Sunday, April 20, 2014

Sunday Shopping - Trader Joe's

I don't even bother pretending I shop anywhere else. I do 99% of my weekly grocery shopping at Trader Joes and so I had a very hard time with this post. How do I even choose what would go in a Top 10 list. Could I do a Top 20?

 So I will break it down in to different categories. I love shopping here for many reasons. The staff is very friendly. Even the other people who shop here are friendly. And I don't have 10,000 choices for ketchup. There is just one store brand and it is organic. SCORE!

So here you go!

S & D 's Favorites (Kid Approved!)

1.  Reduced Fat Fish Sticks


My kids love these fish sticks dipped in the aforementioned organic ketchup!

2.  "Little" Pancakes with Maple Syprup


You know there are days, weeks or months that go by without making pancakes form scratch.  On those days, my kids love these silver dollar sized pancakes with this maple syrup!  And they are organic!

3.  Organic 2% Milk


For some reason, we all have decided that we like the taste and flavor of 2% and it is organic.  We like this better than other Organic milk out there.  

4.  Organic Celery


On Sundays, I buy celery and carrots and cut them into sticks for the family to snack on all week.  My kids love celery and don't even need Ranch to dip.  S loves dipping her celery in salsa!

 5.  Roasted Seaweed


D loves seaweed as a snack.  He has me hooked on this stuff now too.  It is minimal calories with a good satisfying salty crunch.

6.  Grated Parmesan


D & S love this stuff.  They ask for it on everything from pasta to pizza.  I can get them to eat veggies with a sprinkle of this.  We are big fans and always have a container on hand in the fridge.

7.  "Green Cheese" Pasta


When the kids were younger and they wouldn't eat anything green, we bought them this pasta saying it had green cheese in the middle.  They gobbled it up and the rest is history.  Even though D can read now, he still refers to it as green cheese pasta.  Makes this momma glad!

8.  Gnocchi


This is a recent addition to our shopping list. I got it one day as a side dish and the kids fought over seconds so it is a regular item in our rotation.

9.  Turkey


No nitrates and no nitrites.  You can feel good about giving your kids cold cuts.  D likes to take turkey wrapped in a tortilla to school for lunch.  We always have a package of this one hand too!

10.  "Little" pizzas


And sometimes you just have to make them frozen pizza and this is the perfect way to get portion sized bites in their bellies on busy days.  Like swim lesson nights!

Staples / Must Haves (things we buy or keep in stock every week)
1.  Organic Mandarins


Have you tried these?  They taste like candy and we are loving them.  We each have at least 1 every day!

2.  French Vanilla Ground Coffee


I recently decided I was not going to use K-Cups in the Keurig and started using the reusable one.  I don't know, BPAs or what not.  So I have been buying this and I am madly awaiting my first cup because it is that good!

3.  Power Greens Blend


I use this blend for everything.  Salads, stir frys, lunches, wraps...you name it.  The greens taste great together and they are organic!

4.  Frozen Stir Fry Veggies


One of our favorite meals around here is ground turkey stir fry and I love adding these veggies for variety.  We make it at least once a week and this blend is a good mix!

5.  Organic Oats


I use these Oats to make my Baked Oatmeal from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  I have to have it on hand because I have been eating this same breakfast every single day since October.  

6.  Energy / Protein Bars


I realize these aren't exactly a TJ's product but I like their selection.  I usually pick between Luna and Lara and Kind Bars.  I love the Caramel Nut Brownie Luna, Cashew Cookie Lara and Coconut Almond Kind.

7.  Chia Seed Bread


This is the best bread ever.  Not kidding.  It doesn't get hard like other "healthy" bread.  Not that it lasts long around here.  We all love it.

8.  Frozen Brown Rice


This rice takes just 3 minutes and it is cooked perfectly.  Delicious brown rice.  We like it with above mentioned stir fry!

9.  Raw Almonds


We LOVE these and it's cousin - handful of cashews (not as healthy).  I eat a handful everyday and they are a great source of protein and healthy fats.  And it is a great way to maintain portion control.

10.  Vanilla Granola


This is my husband's must have!  It is on the list every week and he loves to top some vanilla yogurt with this cereal.

Occasional Treats for All

1.   Powerberries

I like to pretend these are healthy.  It is an "excellent source of vitamin C."

2.  Sea Salt Chocolate Almonds


If I could have just one item to eat on an island, this would be it.  The combo of salt and dark chocolate is DIVINE!  But be careful, I have had some super salty batches which would make you very thirsty on said island.

3.  Bite Size Cones


These are a good treat for the kiddos.  They aren't giant but still makes them feel like something special.  They also come in chocolate.

4.  Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches


Do you really need a why?  These are my husband's favorite treat.

5.  Joe Joe's


These come in all kinds of flavors.  They are like Oreos without trans fats.  My favorite are the ones at the Holidays with crushed peppermint candies in them.  Holy YUM!

Well there you have it.  Every Sunday I will bring you interesting items from my weekly shopping.  Please share if you see something at Trader Joes that you think I should try.  I love that place.  In fact, try to stump me and find an item I haven't tried there.  Maybe next week I will do a feature on items I don't like.  But I have only found one...you would think it works but it doesn't!


Surprising right?  It is just too much!

Have a Happy Week!  And as always, I wish you Happy Feet!
SD Mom


7 comments:

  1. Great list! I can't wait to try some new tj items!

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  2. I don't shop at Trader Joe's too often, but when I do, I always get the "Peaberry blend coffee". It's more potent then the average coffee and I'm a caffeine connoisseur! Thanks for sharing and happy shopping! :D

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    1. I need to try this! And look at you...commenting on my blog way back when I was a newbie blogger.

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  3. I use the reuseable "pod" for my Keurig, too; mostly because it saves a lot of money. Such interesting products, none of which are in Canada; I purposely pick hotels on vacation near a Trader Joes or Whole Foods and spend so much time looking around.

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  4. I love Trader Joes! Great list - I will have to try some new stuff! My staples are broth, beef and chicken, oatmeal, nuts, Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds with sea salt, and veggies.

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  5. All of this looks delicious - I think I just made a new list :)

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