Trader Joe’s carries good quality olive oil for much less than health food stores. Go for the extra virgin, cold pressed option for the best flavor. Organic is a bonus. Location: Grocery aisle near the condiments Quantity: 16.9 oz bottle, 33 servings per bottle Calories: 120 calories per serving, 120 calories from fat Cost:
Trader Joe’s Chimichurri Rice
This rice is technically Peruvian, but it goes really well with Mexican food. I use it as a base for TJ’s frozen enchiladas. Sometimes I add a can of black beans and a can of corn to the rice, which makes it almost a complete meal. Warning: this has some unusually large chunks of onion […]
Trader Joe’s Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Shells
These are the best of TJ’s low calorie entrees. Tasty and relatively filling. Serve with a side salad or sautéed greens for a complete meal. Location: Frozen foods section Quantity: 8.5 oz box, 1 serving per box Calories: 270 calories per serving, 60 calories from fat Cost: $2.69
Trader Joe’s Roasted Vegetables
These are my favorite frozen vegetables at TJ’s. The sauce is very good and the vegetables are hardy alone, but really good over polenta. However, these vegetables are a bit challenging to cook. The green beans cook really fast, the whole mushrooms take forever to cook and the cherry tomatoes get dangerously hot inside. I’ve […]
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Pakoras (vegan)
These are very tasty and have a nice crispy texture without being greasy. Bake them in the oven, instead of microwaving, to maintain the texture. Makes a great side dish for an Indian meal and good enough to serve as a party appetizer. The enclosed tamarind chutney sauce is really good. I wish TJ’s carried […]
Trader Joe’s Mac ‘n Cheese
TJ’s macaroni and cheese is delicious (very creamy and satisfying), but as expected high in calories and fat. The reduced-guilt version isn’t nearly as good – skimpy sauce and cheese. I’d rather have half a container of this mac ‘n cheese than a whole container of the diet one. Location: Frozen foods case Quantity: 14 […]
Trader Joe’s Fudge Sauce
TJ’s Crew Members frequently rave about the caramel sauce, but I think the fudge sauce is better. It’s not overly sweet and stays nice and creamy even in the fridge. Makes a great topping for vanilla ice cream with some added nuts or granola for crunch. Location: Grocery shelves typically above the ice cream. Quantity: […]
Trader Joe’s Pineapple Juice
TJ’s chilled pineapple juice is very fresh, refreshing and great in smoothies. The ingredients are pineapple juice – no color, no preservatives and not from concentrate. I was amused to see that Pink Berry (my favorite frozen yogurt store) uses this juice for their smoothies. Location: Refrigerated section, usually near the milk and yogurt Quantity: […]
Trader Joe’s Edamame Hummus (vegan)
TJ’s Roasted Garlic Hummus was my favorite until I discovered this Edamame Hummus. Not only is the flavor good, but the texture is sort of whipped. I always intend to make a nice hummus plate or wrap with this, but so far have ended up eating it straight from the container. Location: Refrigerated section, usually near produce […]
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Biryani with Vegetable Dumplings (vegan)
The photo on the box is really misleading. They show nearly all the dumplings, but only about 1/4 of the rice so you assume there are a lot of dumplings. In reality, the dish is mostly rice. However, the flavor is really good and the extra rice comes in handy. Just move the dumplings to […]