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?
Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page.
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.”
We spend all of our 100 dollar food budget at TJ and Whole Foods every Sunday! It makes doing an ugly chore much better. Eating healthy shouldn’t be a luxury!
My favorite items include: Coconut Butter lotion, Soy Creamy (vanilla soy yogurt- frozen) and the lactose free vanilla creamer- but i am really looking forward to the Peppermint Joe Joes this season!
We want to move to Durham, NC but there isn’t a TJ’s there and THAT is making it hard for me (also, NC recently became a red state- making it double hard now) : )
I live in Durham, NC and there is a TJ’s very nearby in Chapel Hill. Depending on where you live in Durham it is only about 5 minutes away! Fear not!
The reduced guilt guacamole with greek yogurt is delicious!!! But buy 2, the package is deceptively small.
I just made a HUGE list for a friend who just got her first TJs a couple weeks ago, but some things we can’t live without (sorry this list is all over the place):
~Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Spread (SO good on sandwiches)
~Pre-cooked Organic Polenta (comes in a tube…easy to slice, sautee, and serve!)
~Organic Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes (theirs are better than any other I’ve tried, including Muir Glen)
~Refried Black Beans
~Apple Maple Chicken Sausages (casing free, great for breakfast!)
~Frozen Organic Brown Rice (3 min in the microwave and done)
~Fresh Ravioli (we love the Bnut Squash, Mushroom, and Bolognese ones best)
~Light Organic String Cheese
~Plain Crumpets
So I bought the cookie butter u talked about? Any suggestions on some yummy things to do with it?
I honestly like it best when just eaten plain – like off a spoon. Sometimes I dip chocolate in it, sometimes I spread it on warm toast/english muffin and cover with chocolate chips/grated chocolate. You can definitely make peanut butter cookies with it but swap the cookie butter instead. I’ve seen a lot of bloggers make recipes with it – if you google “biscoff recipes” (biscoff is another brand) I bet you will find a ton of awesome desserts!
We just got our first TJ’s a few weeks ago, and my mom and I made a random lunch sampling from a lot of the stuff we bought, but the sweet potato chips dipped in cookie butter is pretty amazing!
I love it with pears, apple, and carrots. The carrots sounds crazy, but it works for me. I also eat straight from the jar.
It’s also super good with vanilla ice cream. We like to mash up Oreos with speculoos and mix it all into the ice cream. OMG
OMG, I just tried the Speculoos cookie chocolate bar that hangs out right by the registers, and words cannot describe its tastiness. I’ve held out on buying the whole bar of cookie butter because I have to fit into a wedding dress soon.
Thanks to you, many of these items are now on my favorites list <3
Oh and the frozen sweet potato gnocchi in a butter sage sauce are insanity. Apparently one package serves like 3 so it's a box of lies, but delicious lies.
LOVE trader joes! Especially here in NYC. I get all my cheese there and some other favorites are the green salsa and challah bread!!!!
I live right by that Trader Joes!!! Glad I’m not the only one that could spend hours in there!!!
Um, love this to death. I love my TJ’s and do the same “OMG MY FIRST TIME IN A GROCERY STORE!” face every time I walk in. They probably ring the bells to alert the staff the crazy one has entered the building. Whatevz.
Anyway, love your list. I’ll need to try that tahini next time I’m there. I super love their granola (the french almond one is delish and yes I’m too lazy to make my own granola), the cookie butter spread, their pizza focaccia, and the proscuitto tortellini are really good! Also, I like their chocolate yogurt :)
Frozen items:
Gnocchi Sorrentini – I was NOT convinced about a frozen pasta but this is so, so good. Serves two for lunch or one for dinner, despite what the label might say
Organic brown rice – We’ve tried many different varieties of ready-to-heat rice and this is the best by far. Have heard the jasmine rice is also good.
Turkey meatballs – so good for adding meat to almost anything for my carnivorous husband
Handsome cut fries – so much better than any other oven fry out there
Products: facial moisturizer, SPF 15. Very reasonably priced and a good everyday moisturizer with no icky smells or icky “fragrance-free” smell.
My list is almost exactly the same! Too funny! Except, I’m a sucker for the dark chocolate pretzel thins! They’re so dangerous but so heavenly.
Those pretzel thins are like crack. best thing ever.
So, I love Tjs but don’t make it there often. I’ve never had two-buck-chuck. I live in Kentucky – my grocery store has a liquor store ATTACHED. Which I unashamedly took advantage of yesterday for some wine and cider. I digress, though, I don’t buy much frozen food, either, because my fiance can eat for four. I made 1 pound of ground beef into tacos Monday night. There were no leftovers.
story of my life my friend… story of my life.
