I’m a private chef who shops at Trader Joe’s for my family of 3. Here are some of my favorite things to get for dinner.

• I’m a private chef who buys easy meals and dinner ingredients for my family at Trader Joe’s.
• Trader Joe’s holiday vegetable hash, made with chopped butternut squash, makes a great soup base.
• I’ve been buying Trader Joe’s cheese-and-green-chile tamales for years.

As a private chef, I love shopping at Trader Joe’s for easy, gluten-free items for my family of three.

My family has various dietary restrictions, and figuring out what to eat for dinner can be tough. We usually try to avoid dairy and wheat, though our hungry preteen isn’t a huge fan of our somewhat restrictive diets.

So, we need family dinners that are both flavorful and filling. Luckily, Trader Joe’s, which announced plans to expand to more locations earlier this year, carries plenty of ingredients that fit the bill.

Here are some of my favorite things to buy at the retailer for quick, cozy dinners.