It feels a little more elevated than our typical piece of meat, couple of veggies, and rice or potatoes, but it still packs a nutritious punch.
This is one of our favorite faux-fancy, easy-as-anything TJs meals. It’s where we go for the nice-to-haves, the creative sauces and inventive snacks that bring a little joy to home cooked meals. But the over-sized everything, warehouse experience is no replacement for the comparatively opulent stop at the TJs around the corner. Later on, the lure of domesticity meant we somewhat reluctantly gave in to the comfortable perks of a Costco membership about 5 years into married life, so our big Sunday shop for the essentials is now conducted there. In fact, when Jacob and I first moved back to Michigan with little to no job prospects (and desperately needing health insurance), Jacob worked a short stint at our local store: it was the perfect fit for a couple kids trying to figure out their direction in life (and they look after their employees surprisingly well). Since those humble beginnings in the states and a number of cross-country moves, TJs has remained in my regular grocery store rotation. It was the diet of a CrossFitter who didn’t yet realize the importance of carbohydrates, still a few years away from complete physical burnout. Lucking for me, my new local grocery store was a haven for conveniently prepared and budget-friendly foods-a dream for this unemployed, recently graduated, health nut.įor that first month, my shopping list included a bunch of bananas, a bag of kale, frozen mixed veggies, eggs, cooked chicken, mini avocados, and a handful of Quest bars. Staunchly paleo and a CrossFit junkie at the time, I was determined to bend the rules enough to ensure adequate animal protein intake, and had them give tacit approval of pre-cooked proteins and eggs. I hadn’t realized until it was too late that my new landlords were strict vegans with a no cooking meat in the kitchen policy. I was renting a spare bedroom from a young couple in L.A., walking distance from the Grove, and, across from that, a TJs. When I first moved to the US after uni, Trader Joe’s was my staple grocery store. Oh, and the quippy copywriting on their labels always adds a bit of pizazz to the mundane task of day-to-day cooking.
It delivers on convenience, while still exuding the warmth and wholesomeness of the local shops I grew up frequenting (I know, it’s not). It boasts unique flavors from around the world, while still delivering on the basics. It’s cost-effective and frugal, but doesn’t skimp on experience-an odd but delightful balance of bougie and hippie. It’s health-conscious, but knows when to indulge with a seasonal treat. Trader Joe’s may just be a microcosm for all of the things I value in life.
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