Trader Joe's is the most cost-efficient, delicious, and simple way to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. College students who don't have much time for meal prep and cooking definitely benefit from Trader Joe's options. With time management issues and the urge to eat healthily, many college students fall trap to sugary, quick breakfast foods, claiming they're "just too busy" to make time for breakfast. Enter the solution: The 24/7 Trader Joe's Diet.
The haphazard and lazy style of breakfast eating quickly spirals into lunch and dinner too for college students—setting them up for an unhealthy, lazy, and processed food filled diet. Trader Joe's has made it so easy for me to eat healthy, daily meals without feeling like I'm using all of my money on breakfast or devoting all of my time to cooking. To serve as a guide for other college students struggling to find a simple and cheap way to make their diet healthy and balanced, I've compiled my 24/7 Trader Joe's diet below.
Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! I spend weekly about $45-50 on groceries and a majority of that goes towards my breakfast fund. When I have more time to make breakfast, I opt for something like what is photographed above: 1/2 an avocado, an egg scramble with Trader Joe's non-fat Feta Cheese, Spinach cooked in Chosen Foods Avocado Oil (found at TJs!), and, of course, Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Below are some of my simple, ten-minute breakfast ideas for anyone on the go like me! The first is an acai bowl made with one Trader Joe's unsweetened acai pack, some frozen spinach, a banana, TJ's macadamia milk & TJ's crunchy almond butter. Just blend it all and you're set!
My favorite breakfast is these toasts that I make almost every day. All ingredients are from TJ's and it takes around five minutes to make. I use their gluten-free bread (keep it refrigerated) as the base!
In the fall, their seasonal pumpkin yogurt is my go-to. But after the autumn months, I gravitate toward blueberry or plain. Plain is the best for adding toppings—I topped my yogurt with Pumpkin O's and crunchy almond butter.
The great thing about my breakfast foods is that occasionally I'll make one of them for breakfast and another for lunch. The diversity of breakfast food always gets me through a busy day.
Lunch & Dinner
If you knew me, you'd know I'm really not into frozen food products mostly because I can't eat gluten but also because I hate preservatives. However, Trader Joe's frozen food section caters to all my needs, doesn't go bad super quickly (lifesaving) and does not have a ton of gross add-ins.
Trader Joe's frozen food section has saved my life on multiple occasions. They also sell pre-packed salad mixes with the ingredients separated, so you don't have to eat it all at once. I normally combine some form of TJ's frozen food with said salad mix. My absolute all-time favorite TJ's product is the Green Goddess dressing for dinner.
Above is the Cauli rice which I cook with one egg (fried rice, anyone?) and a variety of veggies and protein. Sometimes I use chicken or tofu, sometimes I opt for snap peas, and other times I go for bell peppers or defrost some frozen zucchini or spaghetti squash spirals.
Other favorite frozen items include their: Turkey Burgers, Mahi Mahi Burgers, Tuna Burgers, Cauli Stir Fry, Cauli Stuffing, and Quinoa and Butternut Squash Pizza Crust. I usually make some variation of these frozen products plus protein and veggies for dinner every night!
Snacks & More
As I am constantly on the go, I rely on good old Trader Joe's to always have my favorite snacks in stock so I can be energized throughout the day. I always opt for Perfect Bars and One Bars which are both sold at TJ's. In addition to these easy snacks, I use their rice & quinoa hot cereal to make my oat bowls and love their season granola (especially this gingerbread one!).
I am a huge fan of Simply Lite chocolate (which they have in stock) and the TJ's brand Kombucha. My Trader Joe's diet is expanding beyond just my meals—I now use their face wash and coconut body butter to moisturize and have purchased three of their seasonal candles. It is safe to say I may be addicted, but at least it is in the pursuit of the healthiest, most balanced me I can be.
One final thing that I love about shopping and building my meals around my trips to Trader Joe's is their $2.99 flower section. I've always found it super important to buy yourself flowers or a treat on a weekly basis to practice self-love. Every Sunday I make a big decision at the flower section when I pick out my next mini flower arrangement for my bedroom!
Overall, navigating the life of a college student can be difficult. With so many deadlines, pressures, and the high-stress environment around us, it's easy to fall into the trap of unhealthy eating. But with the 24/7 Trader Joe's diet, you can be sure to find things that taste good, treat your body right, and don't break the bank.