Must Have Items From Trader Joe’s
The newest rage to reach the Houston skyline is a little crunchy store named Trader Joe’s. I went earlier this summer when one opened nearby in The Woodlands and I have been in love ever since. It is not a typical grocery store. There are only 4 aisles, hardly any name brands and some very unique items all wrapped up in great prices. Walking into Trader Joe’s for the first time can be a challenge since the items are so different. What do you buy? Today I’m going to share a few of my family’s favorite must have items to give you a little hand on your first visit.
First let’s start with an easily identifiable object, tubes of yogurt for kids. Why are these so great? The price! They are organic great tasting yogurt tubes that my kids adore and they are half the price of organic yogurt tubes you’ll find in the store. It’s a must have for families with kids.
This is one of my absolute favorite items that I crave, Valencia Peanut Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds. This is not a overly sweet peanut butter like some of the more popular name brand ones. There’s a great crunch from the peanuts and then a surprisingly small but great crunch from flax seeds. You have to keep it refrigerated so it is great to grab a spoonful of straight from the fridge on a hot day. I love having one tablespoon as a mid-day protein packed pick me up.
I love these croissants that you find in the freezer section. There’s three different types; dark chocolate, almond and mini croissants. You set them on a baking pan and place in a cool oven at night to proof. Then in the morning you just turn on the oven and in no time you have perfectly flaky croissants. If you’re hosting a baby shower anytime soon, grab these!
This tomato paste was 99 cents. The ingredients only list tomatos and it’s in a tube! Use one tablespoon and then screw the cap back on. No more throwing away part of a can of tomato paste.
The Omega-3 Carrot Orange juice has a great flavor. Plus there’s a little cinnamon in it. It’s a great fall juice with just a hint of spice. My kids love this juice as do I.
Yes. It was love at first site. The package said gouda and I said, “get in my cart!”. This Mac’n Cheese is amazing. The package says that it has 2 servings but we have made it work as a side dish for all 5 of our family and someone might have ate the entire tray by themselves one time too but I’ll never tell. This is also found in the freezer section.
Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo. This is only $3.99 and lasts forever. It is very thick and you only need a little tiny bit. It smells great and has a nice little tingle. Both Mr. Byrd and I like this shampoo a lot.
These Skinny Fries are so good that we couldn’t wait to rip open the package. The calories are so low you might fall over reading the package. Plus they are a lot healthier and kinda put that Mc place to shame.
We love the Just Grilled Chicken Strips. The chicken is very juicy and already cooked! The past few times I’ve gone to Trader Joe’s, I’ve grabbed several of these bags that are gone days later. I use these to really stretch a meal. Chop up the chicken and add it to pasta, on top of potatoes, or in the quesadilla recipe down below. You can get one meal from the bag or you can get three.
Kefir. I’m trying to get a little healthier and I have a friend that is obsessed with probiotics so I decided to give Kefir a try. Trader Joe’s has a great kefir that is cheaper than the grocery stores.
The last time I went to Trader Joe’s with a friend we grabbed these Kettle Corn Cookies purely out of curiosity. They have real pieces of kettle corn and are very crunchy! They barely lasted a day. Can you imagine these with a little cookie butter on top? Give them a try, you’ll love them.
So what’s Cookie Butter? Oh my. It’s heaven in a jar. Actually it tastes a little like creamy ginger bread. It’s so yummy and just so fall. If you go, do not skip this. If you don’t like it, then send it my way. Plus I love the glass jar it comes in and I’m already thinking of uses for it.
There’s so many more items that I love from Trader Joe’s and a ton that I have not tried. My friend Lisa from Milehimama.com did a great post on Trader Joe’s that you need to read!
Also I thought you might like a simple recipe using Trader Joe’s items.
My kids loved these quesadillas and asked me to make them again. If you’re not sure what a Quesadilla is, give it a try. Then come to Texas so I can show you the promise land of food.
Pineapple Salsa Chicken Quesadillas
Ingredients;
Trader Joe’s Flour Tortillas
Trader Joe’s Mixed Cheese Blend
Trader Joe’s Pineapple Salsa (another favorite)
Trader Joe’s Just Grilled Chicken strips
1. Heat a large pan on the stove top. Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle a handful of cheese on top. Let this sit and heat up for a few minutes, watching to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn. While the tortilla and cheese are heating up, microwave three strips of chicken and then cut it up into tiny pieces.
