Favorite Trader Joe's Products
Are you an experienced Trader Ho looking to try out some different items? Never tried Trader Joe’s and wondering what all the fuss is about? Do you love TJ’s but can’t get it in your area? Then I’ve got the list for you.
To me, Trader Joe’s is great for making quick meals, snacks, and feeding one to two people. If you’re cooking for a large family, you’re probably not buying the majority of your food here, because it’s all curated. It’s designed for particular tastes, and not necessarily picky palates. I’ve tried plenty of products that I didn’t even finish, but I passed them on to a friend and they loved it.
If I’m going to be home alone, I go straight to Trader Joe’s to plan out my meals because I can get exactly what I want, not worrying about other people’s preferences. Want to just eat prosciutto and cheese for dinner? Trader Joe’s! Need to make dinner for your inlaws who don’t like to try new things? Maybe head to a market (or got out).
I also have a ton of favorite items that I try to always keep on hand, and here they are:
PANTRY ITEMS
These are items you can stock up on. If you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s there are even nice people who buy and resell it on Amazon for a big mark-up. If you do this, watch those prices! To me it kind of defeats the purpose of TJ’s low prices, but if you have the funds, GO OFF! The photos link to Amazon because TJ’s does not sell its products online.
Salsa Verde
I put this on everything! I personally LOVE tomatillo more than tomato salsa, and this is the best one. I buy 2-3 jars of this at a time because it’s the only salsa I want. It’s very mild, with no heat at all, so if you like heat you need some hot sauce!
Taco Seasoning Mix
This stuff is also addictive. One of my favorite easy meals to make at home is nachos with all TJ products. I cook onion, pepper, ground turkey, and this taco seasoning (then add black beans). The package says to use half a packet, so start out with just half. It does have a kick to it if you use the whole packet, but also a lot of salt. I wish they made a reduced-sodium version of this because I like to use the whole package.
Speculoos Cookie Butter
This was my first TJ’s obsession! It’s delicious on animal crackers. If you’ve never had it, I’d recommend trying it. It’s a speculoos cookie ground up into a peanut butter texture. You can spread it on anything. This is my Nutella…because I hate hazelnut.
Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend
I think everyone is hip to this stuff by now. It’s all the stuff that comes on an everything bagel, sesame seeds, garlic, onion, and salt. There are tons of knockoff versions. You can get this at Aldi too, but I think Trader Joe’s is better. My favorite things to sprinkle it on are avocado toast, chicken, and salad. Don’t forget it has salt, so you don’t need to add additional salt.
Miso Ginger Broth
I learned how to make a Wonton soup base from scratch with ginger in a tube, but this is tastier and easier than making it yourself. I buy the TJ frozen pork potstickers and make my own wonton soup.
Hint of Lime Tortilla Chips
Trader Joe’s has a lot of chips, and I haven’t tried them all because I love these so much. They make nachos have an extra kick of flavor. They are also very thick and crunchy chips which make them spectacular for nachos.
FROZEN FOODS
I’ve had my fair share of frozen foods in the past, but the quality here is unmatched. I always try to stock up on some items to have in the freezer for nights when I don’t want to cook, or just want to reach for something comforting.
Lightly Breaded Fish Sticks
These say they are reduced fat, and they aren’t greasy. This is a nostalgia food for me. I like to bake them really crispy and then dip in a ton of ketchup mixed with hot sauce. They pair well with boxed mac and cheese to make my ideal kid lunch.
Orange Chicken
This is one of the first things I ever bought at TJ’s and I continue to buy it. There’s a lot of frozen orange chicken, but to me this has the most chicken rather than breading, it’s a large portion, and the orange tastes like real orange and not flavoring.
Frozen Pizza
This is the first place I tried cauliflower pizza crust. You can also buy just the frozen crust and add your own toppings. They have a pizza with uncured pepperonis, which is my go-to, and but I also love the brick oven-style cheese pizza. They have a lot of different kinds to choose from and I haven’t had a bad one yet.
Frozen Meals - Indian Food
All the Frozen Indian Food is a good quality in my opinion, but I’m not an expert. Trying out these meals helped me learn different Indian dishes so I knew what I liked and what to order when I go to a restaurant. Chickpea Masala and Lamb Vindaloo are my favorites. Their frozen naan is microwavable but better in the oven. I have literally made this meal in a hotel microwave and it was better than any takeout I could have gotten in the area I was staying.
Pork Gyoza Potstickers
They also sell a chicken variety but these have more flavor to me. There are a million ways you can eat there. Fry them in a pan or air fryer for a crispy outside texture. My favorite way to eat them is in soup. I either make my own broth or buy the Miso Ginger Broth linked above. You can also add onion and bok choy to make it a full meal.
HEALTH AND BEAUTY
I’ve started turning more and more to TJ’s skincare products because they don’t have dyes and fragrances. When you read the ingredients, you actually recognize the names of things. They are also very inexpensive compared to other skincare items out there. If you try something and you don’t like it, you’re not out 30 bucks.
Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion - SPF15
This is the moisturizer I swear by because it has sunscreen! Usually, I can get my foundation or BB cream to have UV protection, but in moisturizer?? It feels like a regular moisturizer, not sunscreen that clogs up your pores. I put this on first thing in the morning, and sometimes throughout the day. I’ve been using it for several years at this point and have gone through multiple bottles. I recently realized I don’t need to wear it at night and have focused more on night creams at night.
Rose Water Facial Toner
This is so refreshing, and a spray bottle! Because I was a Clinique teen (everything broke me out), I know that toner is a very important part of a 3-step cleansing process, but I usually skipped it. I’ve also tried a natural tomato toner and that was no bueno. This toner is (like I said before) a refreshing spray you can sprtiz on your face after a shower, when you wake up, before applying moisturizer, or just anytime you need a little misting. The rose scent is very mild, but if you’re Catholic, it might trigger other memories.
Tea Tree Tingle Body Wash, Shampoo and conditioner
Lavender Salt Scrub
Have you ever exfoliated your whole body? Now you can! You just stir up the scrub, scoop out a handful in the shower, and scrub all over your body, and then rise off. The salt washes away but the oil stays on your skin to hydrate it. Be careful, it is salt so if you have any cuts or scrapes it will sting. Try to avoid that area or wait until it’s healed up.
Chewable Melatonin, Peppermint Flavor, 3mg
If you need help falling asleep, these are gentle supplements to make it easier. They are chewable and peppermint, and also only 3 mg. According to my doctor, 3 mg is all we need, and I trust her.
Misc…
CARDS
I love their greeting cards! A TJ card with a gift card inside is a simple but helpful gift. They all feature hand-drawn art.
FLOWERS
They also have fresh flowers and potted plants at a reasonable price, whatever is in season. In the fall they have cinnamon brooms. I love them because they make your house smell like Halloween.
I’m an Amazon Associate so I earn when people click over to Amazon from my website. This doesn’t cost you any extra money, but it does help support the blog. There’s no pressure to buy any of the products linked. If you like one of the products above, make sure to shop around and find the best price. These are just my recommendations and I’m all about a deal!