February 2021 Goals

Happy February! This year has been off to a busy, exciting start over here at the Baldridge house, and I’m really looking forward to this next short month. It’s the time of year where it drops below 50 degrees in LA and occasionally rains, so it’s perfect for hunkering down and getting some hard work done.

I’m excited for a bunch of different things coming up this month. I’ve always loved Valentine’s Day, ever since I was a kid. I’m going to try to come up with some fun things we can do while we’re staying home because of Covid. This month Grace is also releasing her EP, Preacher’s Kid, and we are going to stream a live release show from our house on February 5.

Since this is the last guaranteed snowy month in the Southern California mountains, I’m hopeful that we will be able to drive up for the day and see some snow, which has been a tradition of ours for the past couple of years.

And I’m also happy that this is the last full month of winter! I don’t think it is any secret that the shorter days really get me down - and I’m not a fan of cold weather. The sunshine and warmer temperatures are a huge reason I moved to California after spending most of my life on the other side of the country. Springtime in LA is such a beautiful, happy time, full of blooming jacaranda trees and balmy breezes. And February means we’re getting closer to that!

Here are my goals for this month:

• Don’t check email or social media for the first hour of every day (for so long I have basically said this is impossible - and told myself I need to check my email when I wake up to make sure there’s not anything urgent, and who cares if I get caught up on Instagram for a few minutes while drinking my morning coffee. But I’m finally REALLY going to make this happen. I’ve done it for the last 2 mornings of January and absolutely loved the difference it made in my whole day! And the world did not fall apart just because I took an hour before checking my email!)

• Enjoy a quarantine Valentine’s Day

• Support Grace through the release of her EP

• Drive to see snow and the ocean at some point this month

• Tweet a few times (a goal of mine for 2021 was to start a Twitter for various reasons. I made one, but I’ve only tweeted a couple of times, so I’m going to work on that slowly but surely)

• Create a linktree so I can better share my podcast, blog, TikTok, etc. all at once!

I hope you have a beautiful start to the month. Here’s to brighter days ahead!

December 2020 Goals

Hi!

I haven’t posted about my goals here in a few months. I think a lot of people can relate to this year completely sidelining any sense of goals and progress we might have had!

I remember a year or so ago when I thought - “I’ll never not set (and blog about) monthly goals! That’s just who I am!”

Never say never, right :) But getting back into my monthly goal habit is something I want to do again in 2021, and there is no better way of accomplishing a goal in the future then starting it early. So here is what I’m hoping to do this month:

• Put $____ in savings (I have this written down, I’m just kind of private about sharing such things online!)

• Fill up a disposable camera with Christmas memories, and get our disposable camera from our road trip developed

• Set goals with Grace for 2021

• Send out Christmas cards and have all Christmas shopping done by December 15

• Blog our November road trip

• Clean my car!! (it’s been sitting under a tree in our driveway and it’s BAD, haha).

Sending love - may the last month of the year be filled with hope for you. xoxo

Introducing UNDER OUR ROOF

If you follow Grace or me on social media, then you might have already seen that we launched a podcast!!

It is called Under Our Roof, and our intention with it is to invite people into the conversations we are having at home. Those might be about queer newlywed life, the true crime case we can't stop thinking about lately, or what's for dinner this week. We released 3 episodes all at once for the launch, and then from here on out we’ll be releasing new episodes every Monday. We have had so much fun recording so far, and I am VERY excited about the next few episodes that will be coming out.

If this sounds like your thing, please check it out and let me know what you think!! Under Our Roof is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and a few other platforms. Hope you love it!

Hello Again

Well, hi there! I took 6 months off from my blog.

And here I am, back to clear the cobwebs. I know I don’t owe any excuses for not posting for 6 months, and I’m not going to make any - this has always been my space to use how I want, and I love that. This blog is TRULY just-for-fun, I’ve never made a cent off of it, and I don’t stress over the content. That being said, I’ve missed it!

In the first couple of months of the pandemic, I tried to keep up with my regular posts, but . . . nothing felt regular or normal. I ended up basically taking the summer and first part of the fall off from Have Dog, Will Drive. That wasn’t planned, but the longer I went, the more it felt right. I focused on work, and other projects - one of which is launching TOMORROW (October 19) - and taking care of an increasingly senior dog.

