Trader Joe’s Haul #myfavs

Attention Boston readers, Trader Joes will officially be opening up in the Seaport! Rumor has it that Wegmans will soon make its way there too, every upstate New Yorkers dream #goorange. But for today we'll focus on TJ's, only the best place to stock up on some of my favorites, like Cauliflower Gnocchi and the newly discovered Cinnamon Bun Spread. Pro tip can be eaten with just a spoon.

SWEETS

Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds: Almonds are healthy and so is dark chocolate, put these in your cart.

Organic Pumpkin Spice Granola Bark: During my last shop I wanted something sweet and figured I'd try these, honestly, they're pretty good but definitely have a bit of spiciness to them.

Trader Joe's Dunkers: Cookies that can easily be dunked into your glass of milk. I was introduced to these over a year ago and loved them, but are dangerous when kept in the house.

Scandinavian Swimmers: Most of you know gummies are my favorite treat. Can't resist a pack of these every now and again.

PRODUCE & MAINS

Mini Avocados: 5 mini avocados for $3.99, count me in. I never use the entire avocado when they are on the larger side and usually put half in the fridge, to only turn brown three hours later. The small ones are almost equivalent to half a large one and there's far less waste. Saving the planet one avocado at a time.

Mini Heirloom Tomatoes: I purchase these every time I'm at Trader Joe’s. They’re colorful, full of delicious heirloom flavors, and the perfect addition to a salad, caprese, or simply popping them into your mouth for a healthy snack.

Thomcord Seedless Grapes: Such a delicious and beautiful grape that you can’t get anywhere else! Sold typically toward the end of the summer. I used these for the first time in a salad and they offered the perfect amount of sweet. They kind of taste like grape soda too...

Spinach and Baby Kale: So inexpensive compared to other grocery stores. I love throwing these ready to eat greens in my salads and smoothies.

Sweet Corn, Burrata, & Basil Ravioli: They're baaaaack. Trader Joe's launched these seasonal ravioli—stuffed with sweet corn, burrata, and basil. The pasta's biggest fans recommend keeping the sauce simple, just some butter and fresh-cracked pepper.

Everything but the Bagel Seasoned Smoked Salmon: Trader Joe's finally did with their prolific Everything but the Bagel seasoning what fans have been doing for years: They've added it to prepackaged, pre sliced smoked salmon. Smoked salmon is one of my all time favorites and pairs perfectly with cream cheese and a bagel on Sunday morning.

DAIRY, DIPS & SAUCES

Avocado Citrus Greek Yogurt: Guava and passion fruit join forces to bring a deliciously tropical flavor to this smooth and creamy whole milk Greek yogurt.

Chocolate Hummus: An unlikely combination at first glance, one would understand why chocolate hummus could cause confusion. But trust me that this vegan dip is the perfect blend of ingredients to make you feel like you're indulging without actually eating chocolate frosting out of a jar. It would be delicious with cookies, strawberries, bananas, a spoon, etc.

Organic Spicy Avocado Hummus: A new hummus with a kick would've been good enough, but TJ's went above and beyond by adding avocado. A slow clap for this one.

Feta Cheese and Goat Cheese: These are wayyyy cheaper at TJ's and perfect to top on a salad or throw in a veggie wrap. Yum. Cheese.

Cottage Cheese: I know cottage cheese is one of the most controversial cheeses, but it's so healthy and great when paired with fruit or crackers. Also, when I make scrambled eggs, I usually mix in cottage cheese and they're SO fluffy. Everyone I've told this trick to was initially grossed out but after eating it, they really like the combination!

Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip: I liked this dip but didn't love this dip. That might be because I'm used to the unhealthy version, but it is a great alternative for Sunday game day.

Unexpected Cheddar: This is the number one cheese at Trader Joe's. End of story.

Blueberry Vanilla Chevre Goat Cheese: Make sure this is on your charcuterie board. It's also low on salt and on sugar.

Burrata: Who doesn't love burrata? On a salad? On a pizza? With fresh bread and olive oil?

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower & Onion Dip: I meant to grab this on my last trip, but they didn't have any left. Stay tuned.

