The nearest Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are about 35 minutes away.

If it were up to me, I would waste the gas and drive there every weekend. But Mr. How Sweet has a wiser head on his shoulders. The conversation usually goes something like this.

Me: I’m going to the store, what do you want?

Mr. How Sweet: Chicken. And steak. And healthy cookies. And chicken.

Me: Chicken. Check.

Mr. How Sweet: Where are you going?

Me: Umm…probably Giant Eagle. But…maybe…Whole Foods.

Mr. How Sweet: Do you need to go to Whole Foods? Why? What do you need from there? We need to save money!

Me: Stuff. I need stuff!


Alas, I make the trip every few weeks. Which is probably for the best, because once I walk into those stores it is like I have never seen food before. I walk around like a complete loon with a blank grin on my face, crashing my cart into store displays. You can’t argue with me – it is foodie heaven.


I wanted to share with you some of my favorite things that always land in the cart. I prefer to shop there by myself, because Mr. How Sweet has the attention span of a hungry 4-year-old. He doesn’t understand how I can just walk up and down the aisles looking at ‘stuff.’


Tuscan white bean hummus from Trader Joe’s.

This is the hummus. The hummus of all hummuses. Is that a word? It is now. This is the hummus that made me love hummus. That got me hooked on hummus. That began the endless hummus binge. Buy some.


Avocados.

Because at Whole Foods, then only cost one arm and one leg as opposed to my local grocery store, where they cost one arm and two legs.


Trader Joe’s orange chicken.

This is Mr. How Sweet’s (and my brother’s) favorite treat. We buy at least 8 bags at a time – that is no exaggeration. Mr. How Sweet would eat this everyday if he could. I must admit, it is tasty. And since it comes from Trader Joe’s, Mr. How Sweet insists that it is healthy. I love the way his mind works. Especially when he comes home with a tub of ‘healthy’ ice cream from Trader Joe’s.


Coconut butter.

Because I just eat this by the spoonful. If you like coconut, you have got to start riding this gravy train. It is incredible.


Kale. This times four.

Honestly, this is the reason I must go to Whole Foods. Their kale is much better quality-wise than any store around me, and believe me, I have gone to about 6 other stores checking it out. It is always perfectly fresh and crisp. It may sound ridiculous, but when kale is the only vegetable you like, you go to all lengths.


Duh.

Like this needs an explanation.


Greek yogurt.

I usually get a tub of Fage 0% and a tub of 2%, but Trader Joe’s was out of the 2%. They must not have got the memo that I was going. I also love to get some Siggi’s yogurt, but I also love to be able to pay my bills.


Something trendy.

Can I just tell you that I may have jumped for joy when I found this? Good thing I’m okay with PDA’s.


Nutritional yeast.

I love this stuff. It makes most vegetables edible for me. It is also delicious on potatoes, rice, meats – everything. Mr. How Sweet enjoys it, but doesn’t like to know that he is eating something with ‘yeast’ in the title. Understandable.


Grapefruits.

I have always loved grapefruits. I usually eat one everyday. So yummy.


Gorgonzola and other miscellaneous cheeses.

We could feed a small country with the amount of cheese in our fridge. It is a sin. I’m sorry. But I would like to eat that hunk of gorgonzola all by its lonesome. Am I grossing you out yet?


To round out the million-dollar grocery bill, I also always get some top sirloin filet’s from Trader Joe’s (they come in packs of 2 – perfect for the Mr.), some organic extra-lean beef, some packaged fruit or veggies from Trader Joe’s (they have the best mixes), loads of bananas, lots of beans, and anything else that catches my wandering eye. We live near a farm that has delicious, local, cheap produce, and also make a stop there. We always buy chicken, eggs, whole wheat bagels or english muffins and rice in bulk for Mr. How Sweet so he doesn’t starve.


What are your favorite treats from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods? Because, you know, I really need to find some more goodies to spend money on.