Trader Joe’s Haul Fall 2022

October is by far my favorite month of Fall. It’s perfectly placed in the middle of the season and oscillates between still too warm and suddenly cool. It’s spooky and cozy and makes me want to nest. All my social activities are the most fun during October, especially Open House Chicago, where old architectural establishments open for free touring. Once November hits it’s all holidays all the time and time goes on hyper drive.

This is also Prime Time™ (and my favorite time) to go to Trader Joe’s. October through December they serve up hit after hit resulting in mild hysteria from their customers. Pumpkin everything from ravioli, to samosas, to cinnamon rolls, to cream filled sandwich cookies and even dog treats. I am in a Trader Joe’s Facebook group and it’s twenty posts a day filled with exclamation points over their products.

Well, I am here to spread the good gospel of Joseph the Tradesman today. It’s overwhelming presenting favorites because there’s just so much! I can’t give you every option (because this is not an anthology and you probably have other things to do) and thank goodness. My encouragement would be to shop at Trader Joe’s like you shop at Target – let it tell you what you need – no plans, only vibes. Each category has a few favorites and a couple honorable mentions, so I don’t overdo it, and you don’t spend $200 like I did.

Abby’s Trader Joe’s Haul

Essentials

• Mandarin Orange Chicken & Veggie Fried Rice – this is a longtime staple of TJ’s and the perfect dupe for that restaurant with a panda on it that serves orange chicken. Liked by kids and adults alike, it is the perfect weeknight meal. Pro tip: put that chicken in the air fryer for extra crunch!

• Salad mixes – I keep a rotation of their salad mixes in my fridge for quick lunch or dinner pairings. My favorites right now is their Miso Crunch salad and their Vegan Peanut Crunch salad. If I’m going to eat a salad it better have a lot of crunchy toppings.

• Sauces & spices – spend a lot of time in this aisle because treasures abound here, my friends. Their spice blends are legendary and great in variety. My faves are (obviously) Everything But the Bagel seasoning, Everything But the Leftovers seasoning (makes everything taste like Thanksgiving dinner!), their Italian Sofrito (so spicy and flavorful), and South African Smoke. Top sauces for me include: Sweet Asian Chili Sauce, Spicy Taco Sauce (tastes exactly like Taco Bell’s mild sauce) and their coconut aminos.

Honorable mention: pre-chopped mirepoix and frozen garlic cubes, pumpkin pancake & waffle mix (grab several boxes!)

Impromptu Dinner Guests

• TJ’s cheese section – it’s hard not to get lost in the cheese section. They have my current favorite cheese, Délice de Bourgogne, a triple cream that paired with baguette slices and warm strawberry preserves is edible luxury. Don’t pass up their blueberry or honey chèvre either. Charcuterie boards build themselves in this section. Your guests will be so impressed, and you won’t spend a ton!

• Gyro Slices – I like to grill these up in a cast iron pan to make them crispy/charred and pair them with TJ’s tzatziki and pita bread. Although, be careful – your guests will not want to leave after feeding them so quickly and so well.

• Shawarma Chicken Thighs – magic in a crockpot or an instant pot. It cooks up so quickly (especially if you pair it with coconut milk and serve it over rice). I enjoy putting a quick sear on it after pulling it from the slow cooker. Because it’s chicken thighs it stays juicy and flavorful. A low-effort showstopper for sure.

Honorable mention: frozen New York cheesecake, frozen mashed sweet potatoes, frozen garlic naan, gluten-free pie crust

Snacks that won’t make it to tomorrow let alone next week

• White Cheddar Corn Puffs – light and puffy, crunchy, and gently cheesy. My recommendation is take some out and close the bag because you’ll be looking for the culprit who ate the entire bag in one sitting. *holds a mirror up to your face* It’s you.

• Toasted Coconut Granola Bark – the ultimate purse snack because when hunger hits it’s a monster. This granola is perfect with its bitter dark chocolate, light coconut shavings, and a slight salty finish. My favorite hunger rescue.

• Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips – Chili & Lime – *sigh* y’all. I have a problem. These are better than their mainstream counterpart and I will argue you for hours about it. The amount of lime they put on these is making my mouth water just thinking about it. Get several bags, hide those bags from yourself, but remember where they are at 1am. Trust me. I would not lead you astray!

Honorable mention: organic naan crackers, sesame honey cashews

Best pre-prepped frozen meals/snacks

• Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings – I have a slight obsession with these. They’re the perfect quick lunch (or paired with their veggie fried rice). The soup that fills the dumplings is so unctuous – I could eat 2 boxes without pause.

• Butter Chicken – for a while this was my quick lunch of choice. They really get the balance of spices right in this one and if you have their frozen garlic naan with it? There’s a nap waiting for you afterwards.

• Shrimp Burgers – I turned my nose up at these at first until I took the leap and now they’re my go to. My favorite way to prepare these is searing them in a hot, hot pan, putting them on top of their brioche buns with a little smear of mayo and their Unexpected Cheddar shreds and bon appétit!

Honorable mention: Vegetable samosas, sweet potato fries, gluten-free pizza crust, fish nuggets

Sweets you swore off but just this once (every time)

• Peanut Butter Cups – both the milk and dark chocolate variety have their place and I love them (and eat them) equally. They make little purse snack packs, but that feels really offensive to me. In fact, I feel insulted and now have to buy 2 large boxes.

• Dark Chocolate Coconut Almonds – again, I am telling you to be careful with these. Roasted almonds are encased in a coconut shell and covered in dark chocolate, essentially making this a box of the best part of an Almond Joy. I opened these during an episode of The House of the Dragon and they were gone 30 minutes in.

• Seasonal: Apple Cider Donuts – nothing screams, “It’s Fall y’all!” like these donuts. This is a tip from my Trader Joe’s group, so please know that I love y’all so, so much: brush them with Kerry Gold butter and put them in the air fryer for a few minutes. Keep a chair nearby to faint into. (And comment if you try this!)

Honorable mention: Dark chocolate almonds with turbinado sugar & sea salt, sour Scandinavian swimmers, brookies, sea salt maple ice cream

Unexpectedly solid self-care finds

• Coconut Body Butter – in the winter my skin scoffs at regular lotion, like, “How DARE you?” That’s when I bring out the heavy hitter. Their body butter is extra moisturizing without being greasy and, bonus, you smell like summer.

• Tea Tree Tingle – when I want feel cleaner than clean from tip to toes, I brush my teeth then get in the shower and wash with Tea Tree Tingle (also comes in shampoo and conditioner). I come out feeling like a tube of toothpaste and I LOVE it.

• Ultra Moisturizing Hand Cream – I keep several tubes of this around my house and in all my purses, especially since I wash my hands more than I ever have. This saves my skin over and over again.

Honorable mention: Any of their hand soaps, lavender dryer bags

What are your Trader Joe’s must-have favorites? I can’t wait to read in the comments!