Trader Joe’s Favorites

At this point, I think everyone is a Trader Joe’s fan! Initially, I didn’t get the hype, and then two and a half years ago, I started shopping there and haven’t stopped since. I think my issue was I didn’t know what to buy there — now I go about a few times a month to stock up on my favorites. I’m sharing my Trader Joe’s favorites today to inspire you to pick up something new next time you’re there.

Breakfast

kelly chen's trader joe's favorites
  • Chicken Sausage Breakfast Burrito — I don’t always eat breakfast, but I love the occasional breakfast burrito. They have other flavors as well that are perfect for lunch.
  • Chocolate Croissants — These are more affordable and taste better than the croissants from some bakeries. Just don’t forget to set them out the night before!
  • Cinnamon Rolls — I’m usually a savory breakfast gal, but these are the perfect sweet treat with a cup of coffee.
  • Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend — It lives up to the hype; I mainly use it on avocado toast and eggs. I shared the best avocado toast with egg recipe here.

Lunch / Dinner

kelly chen's trader joe's favorites
kelly chen's trader joe's favorites
  • Burrata, Prosciutto, & Arugula Flatbread — I’m obsessed with prosciutto, and this flatbread is no exception.
  • Cauliflower Gnocchi — I use this in one of my favorite three-ingredient meals. These are great to have on hand for a quick and easy meal.
  • Chicken Tikka Masala — This is surprisingly good for a frozen meal. I always pop one or two into the cart when I’m there for lunches.
  • Fresh Produce — When we buy organic produce, we always go to Trader Joe’s because it’s more affordable than elsewhere.
  • Garlic & Herb Pizza Dough — It’s a game-changer for making homemade pizza. Brett splits the dough and can make two thin-crust pizzas.
  • Garlic Herb Chicken Sausage — This sausage is great for pizza and other recipes like this Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Vegetable Sheet Pan.
  • Kung Pao Chicken and Mandarin Orange Chicken — We like to keep these on hand for nights we don’t want to cook, and then we toss some rice into our rice cooker.
  • Organic Creamy Tomato Soup — My favorite creamy tomato soup that pairs deliciously with grilled cheese makes for a quick, cozy weeknight dinner.
  • Pork Belly — Another favorite three-ingredient meal. I don’t usually make pork belly since it’s not the healthiest, but I occasionally treat myself to a bowl of pork belly ramen.

Desserts & Snacks

kelly chen's trader joe's favorites
  • Chocolate Lava Cakes — Chocolate lovers, inside this decadent cake is a rich, creamy chocolate ganache. I love pairing it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  • Lightly Salted Edamame — These are a much better deal than ordering them at a restaurant and make a great snack.
  • Mini Peanut Butter Crackers — Brett’s favorite that he always sneaks into the cart, and I must admit they’re better than the Ritz ones.

What are some of your Trader Joe’s favorites? Anything I should add to my cart next time? Please share in the comments! xo

Leave a Comment

23 Comments

  1. Sadly, we don’t have a Trader Joe’s in our city, but when I visit California, I love to go! BTW, Your avocado toast looks delicious!

    Posted 3.14.22 Reply
  2. Some tasty choices!

    Posted 3.14.22 Reply
  3. I love everything Trader Joe’s! It’s great to have so many varieties of quality food for an affordable price. Thank you for sharing 🙂

    Posted 3.14.22 Reply
  4. Patrick wrote:

    Ooh, those chicken sausages are the BOMB! We love them!! Great stuff here!!

    Posted 3.14.22 Reply
  5. We don’t have Trader Joe’s in Canada but I always love seeing people’s hauls! It seems like a great grocery store!

    Posted 3.14.22 Reply
  6. Kimberly wrote:

    These look great! I wish we had a Trader Joe’s.

    Posted 3.15.22 Reply
  7. Living in Canada, I haven’t been to Trader Joe’s since before the pandemic. I always enjoyed finding new things to try and have always been pleasantly surprised by them. Their cowboy bark is delicious!!!

    Posted 3.15.22 Reply
  8. I haven’t tried their garlic and herb pizza dough, but I’ve found that their boxes of frozen garlic bread make the perfect pizza crusts. One box makes eight pizzas-for-one, which is better than a single pizza if you have a house full of picky eaters. That way, everyone gets to top it their own way. And, it’s still garlicky goodness.

    Posted 3.15.22 Reply
  9. Charlie-Elizabeth Nadeau wrote:

    Wow great work, thank you for taking the time to do this. Love this list and cinnamon rolls are my fav too! Great read.

    Posted 3.16.22 Reply
  10. Trader Joe’s is a great place to find unique food and snacks. I like the assorted nuts and seeds. Thank you for sharing!

    Posted 3.16.22 Reply
  11. Carolyn M wrote:

    I love their cheeses. The blueberry goat cheese log is scrumptious!

    Posted 3.16.22 Reply
  12. Wow some great items! We don’t have a Trader Joe’s, but I’d love to visit one!

    Posted 3.16.22 Reply
  13. Amanda wrote:

    I love the everything bagel seasoning!

    Posted 3.16.22 Reply
  14. I love Trader Joe’s! I wish we had one closer to us. Will definitely try some of your recommendations next time I am there.

    Posted 3.17.22 Reply
  15. Andrew wrote:

    Love the TJ Lava Cakes! Yum!

    Posted 3.17.22 Reply
  16. Sophie wrote:

    I LOVE the cinnamon rolls- they are the perfect Saturday morning treat! I’m also a big fan of the Chicken Cilantro Mini Wantons. I don’t think there is ever a time I don’t have at least two bags in my freezer!

    Posted 3.19.22 Reply
  17. Tina wrote:

    We don’t have a Trader Joe’s, but I would love to go to one. That avocado toast looks so good!

    Posted 3.19.22 Reply
  18. I LOVE Trader Joe’s! Very excited to try the chocolate lava cake. Have you had the mini chocolate peanut butter cups? Those are so addicting ha.

    Posted 3.19.22 Reply
    • Kelly wrote:

      Yes! I typically buy the smaller bag found in the checkout aisle to try and limit myself because they’re so good. I’ll have to look for the mini ones next time! xo

      Posted 3.19.22 Reply
  19. Krystal wrote:

    This is awesome!! I have never been in a Trader Joe’s but you make me want to see what they have!

    Posted 3.19.22 Reply
  20. Katie wrote:

    This is a great list! We love Trader Joe’s!

    Posted 3.20.22 Reply
  21. This all looks so good! I wish we had a closer Trader Joes! Ours is a few hours away.

    Posted 3.20.22 Reply
  22. I need to try more from Trader Joe’s. They do have these mini quiches I love.

    Posted 3.21.22 Reply