My Favorite Trader Joe’s Items

I firmly believe that Trader Joe’s is the lifeblood of college students. With their abundance of frozen or low-prep meals, snacks, and most importantly, low price tags, my meals nearly always consist of at least one Trader Joe’s product. In my six semesters of college, I have perfected not only my resume but also my TJ’s shopping list.

1. Sprouted extra firm tofu. I wasn’t a fan of tofu until I tried this one, and now I eat it at least once a week. This tofu has a great texture and is packed with protein to keep you full – and since it comes in a two-pack, you get double the food.
2. Frozen rice. I have a rice cooker, but sometimes I just don’t want to clean it. I also cannot make brown rice properly in a rice cooker. Luckily, Trader Joe’s stocks both white and brown, organic and non-organic frozen rice, making dinner and clean-up simpler.
3. Frozen chicken gyoza dumplings. Trader Joe’s also offers a pork version of this dumpling, but I tend to prefer the chicken. Ready in under 10 minutes, these dumplings make a great snack or side dish. 
4. Chicken apple sausage. I hate handling raw meat, so I love that this sausage comes fully cooked. It also has a great autumnal flavor and pairs well with breakfast or a nourish bowl.
5. Premade two-minute pasta. Trader Joe’s carries a variety of pre-made tortellini and ravioli – my favorite is the spinach and ricotta – that come in smaller sizes and more variety than other premade pastas. I never have to worry about these kinds of pasta going bad before I can finish them, and with the variety at the store, I can rotate flavors and keep myself from getting bored.
6. Mini avocados. I usually can’t finish a full avocado by myself, so the mini avocados work perfectly for my toasts and salads. They also come in a pack and stay good for a surprisingly long time in the fridge.
7. Trader Joe’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups. In general, I’m not a huge fan of the chocolate + peanut butter combo. I absolutely cannot stand Reese’s. However, I’m addicted to these peanut butter cups. The dark chocolate perfectly compliments the peanut butter, and letting the candy chill in the fridge is an easy way to elevate this snack.
8. Gone Berry Crazy. These are frozen chocolate-covered strawberries, and they are perfect. I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, so when I’m craving something sweet but not too sweet, I go for these. 
9. Trader Joe’s butter waffle cookies. If I do want something sweeter, I go for these. I could literally eat an entire sleeve in one sitting – they’re that good. They taste like waffle cones, if waffle cones were a touch sweeter, a tad more buttery, and just a bit crunchier.
10. Trader Joe’s cold brew concentrate. Warning – this stuff is STRONG, and that’s coming from a certified caffeine addict who can chug an energy drink and then go to sleep. This cold brew gets me wired but not anxious, and keeps me energized and alert for hours. It’s the perfect late-night finals fuel.