Do you have a Trader Joe’s near your house? If not, you’re seriously missing out- just like I was before I moved to Austin for the summer! Trader Joe’s is a grocery store that carries their own brand of products almost exclusively. I was wondering what all the hype was about, but after a few visits since I moved in down the street, I’m definitely hooked! After a few visits, here are my first impressions and initial favorites from TJ’s.

When you walk in TJ’s, the first thing you see are tons of fresh flowers. There’s a ton of variety and they’re all so fresh and vibrant that it puts me in a great mood before I’ve even made it to the grocery section! I bought a succulent on my last trip, and it’s super adorable. If I can get my hands on a vase, I might start buying some of the fresh flowers to keep in my room, too.

Once you’re past the flower garden at the front entrance, it’s right into the produce. It’s all super reasonably priced, and just seeing all the variety makes me want to try new things. My favorite is the bananas (one of my favorite fruits!)

If you know only one thing about Trader Joe’s, it’s probably about the legendary cookie butter. I bought a jar on my first trip, eager to see if it lived up to the hype. It did- and more. Clocking in at a whopping 90 calories per tablespoon, it’s definitely not my go-to dessert, but I still sneak a spoonful every now and then. It’s super addicting, and a must-try for any TJ’s newbie!

Something I noticed about TJ’s entrées pretty quickly is that a lot of them lean towards the healthier side. I’m all about clean eating, but I definitely have a sweet tooth, too. TJ’s frozen desserts blew me away! My personal favorite has been the macarons imported straight from France, but I also fell in love with the vanilla meringues as well.

I am going to be so sad when I go back to Norman in August, when the closest Trader Joe’s is in Edmond! I’ll definitely have to stock up on my favorite non-frozen items before I make the trip back to Oklahoma.

I’m finding new items at TJ’s every time I go, so watch my Instagram story for more favorites as I discover them!

-K