The nearest Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are about 35 minutes away.
If it were up to me, I would waste the gas and drive there every weekend. But Mr. How Sweet has a wiser head on his shoulders. Our conversations usually go something like this:
Me: I’m going to the store, what do you want?
Mr. How Sweet: Chicken. And steak. And healthy cookies. And chicken.
Me: Chicken. Check.
Mr. How Sweet: Where are you going?
Me: Umm…probably Giant Eagle. But…maybe…Whole Foods.
Mr. How Sweet: Do you need to go to Whole Foods? Why? What do you need from there? We need to save money!
Me: Stuff. I need stuff!
Still, I make the trip every few weeks. It’s for the best—once I walk into those stores it’s like I’ve never seen food before. I wander the aisles with a silly grin, occasionally crashing my cart into displays. You can’t argue with me: it’s foodie heaven.
I wanted to share some of the things that always end up in my cart. I prefer to shop alone, because Mr. How Sweet has the attention span of a hungry four-year-old and doesn’t understand how I can meander up and down aisles just to look at things.
Tuscan white bean hummus from Trader Joe’s.
This is the hummus. The hummus that made me love hummus. It started my endless hummus binge. Buy some.
Avocados.
At Whole Foods they cost one arm and one leg, whereas my local grocery charges one arm and two legs. Still, they’re worth it.
Trader Joe’s orange chicken.
This is Mr. How Sweet’s (and my brother’s) favorite treat. We buy at least eight bags at a time—no exaggeration. He’d eat it every day if he could. It’s tasty, and because it’s from Trader Joe’s he insists it’s healthy. I love his logic, especially when he comes home with a tub of “healthy” ice cream.
Coconut butter.
I eat this by the spoonful. If you like coconut, hop on this gravy train. It’s incredible.
Kale. This times four.
This is the main reason I go to Whole Foods. Their kale is far superior to what I find nearby—always perfectly fresh and crisp. It might sound ridiculous, but when kale is the one vegetable you actually like, you’ll go to great lengths to get good leaves.
Duh.
No explanation needed.
Greek yogurt.
I usually buy a tub of Fage 0% and a tub of 2%, though Trader Joe’s was out of the 2% this time. I also like Siggi’s, but I have to budget—some indulgences are pricier than others.
Something trendy.
I may have jumped for joy when I found this. Good thing I don’t mind showing a little public enthusiasm.
Nutritional yeast.
I love this stuff. It makes many vegetables edible for me and is delicious on potatoes, rice, and meats. Mr. How Sweet enjoys it too—just not the idea of “yeast” in the name.
Grapefruits.
I’ve always loved grapefruits and usually have one every day. So refreshing.
Gorgonzola and other cheeses.
We could feed a small country with the amount of cheese in our fridge. It’s a sin, but I’d happily eat a chunk of gorgonzola all by itself. Am I grossing you out yet?
To round out the million-dollar grocery bill, I also pick up top sirloin filets from Trader Joe’s (they come in packs of two—perfect for Mr. How Sweet), organic extra-lean beef, prepackaged fruit and vegetable mixes (Trader Joe’s has the best), loads of bananas, plenty of beans, and whatever else catches my wandering eye. We live near a farm stand with delicious, local, affordable produce, so we stop there too. We always buy chicken, eggs, whole wheat bagels or English muffins, and rice in bulk so Mr. How Sweet doesn’t starve.
What are your favorite treats from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods? I’m always looking for more goodies to try—and possibly justify another trip.