2. Spread two tablespoons of Pineapple Salsa on top of the cheese. Pineapple Salsa isn’t that spicy but you can use more or less as you desire. Sprinkle the cut up chicken on top.
3. Place another tortilla on top of first tortilla and let heat until under side is a slight golden color. Flip and let heat again until light golden brown.
Slide the finished Quesadilla out on a flat surface and cut into six pieces. Enjoy!
What is your Favorite Trader Joe’s item or what are you looking forward to trying?
Laura says
I *love* Trader Joe’s, but we don’t have any stores in Oklahoma. We visit TJ’s when we travel, so I always have a wish list. The tomato paste is definitely being added to the list.
My girls and i love TJ’s Lacey’s Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies. They are heavenly — so much so that our teens each added a package to their Christmas lists. 🙂 The nuts, coffee and chocolate selections are all wonderful too. I love the toasted sliced almonds and always have a bag or two stashed in the freezer. Oh, and TJ’s has the best reusable shopping bags! They are very durable and cute to boot.
Bobbie says
Next time I go I’m going to get the Lacy Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies! I haven’t tried them yet.
Veronica says
We LOVE Trader Joe’s as well! I like to get things from their freezer section – main dishes or meals that are quick, easy, and dont have a ton of sodium and preservatives like others do. AND I can not leave without a package of their dried mangos. They are the best!
Bobbie says
I love the freezer section too. So many great things that I don’t feel bad about giving to my family. I’ve never tried the dried mangos but I will now!
Courtney says
Ok, maybe next 9/80 Friday I’m off we should go?
Bobbie says
Ha! Now I have Damion really interested because he’s loving the food and he asked me to take him this week. But sure we can go. 🙂
Taylor says
im so glad i say that you followed me on twitter so i could find your blog 🙂 i didnt know there even was another craft blogger in houston haha, and im so excited to go to the new trader joes!
taylor
http://www.itstaylormade.com
Bobbie says
I love your blog. Seriously. I stalked it the other night. Do you know about the houston bloggers group that meets once a month in person and every thursday night on a twitter chat at #txbloggers? If you want to join the group, let me know. There’s also a facebook group for the houston bloggers. 🙂
Elisabeth says
My family and I LOVE LOVE LOVE their frozen beef tamales. So good.
Bobbie says
I will try those next time I go. Are they spicy?
Alley says
I have my local TJ here in southern CA and I love it and rave about it any chance I get! i also enjoy (in the freezer dept) the japanese fried rice. we pan grill chicken breasts, and serve with the rice and sauteed leeks and mushrooms mmm! its a tried and true classic for us, and easy too!
i too LOVE cookie butter. yum.
i also rave about their pizza dough, sauce and just plain mozzarella cheese. as a side tip: i let the dough rest in a flour/corn meal mixture, then after i sauce it up, i sprinkle some of the 21 seasoning salute before i cheese it up. 😉
New found loves: frozen meals. i love the 4 cheese bowtie pasta with spinach. and also the cheese enchiladas and tamales.
Bobbie says
I am going to try all of those suggestions! That’s what I love about TJ’s. They are small but have such a huge selection that I haven’t tried one single suggestion you made and I go all the time. Thank you!
Katie says
The vegetarian panang curry (freezer section) is the best frozen dinner I’ve found anywhere. I keep a few in the freezer at ork for hen I forget to pack a lunch. Sometimes I just eat the frozen meal instead of my lunch 🙂
Bobbie says
I will have to check those out the next time I’m at Trader Joes. Thanks!
Michelle Bryant says
I LOVE TJs. I grew up in California in the LA area and had the locations in my head for at least 8 different TJs in the area. Now I’m in Phoenix but I can’t live without my TJ’s. I even send my son in Florida CARE packages from TJs.
One of my current favorite ingredients is their Garlic Herb butter; found in the dairy section. It’s gorgeous on pasta, potatoes, to cook eggs in or to finish soups and stews. And yes, you can use it as a base for garlic bread. It’s worth getting several containers and freezing the extras until you need them. No telling how long this little treasure will last!
u8mypinkcookies says
i wanna try cookie butter spread and kettle corn cookies! <3
Bobbie says
Here’s my secret cookie butter spread recipe. Take three of the thick cinnamon graham crackers from TJ’s, spread with a light layer of cookie butter and then top with sliced banana. It’s just the perfect indulgence.
Stacey says
Black bean and corn enchiladas. Hands down, my favorite find from Trader Joe’s.
Bobbie says
yes! I love those!
Lisa says
The frozen french toast is awesome and $2.99 a box for 8 slices.
