Hi friends! Today I wanted to share with you my favorite snacks from Trader Joe’s.

Our grocery shopping is mostly split up between the farmer’s market, Harris Teeter and Trader Joe’s. TJ’s is within walking distance of our house, so it’s the place I’m most likely to go if I need to run and get a forgotten ingredient or if I don’t feel like battling the horrible evening traffic in Charlotte.

It’s also where I purchase a lot of my snacks!

A common misconception that people have is that snacking is bad. Snacking is actually the opposite of bad :) Having a snack when you start to get hungry is a great way to regulate your blood sugar, satiate your hunger  until your next meal. I highly recommend incorporating snacks into your diet if you go 4-5 hours in between meals, and/or find yourself ravenous by the time you make it to your next meal.

I think the perfect recipe for a satiating snack that also gives me energy is fiber + protein + fat + carbs. So I always like to incorporate those when I can.

Here are some items snack items, mostly grab-and-go, that I am loving the summer!

Current Favorite Trader Joe’s Snacks

“Just a Handful of Dry Roasted Unsalted Almonds” < — Pre-Packaged Almonds

Almonds are one of my favorite nuts. I love how they are rich in protein, unsaturated fat and fiber <– all 3 are things that help you feel and stay full. While I usually have a large bag of them in my kitchen, I think these pre-packaged baggies are really convenient to just toss in your bag.

A lot of my clients are all about the convenience of things and love items like this… no prep required, even if it’s just pre-portioning.

Fresh Mozzarella String Cheese Sticks

I have loved string cheese sticks ever since I was a little kid. But have you noticed how a mozzarella string cheese stick tastes nothing like a fresh piece of mozzarella?

These string cheese taste more like the real deal to me.

Cheese is a great source of protein, which is again a nutrient I’m looking for in a snack to help with satiety.

Just Mango Slices

Sometimes a string cheese stick alone doesn’t always do it for me, and I need to pair it with something sweet to hit the spot. In an ideal world, I would just carry a piece of fruit with me as well. But in the off chance that I don’t have a fresh piece of fruit, or I’m worried about tossing it in my bag (hey bruised banana), dried fruit is another option.

I love mango but peeling it is such a PIA. I felt delighted when I saw these in Trader Joe’s so that I can occasionally enjoy one without chopping one of my fingers off. I love that in 4 slices there’s a little bit of protein and fiber- a perfect, sweet addition to my string cheese stick to help me stay full (and satisfied!) until my next meal :)

Side note: mangoes are a great source of vitamin A, which is good for your vision, immune system and even your teeth!

Dried fruit has unfortunately gotten a bad rap these days, which I think is unfortunate because these dried mango slices really hit the spot. As the name implies, this product is made with only mango. A lot of dried fruit actually has sugar added to it, and you can investigate this on your own by looking at the ingredients in the ingredient label.

RXBars and Larabars

There are a lot of bar options at Trader Joe’s, but Larabars and RXBars are definitely my favorites. I also love how Trader Joe’s lets you purchase individual bars – I like to be able to change up the flavors.

I’m really not into “protein bars”, which I find are mostly made up of protein powders, weird ingredients and often times a lot of added sugar. I love how RXBars and Larabars keep it simple with minimal ingredients, still while providing just the right stuff to keep me full and satisfied.

I find that the RXBars are typically a little more hefty when it comes to protein compared to Larabars, which makes sense because they are made with egg whites. I do find them to be a bit more filling than Larabars, so I will choose them when I need something to really hold me over until my next meal.

Both are great options, though. I love that they have so much fiber in them.

Just Beets

I often times see that items advertised as beet chips are not actually beet chips… they are many times made with potato starch and then have beet powder added to them. I suppose this is good if you’re looking to change things up and want to eat a purple potato chip, but I personally find it annoying when labeling tricks consumers into buying product that isn’t what it says it is. Do you feel me?

The Trader Joe’s just beets are just that… dehydrated beets. Beets are an amazing source of fiber and potassium, and I love how these beet chips also have a bit of calcium, iron and protein in them as well!

Shrimp Spring Rolls

One of my favorite foods on Earth are fresh rolls. I LOVE them! I find that the Trader Joe’s shrimp spring rolls are the perfect hefty snack for me on days when I go a long time between meals. Sometimes I eat lunch around 11 or 12 and then I don’t get done with evening clients until 8pm, and these are my favorite refreshing snack on those types of days.

What are you favorite types of snacks from Treader Joe’s? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Also, I am hoping to record more YouTube videos to go along with my blog posts in case someone would rather watch a video!