I am such a freak when I get to TJ’s. Most of the time I end up buying a whole lot more than I went in to get. One of my favorite TJ’s items is their Tomato-less Corn & Chile Salsa. Their frozen bar-b-que pork buns are also really good.
i love TJ’s and wish we had one where I live! I moved from a large city to a smaller town so i stock up when i go home to visit. Some of my favorite must haves are the frozen chicken and pork potstickers with gyoza dipping sauce and freeze dried fruit- specifically the strawberries. They sound weird but taste like the berries in Special K!
I bought the pumpkin butter earlier this year but beyond slathering it on toast and english muffins I’m not sure what else to put it on. Any suggestions?
I don’t do much other than that too, but I have made chewy pumpkin cookies with it: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/10/chewier-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies-2-ways/
Reviews seem to be hit or miss though, probably depending on the product!
Also, if you love it on toast, try: toast -> layer of peanut butter -> layer of pumpkin butter -> layer of microwaved frozen blueberries so they get juicy.
I love the TJ’s pork potstickers with the Gyoza sauce, too! Absolutely delish and a must for every trip!
Great list! A few things that we LOVE are:
organic ketchup
spinach and kale dip (omg.. ) and tzatziki- get the pumpernickle pretzels for the dip!
coconut flo bars
brie, all of it, especially the goat cheese brie
fresh tortellini and ravioli, so good and much cheaper than other stores
frozen spinach and kale pie
frozen mac and cheese
I’m so thankful for this post. A TJs just opened up 5 minutes from my house and I got a job there!!! I’ve been trying a few things and some I had already heard about (like the cookie butter) but it’s nice to have a list of recommended items. I looked at the coconut body butter the other night but wasn’t sure if I wanted to try it yet. Now I will! I just have to make sure my whole paycheck doesn’t end up going right back to the store!
I actually really like the Thai Kitchen organic coconut milk! We don’t have TJ’s so I don’t remember how it compares. I’ll have to try it out when I’m back in Ohio! We’re getting a few TJ’s here in CO finally but not in Ft. Collins….that may be a good thing. :)
Yeah, you can definitely find me wandering aimlessly in TJ’s almost all the time (or Whole Foods, etc that tends to be dangerous for wallet). I can’t help but walk up and down each aisle looking for new products or just glancing at old ones for the millionth time.
As for my favorite products:
–Pizza sauce (good for pizza bagels, or easy/fast pizza nights)
–Very Cherry Blend (frozen fruit)
–European Non-Fat Organic Yogurt (my favorite!!!!)
–Gummy Tummies (the penguin ones) — guilty pleasure
–Frozen Chicken Tikka Masala or Channa Masala
–Spinach Pizza (the one that is really Amy’s –but repackaged)
Just to name a few!
Um…why has no one mentioned their Mac and Cheese? (the frozen one) OMG…it’s ah-mazing. They just started making a low-fat version, and I’m happy to report that they taste almost identical. You should really get it. It’s creamy and delicious and amazing and awesome.
Vanilla cinnamon black tea. Cranberry apple butter. Chocolate covered peanut butter stuffed pretzels. Yes, seriously.
We love their olive bread, dark chocolate, turkey bacon, aloe Vera juice (cheaper than anywhere!), pizza dough, pancake mix, soups, frozen peas, blueberry preserves. Just a few of our favorite staples. I <3 Trader Joe's!!
Our TJ’s opens December 12th. I’m trying to talk my BFF into camping out overnight so we can be the first ones in the door. Only mildly kidding…
I am also slight (okay huge) Trader Joe’s junkie. I also love their Quinoa and Black Bean Tortilla Chips, Cinnamon Sugar Grinder, Powerberries, cheeeeese, Pumpkin Butter…the list could go on for days, but their Black Refried Beans with Jalepenos are also reallly good, and even though I am not a huge Indian food fan, even their packaged indian food is good. This post reminds me of how much I really need to go there…soon!
FYI, if you have any friends/family with a gluten allergy and want to make pasta, TJ’s corn pasta is the best out there. Cooks up like regular pasta, tastes like regular pasta, and it’s super cheap. I love it!
We buy the chocolate covered banana slices. They’re the perfect size to give to my toddler as an after dinner treat and he LOVES them; my husband and i think they’re pretty great, too. We also buy their frozen baked french fries because they’re the best baked fries we’ve tried. We go there specifically to buy whole milk for our son because they have the cheapest whole milk in our area.