Bobbie says
My kids love any of their frozen breakfast food but we can’t buy them anymore because the three year old prefers hers still frozen and that just creeps me out.
Jill says
I like the spinach artichoke dip in the freezer section almost as much as my homemade ~ which I rarely make because it takes so long. Pop the TJ one in the microwave and it’s done in under 5 minutes.
The honey sesame seed almonds and dark chocolate covered almonds with turbinado salt are staples in our house. Put the chocolate ones in the fridge…mmm, mmm.
Bobbie says
I haven’t tried any of those things. I will keep my eye out the next time I go (which will hopefully be very soon). Thank you for the suggestions!
Mary says
There’s is the only olive oil I buy. I also love their ginger cookies!
Bobbie says
I just got their olive oil for the first time this trip and I really like it a lot. It’s also an amazing price!
heartwings says
Thanks for your suggestions! Just got Trader Joe’s in Salt Lake and it’s fun to try new things. Like their orange chicken (freezer), but they were out last time since it’s so popular. Loved their little gingerbread cookies and chocolate mint cookies. I’ll be making a trip to try these ideas.
Bobbie says
I have not tried their orange chicken. This past trip we tried the spicy broccoli and beef. I loved it but it was too spicy for my children and the meat is fried so my husband didn’t care for that. Part of the fun of Trader Joe’s is trying new things like their chocolate covered potato chips.
Gena says
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned their Enchilada Sauce yet. SOOO yum. And their traditional Spaghetti Sauce is as well. But my ALL TIME FAVORITE TJ’s discovery? Peppermint Joe-Joe’s! If you haven’t tried Joe-Joe’s yet, you must. A million times better than Oreos and THEN, in the fall, they put out the peppermint version. O. M. G.
Bobbie says
I love the Joe Joe’s, they kinda remind me of Newman’s Own oreo style cookie but I had no idea that they had a peppermint version in the fall! now I have to wait almost a year!
Debra says
We have had Trader Joe’s for years in SoCal. almost one in every city. I love their nuts and grains. They have individual serving packages of nuts and dried fruits. So convenient and reasonable. There chocolate cat cookies are yummy. They have great sauces, marinara, etc. I haven’t found anything I don’t like. Keep trying new products. Happy shopping.
Michele says
Some of my favorites: canned turkey chili, canned chicken chili, pre-cooked turkey breast and pre-cooked lemon chicken both in the meat section.
Ashley says
Their Greek yogurt is awesome and so is the price!!! Their hummus is the best too! I love the roasted garlic one!
Nicole says
I LOVE cookie butter!!! Definitely delicious on frozen TJ waffles with slices of bananas! A few TJ faves of mine: joe joes for sure; the gnocchi Gorgonzola in the freezer section (so simple and quick), pumpkin butter in the fall, the pine cat litter (which I just bought on a whim… All natural and my cats LOVE it. Can also be used as mulch for gardening!!), also love love love their coconut body butter. Amazing stuff and its a flip top so application to skin is super easy. Last but not least… Virginia coconut oil! Multipurpose… Add some to hair for a quick and easy hair mask, use for cooking, mix with baking soda to make a facial scrub or mask….AHHH TJ OBSESSED 🙂
Bobbie says
Do you know they have crunchy cookie butter now?
Erin@Managing the Manor says
TJ’s is one of my favorite places on earth!! Their vegetable fried rice is money, and I love serving it with their mandarin chicken. Way cheaper and less greasy than takeout! Oh and can’t forget about Two Buck Chuck 🙂 (although it’s $2.99 now)
Julie K says
These are some great selections, very cute post. Please try the dark chocolate pretzel slims… They are amazing!!! The taste so decadent, yet you feel like they arent so bad for your waistline. YUM!
Bobbie says
I was just there today but I didn’t see this comment in time! I guess the next time I go I’ll have to get these. Thanks for letting me know! I can’t wait.
Avery says
OBSESSED with TJ’s! Love the Joe’s O’s (super cheap version of cheerios). I also really like the Peach Papaya Salsa and edamame hummus! Yum! I always buy my frozen fruit there too (esp frozen mango chunks).
Bobbie says
I love it too. I have a new quick snack recipe using all TJ’s items that I’m going to share in the next few days.
SuZenDu says
I have 3 TJ’s within 20 minutes of my house – LOVE that store! They have the BEST almond butter at half the price of that crappy Maranatha brand. We also love their Meatless Meatballs (frozen), butternut squash ravioli (frozen), and almost everything they sell – except their fresh produce, which is usually disappointing. But our cats would not touch TJ’s famous cat tuna – and man, did it stink!