(By the way, the photos in this post are just some random ones from my camera roll to catch up on the last few months. They don’t go with the text. Or, they do, but in a non-literal way).

There have been a lot of happy things over these few months. I’m a homebody, and that side of my personality flourished. I celebrated 2 years of marriage to Grace. I cooked some of the best meals I’ve ever made in my life. I got to stand beside one of my oldest friends as she got married (something that felt impossible at the beginning of the pandemic, but ended up being beautiful - and we didn’t get Covid).

I swam in the ocean this summer and got strong enough to run 5 miles and made myself proud a lot of times.

The hard things . . . don’t get me wrong, there have been plenty of those things in the last few months! I cried on the phone to my parents in March saying, “I feel like life as I know it is over.” And I was kind of being dramatic in the moment, but I ended up being right. I took a minute to accept that. We’ve been SO lucky to not lose anyone to Covid, but we do know people who have been sick with it and really struggled. I spend a lot of time stressing about whether we’re “taking it seriously enough,” or when it’s okay to take small risks. I feel like we’re more stringent about distancing and masks and stuff than the majority of people we know, and yet I still stress over whether people are judging me for not taking it seriously enough. I think that’s just life right now.

And like I mentioned above, a (very slow-moving) curveball for us has been how much our dog Willie’s health has deteriorated, and yet how much he still seems to love being alive. I never thought I would change so many diapers before even having kids. And yet, Willie has been in diapers now for about a year. His very specialized senior care takes many hours a week and we’ve been at the vet with him a lot lately. But we feel strongly that he’ll let us know when it’s “his time,” and he hasn’t done that yet. He gets excited for his meals and seems to still know who we are . . . so we’re in this for the long haul with him. The amount of time we spend on Willie care is also a big reason why I haven’t had much time for blogging lately. But I’m getting more into a routine and I’m excited to try to make it all work.

In the last six months, I’ve often felt like I’m in a tunnel. I’m not sure exactly where it ends, but I know I’m moving forward. The truth is that I do REALLY miss things like having a bunch of friends over for Pride or our annual Halloween movie night. I’m sad we won’t be seeing family for any holidays this year. But I’ve started to feel like it’s possible again for me to write on this blog - make our family whiteboard calendar for the month - make a big batch of broth for my recipes - send my friends birthday cards - and take stock of all the things I have to look forward to.

One of the best things about 2020 is that it’s removed a lot of distractions. I feel more centered in what I really want out of life than ever. And I’m more easily able to evaluate whether I’ve used my days well to move toward the life I’m trying to build. Life feels stripped down right now, and it feels really meaningful to think about how I want to build it back up.

And that kind of sums up the world of contradictions I find myself in. Like - I love our house more than ever, because it’s been such a sweet shelter during the pandemic. AND, because of spending so much time here, I also have a much better idea of what I want in my future “dream house.” I’m more oriented toward gratitude than I have been in the past, and I also can’t help but think every day of the things we’ve lost this year. I’m an introvert, and I miss crowds. All of it can be true.

So here’s to firing up the ole blog again. I’ve missed you, Have Dog, Will Drive! And if you’re here, thank you so much.

xoxo

May Goals

Happy May! When quarantine started, it was cold and rainy in LA. Even though there are still hard days and a lot of uncertainty, the weather being so gorgeous lately has made a huge difference in my mood. Last night Grace and I sat outside for a “happy hour” in our yard (pictured above) and I said to Grace what a change I felt just sitting outside in the sunshine and taking a minute to breathe. I’m going to try to remember to keep doing that. I even want to lay out in a bathing suit in our yard at some point and get a little bit of a tan (with sunscreen obviously).

I’ve been keeping my monthly goals really simple during quarantine. Last month I even feel like I had too many, and I didn’t check off two of them. Here’s how I did:

• Make pasta from scratch—yes! It was so yummy and way easier than expected

• FaceTime my grandmother (she doesn’t have an iPhone and this has to be prearranged, which is why it’s a goal and not just simply picking up the phone)—yes! So sweet to see her

• Bake lemon chess pie—yes, delish

• Start using my FitBit again and try to get 10k steps a day—no, but I’m doing a running challenge in May with Grace and our friend Daron!

