Favorite Things: Trader Joe’s Edition

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Call me crazy (or even creepy), but I love getting a glimpse of what other people are buying at the grocery store. I have found lots of new and interesting items by “spying” on the person in front of me in the check out lane. Trader Joe’s is one of my very favorite places to shop. I don’t do all of my grocery shopping there, but I do fill in with a lot of their items. Today I thought I would share with you some of my Trader Joe’s favorites.

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Frozen Foods

I usually pick up a few different frozen food items to have on hand for the nights when I am running short on time and need to get dinner on the table fast. Here are some of our favorites.

Fish sticks – My kids love them, they don’t take long to bake, and I often use them as a shortcut when I make fish tacos.

Chicken egg rolls and Chicken lo mein stir fry – This is the perfect meal to pick up for an at-home date night. Bonus: This meal is WAY healthier than any you can order at a Chinese restaurant, so you can enjoy guilt-free.

Frozen fruit and veggies – I love having bags of frozen fruit to throw into smoothies and a bag of frozen veggies to use as a side at dinner. The edamame is one of our favorites!

Beverages

Wine – I love the Charles Shaw (or as many people call it, “two buck Chuck”) red wines. I seriously think they are the best “cheap” wines I have ever had, and at $2.99 a bottle, you just can’t go wrong!

Coffee – Their coffee is really good and they are always offering new varieties. The best part is that the price is just right.

Sparkling water – I have been trying to cut down on my pop consumption, and the Trader Joe’s water is perfect for that. The water is carbonated and is naturally flavored, so I get the fizz I love without the nasty stuff found in pop.

Teas – I am not a huge tea drinker, but I really love a cup of the vanilla peppermint tea (a seasonal item) on a cold winter night.

Miscellaneous Items

Pizza Dough – Trader Joe’s has the best pre-made pizza dough! I keep some on hand for homemade pizzas without the hassle of making my own dough. You can find this in the refrigerated section.

Soup – I LOVE their tomato soup! It is so rich and creamy and is the perfect easy lunch staple.

Salad Dressing – I think Trader Joe’s has some of the best salad dressings around. My current favorites are the peppercorn ranch and the cranberry walnut gorgonzola dressings. You can find both in the refrigerated produce section.

Snacks – I buy a lot of my kids’ snacks at Trader Joe’s. They love the peanut butter stuffed crackers, the alphabet cookies, and the Joe-Joe cookies. Tip: At Christmastime, the peppermint Joe-Joes are a must!

Cheese – I don’t think you can find a better selection of cheese at such a reasonable price any other place – it just can’t be beat! I really like their gouda cheese slices. We often buy their cheese sticks and like their goat cheese for a special treat.

Hummus – One of my favorite Trader Joe’s staples is their hummus. Grab a bag of pita chips and a carton of the three layer hummus (my absolute favorite) and you will have yourself a yummy and healthy snack!

Flowers – One of my new favorite things to do is to pick up a bouquet of fresh flowers for my kitchen table. You can usually get a bunch for $4.00, and for that price I don’t feel guilty about my little splurge to brighten up my home.

For Those with Allergies

I don’t have to worry about any food allergies when I’m shopping, so I asked some of our other DMMB contributors to share some of their favorite products for those of you who might be shopping with an allergy in mind.

Here are some of their recommendations: Tuscan pane bread (dairy/soy free), chocolate covered cranberries (dairy/soy free), almond milk, carrot mango juice (no sugar added), organic brown rice noodles, corn cups, tortillas, freeze dried fruit, Food for Life gluten free bread, Applegate hot dogs (sugar free).

The Trader Joe’s in the Des Moines area can be found at  6305 Mills Civic Pkwy in West Des Moines.

What are your favorite Trader Joe’s items?

8 COMMENTS

  1. My faves: edamame (love it!), frozen mango, dried cranberries and nuts, this AWESOME cashew/almond/dark chocolate snack mix, frozen orange chicken, organic lollypops! (bribery snack), chocolate covered espresso beans (my own bribery snack), almond milk, smoked gouda cheese (delish!), Green Goddess dressing and at Christmas – peppermint JoJos!

  2. I am actually enjoying a cup of their pomegranate white tea right now! Perfect for this chilly day but I have made it and stuck it in the fridge then served over ice…SO refreshing on a warm day! Thanks to my friend Shelby, she pointed me in the direction of the Salted Almond Butter…it is such a great treat on a banana or an apple! My favorite part is how sweet all the employees are! Thanks for sharing your list! I am going to check out some of these!

  3. Salted Almond Butter sounds so yummy! I agree, the employees are nice and helpful. I was just there today and found plantain chips and picked up bag, thought they might make a good snack.

  4. I am also a sucker for their flowers (as is my youngest)! My boys love finding the stuffed pig, “Bacon” and getting the above mentioned organic lollipops. Also, I usually never leave the store without their Roasted Coconut Chips. YUM!

  5. Have you had their Tomato-less Corn Salsa? We no long live in Des Moines but we stock up on just about every jar on the shelf every time we come back to visit. It is so good!

  6. It would be helpful to know if you’re recommended items based on taste or health or cost. It seems like you’re mostly considering taste?

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