Happy happy Monday!
I have my most recent TRADER JOE’S HAUL today as well as some reminders about my best MEAL PLANNING TIPS.
Because…I don’t know about you, but when I am kicking off Back to School season, I am at my BEST as far as meal planning goes.
I never feel like a more put together mom than right now.
(Check back with me in about a month when burned out, exhausted, overly-scheduled, at my third football game in four days and making tacos three times in one week…)
Okay, as a quick refresher, if you want to know exactly how I meal plan each week, check out THIS POST. In this post, I share my 13 KEYS FOR MEAL PLANNING including…
#1: SCHEDULING IT FOR THE MONTH
#3: HOW I SIMPLIFY
#4: BUYING (OR NOT BUYING!) IN BULK
Plus…you can also read HOW I SAVOR GROCERY SHOPPING (I have my ways!) too.
And don’t forget, every single week, I share…
…my MEAL PLANNING MONDAY with five easy recipes, plus one sweet treat and a bonus recipe too. Make sure you check out THIS WEEK’S MEAL PLAN today too!
Alrighty, so what’s my current grocery shopping routine?
I buy as much as I can from Walmart each week and have that delivered to my house (I LOVE Walmart+ delivery!). This includes things like paper towels, cereal, bars, sparkling water, baggies, foil, yogurt, canned items…you know, things like that.
I like to buy my meat, produce and cheese from my neighborhood store pretty frequently (either Andrew or myself will pop in early several mornings a week to get what we need).
About once a week or so, I head to Trader Joe’s for the “fun stuff” (plus anything else I need fresh).
Last week, I went for my first time since arriving back from Nantucket and here is what I bought…
Awwwwww…one of my happy places 🙂 . A walk through Hobby Lobby or Trader Joe’s just does my heart good.
I just want to buy it all.
The back to school seasonal decorations make me SO HAPPY!
Okay, I bought a lot of the “norm” like turkey, frozen veggies, ground beef, avocados, etc, but here are a few of the fun finds this go around…
We have become BIG fans of Barebells protein bars. When I mentioned this at the beginning of the summer, several of you told me that Trader Joe’s has them too. They did and they had flavors our family hasn’t tried yet.
My three girls were BIG fans of these crepes. They are individually wrapped and only need about 10 seconds in the microwave.
What’s basically the exact opposite of Nutella filled crepes?
This…
…bahahaha! But listen, roasted up in the oven or air fryer, and it’s an EASY side dish!
When you want a little change up to pasta night, try their gnocchi!
These individually packaged trail mix packages are perfect!
I’ve shared this scent before…
…because it smells just like the much more expensive Sol de Janeiro. They currently have not only the body butter, but they’ve added a body wash and body scrub too. My girls were SO excited when I brought this home for them. I always think the body care products at Trader Joe’s are pretty exceptional for the price.
Yes. And please. Two of my faves in one jar.
Perfect for lunchboxes!
I love all of their sparkling water flavors, but this one is probably my fave.
I bought a box of these so that I could stick a few in my kids’ lunches. Delish!
I bought these…
…for a quick after school snack. You don’t get much more “back to school” than these 🙂 .
This was a super flavorful addition to our dinner last week…
…and these were delicious in our dinner. I made my BEEFY MUSHROOM PASTA (it’s so easy!).
Okay, your turn! Please share any recent Trader Joe’s finds you love and/or your favorite back to school meal planning tips in the comment section!
It takes a village 🙂 .
I hope you all have the BEST start to your week! I’ll see you tomorrow. xx
Diane Moore says
I don’t have a Trader Joe’s near me, but I did make your Beefy Mushroom Pasta last week. Delicious! It’s in my monthly rotation 😀
Mix and Match Mama says
Yay! Thank you for sharing! This is one of our staple recipes!
Allison says
Great post! Need to head to TJ’s asap! I have to buy that body butter and body wash too! And not that our TJ’s is “far”, but HOW excited are we for the one coming in at Eldorado and Stonebridge, WOOHOO!
Mix and Match Mama says
I always hate when McKinney takes any piece of green space and immediately develops it…I feel like they’re constantly doing that now. THAT BEING SAID, I did not hate when I saw this green space was going to be a Trader Joe’s 🙂 .