• Make a spring bucket list—no, still need to

• Celebrate Easter at home—yes, we had a super sweet Easter here at home :)

Here’s what I’m hoping to accomplish in May:

• Reach a big creative milestone I’ve been working toward (sorry this is vague)

• Run 31 miles total during the month in Grace’s and Daron’s running challenge

• Prioritize skincare

• Journal to my future children (that I hope to have) about what’s going on in the world right now so they can read it from my perspective one day

I hope you have a safe and healthy month of May!

Girls' Trip to Big Bear + Visiting a Wolf Sanctuary

A little over a month ago, some of my best friends and I took a weekend trip to Big Bear to celebrate our friend Michelle’s birthday. Looking back, this was sort of a “last hurrah” with friends before we entered our current era of social distancing, which we didn’t know at the time. I’m glad we didn’t, because the whole weekend felt so carefree, relaxing, and fun. It’s sweet looking back and remembering the quality time I got with friends right before having to be (physically) away from them for a long time.

Michelle planned this whole weekend for us and treated us to a stay in an adorable Airbnb cabin. It ended up being so cozy and perfect for our group of 4 people. Michelle is a major dog lover, and although no dogs came on the trip with us, part of the weekend’s activities included a visit to a wolf sanctuary where we met wolves and wolf-dog mixes. More on that later! First, here’s a recap of the weekend leading up to that point:

We left town on Friday evening, and Michelle had rented a huge SUV to drive all of us plus our stuff up to the mountains. It was a game-changer, since otherwise there’s no way 4 ladies and all of our bags and coolers etc. etc. could have fit in one of our small cars. On the way up, we stopped at a Mexican place in Rancho Cucamonga (en route to Big Bear) where I ordered the snack-within-a-drink pictured above. It was such a fun stop!

It was dark by the time we made it up to the cabin, and we were all thrilled to get cozy, enjoy some hot tub time, watch Michelle open her presents, and have a wine and movie night. Classic girls’ weekend stuff :)

A cozy twin room where my friend Tina and I slept!

I just LOVE the look of an A-frame cabin. Michelle picked a good one.

The next morning, Michelle made us her famous shakshuka egg bake for breakfast, which we all “wolfed” down (lol) before we got ready to go meet our new friends at the wolf sanctuary!

The wolf sanctuary (called Wolf Mountain) is … very hard to describe in words. I really don’t think I can do it, or the people who run it, justice, and it’s something you have to experience for yourself. Haha! It was a truly wild experience. I kind of felt like I was intruding on a human-wolf hybrid pack. But I learned a lot about the kinds of wolves (which are often mixed-breeds with dogs like German Shepherds) that end up an a sanctuary, and what it’s like to feed and take care of them.

During the first part of the tour, we got to walk around to see the different enclosures where they keep wolves, and Michelle brought some carrots to feed them.

I should back up and say that the sanctuary is very strict about what you can and can’t bring in to meet the wolves - i.e., no scarves, loose items in your pockets, or anything else they might be interested in (though carrots and raw meat are okay. We only brought the former). It kind of makes you wonder what the wolves would do if you didn’t follow those rules, but they seemed chill when we met them! After seeing some of the wolves in their enclosures, we got to meet a couple of them up close. They didn’t really explain why these wolves are okay to meet people, and others aren’t, but I assume it’s because of how acclimated they are to humans.

It was an unforgettable experience and something my friends and I still talk about.

Next, we drove back into town and were all hungry so we got a late lunch at Jasper’s, which was amazing. Think homestyle/southern cooking, huge portions, and very friendly small-town service. I miss eating in restaurants right about now :(

After lunch, we returned to the house and settled in for a super sweet evening of girl time.

Other than this little porch photoshoot we did, I don’t have a ton of photos from this night because we were just chilling out, drinking wine, doing Tarot readings, watching Love Island, playing Clue, and eating a delicious birthday cake.

