards this wasn’t too bad. A serving size is 6 pieces, which breaks down as:

  • 140 calories
  • 7g fat
  • 7g carbs
  • 14g protein.

For those counting macro’s the breakdown is 38% protein, 19% carbs and 43% Fat. This makes it a little high on the fat BUT think about the overall meal. You’re probably going to serve these over spaghetti and vegetables which will balance out the macros a little better. At around $2.99 for 5 servings the cost isn’t too bad either (that’s 60 c a serving).

meatless meatballs
meatless meatballs

Taste & Texture

So I can only really compare these to the meatballs I had as a child. I’ve not eaten meat for over 20 years. Having said that I really liked the taste and texture of these meatless meatballs from Trader Joe’s. When oven baked they do go a little drier than when microwaved so bear that in mind for the dish you’re creating. I personally LOVE that they are quick and easy to microwave. Just one minute, and done!

meatless meatballs
meatless meatballs

Spaghetti & Meatless Meatballs

As I said I LOVE that these are quick and easy to cook in the microwave and so the way I use them a lot is the traditional spaghetti and meatballs. This balances out the macro’s nicely. 99% of the time I serve mine on a mixed green salad to add a boost of micronutrients. Or I’ll just add a big serving of broccoli, green beans and spinach. If you’re feeling fancy add some vegan parmesan/mozzarella or boost the protein and B vitamins with a tablespoon of nutritional yeast.

meatless meatballs

Spaghetti Squash and Meatless Meatballs

If you are looking for a low calorie meal then switch out the spaghetti for spaghetti squash. If you’ve not tried spaghetti squash, you should. And soon! It’s amazing. It’s got a similar taste and texture to spaghetti but without the calories and with all the micronutrients. As you can see this is one of my favorite ways to have meatless meatballs.

meatless meatballs
meatless meatballs
meatless meatballs

Recently another favorite way to serve these has been in a meatless meatballs sub, or with vegan mac’n’cheese. As they cook quickly and have a decent macro breakdown. to which I can add extra carbs. I grab these a lot when I’m cooking at home. In all I was impressed with the Trader Joe’s meatless meatballs and would definitely recommend them.

Questions

  • Have you tried any meatless meatballs?
  • What meatless products would you like to see me review?
  • Have you tried spaghetti squash?
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ttrockwood

    June 13, 2018 at 1:59 pm

    These are a freezer must have for me! I use a few broken up into crumbles for taco fillings, or cut in halves added to a soup, but most often just ontop of a big salad since i love hot/cold and soft/crunchy combos

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      June 14, 2018 at 7:36 pm

      yep I’ve started getting a little more adventurous with them! I’ve actually been getting other brands and comparing them too. So many different brands doing ‘meat’balls now and they all have different subtle flavors

      Reply
  2. Gayl

    October 29, 2017 at 2:19 pm

    My daughter told me about these too and I’m dying to try them! So glad that the options for vegans is improving.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      November 23, 2017 at 4:45 pm

      Agreed! There are so many exciting options available now!

      Reply
  3. Hollie

    July 12, 2017 at 7:39 am

    I make my own
    Walnuts as base
    Nutritional yeast
    Chia egg
    Seasonings

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      July 12, 2017 at 4:10 pm

      Those sound good Hollie!

      Reply
  4. Pauline

    February 17, 2017 at 4:09 pm

    I love Trader Joe’s and the meatless meatballs are one of my favorites!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 18, 2017 at 1:00 pm

      Trader Joes rocks!!!!

      Reply
  5. Karina Pacheco

    February 16, 2017 at 12:45 am

    Ahhhh!! We love Trader Joe’s and I can’t believe that it’s been almost a month that I haven’t shopped there. I need to go and find these meatless meatballs 🙂

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 16, 2017 at 9:32 am

      Yep LOVE Trader Joes. I like finding new things they have there.

      Reply
  6. Katriza

    February 15, 2017 at 2:42 pm

    I need to try these, they look delicious and I have quite a few friends that don’t eat meat so now I will have something great to make them when they come over!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 15, 2017 at 5:58 pm

      For sure! Super easy to keep in the freezer and 1 minute microwave to steaming hot and ready to use!

      Reply
  7. Jennifer

    February 13, 2017 at 6:35 pm

    I might be a little leary of trying a meatless meatball. I really do love my meat. However, you made them look extremely tasty!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 14, 2017 at 2:05 pm

      Taste just like meat honestly!

      Reply
  8. Amber Nelson

    February 9, 2017 at 4:24 pm

    This looks interesting. Meatless meatballs? How could it be meatless? At any rate, I would be willing to give it a shot!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 10, 2017 at 1:25 pm

      Hey everything is available meatless these days!

