Anyone who knows me knows I am obsessed with Trader Joe's. I live for their "New Items" section, with concoctions equally novel and delicious; the little sample cups of coffee with vanilla soy milk creamer, which are about as much coffee as my stomach can handle at one time, so they make a nice treat; the entertaining Frequent Flyer, with its wordplay and quaint colloquialisms. Some people like shopping for clothes or shoes; I can't wait for Sunday to roll around so I can make my weekly grocery shopping trip (although most weeks it turns into a biweekly or triweekly affair).
I even get so excited to go grocery shopping that sometimes I'll do some preparation by reading lists of "best products from Trader Joe's," "must-try items," "Trader Joe's foods you need to discover"... I know, I pretty much geek out when it comes to groceries, but the idea of having a well-stocked pantry, especially with new foods I've never tried, makes cooking and eating all the more fun.
It was one of these days when I was looking at a "must-try items" list that I realized... I should do a "must-try" list of my own. Whenever I am home, I grocery shop and cook dinner almost every night, which means almost daily trips to Trader Joe's (I can't always know what I want to cook for dinner in advance; sometimes I have to wait for inspiration to strike to go shopping!). At school, most of my grocery runs are to Trader Joe's. That means that I have been to this store more than anyone I know, and I am pretty sure I could tell you exactly what items stock their shelves (except the new ones, of course!). So here it is: a list of my favorite items at Trader Joe's. Some are just items that I get almost every trip because they are cheap and versatile, and some are great finds that I discovered or a friend introduced me to. Keep in mind that I eat a pretty restricted diet: no gluten, dairy, chocolate, or almonds (among other things). This list is mostly restricted to that diet as well, because I obviously do most of my cooking for myself, but I included a few other things that I've loved in the past, or that people I know love.
Another two things to remember: you can try literally anything in the store. I've heard stories of people asking to try frozen foods and then waiting as a store employee patiently microwaved the requested item for them to try a bite of (I would not suggest this, per se). I've also heard that they'll happily let you try anything, unless you try about 10 things, at which point they'll tell you you're nice little meal is done. Secondly: you can return anything, no questions asked. This is great for trying new items: no risk, all (potential) reward. Don't be afraid to return something just because you didn't like it.
Produce: i.e. things I get every week
Produce is great at Trader Joe's because it is relatively cheap and, especially for the quality, has competitive prices with most other stores. A few that I always stock up on:
Zucchini: they come in 1-pound containers and I eat so many zucchini noodle dishes that I always put this in my cart. (If you haven't tried zucchini noodles, please do, and with this recipe.)
Sliced mushrooms: okay, I'm a big fan of produce that is not already prepped, but I really hate washing mushrooms. You can't just run them under water because they'll absorb it, and you shouldn't wash them all ahead of time because of this either. The best way to wash mushrooms is to wet a paper towel and gently scrub the dirt off. When I'm making eggs in the morning, though, I love just throwing some pre-sliced mushrooms in the pan. An extra 20 cents for less labor? I'd say it's worth it.
Chopped butternut squash: Again, usually I like to stick with whole produce, but butternut squash is without a doubt the most awful vegetable of all time to prepare: peeling the awkward shaped gourd and cubing the sturdy flesh is my least favorite kitchen task. Enter prepped butternut squash. Throw this bad boy on a cooking sheet with some olive oil, salt, and pepper (and maybe cinnamon), preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and roast until tender, browned, and caramelized.
Kale: Kale can be really tough to eat, literally. I like this kale because it's pre-washed, so it's easy to throw into dishes (read: eggs, pasta, soup, anything). The best part of this bag of greens is that if it's getting close to it expiration date (and I mean the sniff-and-look-with-your-own-eyes expiration date, not the one stamped on the package), you can throw it into the freezer. When you want to use a little, the frozen leaves crumble perfectly into tiny pieces that, again, go great in eggs or saucy dishes (so small you'll hardly taste them and won't have a hard time chewing them)
Smallish gems Sweet Lettuce: This pack of three little lettuce head makes three perfectly-sized salads. The lettuce isn't overwhelmingly flavorful, but it's not watery at all, and packs a better nutritional punch than something like the classic iceberg.
Flavor Bombs
I read about the idea of flavor bombs somewhere (I don't want to cite incorrectly, but I think it was in my favorite food science book, Food Lab. Or maybe it was Cooking Light. Anyway.) Basically they are jars of stuff you keep in your pantry or fridge so that, when you need inspiration or a quick dish, they've got your back. I adore this idea, and think more people, amateur cooks and celebrated chefs alike, should adhere to it. Stock your pantry, people! (And then please use them instead of letting them sit at the back of the shelf with old cans of corn or beans.)
Red Pepper Spread: I recently discovered this and I really like it on pasta and fish. It's similar to a marinara but a little thicker, and you can definitely tell it's red peppers in there and not tomatoes (for one, it's so vibrantly, gorgeously red!)
Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus: A friend recommended this to me (shoutout to Gwen, one of the best when it comes to all things culinary), and I am so so glad she did. I don't like spicy food that much, but this just has a nice little kick from the chile pepper without being overwhelming. Basically, it's cilantro-y, garlicky bliss on anything from chips to crackers to sliced bell peppers.
Corn and Chile Tomato-less Salsa: My favorite salsa at Trader Joe's (a close second is their pineapple salsa, or the one below). Perfectly sweet and only slightly spicy, this is my number one dressing for taco salads, rice bowls, etc.
Salsa Especial: This is a relatively new find, and it tastes like your favorite salsa from a Mexican restaurant. I also love that it's fresh (it's in the refrigerated section!). (I get the mild because I don't like spciy foods, and it has just a baby amount of heat which is perfect for me!)
