It’s been a long time since I shopped at Trader Joe’s and an even longer time since I did a grocery haul post. Based on the packed parking lots at virtually every store, Trader Joe’s offers an experience and unique products not found at other stores. And if you engage with social media, you will quickly find that shopping for Trader Joe’s groceries brings joy to so many people and families across the country.

Shopping at Trader Joe’s is always a positive experience for me. I don’t shop there too often, but when I do, I always walk away content and with some new products and old favorites. What I Iove most about Trader Joe’s is that with each shopping trip there are so many new gluten free and dairy free products to discover. But sadly, Trader Joe’s also is known for discontinuing some fan favorites, including some featured in my previous posts.

Shopping at Trader Joe’s can be overwhelming for some. To avoid the crowds and low inventory, I definitely have some tips to make your Trader Joe’s grocery shopping trip even more pleasurable.

Trader Joe’s Shopping Tips

I recommend heading to Trader Joe’s within an hour of the store opening, which is when they have the most in stock. And you may want to avoid shopping on Sunday evenings or on Monday when stock seems to always be at its lowest (at least at my stores). I also recommend never going to Trader Joe’s hungry. I shopped yesterday morning after finishing a five-day fasting mimicking diet – which was not the best idea. If you do shop hungry, the picture above may be the result – lots of Trader Joe’s Groceries purchased!

Lastly, you may want to check out Trader Joe’s Instagram accounts (there are many!) and blogs before you go shopping so that you can look for the latest items in your local Trader Joe’s store. It is important to note that stock not only varies regionally but sometimes from store to store as well.

My Latest Healthy Trader Joe’s Grocery Haul & More

So, I arrived at Trader Joe’s shortly after it opened during my latest shopping excursion yesterday. It was the perfect time to shop, as it was not yet super crowded. Of course, I purchased some oldies but goodies, and also discovered some new gluten free items (or at least some items that were new to me). So, without further adieu, Here are the Trader Joe’s groceries that I purchased and one fun non-grocery item:

1. Beautiful Potted Succulent Plant

I had to start with this gorgeous little succulent plant, even though it is not a food item. We could all use a little plant to brighten our homes and our days. Trader Joe’s always has the most beautiful flowers and plants that greet you as soon as you enter the store. And, you can’t beat their prices. I am a notorious (albeit unintentional) plant killer and I even have managed to kill succulent plants – which are hard to kill! (In my defense, my apartment tends to be very dry.) I couldn’t resist this beautiful green, yellow and white striped potted succulent plant. I’ve already put it out on display! Let’s hope that I can keep it alive :).

2. Trader Joe’s Green Goddess Dressing

Ok, this is a product that I believe has been available for a little while, but it is new to me! I was so excited to try this vegan green goddess dressing! I sampled a bit of the dressing today by dipping some cucumbers into it as a snack. I must say, it is delicious! It has a typical green goddess mixed with basil pesto type of taste. I am really excited to try this on my salads this week. The ingredients are healthy and simple. The dressing is made from avocado, green onion, cold pressed lemon juice, chives, basil, garlic and olive oil. It is the type of dressing that could work as a veggie dip or a marinade as well. It’s a great combination: healthy and delicious!

3. Trader Joe’s Sparkling Pineapple Juice Beverage

Nothing screams summer like a tropical sparkling beverage! This Trader Joe’s Sparkling Pineapple Juice Beverage is so refreshing. It tastes similar to the Spindrift pineapple sparkling water, but this Trader Joe’s version tastes even better in my opinion. Best yet, it doesn’t contain “natural flavors” which are included in many leading sparkling water or seltzer brands. This drink is perfect as is, or you can muddle some mint to add to the drink to mimic the flavor of a mojito. Or you can add some vodka or rum to make it a tasty adult (alcoholic) beverage.

