As a restaurant and bar owner in New York City, I spend most of my days refining menus. Unfortunately, though, as fun and fulfilling as my job can be, it’s turned me into a picky shopper — one who’s unwilling to compromise on quality for the sake of convenience.
That’s why I love turning to Trader Joe’s for my own personal shopping. I find the store offers a great variety of high-quality items, from produce and snacks to ingredients for quick meals.
Here are my must-have items from Trader Joe’s that always end up in my cart.
The Everything But The Bagel smoked salmon gets my stamp of approval.
As a New Yorker who has had my fair share of lox, I love Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel seasoned smoked salmon. This miracle of a product delivers major flavor and makes me feel like I just picked up my favorite breakfast item from a local New York bodega.
Lately, I’ve been topping seeded crackers with this salmon and some labneh. I also like to add a few slices to a bowl of cottage cheese with tomatoes, green onions, and capers.
When I need a quick meal, I grab the tomato and roasted red-pepper soup.
Whenever I need an easy dinner with decadent flavor, Trader Joe’s tomato and roasted red-pepper soup is on my shopping list.
The peppers in this soup are accompanied by a rich, silky body that avoids the tinny aftertaste some brands tend to have.
Trader Joe’s lobster bisque tastes like it could be served in a restaurant.
Meal hackers, rejoice: Trader Joe’s lobster bisque really shines as the quickest killer pasta sauce.
Just sauté some diced garlic and onions, add shrimp (or even the Trader Joe’s langostino tails, if you can find them), toss in your pasta, and you’ll have a restaurant-quality meal in no time.
The chicken gyoza potstickers are my secret to speedy weeknight dinners.
If I’m being honest, you can’t go wrong with any of Trader Joe’s different dumplings.
When I have an itch to take my weeknight meals to the next level, these chicken potstickers can elevate a basic stir-fry or instant noodles with minimal effort.
Speaking of noodles, I love Trader Joe’s take on ramen.
Despite being just as easy to make, I think Trader Joe’s ramen noodles are better than other instant versions, due to their chewy texture and delicious taste.
I recommend combining these with green onions, hard-boiled eggs, or leftover veggies to create a culinary masterpiece.
The Thai wheat noodles are super tasty.
In the past, I’ve had trouble finding Thai wheat noodles at other grocery stores. So, I’m always excited when I see them on the shelves at Trader Joe’s.
To say that these have helped elevate my stir-fry, soup, and yaki-udon to another level would be an understatement.
Trader Joe’s ranch-seasoned cashews have become my favorite snack to munch on.
Trader Joe’s ranch-seasoned cashews have become an irreplaceable part of my snack arsenal, helping me power through those days where the time between meals can drag on.
It doesn’t hurt that they’re a huge hit on a cheese board, either.
A trip to Trader Joe’s isn’t complete without picking up the extra-hot habanero ghost-pepper salsa.
As someone who tends to stress-eat as much as he snacks, this salsa provides the best of both worlds.
Not only does it have the intense spice I crave — something I rarely find in store-bought foods — but it’s also hot enough that I genuinely can’t eat too much in one sitting.
Keep reading our Trader Joe’s diaries here.
Read the original article on Business Insider
The post I’m a restaurant owner who loves shopping at Trader Joe’s. Here are 8 items I always keep at home. appeared first on Business Insider.
