Trader Joe's Haul

Trader Joe’s opened here in Sarasota almost a decade ago however it wasn’t until two years ago that I really understood what all the hype was over. If your like me you may be asking yourself, 'do I really need to add another grocery store to my rotation?' Well the answer is — YES and I’m here to tell you why. I will never forget my first trip to TJ’s, I went on a mission to find the coveted ‘Everything But The Bagel’ seasoning. The parking lot looked like the church parking lot on Christmas Eve yet it was Monday morning at 8am. After walking around feeling somewhat overwhelmed I left with the one item I came for. Since TJ’s has mostly their own brand of foods I questioned what was worth trying and not trying. I did some research and read a blog post or two and headed back to the store with my ‘must-try’ list. Since that trip I’ve come up with some of my own favorites as well. These days I do most of my grocery shopping at TJ's and the best part is I spend half the money! This post has taken on a mind of it’s own so I’m breaking it down into three parts. Here you will find a few of our family favorites and my typical Trader Joe's grocery list. Stayed tuned in the coming week for my favorite snacks and 5 easy dinner ideas!
Let’s get started with one of the biggest aisles to navigate - the freezer section.
There are a few things that end up in my cart time and time again; that being the cauliflower gnocchi and cauliflower rice. Never did I think I could come up with so many variations for these pasta and rice substitutes. For the kids I love to keep a frozen pizza in the freezer at all times and they love the frozen jasmine rice. Each box of rice comes with 3 microwaveable bags, I will never boil rice again! If your an entertainer you must grab one of the mushroom and black truffle flatbreads, they're to die for! Mornings can be hectic enough so having easy breakfast choices for the kids is a lifesaver. The kids’ most requested breakfast food are the silver dollar pancakes, just place in the microwave, cut up some fruit and they are happy. Other favorites are the gluten free waffles, cereal and toast with jam. These strawberry bars are great for mid-morning or afternoon snacks too. Oh how I love the snack isle, honestly everything is great but these are some of our favorites. The corn chips and pretzel thins are my personal favorite. Who doesn’t love a good cheese board?! Every time we entertain I make one and TJ’s has the BEST cheese and meat section. In addition these crackers (in the blue box) are my favorite. I buy multiple boxes every trip. Creative spices are what TJ’s is known for. If you don’t have one of each go ahead and screen shot this photo. Your welcome! Fruits & Nuts. The perfect grab and go snack and they have such an amazing variety. Speaking of veggies the fruit & veggies at TJ’s are always fresh and reasonably priced. The cleanup aisle. I randomly tried their multi-purpose spray and instantly loved it. It not only smells great but works well too. I also love these dehydrated sponges, just add water! Lastly, my favorite part - the florals. If you’ve been around for awhile your probably familiar with my love for floral arrangements. 99% of the time I have white hydrangeas sitting on my kitchen counter. TJ’s never disappoints with their floral department, everything from roses to hydrangeas and orchids to succulents. Pro tip: You can place an order for specific flowers at your local store. MY GROCERY LIST Frozen Section Cauliflower rice Cauliflower gnocchi Green beans Organic jasmine rice French fries Cheese pizza Flatbreads - mushroom and black truffle Argentinan shrimp Dollar pancakes Waffles Fruits & Veggies Shaved brussels English and Persian cucumbers Peeled garlic Bagged lettuce Pre-pealed garlic Celery Tomatoes Onion Strawberries Blueberries Bananas Raspberries Mandarin oranges Meat Ground turkey Spatchcocked chicken Chicken pot pie Cubed pot roast meat Hot dogs Grilled chicken breasts (green container) Bread Tortilla Mini bagels Organic soft white bread Sprouted wheat multigrain bread Dairy Greek plain yogurt Strawberry yogurt for kids Shredded cheese Baby bells Whipped cream cheese Spinach & kale greek yogurt dip Snacks Nuts Organic corn chips Pretzel thins White cheddar corn puffs Tortilla chips Veggie Sticks Classic water crackers Brioche toasts Cereal Low-fat granola Honey-O's Non-perishables Black beans Vodka marinara sauce Macaroni pasta Salsa verde Maple syrup No-stir peanut butter Organic strawberry jam Seasonings/Cooking Everything But the Bagel seasoning Chile Lime Onion Salt Everything But The Elote Pink Himalayan Sea Salt Black pepper Olive Oil Spray Coconut Oil Spray Coconut Aminos Sriracha Ranch Dressing Drinks Bottled water Sparkling water Pink Lemonade Tejava Black Ice Tea Deserts Mini hold the cone ice cream cones Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar dark chocolate almonds