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!