It's hard to hit up multiple stores each week, and the closest TJ's to us is a minimum of 30 minute drive, so I tend to stock up. In this store I can feel a bit like a food hoarder with my multiple bags and overflowing cart. Other shoppers are perusing with a simple basket, while selecting a few items to make for their relaxed dinner with wine and opb playing in the background. However, I'm rural people, and I won't be swishing my wine to get the full flavor while dining in front of a fire... No I will be running around with kids to and from activities, finishing a work deadline, slamming food out (lovingly of course) before heading to homework hell-ping time ;-).
I hope this post inspires you to try something new the next time you're there, while saving meal and snack prep time for you and your loved ones!
Trader Joe's
Produce Section -
- Bag of FRESH English peas - Fresh peas, I have never seen this ever, anywhere - They bring you back to your Grandma's garden sneaking the sugar peas off the vine - fresh, crisp and good (great plant protein too btw).
- Bags of apples - Their apples are not jumbo, they are the perfect petite size for kid-size snacking!
- Tub of heirloom tomatoes - One of my girls is a tomato addict, the different colors, shapes and flavors are way too fun.
- Sweet Peppers - Huge sweet pepper fans, they usually have a bag of 3 organics for a reasonable price.
- Tub of diced veggies - I get these so that I can add them into random meals, salads, rice... for an extra load of veggies without the extra chopping.
- Anything Wild that they happen to have! We've bought some pretty cool produce and tried it out... Last summer they had Brusselsprouts on the stalk... who knew there were a ton of recipes for this on Pinterest, and wa-la... roasted brussels that you plucked off the stalk from the center of the table - that was some good cave-man like fun :).
- Tortillas - What there are tortillas that exist without cellulose (also know as ground up bark chips to add fiber and bulk to your breads) - YES PLEASE. We live on quesadillas, eggs in tortillas and throw them in the oven for our own chips - pretty easy... just brush a little olive oil on them, sprinkle some salt and bake at 380 for 10 minutes - Watch them though... super good!
- Ezekiel bread - Nice to break away from wheat once in a while!
- Rustic dinner bread - Ok, I could live on good loaves of crusty bread and good cheese (darn that dairy free thing). Trader Joe's always has lovely loaves of dinner bread... mmm
- Cereals - Pretty much all of their cereals are great, have about 1/2 the ingredients of what you'll find at most grocery stores... so load up on cereal here and make it a no brainer.
- Instant oatmeal - Again, there's less sugar and less preservatives, and I believe more protein in their instant oats - so go for it.
- Apple Juice boxes - I believe (its been awhile) - that they have a juice box that has about 1/2 the sugar of other juice boxes... apple juice and maybe only 13g versus the normal 21-24 that you get in others. Pat yourself on the back as you've avoided a sugar induced meltdown.
- Any dinner in a bag - Hello - There's risotto, mac and cheese, tortellini, lasagna, pad thai - Look at the ingredients, no they are not perfect - are they better than running through a greasy burger joint, then feeling like you've gained 5 lbs in 2 minutes - Yes, yes they are - and they all taste really great. For me it's guilt-free convenience food. I do still read the ingredients to be sure it's not a wolf in sheep's clothing - but I love having a few of their meals in their freezer. Saves me $40 in good takeout and $25 and a boatload of chemicals in bad takeout.
- Frozen Rice - So cool, they have 3 different varieties, wild, brown & basmati. All can be thrown in your microwave for 3 minutes... perfect to throw a can of red beans in for a quick healthy lunch/dinner.
- Tamales - No clue on the health value, but these things are ridiculously good.. and they have one without dairy too
- Steamers - Ok, My Mom makes me get her a box of the frozen steamers everytime I go - she swears they taste fresh and fabulous :)
- Frozen Seafood - Typically they've had wild caught salmon, this works for me...
- Kid nuggets - Again, been awhile, but I believe they have some decent nugget/fry options that aren't jacked up with a bunch of presevatives/chemicals that you would find normally.
- Mini Rice Crackers - So great, so good, get them! Goes great with their hummus!
- Cheese and Cracker/PB & Cracker sandwiches - Again, thank you for no preservatives.
- Israeli Couscous Blend - Comes in bag, filled with fun little grains - Cook it up, add some of those chopped veggies from the produce section - great little side!
- Pasta - Cheap, fairly clean ingredient list, great!
- Pure maple syrup - Time to break away from that fake stuff that literally has zero maple syrup.
- Honey -
- Oils & Vinegars
- Organic, fresh, interesting options - All make for great dinners
Other Snacks -
- Nuts and Dried Fruits - Pick a different kind every time you go - there's a whole wall to choose from. The best energy/quick/healthy snacks!
- Applesauce squeezer things - Yep, those are good
- Hummus - Great price, great tasting
- Cookie Butter - More like crack butter! Get their lovely little tub of cinnamon graham crackers to go with. (located in freezer aisle up above).
- Here is another post by someone that has a love for Trader Joe's.
- A boatload of Trader Joe's food pics!
If so inclined, post a comment of your favorite TJ foods at the bottom of this post!
Meg :)
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