Best Things to Get at Trader Joe’s

Today I’m sharing what I believe are the best things to get at Trader Joe’s — in my humble opinion, of course. Let me start this whole thing off with a caveat: this in no way is an exhaustive, objective list. How could it be?! To each his (or her!) own, I say. But these are simply some of my tried-and-true, love to have them, die-hard favorite items from good old TJ’s. So while you may disagree with some of the following items, that’s ok, but know that I probably think you’re sniffing glue if you dislike Cookie Butter.

I know nothing in life is perfect (well, except for Ted Lasso) but Trader Joe’s is as close to a perfect grocery store as I’ve ever encountered. Yes, yes, yes, I know people love Wegman’s and Kroger and Aldi, but I find big grocery stores incredibly overwhelming. There are too many options and I go catatonic with decision fatigue. But Trader Joe’s? Small, great selection, but not too many options. Just what I need!

I’ve shopped at Trader Joe’s everywhere I’ve lived post-graduation: in Boston, San Francisco, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and, thank goodness, there is one 15 minutes away from our new house in Massachusetts. I do most of my grocery shopping there now, only venturing to Wegman’s for some additional pantry items. I have to mentally prep myself for a Wegman’s trip because it is 170,000 sq ft and the biggest supermarket in New England. But Trader Joe’s reminds me of my days as a member of the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn. Speaking of the Food Coop, if anyone happens to read this and be a member, could you pick up a tote bag for me and mail it? Mine is tattered and torn and it’s my absolute favorite. Come on universe, do your thing!

And now, without further ago, the best things to get at Trader Joe’s. I’ll update this periodically with new finds, but this is my first swing at it. Let me know if I missed any items and I’ll have to check them out!

Snacks

• Jo-Joe’s – All kinds, really. TJ’s take on Oreos and I have somehow convinced myself that they’re healthier! I know they’re not, but isn’t the power of self-delusion incredible?
• Chocolate sea salt almonds – Love having these when we have guests over for a little sweet nosh. 
• Dill pickle chips – My current Achilles heel. They’re simply divine.
• Almond butter pretzels – A relatively new item, and they’re delicious! PB pretzels are our usual staple but I like to mix it up with these. 
• Dark chocolate mint stars – A seasonal item, so grab ‘em if you see ‘em. 
• Peanut butter pretzels – These have gotten us through many a road trip, and are almost always in the pantry.
• Fig and olive crisps – Wonderful for a fancy schmancy cheese board. 
• Sea salt butterscotch caramels – A yummy stocking stuffer!
• Sour Scandinavian swimmers – I would throw myself in front of a moving vehicle to grab a bag of these. Slight exaggeration but honestly not much. 
• Jerk-style plantain chips – These are s-p-i-c-y and I love them, 
• Bamba – A toddler (and mom) staple. 

Frozen Items

• Turkey burgers – Low sodium and good for a quick lunch. Toddler approved, too!
• Stir fry veggies – Great for quick and easy weeknight meals
• Cauliflower rice – I love regular ol’ carb-laden rice, but like having this on hand if I want to lighten things up a bit.
• Frozen organic wild blueberries – Smaller and tastier than regular blueberries.
• Cookie butter ice cream – Good to have in case of emergencies, ya know?

Pantry

• Cookie butter – Good on toast or even (read: especially) by the spoonful. 
• Jalapeno crisps – You know the fried onion crisps you put on top of green bean casserole? Think that, but jalapenos instead. They’re amazing. 
• Sweet jalapeno slices – They come in a jar and I put them on bagels, pizza, salads, anywhere, really. 
• Eggplant spread – Great to kick a sandwich up a notch!
• Cocoa almond spread – TJ’s take on Nutella. 
• Spicy honey sauce – This is absolutely killer drizzled on pizza. Or sourdough bread with a drippy egg. 

Dairy

• Unexpected cheddar – One of my favorite cheeses of all time, and I have eaten a lot of cheese in my life. 
• Greek feta in brine
• Salted butter – They have delicious imported varieties, and I love the ones from France and New Zealand the most. 
• Cheddar cheese with caramelized onion. Buy this if you see it. Such a delight!

Miscellaneous

• Candles – always new scents and just the right size. I love putting them in bathrooms and our guest room. Currently, they have cedar balsam ones which are delightful.
• Greeting cards – they’re $0.99, cute, and witty! You can’t beat that. 

And finally, my mantra for whenever I go to Trader Joe’s…which is roughly once a week: