• I'm recently single, and Trader Joe's has been my go-to since I started grocery shopping for one.
• Some of my favorite items include the store's gyro slices and Atlantic salmon.
• Whenever I need an easy single-serving dinner, I reach for the spaghetti cacio e pepe.

When my partner and I ended our engagement, I suddenly had to figure out how to grocery shop for one instead of two.

I already struggle with meal planning, and now that I'm single, I also have to be more intentional about portions, waste, and budget.

Luckily, Trader Joe's has cured my grocery shopping stress thanks to its frozen foods, portion sizes, and grab-and-go meals. Plus, the store's affordable prices have been a godsend during this new season of my life.

Here are nine Trader Joe's staples that make cooking for one less of a headache.

Prices may vary by location.

Trader Joe's selection of tinned seafood is perfect for hosting on a budget.

I never leave Trader Joe's without at least two cans of white albacore tuna in water. It's incredibly versatile and can be prepared with just about anything.

Whether I'm making a tuna and avocado flatbread or a tuna hand roll, this fish is my secret for low-effort, anti-inflammatory meals with minimal cleanup.

Another tinned seafood I love is Trader Joe's lightly smoked mussels. Not only are they delicious, but they're also a quick and easy way to upgrade a snack board when hosting.

The pan-fried mini chicken-cilantro wontons are a game changer.

Trader Joe's pan-fried mini chicken-cilantro wontons are my current lunchtime hyperfixation.

I've been a fan of these for years, but even more so now that I'm on my own, since the standard serving size is four pieces, which is perfect for me. Plus, they only take around 10 to 15 minutes to pan-fry.

I always keep Trader Joe's cacio e pepe in my freezer.

Even though I sometimes forget that it's hiding in the back of my freezer, the Trader Joe's spaghetti cacio e pepe always ends up being a dinnertime lifesaver.

Whether I've had a late night at work or am just not in the mood for making dinner for myself, this frozen pasta — with its creamy sauce and black-pepper seasoning — is my go-to for a quick, delicious meal.

I love Trader Joe's gyro slices.

I'm half Armenian, and try to stick to a Mediterranean diet, so lamb is one of my go-to sources of protein.

One of my favorite ways to eat lamb is in a gyro, and the Trader Joe's frozen gyro slices make it so easy to enjoy.

I love to pair these beef and lamb slices with red onion, feta, and garlic-cucumber tzatziki dip, then combine them all into a sourdough pocket bread.

The sweet chili sauce brings flavor to any meal.

Although I'm normally not a fan of spice, I've been adding Trader Joe's sweet chili sauce to just about everything.

Whether it's leftover chicken, canned tuna, or even kimbap, this sauce adds the perfect amount of zest to every dish. And, this is coming from someone with a nearly nonexistent tolerance for spice, so you'll just have to trust me.

Trader Joe's reduced-fat mac and cheese is delicious.

If I were left alone with a box of mac and cheese, it'd be gone in about three seconds.

Luckily, Trader Joe's reduced-fat mac and cheese, which has 45% less fat than the store's regular version, helps me enjoy one of my favorite comfort foods in moderation without feeling deprived of my craving.

Plus, I don't even need to boil any water and can just heat it up in the microwave.

The Unexpected cheddar is the perfect snack for one person.

I love Trader Joe's Unexpected cheddar, and now that I'm shopping for one, the single-serve version has only deepened my appreciation for this product.

Pairing this cheese with Trader Joe's Everything But The Bagel-seasoned crackers creates the perfect mid-day savory treat. However, it's just as tasty on its own.

Trader Joe's Atlantic salmon with lemon-herb butter is a single shopper's dream.

In my opinion, nothing is more satisfying than an individually packaged single-serving item.

Not only is Trader Joe's Atlantic salmon with lemon-herb butter delicious, but it's also the perfect single serving, preventing excess waste or leftovers that are unlikely to be eaten again.

Another bonus: this salmon tastes like a restaurant-quality dinner, in the comfort of my own home, for only $6.

This pad see ew is proof that tofu can be great.

I love Thai food, and Trader Joe's offers flavorful, convenient options I can enjoy without ordering takeout.

I particularly enjoy the store's pad see ew, which is made with tofu.

• My family of four tried the "family pack" meal deal at Texas Roadhouse.
• For $55, we got four steaks, two sides, a dozen rolls, and a salad. It was all tasty.
• It felt like a great value, and I loved not having to eat inside a Texas Roadhouse to enjoy it.

As much as I love a good steakhouse chain like Outback and LongHorn, Texas Roadhouse has never really impressed me much.

I've always associated the chain with shell-your-own peanuts, loud music, and mediocre steak — and the few sit-down meals I've had there were just OK.