Allison says
That’s super ironic actually cause I would fully agree. We’re always driving around saying “MORE doctor offices?” and “MORE office spaces?” How many doctors etc. do we need? But yes, I am EXCITED for this one!
Mix and Match Mama says
More storage units too. It’s reallllllly starting to wear on me…but not the new Trader Joe’s 😉 .
Andrea says
Why not Costco?? For me there is no comparison between Costco and Walmart. Especially for having a big family to buy for. But I’m the weirdo that loves browsing the aisles so I don’t do store delivery.
Mix and Match Mama says
I go through phases with Costco and Sam’s both. I’ll go a few months with a lot of great purchases and finds and use them weekly…and then, I’ll hit a snag where we’re buying too many things in bulk and not finishing them, so I’ll stop for a bit. And then repeat. I like both! I use Walmart delivery probably 4 times a week though. Because I pay for the annual membership, it’s free delivery and saves me so many times over the week.
TD says
I will vouch that Costco has really good fruit and vegetables and their meat (I like their ground beef and chicken breasts) is a good buy. I think it would be really good for a family of six, it would save all those trips to the store!
Elspeth Mizner says
All these fun treats makes me wish I had a TJ closer to me. Yum!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Erika Slaughter says
Hmmmm…I’m so intrigued by that mustard dill sauce!!
Allyson says
I was thinking the same thing! Would love to know how she uses it. Sounds amazing!
Marla says
Hi Shay! I LOVE the Trader Joe’s post. We do not have one locally so when I make the 2 +hour drive to stock up I go with my list of your favorite products . It is so helpful so thank you. I am wondering how you roast your frozen vegetables in the oven and air fryer . I always buy fresh and roast them in the oven but frozen would be so much more convenient. As always, thank you for the work you put into your posts . I appreciate you.
Mix and Match Mama says
I’m so happy to hear this, Marla! Okay, when I roast frozen veggies in either the oven or air fryer, I do it the same as when they’re fresh…it just takes a few minutes longer. A little olive oil, salt and pepper and pop them in around 375ish.
Pam E. says
If you’ve never tried gnocchi straight from the box with your roasted pan veggies , it’s delish and saves time! I roll it around in the sheet pan after the olive oil drizzle , it gives it a little crispy texture very different from boiling. Just a new idea if you’ve never tried it. Love your meal planning posts, helps this Grammie come up with food ideas for my grands ! Hope you have a blessed week.
Cindi says
Yes!! Ree Drummond has a recipe for sheet pan gnocchi with sausage and peppers and its chef’s kiss! And so easy! I grew up with home made gnocchi, but the packaged ones are pretty good. Will try Trader’s Joe-thanks, Shay!
Angela says
Love the Barebells protein bars! I haven’t found these at Trader Joe’s but…. the Key Lime Barebells are soooooo delicious!!! We buy a box of them on Amazon!! Shay, you’ve got to try them!!
Mix and Match Mama says
Key Lime?! I love love Key lime! I didn’t know they made a bar flavored one. Thank YOU!
Stephanie says
Are the crepes gluten free?
Mix and Match Mama says
They’re not!
Elana says
How does Kensington eat them then?
Mix and Match Mama says
We are not a gluten-free family any longer. I blogged about it here: https://mixandmatchmama.com/2024/08/second-opinions/
Elana says
Oh my goodness, I don’t know how I missed that!
Lori says
The hot and sweet jalapenos are my absolute favorite! I always have a backup jar (or 2) on hand. They’re delicious on everything from burgers to tacos. Their margarita mix is also very good. I’m so happy that I now live near two TJ’s!!
Dana P says
My husband is finishing up a quick weekend trip to Nashville and is at Trader Joe’s as we speak! He’s bringing home chili crisp oil (so good on pizza and in Korean dishes!), peanut butter cups, freeze-dried strawberries, and baking powder. They have a lot of good cookies, too! And of course their frozen orange chicken makes a great back-up dinner.
Gail Young says
I would love a post (maybe you’ve already done one??) on how you prepare yummy food in your air fryer! I’ve never used one but just ordered one from Amazon and hoping to make better food choices that are tasty too. I know there are recipes out there but I’m curious about what your family loves.
