What we buy from Trader Joe's
Whether some consider it a fad, and others a staple, it’s no denying that Trader Joe’s has become wildly popular in recent years - the crowded stores and packed parking lots can attest to that.
It was not until about two years ago that we started to shop there regularly. While living in California, the prices and the variety of smaller grocery stores and farmers’ markets were unbeatable making it easy for us to get everything we needed there, so Trader Joe’s and other popular grocery-store chains were not places we shopped at often.
Since leaving California, our choices have been somewhat limited, especially as we like to stick to what we know best, and the ongoing pandemic made it even less enticing to explore shopping places in our new home state. As a result, we stuck to what we knew: Sprouts Farmers Market and now Trader Joe’s - these are the places we predominantly grocery-shop at these days. Between these two, we find everything we need, especially since our way of eating is more focused on organic and plant-based, and we found that the options are much better and affordable at these stores here in Florida.
We typically stay away from ready-meals or highly processed foods. Years ago, I’ve made it a priority to cook at home most of our food and it is something we do to this day. Generally, I would schedule two hours on Monday evenings, after work, for meal-prep and cooking for the week ahead, leaving one day of the weekend for eating out/takeout. It worked well for us, and even though I dreaded Mondays even more because of that, it ensured that we ate healthily and that we stuck to our budget (we were, after all, saving for our big trip to Europe).
The pandemic made us cut eating out and even takeout as we’re somewhat nervous, especially as we’ve become increasingly interested in what goes into our food, and because we were warned by our Vrbo hosts regarding food safety (specifically, lack of) at some restaurants when we first came to Florida at the end of 2019 (check for yourself, I will not give any names or locations).
But back to Trader Joe’s… As I was saying, this store has become a staple for us, and there are items that we can’t go without now that we’ve discovered them.
First is the Jalapeno Sauce… once you taste this, there’s no going back - it’s that good (and a bit spicy, so go easy if spicy’s not your thing).
Spices and seasonings… The Everything But The Bagel one is famously famous, but apart from that, I am hooked on the Umami Seasoning Blend and the Vegan Chicken-less Seasoning Salt. Tip: their organic spices/seasonings are much cheaper than at other stores. Oh, and their organic Sriracha and roasted garlic BBQ sauce is THE BEST!
It’s not easy to find organic salsa that also doesn’t break the bank, so we always stock up on their organic thick & chunky salsa. Some jars are spicier than others, but we go through one of these in one sitting (salsa and chips are one of our favorite snacks), along with their various organic corn chips - the best out there! Also, for snacking, we recently discovered their sesame sticks and became addicted - don’t tell me you haven’t been warned! In that same category, how can I forget about the 3 seed beet crackers and the 3 seed sweet potato crackers (these taste like sweet and salty cookies), as they are just as addicting!
These Everything Ciabatta Rolls make sandwich or dinner making quick and easy (and they’re good).
The Trader Joe’s organic creamy Valencia peanut butter is the best one we found out there - nothing added to it but peanuts, and naturally sweet, it’s a must-have for us.
We’re big fans of artichokes and olives in this house, as I use them in pasta (specifically the TJ’s organic whole wheat pasta), salads, and homemade hummus, so we always buy grilled artichokes and organic kalamata olives. Also, their olive tapenade is yum, and great for appetizers.
Since we don’t usually eat meat, for protein, we often eat beans, among other things. TJ’s organic varieties of beans (including garbanzo) are affordable, so we always stock up on them for chili or salads, hummus, and more. Speaking of hummus… their Tahini (organic) is the best price I found so far and is indispensable for my homemade hummus.
The only “ready-meals” from their frozen section we buy are the Quinoa Cowboy, the Thai sweet chili, and the Vegetable masala veggie burgers - they’re tasty and make for quick dinners on busy or lazy days. Also, their organic polenta is a good choice for appetizers, and even dinner - I like to get creative with it.
We’re not big on sweets, as when we want them, I usually bake something at home (I love baking), but we do buy TJ’s organic dark chocolate varieties - the one with almonds is my favorite, and the others, I chop them up and use in baking, instead of chocolate chips (much tastier, IMO, as I especially love the gooey chocolate part). Also, the price of this chocolate is much better than what we found out there.
And, lastly, their flowers - the price, the value, and selection… need I say more?
What are the Trader Joe’s items you can’t live without?
xoxo,
Em