We don’t a TJ’s in VT (yet), but your post has reminded me of how happy I’ll be when that changes. Hopefully soon…
trader joe’s is better than disneyland. forever. i could stay in there all day long….just wandering, and daydreaming, and tasting things….
your list is pretty perfect, but some of the things i love are:
(and they might not be the exact right names cuz i’m going off what’s in my insufficiently caffienated brain cuz i’m not home to look through my fridge)
-the cold sesame noodles (by the hummus & dips etc. yum!)
-the shredded cheeses, specifically the 3 cheese blend. (the shreds are bigger, and they melt like cheese you shredded yourself with a grater instead of that crap from the normal grocery store)
-pumpkin butter
-pumpkin pancake & waffle mix
-frozen mac & cheese bites (omg)
-lemongrass chicken springrolls
-frozen won ton soup
-frozen veggie fried rice
-frozen garlic fries
-dark chocolate sea salt caramels (seasonal. these things sell out fast so get there quick.)
and two buk chuck? nectar of the gods. i used to live in CA where they sell it at the store, then, i moved to NY with its stupid liquor laws (though not as stupid as PA< i admit) and now i have to trek into manhattan to get it fromt he TJs wine shop. i may or may not have made my husband lug an entire case home on the subway once………totally worth it.
Frozen french green beans are my must have! I’m a green bean lover and always buy these frozen bags now (2 or more at a time). They are delicious and much more versatile than canned ones. A quick saute with salt and pepper is our usual but they can also stand up to casseroles and such.
Oh and also if I need something to take to a party in a hurry or am having people over last minute, I grab the frozen spinach dip. Really yummy and soo easy, throw it in a dish and heat it up in the microwave.
Ohhh how I miss TJ’s!!! My husband is in the army and we haven’t lived near a trader joe’s since we got married, lame. My favorite products were:
-frozen salmon roulettes
-triple ginger cookies, the magical chewy and crunch goodness is hard to forget!
-their frozen burritos are a great snack!
-really any of the random trail mixes
I really have to stop myself because I am getting depressed about not having one nearby. BTW, I once made a “thanksgiving” themed care package from trader joe’s items to send to my guy in Iraq and he was like “ugh what is all this fancy stuff” clearly the magic of tj’s was lost on him, don’t worry he has learned since then.
Yes times a million! This is a great list and you basically picked everything I love.
I definitely recommend trying their dried seaweed snacks. They’re 99 cents and 60 calories a package and they even have wasabi flavor. Such a good alternative for movie snacking! Love ’em!
Next time you HAVE to get avocado hummus and sweet potato chips… Seriously the best snack (or meal) EVER. Sometimes if I’m home alone I think it is a good idea to eat half the bag of chips because I mean they are a vegetable right??
I live about 5 minutes from Trader Joe’s , but only go about once a month or so because a) it’s always so dang crowded b) my bank account cannot afford more frequent trips. Yes, the prices are good, but not when you buy the whole store!
With that being said, I am addicted to the sweet and spicy pecans and can eat a whole bag in a day. Also love the smashing smores. Delicious and fun – I have started getting them to give to coworkers on their birthdays as a special little treat.
I also like their reduced guilt frozen mac and cheese for a quick lunch or single lady night. This is big for me, as I love real mac and cheese – powered orange cheese just will not do! But…sprinkle a little salt and parmesan on this stuff and it is fantastic – even for a mac and cheese snob!
I come from a family of foodies and none of them live around a TJ’s, so I always have requests of TJ items to bring with me when I go home to visit!
I LOVE that TJ’s location – I feel like it has such a better layout than the South Hills store.
The one thing that I always, always get from TJs is their unsweetened vanilla almond milk. True love.
you HAVE to try the sea salt brownie bites. they are in the fresh baked goods area, to DIE for.
Love TJ’s! I wish the one near me was bigger and had more convenient/bigger parking. I tend to go there for a couple of things and end up leaving with $200 worth of yummy treats! I also live in PA, so no 2-buck chuck, but there is a state store next door so at least I only have to make one stop.
In no particular order, here are a few things I don’t think I saw on your list (although I will admit I didn’t read through all the comments):
Corn and chile salsa – I forget exactly what it’s called, but it’s tomato-less and delicious.
I love that they have 1/2 salt nuts – always a bag of cashews and/or almonds in my drawer at work for an afternoon snack.
Frozen vegetable fried rice – Add stir fried chicken, beef, shrimp, veggies to make a larger meal out of it.
Japanese style fried rice – my newest favorite (the bag says 3.5 servings, but yeah…that’s not right…haha)
Garlic baguettes!
Mango shaving cream – smooth, non foaming, my husband and I both use it!
Whole wheat pasta – actually in 1lb size bags, rather than the 12 or 13 oz you can get in “normal” grocery stores and cheaper at least at my store!
