Trying to eat with a health-conscious mind in a world full of artificial preservatives, added chemicals and sky high sodium and sugar contents is challenging. Thankfully, a couple years ago I discovered the holy grail for all of us who want to eat delicious food and indulge in a sweet treat once in a while without driving our bodies and trainers into a tailspin: Trader Joe's.
This grocery food chain prides itself in providing customers with convenient, quality products listed at super reasonable prices. At Trader Joe's, it is commonplace to find products with no artificial colors or flavors paired with very, very short ingredient lists.
With this in mind, here are some of my favorite products at Trader Joe's that allow me to enjoy health-focused, interesting dishes in addition to some not-so-terrible-for-you sweet treats.
1. Organic Superfood Pilaf
Price: $3.99
This bag is truly superfood. With a delicious blend of tri-color quinoa, sweet potatoes, kale, carrots and red bell peppers, you can't go wrong heating up this convenient side to pair with almost any meal.
2. Frozen Fruit
Price: $1.99- $3.99
Smoothie lovers rejoice! The frozen section is filled to the brim with a huge variety of different and unique fruit blends that make whipping up a smoothie or trying new combinations a breeze.
3. Organic Riced Cauliflower
Price: $1.99
Serving up another delicious side, Trader Joe's allows us to sneak in some extra veggies with this great rice substitute. Sold fresh and frozen, this riced cauliflower makes a perfect addition to any protein dish without bringing down the flavor.
4. Prepared Salads
Price: $3.49- $4.99
As silly as it sounds, sometimes preparing a tasty, interesting salad takes a big chunk of time that isn't always available to us. Luckily, Trader Joe's has us covered with their vast array of prepared salads, capable of satisfying any cultural cuisine craving.
5. Edamame
Price: $1.79
Edamame can definitely be a tough item to track down at your average food store, but Trader Joe's sells it fresh and shelled (shown above), frozen and shelled and also frozen and unshelled. This protein filled super bean can be used as a salad topping or as a yummy snack.
6. Organic Brown Rice and Quinoa Fusilli Pasta
Price: $1.99
For everyone who is just as obsessed with brown rice and quinoa as I am, this one is for you. It's the perfect product if you're looking to avoid classic pasta, but haven't been able to find a substitute. Another great perk is its dual organic and gluten free status.
7. Hummus
Price: $2.29- $3.99
And the award for the most versatile item goes to...hummus! Hummus is such a great staple item to have on hand for all your snacking and salad dressing needs. Trader Joe's carries an interesting array of flavors so it's easy to keep your dip new and interesting!
8. Smoked Andouille Chicken Sausage
Price: $3.99
Like a lot of Trader Joe's products, these flavorful, slightly spicy links are minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients. Despite their sodium content, this chicken sausage is still a great protein to enjoy every once in a while during summer cookouts.
9. Speculoos Cookie Butter Cheesecake Bites
Price: $4.49
It wouldn't be a proper Trader Joe's list without including at least one delicious sweet treat from the frozen section and these take the cake as my favorite. Of course, cheesecake is not the healthiest item to grab, but when you want to "treat yo self" sometimes, these bites are the right product to throw in your cart.
10. Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning
Price: $1.99
I know putting a seasoning on this list seems a little out of place, but I promise this one is life changing. You can sprinkle this delicious blend on almost anything ranging from fish to fries to eggs to rice. It can turn any average meal into a dance party on your tastebuds. Just trust me on this.
11. Speculoos Cookie and Cocoa Swirl
Price: $3.99
Last but not forgotten is one of my all time sweet treat favorites: this scrumptious blend of cookie and chocolate is perfect as a dip for animal crackers or as a spread on toast. Although its arguably not the best when trying to avoid sugar, a little goes a long way and it's definitely worth the splurge.