I also made a cheese board for the group that I was pretty proud of.

And that’s all the photos I have! On Sunday, our last morning, we ate brunch at the Teddy Bear restaurant, which served one of the best tuna melts I’ve ever had. Also, I can’t believe I forgot to get a photo of it, but it actually snowed a LOT on our last morning! It was so fun and magical, although it did make getting back down the mountain a bit hairy. I was very thankful Michelle had rented a huge car with four-wheel drive.

I now cherish this weekend even more because I miss these friends dearly. We have pretty regular videochat happy hours, but of course it’s not the same. Until the time we can all be reunited, I’ll be reminiscing on this weekend and these photos. Thank you Michelle!

April Goals

Doesn’t it feel like today should be the day we hear that the past month has been a huge April fool’s joke? In some ways I’m still processing my day-to-day reality, but believe it or not, I’m looking forward to the month ahead. I try not to have any particular date or timeline in mind for when social distancing will no longer be necessary, so I’m fully on board that April will be our first (possibly of many) full month of self-quarantine.

And yet, there are still neighbors’ flowers to enjoy (see pic above). There are still dogs to snuggle, friends to call, and things to dream about. Grace and I try not to dwell TOO much on “when we get out,” but we do have a plan for what we’re going to do when it’s safe again to leave our neighborhood. I don’t wanna give anything away but we’re pretty excited.

But I’m accepting the fact that it probably won’t happen in the next new months. In the meantime, here are my April goals:

• Make pasta from scratch

• FaceTime my grandmother (she doesn’t have an iPhone and this has to be prearranged, which is why it’s a goal and not just simply picking up the phone)

• Bake lemon chess pie

• Start using my FitBit again and try to get 10k steps a day

• Make a spring bucket list

• Celebrate Easter at home

Each of these things will bring me joy in different ways, and I am excited to make them happen.

Wherever you are during this crazy time, I wish you good health, and a happy month of April!

Goals in the Time of COVID-19

Long time no see, Have Dog Will Drive. I don’t think I’ve ever abandoned my blog for this long before, but I haven’t been myself.

Has anyone?

Ugh. Deep breath. I’m feeling pretty good today, but the last two weeks have been the most surreal of my entire life. Part of what makes them the most surreal is that most other people around me would say the same thing. How often is it that EVERYONE is going through something hard together? Going through a period of grieving and loss is often a solitary process. Now, I think we’re all grieving the loss of what normal life looked like a month ago. It’s powerful and comforting to be going through it with my whole city, state, country, and planet (some of whom started this a bit earlier). But it is also disorienting in a way to be sad and hopeless at times, yet simultaneously feel heartbreak over the fact that others have it so much harder.

Grace and I have certainly felt overwhelming gratitude for so many things in the past couple of weeks that we’ve been in self-isolation to protect ourselves and others from the spread of this horrible virus. But I’ve also cried, worried endlessly on the phone to loved ones, and in the first few days of reality setting in, found myself shivering uncontrollably by the end of each day.

Two weeks in, I’m adjusting. I don’t want to call it a “new normal,” even though in many ways the daily life I took as “normal” is now over. Possibly forever, in some respects. You also won’t find me ever referring to this as the “apocalypse” or the “end of the world.” I don’t think those things are true or worth catastrophizing about, but it is a scary time.

At the end of February, I set a few goals for the month of March. I had every intention of blogging them. Then my mom and sister came to California and we took a girls’ trip to Paso Robles. The day after they left, Grace and I started quarantining. I don’t even remember what those goals were at this point, and I don’t think many of them are still applicable to my life.

But believe it or not, I still think setting some goals is worth doing. Actually, they might be the thing that keeps me level-headed and grounded during this time. March feels out-the-window, but I’ll be back in a few days to blog my goals for April. In the meantime, here are a few overarching things I want to keep in mind as goals during this quarantine:

• Keep blogging. More than usual!

• Keep the house our happy little nest, our sanctuary, as much as possible. There’s never been a better time to be into homemaking.

• Once the dust is feeling like it’s settling and I’m “used” to life in quarantine, return to creative pursuits. Other than this little blog post, I’m not quite there yet, but I look forward to having more time, eventually.