White Bean and Basil Hummus: I'm a huge fan of the white bean hummus. Could easily eat the entire thing with carrots and wheat thins.

Tomato-less Corn Salsa: Mix this with some cherry tomatoes, avocado, pepper jack cheese cubes and black beans for an amazing chip dip.

Creamy Pink Primavera Pasta Sauce: If you're looking for a new, healthier pasta sauce option, this pretty pink sauce is made with a mix of tomatoes, beets, cauliflower, and chickpeas. Half a cup (the suggested serving size) has 130 calories, 3 grams of protein, and 6 grams of sugar.

FROZEN

Cauliflower Gnocchi: Shop before noon if you want even half a chance of finding these in stock. And don't follow the cooking directions on the back of the bag: Just toss them right into a pan with olive oil or butter.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust: Top it off with marinara sauce or pesto, cheese, and all the veggies.

Quinoa Duo with Vegetable Mélange: This has an Indian spices vibe to it and take only 10 minutes to make, great for nights when you don't feel like cooking but want something healthy. It gets a B on Fooducate and only 220 calories per serving.

Eggplant Cutlets: These were a staple in my diet when I first moved to Boston, I'd mix it with my favorite Rao's sauce, peas and corn. Weird I know. But when you're on a budget after moving to a brand-new city, this will do.

Meatless Meatballs: I was a vegetarian for an entire year (still not eating chicken) but these are a great alternative to add to a bowl of spaghetti.

Riced Cauliflower Stir Fry: Just add a little egg and soy sauce into the frying pan with your mix and walaaaa, a healthy fried rice alternative.

Organic Mixed Berry Blend: Honestly, all of the frozen fruit at Trader Joe's gets the greenlight from me, I love making smoothies and having these bags on hand at all times makes it so easy. I even buy the frozen spinach to make sure I'm getting my veggie fill too.

Frozen Veggies (Peas and Corn): Just frozen veggies.

Unsweetened Organic Acai Puree Packets: For those Saturday mornings when you don't feel like venturing out for your favorite Acai bowl. Blend the packet it up and toss on some fruit, nuts, chia seeds, peanut butter. Whatever your fancy.

Riced Cauliflower Bowl: This is a premade dinner, and a good one at that. I feel like when I'm eating anything with cauliflower it must be healthy. Plus this gets a B+ on Fooducate. I should probably share what Fooducate is... it's a mobile app that scans your food and grades it based on the nutritional value. I typically use it on premade food because I like to know what I'm putting in my body without having to google every single ingredient, and it's fairly reliable.

Potato Pancakes: These pancakes seem a lot like hash browns at a glance. However, the potatoes are soft and almost doughy on the inside, which makes them feel a lot more like traditional pancakes. Just don’t pair them with maple syrup; these babies are salty and savory! If you’re looking for something to dip them in, I'd suggest plain Greek yogurt.

Quinoa Cowboy with Black Beans & roasted Corn veggie burger: Sometimes I eat these patties without the bun or veggies and just mustard. I know that sounds like an awfully sad dinner but it's actually pretty good. And they're really easy to cook on the stove.

Carrot & Pea Vegetable Patties or Cauliflower and Broccoli Patties: These patties were also a fan fav when I first moved to Boston with no money, I'd usually cook them on the stove and dip them in plain Greek yogurt. Or you can do sour cream. Sometimes my dinners are very weird. I've been told I eat like a bird...

Mac and Cheese: I haven't bought this in a LONG time for obvious reasons but it's so good. Gives off a similar vibe to Stouffer’s mac and cheese.

SNACKS

Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels: save yourself the grief of eating boring old pretzels and grab some of these for a salty/crunchy outside, and creamy/peanutbuttery inside. Fair warning, it's easy to eat 6 handfuls at once.

Blue Chips: Tortilla chips, except they're blue.

Giant Peruvian Inca Corn Salted Crunchy Snack: I think these are an acquired taste, they're really crunchy and really salty. Will easily satisfy your savory craving at night.

