The 12 Trader Joe's Items I Keep Rebuying

This might be the most unexciting purchase I make at Trader Joe’s. Sure, I can cook a pot of lentils myself, but I’m almost never thrilled about the idea of cooking them. (They’re just not the most exciting food to prepare!) These pre-steamed lentils are perfectly tender, well-seasoned, and ready to go whenever I need a quick protein boost for a salad. Occasionally, I toss them in wraps.

If I’m going to buy carrots, they might as well be visually striking. Have you ever cut into a purple carrot? It’s a beautiful sight to see. (I won’t give it all away, but let’s just say the color yellow plays a role.) My favorite way to prepare these colorful carrots is to slice them diagonally and roast them in animal fat. I recently did this using the fat I rendered from my Easter ham. They turned out delicious (and quite pleasing to the eye). I also enjoy grilling them.

I occasionally have these for breakfast. The batter is sweet, the dogs are salty, and they cook quickly. It took me five purchases to realize they were made with turkey. I like to start them in the microwave and finish them in the air fryer to make sure the inside is hot and the outside is crisp (and also hot, naturally).

I eat a lot of tiny tomatoes, and these “San Marzano” mini plum tomatoes are my top pick. (They aren’t true San Marzanos, which are grown in volcanic ash, though.) Tiny tomatoes are the only tomatoes worth eating outside of peak tomato season (July and August), and these greenhouse-grown gems are always sweet and flavorful. I chop them into salads, pair them with cottage cheese, and even grate them for mini tomato toast.

I’ve been enjoying these Vegetable Masala Burgers since my 20s. I’m not sure how “authentic” the spices really are, but they taste great. I consider them more of a seasoned potato patty than a traditional burger, as they’re quite potato-heavy. I like to break them up in the pan and turn them into a quick breakfast hash.

One thing I’ve always admired about Trader Joe’s is the incredible variety of dried fruit they offer. It’s not just “dried mango”—oh no. You can find sweetened dried mango, spicy dried mango, freeze-dried mango, and my personal favorite—unsweetened and unsulfured dried mango. I actually prefer all my dried fruits to be unsweetened and chewy (sour and chewy); there’s just something more satisfying about chewy fruit.

Unlike many other everything bagel seasoning blends, this one includes both black and white sesame seeds, which I believe gives it a unique edge. It’s fantastic on breakfast vegetables, whether potatoes, asparagus, or tomatoes; and I particularly enjoy it on eggs, especially hard-boiled or scrambled. I also sprinkle it on cream cheese-covered bagels, even if the bagels are already coated in everything seasoning. (I’m that adventurous!)

Not only are these the best affordable cornichons you can buy, I’d argue they’re the best cornichons outside of France. Honestly, they’re even better than some of the fancy French pickles I’ve tried. They’re wonderfully sour, garlicky, and packed with flavor, and their brine makes for an amazing dirty martini. They’re perfection—10/10, no improvements needed.

I can’t stop eating this incredibly creamy cheese. To put it simply: It’s brie with mushrooms mixed in, and I’m a big fan of both individually, so it’s a no-brainer for me. I’m not typically a fan of add-ins in my cheese, but the tiny wild mushroom pieces add just the right amount of umami, and I do love a good umami kick. (Pair it with the crackers from the next slide for the full experience.)

Figs and olives are two essentials for any cheese board, and these sweet and savory crackers make snacking easy by packing both into every bite. Plus, they have that perfect look, and I can't resist a visually appealing cheese plate.

I treat myself to Veuve Clicquot just twice a year—on my birthday (to honor myself) and on Thanksgiving (to celebrate making it through another turkey season). When I do, it’s always from Trader Joe’s because they offer the best prices around. For my other sparkling wine needs, I turn to their $6 Blanc de Blancs (made from 100% white grapes). It’s from “somewhere in France,” incredibly dry, and shockingly good for the price. (And, though it may have been an anomaly, I drank a whole bottle in the hot tub the other night and woke up surprisingly not hungover.)

These dark chocolate-covered caramels are another Trader Joe’s classic I’ve been indulging in for years. The dark chocolate has a slight bitterness, but not enough to lose its “candy” status, and the caramel is rich and buttery. These caramels are so decadent, I can only have one at a time, which is probably for the best. I really hope they never discontinue these. After losing my favorite olives, I don’t think I could bear it.