Today's the day! Here are the BEST things to buy at Trader Joe's! My obsession with Trader Joe's is REAL. I insta-story my way around the store on a fairly frequent basis and and it's high time I spill my secrets. So here we go...31 TJ's products you can't live without!
What to buy at Trader Joes:
Greek Feta in the Brine. Trust me, this will change your life. You'll be buying feta in the brine forever and ever - it's the only way to go.
Port Salut - it's the best soft and creamy cheese for your cheese boards!
Dark Chocolate Caramel Balls!! Actually, you probably shouldn't get these if you don't want to eat all of them in one sitting. Addictive doesn't even come close to describing them,
Quinoa! I buy it in bulk because I go through about 1 bag a week!
The organic frozen blueberry selection at TJ's is fantastic. We go through 1 bag a day for our smoothies and these are reasonably prices and VERY delicious!
I know I said I don't buy produce at TJ's but I make an exception for 2 things... one of which is avocados! I buy them when they are rock hard so they can ripen on my counter at home. And if you need to speed up the ripening process, throw them in a brown lunch bag with a banana!
Chocolate Chips!! DUH! In case we need cookies, or banana bread, or melted chocolate... better to be safe than sorry!
And the 1 lb chocolate bars! OMG these are actually incredible
Sometimes we need Mandarin Chicken for dinner that tastes like Panda Express without having to leave the house. No judgement here - I love this stuff!
Refried Beans. Mandatory for nachos!
Some of my favorite crackers ever - perfect for a cheese board! And way cheaper than the variety at Whole Foods.
Easily the best blue corn tortilla chips on the market. The salt ratio is spot on
THIS Dark Chocolate Bar is basically everything you need in life!
The other produce exception I make at TJ's is their Broccolini! Mostly because I eat about a pound of it daily and I use it up so quickly!
Cauliflower Pizza Crust! It took me a while to get on the cauliflower pizza train but I'm into it!
Cauliflower Gnocchi. I didn't want to love it but I actually do!
TJ's has the best nuts at super reasonable prices! Their coconut cashews are my go-to 3pm snack!
Chocolate Covered Grahams. I mean, enough said!
If you've never had Garlic Spread before... you're missing out. It's that dip they put on the side of every order when you go out for Lebanese food. It's like the most pungent garlic sauce that you'll want to slather on EVERYTHING.
Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels. Literally my husbands life line.
Quick cooking farro - because with this dinner can be ready in 10 minutes plus a little prep time.
These savory thin mini crackers are THE BEST for dipping in hummus and my homemade tzatziki!
This is one of my fav nut butters because there is NO PALM OIL in it. Just the almonds. Perf for my morning smoothies!
Prosciutto - cause we need this for cheese boards!
Fresh Mozzarella. No explanation needed.
THIS is easily one of my favorite vinegars ever. It makes a killer salad dressing!
Don't tell anyone but sometimes I buy this spinach artichoke dip when I'm too lazy to make it from scratch and claim that it's homemade.
Sea Salt Butterscotch Caramels!! These are hands down one of the best things to buy at Trader Joe's. Great in cookies, brownies or just by the handful.
Roasted Corn!!! Use it in all of your recipes that call for corn. It's loaded with flavor from fire roasting and I want it all day, every day!
Zhoug Sauce. OMG this stuff is addicting. It's great in addition to hummus, on top of protein, with veggies, mixed into quinoa extra. I am fully hooked.
This Chili Onion Crunch is new and it's VERY delicious when spooned over just about everything.
What should I not buy at Trader Joes:
To be honest, I only buy a few kinds of produce from TJ's because I find that it goes bad rather quickly! So I get produce from the farmers market and other stores. But TJ's wins hands down for just about everything else...)
What did I miss at Trader Joes:
What did I miss? Any of your favorites miss my list? Shout out your best things to buy at trader joe's recs in the comments section so I can snag them and try them next time I pop in!
Trader Joe’s coffee ice cream is amazing
I live near a great (East Coast) farmers' market, where I, too, buy most of my produce. But I highly recommend Trader Joe's belgian endive (spoon boursin cheese onto separated leaves for the best, easiest appetizer I know), small persian cucumbers (perfect for refrigerator pickles), leeks (already cleaned and ready to use), bags of lemons and limes (always better quality and at a better price than my local super market's), and, in season, unusual varieties of figs and apples.
And I never leave my Trader Joe's without crumpets, hand-made flour tortillas, brioche, marcona almonds with rosemary, praline pecans, pistachios, cheddar cheese with carmelized onion, salmon dip, and pre-cooked pork belly (just brown until crisp for fabulous tacos, chili, etc.). And it can't be beat for wine prices.
“Just Sauce” Turkey Bolognese in the frozen section!! Amazing.
Trader Joe’s Coffee Bean Blast Ice Cream - best coffee ice cream out there!!!
I just moved into a new apartment and TJs is downstairs so this is very timely! Here are some faves:
-Frozen Gorgonzola Gnocchi- perfect for a quick meal. great with peas or broccoli added in and fresh ground black pepper
-unsulphered dried apricots
-Mini Brie bites - 70 cals each, so yummy for a Brie fix
-rosemary and raisin crisps (great with the Brie!)
-Single serve packets of manzanilla olives
-frozen garlic naan - so good toasted with butter
-gluten free oats - the BEST
- half salt almonds ( love all of the trail mixes and nuts)
- mini peanut butter cups - both the milk and dark- soooo addictive and so good
- mini sheet cake - chocolate with chocolate ganache buttercream icing ( this was the biggest mistake ever to buy because it is literally so good I have to talk myself out of getting it every time)
Bag of dark chocolate chunks for making cookies. My husband likes the dried ginger for his hot tea. Sumatra Fair trade coffee beans, steel cut oats, potato chips with olive oil, frozen chimichurri rice (I add extra white or brown cooked rice as there is more than enough sauce)
I can’t believe no one has mentioned the tomato soup!!!!!
Trader Joe's brand sparkling water is amazing! Way better than la Croix!
Trader Joe's Cinnamon Raisin Bread is so good. I buy several loaves at a time and freeze them.
Purple carrot juice! It's organic and soooo good when sipped out of a wine glass! I also love the fresh edamame beans, the Persian cucumbers, goat yoghurt (to top my spicy lentils with), and lotsa cheese-- especially goat.They have a lot more choices than others and they are actually not as pricy!
You really need to try TJ's 73% dark belgian covered almonds, don't think you'll ever go back to the regular ones!
THE best ice cream ever!!! They have limited flavors, but they have the best mint chip, chocolate, coffee and let's not forget cookie butter!!!
This doesn't fall under the food category, but their soaps are fantastic ....lavender, oatmeal, verbena. Love them.
the garden of eden feta!!!
Dark Chocolate Nutty Bits - they come in a small bag. Warning: they are addictive!
The cinnamon roll wreath (frozen) is a Christmas must! I always peruse the flowers and plants, because why not treat myself at those prices? I love their triple cream Brie (check the date), and they carry Boursin cheese at a good price.
I love their guacamole and mild salsa. Whenever I buy avocados from there, they are ALWAYS stringy. Not sure what causes that so I don't buy those from there. (Weird strings grow inside the avocado) Thanks for your post!