Olive Oil Popcorn: I’m a huge popcorn lover, and although I make most of my popcorn at home, I love the lightness and flavor of this low-calorie, low-fat popcorn option.

Tortilla Chips Seasoned with Brussels Sprouts: I know these sound reallllly weird but they are very tasty on their own or with some guac. Also, brussel sprouts are a good source of calcium, iron, and potassium, and each 11-chip serving does provide a small percentage of each toward your daily value.

Corn, Pea, Bean & Quinoa Crisps: If you're looking for a healthier alternative to potato chips, you might want to consider these chips. Made with a blend of veggies, beans, and healthy grains, these chips pack a powerful nutritional punch.

Fall Leaf Corn Tortilla Chips: These tortilla chips are just begging to be put out at your next fall party. They're like your typical chips but come shaped and colored like fall leaves.

Fancy Medjool Dates: I just discovered these on my last visits, and they are HUGE but also have pits so beware. Dates are a great healthy snack and are extra good when dipped in peanut butter (I get the TJ's pb, it has one ingredient, peanuts).

Plantain Chips: “healthy” chips that are made with plantains, toasted (not fried), and salted for a crunchy texture and great flavor. Great on-the-go snack!

SIDES & CONDIMENTS

Green Goddess Dressing: Found in the produce section and usually gone by 11 am, get there fast. I would suggest stocking up but the ingredients are so fresh that it has to be used within a week or two.

Peanut Butter: Most brand name pb's have so many ingredients, some that I can't even pronounce. The TJ's PB only has one, and costs $1.99. Yes, please.

Horseradish Aioli: Sooooo good on a roast beef sandy with lettuce, tomato and onion. Wish I was having that for dinner.

Vegan Kale, Cashew, And Basil Pesto: The tub says "vegan," but this isn't just a fan-fav amongst veg-heads. Even meat eaters can't get enough.

Creamy Pink Primavera Pasta Sauce: It makes your pasta turn pink #pretty and its healthy.

Cinnamon Bun Spread: If you're a fan of cookie butter, you're gonna love this stuff. This spread tastes like the delicious inside of a cinnamon bun. You could put it on pretzels, bread, or a spoon.

Everything But the Bagel Seasoning: TJ's regulars went BONKERS for this when it came out, and now it's a staple in most people's spice cabinets.

DRINKS

Spiced Apple Cider - This is a household fave and actually tastes like apple pie. I’ve never found a person who doesn't love it.

Green Plant - for days when you need to get your juices (literally) flowing and reintroduce those greens to your system. It’s a really sweet drink that’s perfect for enjoying with savory breakfast or lunch items.

2 Buck Chuck - aka $2 bottles of wine.

RANDOM

Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer: After reading about this lotion on the internet I decided to give it a try. No regrets here. My face feels hydrated and fresh, I also love the gel texture. And it's only $8.99.

Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion: It’s the perfect moisturizer for my skin and has 15 SPF because hello who wants sunspots? Also, I’m pale AF and need SPF, even in the dead of winter.

Organic Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup: Yum.

Organic Creamy Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Soup: I love soup.

Flowers: Sunflowers, Hydrangeas, Baby's Breath. Without fail, I always find myself in the flower section first. At the top of my list are sunflowers, hydrangeas or baby’s breath. Baby's breath lasts forever. Even when the water dries up, they still remain white and don't look dead. I think I had a bouquet in my room for 5 months. One because I forgot about them and two because they still looked really cute and I can always use some #greenery. Even if they're dead. Lol. Also, most of their bouquet’s costs $6.99, a cost I can justify. Plus, they look way better than fake flowers.

Chia Seeds: chia seeds are all the rage the days and for good reason. I always like to keep a bag of these seeds stocked in my pantry for chia seed pudding, toast toppings and green smoothies.

Greeting Cards: my favorite place to get greeting cards is at Trader Joe’s! They totally fit my taste when it comes to aesthetics because they’re simple, upbeat, and not overly commercialized. Best part is that they’re a whopping dollar.

Organic White Quinoa: Only takes 20 minutes to make and a great alternative for the "unhealthy" pasta carb.

What are some of your Trader Joe's favs???