I’ve been meaning for a while to share my Trader Joe’s shopping list.
I want to say this first:
If you are one of those (amazing, awesome) moms who grind their own flour and collect chicken eggs from your front yard, this list may not be that helpful.
What I’m saying is, I love Trader Joe’s, because it fills in the gaps between the ideal life I wish I were living, and the life that I actually do live.
Because I am healthy and frugal, but I’m also busy. On my list of items I buy at Trader Joe’s, it’s certainly possible you can find some of them somewhere else for slightly cheaper, or a little healthier option. But all in all, it’s a great, easy place for healthy & frugal moms to shop. I save a lot of money there!
If you’re not familiar with Trader Joe’s, they sell mostly their name-brand items, which you can’t find anywhere else. AND, unlike most stores, the prices remain the same for most items.
(Produce does fluctuate based on availability.) No sales – just everyday low prices. It’s nice to know that I will always find these items for the same low price.
Enough intro. Here’s my list of things I love to buy at Trader Joe’s!
- Coconut oil – Coconut oil can be very expensive. This $5.99 bottle is way cheaper, by far, than any store I’ve found. We stir into our oatmeal as well as use for baking.
- olive oil – This 33.8 ounce-bottle is $3.99!
- sea salt – Did you know that a high quality salt can heal and energize your body? I love this TJ salt…it’s cheap, lasts forever and tastes awesome.
- frozen berries for smoothies & oatmeal – I can buy organic berries for $3.49 a pound at TJ. That is pretty cheap!
- aluminum-free baking powder – we should all buy aluminum-free baking powder…Well, here it is, cheap.
- dry marsala wine for cooking – I often find recipes that need a splash of wine. Well, I don’t usually have an opened bottle just laying around. But this bottle from TJ can store opened in your pantry as a bottle of vinegar might. It’s perfect for cooking.
- Cheap but delicious coffee – This particular variety I grind in the store. It’s cheap, and so smooth and delicious. I am interested to try their free-trade coffee flavors, which I’ve heard good things about.
- Cheap produce – Regularly bell peppers are $.79 a piece, organic lettuce is $2.49 a bag, and melons are between $2-3. I also buy organic apples most of the year ( about $.99 a pound) and oranges (about $just-really-cheap a pound. Can’t remember the actual number. 🙂
- sunflower butter – This is the cheapest (by far) place to buy this peanut butter substitute. You may not need this regularly, but it’s great to use for an allergy-friendly snack for groups of kids. AND, if your school is nut-free, this is a safe choice.
- Snickerdoodles…when I want to be the mom of the year. My kids would do ANYTHING for a snickerdoodle. (Except poop on the potty, for one individual right now. But that’s another story for another day.) I love that these cookies are free of the top-8 allergens, but if I hadn’t told you that, you’d never know by tasting them!
- wheat and white flour – this is by far one of the cheapest places to buy whole wheat flour.
- Corn and Chile Salsa – delicious for dipping, but amazing in Trader Joe’s White Chicken Chili
- Hormone and antibiotic-free turkey breast – Bless my dear husband for enjoying this every live-long day of the year. He claims it’s really satisfying and he wants nothing else (for lunch, that is).
- Coconut milk – I can rarely find coconut milk for cheaper than the $2.99 a carton at TJ. I use it for anything you’d use milk for around the house!
- Hummus – This hummus is delicious, and always $2.99.
- A few other gems at TJ: fresh-cut flowers (heard rumors of a girl who bought ALL her wedding flowers there), the cheap but still company-worthy “three-buck-Chuck” wine, and party appetizers.
I just moved to another state and am now 10 minutes from a Trader Joes – I have died and gone to heaven (my budget however is in in the other place – but, at least it’s cheaper than the Whole Foods which is a few blocks over).
I love the coconut oil aerosol spray because it makes cooking eggs so easy, functions just like PAM, but healthier, and now I don’t have to use so much butter cooking eggs.
Their organic milk, cream, cage-free organic eggs, and organic strawberry probiotic yogurt. Butter I don’t usually go organic but at least theirs isn’t treated with rHBT or whatever that stuff is.
Trader-Joes brand sprouted grain bread which my system can handle even though I’m allergic to wheat – and it’s easier for the boys to process too. 3.29 a loaf which is cheaper than any other store – most stores carry Ezekiel bread for $5/loaf or more!
TJs macaroni and cheese (both regular and gluten free – I sneak the GF stuff on the boys whenever possible)
Almond meal as I’m on a grain-free (other than sprouted grains) diet for baking!
Trail mix (the one with the MnMs)
Dried cranberries and raisins
Decaf coffee
Boxed cereal when it’s on sale (my boys love the one with the monkey on it but I can’t remember what it’s called)
TJs brand pop tarts, granola bars, and fruit bars for hubby’s lunch.
Fruit leather
And, when i’m splurging, the dark chocolate covered caramels. Best candy ever.
Awesome list, Aprille. I forgot about the cage free eggs… And the chocolate… And the fruit leather… Man I love that place;)
what’s this Trader Joe’s? out here we don’t have this
We love that lunch meat!
The pre-cooked boneless skinless marinated chicken breasts are great, as well as the lobster ravioli, the frozen BBQ chicken pizza, dry roasted almonds, strawberry lemonade, cheapest stevia price anywhere, dried mandarin oranges, and don’t forget the crunchy cookie butter-its to die for.
I really like the look of your website and I really like Trader Joe’s!