Favorite Trader Joe's Buys

Trader Joe's is such a happy place. Where else can you get amazing cheese at such reasonable prices, 99 cent greeting cards and peonies for $7.99? We've been shopping at Trader Joe's for a long time and I still find new stuff every time we go! I'm rounding up some of our favorite buys and easy dinners that aren't the typical cookie butter, orange chicken finds (which are still so yummy!) but hopefully these are some new finds for you. 

First up, some easy 15 minute dinner ideas that we eat on a regular basis. 

1- Falafel. Head to the frozen section and grab a thing of falafel and frozen brown rice (showed below). Both heat best in the microwave in minutes. Make a simple tzatziki sauce with grated cucumber, lemon, salt and greek yogurt. Layer the rice with more chopped cucumber, falafel, tzatziki and some feta cheese for extra credit. Yummy bowl in 15 minutes!

2- Throw a bag of fire roasted red peppers, already cooked and shredded chicken, black beans and diced tomatoes with taco seasoning in the crockpot on low for 8 hours. This makes an amazing fajita filling, bowl or salad topping. 

3- Veggie fried rice is such a yummy 15 minute dinner especially if you add in a scrambled egg or two. We add some Trader Joe's egg rolls and call it a dinner. Extra points if you add the sweet chili sauce from below. 

4- Cauliflower fried rice is so good with roasted veggies and chicken on top. And yep, chili sauce here too. 

1- Corn and chile salsa is kinda spicy and so good. 

2- Sweet Chili sauce. Get it and put it on EVERYTHING. So yummy on the cauliflower rice or vegetable fried rice. 

3- Sweet Onion Bacon Vinaigrette. The name says it all. 

4- Any of their cooked sausage is such a staple and easy dinner. Our favorite way is to make a bowl with roasted veggies, feta and sausage over rice (bacon vinaigrette so good here too). 

5- Uncured black forest bacon. Best I've ever had. 

6- Pork Tenderloin. Already flavored and so yummy in the crockpot or on the grill. 

1- Creamy Toscano cheese. AMAZING over anything, pasta, salads, breads. And such a great price, most blocks are between $3 and $4. 

2- Shaved Parmeson, Romano and Asiago cheese. About $5 for a big tub and we put it on a lot.

3- These butternut squash zig-zags are so fun roasted in a veggie bowl or on the side of chicken tenders for kids. 

4- Zucchini and carrot spirals are a good option for littles as well. 

1- I consider myself a macaroni and cheese enthusiast. Never met one I didn't like and this frozen version is a good as (gasp!) momma's home cooking. My twins are obsessed with this! 

2- Brown Rice / Quinoa. We keep these frozen brown rice/quinoa bags stacked in the freezer. Such a easy dinner addition or base for bowls and its ready in 3 minutes. 

3- Burrata, Prosciutto and Arugula flatbread. At home date night anyone? 

4- Cauliflower Stirfry. Another good basic. 

1- These little mini cones are the perfect size for a treat!

2- Frozen large chocolate chip cookie. As good as it looks.

3- I keep these frozen chocolate strawberries in the freezer for after the girls go to bed and I want something sweet! So yummy. 

That about wraps up this installment of Trader Joe's favorites. Hopefully you found something new to try for dinner this week or a new thing to grab next time you go! Would love to hear your favorites or anything I should try!