My Favorite Things To Buy At Trader Joe’s.
I knoooooow. Have been meaning to do this for.ev.er, Sandlot style. Finally.
If you didn’t know, I’m a self proclaimed Trader Joe’s junkie. I could live inside that place. Every time I’m there, I walk around like a total freak, staring at everything like I’ve never been in a grocery store before. It’s so embarrassing and I don’t even care. Over the past few years I’ve shared some random posts about my shopping trips, but one of the most frequently asked questions I receive is “OMG what should I get at Trader Joes?!”
Obviously, I could list a TON of stuff. But I’ve scaled it down to a list of basics (hahahah)… if that’s what you want to call it. These are the things that I almost always buy when I’m there, or things that I might even make a special trip for. They tend to be *my favorite* of each item – so when I run out of canned light coconut milk, I much prefer to go get some from TJs instead of buying a can of the Thai Kitchen stuff at my local grocery store. Got it?
I tried to list things in reference to where they are located in the store. Tried being the operative word here. Oh! And I also put the list in the cute little box down there so you can print it and maybe even save it to your ziplist shopping list. (If you’re curious about the recipe box/shopping list, click here.) I also probably forgot some stuff. I’m going to continue to add to this list as life goes on.
Keep in mind that I do quite a bit of cooking (hello understatement of the century) over here in this little life. Because of that, some of the awesome-but-not-practical products didn’t make my list… like their cake or quick bread mixes which are supposed to be phenom. What I really want you guys to do, for mostly selfish purposes, is leave comments about YOUR favorite Trader Joe’s products. That way the next time I shop, I can buy it all. I mean… I can share the list with all my invisible internet friends.
Here are a few of my annoying-but-necessary notes:
1. Pennsylvania is a alcohol-controlled state which means that my TJs doesn’t carry beer, wine or any alcohol. Yeah. For like the first two years when one of you mentioned “two buck chuck” I definitely thought you meant ground beef or something. Hence the lack of boozy ingredients on the list.
2. I don’t buy a ton of the frozen foods because they come in SUCH small serving sizes, and well, when you’re married to someone who eats for four people every single night, that junk just doesn’t fly. It’s not practical for us. Please tell me some of your favorite frozen things that I haven’t mentioned and I will grab them for my next single lady night.
3. I didn’t list much produce since it differs depending on the area and um, an apple tastes like an apple, but TJs has a ton of organic stuff that my grocery store doesn’t. If it looks good, I’ll definitely buy it. It also tends to be a lot cheaper than my grocery store, so again, if it looks good, I’ll buy it. I’ll usually stick to the dirty dozen and try to buy local produce closer to me if I can. In regards to produce that I always buy there because it is cheaper, pomegranates, bananas and avocados top the list.
4. Same goes with their “fresh” meats – I don’t exactly know how fresh they are, and again, that whole having-a-husband-who-eats-like-an-adolescent-boy thing throws a wrench into the serving sizes. The thing I occasionally buy is an organic free range whole chicken to roast.
5. My favorite cheeses definitely tend to be the seasonal ones, like the chocolate cheddar cheese and the syrah-soaked toscano. I grab those before anything else. Otherwise, I’m sort of a slave to the outrageously overpriced counter located in Whole Foods. But I still grab cheese if I need it. I love their selection of goat milk products.
Trader Joe's Shopping List
Ingredients:
Produce/Cold Stuff
pre-cut sweet potato fries
sliced and trimmed leeks
fresh tahini
organic tempeh
mediterranean white bean hummus
mediterranean greek yogurt feta zatar dip
goat cheese medallions
chocolate cheddar cheese (seasonal)
syrah soaked toscano
1% chocolate milk juice boxes
organic sweet potatoes
Chips + Crackers + Breads:
brown rice tortillas
organic blue corn chips
quinoa + black bean tortilla chips
peanut butter filled pretzels
crunchy green beans
pita crisp crackers (whole wheat flax + original)
fresh authentic salsa
Frozen:
super sweet corn
grilled asparagus
mandarin orange chicken
beef and broccoli
frozen seafood blend
veggie burgers
Condiments/Butters:
pumpkin butter
fig butter
coconut oil
toasted sesame oil
olive oil
sweet chili sauce
hot and sweet mustard
organic mayo
marinated artichokes
diced green chiles
cookie butter
pure vanilla extract
baking soda and baking powder
fleur de sel caramel sauce
midnight moo chocolate sauce
sea salt grinder
smoked sea salt grinder
cinnamon sugar grinder
Grains/Pastas/Canned Goods:
organic tricolor quinoa
harvest grain blend
brown jasmine rice
organic popping corn
lite coconut milk
organic chickpeas
tomato + roasted red pepper soup
Cereal and Stuff:
strawberry yogurt o’s
ground blueberry flaxseed
pumpkin crunch granola
gluten free cranberry maple nut granola
pumpkin pancake mix
Snacks + Delicious Junk Food!
