healthy living spending

What To Buy At Trader Joe’s?

Blonde & Balanced readers, today is major day in Kansas City.  That’s right:  today, Kansas City’s first Trader Joe’s stores are OPENING!

I think this means that Kansas City has finally made it?!  I am SUPER excited.

But … as a total Trader Joe’s newbie, I need some advice from you guys.  Please help a sista out!

What do I buy at Trader Joe’s??

+ posts

15 Comments

  • Sea salt & turbinado chocolate covered almonds. Mmmmm.
    And their basic tomato basil marinara is the only spaghetti sauce I will let come into my house.
    Cinnamon raisin bread…I could go on for a while.

  • Their Joe’s Diner Frozen Mac and Cheese is A-MA-ZING. They have pretty good prices on nuts/seeds/trail mix. And their seasonal Candycane Joe-Joe’s (kind of like oreos) make life worth living. I <3 TJs!

  • I mostly buy basics there, because a lot of stuff is a little cheaper than at my normal store. Fruit, quinoa, cheese, wines, Kashi cereal, frozen fruit, greek yogurt, arugula or other salads in bags, peanut butter OR almond butter with flax seeds (crunchy!), maple syrup, olive oil. I also get pizza dough fairly often, but mostly because it is way cheaper than most store bought dough. Cliff bars and lara bars are pretty reasonably priced. Oh, and I get the tea tree shampoo/conditioner. A lot of the neat “specialty” stuff is a little pricey for my budget, but it is good!

    Check out the frozen desert section – something will suit you. Oh, I am also very lazy, so I like to get these little frozen herbs they have in little cubes (garlic, basil) to make cooking easier.

    Let us know if you find anything amazing!

  • Well, here’s what I buy over any other store, based on prices:
    -cooking wine (2-buck Chuck)
    -olive oil
    -certain types of alcohol (their house vodka is serviceable and cheap, good for mixed drinks)
    -vitamins
    -nuts
    -fresh flowers

    What I buy based on awesomeness:
    -specialty cheese
    -fresh bread
    -pizzas
    -sparkling juices (they even have orangina)
    -red Thai curry sauce
    -occasionally, convenience foods like chopped frozen onions, peeled garlic, frozen herbs

    What I would buy if there were no Fresh and Easy available (where most things are cheaper):
    -flour
    -rice
    -pasta
    -cereal
    -eggs
    -butter
    -yogurt
    -veggies
    -maple syrup

  • I love their kitchen sponges. They come in a pack of 12 and cost about $8. They look like pieces of chewing gum but they expand when they get wet and they last forever.

    • Thank you guys for the tips! I haven’t been yet — I’m too afraid of the crowds — but I will definitely use this list when I get there!

  • I use to live in NV and shopped at TJ all the time, but now I’m in FL and they don’t have TJ, sad.
    IThey have good deals on vitamins there, and body care.

Leave a Comment