Over the summer in New York City, I food shopped nowhere else other than Trader Joe’s. It was only a few blocks from my apartment and I could easily slip in and buy the ingredients for a delish dinner in my tiny apartment. Now, I have a big kitchen and lots of room, but no TJ’s.
When my roommate and I took a day trip to Columbus, I was determined to stop at one of their locations and get a few staples. Before we left, I had written out a shopping list so I wouldn’t get carried away. If you ever look at my following list on Instagram, you’ll see that half of the accounts focus on food photography, wholesome cooking, and even food shopping. Over the past few months, I’ve been saving a lot of recipes that call for ingredients only found at a TJ’s, so I knew I had to stock up.
Although I did hold myself back from buying a bunch of their tiny pumpkins that adorned their storefront, I couldn’t resist a few pumpkin and butternut squash products, too! Here are some of the products I bought that’ll have you driving up to their Columbus location just as fast as I did.
- Pumpkin soup
I have yet to try this soup, but as the tag says, it’s ‘As gourd as it gets!’ As we get into the heat of midterms and the chill of autumn, this soup will come in handy when I need something warm to eat as I’m running out the door. Add a side of toasted bread and I’m all set. - Vanilla ice cream sandwiches
Because yum. - Cauliflower pizza crust
Unlike other cauliflower crusts on the market that are held together with eggs, this crust is held together with potato starch and cornstarch! Only downside? I have too many recipes I want to make with this product! (That was so cheesy, I’m so sorry.) - Cauliflower gnocchi
There were four bags left in the TJ’s freezer, and we bought them all. It’s times like this when you need to be selfish. - Organic Maca powder
My favorite Instagram bloggers (@choosing_balance) started using this powder in her coffee to give her an extra boost of energy and help with stress relief. For only five dollars, I figured I’d give it a try. - Everything but the Bagel & Chili-Lime seasonings
These seasonings are great to top off any dish! I use the EbtB seasoning on a lot of my breakfasts, and the Chili-Lime seasoning is great on chicken and shrimp. Not to be dramatic or anything, but I don’t know how I survived this long without these. - Pumpkin and butternut squash pasta sauce
My roommate and I just couldn’t pass up a pasta sauce this good looking!
- Sugar-free dark chocolate
Definitely an impulse buy, but I don’t regret it one bit. - Crumbled feta with Mediterranean herbs
I had to snag this feta because it was mixed with extra herbs for more flavor. This staple is great to add to turkey burgers, Greek salads, and so much more. Endless opportunities with this! - Pumpkin Greek yogurt
Ok but like, why wouldn’t I buy this? (P.S. It was delicious.) - Sour cream & onion corn puffs
For those movie nights when you’re looking for something to snack on, these corn puffs are your best friend. Added bonus? They don’t leave your fingers covered in powder like Pirate’s Booty or Smartfood popcorn does! - Frozen chopped spinach
Most boring thing I bought, but the greatest thing to have on hand! Frozen spinach is good to have for those post-workout green smoothies, omelettes, or pasta dishes! I’ve learned my lesson too many times after throwing out bag after bag of soggy, (no longer) fresh spinach.