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Trader Joe\'S Reusable Bag
Trader Joe\'S Reusable Bag
Jocelyn Hsu / Spoon
Wellness > Health

A College Student Trader Joe’s Guide

Madison Scerbo
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Tampa chapter.

From moving away from home for the first time and going to school across the country, buying groceries solely for myself became a new thing. Although I live on campus and have to have a meal plan, I still tend to steer away from the on-campus food options and cook my food, even if it’s in our dorm microwave. My all-time favorite grocery store has to be Trader Joe’s, where I do almost all of my food shopping. And what people don’t realize is how inexpensive it can be! So, I am going to share a few of my favorite snacks and meals from Trader Joe’s that I make for myself! 

  1. Multigrain Crackers ($2.99), Mini Brie Bites ($5.49), and Colby Jack Cheese Sticks ($3.99)

These three items have become one of my favorite quick snacks from Trader Joe’s. I’m not a big cracker person, but the multigrain crackers are so good I will eat them on their own—and they’re vegan! I love brie cheese, but an entire block can be very expensive, so these mini versions are perfect, and I’m willing to “splurge” on one of my favorite foods.

  1. Frozen Fettuccine Alfredo ($5.49) and Frozen Italian Style Meatballs ($4.99)

This is one meal that I will make in my microwave, and I think it will be so good! I’m a big pasta lover, and this just hits the nail right on the head. As well as the meatballs I love adding protein into my meals and they are perfectly seasoned and pre-cooked so all you have to do is warm them up in your microwave!

  1. Everything But The Bagel Greek Yogurt Style Dip (3.49), Ridge Cut Potato Chips ($2.99), and Cut and Peeled Carrots ($1.99)

This is another one of my favorite snacks to have during the day. I am obsessed with everything bagel dip, and pairing it with the ridge chips is so good! I also tend to grab any sort of veggie while I’m shopping to dip as well and Trader Joe’s giant bag of baby carrots is only $2! So inexpensive. 

  1. Frozen Vegetable Fried Rice ($2.99), Frozen Chicken Gyoza Potstickers ($3.99), and Sweet Chili Sauce ($1.49)

This is another microwaved meal that I love to have. It is so easy to make in the microwave and can last you a long time with plenty of servings. The sweet chili sauce is one of my favorite things and pairs so well with this combo, or I love to drizzle it on almost everything!

  1. Cheddar Rockets (2.49), PB&C Snack Duo (3.99), and Cherry and Pomegranate Toaster Pastries ($2.69)

These are just a few other snacks that are the Trader Joe’s version of popular snacks that I love! The Cheddar Rockets are like GoldFish, and the Toaster Pastries are like Poptarts but are much better for you than the name-brand items. The PB&C Snack duos have been a recent favorite find of mine, and they are little chocolate-filled wafer sticks with a peanut butter dip!

So next time you decide to go grocery shopping you should definitely choose Trader Joes and get these well loved food items!

Madison Scerbo is a current sophomore and holds the position of Social Media and Marketing Director of University of Tampa, Her Campus Chapter. She enjoys writing about lifestyle tips, the latest trends, fashion, and personal experiences. Apart from Her Campus Madison is majoring in Business Marketing and has a Minor in Film and Media Arts. She loves being involved with communities on campus and is also on the Tampa Dance Team- The Spartan Scarlets as well as in the sorority Delta Gamma, Epsilon Theta Chapter. Having taken creative writing and cinematography classes she has always had a passion for the arts. Madison has been involved in dance for over ten years and is a sales associate at The Olive Oil Pantry in her hometown allowing her to learn about healthy eating and fitness lifestyles. In her free time, Madison loves to hang out with friends, go on walks, try new foods, and go to the beach! You can often find her out and about or cozied up watching her favorite movie.