Good morning! The sun is shining in Charlotte and I’m sitting at my desk drinking coffee and getting some work done before I head out to teach yoga. I pick Finn up from preschool after class and cannot wait to see his sweet face! Seriously, it just makes my whole day to walk to the door of his classroom and hear him shout, “MOMMY!”
I have that Trader Joe’s recap that I promised you in my last post. I had been wanting to get to Trader Joe’s for several weeks but kept pushing it off because it didn’t work easily in my schedule. I like shopping there but neither of the two Charlotte stores are super convenient for me to get to so I find myself doing one big TJ’s trip every 2-3 months to stock up on my favorites.
It was 40 degrees and raining on the day I visited Trader Joe’s so I popped into Waterbean Coffee to get a hot latte to sip while I shopped. I told the barista that I wanted an oat milk latte with a little bit of flavor but nothing too sweet. She recommended the brown sugar syrup and used just the right amount to give my drink a hint of flavor and sweetness. I will definitely order this again. I haven’t had fresh flowers in the house in months so I decided to treat myself to a fall-themed bouquet. One of the best parts of shopping at Trader Joe’s is the incredible fresh flower selection at affordable prices!
I never have a list or a plan when I shop at Trader Joe’s. I just know I’m going to restock on my favorite items and then stay open to trying whatever else looks good and interesting. $200 later this is where we ended up!
Here’s a detailed breakdown of what I bought. I’m going to place an asterisk next to the items that are favorites I buy over and over again.
PANTRY THINGS
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Well rested herbal tea
- Organic basmati rice
- Coconut aminos*
- Dog treats*
- Coconut milk
- Hearts of palm
- Yogi Ginger Tea* (they have the best price on this tea and it’s one of my all-time faves)
- Dolmades stuffed with quinoa* – I love to keep a can of Trader Joe’s dolmades on hand in my pantry. Usually they’re stuffed with rice – this was the first time I’ve tried the quinoa ones but they’re good!
- Creamy salted almond butter* – great price, great texture/consistency
- Yogurt covered pretzels* – one of my favorite sweet snacks
- Sauerkraut* – this was supposed to go with the refrigerated items but I forgot it in the picture. This is a GREAT raw and fermented sauerkraut. Very similar to Wild Brine but several dollars cheaper.
- Goddess dressing
- Organic ranch dressing
- Strawberry Bars* – for Finn’s lunchbox
- Roasted salted pecans
- Sparkling green tea with pineapple juice* – I discovered this sparkling tea over the summer and it’s so delicious! Only 10 calories per can with no artificial sweeteners – just a hint of sweetness from the pineapple juice but no strong pineapple flavor. Light and refreshing! Perfect to pour into a wine glass for an evening refresher.
- Plantain chips* – Finn now calls all plantain chips “monkey chips” because of the monkey on the front of this bag. We both love these.
- Penne pasta – just needed to restock the pantry and this pasta shape works for so many quick dishes
- Kitchari – new favorite item alert!!! I have been craving kitchari lately and wanting to make a homemade batch. I saw this ready to eat pouch and decided to give it a try. I ate it for lunch when I got home and it was just lovely! Warm, comforting and just the right amount of spice/heat. I wish I’d have purchased several packages of this because it’s a great healthy two-minute meal!
- Organic shelled hemp seeds*
- Indian Style Flatbread – I scooped up my kitchari with this and will keep it in the freezer to enjoy with soups and curries.
FREEZER THINGS
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Trader Joe’s has the BEST freezer selection of any grocery store when it comes to interesting and delicious things to stock your freezer with. I have to practice major restraint when I am there and always have to do freezer reorganization when I get home to fit everything!
- Bulgar pilaf with butternut squash and feta cheese – first time trying and excited to try!
- Riced cauliflower stir fry* – I’ve bought this countless times. Such an easy dinner with shrimp or ground turkey/chicken and a scrambled egg.
- Cacio e Pepe Gnocchi – I always get the gorgonzola gnocchi but decided to switch it up and try this new to me flavor this time.
- Fish nuggets – for Finn.
- Kimchi and Tofu Soup – first time trying and will report back
- Breaded Gluten-Free Chicken Breast Nuggets* – these are my personal favorite store-bought chicken nuggets. I could care less that they’re gluten-free – I just love the way they cook up in the air fryer and they’re perfect for throwing on top of a salad.
- Japchae Korean Sweet Potato Glass Noodles and Vegetable Stir Fry – first time buying
- Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice* – TJs does a nice job with their prepared Indian food
- Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings* – do yourself a favor and try these! They’re delightful!
- Mushroom Medley*
- Cherries
- Turkey Meatballs* – Finn likes these tossed with marinara sauce for an easy dinner protein. I like them too!
REFRIGERATED THINGS
- Chicken meatballs – first time purchasing but it had one of those little “crew favorite” signs next to them and I’m a sucker for those.
- Herbed tahini sauce – saw a friend post on Instagram about putting this sauce on her bowls so of course I had to try.
- Cilantro dressing* – favorite for salads and grain bowls
- Smoked salmon*
- Tomato feta soup
- Organic hummus*
- Spinach and Kale Greek Yogurt Dip*
- Sweet Italian Sausage Chicken Sausage – always a great price on chicken sausage at TJs
PRODUCE
I kept it super tame with produce. I usually buy at least one of the chopped salad kits and some various vegetable blends but I’ve been trying to buy more from the farmers market this fall and I just didn’t need a lot.
- Shallot and garlic
- Organic rainbow carrots
- SweetTango apples
- Organic broccoli florets
- Sweet onions
I was disappointed that I couldn’t find a few of my favorite items like pepita salsa, regular dolmades, greek chickpeas and romesco dip but I overheard one of the store associates saying they’re having a hard time getting certain things in right now. I did see an abundance of appetizing holiday items and had to practice major restraint not to add it all to my cart!
Until next time Trader Joe’s! You’re always good to me! 🙂
QUESTIONS
Tell me all of your recent Trader Joe’s finds! What are you loving right now?
Is there anything you always have to buy at Trader Joe’s or make a special trip to TJs just to buy?
Have to have pepita salsa. 😋I buy 4 to 6 jars when ever I go. Trader Joe’s is not convenient for me either. I may get there 1x every 2 to 3 months.
You better believe that I’m stocking up on multiple jars next time I see it! That stuff is SO good! 🙂
Love the turkey meatballs and the newer chicken ones too ! The dill dressing and dark chocolate pb cups and graham crackers are must buys for me too. The ten minute farro is great too and the new French onion focaccia is delicious ! Love TJs,,, so much good stuff !
Oh I saw that focaccia – I’m going to have to try it out! I literally have fun when I shop at TJs. So many delicious and interesting things to try out.