inner peas (their version of snapea crisps)
sesame coated almonds/cashews
powerberries
fiberful fruit leathers
mini peanut butter cups
dark chocolate covered pomegranate arils
bright chocolate covered sunflower seeds
toasted coconut cookie thins
frozen bon bons
frozen vanilla 0% greek yogurt
frozen tart greek yogurt
pound plus chocolate bars (great for baking!)
dark chocolate bar with toffee + nuts
dark chocolate bar with caramel + coconut
speculoos filled chocolate bar
non-food products:
coconut body butter
gummy vitamins
Directions:
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
Since I’m so dramatic you know I could list a million more things, buuuut I gotta draw the line somewhere. For once.
[This post will be filed under the Crumbs page, but for future reference and quick reference to this and the other TJs post, click the “category” drop down menu in the right side bar and choose select Trader Joe’s.]
270 Comments on “My Favorite Things To Buy At Trader Joe’s.”
Trader Joes is my happy place.
Our immediate area still doesn’t have a TJ’s. :( my wallet and husband have no problem with that, but I want one soooo bad. The closest one is over 50 miles. I still go when I can. :D
First of all, loving the Sandlot reference – I’m totally picturing that scene with the slo-mo language :D
Love your TJ’s list! Haven’t been there in so long even though there’s one right near my house. I need to change that.
We don’t have a TJ’s too close to us, but when we get over in that area, I have to go. I don’t really buy a ton of stuff from there, but I love walking through and looking at things. I will buy fresh and frozen produce. My cheese loving boys have to load up on the good stuff while we’re there too. I’m with you on the portions though. With two growing boys and a meat loving husband, the portions can me a little on the small size. I love little markets so I love walking through and just looking. It’s my version of a museum. It can drive Tony a little on the crazy side though.
Mine too!!
I’ve been shopping primarily at TJs for the last three years, so I think my shopping/cooking style has adjusted to what they have and do well. I love their whole wheat pasta. So cheap. It’s $1.39 for a pound of organic whole wheat pasta. Heaven. And the $1.99 Joe’s Os (think Cheerios, but better).
My single lady staples: Frozen black bean and corn enchiladas and the reduced guilt roasted vegetable pizza. If you are gluten- or dairy-free, check out the frozen waffles.
agreed! love the pastas.
Ditto the BB&C enchiladas. They were always my backup for lunch at the office when my husband ate all the leftovers and didn’t tell me…
I can and do spend way too much money at TJ’s on the rare occasions that I get to go. Here are a few things I’ve taken a liking to:
Jarred pizza sauce
Dark & milk Chocolate covered almonds
100 calorie chocolate bars
Chocolate nonpareils
Brussell sprout stalks
Belgian chocolate pudding
Refried beans salsa style
Habanero lime tortillas
Trader jojo’s (Oreos)
My favorites include Speculoos (addicted – need to make more things with this so that I don’t just take a spoon to it!), spicy pecans (great in salads), wasabi-flavored almonds, and cinnamon almonds. I don’t get there too often, but those are staples when I do! The lime-chili cashews taste weird, but I still end up eating all of them! Oh, and the soy-flavored crisps are awesome (but I end up eating so many at a time that I don’t buy them every time I go…)
I love your post today! I am such a TJ’s freak that I dedicated a page to them on my blog!! I love to buy my pumpkins,squashes and specialty produce at TJ’s. The price is the same no matter what size you get. I went to the regular grocery store, bought at butternut squash, smaller then the ones from TJ’s and it cost me $7.00, I said hell no, and put it back. It’s a $1.99 at my TJ’s for any size! I was at TJ’s yesterday and now you make me want to go back!!!
Mmm…TJs. I grew up in California so I was shopping at TJs before it was TJs. They used to carry like whatever they could get cheap so it was a total crapshoot every time. It was fun, but always so random. Anyway, the best thing about TJs is that they have the best cheapest coffee! Even if I go there for nothing else, I go there for coffee. Seriously, it’s like half what the grocery store charges.
Also, sometimes we do dim sum by getting a bunch of their pot stickers, spring rolls and shu mai. I steam some rice and saute some broccoli or green beans. It’s just my husband and I though and neither of us are enormous eaters.
Since our brand new Tjs just opened, I’m out of the habit of shopping there and forgot all the fun stuff. So this post was great timing! If you haven’t had it, their canned smoked trout is incredible!
i wish we had one closer, can’t really justify driving 70 miles to go grocery shopping lol :)
I’m definitely printing this out for my next TJ’s trip! I had a friend tell me that she wasn’t impressed with Trader Joe’s recently and I immediately started to reevaluate our relationship.
My favorite item so far, the lobster sushi. It’s my go-to meal when Mr. E is out-of-town. That Ponzu sauce that come with it? I’m in love.
They come in packs of 4, so not practical for when you’re serving 2 (and one who eats for 4), but my hubs and I LOVE the chile lime chicken burgers and the masala veggie burgers (both in the frozen section). For a twist, we do the veggie burgers on TJ’s whole wheat naan!
We also love Cat Cookies for People and have lately become obsessed with the Vanilla Wafers. (so simple!)
I, too, could go on and on about Trader Joe’s – LOVE IT! :)
P.S. Have you had their (seasonal) pecan pie ice cream? i wish the pie filling stayed a little gooier, but it’s yummy!
we used to eat the chili lime chicken burgers a few years ago! not too sure why we stopped. i do like the masala veggie burgers but prefer the regular veggie burgers. no idea why, probably because I have the worst veggie palate ever.
I have tailored my cooking and diet to be TJ sustainable :)
Because I work 3 minutes from Joe, I tend to make frequent stops and always grab a bag of carrots!
(I have a similar blog in the wings on my blog! Haha)
Love, love, love TJ’s! If you haven’t tried the chunky guacamole made with greek yogurt…you have to! For a girl’s night, try the frozen chili lime burgers. They are delish! I need to get my hands on the dark chocolate arils. I can only imagine how lovely those would be mixed in my oatmeal.
Trader Joe’s is amazing!!!! i go once a week for the “things I can’t live without” – at least I am convinced of that anyway. You gotta get on board with the Joe Joe’s – they make the beeeesstttt chocolate cookie crust EVER (cheesecakes, pies, etc). I adore pretty much everything you included on your list though. Oh and the greek chicken with orzo (refigerated section near the hummus) is delicious for your next single lady night at home – just heat in the oven and serve and it’s sooo yummy! I eat it when my husband is out of town and I’d rather make cookies than dinner – ha! Love your blog BTdubs!!!
I’m so sorry to be bringing such bad news, but the smoke salt in a grinder bottle has been discontinued :(
ugh I figured as much, it wasn’t there the last time I shopped! boooo.
While I have made a few occasional stops into Trader Joe’s, it has been hard since there isn’t one super convenient to me! That has all changed with a new one right by work and the commercials lately have been advertising bacon trimmings, I really need to go get some of those!
Everytime someone talks
TJs just came to TX and I went to our new store last week. My BIL works at TJs so I’ve been surviving on care packages from my sister until now.
My must have from TJs is the Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels. So good. I bought the pumpkin bread mix because they were handing out samples and it was great. I was also very excited to get my first cinnamon sugar grinder. I decided I’m definitely going back for stocking stuffer candy this year. There were so many bars of chocolate that sounded so good.
Oh I meant to mention that in my post! Around the holidays they have some awesome gift sets but they go FAST. Last year I got a few really cool salt/flavor grinder sets.
Well that was weird. My phone just freaked out and left my post hanging there, such a sad post.
