Healthy items at Trader Joes

[Anonymous]

I'd love some suggestions and want to avoid the more tempting things. Suggestions appreciated. Can't afford to keep going to WF even though it is across from my office. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I love TJ's, but OP, someone's gonna come on here within the first 10 responses and say that there are no healthy items there. I guarantee it.

[Anonymous]

Like lunches? Prepared meals? I buy wild rice at TJs (cheapest place to get it) and bulk coffee, but not sure that's what you have in mind?

[Anonymous]

TJs is my main grocery store. 95% of my food is from there, and I've lost 50+ lbs in the past year (however, I workout 5-6x a week and largely credit exercise for that).

I think people go into stores with per-conceived notions. Honestly, I don't think of Whole Foods as necessarily "healthy" - they have plenty of junk, and I usually walk out of there with more temptations and indulgences than TJs.

Just start looking at ingredients. TJs has a mix of fresh, produce, prepared, and frozen just like all grocery stores. Every grocery store is what you make of it.

[Anonymous]

There are none.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are none.

AND there you go! No. 4's the winner!

[Anonymous]

What kind of healthy item are you looking for op? They have plenty of healthy things and plenty of junky as well.

On the top of my head I would think: fresh produce - fruits and veggies. I rarely by from there because in my experience, they go bad fast. Unless I am planing on using it pretty quickly (as in a day or two) I avoid. However, something are ok… grape tomatoes, bananas, baby carrots.

Do you consider cheese healthy? I do (some at least). I love the mozzarella balls in olive oil/condiments. I mix it with the grape tomatoes and my daughter and I have a blast

Nuts - all kinds for all tastes

Granolas (to eat with their greek yogurt)

Plain yogurt (or not)

All kinds of oats for you to cook from scratch or the frozen ones that only requires 3 min in the microwave

All sorts of grains.

Just go and take your sweet time browsing the aisles That is half the fun!

[Anonymous]

Nuts, fruit, unsweetened dried fruit, frozen veggies, canned artichokes, no salt tuna, lentils, avocadoes, frozen fish, hummus, bagged arugula. This is not an exhaustive list but you can shop at TJ and avoid unhealthy same as any store.

[Anonymous]

raw organic walnuts. Organic bananas. Organic lemons. Cheeses, hummus. They have some organic pasta sauce without sugar. Organic apple juice.

[Anonymous]

Here's what I buy:
Bagged greens
Shredded cabbage and carrots
Boxed vegetable stir fry mix and salad mix
Cremini mushrooms
Olive oil and cooking oil
Vinegars and some salad dressing
Canned tomato
Eggs
Bacon ends and pieces
Dairy: cottage cheese, ricotta, mascarpone, sour cream
Nuts and dried fruit
Canned artichokes
Hummus
Ciabatta rolls
Dog treats
Cheese
Frozen masala burgers and Indian entrees (occasionally)

[Anonymous]

My go-to items:

Organic peanut butter
Frozen green beans
That yogurt guacamole that is like crack.
Kerrygold butter

[Anonymous]

Bagged spinach, avocados, berries, endives. Chicken breasts. Nuts. Yogurt. Organic eggs & milk. Egg whites. Olive oil. Canned tuna. Olives. Salsa. Lentils. Dark chocolate.

[Anonymous]

I loved the frozen shelled edamame. I make a small salad as part of my lunch each morning. Throw a handful on top, add some Italian dressing, and by lunch it's perfect.

[Anonymous]

I really don't like their cookies--always 1% or less of fiber. For the kids I can find an option with at least 2% at the regular grocery store.

[Anonymous]

I buy:

Veg and fruit - pepper packs, romaine hearts, grape tomatoes, eggplant, mushrooms, avocados, basil, berries or other in-season fruits (cheap!), caracara or naval oranges, bags of lemons, jalapeños

Dairy - mangoes/peaches and cream yogurt (I mix in almonds and raisins and sometimes cereal), almond milk, shredded mozzarella and slices of provolone (for pizza), the shelf-stable cream for whipping, (we don't like the milk, oddly enough)

Protein - nuts: sliced almonds (yogurt mix ins), whole almonds, honey roasted peanuts, meatless meatballs (being redeveloped so not currently in stock), Morningstar farms bacon, I get eggs there

Other
- pizza dough and now the new frozen and preshaped organic pizza crusts! (top with marinara, cheese, toppings)
- salad mix ins: olives, artichokes, roasted peppers, hearts of palm, peppadews, goddess dressing (like Annie's)
- sauces and oils: olive oil, balsamic, thai sweet chili sauce, Soyaki sauce
- ciabatta rolls (I freeze them)
- black beans
- tri color pasta (we love this!), tomato basil marinara
- banana chips, freeze dried fruits (kid loves the orange slices)
- I get the pad thai and sautée up a ton of onions and peppers and throw in a package along with extra soy and the chili sauce. With broccoli or edamame and rice it's a meal for three (well, 2.5).
- frozen rice
- their frozen chicken tenderloins cook well on the foreman grill and quick in the oven (purple bag)