Today’s post is a little food hall…all on Trader Joe’s. I’m going to go through all Trader Joe’s brands, what my favorite healthy snacks are and then share my favorite little cheat food.
I love how affordable Trader Joe’s is and that they have really unique things. Here are my favorites:
- Organic Persian Cucumbers. I’m Persian, so I grew up eating these. I love these at Trader Joe’s specifically, because they’re ORGANIC, which isn’t always easy to find. Just rinse them with the peel on, put a little sea salt and bite right in.
- Butternut Squash. For things like butternut squash, when I see it in the fridge as a whole squash, I’m like …that’s a lot of work. But when I see it all cut and ready to go, I can just throw it onto a pan. I love the “Zig-Zags” because they’re like crinkle cut fries. I highly recommend baking them. They’re so easy and it’s so much healthier than fries.
- Coconut Oil. This is a staple I always keep in the house. I get coconut oil from a lot of places, but I like this one because it’s extra virgin, and the price point is really good ($4.99). Make sure to always get unrefined- it’s the least processed so you can get the most nutrients.
- Baby Beets. This is one of my favorites. I usually just take them whole, bake them, slice them and eat them cold or warm. These ones are clean (so no mess), you don’t have to cook them and the ingredients are just beets. A lot of times when I find pre-cooked beets at grocery stores they have a little salt or natural flavor …really try to stay away from natural flavors because the range of what could go into that is literally anything on Earth. But definitely try to add more beets into your diet because they’re so healthy, cancer-fighting and high in antioxidants.
- Rolled Oats. For years, I’ve always really loved this brand of rolled oats. There’s just something about the texture. **Oats are always naturally gluten-free, but sometimes, if they’re mixed with different things, MAYBE there could be a kind that isn’t gluten-free …that’s a little bit of marketing, and naturally, they should always be gluten-free.
- Sishito Peppers. These are one of my favorite things to get at a sushi restaurant. They always felt like kind of a luxury food because I could never find them anywhere BUT Trader Joe’s. I haven’t quite perfected how to cook them, so if anyone knows how to cook Sishito peppers just like they do at sushi restaurants, please let me know.
- Organic Coconut Chips. This is just dried, organic coconut. I really like this because coconut is such an easy addition to any food to give it a little more oomph. Healthy fats are the best form of instant energy. When you eat carbs for energy, that’s more the night before (good for sustained / stored energy). In terms of food combining, these coconut chips go well with so many things- add it to an acai bowl, oatmeal, a smoothie, or eat it right out of the bag. By the way, artificial coconut in candy is NOT what coconut tastes like.
- Organic Moroccan Mint Tea. When you get just mint (not green) tea, it’s caffeine free. Mint is great for digestion, and this is just a good, simple one. You could also throw it into a cold water bottle for a little extra flavor.
- Riced Cauliflower. This is such a good staple to have in your house. I like rice, but this is perfect for when you’re having a heavy protein. When it comes to food combining, proteins and starches are just two things you really shouldn’t combine. Even if you don’t believe in food combining (totally fine), having a heavy protein and a heavy starch together is just a lot to digest in one meal. So if you’re having any kind of protein, having cauliflower rice with it really helps. You could also blend it and do a cauli-mash- literally tastes and feels like mashed potatoes.
- Frozen Organic Wild Blueberries. I don’t like big frozen fruit because it tastes kind of mushy when it thaws out a little bit. These blueberries are really small, and you really don’t lose a lot of nutrients with frozen fruit. I know that it can get expensive to buy organic berries especially, so this is an amazing alternative to keep in your freezer.
- Manuka Honey. This is usually pretty expensive ($25 at Whole Foods), but the price of this one is $13.99. Manuka honey is high in antibacterial and antiviral effects …a bit more medicinal than regular honey. If you’re going to eat Mankua honey, I recommend saving it for when you’re sick.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. This one is SEASONAL, so make sure to get it before the holidays are over. Stock up because it’s so good. I use it all year round. It’s just cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom- so good for you. Put it in drinks, oatmeal, anything for more of a holiday-vibe.
- Tom’s Toothpaste (peppermint). This is not Trader Joe’s brand, but I really tried to make the switch to all non-toxic, and toothpaste is one of them. I love that Trader Joe’s carries this brand.
- Diced Onions. Don’t save these too long because sometimes onions that are sliced in the fridge don’t have the best smell. But, if you want to use them right away, I love these because I hate dicing onions. Onions are amazing- great for cleansing, great antibacterial and antiviral properties and great to boost your immune system.
- Cinnamon Whisk. This smells so good and so fresh for the holidays. They sell them small or big, and they just give your home a more cozy energy. I’m really big on aromatherapy- I think smells are so relaxing and can make you so happy. Anything I can do to put me in a more peaceful, happy state impacts my entire day. Find things that bring you that joy and double-down in them.
- Peanut Butter Pretzels. This is my little cheat food. This one doesn’t even have salt, so they’re not as bad. These are so yummy. A good one to have in the house …not the worst thing, but not the best thing.
Those are my Trader Joe’s favorites. Definitely give them a try and let me know what you think :)
