I am a loyal shopper of Trader Joe’s. I discovered this find a couple of years ago and have never turned back. They have great, healthy selections with very reasonable prices. Although, like every supermarket, not everything they sell is “healthy”. You still have to read packages and ingredients.

I have often been asked what I buy at TJ’s, so I made a shopping list. I am not suggesting everything on this list is the perfect balance of nutrition, but most on the list are excellent choices. I have spent the time reading the packages and narrowing down selections. Here’s what’s on my list:

Breads/Pastas

Stone Hearth Honey Whole Wheat (always look for 100% whole wheat, with a small ingredient list)

Quinoa Bread

Whole Wheat English Muffins

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Organic Shells and White Cheddar Mac & Cheese (for the kids)

Mini Whole Wheat Bagels (for the kids)

Whole Wheat Pasta

Organic Brown Rice (in freezer section)

Crackers

Raisin Rosemary Crisps

Multigrain Flax Water Crackers

Edamame Savory Thins Crackers

Woven Wheat & Wafers

Cereals

McCann’s Irish Oatmeal

Uncle Sam’s

Nature’s Flax Plus Organic

Joe’s O’s

Heart to Heart

Organic Golden Flaxseed

Sauces / Condiments/ Dips

Reduced Guilt Chunky Guacamole (my addiction – half the calories of normal guac – it’s made with Greek yogurt!)

Hummus (without Tahini)

Trader Giotto’s Rustico Traditional Southern Italian Sauce

Balsamic Glaze (I use on mozzarella & tomato sandwiches, as salad dressing, as a dip…)

Organic Reduced Sugar Strawberry Preserves

Organic Ketchup

Pure Grade A Maple Syrup

Cinnamon

Proteins

Individual Goat Cheese Packets

Lite Cheese Sticks

Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter (drain the oil from the top before eating!) – this only has organic peanuts & sea salt…nothin’ else

Protein Muffins w/Banana (a little bit of a decadent treat, but still in the “good” category)

Trader Joe’s Vanilla Whey Protein (filled with vitamins!)

Organic Milk

Eggs

Packaged Lentils

Goat Cheese Cream Cheese Spread (great tasting and none of the artificial ingredients and “guar gum” of regular cream cheese)

Trader Joe’s Shredded Mozzarella

Trader Joe’s Greek Blueberry Yogurt Non-Fat

Organic Kidney Beans

Low Sodium Almonds or Pistachios

Albacore Solid White Tuna in Water

Crumbled Feta

Shaved Grana Padanoi Parmesan Cheese

Ground Lean Beef – 96% Fat Free

Ground Turkey Breast – 99% Fat Free

Snacks (suggest eating these snacks in moderation vs. sitting down with a bag, but a serving is perfectly fine)

Trader Joe’s Inner Peas

Soy & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips

Whole Grain Pretzel Sticks

Pretzel Slims

Trader Joe’s Crunchy Granola Bars (peanut butter or regular)

Kind Bars

Produce

Organic Raw Broccoli

Organic Celery

Organic Carrot Sticks

Sugar Snap Peas

Mirepoix Celery, Carrots and Onions (pre-cut) – great for stews, sauce, tuna)

Apples

Oranges

Organic Bananas

Pears

Sweet Onion

Tomatoes

Peppers

Applesauce (used in baking)

Vegetables/Fruit (in the frozen aisle)

Superfood

Organic Spinach

Organic Broccoli

Organic Sweet Peas

Ready to Eat Edamame (lightly salted)

Organic Frozen Fruit

Other

Raspberry Sparking Seltzer

Whole Wheat Flour

Organic Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Dark Chocolate Edamame (gotta have a little treat –  this is packed with protein!)