The 15 Items I ALWAYS Buy at Trader Joe's

Those of you who (like me!) are lucky enough to have a Trader Joe's close by probably hit it up regularly (hello cheap prices and awesome food), and probably have a mental list of your favorite go-to items. I realized when I was in our local TJs the other day that I tend to get the exact same things each visit. And while I will likely never get over the fact that they discontinued my all-time favorite item and the thing that got my through the first trimester nausea of both my pregnancies (their frozen Tom Yum soup), I still have plenty of favorites exclusive to the store. Unfortunately, they don't sell their products online so there aren't any links, but bookmark this list for the next time you go. You'll be glad you did, I promise. And just an FYI, this isn't a sponsored post. I just love my Trader Joe's, man.

1. Toscano Black Pepper Cheese.  This was actually recommended to us several years ago by a Trader Joe's employee while we were shopping, and it is incredible. We get it every single time we go, without fail.

2. Thai Vegetable Gyoza. These veggie potstickers remind me of my all-time favorite food, Tibetan momos. We steam them, then light pan fry, then dip in Bragg Amino Acids, then eat them all in one sitting.

3. Raw Almond Butter. When I first saw the price for one of these jars, I put it back. But then I grabbed it again and man, am I glad I did. I eat this almost everyday. Try dipping apples into it or adding it to your morning smoothie. Delightful.

4. Golden Spiced Milk Chocolate Bar. Basically chai and chocolate in one. In other words, the most delicious candy bar ever.

5. Speculoos Cookie Butter. In all honesty we only get it a few times a year (but not because I have a problem and eat the whole jar in a single day or anything), but I had to include it because it is freaking delicious. Chances are you've tried this, but if not, you are missing out. For real.

6. Oven-Baked Cheese Bites. These bites are 100% cheese, so if you want to avoid gluten and still munch on a cracker-like snack that tastes really freaking good, try these.

7. Paneer Tikka Masala with Spinach Basmati Rice. This is probably my favorites frozen heat-and-eat meal of all time. It tastes like it's from an Indian restaurant, and while the portion is small, it's quite filling. Highly recommended.

8. Edamame Hummus. I love trying out new flavors of hummus and this one is a recent favorite.

9.  Trader Jose's Premium Lager. When I was pregnant with Essley, for the first time in my life, I craved beer. I was more of a tequila and wine drinker before then, but ever since, beer is my first choice when it come to adult beverages. And while I'd love to tell you my favorite was a hip micro brew craft beer, it's Corona. Yep. Needless to say I was stoked to discover this super affordable knock off at TJ's. Give me a cold one of these with a lime at the end of the day and I'm in heaven.

10. Chile Lime Seasoning Blend. This stuff is legit. I put it on all sorts of food. I recently read somewhere that it's really good on watermelon. I can't wait to try this summer.

11. Thai Yellow Curry Sauce. Ten and a half years ago, I had Robbie over for dinner for the first time. I made him yellow curry tofu with this sauce, and he told me he was smitten. (I also drank way too much vodka that night and he ended up holding up my hair over the toilet, but we'll save the details of that story for another time.) We still make this dish on the regular.

12. Handcrafted Black Bean & Cheese Taquitos. No explanation necessary. They're taquitos.

13. Steamed Lentils. I love these because they're so convenient. I mix them into salad and bowls, or heat them up with some seasoning and eat as is. Emmett loves them too.

14. Organic Broccoli Slaw. This stuff is probably the most versatile thing in my fridge. I add to the top of bowls, steam it and eat it like pasta, add it to soups  - there are so many possibilities. It's the staple-ist of staples.

15. Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches. While admittedly not the healthiest item on my grocery list, I have a hard time resisting these. They are, by far, the best ice cream sandwiches I've ever had.


Fellow Trader Joe's shoppers, please let me know if there is anything missing from this list that I need to try. I'll take any excuse to make a stop at TJ's when I'm out running errands.

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