I have recently been shopping at Trader Joe’s, and I absolutely love it! I often get stressed out in grocery stores, but Trader Joe’s offers a calm and relaxed vibe. Not to mention the workers there are also so sweet and helpful! I also find that the prices are cheaper than another grocery store near me, Wegmans. Trader Joe’s offers delicious healthy frozen meals that don’t make you feel guilty about not cooking! On top of that, they sell candles, snacks, hygiene items such as soaps, shampoos, etc. Below I will list some of my personal Trader Joe’s must-haves, and hopefully you will try them out too:
- Trader Joe’s Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice
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This butter chicken is to die for! The spices taste absolutely divine and it only takes about three minutes of preparation. The rice and the chicken come divided, so you can either eat them separately or as I like to do, combine them to make a delicious mixture!
- Trader Joe’s Stacked Eggplant Parmesan
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The eggplant parmesan from Trader Joe’s is sooo yummy and extremely filling. The cheese they use really ties it all together. I recommend adding some grated parmesan cheese on top for that an extra touch.
- Trader Joe’s Vegetable Spring Rolls
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These are my go-to mid-day snack. To prepare them, you stick them in the microwave for about thirty seconds then put some butter on a pan and cook them for about four minutes. I add a side of soy sauce to dip them in and it’s delicious! The vegetables in these spring rolls are cabbage, carrot, onion, shredded white tofu, edamame, kale, and mushroom.
- Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken
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This is a favorite among many people and I believe it was going around on TikTok for a bit. The bag comes with normal breaded chicken, but they have two mandarin sauce packets included. I usually prepare this dish by sticking the chicken in the oven, heating up the sauce, and tossing the chicken in the sauce. For a side dish, I recommend a vegetable rice stir fry (the combination is unbeatable)!
- Trader Joe’s Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings
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This item was also popular on TikTok for awhile! They are dumplings with chicken soup inside them and they are delicious. They come with six dumplings and you just pop them in the microwave and they’re ready to eat! I also dip them in soy sauce.
- Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend
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Trader Joe’s is the OG when it comes to everything bagel seasoning. You can use it on anything you want! I typically put it on my cream cheese bagels and it’s sooo good.
- Trader Joe’s White Cheddar Popcorn
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If you want a somewhat healthy alternative to Smartfood white cheddar popcorn, this is your best bet! It is the perfect snack and I get it everytime I go.
- Trader Joe’s Smoked Seasoned Almonds
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These almonds are sooo bomb. I also like just salted almonds, but these bring almonds to a whole new level! They have that smokey taste to them that reminds me of barbecuing. If you aren’t a huge fan of nuts, trust me and try these because they will definitely change your perspective on almonds.
- Trader Joe’s Chips Pickle Potato Chips
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If you like pickles as much as I do, these are the right chips for you. I know it sounds weird to have pickle-flavored chips, but these are so good! Especially if you are in a salty mood, these are the chips for you.
- Trader Joe’s Buffalo Style Chicken Dip
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Trader Joe’s Buffalo style chicken dip is absolutely amazing. I normally buy Tostito corn chips, heat the dip up, and it makes for a great snack. Remember to put the dip in a separate bowl when heating up because my friend heated it up in the container and it melted LOL. The dip also contains little bits of chicken and not too much to put you off, which really ties it all together.
I hope my recommendations can inspire you to go to Trader Joe’s, because it is seriously the best grocery store I have ever been to. Not to mention they also sell seasonal items! Every time I go I feel like I discover a new favorite of mine.