The Underrated Trader Joe's Freezer Find That Turns Taco Night Into A Breeze

Trader Joe's is great for a lot of reasons — but for those of us who often find ourselves trying to cook dinner in a rush, one of the best things about this store is how many partially prepared items it offers. When you're making a homemade meal, this means that half the work is already done for you. Our newest TJ's obsession that falls into this category is the unique grocery chain's oven-ready breaded cod fillets, and in our opinion, they're just begging to be used to elevate (and expedite) your next at-home taco night.

Of course, ground beef or shredded pork tacos are always an option. But there's something about fish tacos that inspires more creative flavor combos — not to mention the fact that if you're having guests over, fish can be a good choice to please pescatarian visitors, as well as anyone who doesn't eat red meat. The fillets are easy to prepare in the oven, needing just under 20 minutes to be fully cooked through and golden brown while you handle other tasks. From there, the mild fish can be sliced or placed whole on each tortilla for a filling, fresh dinner that's ready in a snap.

On a typical taco, you might use toppings like cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and onions. These can also be used for cod tacos, but some of the ideal flavor pairings look different when it comes to a fish-based taco rather than one made with another protein. For one thing, make sure you pick corn tortillas over flour for fish tacos in order to better complement their delicate flavors. Beyond that, fresh, savory ingredients are a good match — think coleslaw, avocado, or sliced radishes. The mild but thick cod is also well-known for absorbing flavor effectively, so it's a great dish to use to experiment with sauces or salsas like a cilantro lime sauce, or maybe a mango habanero salsa if you're looking for something a little spicier.

One drawback of this concept? Each 1-pound box of the pre-breaded cod costs $7.49, with about six fillets to a box, so if you have a table of hungry people who can easily down two or three tacos each, the cost can quickly add up. To help avoid going beyond your grocery budget, pick a couple of filling side dishes to pair with the tacos, and help the pieces of cod go further. Rice and beans are two classic options that are always crowd pleasers, but if you want to go a little out of the box, try our deconstructed watermelon gazpacho salad recipe, or an herby mustard corn salad. And don't stop at trying the cod — Trader Joe's has a lot of great seafood options just waiting to be discovered.