Bobbie says
We actually go to town on their bags of organic produce but my kids eat at least one apple a day if not more so the bags go extremely quickly. Of course my kids aren’t that picky. Thanks for the heads up on the tuna! Now I know to stay away.
Maria says
We went to a TJ’s recently. My daughter loves the small chocolate cat cookies and if you have to take melatonin to sleep (like I do) I highly recommend TJ’s version. Their melatonin is not pills that must be swallowed. It is chewable and peppermint flavored. It tastes like a breath mint treat instead of medicine!
Bobbie says
My kids are obsessed with the chocolate cat cookies! I had to come home and hide them just to keep them longer than a day.
Amy K. says
I can’t believe I am the first person to mention the chocolate covered pb pretzels!! They are not at all healthy, but, phew, they are delicious!
Bobbie says
We have not had those! Chocolate is a bean. Beans are fiber. Therefore they have to be kinda healthy. 🙂
Sandra Barfield says
I love TJs! My favorite product is their grilled asparagus (in the frozen section). My husband also loves the dark chocolate covered cherries! I have switched over more and more of my shopping to TJ as I try more of their product. We just tried the sprouted grain bread this week and it was wonderful!
Bobbie says
I haven’t had the grilled asparagus because the canned stuff freaks me out so bad that I’m scared to do it anyway but fresh. But since you recommend it, I might try it! Thank you!
mary says
I love the frozen potsticker. Great to bring to a friends house when we are invited to watch a game. My son likes the chocolate cat cookies in his bag school lunch. I also like the Thai curry, because ever since the recession hit going out to dinner for Thai is not in our budget and this taste just as good as the curry I use to order.
Bobbie says
My oldest loves the frozen potstickers and all my kids like the chocolate cat cookies so much that I hide them!
Traci says
My absolute favorite TJ’s item is the white bean hummus. So creamy and smooth….great flavor. Close seconds are the loaves of bread in the bakery section that are partially baked….you just throw them in the oven for like 10 minutes when you are ready to serve them, and the Naan bread in the freezer section. It is awesome with soup for lunch!
Carolyn says
Love their pizza dough in baggies in refridge section near cheese. Makes homemade pizza night a breeze. And so good
Joyce says
Trader Joe soups in boxes are wonderful. Very tasty and half the cost of name brand box soups. A box goes a lot further than a can of condensed. Their 21 spice salute seasoning will improve anything, especially chicken salad. I really haven’t found a “clunker” at TJ’s and I am finally moving close enough to one that I can buy from the freezer section!
Lina says
I live I. Southern California and have trader joes around every corner.. It’s my main grocery store.. My must haves are the frozen herbs and garlic cubes… Perfect portion for cooking with. The tomato basil pasta sauce, pesto (the one in the jar, not the perishable one in the fridge section), the spicy hummus, honey wheat pretzel mini rods, peanut butter filled chocolate covered pretzels (amazing), pistachio cookies, and oh my god… They have the worlds BEST peanut butter cups! They have great frozen stuff… The arrabiata pasta is great (I fancy it up with veggies and shrimp or chicken and some the the pesto sauce)…. I could keep going.
Lina says
I agree with above poster about boxed soups, the tomato red pepper is our favorite, and the 21 seasoning salut is great… The one “clunker” I have ever gotten there was the “pesto chicken” from the butcher section… Came raw and marinated in pesto sauce… Just wasn’t very good, but after shopping there for over 15 years I’d say they were due for one bad item.
Ashley says
We just recently got a TJ near us and I’ve only been a couple times but my kids love the ends and pieces. When they make the fruit leathers you buy individually wrapped all the little pieces left after they cut them nice they throw in a bag for like two dollars. It’s just fruit no sugar so not a bad treat. They also like the fruit jellies.
Bobbie says
We don’t have the option to buy the ends at our Trader Joe’s but I’ll keep an eye out for that because my kids would love it. Thanks!!
Marian says
Love TJ’s the triple ginger cookies are my favorites. We don’s have liquor at ours. They only can have 3 stores that serve liquor in out state. Maybe someday. The toffee chocolate is amazing. Also frozen carrot cake delicious. Will try all the suggestions. Thanks for posting.
carole Dipzinski says
Why not open Traverse City Michigan TRADER jOES? wE CAN AFFORD AND SUPPORT THIS STORE!