This shopping list has been a LONG time coming. Back to when I started my account as a senior in college studying nutrition, I’ve always been a huge fan of Trader Joe’s. I went grocery shopping at TJs about 1-2x a week in between studying (and as a broke college student), and it never seemed to put a noticeable hole in my pocket. They basically have everything you’d need to stock your kitchen with healthy food, get the latest trending items, and all at a reasonable price. Not to mention they have a great organic produce section.

The staff is always so friendly and willing to answer any questions you may have and they’re typically always serving free coffee and/or samples of items sold in store. I can spend hours at the grocery store (sadly, this is true), but I’ve done my homework and created this free Shopping Guide for you to print out or save to your phone so YOU don’t have to. Follow my guide to shop healthy!

I’ll leave you with some tips before you make your way to TJs–

• Trader Joe’s has a fantastic return policy– if you aren’t satisfied with anything you buy, take it back to the store and they’ll refund you or exchange the item for something better! Even without your receipt.
• Always check the labels! Just because Traders is considered a health food store, it’s so important to pay attention to labels and make sure you read the ingredients lists since unhealthy ingredients tend to sneak their way into many seemingly ‘healthy foods.’ Surprisingly, most Trader Joe’s hummus is made with canola oil, which is a vegetable oil that is known to be pro-inflammatory. Watch out for added sugars in nut butters, salad dressings, marinaras, etc.
• If you choose to buy milk + cheese, buy organic! Dairy can only be USDA certified organic if the farmers refrain from using any antibiotics or growth hormones, synthetic pesticides, genetically modified (GMO) crops or feed for the cows, or synthetic fillers on the farm.

I hope you enjoy my top pics at Trader Joe’s! Happy shopping 😉 Let me know if you have any questions below or if you have any must-have items I forgot to add to the list!

xo,
Rachael