I shopped at Trader Joe's as a broke college student now I make six figures. Here are 11 things I still buy there.
Aleenah Ansari
- I shopped at Trader Joe's all the time as a busy student and I still go as an adult.
- Trader Joe's has excellent seasonal products and a great selection of flowers.
For years, I went to Trader Joe's for affordable staples, easy meals, and fun snacks when I was a busy, broke college student.
Now, I officially fit some of the bill of an average Trader Joe's shopper — a college-educated person making over $80,000 a year.
But I still head to the chain for quick dinners after long days, easy office lunches, and sweet treats to brighten my week.
Here are some of my favorite things to buy at Trader Joe's.
Frozen blueberry waffles are a breakfast staple for me.
A quick breakfast of a blueberry waffle with peanut butter helps me start the day. I get protein from the peanut butter and sweetness from the blueberries.
An eight-pack of Trader Joe's frozen blueberry waffles usually gets me through the week.
Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel-seasoned smoked salmon is excellent on a bagel.
You've probably heard of the chain's Everything but the Bagel seasoning, but did you know you can get it on smoked salmon?
I love the sea salt, garlic, and onion flavors paired with the crunch of the poppy seeds.
I put this salmon on a toasted bagel with cream cheese for a filling breakfast or snack.
Fresh flowers add color to my home year-round.
I love that seasonal bouquets at Trader Joe's are available for under $10.
Lately I've been adding sprigs of eucalyptus to my flowers to make them extra fragrant.
I like No Joke ginger shots for a boost of energy.
Trader Joe's sells a number of No Joke juice shots made with ingredients like turmeric, cayenne, and pineapple, but the ginger one is my favorite.
The ginger really helps me feel energized, and I like having shots on hand when I don't have time to make juice at home.
When I want a sweet treat, I opt for Trader Joe's cocoa baton wafer cookies.
These baton wafers are perfect for snacking on the go since the canister is easy to take to work or on a road trip.
Sometimes I crush the wafers over ice cream to give it texture.
Organic corn-chip dippers are my vessel of choice when I want dip.
The shape of these dippers makes it easy to scoop salsa or guacamole, and I also like to crumble them up into chili.
I suggest buying some for yourself and adding them to a party platter at your next gathering.
Trader Joe's peanut-butter-filled pretzel nuggets are my snack of choice when I want something sweet and salty.
I love putting peanut-butter-filled pretzel nuggets into a small plastic food-storage container to bring into the office or to my workout class.
The pretzels are a great, crunchy balance of sweet and salty flavors.
Honeycrisp apples are a staple in my home.
I love getting Honeycrisp apples year-round because they're so crisp and sweet, especially if you put them in the fridge.
My partner and I also use them to make fresh-pressed juice with kale, orange, and ginger.
I use Trader Joe's spice blends to add flavor to my meals.
The chain's Cuban-style citrusy-garlic spice blend of things like garlic, lime, and onion powder is a great tangy seasoning for chicken, beef, tofu, or fish.
Sometimes, I'll even put it on rice and a boiled egg for a quick lunch.
Seasonal and specialty items are great for a change of pace.
It's always fun to see what's in Trader Joe's just for the season, whether it's pumpkin pancake and waffle mix for fall or peppermint-flavored Pretzel Sims for the holidays.
During a visit to Trader Joe's in February, I grabbed Raspberry Hearts, two shortbread cookies sandwiched together with raspberry jam.
Don't miss out on the hair masks.
Don't sleep on the beauty products at Trader Joe's.
I grab Trader Joe's shea butter and coconut oil hair mask for $4 when I want something affordable but effective.
After I've rinsed out my shampoo, I'll apply this and let it sit for five minutes before rinsing it out. I find it helps my hair feel nourished and healthy.
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