Anyway, every time I hear someone mentions Trader Joe’s, I get so sad because I’ve never been :(. Thankfully, I’ll be moving to NYC soon and it’s the best place around to get groceries (or so I’ve heard). Definitely keeping this list in mind for when I start doing my regular shopping. Thanks :).
We got a TJ’s about a year or so ago and life hasn’t been the same since – so much good stuff! I need to keep my eye out for this chocolate cheddar cheese!
OMG thank you SO much for posting this Jess! I’m about to make my first ever trip to TJs in December when I’m in California for work, and I’m totally printing this off and taking it with me! Not sure how much I’ll be able to get back over the border but I’m sure going to try!
The serving is small, good for a single-lady night or you can easily make two together, but I love their frozen spinach artichoke dip. It is so creamy.
Feeling stalkerish that I have some of the same faves :). Some other things I love – Pinot Grigio salami (with the cheeses), frozen roasted corn (excellent in mexican crockpot recipes), regular & wheat gnocchi (cause I’m lazy and won’t make my own), vodka sauce (my pasta sauce never compares to jar, so why bother?), pizza sauce, frozen orange chicken. Thanks for the list!
we have had a love/hate relationship with the roasted corn. some bags we love, other bags have tasted like ash trays!
Great list! Looks like I’ll need to try out those sweet potatoes next time!
Thank you so much! My nearest TJ’s is 80 miles away, so when I finally get to go I walk around in awe not really knowing what to get, but yet want everything! I’m going to print this so maybe next time I can try some new things.
I have never been to Trader Joes because there are none close! But I just looked up the closest one (15 hour drive) and now I’m planning a little road trip!
I lovvvvve TJs. Some of my favs are the veggie flax seed tortilla chips we get almost every week, the reduced fat guacamole (it has Greek yogurt in it- sounds weird but is so good!), almond butter now that it is no longer all tainted, organic milk bc the gallon is so much cheaper there, almond flour, their frozen flatbreads (carmelized onion and ham one is amazing),cranberry goat cheese, hummus, and usually spaghetti squash bc it is super cheap at ours. By the way, I seriously love your blog! We have had so many awesome dishes at our house from your recipes!
thanks Jenn!!
You have to try there black bean and roasted corn salsa. Its amazing with Mexican food but i use it on everything! Also even though its a winter seasonal candy the sea salt caramels are out of this world, so definitely pick up a box if you see them! As far as frozen items go, the frozen rice and frozen veggies are really great to have on hand!
I was so happy when TJ’s opened less than 2 miles from my home. It is on the smaller side but still a great “go to” place. I love their seasonal stuff…pumpkin butter and apple/cranberry butter as well. The mini PB cups are just too dangerous to have in my house! Happy Turkey Day!
YES! This is so helpful to those of us who have lived our whole lives without Trader Joe’s.
My first time in TJ’s was on a recent trip to NYC and it was MENTAL in there. The line literally wrapped around the entire store, and they actually have employees who stand at the end of the lines with a sign that says it’s the end of the line. And then there was someone else with a sign in the middle of the line… yeah, crazy! As you can imagine, I couldn’t gawk at everything at my leisure, as I had hoped.
BUT… TJ’s has just opened up stores in Florida (finally), and I’ll be making the hour trip to check it out.
Smashing s’mores & butternut squash gnocchi are two of my faves. Their dark chocolate with caramel and sea salt is always a winner too – I eat it on my way home from the store. A treat for finishing a chore.
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Since TJ’s is currently a 1.5 hour road trip for me, I definitely have favorites that I Stock Up On!
The black pepper rind Toscano cheese is absolutely… the best cheese ever. I just love that peppery but not painfully spicy hit along with the saltiness of the cheese. Omg.
The flax tortilla chips! They FILL ME UP with just a few chips. Hello fiber.
And the vegetable gyoza in the frozen section are SO GOOD. I made my own gyoza dipping sauce from soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and sesame seeds (even though its prob not “correct”).
And the Speculoos cookie butter? What? Yes. I did a Foodie Pen Pals swap and got a jar of it and it’s like spoonfuls of magic.