Recently, though, Texas Roadhouse's "family pack" menu caught my eye after I saw several Instagram reels from moms swearing by it. Several described the packs as a great dinnertime hack for feeding your family affordably and fast at home.

So, on a rare weekend night when my husband and two teenagers were all at home together, we picked up Texas Roadhouse's $55 sirloin-steak family pack.

Texas Roadhouse offers several different family packs for pickup or curbside orders.

There are several family packs on offer at the chain restaurant, from chicken-tender dinners to pulled-pork meals, all of which come with a salad, two shareable side dishes, and rolls with cinnamon butter.

Each is priced between $40 and $55, which seemed like a deal to me, considering the last time my party of four visited a Texas Roadhouse, a similar meal cost three times as much.

To place our order, I visited the Texas Roadhouse website on my phone, selected the meal I wanted, chose a pickup time, and paid.

Immediately after ordering, I started receiving text-message updates about the status of my order, including how to pick it up.

Later that evening, my husband got our food from Texas Roadhouse's curbside pickup. He texted his parking-space number to the restaurant and waited for our order to be brought out to his car.

The whole process was incredibly easy.

Our $55 meal came with four steaks, two sides, a salad, and rolls.

We chose the sirloin family pack for $55, which came with two 8-ounce and two 6-ounce steaks.

When I placed the order, the default cooking temperature was medium, with no option to change it. Luckily, that's how we prefer our steaks cooked anyway.

We also had to choose between a house or Caesar salad, then pick two sides from a list of mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, green beans, and seasoned rice.

Additionally, we could've paid extra to add drinks like a gallon of sweet tea or lemonade to our meal, but we stuck with the basics.

The sirloin steaks were moist and perfectly cooked.

Our four steaks were cooked perfectly with light-pink centers in line with a medium cook.

Out of curiosity, my husband checked each steak's temperature with an internal thermometer and found that each fell between the range that's considered medium, about 140 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

The steaks had beautiful grill marks and a perfect char-grilled flavor on the outside, while remaining moist and tender on the inside.

We all agreed these were the best steaks we've had from Texas Roadhouse.

There were plenty of side dishes to choose from.

As the mom of one picky eater and one kid who will try anything, I appreciated the number of side dishes there were to choose from, from green beans to seasoned rice.

I gladly let my kids pick since everything sounded good to me. Their choices were mashed potatoes with brown gravy and buttered corn, each was served in a huge 16-ounce portion.

Both sides were really delicious and simple. They made perfect accompaniments to our tasty steak, and we had plenty of leftovers afterward that my kids snacked on throughout the week.

My teens were thrilled by the rolls and cinnamon butter.

My kids fondly remember visits to Texas Roadhouse because of the chain's iconic cinnamon butter and golden-brown rolls.

With our family meal, we received a dozen warm rolls and a tub of cinnamon butter so large that we eventually threw half away.

My kids downed most of the rolls during our meal and loved having a few left over to warm in the microwave and slather with cinnamon butter later in the week.

The meal came with so much food that we saved the salad for the next night.

For our order, we chose the Caesar instead of the house salad since it's among my daughter's favorite foods.

It came in a 9-by-11-inch aluminum pan along with several containers of Caesar dressing. As I unpacked the meal, I suggested we use the salad for dinner the next day, since we had so much food to eat — my family agreed.

The following night, we paired it with grilled chicken I quickly whipped up to make it into a full dinner. It was a delicious meal, and I'm glad the salad kept well in the lidded aluminum tray.

The lettuce was still nice and crunchy, and the croutons were, too.

Overall, the tasty dinner fed us twice and seemed like a really great value.

When it comes to this Texas Roadhouse meal deal, I truly have no notes.

For the price, we received 32 ounces of well-cooked, sirloin steak, two pounds of side dishes, a dozen rolls, and a gigantic pan-full of salad.

The $55 price tag ($58 after tax) seemed well worth it to me. Plus, some of the other meals available, like pulled pork or pork chops, only cost $45.

I honestly enjoyed Texas Roadhouse's food way more in the privacy of my own home, away from its loud music and bustling bar scene.

I'd absolutely order this deal again to feed my family, and I'll also keep it in mind the next time I get a meal train sign-up email for someone in need.

It would be perfect for dropping off at a friend's or neighbor's house, especially since everything was packaged up so well with coordinating, air-tight lids.

The pack contained so much food that a small family could easily stretch it for a few days.

This story was originally published on September 1, 2025, and most recently updated on April 29, 2026.

• A suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting is in custody.
• Photos of the suspect posted by Trump appear to match those on the LinkedIn profile for Cole Allen.
• Allen is a Caltech graduate, an indie video game developer, and a teacher, according to the profile.