• Write down how I’m feeling often.

• Pray for the people most affected.

I think this is going to be a season of simple, humble, goals, and I think that’s a good thing. I’ll never call this virus a “blessing in disguise” or act like it’s not as terrifying as it is. But I will keep going in every way I can, and keep laughing and finding joy in each day.

If you need to talk to someone during this time, you can always contact me through this blog or on Instagram.

Sending love & wishes for good health.

Best Podcasts that AREN'T True Crime

It’s amazing how much I’ve learned from podcasts over the past few years and what an explosion there has been in the medium. Podcasts have been around for as long as iPods (I used to listen to recap podcasts of the OC back in high school, over 10 years ago), but we are currently in the podcast Renaissance and I absolutely love it.

About two years ago, I wrote a blog post about my favorite podcasts (find it here) and it has become one of my posts that gets the most traffic. Then, about a year ago, I wrote an update with a list of new podcasts I’d been enjoying (find my 2019 list here). That post has also been one of the most popular posts on my blog.

If you’ve read both lists, you might have noticed that in 2018, my list was almost entirely true crime podcasts, and in 2019, it was a mix. Well, today I want to share a list of completely NON-true crime favorites! A couple reasons for this: while true crime is an addictive genre in the podcast world, I think we are seeing more and more great podcasts that aren’t true crime. I think with the success of Serial, true crime emerged as the most popular podcast genre, but these days there are so many other wonderful genres out there. Also, I do think that constantly listening to true crime podcasts (which I’ve done in the past) can take a toll on your mental health. Whether you live alone and get spooked easily, or some of the true crime stories hit too close to home and are upsetting, I think it’s good to evaluate how much of the gritty stuff we expose ourselves to. Lastly, I want to provide a resource for GREAT non-true crime podcasts, since I think there’s a perception that this kind won’t be as binge-worthy as a harrowing true crime story. But that’s not at all the case! The following list are all podcasts that I have LOVED and come back to again and again over the past year or so. Some are serious, some are silly, and I think all are worth a listen. In no particular order:

1. A Beautiful Mess

This podcast is hosted by Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman, two sisters who run the blog A Beautiful Mess. I have loved their blog for years and their new podcast is so much fun too! They talk about a lot of DIY and home decor-type stuff, but they also just kind of talk about whatever is going on in their lives at the moment. Their sister relationship kind of reminds me of me and my sister, which is sweet. I always look forward to this one and wish it were longer!

2. Inside Trader Joe’s

If you read this recent blog post of mine, you know I love Trader Joe’s. But even considering that, I wasn’t sure if I would care that much about listening to a podcast all about the store. But it’s SO GOOD! These are super short (150-20 minute) episodes that talk about things like where Trader Joe’s sources its items, taste testing panels, company history, and more. I probably sound nerdy talking about this but it’s FASCINATING. They also give previews of new seasonal items that are coming out, and I love knowing about those in advance so I can look for them! If you are a fan of Trader Joe’s I think you will like this podcast.

3. Office Ladies

If you love The Office (the TV show), you will LOVE this podcast. Each week, Jenna Fischer (who played Pam on The Office) and Angela Kinsey (who played Angela) walk through an episode of the show and talk about their memories of filming it, behind the scenes tidbits, hidden things in the episode you might not have noticed, etc. It’s so sweet, wholesome, and just fun to listen to.

4. American Girls

Okay, this one might be a little more niche, but to me this is the “cult classic” version of a podcast. It’s one of my FAVORITES and one of the podcasts I’ve learned the most from. I grew up with American Girl Dolls, and this podcast is for that generation of people. The hosts are hilarious and so smart, and they go through each doll’s books and re-read them and provide commentary. I honestly hadn’t read most of the books for the various dolls and still enjoy the podcast so much. It’s less about the actual plots of the American Girl Doll books and more about examining American Girl Dolls’ impact on American culture for my generation. It’s extremely good and I highly recommend it!

