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What to Buy From Trader Joe’s – 25 of the Best Items, Including Prices

January 28, 2017 by Jennifer 22 Comments

If anyone has read this blog before, especially the Weekly Dinner Plans, you may already know I’m slightly obsessed with Trader Joe’s. It’s not because shopping there is a novelty. They’re actually the only place I do my grocery shopping every week. But if I had to narrow my obsession down to three reasons, here you go:

This is the ultimate list of the best things to buy from Trader Joe's! #whattobuyfromtraderjoes #traderjoes #groceryshopping #thesearchforimperfection

Why I Love Trader Joe’s

  1. Selection – The stores are very small, and so is the selection. But that’s a good thing because you don’t get tempted with impulse buys.
  2. Quality – Since the stores are so small, they make sure to fill them with quality over quantity. They source ingredients with a mind for healthfulness (don’t take that to mean eating a box of Joe-Joe’s a day is good for you). And they’re always coming out with innovative new things.
  3. Price – There are a few exceptions, but for the most part the prices are very reasonable, and often better than what you would see in a conventional grocery store. I’ve experimented doing all my shopping at both Trader Joe’s and a conventional store. I got better food, spending the same amount, at Trader Joe’s.

No, I’m not getting paid to write this (unless someone from TJ’s was so inclined, I could write a million more articles on why I love the place… like this price comparison with a local grocery store).

But as someone who’s shopped pretty exclusively at Trader Joe’s for the last few years, I sometimes forget that not everyone is fortunate enough to shop there every week. I’ve had friends receive gift certificates to the store and ask for my advice on what they absolutely must  buy, and I realized that was a list I needed to keep handy at all times.

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Even if you shop at Trader Joe’s regularly, we all get stuck in a grocery rut from time to time. It helps for me to see what other people have found there that they can’t live without. Or hearing other people rave about the same things just helps justify why I love the store so much.

One more thing. Before you head to the store, don’t forget your cute handmade reusable shopping totes, and mesh produce bags.

What to Buy at Trader Joe's Including Price

Top 25 Things to Buy From Trader Joe’s

In no particular order, you can’t go wrong with these in your grocery cart.

(These prices are from January 2017 and I’m sure are subject to change depending on store and date.)

Italian Blood Orange Soda , $2.99 – Great in a cocktail or just straight out of the bottle.

Trader Joe's

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Bites, $3.49 – Look out, these will change your life.

Trader Joe's

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, $5.49 – This is a great price for coconut oil. I even use it as my eye makeup remover.

Trader Joe's

Coconut Oil Spray, $2.99 – This is the best pan spray, and I feel healthier using it vs. the stuff with weird random ingredients.

Trader Joe's

Cookie Butter, $3.69 – This is one of those things TJ’s is known for.

Trader Joe's

Gorgonzola Gnocchi, $2.99 – Find it in the frozen section. It’s very easy to make, basically just throw it in a pan and voila! You can either use it as a side dish, or add peas and pancetta for more of a meal.

Trader Joe's

Hollandaise Sauce, $2.99 – Find this one in the refrigerated section kind of by the hummus. It is THE BEST pre-made hollandaise sauce out there. We used to make our own until we discovered this. It makes eggs Benedict so easy!

Trader Joe's

Mandarin Orange Chicken, $4.99 – Another famous TJ’s frozen meal. It’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal. And if the kids are picky, you can keep the sauce off.

Trader Joe's

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, $.99 – It’s just a small little bag… but dare I say they are better than the name brand!

Trader Joe's

Microwave Popcorn, $1.99 – Nothing super special about the flavor, though it’s very good, just a great price and the bags are the perfect little size for an afternoon snack. It’s a household staple for us.

Trader Joe's

Saucy Scallops with Mushrooms, $5.99 – One of my personal favorite stand-by dinners. Like the Gorgonzola Gnocchi, just toss it in a pan and heat it up. We like ours over pasta, but rice would be good too. We often add pancetta or more peas, but totally not necessary.

Trader Joe's

Thai Lime and Chili Cashews, $7.49 – That may seem pricey but it’s quite a large bag, and actually quite reasonable for nuts. These have a little bit of a kick and make for the best snack.

Trader Joe's

Cheese – This one’s hard to narrow down. They have the best variety and amazing prices. My kids will only eat string cheese if it’s from Trader Joe’s. And I save so much money shopping here for our Wine and Cheese Parties!

Trader Joe's

Chicken Enchiladas, $1.99 – I see people literally loading up their carts with the chicken and the cheese enchiladas. These have recently become my favorite lunch to take to work when we don’t have leftovers.

Trader Joe's

Coffee, $6.99 – They have an awesome variety, love the quality, and you can’t beat the price! If you don’t have a grinder at home don’t forget to grind it before you leave the store.

Trader Joe's

Cold Brew Iced Coffee Concentrate, $7.99 – One of my weaknesses, I have an iced coffee every day.

Trader Joe's

Family Style Meat Lasanga, $5.99 – Amazing price and it easily feeds our family of four. The best tasting frozen lasagna I’ve ever had.

Trader Joe's

Mac ‘n Cheese, $2.99 – We always have a couple of these in our freezer. It’s creamy and tastes like real macaroni and cheese.

Trader Joe's

Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $9.99 – This olive oil has won awards, and is an amazing price!

