In this video, I give you a shot-by-shot rundown of one of my Trader Joe's hauls! Pay attention to the indicators on the sides of the screen for items that are paleo-friendly, 21-Day Sugar Detox-friendly, or just ”Because I Like It” – like steel-cut oatmeal, or goat's milk gouda!
Featured in the video:
Fresh Pineapple Spears, Bananas, Organic Asparagus, Organic Arugula, Organic Brussels Sprouts, Shishito Peppers, Organic Chives, Organic Broccoli Florets, Potato Medley, Goat's Milk Gouda Cheese, Butcher Shop Pork Tenderloin, GT Synergy Kombucha, Steelcut Oatmeal, Organic Riced Cauliflower, Organic Peanut Butter, Wild Alaskan Canned Pink Salmon, Apples, Lemons, Kale Chips, Organic Garbanzo Beans, Salsa Verde, New Zealand Sweet Apple Rings
Here are some of my other favorite items from Trader Joe's compiled from my hashtag on Instagram: #dianegoestotraderjoes
- Clockwise from the top: an herbal tea that would be amazing for digestive support as well as anti-inflammatory; organic raw honey needs no introduction; organic oregano which is rare for TJs since most of their spices are conventional – oregano is a potent, natural antimicrobial; and black garlic, which is fermented and has a wonderful mild but rich flavor and is full of umami.
- Clean, Paleo grass-fed beef jerky stick. Caveat: I haven't tried these so I can't say if I like the taste or not!
- This Coconut Water is one of my favorites for best taste & price. This 12oz bottle has 19g carbs. Note: yes, this pic is old.
- Trader Joe's has long sold frozen mango, but I more recently have seen the organic bag as well. I will sometimes put some in a bowl and let it defrost halfway, then top it with shredded coconut and eat it like that. Of course, it also works great in smoothies as well, especially if you like a creamier texture, as it will make smoothies nice and thick.
- Perfect for making nut-free dipping sauces or for your hummus (or cauli-hummus) recipes, the Vanilla Bean Tahini Truffles in Practical Paleo… and so much more!
- Butternut squash “zig-zags” (like crinkle-cut fries) and sweet potato ribbons are two relatively new convenience-cut-and-packed veggie items at Trader Joe's! Both are $2.99 for the 12oz container. Of these two options, I'd say the squash is a better “deal” since cutting a whole butternut this way would be tough, whereas using a veggie peeler or spiral slicer to cut the ribbons from sweet potatoes would be pretty simple & quick.
- Trader Joe's find! They're not organic but these are clean and would be perfect for a recipe in a pinch. Of course, fresh mushrooms are best flavor and nutrition wise, but sometimes you just want some mushrooms without the fuss. Ingredients: mushrooms, water, Himalayan pink salt.
- It's always a good day when the Trader Joe's frozen rice cauliflower is well stocked!
- Perfect for road trips! These are simply organic mango, nothing added.
- I love this brand of natural soaps. My favorite is the almond scent, but Trader Joe's only sells peppermint.
- If you tolerate dairy, Trader Joe's now has an organic, 100% grass fed, full-fat yogurt.
- Red Boat Fish Sauce at Trader Joe's! This is awesome for adding amazing flavor to your dish at home!
- This is the lamb we had for dinner – clean ingredients. Super tasty. I sear them well on all sides until browned in a hot cast iron skillet with bacon fat or ghee, then roast for about 8-12 minutes at 400 degrees F until medium rare. It's a rack so I slice it after it cooks. [sold frozen]
- Spotted these new baby dried bananas at Trader Joe's tonight! $1.99 for the 6oz bag. Not organic, but nothing added and probably a good travel or quick carb for many who love bananas (and your kids!).
- Of course, if you can find local organic produce without so much plastic, opt for that. But in the winter in most parts of the country, that's tough to do! Here's what's pictured clockwise from the top left: organic cauliflower heads $2.99 each (not huge but that's a decent price), organic broccoli slaw for $1.69 (great use of broccoli stems- works great cooked or cold as a salad or slaw!), shredded cabbage & carrots for probably under $2 (again great cooked or cold), organic spicy spinach blend for $1.99 (what makes this spicy?!).
- Another great, clean freezer find – wild caught sea scallops! Nothing but scallops in the bag. Boom! This bag was $17.99.
- Two pounds of organic chicken wings for $6.99 (frozen)!
- While not organic, packaged in plastic, and totally not perfect, these would be a VERY convenient food-on-the-go/quick carb option for anyone who needs real food fast and doesn't have time to cook! Sold in the cold section at Trader Joe's.
- Pick your peppers! Again, not organic, so not perfect, BUT, these are 100% just frozen veggies. No salt added – nada. Great healthy options for quick weeknight dinners.
- Fun fact: back in maybe 2001-2003ish I worked at a Trader Joe's (in Florham Park, NJ, before it moved to the location it's in now) while I was back in school in NYC learning graphic design. When I worked there, I was responsible for ordering protein bars for the store – and Atkins bars were on FIRE. I personally ate Luna bars – oh back in the day… I also used to help tons of parents find gluten-free and casein-free foods for their kids using special lists available from the store HQ (which they still probably have available). I sometimes demo'd foods for customers and, of course, ran a checkout and restocked shelves. I LOVED working for TJs and never dreaded going in to the store. It was a super fun combination of directly helping customers with FOOD. Plus, that was back when crew members still wore Hawaiian shirts to work. The more you know…
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