How to eat from Trader Joe’s on the Cheap | Earnest

How to eat from Trader Joe’s on the Cheap

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When it comes to spending money on food, I always start off with the best of intentions. But lately, I’ve fallen into some old habits, eating out when I want to and swiping my credit card at the grocery store without thinking about what I’m buying. But with the holidays coming up and some winter travel finally booked, I’ve realized I need to rein in my spending if I want to save for my upcoming trip. I figured my food budget — one of my higher monthly expenditures, even on a good month — would be the best place to start.

Thoughtful meal planning is often-touted as the best way to save money on food. All the more so if it involves purchasing exclusively from the cheapest store around. For me, that’s Trader Joe’s. The grocery chain is already well known for its lighthearted branding, bougie snacks, and low price point — which is why it’s the go-to among college students in my town. That said, I’m still capable of overspending in TJ’s if I wander in without a plan. (The snack aisles are rife with temptation, and if I shop hungry, I’m a goner.) Fortunately, the store offers so many complementary items that it’s easy to put together a cheap Trader Joe’s weekly meal plan that will leave you (and your budget) satisfied. Here’s a peek at my current go-to.

My Trader Joe’s Weekly Meal Plan

This is what I like to buy each week from Trader Joe’s. I’m assuming that you’ve already got salt, pepper, garlic powder, soy sauce, and olive oil in your pantry, as well as some basic condiments like mayo and hot sauce.

Fresh produce and refrigerated:

Packaged and dry goods:

Sample Dishes

Here are three dinners, three lunches, and three breakfasts I typically make from the above list of groceries. Note that each recipe serves two. That means it will cover a couple for one mealtime, or a single person for two meals. For me, this covers 18 meals—or six full days. That gives me three meals each week to eat out with friends, treat myself to a mid-week lunch, or make something more spontaneous at home from leftovers.

Breakfast: Bacon egg breakfast burritos (serves 2)

Use: Bacon, 4 eggs, ½ onion, ½ zucchini, tortillas

Tips: Cook all the bacon to a nice crisp, then set aside. Scramble eggs in the bacon grease, then set aside. Finally, cook all the veggies together in the same pan. Now, get out two tortillas and assemble your burritos: layer two strips bacon, half the eggs, and one spoonful veggies into each. Season with mayo and hot sauce (preferably mixed together to create an aioli). Roll the burritos up tight. Eat one, and stick the other in the fridge for a future grab-and-go.

Lunch: Chicken Caesar Salad (serves 2)

Use: Romaine, 1 chicken breast, croutons, cashews, Caesar dressing, Parmesan Tips: This salad is a delicious — and surprisingly filling — lunch. All you need to cook ahead of time is the chicken. I typically use one romaine heart and half a chicken breast per salad. Top with a handful each of croutons and cashews.

Dinner: Gnocchi with pesto and veggies (serves 2)

Use: Pre-prepped veggies (onion, zucchini), gnocchi, pesto, Parmesan

Tips: Unlike other pastas, gnocchi cooks in about three minutes, which makes it a super fast weeknight go-to. Boil until tender, then drain. You should already have the veggies cooked from your foray into breakfast burritos earlier in the week, so warm them up and throw them into the cooked gnocchi with some pesto. Stir, add to a bowl, and top with a dusting of Parmesan cheese.

Breakfast: Peanut butter banana toast (serves 2)

Use: Bread, ½ banana, peanut butter. Tips: This is an easy breakfast that’s hearty enough to fend off hunger until lunch. Toast the bread lightly, slather with peanut butter, top with sliced banana, and add a drizzle of honey if you’re feeling a little extra sweetness.

Lunch: BLTs (serves 2)

Use: Pre-prepped bacon, bread, 2 leaves romaine, 2 tomato slices, and ½ avocado

Tips: You should already have your bacon cooked from when you made breakfast burritos earlier in the week. Toast the bread and slather it with mayo before assembling to really bring this sandwich to the next level.

