Walking into Trader Joe's is always exciting I always wonder what fun products I will walk out with when I leave the store. Trader Joe's has a cult following when it comes to their products. Going to school at Syracuse University I was skeptical that I would be able to get some of my favorite products, but luckily, we have one in Syracuse. I have even found new products that have become some of my favorites. Here are a few of my favorite things to make to eat in my dorm room from Trader Joe's.
Breakfast Options
One of my favorite quick breakfasts is Greek yogurt with either granola or cereal in it with fruit. It’s so easy in the morning to grab yogurt put in a handful of granola or cereal and top it off with some fruit like pomegranate seeds, strawberry’s, or bananas.
Another favorite breakfast of mine is oatmeal and Trader Joe's has great instant oatmeal packets that are easy to make in the microwave before a class. Something I love to do is add in a spoonful of peanut butter to my oatmeal to give it an extra boost of flavor and added protein in the morning.
Lunch and Dinner Options
One of my all-time favorite things from Trader Joe's is their reduce guilt mac and cheese. Which has 65% less fat and 25% fewer calories all while tasting just like regular mac and cheese. And who doesn’t love mac and cheese, especially if it won’t make you feel gross after eating it?
This next one I found up here in Syracuse actually, and it was delicious. It was a chicken burrito bowl from the freezer section that you just have to heat up for 3-4 minutes or in my dorm microwave 5 minutes. In this bowl, there is brown rice, quinoa, roasted green and red peppers, corn, black bean, seasoned chicken, cheddar cheese, topped with a chipotle southwest style sauce. Let me tell you this bowl surprised me with how delicious it was I can’t wait to go back and buy more. And it is packed with 22g of protein a perfect meal to hold you over during a busy day or to finish off a busy day of classes.
If you are looking for a take-out inspired dish, Trader Joe's has really good frozen Vegetable Panang Curry. This dish has white Jasmine rice and vegetables covered in a delicious curry sauce. You just have to heat it up in the microwave, and you have restaurant quality Thai food in your dorm room. This dish is not only vegetarian, but it is also vegan. You would never guess that this dish would be vegan, and this makes it versatile to so many people.
One of my favorite dinners I have been making in my microwave recently is pasta with meatballs. I bought the frozen meatballs that are fully cooked already, so you just heat them up in the microwave. Next, I take my Barilla pasta that heats up in 60 seconds, and then you just mix the meatballs and pasta together with sauce. Making this meal takes no time at all, and it is a filling meal that I actually enjoy eating at night.
Snacks and More
I can never leave Trader Joe's without lots of snacks. Here are some of my favorites.
I love hummus. I especially love the roasted garlic one because it's perfect for snacking during the day or as an add-on to any meal. I love to dip in vegetables such as carrots. Also, I like to dip with the Trader Joe's multigrain pita crackers.
Another great snack is chips and salsa, and I really like Trader Joe's salsa and blue corn tortilla chips during the day.
One of my favorite sweets is from Trader Joe's. I love their dark chocolate peanut butter cups. They are the perfect amount of not too sweet and not too bitter. They taste best when they are stored in the fridge and are a little cold.