5. Gangster Capitalism

This podcast tackles the “Varsity Blues” college admissions scandal and does so in a very methodical way that I binge-listened to. I think the best thing about it is that it explains how a scandal like this could happen, what the structures in place are that allow for that kind of corruption, and how those avenues still exist in the higher education system. I guess you could technically call this one true crime because obviously fraud and bribery are crimes, but it’s white-collar crime so it (probably) won’t make you lose sleep :)

6. This Land

Definitely listen to this podcast if you want to know more about tribal sovereignty in the United States and specifically in Oklahoma. Even if you don’t think you are curious about that, the podcast is gripping, and it gives a bigger picture on Native land rights and how tribes have been treated in the US than I ever understood before. The podcast centers on a Supreme Court case (that is still pending as of the time I’m writing this) that will decide who owns 19 million acres in Oklahoma (about half the state). If it goes in favor of the tribe, it would be the largest land restoration in US history. Definitely worth a listen while we’re waiting to hear how the decision comes out!

7. RuPaul: What’s the Tee With Michelle Visage

This is a really fun, more lighthearted podcast with RuPaul and Michelle Visage (such a dynamic duo) where they interview a different guest every week. Ru and Michelle are hilarious (and usually the guests are, too), and they talk about a bunch of different topics. I don’t listen to this every single episode, but if they’re interviewing someone I know/like, I’ll listen. Grace and I like this one for long car rides!

I hope you get some good new listens from this list! I’d love to hear some of your non-true crime favs, too!

Top 10 Trader Joe's Favorites

Who else loves Trader Joe’s?! I’ll never forget when I was first introduced to Trader Joe’s in college—it was fairly new to North Carolina at the time, but my college roommate and bestie was from DC and knew all about the TJ’s magic. We used to drive an hour to the nearest one, armed with freezer bags, to stock up on our favorites to tote home to our apartment.

Years later, now in California, I live in walking distance of a Trader Joe’s and it is where I usually stock up on our weekly groceries. I think the only downside to Trader Joe’s is that there are certain things they just don’t carry, so sometimes I’ll run to Whole Foods to grab a couple extra items that I need for the week. But in general I can buy groceries for Grace and me for the majority of the week for around $60 at Trader Joe’s and that’s perfect for us at this stage in life.

The interesting thing about Trader Joe’s is that almost all of the products are TJ’s own versions of things, so you won’t find brands that are in normal grocery stores. Conversely, you won’t find Trader Joe’s items anywhere else other than Trader Joe’s. Today I wanted to share 10 of my absolute FAVORITE Trader Joe’s items that I think are worth trying if you don’t normally shop there or aren’t familiar with what they have. These aren’t in any particular ranked order because that would be way too hard! Here goes:

1. Soy Creamy - Cherry Chocolate Chip Flavor

I have to credit my best friend Anna for introducing this to me probably 10 years ago. It is vegan ice cream that’s kind of a take on the Cherry Garcia flavor from Ben & Jerry’s. I remember being skeptical when Anna first convinced me to try it, but soon after that I had to have my OWN carton in the fridge even though we lived in the same apartment. That’s how good it is! There was a very sad time when it seemed TJ’s wasn’t selling this flavor anymore, but I found this carton at my local store this past week (Feb. 2020), so fingers crossed it’s here to stay! It is my favorite grocery store ice cream of all time.

2. Sweet & Spicy Pecans

These pecans are a staple in our house. They are like a candied pecan took a dip in some addictively delicious chili powder. They do pack a little bit of heat, but to me it’s the perfect amount of spiciness. We scatter them on cheeseboards, throw them in salads, and snack on them plain.

3. Unexpected Cheddar Cheese

Another bestie gets credit here—this cheese is always a staple at Tina’s bachelor viewing parties, and now it is also a staple in my fridge! It is seriously so good. Like a white cheddar but, as the label suggests . . . somehow unexpected! It’s sublime. Just try it.

4. Pecan Praline Granola

This is the Goldilocks of granolas. I like to make yogurt bowls with a lot going on: fruit, chia seeds, honey, chocolate nibs, and granola for crunch. This is the perfect crunchy, lightly sweet granola to let other flavors take center stage, without being bland. I buy it almost every week!

