What’s In My Grocery Bag

If you are interested in reading my other What’s In My Grocery Bag posts, check them out:

What’s In My Grocery Bag 1
What’s In My Grocery Bag 2

Since I haven’t done one of these posts in a while, I figured I would share with you all of the amazing items I picked up at Trader Joe’s this weekend.  First off, let me say that I’ve never tried anything at Trader Joe’s that I hated.  Everything I’ve ever purchased has been absolutely amazing.

Here’s a look into my grocery bag.  This is a long post so go grab a cup of coffee or something.

Butternut Squash Triangoli: This is a staple for me.  I get a package of these every single time I am at Trader Joe’s.  I love to eat them cold and actually dislike them hot. 

Arugula & Parm Ravioli: I haven’t tried these yet, but I’m thinking that I’ll like these cooked as opposed to cold.  I’ll let you know on Twitter or Instagram my thoughts on these once I taste them.

Pita Chips with Sea Salt: These are the perfect pita chips in my opinion.  They have a great crunch and have enough salt without being too salty.  These are perfect to dip in hummus or to taste test pasta sauce (as I did last night). 

Pomegranate & Blueberry Flakes & Clusters Cereal: I haven’t tried these yet.  Bryan had them last night right before bed and he said he had morbid dreams.  I don’t think the cereal gave him the weird dreams, but it’s just something to note .  He also said that the cereal tasted good for being a “healthy” cereal.

Spicy Soy & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips: Holy moly!  These are amazing and are my new favorite chip.  They taste just like spicy Doritos.  I instagrammed a picture of them this weekend and said how addicting they are and many of you liked the pic and agreed with me.  If you’ve never tried them, please go out and buy a bag.  You won’t regret it.

Red potatoes: Another staple in my house.  I love baking these and drowning dipping them in A1 steak sauce.

Grape tomatoes: I generally don’t like large tomatoes.  I actually never have.  When I was younger, my sister would eat large tomatoes like apples.  She would sit in front of the TV with her salt shaker and tomato and just go to town.  Ever since then, I’ve been repulsed by large tomatoes so I typically by the grape or cherry versions.

Columbus Pastrami: Obviously this purchase wasn’t mine because you know I don’t eat meat.  This was for Bryan for his lunches for the week.  He’s pretty picky when it comes to pastrami, but he gave this brand two thumbs up.  It has a lot of flavor and isn’t slimy like some pre-packaged lunch meats can be.

Gone Bananas: I love these chocolate covered banana bites. I bought a box last time I was at Trader Joe’s and knew that I’d need a few boxes this time around.  I have to force myself to not go into the freezer, because every time I do I grab a few pieces of Gone Bananas.  They are just that good.

Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burgers: These are my favorite frozen veggie burgers.  They are packed with lots of veggies and actually taste fresh.  I cook them on the stove top and usually dip it in ketchup if you’re wondering.

Arrabiata sauce: I ate this last night when I made baked eggplant and pasta for dinner.  This is my new favorite canned spaghetti sauce.  If possible, I like to make my own sauce, but this jar is a very close second favorite. 

Dried cranberries: I like putting these in my salads.  They add a bit of sweetness without being too sweet.  These would also be pretty great in a trail mix of some sorts.  I hate nuts, so I never make my own trail mix.  I would have nothing really to put into it.  Aren’t most trail mixes like 90% nuts?

Panko bread crumbs: I used this for the eggplant I baked yesterday.  I love panko because it gives the item you are breading a nice crunch. 

Roasted garlic hummus: Mmm.  I love hummus so much that we’re having a hummus bar at the wedding.  It’s one of those food items that I was always scared to try.  I am so glad that college Nicole took a chance and tried it one time, because now I am hooked.  Bryan eats hummus more than I do, so I’m glad when he picks out yummy kinds.

ZBar Honey Graham: I love ZBars.  They are the little sister to Clif Bars.  Ever since I went to this dance conference in college, I haven’t been able to eat a Clif Bar. The company was a sponsor at the dance conference, so I basically lived off of Clif Bars all week. 

Organic romaine hearts: Romaine hearts is one of the only types of greens that I like in my salads.  I like having something crunchy and the romaine hearts give it that extra crunch.

Eggplant: Like I mentioned above, I made baked eggplant with this.

Avocados: I love eating these for lunches.  People may stare at me weird for eating a full, plain avocado for lunch but I think it’s delicious.  If you’ve never tried it, give it a try and let me know how hooked you are.

Baby spinach: Perfect for adding to salads with romaine or for green juices and smoothies.  I must always have spinach in my fridge.  I feel lost without it.

Bananas: I love packing these for work.  They are the perfect mid-morning snack and give me extra energy to power through the mornings.

Edamame: These are the frozen kind, which I love because they last a lot longer.  I steam these, add a bit of pink Himalayan sea salt and go to town of these babies.

Broccoli and cauliflower mix: I like keeping bags of veggies on hand for last-minute dinners.  All you have to do is empty the bag into a microwave safe container and microwave for a few minutes.  If I have more time, I usually prefer to steam them on the stove top.  Either way, it’s a quick and simple way to get your veggies in for the day.

Sugar snap peas: Perfect for salads or for just eating by themselves.

talk to me

• What’s your grocery store of choice?
• What’s the best thing you’ve purchased recently?
• How often do you go food shopping?