Trader Joe's Just Dropped a Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Pack
We've all been there: It's 1 p.m. and your stomach is grumbling. Loudly. But you didn't pack a lunch and would rather not resort to ordering takeout (again) or calling a protein bar a meal.
A new hangry Rx has arrived courtesy of Trader Joe's for this exact situation—or any upcoming end-of-season picnics you'd love to be low-fuss. Spotted by @traderjoesobsessed at her California supermarket, we're obsessed with the satisfying-yet-smart portion sizes and mix of whole food ingredients.
Trader Joe's new Protein Palette is $3.99 and includes uncured pepper salami, roasted and salted almonds and Parmesan cheese crisps. It's entirely gluten-free and covers 20% of your daily calcium and 15% of your daily iron needs in addition to offering 470 calories, 31 grams of fat (most of this heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from the almonds), 18 grams of carbs, a whopping 31 grams of protein (about equal to five eggs!) and 10 grams of fiber.
With the salt in the salami and on the nuts, this meal for one or snack for two is fairly high in sodium, at 910 milligrams of 40% of your daily recommended amount. So split with a pal, save half for tomorrow or stick to a low-sodium meal plan the rest of the day to steer clear of water retention.
This new shelf-stable meal kit is launching right around some new "adult Lunchables" that will cure your cravings for fruits and veggies if that's what you're in the mood for, rather than meat and cheese alone:
For $3.69, you can score a Fruit and Cheese Pack (havarti and muenster cheeses, almonds, grapes, dried apricots and wheat crackers) or a Protein Pack (chicken, hard-boiled egg, apple slices, grape tomatoes and sugar snap peas) while you're making your Trader Joe's run. They're great as alternate, lower-sodium noshes if you have access to a refrigerator and need quick meals or snacks.