Dinner: Yellow chicken curry (serves 2)

Use: 1 Carrot, ½ onion, ½ green pepper, ½ zucchini, 1 chicken breast, Thai Style Yellow Curry Sauce, 4 cups cooked Jasmine Rice, Greek yogurt, cashews (from trail mix)

Tips: Cook the rice according to the package instructions. While that’s going, cook the chicken, then the vegetables. Slice the chicken once it’s cool, then stir together chicken, veggies, and curry sauce until it’s all warmed through. Pour the mixture on top of half the rice and serve. Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a handful of cashews picked out from the trail mix.

(Reserve extra rice for later in the week.)

Breakfast: Yogurt with dark chocolate, almonds, and bananas (Serves 2)

Use: Almonds and dark chocolate (from trail mix), ½ banana, Greek yogurt.

Tips: Granola is expensive. Trail mix is less so (and more protein-rich and versatile). Pick out some almonds and dark chocolate from your trail mix and toss them into your yogurt with sliced banana for an easy breakfast. Drizzle with honey if desired.

Lunch: Fajita Wraps (Serves 2)

Use: ½ Green pepper, ½ red pepper, ½ onion, 1 chicken breast, 1 avocado

Tips: Cook your veggies and chicken with salt, pepper, and oil. Then, slice the chicken. Roll all the ingredients into a pair of tortillas for a nice make-ahead lunch. Mayo and hot sauce are nice additions if you have them.

Dinner: Fried rice (Serves 2)

Use: 2 Cups pre-prepped rice, 3 eggs, 1 carrot, ½ onion, ½ zucchini, ½ red pepper, soy sauce, olive oil, butter, garlic powder

Tips: This is a great way to use up leftover rice from your chicken curry. You can also throw pretty much any extra veggies in it, too. Simply cook finely chopped veggies together in an oiled pan (I use carrot, onion, and zucchini, as well as leftover bell pepper if I have it). Then, turn up the heat and mix in day-old rice, two eggs, a pat of butter, and a drizzle of soy sauce. I also like to add a half teaspoon of garlic powder as well as some salt and pepper at this stage. Cook until the rice is just crisp on the bottom and the egg is cooked through. If you have sriracha and mayo, stir them together to make a sriracha aioli and drizzle that on top of your finished rice.

Tips to save money and get creative with Trader Joe’s meals

Here are some other clever hacks to save money and make the most of your next TJ’s run.

Set a budget

Go into the grocery store with a plan of how much you want to spend. It can be helpful to keep a rough mental tally of the cost of your cart as you add items. If you’re really worried about overspending, leave your credit and debit cards in the car and walk into the grocery store with only cash. Come in with $50, and that will ensure you spend only up to that.

Avoid snacking temptation

My local Trader Joe’s store is the cheapest place to shop in my area — but only if I stick to the grocery, meat, cheese, and produce aisles. The minute I wander into frozens or snacks, I blow my budget. If you can, avoid loading up on the bougie snack foods. The fancy stuff is where they get you.

Look for the Fearless Flyer

Unlike many other American grocers, Trader Joe’s sells almost exclusively private-label products — and adds new products on a regular basis. Better yet, each batch of new stuff is generally designed with complementary flavors, making meal planning extra easy. Browse the Fearless Flyer (the brochure of new items) for seasonal items and new inspiration any time you see it at the front of the store.

Ask to try things in-store

Another unique TJ’s perk? If you want to try a new Trader Joe’s name-brand item, a staff member will typically crack open the package and give you a taste before you commit to a purchase. And if you take an item home and don’t like it, TJ’s has a pretty generous return policy — something I haven’t often found with other big retailers like Amazon, Costco, or Walmart.

