Trader Joe’s is my go to store all year round. But, in January of 2016, a giant snow storm hit my hometown and caused the roof the local Trader Joe’s to break through. The store had to shut down for nearly a year. Yes, all of the Westfield, NJ moms were literally devastated and many were driving 20-40 minutes to other nearby Joe’s establishments. My mom drove an hour to the Princeton location because it’s the only other store that offered her favorite wine. So extra. But thank god, the new store opened just in time to bring us the new 2017 products. And they are so much better than I could’ve imagined. These are my top 10 must-have products. So, run don’t walk to the nearest TJ’s.
1. Cauliflower Pizza
Finding substitutes for bread is all the rage right now. And chopped/ground cauliflower is taking the spotlight. This cauliflower pizza is everyone’s Pinterest dream without all the fuss with actually… making a homemade pizza. I’m in.
2. Simpler Canned Wines
Like I mentioned above, Trader Joe’s signature wine is an all time fan favorite. But these new canned wines really change the game. They’re going for $1 a can. Yeah you read that right… 1 dollar. Sold in packs of 4, the wine can is your answer to every BBQ, picnic, beach trip, pool trip.. basically the answer to every summer event.
3. Everything Bagel Seasoning
This one might seem a little confusing but I am truly addicted. I love everything bagel’s just as much as the next gal, but for half the carbs and half the guilt I sprinkle this season on top of some avo toast and all my dreams come true.
4. Cold Brew Latte Bars
It seems like every coffee place now has a signature cold brew. And while I can’t figure out which is my favorite, I can get behind a cold brew ice cream bar. The best part of all? They’re only 70 calories. Sorry if they’re sold out of all the store’s in NJ, it wasn’t me I swear.
5. Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese Bowl
If you’re a frequent flyer at TJ’s you’ve definitely had the Joe’s Diner mac & cheese bowl. It’s really a great purchase, so I can only imagine the pepperoni pizza added to it is everything you could wish for after a night out on the town.
6. Honey Walnut Shrimp
Shrimp doused in a sweet, creamy, honey based coating with hints of pineapple paired with candied walnuts. YUM. I’m literally texting my mom right now demanding these for dinner this week.
7. Matcha Joe Joe’s
Matcha is truly everywhere. For a while I was getting a Venti ice water with three scoops of matcha powder from Starbucks just because it sounded cool. But these matcha joe joe’s are the best twist on the classic Joe Joe. If you want to really get your matcha in, try dipping the cookies in TJ’s Matcha Latte.
8. Carrot Spirals
Throw away that janky zoodle machine because carrot spirals are the next best thing. There are only two ingredients in the entire bag: carrots and sea salt, that’s some clean eating.
9. Unsweetened Sunflower Seed Spread
We’ve all had our go with the nut butters: almond, cashew, peanut.. you name it I’ve tried it. This sunflower seed spread is every tree nut allergist’s dream: a pb&j without the epipen.
10. Oatmeal Cups
The perfect intern breakfast on the go. The two new flavors are: tart cherry, chia & pumpkin seed oatmeal and strawberry raspberry oatmeal. I’m constantly looking for new breakfast options to get me into the office ASAP (so I can leave sooner) and this one seems like it’ll be my new go to.
The options at Trader Joe’s are truly endless but these new items have me so excited for my next trip to TJ’s. If I don’t have honey walnut shrimp one day this week for dinner I’m going to be annoyed. Happy shopping.