Happy October! My favorite time of year (other than my birthday month, of course).
In honor of a Trader Joe’s opening in my area soon, I wanted to make a list of some of my favorite items and how I usually pair them. I’m sure this will become a series, because I can’t get enough of the seasonal items that come out throughout the year.


These are the two sandwiches I mention at the bottom of the list (obviously have to save best for last). I swoon over a good sandwich, and the flavor combos of both of these do not disappoint. All of the items listed are for when you’re in a rush or only in the mood to binge trash TV on the couch.
1. vanilla almond clusters ($4.49) + freeze dried berries ($3.99)


I love the crunch these give together. I’m such a texture girl and pairing these with fresh bananas and milk is chef’s kiss (even better if you get banana milk).
2. hashbrowns ($2.79) + vegan pesto ($3.99) + goat cheese crumbles ($2.99)



One of my favorite fast breakfasts. Throw the hashbrown in the toaster, smother some vegan pesto, add an egg and sprinkle the goat cheese on top while it’s hot so it melts a little. YUM. Sometimes I’ll add the pesto to my eggs and scramble them, which was my hyper-fixation breakfast for a while. I also will exchange the pesto for truffle ketchup when it’s in stock in the summer.
3. sour cream spinach dip ($3.99) , buffalo chicken dip ($4.99) , wine country chicken salad ($4.99)



I am a SUCKER when it comes to dips and chips. Will forever be my kryptonite. I was so sad to learn that the TJ’s sweet potato tortilla chips were discontinued, because they were my favorite to eat with the spinach dip. Apparently Target has a good dupe, so I will be trying that out soon. The buffalo chicken dip is super yum with the truffle potato chips (below), but celery sticks are my favorite companion for this dip because it feels like I’m at Buffalo Wild Wings. The best chip + dip combo though, has to be the chicken salad and TJ’s cornbread crisps (which are seasonal and come out around Thanksgiving). I’m drooling thinking about it and will be buying three bags when they're back on the shelves.
4. pita crackers ($2.99) + caramelized onion goat cheese ($2.99) , white truffle potato chips ($2.99)



I absolutely adore the pita crackers for any kind of cheese board I’m putting together. They’re light, crisp and and a versatile vessel for whatever you throw on them. The caramelized onion goat cheese is a new seasonal item this year, and I could kiss Mr. Trader Joe on his forehead for it. Personally, I think it would taste amazing on a burger, but it’s delicious by itself as well. As I stated above, the truffle potato chips are so yum with the buffalo chicken dip, but also amazing on their own. Just be careful not to blindly eat them because after one episode on the couch, you’ll realize the chips are missing from the bag.
5. ciabatta demi baguette ($1.29) + prosciutto ($3.99) + burrata ($4.99)



I recently saw this combo on social media and instantly fell in love. The ciabatta bread might be my favorite bread that TJ’s has to offer. I toasted it on the stove, and it’s the perfect blend of crispy, crunchy edges and a soft, chewy middle (I’m drooling). I drizzle balsamic vinegar on the bread, add prosciutto, cut a burrata ball in half, and top it with arugula and balsamic glaze. If you close your eyes, you might even think you’re in Italy. You can definitely get at least two sandwiches out of the bread too, so it’s perfect to share (or rinse and repeat for lunch and dinner).
6. brioche buns ($3.99) + shrimp burgers ($6.99) + jalapeno sauce ($3.49)



These are actually some of the first items I bought from Trader’s when I started going a couple years ago. The brioche buns are a close running up for best bread under the ciabatta. They are super soft like Hawaiian rolls. I was skeptical about the shrimp burgers at first, but a friend hyped them up to me and I’m so glad she did. They’re yummy and so easy to make when you don’t feel like making dinner. I slather the jalapeño sauce on the buns (in the picture above I used guacamole instead), and it’s spicy, buttery perfection. The jalapeño sauce is also my go to for just about anything, like salads or dinosaur chicken nuggets (the dinos taste better).
7. dark chocolate cherries ($5.99) , scandinavian swimmers ($3.49) , hold the cone ice cream ($3.99)



These are the things I can’t bring myself to buy because I will eat the whole bag. The dark chocolate cherries and swimmers are great for parties, so that’s the only time I’ll allow myself to buy them because they are so addicting. The ice cream is perfect for when you want a tiny treat after dinner because they’re small and satisfy that craving (although you need self control not to eat more than one, which I do not have).
Like I said, I could make this list go on for ten more pages, but I’ll be around for the next seasonal drop. Soup season is my actual favorite and I’m getting tingly all over just thinking about when it gets breezy outside!
xx spaghetti cowboy <3