Photos of the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooter posted online by President Donald Trump on Saturday night appear to match the LinkedIn profile of Cole Allen.

Multiple outlets, including the Associated Press, have reported that Allen is the suspect now in custody. Business Insider was not able to independently confirm the suspect's identity. Authorities have not yet publicly identified the suspect by name.

Trump told Fox News on Sunday that the suspect left a "manifesto" that called for the targeting of Trump administration officials.

Here's what we know so far.

Allen, 31, is a resident of Torrance, California. Police conducted a raid on a home in Torrance overnight. Allen describes himself on his LinkedIn as a "mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth."

His current job is listed as part-time teacher at C2 Education, which provides "personalized support designed to improve test scores, strengthen academic skills, and help students reach their full potential."

Allen has been in the role for six years, according to his LinkedIn profile, while also independently designing and building video games, including one he calls "Bohrdom." Allen described the game online as "a skill-based, non-violent asymmetrical fighting game loosely derived from a chemistry model that is itself loosely based on reality."

He graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He then earned his master's in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2025, according to his LinkedIn profile. He also held a summer student fellowship at NASA in 2014, where he worked at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Jeffrey Carroll, the interim chief of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC, said during a press conference after the shooting on Saturday night that Allen was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives when he tried to bypass a security checkpoint at the event.

In a video Trump posted to his TruthSocial account, the shooter can be seen running at full speed past security officers.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Margaret Brennan on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday morning that the shooter traveled from Los Angeles to Chicago to DC by train. Blanche also said that the shooter was not cooperating with law enforcement.

Jeanine Pirro, the US Attorney for the District of Columbia, said the defendant has been charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of assault on a law enforcement officer using a dangerous weapon. He will be arraigned on Monday.

• Senior Editor Tim Röhn was among the attendees at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
• He described the fear and panic in the room after hearing someone shout, "Shots fired."
• He was struck by how "lax" security was at the event throughout the evening.

Just after 8:30 p.m. on a Saturday night, chaos erupts in the ballroom of the Hilton Hotel in Washington, and a wave of fear sweeps through the room. I am seated at one of roughly 200 tables when I suddenly hear dull, thudding sounds cutting through the loud music.

Barely a second later, people begin throwing themselves to the floor — first in the center of the room, near the stage, then everywhere. I hear someone shout something like "Shooting" or "Shots fired."

I drop down as well, crouching, my eyes fixed on the stage. President Donald Trump, who had arrived only minutes earlier, is rushed away. From behind the curtain, heavily armed officers emerge, pointing their weapons toward the crowd. Secret Service agents sprint through the ballroom, vaulting over tables and chairs. Glass shatters. High-ranking politicians are pulled to safety and ushered out of the room.

It feels like a movie — but this is not Hollywood. This is reality: the storied White House Correspondents' Dinner, with Trump attending as president for the first time, suddenly transformed into the scene of a crime.

Was Trump the target? It wouldn't be the first time. The thought flashes through my mind in those seconds. I think about gun violence in the United States (I moved here only 8 months ago). Shootings happen constantly, everywhere — so why not here, at the Trump dinner? I am shaken, but not surprised.

No all-clear is given, yet after a few minutes, people slowly get back on their feet. Somehow, things must go on. Phones come out; people film, text, try to make sense of what just happened. It remains completely unclear what occurred — only one thing is certain: no one is allowed to leave the ballroom.

When word spreads that a "shooter" has been apprehended in the lobby, I feel a sense of relief. Twice, an announcement follows that the event will resume shortly. But it never does. Trump himself invites the press to the White House for a briefing; the dinner is over. Guests are asked to leave the hotel.

On my way out, I think about the security precautions — or lack thereof — that had struck me as surprisingly lax throughout the evening, given the presence of Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several cabinet members.

A few hours before, traffic outside the Hilton had ground to a halt, and I had jumped out of my taxi about 500 meters away and walked the rest.

Right outside the hotel, there are shouting Trump opponents, some of whom harassed and insulted dinner guests. All it took to gain access to the premises — and the hotel — was flashing a screenshot of an invitation while passing by. Only those heading into the ballroom on a lower level had to pass through a metal detector. No need to remove a jacket. No request for a passport or ID. Once, even activists managed to slip onto the red carpet to protest Trump.

Is that adequate security for such a high-profile event? I wouldn't presume to deliver a final judgment — but I am certain of one thing: it will be debated.

A spokesperson for the Washington Hilton directed Business Insider to the US Secret Service, which it said "served as the lead security organization for this event." Business Insider has also contacted the US Secret Service for comment.

Tim Röhn is the senior editor of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network. Business Insider is part of the network.