Athletic-Minded Traveler

We shop at plenty of stores (four!), but these 6 Trader Joe's products are so much better than what we find in other stores, that we always include Trader Joe's in our weekly grocery runs. TJs has been in our grocery mix for about twenty years, and over the years as product offerings have changed and as new stores have opened, Trader Joe's always gets our business. Why? Because there are products at Trader Joe's that we just love. There is no substitute in our humble opinion. So what are these "must haves?" 

1. Tzatziki. It's better here. At first we were put off by its more watery consistency versus thicker versions, but then that consistency is exactly what won us over. We use the tzatziki as a dip or a final topper on our salad. We also really appreciate the nutrition stats. It's so sensible! Each 2 T portion is only 30 calories! The taste is mild, which means it lends itself to multiple uses. We hear folks using it as a mayo alternative, grain/protein bowl topping, burger/wrap spread, and as we mentioned, dip -- for chips, veggies, and in our case, surimi (more on that below).

2. Surimi. If you are not familiar with the name, it is marketed as imitation crab meat, and is most often made with Alaskan pollock. (This link gives a good explanation.) Why Trader Joe's surimi? It is the ONLY brand that we have seen without carrageenan, which some nutrition experts believe to be potentially harmful.  Trader Joe's ingredients are simpler, better: Pollock, water, pea starch, sugar, 2% less of sea salt, natural flavor, potassium chloride, tomato lycopene extract (for color). In terms of the nutrients, 85 grams (1/2 cup) yields an impressive 8g protein. And guess what our FAVORITE way is to eat it? Dipped into the tzatziki! But we think any style dip goes well here. It's very mild, a little sweet even. 

3. Salad Dressings. There are three we favor, and each can be found in the refrigerated section. Our top two that are always in our fridge: The Green Goddess and Cilantro Lime. Both have lots of flavor, show well in terms of sodium and other nutritional data, and taste FRESH. We use both on the SAME salad...think layering. Our salads are BIG, as you can see below (note the tzatziki on top). If you haven't tried one of these two, do it soon. The other one we also like is the Dill. We'll rotate that one in on occasion. 

4. High Fiber Cereal. There are other high fiber cereals such as GM's Fiber One, but did you know it has sucralose? We confess, we buy that one by the truckload too! But here's the real deal. For decades we have been making something we affectionately term "mush". It is our noon'ish big meal. And we make it in batches. It starts with a base of frozen berries, then diced apple, then a big spoonful of cottage cheese, then a big spoonful of yogurt, then the Fiber One cereal, followed by the TJs High Fiber and then some "flavorings" such as powdered vanilla Coffeemate and/or some Fruity Pebbles. This big bowl of love then gets saturated in unsweetened vanilla almond milk. And then we let it sit for hours to become our "mush".  And we think it's divine. The TJs cereal is a MUST for it all to work. We even enjoy the cereal dry. Nothing scary in the ingredients, and each 2/3 cup serving has 80 calories and 9 grams of fiber. 

5. Mango Cream Bars. We aren't just about healthier eats. We like frozen treats too. For some on the team, Nick's or Halo Top works, but for others, "fake ice cream" does NOT land. So there is a product that gets us coming back to Trader Joe's, and it's located in the frozen section. The Mango Cream Bars are beloved because they are not too sweet yet have a creamy and decadent flavor. We puzzle over the serving size of two bars. Perhaps most can't just have one? We can and do. One bar is a very reasonable dessert from multiple vantages:  taste, nutrition, and size. These are not mini bars! If you like creamy and mango, you must try! 

6. Trader Joe Chicken Gyoza Potstickers. Even at TJs there are more than one type of dumpling on sale. But let us tell you, when we try and substitute in a different version into the rotation, it is noticed. As the appointed shopper, I especially appreciate the price point for these -- low. And each serving of four dumplings has 130 calories, no saturated fat, and 7g protein. We pan fry them, mostly following the package instructions. Once cooking is done, we hit them with Sempio Specialty Soy Sauce. Yum.  

So how did we do? Are you going to try one of these when you next shop at Trader Joe's. Is there a product that you think we must try?