Mix and Match Mama says
We do a ton of sides in our air fryers. This is how we cook our potatoes/sweet potatoes and almost all other veggies. Just a little olive oil, salt and pepper and it’s done. We do everything from broccoli to green beans, asparagus, Brussels sprouts…so many.
Beth Valenta says
Just hit Trader Joes yesteday for my extra items. I love to get their salmon, garlic sausages with peppers, and I always grab instant hashbrowns. My family loves them for a quick brunch item!
Hope says
Do you always buy fresh meat or frozen?is that the reason you pop in the store several times a week. I was a big frozen chicken breast girl from Costco for years but then stopped. I personally feel the “fresh” meat is better for you. So the last few years I have just gone to the store and gotten the refrigeratored meat for whatever I’m making. Do you tend to buy organic foods more and if so can you tell me why. I know you are on your wellness journey and the last few year I’ve changes some things as well. With my daughter now 10 I have talks with her about feeling our body with healthy things and trying to instill healthy food habits. Can you do a post on how you get your kids to be active,healthy and tips you give them?
Thanks for sharing so much of you with us. It helps more than you know🫶
Mix and Match Mama says
We do not eat frozen meat (with some exceptions like frozen shrimp or scallops, etc). So, yes, that’s the main reason why we pop in to the store frequently. I feel like the word “organic” is unfortunately over used and under regulated, so it’s hard to know if what you’re buying is truly “organic” or not. For things that we peel (like bananas, oranges, etc), I tend to buy what looks the best. For things we eat whole (berries, grapes), I try to look for organic. I also buy most of my meat from behind the butcher’s counter. This way, I can ask more questions about what I’m purchasing and where it’s from. I don’t stress about this stuff, but I do try to do my best. I could certainly do a post about my kiddos. Listen, they’re lazy kids who eat Oreos sometimes, so please know they are certainly “normal” or whatever, so don’t give them too much credit 😉 . They’re active because they’re all in activities, and they eat what we offer (so I still have control over that for the most part). I think they see how Andrew and I live and that plays a role too (lots of activity, family dinners at home that I’m cooking). We also love sugary festive holiday treats too. Moderation. We like moderation 🙂 .
Biral says
The Trader Joe’s hot honey popcorn is too good!!
Emily says
I just over here (not very) patiently waiting for the Code Orange at TJ to arrive 🎃 Will you let us know when you see fall items? I’m an hour away from TJ so I’m strategic on when I make a trip.
Sheaffer says
I’m a new fan of the shrimp gyoza and the chicken spring rolls.
Emilee says
Barebell Protein bars are a new find for me. Love that they give me something a little sweet without too much guilt!
Deb says
I love the live basil plants at Trader Joe’s – great for cooking, smell so good, and cute decoration for Italian themed dinner. Also love the flowers and plants. Other things include cheeses, cashews, trail mix, almond milk, and bakery items – my husband loves the lemon themed scones and cookies when they have them.
kristen says
I wish we had a TJ’s, but I always try to pop in when I’m near one. We love Barebells too, and I’ve found the best in store selection at our local Target. I love salty peanut and cashew, but my favorites may be the “soft” salted peanut caramel and caramel choco. They don’t have the “crispies” in the chocolate coating and are both crazy good!
Faith says
I haven’t been to TJ in a while and can’t wait to go this week! Have you had the chocolate croissants? Someone shared them on Instagram and can’t wait to try them.
Mix and Match Mama says
I haven’t yet, but they’re on my list too!
Michelle Etheridge says
I cannot wait for the fall items at TJ’s!!
Lisa D says
I love the little bag of 9-10 dark chocolate peanut butter cups from Trader’s. I buy the g-free crispbread in the cracker section. I like the Soft & Juicy dried mango slices. Yummy! I like the orange chicken bowls in the freezer section. My husband always buys maple cookies. Traders has them year round not just in the Fall 😊
Kacy M says
The Brazil Nut line is awesome! Got some body butter last weekend!
Nikki Merritt says
The hot honey popcorn at TJs is THE BOMB!!!
Mix and Match Mama says
Why haven’t I ever had that?!
Savannah Chaviers says
I’m a sucker for all the Jo Jo’s. My favorite is the cinnamon bun ones.
Kacie says
The Hot Honey Popcorn and my kids are loving their chili & lime rolled tortilla chips!