5. Hatch Chile Mac & Cheese

This next one is definitely more of a treat than an everyday staple, but the Hatch Chile microwavable mac & cheese is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. This is also something I tend to throw in my cart whenever I’m super hungry while shopping and pop it in the microwave when I get home, to heat up while I’m unloading groceries. The chiles don’t really make it spicy, but they do add an interesting flavor (and in my mind this is somehow healthier than plain mac & cheese, haha!).

6. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Another “treat” item up next: Grace and I looove dark choco pb cups, as we call them. They’re just so good. They are pretty small, so we like to grab a couple after dinner sometimes to satisfy our sweet tooth (teeth?) while we watch TV.

7. Cauliflower Gnocchi

I have read the funniest stories online about people literally fighting in Trader Joe’s over the last bag of cauliflower gnocchi. Thankfully, my local store’s freezer always seems to be well-stocked with them, so I’ve never had that issue. But this really is THAT good! And I’ll admit—I was skeptical when I saw this was becoming a food trend. I’m not always on board with replacing perfectly good (albeit heavier/carb-ier) food with kale/cauliflower/whatever. Especially because potato gnocchi that’s gluten free already exists. And for instance, I do not care for the cauliflower pizza crust that Trader Joe’s makes. Like, just have pizza (even gluten free-flour pizza, if that’s an issue for you). You know?

But I was wrong about this one. While I still enjoy regular gnocchi, I genuinely think I like this better. It’s pillowy, fluffy, and goes perfectly with so many sauces. I think the key to this one is playing around with your own preparation method and not necessarily following the exact instructions on the bag if you think you have a better way. For me, I add a little less water than it calls for and turn up the heat at the end to get it golden brown. I think my favorite way to serve this is cacio e pepe style, but any simple red sauce is also super good with it. And I’ll admit, I also do like the fact that I know I’m getting a serving of veggies from this, too.

8. Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt

Yogurt is often what I have for breakfast. I used to buy endless individual yogurts, Chobani or whatever, and throw away a lot of plastic. Then I started getting plain nonfat greek yogurt in the BIG tubs from Trader Joe’s, and I’m never looking back! It’s so nice that you can make your own yogurt bowls (see granola, above), and I always get it unsweetened because then it can also serve as a lighter sour cream substitute in savory dishes too. This cuts down on how many different products I have to buy each week, and I find this to be really good quality. This is really popular at my local store, and I often feel like I’m grabbing the last or second-to-last tub, so keep your eye out for this one!

9. Restaurant-style Tortilla Chips

These are seriously the best tortilla chips. They’re STURDY, which I appreciate. They have the slightest bit of lime flavor (not like the Tostitos Hint of Lime, which I honestly love, but can be overpowering depending on what you’re eating it with) and the perfect amount of saltiness. My only complaint is that I wish they came in a bigger bag! Trader Joe’s has several different tortilla chip options, and sometimes I end up buying the different version that comes in a bigger bag (if we’re having people over and need more, etc.), but this kind is my favorite for sure.

10. Meatless Breakfast Patties

Last but not least, these microwavable imitation breakfast sausage patties are one of my favorite things Trader Joe’s carries. I love taking an English muffin, putting one of these on top, and then cooking an over-easy egg to add to it and make a breakfast sammie. If you don’t eat meat or want to eat less of it, these are just super yummy for a weekend breakfast treat!

I also want to give an honorable mention to a non-food product: Trader Joe’s Greeting Cards.

As someone who loves to send birthday cards, let me tell you it can quickly add up. I’m really glad I discovered that Trader Joe’s has racks of cards (usually near the entrance) for 99 cents each and they’re actually cute! I can get 4 or 5 for the price of ONE card from most places. And while I will always and forever love paper companies like Rifle and Paper Source, Trader Joe’s cards allow me to just grab a bunch to stock up and have on hand without thinking about the cost so much. They have other types of cards too for other occasions but birthdays are what I usually grab.

And that’s it! As you can see from the photo at the top of this post, I buy a bunch of things each week, but these are the ones that are tried and true in our house and that I always come back to. I’d love to hear some of your Trader Joe’s faves as well!