I'm a single adult who shops at Trader Joe's. Here's how I spend $65 on a typical grocery run.
I usually spend about $65 a week at Trader Joe's as a single adult.
Some of my favorite staples for quick meals are penne pasta, tomato sauce, salmon, and rice.
I also like to have sweet treats on hand, like chocolate-covered bananas or mini stroopwafels.
It's not a secret that food is getting more expensive. But as a single adult, I know my grocery budget stretches farther at Trader Joe's.
Here's what a typical $65 grocery run looks like for me.
Rustico bread: $3.49
Trader Joe's is the only store I go to for bread.
There are several great options, but I find the multigrain Rustico loaf to be the most versatile.
It's delicious toasted with butter, slathered with peanut butter and jelly, or topped with avocado and an over-medium egg.
Veggie and flaxseed corn tortilla chips: $2.99
One of my favorite snacks at Trader Joe's is tortilla chips, and the veggie-flaxseed bag has subtle flavors of spinach, garlic, carrot, tomato, and onion.
I use them as a vehicle for hummus, salsa, or even leftover tuna or chicken salad for a quick lunch. The bag is pretty big, too, so it lasts me a few weeks.
Thin and crunchy pretzel slims: $2.99
One of my favorite midday or evening snacks is pretzel slims dipped in hummus.
The Trader Joe's ones are basically half the price of the name brand, so they're a staple for me.
Roasted garlic hummus: $2.29
There are a lot of hummus brands out there, but in my opinion, Trader Joe's has the best garlic hummus on the market. I always have some on hand.
I never get tired of hummus with chips or carrots as a snack, and this flavorful dip is why.
Penne rigate: $0.99
I'm not super picky about my pasta, but I do have some preferences.
Having tried plenty of different brands, including the organic penne that TJ's offers, I keep returning to the basic penne rigate.
It tastes great and costs less than a dollar per bag. Sometimes I'll buy two or three when I visit to have extra on deck.
Roasted-garlic marinara sauce: $1.99
The roasted-garlic marinara sauce is so flavorful and helps me pull together one of my favorite 15-minute dinners.
While I boil a pot of penne, I cook ground chicken in a pan with Italian seasoning. Then I add a jar of this sauce, mix well, and serve it over pasta.
It's such a hearty meal, and it gives me plenty of leftovers.
Organic jasmine rice: $4.49
The frozen jasmine rice is a godsend when I want a quick carb to go with my lunch or dinner.
The box comes with three packets, and each packet is enough for two or three servings for me.
I like to pair it with a veggie or salad alongside my protein at dinner and save the leftovers to pair with a fried egg and hot sauce in the morning.
Atlantic salmon with lemon-herb butter: $5.99
Trader Joe's single-serving frozen salmon is great when I'm drained at the end of the day but still want a nourishing meal.
I quickly thaw it by soaking the packet in a bowl of water for 30 minutes, then bake it in the oven for 10 minutes. The herb butter melts into the salmon, making a perfectly rich and flavorful sauce.
Sweet apple chicken sausage: $4.29
The flavored chicken sausages from Trader Joe's are always a must-buy for me. Sweet apple is my favorite, but you can't go wrong with the other varieties, like roasted garlic and sweet Italian.
They can be grilled and eaten in a bun, tossed with pasta and sauce, or stir-fried with veggies. But my favorite way to use them is in a roasted sheet-pan dinner with potatoes and a veggie (usually broccoli or Brussels sprouts).
Gone Bananas: $2.79
I'm someone who needs a little dessert after every meal, and being able to grab one or two of Trader Joe's dark-chocolate-covered banana slices is the perfect sweet treat.
The cold bite is so refreshing, too, especially in the summer.
Vegetable fried rice: $2.99
If I don't have at least one pack of Trader Joe's fried rice in my freezer, I freak out.
It's my go-to for a quick dinner with a scallion pancake or a side when I have nothing else.
I heat oil in a wok, pour the bag in, and crack and scramble an egg or two. I usually mix in some Trader Joe's soy sauce for color and flavor, too.
Salted edamame: $1.99
Edamame is one of the many frozen sides I love to get at Trader Joe's because it lasts forever in the freezer and pairs well with so many different meals.
It's even great as a quick snack, especially when tossed with chili oil.
Tangerine juice: $3.49
I love a good citrus juice, and Trader Joe's tangerine juice always tastes fresh-squeezed. Because it's made from tangerines and not oranges, it's also a little sweeter than typical orange juice.
I drink a cup in the morning with breakfast or use it in smoothies for some extra vitamin C.
Chicken breakfast-sausage patties: $2.99
When I'm in the mood for a breakfast sandwich, I love having chicken sausage patties on hand.
They're flavorful, the perfect size and shape for Trader Joe's Rustico bread or an English muffin, and low in calories but high in protein.
Wild baby arugula: $2.29
When I need to eat something green but don't wanna think about it too much, I know I can always rely on some baby arugula topped with a squeeze of lemon juice and some fresh cracked salt and pepper.
I love it on the side of my breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. But it also works well on sandwiches or as an extra leafy green in a spring-mix salad.
The peppery bite even makes it delicious enough to snack on right out of the bag.
Organic baby-lettuce mix: $2.49
I tend to switch up my bagged salads from Trader Joe's, but the organic baby-lettuce mix has been my favorite lately.
The varieties of lettuce in the mix are seasonal, but it almost always has baby romaine — one of my favorite salad lettuces.
I also love the look of the different shades of red and green.
Mini pearl grape tomatoes: $2.99
Grape tomatoes are another snacking and salad staple, and the 16-ounce container at Trader Joe's is a great value for the price.
The mini pearl grape tomatoes are always perfectly sweet, and the large container lasts me a couple of weeks.
Mini stroopwafels: $3.49
I love a bite-sized sweet treat, and caramelly, cinnamony mini stroopwafels are my absolute favorite.
I keep the little bag on my bedside table and have a few at night with my nighttime tea.
Dried mandarins: $2.99
Mandarins are another sweet staple for me.
The older I get, the less I crave sweet candy, but I'm not always in the mood to cut up fresh fruit.
When I need a quick sugar fix, dried mandarins are my go-to. I like to keep them in my bag, so I always have them on hand.
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