Current Favorites from Trader Joe's

It comes in waves, but I think I've decided Trader Joe's is pretty much my favorite grocery store. They have serious respect for pumpkin, their frozen food section is on point, and the best guacamole resides on their shelves. 

I used to run into Trader Joe's for freezer staples (like Guiltless Mac and Cheese and waffles), but recently I've been making a point to walk each and every aisle, observing every shelf as I go. As a result, I've found a few must-haves that I can't live without. Today, I'm sharing my current favorite buys from Trader Joe's. Let me know what your favorites are, and if you've tried any of mine for yourself! 

Chile Lime Seasoning Blend

People have been singing the praises of Everything But the Bagel seasoning for months, but I'm currently digging the Chile Lime Seasoning Blend While I am sure this stuff makes a mean taco, I use it a little more unconventionally: a dash in my snack-sized popcorn. My BFF's husband taught us to put Old Bay in our popcorn years ago, and this TJ's addition reminds me of that flavoring...but better! It has a slight kick, but it really makes you feel like you're noshing gourmet popcorn. WIN! 

Butternut Squash Zig-Zags 

So one of the things that I hate doing when it comes to eating healthy is giving something up. Here's the deal (in my non-expert opinion): if you give something up, it's just going to make you want it that much more OR it's not going to be a sustainable decision. Case in point: french fries. I know well and good that I'm never going to give-up fries, and I'm never going to just replace them with sweet potato fries for life. I also know I can't eat them every day, but thanks to Trader Joe's, I can feel like I am eating them every day. The butternut squash zig-zags look like crinkle cut fries, but are 100% butternut squash. I roast them in the oven until they are as crispy as they can get, top them with Trader Joe's veggie chili (yep, it's in a can...), and a little nutritional yeast, and I feel like I'm eating chili cheese fries which is a perfectly acceptable substitute until I can allow my gut to get its hands on the real stuff. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cakes

Before you lose your mind, these are not pumpkin flavored. Now that that's out of the way, these little 120 calorie chocolate mouse cakes have a layer of fluffy chocolate cake, followed by a light layer of chocolate mouse, and then covered in a thin layer of orange icing. Does it help they look like tiny baby pumpkins? You bet. Is that why I bought them? You bet. However, this teeny tiny cake is exactly what I need to curb my sweet-tooth during prime Dancing with the Stars time. 

Honorable Mentions/Other Pantry Staples:

Dark Chocolate Covered Raisins (eat 1/4 cup of these daily)

Cauliflower Cheese Pizza (have had it twice in a week)

Plantain Chips (get the ones in the skinny purple bag)

Butternut Squash Ravioli (add pancetta and a little brown butter sauce - NOM)

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese (share this with a friend - lots of calories up in there)