      Reply
  9. Blythe Alpern

    February 8, 2017 at 3:46 pm

    I love Trader Joes, but find some of their frozen or prepared items are hit or miss. I’ve skipped buy many of their meatless options because the ingredient list is either too long or filled with preservatives. I wish they would remove things like sugar and caramel coloring. I think I’ll opt for having my spaghetti squash with other options for now.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 5:24 pm

      For sure some things have a dictionary of ingredients. These though weren’t too bad. I find unless you’re making things from scratch it’s impossible to avoid added sugars etc these days,

      Reply
  10. CourtneyLynne

    February 8, 2017 at 3:42 pm

    Omg can we say yum!!!! Next time I’m at Trader Joe’s I will have to grab a bag of meatballs!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 5:23 pm

      Definitely do, super useful as they cook so quick!

      Reply
  11. Rachel Catherine

    February 8, 2017 at 12:56 pm

    There are some meatless products I really love. There are others I really hate. I’ll have to give these a try and see what camp they fall into.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 5:23 pm

      Oh it’s definitely hit and miss. These are hit for us though!

      Reply
  12. Jennifer (JenuineMom)

    February 8, 2017 at 6:50 am

    Mm, these looks really good! We love meatballs, and this is a great healthy alternative. Plus, Trader Joe’s rocks!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:50 am

      trader Joes does rock!!!

      Reply
  13. Angela Ricardo

    February 8, 2017 at 3:19 am

    I love discovering and checking out new things. As a military wife who could barely handle her busy schedule I am truly glad I came across your post. They all look delicious plus healthy too! I will definitely try it out.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:50 am

      Yep definitely part of a healthy meal plan!

      Reply
  14. Brittany

    February 7, 2017 at 9:19 pm

    I love Trader Joe’s food! It’s all so tasty but you know it’s healthy too. I don’t have to worry about what my kids are eating. I know it’s good for them 🙂

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:50 am

      Well not everything at TJ is healthy, they sell cookies and candies lol!

      Reply
  15. jalisa

    February 7, 2017 at 6:35 pm

    I’ve never had anything that was meatless but they sure do look like something I may be willing to try. For the price they also seem like something that is worth the price.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:49 am

      Definitely worth it for the $$

      Reply
  16. Krystel | Planning The Magic

    February 7, 2017 at 5:21 pm

    I’ve never tried any of these things but I do have a Trader Joes nearby. Would love to try some meatless meatballs.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:49 am

      Check out their meatless section for a meatless monday meal!

      Reply
  17. Amie @ Busy Bliss

    February 7, 2017 at 5:03 pm

    We don’t do meatless meals very often, but my kids love meatballs. I don’t even think they would know the difference with these meatless meatballs.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:48 am

      It’s been 20+ years since I ate meat, but they taste similar to me!

      Reply
    • Connie S.

      September 8, 2018 at 3:30 pm

      I agree that these are very good and I truly doubt that your kids will notice any difference. 🙂

      I like them best when I heat them right in the marinara sauce.

      About the picture on the bag — they do make a very nice meatball slider! For these too, I like them heated right in the marinara sauce, and I like to put a small basil leaf (or a sprig of a few tiny leaves, the way they are pictured) inside each slider.

      These were very good find for me.

      Reply
  18. Kristin

    February 7, 2017 at 2:59 pm

    We have tried to have more meatless dinners at our house, so I definitely want to try these. My kiddo looooves meatballs!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:48 am

      Meatless Mondays it s a great way to start.

      Reply
  19. Reesa Lewandowski

    February 7, 2017 at 2:11 pm

    I need to pick this up for my brother who is a vegetarian! I can never pass up a trip to Trader Joe’s!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:48 am

      Yep, hope he enjoys them!

      Reply
  20. Lydia

    February 7, 2017 at 1:59 pm

    As much as I would love to try these, I don’t think I could eat a meatless meatball. I would keep on comparing them to a real meatball, lol! These look pretty good though

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:48 am

      It’s been 20+ years since I’ve eaten meat so I can’t really compare now. I always think it’s not about comparing but letting them stand alone as an alternative.

      Reply
  21. Heather

    February 7, 2017 at 1:44 pm

    Yes! These are amazing! My mom has gotten them before. Unfortunately I don’t live anywhere near a Trader Joe’s – but I still cross my fingers one will get within driving distance soon 🙂

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:47 am

      Oh I hope so! Trader Joes rocks!

      Reply
  22. Theresa

    February 7, 2017 at 1:23 pm

    Meatballs are the one thing I could never eat the vegetarian version of, on any occasion! I love the real thing.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:47 am

      Good thing we all have options 🙂

      Reply
  23. Cara (@StylishGeek)

    February 7, 2017 at 11:47 am

    I had no idea that Trader Joe’s offered meatless meatballs. Love it! I am definitely going to my nearest branch and buy some! I love this! Thanks for your post and yummy recipe!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:46 am

      You’re welcome! Trader Joes rocks!

      Reply
  24. Ashley @ Far Beyond Love

    February 7, 2017 at 11:33 am

    My husband (vegetarian) loves those! I cook them up in tomato sauce and serve them as meatball subs. In fact, we just had them for the superbowl last weekend. So good!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:46 am

      Yep! I’ve had them in subs! Delicious!