Freeze extras

If you know you’re only going to use half a bag of bread or half a bag of tortillas, I recommend putting the rest in the freezer. (Breads, meats, and shredded cheeses all freeze well.) Ditto if you’re not in the mood for one of your pre-made breakfast burritos or fajita wraps — these freeze really well. Stocking your freezer with microwavable items is an easy way to keep spending in check when you’re on a tight schedule and only have time to reheat.

Find creative ways to use leftover ingredients

Say you decide to substitute your morning Starbucks latte for a jug of Trader Joe’s cold brew and a carton of milk. Find another way to use that milk in your cooking so none goes to waste. Whisk in eggs and veggies to make a quiche, or use it to create a roux for mac-n-cheese. Both freeze well, making them good items to stock your freezer with.

Let yourself have one impulse buy per trip

If you’re really craving a specific item, let yourself have it. I usually allow myself one impulse buy per grocery trip. That keeps me from feeling like I’m restricting myself, and it keeps grocery shopping fun. For example, say you’re dying for a sweet pastry. Get yourself a package of Trader Joe’s frozen chocolate croissants. Keep them in your freezer for whenever you’re craving a sweet treat but don’t want to tempt yourself by walking into Starbucks.

Research recipes with overlapping ingredients

Strategize before you start wandering the aisles. I usually start with one recipe I’m craving, and then Google its various ingredients for inspiration. (Search “pesto” and “tomatoes” for example, and tons of stuff will come up, from pizza to pasta to salads — many of which use various combinations of the same ingredients). As much as possible, buy ingredients for overlapping recipes. This will help you save money, avoid food waste, and streamline your grocery shopping.

Don’t be afraid of occasional convenience

If you honestly don’t have time to cook every day of the week, cut yourself some slack. At Trader Joe’s, you can make a real meal out of frozen ingredients. Yes, it’s more expensive than cooking from scratch. But it’s still cheaper than eating out. If you don’t stick to your perfect meal plan every night of the week, the world is not going to end. Just jump back on the wagon the next day. My go-to: I like to make a pot of rice at home, then add a bag of orange chicken or frozen stir-fried veggies for a fast, easy meal.

Watch the rest of your budget

Saving money on meals will only get you so far if you let the rest of your budget slide. Whether you’re tight on cash now or just saving up for a big expense later, it’s important to use meal planning as just one part of a holistic budgeting strategy. Take a closer look at your other expenditures, too. Can you spend less on clothing every month? What about subscription services? Can you bike to work or to the grocery store one day per week instead of driving?

Also take a look at your other debts. If you owe money on your credit cards, come up with a plan to pay back that debt so you don’t have to watch your money draining away to cover hefty interest charges each month. If you have student loan debt, consider refinancing. Refinancing¹ lets you swap out your current student loans for a new loan with new terms. If you meet your refinance lender’s eligibility requirements, you might also qualify for a lower interest rate, which could help you save money over the life of the loan and potentially lower your monthly payment². Want to see how much you could save? Check your rate with Earnest today. It’s totally free, and it will only take you about two minutes, max.

!About the Author

Kassondra Cloos

Kassondra Cloos is a writer, editor, and former Earnest client. She refinanced her own student loans with Earnest after graduating and has first-hand experience with the refinancing process. She has been writing about personal finance and student loans since 2017. She also writes about sustainable travel and adventure for The Guardian, Outside, Backpacker, and many other publications. You can find more of her work via her travel newsletter, Out of Office.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: This blog post provides personal finance educational information, and it is not intended to provide legal, financial, or tax advice.

1 Please note that you may lose benefits associated with your underlying federal loans, such as federal Income-driven Repayment Plans (an example of which is the SAVE plan), Economic Hardship Deferment, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, or other deferment and forbearance options, if you refinance into a private loan. If you file for bankruptcy, you may still be required to pay back this loan.

2 Choosing to refinance to a longer term may lower your monthly payment, but increase the amount of interest you may pay. Choosing to refinance to a shorter term may increase your monthly payment, but lower the amount of interest you may pay. Review your loan documentation for the total cost of your refinanced loan.