Trader Joe's

Organic Par-Baked Pizza Crusts, $2.99 – Two crusts come in this frozen package. If you like thin crust, this is the easiest tastiest crust. We use it as the base for all kinds of fun and unique pizzas, like this Banh Mi Pizza we had a couple weeks ago.

Trader Joe's

Organic Jasmine Rice, $3.49 – Not the most cost effective when you compare to making commodity rice, but it’s fluffy and delicious and comes out perfect every time. We always have some handy to pair with Orange Chicken, or anything needing rice.

Trader Joe's

Flowers, $3.99 – Even though there’s so much amazing food at Trader Joe’s, I was just as excited about the flowers when our local TJ’s opened. They always have a beautiful selection and the prices are unbeatable. Makes it easy to always have fresh flowers around the house.

Trader Joe's

Sourdough Bread, $2.99 – Another well-known fave. This bread is a great price, great ingredients, and great flavor.

Trader Joe's

Peanut Butter, $2.29 – Ingredients: Dry Roasted Peanuts. Enough said.

Trader Joe's

Beer Bread Mix, $2.79 – Just add beer and butter, and an hour later you have the most amazing freshly baked bread. This is a new discovery for me but it quickly became one of my favorites.

Trader Joe's

And there you have it folks. What are the things YOU can’t live without from Trader Joe’s?

You might also like these!

  • Handmade grocery totes
  • Complete grocery checklist
  • Shopping cart cover for the baby
  • Produce bags
  • And check out this awesome window herb planter from FloridejaGreenUp on Etsy

Etsy Herb Planter

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Filed Under: Favorites, Homemaking, Money Tagged With: budget, grocery, shopping, trader joes

Previous Post: « Weekly Dinner Plan #54 | 7 Nights of Dinner Ideas to Help You Eat at Home
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jamie Steele says

    January 30, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    I see some new things I'm going to have to try. The Thai spiced nuts sound delish!
    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      January 30, 2017 at 9:49 pm

      They are REALLY good!
      Reply
  2. Becca Michelle says

    January 30, 2017 at 1:17 pm

    This made me want to go shopping at Trader Joe's so badly! I work around the corner from one, it's the best! Trying to narrow down my favorites is hard! I simply adore their PB stuffed pretzels, I also love to get just raw nuts from them. I love to create my own trail mix ! I also love the coconut oil spray you mentioned, it's awesome!
    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      January 30, 2017 at 9:50 pm

      I know, that was the problem I had when a few friends asked me what they should get. I figured I should start a list!
      Reply
  3. Becky @ Disney in your Day says

    January 30, 2017 at 1:24 pm

    Yum, we love Trader Joe's! Their frozen meals are great, we especially like the mac and cheese (and the lower guilt one too). And of course cookie butter!
    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      January 30, 2017 at 9:51 pm

      Oooh I haven't tried the lower guild Mac and cheese, I'll have to give it a whirl!
      Reply
  4. Skylar Allen says

    January 30, 2017 at 2:21 pm

    I'll take one of everything on this list! Love Trader Joe's! xo, Skylar www.styledbyskylar.com
    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      January 30, 2017 at 9:51 pm

      Me too, my fave!
      Reply
  5. Katbe says

    February 3, 2017 at 4:49 pm

    My new favorite is the gluten free chocolate chip and ginger crisp cookies. We bought some because my husband is gluten intolerant. I tried them and they are better than the regular cookies. Win!
    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      February 3, 2017 at 10:56 pm

      Oooooh nice, I'll have to try those!
      Reply
    • Linda says

      May 19, 2019 at 12:57 pm

      I bought the ginger cookies for my husband during my last visit to Trader Joe's and that was a mistake!! I am trying to do Keto and I made the mistake of trying one. They are the best I couldn't eat just one.
      Reply
  6. Diana says

    April 18, 2017 at 8:30 pm

    I love Trader Joe's too and think your list is great--it definitely contains a number of new-to-me products I'll be trying out. I would also add the following: vegetarian fried rice, chicken pot stickers, ming gyoza sauce, sprouted grain bread, olive bread, Cliff bars, broccoli slaw, almond butter, greeting cards, and frozen almond croissants :)
    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      April 18, 2017 at 10:14 pm

      How have I not seen the frozen almond croissants?!?!? Great additions, thanks Diana:)
      Reply
    • Stacie Colby says

      September 6, 2017 at 8:22 pm

      Agree, the croissants are at the top of my list chocolate, almond or regular.
      Reply
  7. Lucy says

    September 5, 2019 at 7:39 am

    My “fill up the cart” goodies are Japanese Style Fried Rice, Speculoos cookies, Neapolitan Joe-Joe’s, and Popcorn in a Pickle (last two are seasonal).
    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 7, 2019 at 5:12 pm

      Ooooh, good ones! The fried rice is also a staple here.
      Reply

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Welcome, I'm Jen! I'm here to offer realistic (sometimes semi-green) parenting, eating, and homemaking tips so that you can embrace life and let go of perfection. Because if I can do it, you can do it! Get to know more of Jen →

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Welcome, I'm Jen! I'm here to offer realistic (sometimes semi-green) parenting, eating, and homemaking tips so that you can embrace life and let go of perfection. Because if I can do it, you can do it! Get to know more of Jen →

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