The frozen mini quiches are great for a quick refuel after a long morning run if you don’t really like eggs (I only like eggs when I can’t really taste the eggs, but a great source of protein). Pop in the oven, go shower, eat.
Most of their precooked chicken sausages are great for a quick dinner or a BBQ.
There are some amazing dark chocolate and sea salt covered almonds that I bought back in the spring for a friend who had just had a baby that were delicious, but I haven’t seen them since in my area. Maybe seasonal?
I’m sure I’m forgetting a million things, but those are some that I remember.
Just wanted to add that if you haven’t yet tried their puff pastry and their new balsamic reduction – DO IT! Both are very versitle. I use the puff pastry to top Chicken Pot Pie because I don’t like biscuit topping and to make little samosas. YUMMY. The balsamic reduction went on a simple margarita pizza and really made it extra yummy!
I love their wasabi peas
(Longtime reader, first-time commenter.) My fiance and I are OBSESSED with TJs, and we’ve tried nearly everything on your list at one point or another. I snagged a tub of the Coconut Body Butter a few weeks ago and then went back to buy one for my mother since I love it so much.
We buy nearly all our groceries there, with a few angina-inducing stops at Whole Foods if we need something that TJs doesn’t carry. We love the Fiber bread, cheddar/gruyere block, and especially nowadays the microwavable fondue. Gooey, cheesy, white-wine-and-garlicky deliciousness that’s ready for bread- and apple-dunking in 5 minutes! YES.
I never feel like I can put down in writing ALL the things I love there. I always forget something, and my list is always changing (adding to it!)
Herbed goat cheese
Salsa
refried black beans
quinoa
polenta (frozen w/carrots and spinach, soo good!)
Frozen french style green beans
Frozen chicken potstickers (they use to have veggies ones, I can no longer find!)
Frozen whole wheat naans (for pizzas!)
Honey sesame cashews–oh my god, eat in one sitting!
Honey roasted almond slivers (great for oats, yogurt, handful)
chocolate cat cookies
British whole wheat english muffins
Quina/black bean tortillas
greek yogurt w/fiber
Frozen Gnocchi-good, fast meal
Frozen asparagus risotto- great fast side
So due for a trip!
I don’t go to TJ’s all that often but when I do I always get the dark chocolate peanut butter cups and dried mangos (either the green dried mangos, the ones with sugar, or the ones without – they are all delicious!).
I also have a TJ’s addiction. Unfortunately, the closest one to me is in Union Square NYC, which is insanely crowded with a mile-long line no matter what time you go (I blame the NYU students). But on the days that I feel up to the challenge, the first things I pick up are broccoli slaw, the pre-cooked lentils, TJs honey wheat pretzel sticks & the edamame hummus. If I’m in for the long haul, I’ll pick up the frozen veggie burritos (SO good), plain 0% green yogurt and I’ll forever be on the lookout for their pumpkin butter…
Oh man, this is like THE Trader Joe’s list! I love their frozen fruit bars. I think they come in packs of six and are just the most delicious things ever.
This is the best TJ’s post!!!!
My favorite frozen items are:
Paneer Tikka Masala
Channa Masala
Misto alla Griglio (marinated grilled eggplant & zucchini)
Falafel
I hope you will add those to your list to try someday.
Thanks again for the great post!! :)
umm, how can you not know about that Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. Crack cocaine aspires to be as addictive.
This is QUITE the list! I love it. We are getting a Trader Joe’s in Salt Lake City soon, and I am soooo excited!
Love TJs so much!! We love especially:
– candy cane Joe Joe’s (wow!)
– spicy hot chocolate
– organic tomatillo and roasted yellow Chile salsa
– lemon and triple ginger snap ice cream (best ice cream i’ve ever had, hands down)
– pomegranate limeade
– Italian roast coffee
– mango granola cereal
– candy cane decaf green tea
– organic frozen silver dollar pancakes (so easy and microwaveable)
– organic maple syrup
Yaay finally! I wrote a similar blog post a few weeks ago! The only favorites you didn’t cover were the frozen garlic cubes and the general tso’s sauce (I put that s*$#t on everything)! Your list includes some things I’ve never tried there, so I will most definitely be trying them out this weekend!!
5 layer dip, it’s so good, I’m addicted
I tried to make my own but couldn’t match it.
The bean dip they have in the jar was gross and didn’t taste the same at all.
The frozen orange chicken is delicious. It would be perfect for a single lady night, and it actually comes with a decent amount so there might be enough for you and the man.
Weird, I just posted a few Trader Joe’s picks myself!
http://haleyeats.com/2012/11/21/trader-joes-picks/
I love Trader Joes!
squeal–guess who is getting a TJs in less than a month?!? ME. MEEEEE.