

The Ultimate Trader Joe's Shopping List: 14 Must-Have Items That Don't Miss
There are very few grocery stores that spark the kind of joy and excitement quite like Trader Joe’s. Depending on your location, making a casual stop at Trader Joe’s throughout the week has become synonymous with errands that count as a “me-day.” Their pocket-friendly selection, friendly environment, and seasonal rotations have a way of making your grocery shopping experience feel less like a chore and more like an experience worth sharing.
Online, it’s hard not to find yourself down a rabbit hole of Trader Joe’s hauls that feature the latest staple items to add to your cart. Because there’s always something new down every aisle, you never know what new goodies you’re gonna leave with. And to help, we've rounded up the latest staple items to pick up during your next Trader Joe's trip!
Happy shopping!
1.Trader Joe's Steamed Chicken and Ginger Soup Dumplings
These savory dumplings are made of juicy chicken and ginger, with a spicy kick. The soup inside delivers a flavorful surprise when you bite in and make for a warm, convenient snack full of umami flavors.
2.Garlic Indian Style Flatbread
Packed with the delicious taste of garlic, this buttery bread pairs perfectly with butter chicken, tikka masala, and other Indian dishes.
3.Seasoned Corn Ribs
Don’t judge them for how they look, because these quirky corn ribs deliver on taste. Sprinkle with cotija cheese and a dash of Tajin for a complete elote dish.
4.Cheddar Jalapeño Pull Apart Bread
Cheesy and spicy—who can ask for a better combination in their carbs? Pull at the sides of cheddar cheese and jalapeños bread for a little touch of heat.
5.Brookie
This modern spin on a brownie and cookie has left the internet asking for more. It’s the perfect chocolatey, chewy, and sweet treat that you just might finish in one sitting (but who’s judging?)
6.Roasted Garlic & Pesto Pizza with Deep Fried Crust
Bring a slice of Italy into your home with this deep-fried crust. The roasted garlic and touch of pesto deliver a fresh and herby flavor.
7.Unsweetened Organic Açaí Puree Packets
These Açaí Puree Packets are the perfect breakfast or snack for women on the go. Add some slices of banana, sprinkles of granola, and your choice of chia or flax seeds for full satisfaction.
8.Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice
Don’t walk, run to the freezer section and grab Trader Joe's Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice. The rich and creamy tomato-based sauce is flavored with a blend of traditional Indian spices and pairs perfectly with Basmati rice.
9.Chicken Cilantro Mini Wontons
Great things come in small packages and these mini wontons are no exception. Boil, fry, or steam them and serve with a dipping sauce to satisfy your cravings.
10.Stir Fried Garlicky Cabbage
We’re currently obsessed with this flavorful side dish from TJ’s. Pair with rice, dumplings, or potstickers—the options are endless.
11.Gluten Free Breaded Shrimp
This one’s for the gluten-free ladies out there; we’ve found these crispy, tender, breaded shrimp with all the flavor, minus the bloating.
12.Mini Chicken Tacos
Mini chicken tacos are a delicious and popular snack or appetizer that can be enjoyed for a snack, lunch, or dinner. Grab these small but flavor-packed mini tacos and smother them with your choice of cheese, salsa, guacamole, and/or sour cream.
13.Tumeric Ginger Coconut Beverage
Tumeric and ginger are just two reasons to pick up this Ayurvedic beverage on your next Trader Joe's run. If you're looking for a beverage that is on the sweeter side but also healthy, the Tumeric Ginger Coconut Beverage is an absolute must-have.
14.Mac and Cheese Bites
We can promise that you’ll love these, but we can’t promise you’ll be able to put them down. These cheesy, bite-size poppers prove that everything is better deep-fried.
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Featured image by LeoPatrizi/Getty Images
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Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
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Sabrina Dhowre Elba Admits To Not Initially Knowing Who Idris Elba Was When They Met
Model and entrepreneur Sabrina Elba recently recalled the intimate moments surrounding the fateful day she first encountered her husband, Idris Elba.
The couple, who have been together since 2017, met at a jazz bar in Vancouver when Idris was working on his film Mountain Between Us. Years later, in April 2019, following a whirlwind romance, Sabrina and Idris would tie the knot in Morocco.
Since then, the pair's love story has become "couple goals" among many for various reasons. The list includes the numerous times Sabrina and Idris have showcased their love on social media. Another factor contributing to the duo's likability is that Sabrina and Idris have displayed over the years that being with the right partner can elevate one's career or passion in life.
Sabrina and Idris have collaborated professionally in several businesses, including their Coupledom podcast and skincare brand S'Able Labs. In a June interview on Jemele Hill's Unbothered podcast, the 34-year-old opened up about the events leading up to when she met Idris and how she initially didn't know who he was.
