scorecardI'm a single woman in NYC who shops at Trader Joe's on a $60 budget every 2 weeks. Here's what I buy.
  1. Home
  2. life
  3. food
  4. news
  5. I'm a single woman in NYC who shops at Trader Joe's on a $60 budget every 2 weeks. Here's what I buy.

I'm a single woman in NYC who shops at Trader Joe's on a $60 budget every 2 weeks. Here's what I buy.

Audra Lambert   

I'm a single woman in NYC who shops at Trader Joe's on a $60 budget every 2 weeks. Here's what I buy.
I shop for just myself at Trader Joe's and grab things like chocolate and granola bars.Audra Lambert

Trader Joe's quick-cook oats make for an easy and quick breakfast.

Trader Joe
Trader Joe's steel-cut oats are a great breakfast.      Audra Lambert

My best option from Trader Joe's for a reliable morning burst of energy is the chain's steel-cut oats.

The package holds more than enough to last me two weeks. At just under $3, it's an affordable, easy option for a nutritious meal that I can mix and match with fresh seasonal fruits.

Trader Joe's organic half-and-half goes a long way for me.

Trader Joe
I pick up an organic version of Trader Joe's half-and-half.      Audra Lambert

It's always nice to have dairy for coffee and oatmeal in the morning. I can easily mix some of Trader Joe's organic half-and-half with water when making oatmeal without having to run back to the store right away.

A pint of half-and-half is less than $2.50.

Most of my dinners include some jasmine rice.

Most of my dinners include some jasmine rice.
I use jasmine rice for easy stir-fry dinners.      Audra Lambert

Having a reliable staple like Trader Joe's $3 bag of jasmine rice means I can pop a few cups into the rice cooker, walk my dog, and come back to a grain base ready to go.

There are also brown rice and even quinoa options under $5 each.

Prepackaged spiced beans from A Dozen Cousins make for an easy-to-prep meal.

Prepackaged spiced beans from A Dozen Cousins make for an easy-to-prep meal.
A Dozen Cousins pinto beans are tasty and filling.      Audra Lambert

Trader Joe's also carries A Dozen Cousins pinto beans, which are ready after just a minute in the microwave.

At only $2.50, it's easy to grab a couple to heat up and serve over rice for a quick meal, especially if I'm working from home on tight deadlines.

Trader Joe's prepackaged Asian-style veggie stir fry is an easy, healthy staple.

Trader Joe
I don't have to spend time chopping produce with Trader Joe's Asian-style veggie mix.      Audra Lambert

Just because I'm on a budget doesn't mean I want to skimp on nutrition.

I might not have time to slice up a lot of produce so my over-$5 splurge at Trader Joe's is a pack of mixed precut veggies ready to toss into a pan for a teriyaki-style stir fry.

Trader Joe's Soyaki adds a unique flavor to a lot of dishes.

Trader Joe
Trader Joe's Soyaki pairs well with vegetables or can be used as a meat marinade.      Audra Lambert

Trader Joe's has its own spin on teriyaki sauce, a 20-ounce bottle of Soyaki, for under $4. It's enough for over a week of stir-fry meals.

Its flavor is fairly tangy but not too strong so it's perfect for my vegetable-heavy diet as a tasty, savory sauce for most meals.

Sweet potatoes are a great vitamin-packed snack.

Sweet potatoes are a great vitamin-packed snack.
I bake my sweet potatoes.      Audra Lambert

Making a sweet potato in a small Brooklyn apartment is a mouth-watering experience because the smell is so good that the hour or so of baking makes it worth the wait.

I can get 2 pounds, which is roughly seven sweet potatoes, for under $2.50, making this bag of fiber-packed vegetables a no-brainer for a light lunch or afternoon snack.

Decadent goat cheese is one of the best items to splurge on.

Decadent goat cheese is one of the best items to splurge on.
You can add Trader Joe's Chevre with honey to a cheese board or sweet potato.      Audra Lambert

What's a baked potato without a nice, melt-in-your-mouth cheese to go with it?

Trader Joe's Chevre with honey goat cheese is bougie on a budget and a good calorie-rich splurge alongside a sweet potato.

A 5-ounce block of Chevre is $3.

Gluten-free chicken-breast nuggets add a quick dash of protein to any meal.

Gluten-free chicken-breast nuggets add a quick dash of protein to any meal.
Trader Joe's gluten-free chicken nuggets are perfect for stir fry.      Audra Lambert

A little extra protein makes for a more filling dinner, and Trader Joe's gluten-free chicken-breast nuggets from the frozen section are a quick fix.

It's easy to grab the nuggets from the freezer and toss them into a teriyaki stir fry.

At $5 per 16-ounce bag, the nuggets are a long-lasting item on a lean budget.

Organic veggies, like broccoli florets, add nutrition without breaking the bank.

Organic veggies, like broccoli florets, add nutrition without breaking the bank.
Organic broccoli can be added to countless dishes.      Audra Lambert

In order to supplement my prepacked stir fry with more variety, I'll usually pick up another bag of precut veggies. This time, I grabbed Trader Joe's organic broccoli florets to throw into dinners a few nights a week.

It's great to know I'm eating organic vegetables that'll last me the week at under $4 per bag.

For a breakfast on the run, I grab Trader Joe's fiberful granola bars.

For a breakfast on the run, I grab Trader Joe
Trader Joe's fiberful granola bars contain 9 grams of fiber per serving.      Audra Lambert

There's nothing like a fiber-filled granola bar to get me through a morning running to the train to get to a meeting.

A five-pack of Trader Joe's fiberful granola bars costs only $3, meaning that I can grab two boxes and be ready for breakfast on the run.

Grab-and-go fruits, like apples and pears, are always welcome.

Grab-and-go fruits, like apples and pears, are always welcome.
Bartlett pears go well with chocolate.      Audra Lambert

Pears are great, durable, and easy-to-pack lunches and are budget-friendly. Three Bartlett pears cost less than $2.50 and make a great afternoon snack.

I also love to indulge in some pear slices with chocolate for a tasty dessert that goes a long way.

Sometimes a salty fix like Trader Joe's chili and garlic cashews hits the spot.

Sometimes a salty fix like Trader Joe
Trader Joe's spiced cashews have saltiness and heat.      Audra Lambert

There's just no other fix for a savory craving quite like Trader Joe's spiced cashews. The store has a ton of options in its nuts and seeds section but my favorite is the chili-garlic cashews.

A handful makes a filling afternoon snack, and at less than $4 a pack, I can easily grab two bags to cover two weeks of snack attacks.

Trader Joe's organic dark-chocolate truffle bars can be transformed into a decadent dip.

Trader Joe
I make dark-chocolate dip and scoop it up with apples, pears, or bananas.      Audra Lambert

My go-to healthy dessert consists of a couple of Trader Joe's organic dark-chocolate truffle bars, which are $4 each.

I like to heat them up with some half-and-half as a quick dessert dip to go with apples, pears, or bananas for a nice end-of-day treat.

Click to keep reading Trader Joe's diaries like this one.

Advertisement