4. Trader Joe’s Organic Creamy Cashew Cultured Yogurt Alternative – Plain Unsweetened

I have purchased this delicious yogurt alternative several times before. In fact, I have written a whole post dedicated to this product (click here for that article). I stand by that this yogurt alternative is probably the best dairy-free yogurt in terms of consistency and taste. Unlike other Trader Joe’s non-dairy yogurts, both present and past, this vegan yogurt alternative has no added sugar. And as an added bonus, the taste of this unsweetened yogurt is so good that you don’t need to add anything to it if you don’t want to. However, to sweeten it up a bit, you can add a touch of honey or some fresh berries.

5. Frooze Balls (Peanut Butter & Jelly and Chocolate Hazelnut varieties)

I first leared about Frooze Balls a few years ago from one of the most well-known Trader Joe’s blogs, Trader Joe’s List, which is run by an influencer who broadcasts her Trader Joe’s shopping trips each week. It’s a must follow account. This influencer raved about these healthy yet tasty snacks. And she was not wrong! These amazing vegan snacks are made from real fruit, fruit juice and nuts – and contain no added sugar or what they call on the packaging, “junk.” Unfortunately, I can’t eat the Choco Hazelnut variety due to a hazelnut allergy. (I bought that one for my sister to try.) However, the peanut butter & jelly variety is so darn good. I always pick up a few packages with each shopping trip! It’s a quick and easy snack that may even give you a little energy boost!

6. Creamy Unsalted Peanut Butter

Speaking of snacks, one of my favorite go-to afternoon snacks is simply peanut butter. When the late afternoon hunger pains kick in or if I need a little energy boost, I usually head to my kitchen for a teaspoon of peanut butter. That one teaspoon is typically enough to hold me over until dinner. But not all peanut butters are the same. What I love about this Trader Joe’s peanut butter is that is very creamy (like the name suggests) and is only made of one ingredient: dry roasted peanuts. It’s much better than the bulk of peanut butter options available in the supermarket, which typically include suspect added ingredients including cane sugar and seed oils like canola or sunflower. This simple, one-ingredient peanut butter is all I need!

7. Trader Joe’s Organic Red Lentil Sedanini (Gluten Free Pasta)

This red lentil pasta is another fabulous one-ingredient gluten free item that I almost always pick up while shopping at Trader Joe’s. It’s one of the few gluten free pastas with just one ingredient – in this case organic red lentil flour. This is a good pasta to have around when you need a quick and convenient meal. The pasta goes well with a variety of sauces and can even be used in my favorite gluten free baked ziti recipe. While at Trader Joe’s, I also bought vegetables and ingredients for my roasted pepper and tomato sauce (featured in the picture below along with vegetable skewers that I also purchased at TJ’s), which will pair quite well this lentil pasta.

8. Trader Joe’s Avocado’s Number Guacamole to Go (Individual Packets)

I’m not sure if this product is a new Trader Joe’s grocery item or not. However, I don’t remember seeing these individual guacamole packages at my Trader Joe’s store before. I don’t like when you buy the larger, single guacamole packages and it starts to turn brown if you don’t eat it right away. These individual sizes are perfect for dipping tortilla chips (which I didn’t buy this time) or vegetables (which I did buy) in for a nice burst of flavor. Guacamole also works great on salads, with fish or shrimp and as a side for breakfast – if you want to include a little healthy fat with your breakfast. This guacamole includes only a few simple ingredients: hass avocados, distilled vinegar, water, jalapeno peppers, salt, dehydrated onion and granulated garlic.

9. Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon

This wild Alaskan sockeye salmon was hands down the most expensive item that I purchased during my latest shopping trip – but it is so worth it. Nutrition experts typically agree that wild caught salmon is likely better to buy than farm-raised salmon. Unfortunately, wild caught salmon seems to be harder to find in stores and it tends to be much more expensive that farm-raised salmon if it is in stock. I paid approximately $15 for these salmon boneless fillets but that is still a pretty good price given the size of the fillets. I plan to grill these salmon fillets this week and pair it with roasted broccoli with garlic and salad with the green goddess dressing that I also purchased today. Bring on the Omega 3s!

