Aside from academics and social life, one of the unspoken challenges of being a college student is figuring out a meal plan. Once you move off campus and can no longer rely on unlimited swipes or all-you-can-eat buffets at the dining halls, things get more complicated. Whether you have never had to cook for yourself before or you have no idea where to get delicious and affordable groceries, worrying about eating habits is another stress all students face at one point in their college careers. Fortunately, Trader Joe’s offers everything we’re looking for: fresh produce, convenient frozen meals, tasty snacks, and even skincare products all at an affordable price!
Chocolate Hummus
I know, sounds weird. As someone who just spent a summer in Israel eating hummus for every meal, I was a little turned off at first when I noticed Trader Joe’s chocolate hummus in the refridgerated section. However, I was curious so I grabbed myself a tub. Funny enough, as I was checking out, my cashier could not stop raving about my hummus selection (“it tastes like brownie batter, I can eat it all in one sitting!”) and when I tried it later, I realized she was right! Though the texture is something to get used to, the hummus tastes less like hummus and more like a low-calorie brownie batter, and pairs well with fruit, pretzels, and even bread as a spread!
Roasted Vegetables
Craving a whole hearty meal loaded with veggies but don’t have the time or patience to buy a bunch of produce? Look no further than this roasted vegetable medley! Including your favorites like sweet potato, yukon potato, zuchinni, summer squash, and brussel sprouts, this dish has you covered. You can either heat it up in the oven or toss it in the microwave if you’re looking to save some time.
Burgers
So I already have you covered with the veggies, now all you need is the protein to go with it! Trader Joe’s sells a variety of burger patties that are made of alternatives to beef. First, there’s the delicious turkey burgers that my roommate swears by. For my pescatarians, we have an array of fish burgers like like mahi-mahi and salmon. And of course for the vegetarians, there’s an abundance of veggie burgers, black bean burgers, high-protein burgers, thai sweet chilli burgers, and more!
Skincare Products
Something you might not expect from Trader Joe’s is their unbelievablely amazing skin care line. From cleansers to moisturizers that have received recognition in the beauty world, you can find a whole sink cabinent worth of products to use. For the holiday season coming up, purchasing TJ’s 12 Days of Beauty Collection will make an incredible gift for someone special. Be sure to check out there other iconic products though, ranked in this article.
Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
Last but most certainly not least, we have Trader Joe’s famous Everything But the Bagel Seasoning as seen on Instagram and other social media everywhere. Containing garlic, onion, sea salt, poppy seeds and sesame seeds, this delicious mix shouldn’t be limited to just bagels. Try using it to spice up your scrambled eggs, avocado toast, grilled chicken, salmon, mac n cheese, potatoes, salad dressings, or anything else you can think of!
Luckily for students in Amherst, there’s a Trader Joe’s located right in Hadley, MA! The next time you need to hit up the grocery store, try heading to Trader Joe’s and pick up a few of these items to see if you love them just as much as me!