      Reply
  25. Charlotte

    February 7, 2017 at 11:04 am

    You can’t beat a bit of spaghetti and meatballs! I love these as a healthier alternative as well. Thanks for including the macros too, makes my life easier!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:46 am

      you’re welcome!!!

      Reply
  26. Debra Schroeder

    February 7, 2017 at 10:53 am

    Oh, meatless meatballs. They’d be perfect for meatless Monday. Looks like I’ll be stopping by Trader Joe’s…

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:45 am

      yes great for meatless mondays!

      Reply
  27. Dawn McAlexander

    February 7, 2017 at 10:31 am

    I do like meatless meatballs. I have tried them before and I liked them a lot. I haven’t had a chance to check out Trader Joe’s but this gives me a good reason to go there!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:45 am

      Go try them Dawn! Tasty and quick!

      Reply
  28. Marisa

    February 7, 2017 at 10:20 am

    Oooh! I never heard of these but they look good! I’m sure that are super healthy! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:45 am

      Not super healthy, a little high in fat but for sure with the pasta it balances out! Zero cholesterol!

      Reply
  29. Tabitha Shakespeare

    February 7, 2017 at 9:19 am

    These look just like regular meatballs! It’s great that they’re affordable and quick and easy to make!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:44 am

      For sure! Quick and easy is my cooking style 😉

      Reply
  30. Brandi Puga

    February 7, 2017 at 9:18 am

    I really enjoy meat i must say, however i am interested to see how these taste! Your presentation was beautiful!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:43 am

      Thanks Brandi!

      Reply
  31. Krystle Cook

    February 7, 2017 at 8:02 am

    These look like regular meatballs and so I would definitely have been fooled if you didn’t tell me. Looks good to me!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:43 am

      For sure! Many of the products now look a little too much like the “real” thing!

      Reply
  32. Robin Rue

    February 7, 2017 at 8:01 am

    I have never tried meatless meatballs but they look interesting. I would definitely give them a go!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:43 am

      They taste great I’d definitely recommend!

      Reply
  33. Courteney Noonan

    February 7, 2017 at 2:11 am

    These look so yummy! I love trying meat-free alternatives but I’ve never eaten meatless meatballs before. I’d love to try them 🙂

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:43 am

      meatless monday is a great chance to try them. So many options too

      Reply
  34. Ana

    February 7, 2017 at 1:50 am

    I love that they can be microwaved in 1 minute. Even if they get a bit dry you could plonk them in sauce!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:42 am

      Honestly I’ve food microwaving to be the best option so they stay moist. Two thumbs up for taste and convenience!

      Reply
  35. HilLesha

    February 7, 2017 at 12:28 am

    I love Trader Joes! The closest one is over 100 miles away and I always try to stop by whenever I’m Louisville, Kentucky to see what new stuff they have. These meatless meatballs would be the perfect option for me since I’m a vegetarian!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:42 am

      Oh man that sucks they are so far away! Good thing is they are frozen so you can stock up!

      Reply
  36. Debra

    February 6, 2017 at 9:38 pm

    I would be willing to try these, I love trader joes and have loved everything I have tried there!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:41 am

      I’ve only had two things so far I’ve not liked from Trader joes. But yes lots of hits!

      Reply
  37. Jessi

    February 6, 2017 at 6:29 pm

    these actually look pretty good. I do eat meat, but I have a lot of friends who do not so I try to accommodate them when they come over for dinner.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:41 am

      Really handy to have in the freezer for when your friends come over for sure!

      Reply
  38. Mandy Carter

    February 6, 2017 at 6:09 pm

    I love spaghetti squash! And I have never been disappointed with a trader joes item so I am sure they are delicious.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:40 am

      Oh I’ve been disappointed with a couple of things from Trader joes! The hot peppermint chocolate drink, and their vegan cheese are two memorable ones

      Reply
  39. CoCo

    February 6, 2017 at 5:33 pm

    What a great alternative to traditional meatballs and love how you paired it with spaghetti squash! Such a healthy option!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:39 am

      Love spaghetti squash for the days when I’m running close to my calorie goal!

      Reply
  40. Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh

    February 6, 2017 at 5:13 pm

    I haven’t seen these! I love Trader Joe’s and all their yummy things. It’s wonderful how companies are branching out and creating tasty meatless creations.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:39 am

      Meatless products are on the rise. 400% increase in the last year alone!

      Reply
  41. Janel

    February 6, 2017 at 4:13 pm

    They certainly look like meatballs. If only they weren’t soy based I might be open to try them.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:39 am

      Soy allergy? Try beyond meat, those are wheat based

      Reply
  42. karen

    February 6, 2017 at 3:44 pm

    I have never tried meatless meatballs, but I do consume meat. I appreciate that there are these options for vegans or vegetarians. Especially when the cooking options and prep is so easy!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      February 8, 2017 at 9:38 am

      Super easy! 1 minute in the microwave!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Di. A yoga teacher with over 20 years experience in the health and wellness industry. My mission is to give you information so you can be fitter, healthier, stress-free and happier (no, seriously).

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