100+ Items I Can't Live Without From Trader Joe's & Recipes That Use Them
✅ My pantry, fridge & freezer staples that are always in rotation! A MASSIVE 100+ items grocery haul list 🛒 with recipe links how to USE what you buy! Plus the products that I avoid and why! 🚫
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What Makes Trader Joe’s So Great
I’ve been shopping at Trader Joe’s since the early 2000s in San Diego, so give or take ~25 years. And I’ve tried just about everything they sell!
I’ve ready many, many articles on their business model, their success, and their cult-like following.
For those who don’t know, Trader Joe’s has a fraction of the SKUs or items that regular grocery stores sell. This is an advantage because everything on their shelves is “important” and sells well - or should. Whereas mainstream grocery stores have lots of dead weight. i.e. those 22 jars of pickled cocktail onions that they may never sell but still take up valuable shelf space and someone (you the customer) is paying higher prices to cover the overhead.
If an item doesn’t sell, Trader Joe’s does away with it. So even though you may have loved something like those dill pickle-flavored peanuts, if it doesn’t seem to catch on with most customers, ba-bye. There’s no room for things that don’t perform in their small stores. So if you find a new item you love and can’t imagine your life without it, buy a dozen. Not kidding. You may never see it again when that run is done if it’s not a performer.
They private label much of what’s in their stores direct from suppliers, thus reducing the middleman, which reduces costs to them, and they can pass it onto consumers.
Bottom line, Trader Joe’s is the most reasonable place for me to shop on many, many items. I currently have a two-person household (my husband and I because my daughter is at college), and we live in a very small house in urban San Diego. No closet space, no basement, no garage, no shed, no storage. That means no Costco for me! So while Costco may be technically cheaper, it’s only cheaper if I have a place to store what I’m buying or can use it up before it goes bad. Here’s looking at you that 5 pound container of mixed nuts which will go rancid before we consume them.
The atmosphere is fun, the marketing is always great and eye-catching, they accept returns on anything, no questions asked, their employees seem to genuinely like their jobs and want to help shoppers, and the vibe is just good. If you ever don’t see something you came in search of, the managers are super receptive for quickly checking the inventory status of your item, when it’s coming back (hopefully it is) and/or other stores in your area that may have it.
They also do seasonal foods so, so well. Especially pumpkin spice season (which starts in late August-early September), pre-Thanksgiving, and then Christmas stuff. Wow from seasonal pumpkin spice crackers to hot pepper jelly to stuffing-in-a-box to the best selection of peppermint anything, they really really do it right.
Table of Contents for This Haul
What you’ll find below includes my picks ✅ (and avoids 🚫 when applicable) for the following categories AND recipes that you can make using said items:
Frozen Foods
Chips, Crackers, Salty Snacks
Cheese
Deli Meats, Charcuterie, Other Meats
Dairy and Eggs
Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, Salads & Prepared Foods
Condiments, Oils, Extras, Randoms
Bread, Granola Bars, Sweeter Snacks
Personal Care, Pet, Household Products
Alcohol
Fresh Flowers and Plants
Frozen Foods
Freezer food is a huge section and category. My Hillcrest, San Diego store is very crowded and this section is particularly chaotic. That’s another thing…if you’re going to TJs, if possible avoid weekends (especially midday/afternoons) and pre-holidays!
Turkey Meatballs - I love these for the high protein/low cal nature. 18 grams of protein for 150 calories in 3 meatballs. Heat them up in the microwave and 90 seconds and I personally dice them up and put them over big salads like my 12 superfoods salad.
Mini Frozen Pizzas - A kid and teenager favorite. Enough said. Much cheaper than name brands at regular grocery stores. I don’t tend to buy their bigger frozen pizzas regularly, although I have and there’s many types of larger frozen pizzas to suit your liking.
Mandarin Orange Chicken - I’ve read that this is one of their most popular, highest, selling items of all time. This is definitely a cult, favorite! If you like chicken thighs, this is for you. Otherwise make my Healthier Orange Chicken!
Indian Butter Chicken - I really love their Indian butter, chicken! I think between this chicken and the orange chicken, that Trader Joe’s does a better job on the Indian butter chicken. However, both are very popular. Or make my Indian butter chicken, you won’t be disappointed!
Chicken Tikka Masala - Also a big winner. I love this! It’s just spicy enough, it’s indulgent, it’s just really good if you’re not making your own Chicken Tikka Masala.
Chicken Fried Rice (or Vegetable Fried Rice) - Nothing is as good as my Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice (or my Shrimp Fried Rice) but if you don’t have time or energy to cook, this is a great shortcut and I find it’s good for after school snacks, pre or post workout snack, or as a side to another protein-forward main dish.
Basmati Rice - Plain frozen rice that is so versatile and useful as a side for most anything.
Chicken Soup Dumplings - They went crazy on TikTok and kids and people of all ages seem to love these! I’m not a dumpling person in general, but my daughter adores these things.
Potstickers (Chicken or Pork Shu Mai) - I’ve always got a pack of these in the freezer. My daughter is more partial to the chicken version (red package vs blue package for the pork) so that’s what I tend to buy more.
Coconut Shrimp - If you’re not making homemade coconut shrimp, these are a good option. They bake really nicely (do not microwave) and have rich coconut flavor. Serve them with orange-chili dipping sauce.
Frozen Vegetables - This is where I always get my frozen peas, frozen artichoke hearts (they have been hit and miss in the last year, but when they have them, I always buy a couple bags) but I make The Best Spinach and Artichoke Dip with them; frozen corn and fire-roasted corn, edamame both shelled for my winning Cashew Chicken and in the shell, just any frozen veg I need, this is where I grab it.
Frozen Fruit - Their berry medley, mango chunks, frozen blueberries, mixed berries, strawberries, any frozen fruit at all - this is where to buy it! Many options come in both organic and conventional, and either way their prices are great.
Ice Cream - Their cookie butter (speculoos) ice cream is absolutely incredible! I’m not even a huge ice cream fan but the sheer quantity of cookie butter that they put in it is just next level! My husband really likes their strawberry ice cream.
Mini Hold The Cones Ice Cream - If you’re trying to be mindful about portion control, this is the way to eat an ice cream cone with that in mind.
Puff Pastry - In my area, this is a November and December seasonal item. If you’re making recipes that use puff pastry, now is the time to stock up and just keep it in your freezer!
Pie Crusts - another semi-seasonal item for me with luck in fourth quarter, but if you’re making pie and you’re not making your own pie crust, here you go.
🚫 I have some avoids and would not buy again because we just don’t like them and I think they’re too expensive for what they are based on taste/flavor/quality.