As a mom of three picky eaters, I will do whatever it takes to find foods that my kids enjoy. Luckily, Trader Joe’s offers dinner options my whole family loves at affordable prices.
There’s only one problem: the complete lack of Trader Joe’s locations in Canada.
So, twice a month, I drive nearly an hour from our home in Canada to Bellingham, Washington, to stock up on all my family’s favorites.
Crossing the border for groceries might sound extreme, but the quality of the products and rave reviews from my kids make the drive worthwhile.
Here are nine items from Trader Joe’s that always end up in my cart.
Prices may vary by location.
My whole family is obsessed with Trader Joe’s Mandarin-orange chicken.
One of my family’s favorite meals is Trader Joe’s Mandarin-orange chicken, so I make sure to buy four packages each time I shop.
This chicken, battered in a delicious orange-ginger sauce, is great on its own or with stir-fry noodles.
If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll serve it with broccoli, carrots, and white rice, sprinkled with some sesame seeds on top.
My son never liked fettuccine Alfredo until he tried the Trader Joe’s version.
Even though my son has never been a fan of fettuccine Alfredo, served in a restaurant or cooked at home, he absolutely loves Trader Joe’s take on this dish.
For my family of five, I typically heat up two packs of the frozen pasta. I also love adding Trader Joe’s breaded chicken tenderloin breasts for extra protein.
To elevate the dish even more, I add some high-protein milk and butter, then top it with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and parsley. The result is always a resounding success in our household.
Trader Joe’s take on kebabs is delicious.
I’m originally from Egypt, so I always make sure to pick up a bag of Trader Joe’s Middle Eastern-style kebabs, which remind me of home.
A bonus: my oldest daughter loves them, too.
These kebabs take about 20 minutes to grill and are my secret for whipping up shawarma in a flash.
I like combining them with tomatoes, a homemade tahini sauce, and onions seasoned with sumac and parsley. Then, I pack it into the Trader Joe’s Egyptian-sourdough Baladi pocket bread.
I can’t get enough of Trader Joe’s chocolate-covered wafer cookie bars.
My secret indulgence is Trader Joe’s chocolate-covered wafer cookie bars. This sweet treat tastes exactly like my favorite childhood snack I had back home in Egypt.
Each bar costs only $1.20, so I normally grab anywhere from five to seven during my grocery trips.
Trader Joe’s vanilla meringues are a sweet treat that always come home with me.
My haul always includes Trader Joe’s fat-free vanilla meringues, which are my youngest daughter’s favorite treat.
At only $4.50 per container, these fluffy meringues offer the perfect amount of sweetness in each bite.
Trader Joe’s rolled corn tortilla chips are my son’s go-to snack.
My son loves Trader Joe’s chili-and-lime-flavored rolled corn tortilla chips, so I always make sure to pick up a bag whenever I visit the store.
I highly recommend these extra-crunchy chips for anyone who likes spicy snacks, since they’re packed with zest and heat.
I always pick up Trader Joe’s mango juice smoothies for my daughter.
My teenage daughter’s favorite item from Trader Joe’s is the store’s mango juice smoothie.
These non-dairy smoothies are made with mango purée, apples, banana purée, and lemon juice, and are a staple in our fridge.
Along with great flavor, each smoothie is full of vitamins A and C, and costs only $3.
Trader Joe’s pork gyoza potstickers are a great appetizer for hosting.
Whenever we have guests over, I love to serve Trader Joe’s pork gyoza potstickers.
Each pack of these potstickers has about 20 pieces, making it the perfect appetizer for any get-together.
I like to pair them with some soy sauce mixed with rice vinegar, and garnish with green onions.
I can’t believe how awesome Trader Joe’s cultured salted butter is.
So many of my favorite Egyptian recipes rely heavily on butter, so I’m always on the hunt for one that’s high-quality with an affordable price tag.
Trader Joe’s cultured salted butter is my personal favorite, as it tastes amazing, softens in minutes, and elevates every dish.
Read the original article on Business Insider
The post I drive from Canada to the US to shop at Trader Joe’s. These 9 items make the trip worthwhile. appeared first on Business Insider.
