Like lots of dietitian food bloggers, I love Trader Joe’s—maybe a little too much. In NYC, it’s way more affordable than most other markets, and I love that the quality is consistent and I can easily find organic, grass-fed, and free-range meat, poultry, and dairy products that won’t send my bank account into the red. New Yorkers are a little bit obsessed–I’ve had many first-date conversations about the best times to go to which locations. I also love how people who shop there enthusiastically tend to have their list of favorites.
Sometimes I feel like the brand’s developers are in my brain when I see certain products. Like, how did they know I needed these single-serving packets of olives? This tahini! And oh my god—that eggplant dip…
Once in a while, though, there will be a certain something I really wish I could get there but can’t seem to find. Usually, I’ll just get what I need somewhere else or make do (or keep dreaming), but sometimes when the (always cheerful and witty) person ringing me up asks, “Did you find everything your were looking for today?” I’m tempted to say, “Actually…”
Things I Wish I Could Find At Trader Joe’s*
- Dry-Roasted Edamame—Not all of us can eat nuts, and having a tree nut-free healthy option would be nice.
- Individual cans or packs of tuna—They already did such a great job with the boneless sardines!
- Gallon-size tubs of their Eggplant and Garlic Spread
- Babaganoush (while we’re talking about eggplant)
- Spiralized vegetables—They’re already doing so great with the riced broccoli and cauliflower. It’s the next logical step. UPDATE: spotted spiralized carrots in the frozen foods section the other day. About time!
- Single-Serve Bags of Kale Chips and Crispy Broccoli Florets (sold in packs of 6, ideally)
- Individual servings of peanut butter—They already do this with coconut oil. Why not peanut butter?! Or tahini, for that matter. Holy crap, that would make my world complete. Food bloggers love their squeeze packets of heart-healthy fats.
- Packets of unflavored instant oatmeal—This healthy staple should not be so hard to find.
- Pitaya smoothie packs—Why the heck not?
- Bourbon—A girl can dream
- Icelandic Skyr—Unless they’ve been on this a while and my local store just keeps selling out?
- Refrigerated Probiotics
- Water bottles made from recycled materials
- Condoms (not made from recycled materials) — Because you never know who you’ll meet while scoping out the newest coconut oil product.
- Aluminum foil
- ZipLock Bags
- An affiliate program
*If your Trader Joe’s offers these items, I am mad-jealous.
A few posts featuring some of my favorite Trader Joe’s products:
*Salad with Kiwi Salsa and Tempeh
What are some of your favorite Trader Joe’s products? Anything in particular you wish you could find at your local store?
This has been another installment of the Running with Spoons Thinking Out Loud link party, where randomness is the name of the game. Thanks to Amanda for hosting.
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*This post was NOT sponsored by Trader Joe’s. However, if they ever wanted to sponsor me, I would certaintly be amenable to that discussion ; )
**This post may contain affiliate links.