10. Brazil Nuts

Did you know that Brazil nuts contain a good amount of the mineral selenium, which is imperative for our health? Did you know that selenium is also important for thyroid health? These are just a few of the reasons why I pick up a bag of Brazil nuts every time that I go to Trader Joe’s. Eating just 2 Brazil nuts a day can provide enough selenium a day to meet the recommended daily requirement. One of the negatives about Brazil nuts is that they can often be quite expensive. However, the price of a bag of Brazil nuts at Trader Joe’s is much more reasonable compared to the prices at other stores. It’s a win-win: highly nutritious and affordable!

11. Trader Joe’s Cage Free Fresh Hard-Cooked Peeled Eggs

Hard boiled (or cooked) eggs make an easy and nutritious breakfast. Eggs are packed with healthy nutrients such as protein, good fats, vitamins and minerals – and are low in calories. While I usually pick up the Vital Farms Pasture-Raised Hard Boiled Eggs at Whole Foods, I usually will grab a bag of these hard-cooked peeled eggs whenever I shop at Trader Joe’s. These eggs are perfect for mornings when you just don’t have time to make breakfast.

12. Trader Joe’s Banana & Almond Butter Protein Smoothie Beverage

Looking for a tasty plant-based protein smoothie? If so, this banana and almond butter smoothie is an option you might want to check out. This creamy smoothie has no added sugar and also includes a coconut water and pea protein base. This smoothie will help keep you full with its 14 grams of protein per serving. While it is not uncommon to see banana paired with peanut butter, this unique combination of banana and almond butter (with a touch of salt and vanilla) is unexpectedly flavorful. The smoothie has 320 calories per bottle, so I consider this delicious drink to be a “once in a while” treat vs. an everyday purchase.

Other Notable Groceries/Items

This post could go on and on and on based on all of the wonderful Trader Joe’s groceries I picked up yesterday, but I will spare you from taking up even more time in your day to read this post and will summarize the rest of my awesome purchases. In addition to the fun and/or flavorful items above, I also picked up the following:

• Trader Joe’s Frozen Wild Blueberries and Frozen Mangoes: perfect for smoothies and packed with antioxidants and vitamins
• Trader Joe’s Alkaline Water + Electrolytes: great for post-workout replenishment
• Trader Joe’s Organic Coconut Water: the best tasking organic coconut water around at a great price point
• Trader Joe’s Organic Herb Salad Mix: a unique blend of greens and herbs
• Trader Joe’s Raw California Walnut Baking Pieces: omega-rich walnut pieces that are not only good for baking but are great for snacking
• Trader Joe’s Cold Pressed Pineapple Juice and Organic Carrot Juice: my two favorite juices in the Trader Joe’s refrigerator case
• Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi: an all-time favorite veggie-pasta found in the freezer section (sadly they discontinued another fan favorite, the kale gnocchi)
• Trader Joe’s Vanilla Overnight Oats: A convenient oatmeal breakfast option that is similar to the Mush products available in most grocery stores
• Trader Joe’s Unsweetened Golden Oolong Tea: A refreshing iced tea and a nice alternative to green or black iced tea
• Trader Joe’s Organic Popcorn with Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A healthy and “tried and true” organic gluten free snack option (Lidl also sells a very similar popcorn.)
• Trader Joe’s Sriracha Shrimp Bowl: Looks intriguing and new to my store (the ingredients aren’t perfect but I bought this as a one-time treat)
• Trader Joe’s Gluten Free and Dairy Free Homestyle Pancakes: Another once in a while treat (I tried these at a recent event and they remarkably taste just like regular pancakes)

• Trader Joe’s Fruits: Fruits are on point at Trader Joe’s; picked up organic dates, organic blackberries, organic raspberries, traditional (non-organic) bananas, traditional fresh cut pineapple and an avocado
• Trader Joe’s Watermelon Overnight Face Mask: So affordable and highly touted on social media – let’s see how it works!

As you can see throughout this post, there are so many fantastic gluten free and dairy free Trader Joe’s groceries to select from at these amazing stores. It’s hard not to walk away with a full cart like I did! Enjoy your Summer shopping at Trader Joe’s!