Sabrina on Meeting Idris
Sabrina, who was living in Vancouver at the time, said that the same night Idris was in town, she went out to a jazz bar for an event called Slow Jam Sunday for a friend’s birthday.
Around that time, the model was getting over a breakup and claimed she wasn't interested in a relationship because of how badly her previous one ended. In a past interview, Idris revealed that he, too, just went through a breakup before meeting Sabrina.
"This is so funny. I [had] just gotten out of a really bad relationship, so I was not this person. I was like 'men are trash. They suck.' I'm literally ready to switch it on up or something because I was so over it," she said. "I come to this party with a night off at work that I prebooked because I was working literally every weekend. But it was my girlfriend's birthday party, so I was there kind of by chance."
Sabrina also revealed that, coincidently, the night she took off for her friend's birthday celebration was the same night Idris had the day off and was convinced by his stunt double to attend Slow Jam Sunday.
"Slow Jam Sundays is an amazing night in Vancouver. It's the one night I would probably go to, but you wouldn't see me out often because I was a weekend worker. I was working at restaurants and service industry, your weekends are taken up," she stated.
"Idris was filming this film in Vancouver and had one night off in Vancouver because most of it was filmed sort of up north in the mountains. His stunt double convinced him to go to Slow Jam Sundays. By chance, we were both there."
Further into the interview, Sabrina disclosed that her friend was interested in Idris at first and went to flirt with him. However, the Daddy's Little Girls star dismissed the friend's advances because Sabrina had caught his eye.
When Sabrina's friend informed her about what happened, she admitted that although she tried to put up a front for her friend's sake, the S'Able Labs CEO was happy because she thought he was also attractive. Following the discussion, Sabrina and her friend went to the section where Idris was, and the couple realized how much they had in common, from the music choices to their background.
"So I go over, and we have like one of those conversations that you just feel like you've known this person for ten years because we're singing the same songs. When a song comes on that I love, he's like, 'I love this song.' I'm like, 'what?' Like I just had this like cultural connection. He's African. I'm like,' Where are you from?'" she said.
Sabrina On Not Knowing Who Idris Was After Meeting Him
As the topic shifted to Idris' celebrity status, Sabrina explained that she didn't know who he was until after it was brought to her attention by a few people she met outside of the bar.
"When I went outside, I realized because there's a group of people there, they're like, 'Oh, you're talking to Idris Elba,'" she stated.
When asked about how well-known the actor was when they met, Sabrina shared that Idris was widely famous in America but not so much in Canada and that the one film she saw him in was the 2009 thriller Obsessed.
Sabrina would add that even after being told who Idris was, she couldn't recollect where she knew him from until her friends mentioned the movie.
"Well, so the film that I had seen was Obsessed... I feel Idris Elba now he gets recognized so much. In that moment, unless you were kind of in that zeitgeist, he was definitely a lot more popular in America," she said. "I don't think I would've known it even when they said that was him. I was trying to remember, like, my friends were like, 'yeah, he's from Obsessed.' We're like, 'Oh, yeah.'"
After figuring out who Idris was, Sabrina shared that when she re-entered the venue, she doubted a relationship would form between them given his occupation, the short timeline he would be there to shoot his movie, and the constant temptation that could flock around him due to his status. But despite Sabrina's uncertainty, they would exchange numbers before she left.
"So I went back inside, we started chatting some more, and he was like, 'Let me take your number.' I was like, 'Alright,' and then I left," she stated.
The model explained the reason why she left the event was that her friend, whose birthday she was celebrating, wanted to check out other spots. When the night was coming to an end, Sabrina hailed a taxi to go home when she received a phone call from Idris. The entrepreneur revealed that the Takers star stopped her from entering the cab and urged her to get in the car he was driving, and they spent the whole night talking until 8 a.m.
"I got in his car, and we spoke till like 8 a.m. easy. It was probably like 2 [a.m.] at that time. We just had the most intense, amazing conversation," she said. "It was the first time I ever connected with someone to the point where I was like, I went home the next day called my friends, I was like, 'I think I found my soulmate.'"
Sabrina revealed that from that fateful night, she and Idris became inseparable. The couple would be long-distance for a brief stint of their union until they acknowledged how difficult it was to maintain that type of relationship. Sabrina ultimately decided to move in with Idris although she was skeptical at first, she claimed it was one of the best decisions she's made because she found her "soulmate."
Sabrina Elba's First Night with Idris Elba Sounds Like a Romance Movie
Model and philanthropist Sabrina Elba joins Jemele to discuss her marriage to actor Idris Elba, and their heartwarming, love at first sight origin story.SUBS...Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Space NK