The best part about moving is the grocery shopping. Maybe it’s just me, but there is something extremely satisfying about stocking up an empty fridge. Today, I went to Trader Joe’s to pick up a few items. My grocery trips are spread all over the place. I buy certain foods at certain stores.
When I’m grocery shopping, I think about the meals I am going to be making that week. I haven’t been on the cooking kick in awhile, but now that I’m settled, I plan on kicking it up. My blog will appreciate it too. It’s been a little hungry lately. Plus, cooking is so much healthier that eating at restaurants all the time.
I picked up some wine for the parents and I to enjoy by the pool. They’re getting here later in the evening.
TJ’s sells “Just Chicken”. It’s one of my favorite items because it’s quick and diverse. You can top salads, rice, tacos, soups, or wraps with it. I like to food prep my chicken, but when I don’t have time, it’s nice to just go in and buy this.
I’m a juice sipper. Say what? Sometimes I get the craving to take a big gulp of juice. Some people do it with milk. I like to keep juices in my fridge and Trader Joe’s has the best! I’m excited to have my juicer back in my life so I can juice in the mornings.
You all know how much I love my salads, but my salads would be nothing without dressing. I like the Red Wine & Olive Oil Vinaigrette. It’s sweet, salty, and savory. Today I tossed it with Argula leaves and fresh fruit.
I love roasting or grilling colored carrots and cannot wait to make them tonight!
Orange carrots are good for your eyes, purple carrots are heart disease preventers, red carrots lower risk of cancer, yellow carrots are good for your eye health and lower your risk for cancer, white carrots promote healthy digestion.
So…you better eat those carrots!
I’m not a HUGE bread eater, but my dad is coming to town and would die without his morning slice of peanut butter bread. I will most likely eat it with hummus, turkey, and veggies.
Sometimes, I’m not in the mood for Keurig coffee. Call me crazy, or a coffee snob, but all coffee tastes different. Sometimes I like the drip coffee and Trader Joe’s is the place to buy.
For my coffee, I like to add a splash of vanilla creamer and almond milk.
I’ve been in the mood for kale chips, so I bought some fresh kale to make them this week. Here is my recipe for kale chips.
I LOVE COUSCOUS. I plan on making a chicken caesar couscous salad this week.
Did you see ginger snap cookies in my grocery cart?……..me either…..keep scrolling.
My dad is a potato chip man, so I picked him up a little bag of the kettle cooked potato chips.
Later, I’m running to Whole Foods to get my meats and then my parents should be arriving!
I love filling an empty fridge! I just got back from a vacation and somehow my husband lived off pasta, yogurt and milk! It felt awesome to fill up the fridge!! Can’t wait to see your Kale chip recipe!
I love Trader Joes! I see you got the Blu Italy Sparkling Water…That is one of my favorites along with their Quinoa and Black Bean chips. The only trouble with Trader Joes is their insanely busy parking at the Charlotte Metropolitan location. It is a never ending traffic jam. It is definitely worth it though!
Trader Joe’s has discontinued the Blu Italy Sparkling water which my family & I LOVE. Please write to them to see if they will bring it back!!!
Me and My son love the Quinoa and Black Bean Chips as well!
Do you like coconut? If so Trade Joes sells coconut chips and they are the BEST SNACK! Good plain, on ice-cream or yogurt, or even a sweet salad!
I wish I lived by a Trader Joes or Whole Foods, but nothing like that around here in North Dakota. In October we are moving to Florida and the part we are moving to still doesn’t have either. I already checked, because I got really excited for half a second thinking maybe down there they are more into stores like that. I guess not.. Oh well, I’m still happy to be going.
I love Trader Joe’s! They have so many great options. I’ll have to buy some of that chicken next time I’m there! Do you prefer Trader Joe’s to Whole Foods? Whole Foods is my favorite place to shop for groceries but I like to go to both to switch it up. 🙂
Hey , you should try the tabouleh salad , i have a feeling that you will love it , just search it uo 😉
I’ve NEVER been to a TJ’s or Whole Foods! That’s the problem of having the nearest one 4 hours away… but I’m going to Salt Lake City in a few weeks and I have big plans on going to one! 🙂
Awesome! You are NOT the only one who gets great satisfaction in filling an empty fridge.
A few thoughts:
A great place to get amazing coffee is local roasteries. I am sure Charlotte has someone local that does that. I am a drip coffee freak, so I understand 🙂
Secondly, have you tried making whole wheat penne and tossing it in olive oil and then mixing in olive oil kale chips? It’s absolutely fantastic! Maybe not your most slimming meal, but its filled with healthy fats and oils, plenty of fiber, and all the awesome benefits of kale! You should try it and let me know how it goes 🙂
Check out Not Just Coffee in southend or uptown. Amazing counter culture coffee plus almond milk lattes.
you should try reusable keurig k cups, you can fill them with ground coffee you like and it tastes just like drip! my favorite is banana bread flavored
I’ve been reading your blog for just a few months but I really love it! I’m defiantly inspired to go grocery shopping this weekend( including the local farmers market!) and get some healthy meals premade for next week. I believe I’m a couple years younger then you and I actually lost 95 lbs in about 2 years when I was 15-16 ( I’m 20 now) and much like you I never really knew how to be truly “healthy” I just wanted to be skinny like everyone else! So it was a bit of a struggle to recover from going from one extreme to the other, overweight, to undernourished. But I’m happy to say I’m finally at a happy medium! I just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration you always deliver in your posts! P.S. I’m also a fellow “foodie” and I try your recipes all the time and always love them!
i’m the same way with liking certain things from certain brands/stores. i always get so flustered at TJ’s though!!! i never really take the time to look at things but i’ll have to try the chicken and the juice though!
I also love going to store and stocking up it makes me excited thinking about everything I can make. One of the joys of adulthood I guess.
I’m so glad you are so happy in your new place! I have a question and I don’t really know who else to ask, when you first started loosing weight did you get a food weight or food scale? I’m not sure what they are called. I feel like everything says 5 oz of chicken or 3oz of asparagus and I don’t know how to measure that out otherwise.
Thank you!
I agree, I actually just moved into a new place a couple weeks ago so I definitely know what you mean. I really enjoyed restocking the cabinets and fridge in my kitchen.
My boyfriend and I love that “just chicken”! We use it for stir fry, barbecue chicken, salads, everything! It’s so quick and easy!
What camera do you use? You’re pictures always look amazing!
Hey! Try the Home Healthy Market. It’s a local grocery store chain in the Charlotte area. There are only a few of them but they have a great selection of organic produce, meats, smoothies and prepared foods! Plus the people who work there are really nice. They do health and yoga classes sometimes that are fun too. I think you would really like it!
I love TJs, but can’t seem to stay away from their goodies! I’d love a bucket of cat cookies right now! 😉
I absolutely LOVE these posts showing what your bought at the market (whether it be Trader Joe’s. Whole Foods or any other store)!! Please do more posts like this! Its nice to see what you buy when you shop for those of us who like getting ideas of what products to buy for ourselves.
hey!!! you should definitely get some chilean wine, it is absolutely the best 🙂
Wow, that looks like a lot 🙂 Mind you sharing? I dont have a trader joe’s near me!
I really need to pick up some “Just Chicken” for myself! Meal prep would be 100x easier!
There’s soap for vegetables? That is so luxurious!
I LOVE Trader Joes! I live 2 hours away from any of them in PA! It is too sad, so when I get close to one I stock up on bottled unsweetened green tea!!
I love seeing the things you buy from the grocery store! I always discover something new and it’s awesome!!!