Have you been to a Trader Joes? If you have one that is local, or fairly local, I encourage you to go check them out. They have all kinds of goodness and much of it is cheaper than your bigger grocery stores. I mean just look at this picture of my local Trader Joes. Doesn’t it just look inviting and fun? 

I want to share with you one of my first experiences at this Trader Joes. Not only do they have good prices on a lot of their items but they also have a good selection of gluten free items. You can click HERE to check out their list of gluten free items.

If you have read my story  you know that my husband is gluten intolerant. When he went totally gluten free I was so overwhelmed!!! From reading books, to surfing the web (because everything on the web is TRUTH! Right? Yes I am being sarcastic). I mean, the whole gluten free thing was not on my radar to learn at that time in my life. Well…I didn’t get to choose when Jennie B learned all about gluten, it was kinda thrown at me. So, I set out to get him off gluten. Please remember that just because something is “gluten free” DOES NOT mean it is healthy! There is gluten free CRAP out there just like there is regular CRAP out there. Anyways, I printed off Trader Joes gluten free list and headed out. I walked into to store (feeling very OVERWHELMED). The experience of Trader Joes is not like your typical grocery store. Just the energy in there alone can get your heart racing, but in a good kinda way. They are totally up beat, fun peeps running the show. I had this list, and a long one list at that, didn’t know where over half the items where in the store and when I would find them I would have to make sure they were in fact GF. They have a little, and I mean little, GF sign on the products that are gluten free, which can be tricky to find. I bet I went back and forth from this aisle to that aisle back to that aisle saying, “Excuse me!”, “Where is this?”, “Where is that?”, “Do you know if you have this?”, etc. I mean I was ready to pull my hair out. I was wishing they served wine at the end of every aisle! No joke! (Yes, I would have drank that wine and called the hubs to come pick me up and all HIS GF groceries). It was an experience, let me tell ya!

That was the then and this is now! I LOVE Trader Joes. I mean I truly get excited about going to TJ’s! I really do, and NO I do not need the wine at the end of every aisle. Lol!

I thought you may enjoy some of my favorite items that I purchase on a regular basis. There is definitely more, but here are some of my top ones. I hope maybe this will inspire you to get to a Trader Joes and also to show you that you can get healthy items cheaper if you shop around.

Organic Apples and Pink Ladies at that!!!!

This is probably my #1 Fav and LOOK at that price!

Organic Liquid Stevia. This is my #2 Fav.

Organic Unrefined, Cold Pressed, Coconut Oil

21 Seasoning Salute (I use this on A LOT)

Organic Quinoa (Frozen, just heat up and serve…Yes please!)

Organic Green Beans

Organic Pears

Organic Brown Basmati Rice

Organic Green Tea

Organic Beets (This one is for the hubs…Jennie cannot stomach beets)

Trader Joes is also a great place to find processed meats that DO NOT contain sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite, one of the top five ingredients we should really try to eliminate from our diet. They also have decent prices on nuts, nut butters, frozen organic veggies, fresh organic veggies like spinach, kale and broccoli.

You can also find skin care products, Vitamin E oil, cleaning products, etc. Like I said up top, if you have not experienced Trader Joes, go check them out.

I would LOVE to hear some of your favorites finds from TJs.

Much Love,

Jennie B