I love TJs. Seriously the best place ever and the best prices! If you haven’t tried their choc covered pretzels they are def a hit! Also tried making their cornbread this wkend, it tasted like cake, so I recommend it :)
I LOVEEEEE this post!! I agree about the roasted corn, mine tasted gross! My favorite is (well everything) but the popped chips, so good! Also, cookie butter, duh.
We don’t have TJ’s too close either ,maybe 25 miles I think.
When I want a certain thing I get the mini cookies for my kids, olive tapenade ,goat cheese and a baguette…..yum! Also I recommend the frozen croissants ,they are the best. You have to proof them over night and bake them in the morning sooo good!
I looove the TJ’s Pumpkin Greek Yogurt. It’s one of their seasonal items and it always sells out in my local store. Their chocolate almond spread and turkey jerky are fantastic too.
agree on the yogurt! used that a lot this fall in my shakes and with their pumpkin granola!
The worst news is that I am not in a respectable driving distance of a Trader Joes to justify gas mileage…however they did just put a TJs in a closer proximity – literally as of last week! A few of my favorite things from TJs below:
Raw Honey [ohhhmyyygoossshhh]
Peanut Butter [I swear it is better than any other brand]
Fine cut frozen green beans[it is like eating them out of a garden]
Squash tortellini [maybe it is ravioli? in the dairyish section]
Marinara[just used this for a quick dinner and chopped up fresh peppers, tomatos and onions]
Salsa verde [I spoon this on a lot of things. Like eggs and couscous and salads. And sometimes I’m normal and eat it with chips]
also love the salsa verde!
Must add: Blue Cheese Roasted Pecan Dip. Holy Moley, it’s sooo freakin good, I don’t share.
OMG I’ve been wanting to try it and have been afraid to grab it. Yikes. Gotta do it.
I just went to TJ’s for the first time last week…and it was amazing! Cookie butter + cat cookies = delicious.
The frozen green beans are great, and a large bag, too. I find their lettuce varieties and prices to be much better than at a regular grocery store. For a quick baked treat that tastes like homemade, the Blondie Brownie mix is delicious.
agree on the lettuce front!
We don’t have Trader Joe’s in Canada. CRAZY, right?! So I’ve never stepped foot in one, and want to soooo badly. The border is only 2.5 hours away from me…I need to find one.
I have an abnormal fascination with TJ’s. it is probably best that the nearest one is across town so I can’t go all that often. I think you just about covered it all! LOVE the dark chocolate peanut butter cups, pre cubed sweet potatoes and butternut squash. I also came across Brussel sprouts on the stalk the other day. So fresh and awesome!
i am so PUMPED because we just recently got TJ’s in Texas, AND they’re building one literally blocks away from my house! this post got me even more giddy. thanks for the tips! xx
A TJ just opened here a couple months ago, so I was so in need of this list- thank you! I have only been twice but three of my favorites are the Kalmata Olive Hummus, Wine Country Chicken Salad and the Roasted Gorgonzola flavored oven crisp crackers- so good!!
ahhh love those gorgonzola crackers too!
Some of my favorites from TJs:
BBQ sauce – dude, this stuff is so good! Its smokey and a little spicy, best bottled sauce out there!
Curry Powder (plus, other spices) – TJ’s spices are pretty cheap from some good quality spices.
Sea Salt brownie bites – OMG, NOM. Like, sooooo good. And they’re bite size so they’re not that bad, right??
Fire roasted diced green chiles – these are an excellent price compared to other stores.
Corn bread – I agree with an above poster, it totally tastes like cake. Which makes it delicious with super spicy foods. YUM!
Those are some of our favorites. I love seeing everyone’s recommendations!
Great post! :)
agreed on the chiles! just added them to my list. they are the only place I buy them and they are by far my favorite out of any brand.
Try the cookie butter. SO good. I like to melt a spoonful to use as an ice cream topping. It’s really rich, so a little goes a long way – yum!
Single lady night food: frozen green chile and cheese tamales. So delicious. They come two to a package, so when we make them, we cook two packages. Love to top them off with some vegetarian green chile and sour cream – it makes for an awesome Friday meal during Lent. In fact thinking about this is making me salivate, and it’s 7am.
I also love to buy the frozen brown rice and the pie crusts. We live 100 miles from the closest TJs, so when we go, it’s a big deal!
I wish I had a TJs near me!