Prepackaged (but not over-processed) foods
The best way to make a quick meal. This is how I make most of my lunches between class. I get a lot of compliments on how good my cooking always smells, and I don't think anyone knows (until now) how easy most of them are (basically cheating, but I still count it as cooking).
Sun-dried tomato chicken sausage (also, Sweet Italian chicken sausage): hands down the best chicken sausage I've ever had. I put this in so many of my "quick sauté and assemble" dishes, which usually have a base of rice, pasta, or quinoa.
Roasted Chicken patties: These were a great find because they add a lot of protein to my meals and are already cooked. I usually chop them up, sauté them in a pan (since they look a little bit like tofu), and add them to salads. Even half of one is plenty for a meal (90 calories, 13 grams of protein), so you get protein sources for four meals for $2.49. Pretty good deal for something so easy, and since they're just chicken and spices, they go well in any cuisine.
Thai-style citrus chicken salad: My favorite salad. I have a hard time buying many of their prepackaged salads because I feel like so many of them are cheaper and sometimes healthier to make on my own; not this one. It's got green papaya, radishes, fish sauce, and other weird ingredients that come together with chicken to make a thai-style, slaw-like, limey, cilantro-sprinkled bowl of perfection. It's also only 220 calories, since it's all vegetables, lean chicken, and a citrusy vinaigrette dressing.
Pantry:
Whole Grain Gluten Free Bread: I just discovered their whole grain gluten free bread and it gets an 8/10 from me (as far as gluten free goes). It's much softer than most gluten free bread, so it doesn't absolutely crumble when you try to put anything in it for a sandwich.
Sunflower seed butter: One of the best types of butter. Once I stopped eating almond butter (theirs is also good), this became my go to. Its sweet without too much sugar and makes up part of my favorite snack/dessert: rice thins (like thin puffed rice cakes) with apple butter and sunbutter.
Gluten-free pretzels: Even non-gluten-free people love these for their crunch. They're nice and small and perfectly salty, which makes them great for dipping (perhaps into cilantro jalapeño hummus?).
World's Puffiest White Cheddar Corn Puffs: Not the healthiest, but I really couldn't make a list without this one. Even my grandfather loves it. if you haven't already, please do yourself a favor try this (dare I say it?) better-than-white-cheddar-popcorn snack.
Coconut Cashews: These are basically a dessert, and if you love coconut these are for you. Watch portion size on this one, because it's easy to eat multiple servings in one sitting if you're not careful.
Frozen:
Mango Sorbet: This has become somewhat of a staple in my sorority house, since a lot of us buy it on the regular. It does have a lot of sugar, but it has that perfect sorbet consistency that can be hard to get from a carton: not icy but smooth, melt-on-your-tongue sorbet.
Chicken Tikka Masala: I had to put this on here because both my brother and sister are obsessed with it. As far as frozen Indian food goes, Trader Joe's has a large selection and this is one of the best.
Dorot Chopped Basil: Trader Joe's sells these chopped frozen basil cubes, and they are perfect for when basil isn't in season. I toss them in every pasta sauce to add a bit more flavor.
Raw Shrimp: I'm not a big fan of precooked shrimp, but the frozen raw shrimp is so easy to use: just thaw however many you want under water (or in the fridge) and cook. Since I live in Virginia Beach, I usually get fresh shrimp when it's available, but this is a really good substitute that you can have year-round. It's also $10 per pound, which is a pretty good price for shrimp.
Chili Chicken Lime Burgers: These are absolutely fantastic. I don't eat beef so I usually go with a turkey burger, but these are so much more flavorful and moist. They go great with Mexican or Asian food; Sometimes I eat them whole, but I also like making rice bowls with either salsa, avocado, corn and beans, or soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and vegetables.
Treats and other things I love:
Tea: I'm more of a tea drinker than a coffee drinker, and Trader Joe's has a pretty great selection of tea that includes a few seasonal items. My favorites: Mint Melange tea (it's minty without being overwhelmingly pepperminty); Harvest Blend Herbal tea (a fall special... the one with the fox on it); and Vanilla & Cinnamon Black tea (a winter special... the one with the lemur).
Espresso Pillows: If you like coffee, please try these. You can find them near checkout!
Pound Plus Chocolate bars: A pound of chocolate for only $5? Sign me up!
Coconut Cream: This is perfect for making coconut whipped cream because it doesn't have any stabilizers. I've also made coconut ice cream out of this by blending dates into a paste and then folding them into coconut whipped cream and freezing. So good!
Other things Trader Joe's does well:
They have a huge selection of dried fruit and nuts. Instead of buying the prepackaged mixes, buy the nuts and fruit separately (and maybe some chocolate!) and make your own.
They have so many cheeses that can be really fun to try. Get a few different kinds-- my favorites are the Manchego and blueberry vanilla chevre.
Olive oil: Pretty cheap and also good. Get a dark bottle (light degrades the quality of the oil), preferrably one that was first cold-pressed.
Frozen fruit: The nectarines, raspberries, and pineapple tidbits are especially good for smoothies or just eating plain.
Things I don't think Trader Joe's does very well:
I don't like much of their packaged deli meats. But then again, getting freshly-sliced meat at a deli counter will always beat prepackaged, doesn't it?
Gluten-free cereals: They have a few, and if you can eat oats, go for it, but otherwise (especially if you don't even have to eat gluten free), I don't think they're worth it. (Except the Peanut Butter Panda Puffs, which taste like the peanut part from Reese's Puffs and are so delicious I can eat five bowls at once).
I'm sure I'll think of more items that I love, but this is a great start! What do you like to buy at Trader Joe's? Post it in the comments below!