Trader Joe’s Staples I Can’t Stop Buying

I’ve officially jumped on the TJ’s (aka Trader Joe’s) bandwagon. How could I not though? I literally can’t stop going there and feel like I’m most likely not alone in this obsession. I feel like we need a fancy groupie name to call ourselves. Any ideas?

Anyways…Our first ever TJ’s location officially opened in November last year and I’ve spent $13948924 there since. Oh and that number isn’t getting smaller anytime soon. Their prices are seriously impressive (even for organic!) and their food quantities take the cake in comparison to other stores and those are just a few of the reasons why I love them so much. That’s why in today’s post, I thought I’d share my FAVORITE Trader Joe’s finds that I can’t stop buying. No joke, these items land in my cart each and every visit. What can I say? Grocery shopping is one of my major hobbies and I’ve got no shame so why not share it with you? You’re welcome! 😉 If you’re new to TJ’s or are planning on making your first-ever trip there OR even if you’re just as obsessed with them as I am, I hope you enjoy today’s post!

Let’s jump right in! {PSA: This is NOT in any way a so-called “healthy” list. Just FYI. But, take it for what it’s worth and trust me when I say these all made the list for good reason, aka they’re DELICIOUS and deserve recognition.}

The reason I know I’m not the only TJ’s ~~crazy~~ obsessed person is plain and simple. This store attracted SO MUCH ATTENTION in Little Rock for its grand opening that the line LEGITIMATELY wrapped around the entire building FOR DAYS. PEOPLE CAMPED OUT IN ADVANCE. There was even a high school band there…I’m not even exaggerating one bit. We couldn’t even step foot into the store until after a few days that it was open because of the utter chaos. It was pure insanity. So, I feel very valid for loving this grocery store and know that honestly, there are those far worse off than I am.

Now that I got that out of the way…First on my list is obviously chocolate. Did you think I’d start off any other way? You guys. It’s SO good. And, by “it” I mean, all-of-their-chocolate. Everything I’ve tried chocolate-wise has been delicious in every way. It’s flavorful, rich and such a treat and I’m here for it. This chocolate bar below is my favorite and makes for the best ever post-dinner treat. Not the whole thing–obviously because it’s huge–but a few squares and I’m good. It’s very filling and makes my sweet tooth smile. Yes…that’s a thing. You didn’t know?Next up, peanut butter. Specifically THIS crunchy salted peanut butter. Now, hear me out–I haven’t tried their famous cookie butter yet. I could be equally obsessed with it and probably will be one day. But, this peanut butter is WELL WORTH the mention because it’s pretty much perfect. And I’m VERY picky when it comes to my peanut butter purchases. It has amazingly simple ingredients and even includes chia seeds. Like whaatttt?? Yes, chia seeds! Oh and flax seeds too!! Health-nuts rejoice! It’s the perfect addition to toast, apples, smoothies–you name it. This stuff is where my peanut butter dreams are made and I can’t stop eating it by the spoonful. Do yourself a favor and snag yourself one of these next time you’re in and then thank me later. I know you’ll love it.

That brings me to the next “healthier” item on the list. TJ’s almond milk. The reason I’m SUCH a big fan of this stuff is because it’s literally just almonds and water. That’s it! No added anything and I thoroughly appreciate that. It’s simple and perfect for cereal, smoothies, cookies, whatever you need milk for.

Okay, okay back on the chocolate train real quick. I used to hate perfect bars. Yes, I said hate. I am so picky and weird about textures and the perfect bar I initially tried years back was just…blah. It tasted crumbly and weird and I just couldn’t get what the hype was all about. That was until I found this one, that’s specifically only sold at Trader Joe’s (supposedly…). I buy them by the handful and they’re $1.99 each… They’re the most perfect post-workout snack and I have one daily. Like…have you ever seen anything more “perfect”? Get it…? 😉 No really, the more chocolate chips the better, right? Right.

Also, I need a manicure. Don’t judge. Now that we’ve hit the sweets up, let’s talk salty.

I’m all for a good popcorn snack every so often. Add cheese to it and I’m an even bigger fan. I should warn you that if you do indeed follow my lead and buy this for yourself, your willpower to hold yourself back from eating the entire bag will go out the window. It’s addicting and rightfully so. White cheddar?? I mean come on. It’s stupid good and I highly recommend it for your next movie night.

Would I even be a valid TJ’s shopper if I didn’t have this on my staple list? When I was checking out with this last time the cashier even said “Oh you’re getting this stuff? This is what we all live on up here.” I immediately thought “Did we just become BFF’s?” I’ve tried both the chicken fried rice and this and I used olive oil for my oil of choice when I make it and I’m actually a bigger fan of the veggie one! Frozen chicken kind of weirds me out…maybe it’s the color or something but I just can’t do it. But, this veggie fried rice is super delicious, full of flavor and makes for a great side or main dish if you’re looking for a lighter dinner. If you’re not a fan of edamame though, you might skip it. There’s a lot of those little guys in there. But, I don’t mind the crunch.

I’ve been a big caesar salad fan for as long as I can remember. This one isn’t necessarily the “best” because it’s from TJ’s but I added it here for two other reasons. I mean, it’s good–don’t get me wrong but you can’t quite mess up caesar salad…Anyways, it’s 1) organic lettuce which is awesome and 2) it’s a lot bigger quantity than your normal “salad kit” bag. Oh and it’s only $2.99! Win-win-win! I half the bag usually for a side salad with dinner or go for a big lunch salad and toss the whole thing into a giant bowl. Next up, coffee. Yep, we buy their coffee too! It’s insanely cheap and we have an espresso machine that grinds beans so I’ve been buying this like a crazy person. It’s got great flavor and lasts forever (depending on how much coffee you drink) and I’m loving it! We’ve tried a few of their blends and so far, this one has been the winner. Now if only they good up their creamer game…that’d be great! They don’t have that many to choose from but that’s okay. TJ’s can’t be perfect…or can they. 😉

The dogs are even big Trader Joe’s fans. Their dog treats are the best! They’re again–good quantity, great prices and apparently they taste great too! Now, I can’t vouch for that one but trust Cooper and Joey here and their smiling faces because they ate the whole box. (Not at once…) Also, how cute are these little heart shaped valentine’s treats? I couldn’t NOT buy them. I’m a sucker for festive things. No shame. Oh, and I can’t fail to mention their produce. This was a box of organic blueberries and it was only $4.99! This is double the size of normal produce boxes and lasted longer than one sitting. That alone deserves an award, but the flavor was even better! These were such a treat and made me SO insanely excited for berry season to kick in. Anyone else obsessed with all things berry come spring time? I feel like Violet on Willy Wonka…ha!Alright you guys, that’s enough food talk because now I’m hungry. I think a Trader Joe’s run is due. It’s only fitting. I hope this helps if you’ve been curious about some good staples or maybe thinking of trying something you’ve seen or heard of that I included because now you know! I’ll try to keep adding to my list with a post of new treats and finds, so stay tuned! I’ve got plenty more things I’ve been eyeing and can’t wait to see what’s next up on my obsession list. You better believe I’ll keep you posted.