A Guide To

If you’ve never been to a Trader Joe’s before, I think it would be an understatement to say that you’ve been missing out your whole life. For those who know what I’m talking about, I’m sure your mouth is already starting to water. Trader Joe’s, a grocery store as accessible as your local supermarket, is a place where organic meets mainstream. Selling only food that is under the Trader Joe’s label, the store’s shelves are lined with healthy, fresh food you most likely wouldn’t find anywhere else – from Organic Olive Oil Popcorn to Sparkling Cranberry Juice, Trader Joe’s has everything imaginable. And they’re not lying about being health-conscious, either. When you take an item with the store’s signature label off the shelf and put it into your basket, you can be assured that it is made with “NO artificial flavors, colors or preservatives; NO genetically modified ingredients; NO MSG; and NO added Trans Fats” (Trader Joe’s). When you walk into the store, you aren’t blinded by piercing, white tile floors, ceilings and shelves. Trader Joe’s has a more natural, welcoming feeling, with cedar planked walls and brown tile floors. Hand-painted, original and colorful signs hang above each section and isle of the store. The prices are pretty welcoming, too – while most organic food today is overpriced, Trader Joe’s products do not follow suit. The company is on the same track as the customer – they’re dedicated to providing shoppers with great quality and great prices.

It was only after my Mom had been to the store a few times that I first heard about Trader Joe’s. I had never been myself, and after she started bringing home the utterly delicious frozen meals, fresh produce and mouth-watering snacks, I decided I needed to visit the store myself. My first visit was a whirlwind of excitement. I walked into the store and walked up and down the aisles in awe - I had to contain myself so I wouldn’t take everything off of the shelves and put it into our cart. I could’ve bought nearly everything. I especially remember the never-ending frozen isle and the decadent-looking chocolate cakes – I just wanted to take it all home.

My family goes to Trader Joe’s as often as we can – the store located closest to Kent is in Danbury, so we are able to make occasional trips if we are nearby or when we’re visiting my Aunt who lives in Danbury. Whenever my Mom says she’s going to Trader Joe’s and asks me what I might want her to get, I have to refrain from making a list ten pages long.

I don’t think that there’s ever been something we bought that we didn’t love, or at least like – I can almost guarantee that anything you buy from Trader Joe’s will be amazing. After having shopped for years now at Trader Joe’s, my family has tried many different types of dishes, snacks, drinks, and desserts. Here are (some) of my favorites from Trader Joe’s:

Trader Joe’s® Chocolate Croissants

One of my favorite things to have for breakfast by far – on the mornings I have one, these croissants are the reason I wake up in the morning. The warm, slightly melted chocolate center complements the soft, fluffy croissant perfectly. They come frozen, so just leave them out on a plate, cover them and let them sit overnight so they can rise. Then just pop them in the oven in the morning. Leaving them out the night before is the most important part - I’ve been through too many disappointing mornings when I would wake up and have to have a flat croissant for breakfast because I forgot to leave one out the night before.

Trader Joe’s® Pulled Pork in Smoky BBQ Sauce

This is great to have for dinner – flavorful and delicious. My brother and I absolutely love this pulled pork; we have to make sure that it’s split up evenly between us when we share it for dinner.

Trader Joe’s® Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds

Beware: these are highly addicting. These have become my new favorite snack since my Mom discovered them. If you buy them, make sure you get the “Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar” chocolate almonds – Trader Joe’s sells various kinds of chocolate almonds, but these are by far the most flavorful with the best quality chocolate.

Bake At Home French Rolls

I couldn’t find a picture of these, but trust me, they are delectable. They come partially baked, and all you have to do is cook them in the oven for ten minutes, and they taste like just-made rolls fresh from a bakery. They are an absolutely delicious addition to any dinner.

Trader Joe’s® Organic Pink Lemonade

Whenever I have a glass of this tasty and very sweet lemonade, my mind is flooded with memories of family gatherings and sitting at the “kids table” with my cousins, passing a pitcher of this sweet lemonade around until it’s gone. This is hands-down my favorite lemonade.

Immaculate Baking Co. All Natural Cookie Dough

The healthier and much more tasty version of Toll House-type cookies, it’s a race to the kitchen whenever someone bakes a batch of these at my house. They are perfectly soft and slightly gooey while still having that satisfying, light crunch with every bite. I would recommend either the Triple Chocolate or the Chocolate Chunk.

Trader Joe’s® Southwest Chicken Quesadillas

Everything you could ask for in a quesadilla. The perfect mixture of vegetables, chicken and cheese in a folded, crunchy shell. Great for a quick lunch or dinner.

Trader Joe’s® 12 Mini Mint Ice Cream Mouthfuls

I haven’t had these in a long time, and now that I think about it, I’m very sad that I haven’t – these mini ice cream sandwiches are the best cookie sandwich invention yet. They taste like soft, ice cream filled mint-flavored Oreos. My brother, sister and I each used to reserve a row for ourselves (they were divided into three rows in the package), have one or two sandwiches that night, and save the rest for another night.

Works Cited

Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s, n.d. Web. 22 January 2012.

Images

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