I don’t know about y’all, but when I’ve been heading to the grocery store I’ve been STOCKING up. My last grocery store haul lasted me just over 3 weeks, which is about three times as long as I usually go between grocery store trips.
The one thing I’ve realized I’ve been forgetting to get enough of? Snacks! It is the worst to run out of snacks between grocery trips. Not only do I get hangrier between meals (hungry + angry = hangry), but I really miss having my end of the night snack. And making your own snacks can be really fun (hello homemade banana bread and cheez-its), but sometimes you just want something to grab and go.
I also LOVE Trader Joe’s – even though my local Trader Joe’s is usually pretty packed with shoppers, I feel less stressed about what products to buy and where to find things when I go there than when I go to other grocery stores. The other great thing about Trader Joe’s is how many amazing vegan snacks they have – there are SO MANY options to choose from.
So this week, I was determined to make sure I had enough snacks and I wanted to share with you my favorite snack finds from Trader Joe’s to help you narrow down your own grocery lists. From salty to sweet, crunchy to chewy – there’s something on this list for everyone.
10. ROasted & Salted Fancy mIxed Nuts
Trader Joe’s has so many options when it comes to nuts – you can basically find anything your heart desires. What I love about this package of mixed nuts in particular are the nuts that come in the package – specifically the brazil nuts, walnuts, and hazelnuts. I also like the 50% less salt version because the nuts aren’t so salty that I feel like they’re dehydrating me during the day. These are a great snack for me when I feel like I need a little extra protein boost. I just grab a handful and continue on with my day.
9. Chile Spiced Mango
Similarly to the nuts section of Trader Joe’s, the dried fruit section is plentiful! You can find almost any dried fruit you’re looking for (and many you’d probably never thought of before – I once tried dried hibiscus flowers that were actually quite good). But I wanted to point out the Chile Spiced Mango in particular because it’s a favorite of mine. The Chile seasoning is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the dried mango. It’s definitely spicy, but not overly spicy that I feel like I need to drink gallons of water after having a few bites. I also feel satisfied after having a strip or two of these. For me, these make a great mid-morning or end of the day snack.
8. LongBoard Tortilla Chips & Pepita Salsa
It’s very possible that these are seasonal items, but I’ve added them to talk generally about Trader Joe’s tortilla chips and salsa, of which there are many delicious options. The Longboard chips are really fun and that’s why they made my list of favorite snacks, but Trader Joe’s has several different tortilla chips that I’ve tried and really liked. Now, the Pepita Salsa is one of the best salsas you can find at Trader Joe’s. Made with a specific kind of roasted pumpkin seeds as well as roasted peppers, this salsa is extremely flavorful. I really like that it’s not just a tomato flavor. I think that’s why I also really like Trader Joe’s corn salsa (which I would also highly recommend). Both of these salsas are somewhat spicy.
7. Raspberry Rugelach
If you’ve never had rugelach before, they are pastries typically rolled up and filled with some kind of filling (like fruit or chocolate) in addition to nuts. What I love about Trader Joe’s Raspberry Rugelach (other than that fact that it’s vegan) is how flaky the dough is and the sugar that is melted/sitting on top of the pastries.
6. ROlled Corn Tortilla Chips (Chili & Lime Flavored)
More spice – I know! But these tortilla chips are super flavorful and are great to dip. Because these chips are rolled, they really hold onto a lot of extra spice (and they’re also just fun to eat!). I feel like the lime-flavored chips I’ve had in the past struggled to really have the lime shine, but it works really well on these chips. Lastly, I really like dipping them in the Cashew Fiesta Dip, especially after heating up the cheesy dip in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.
5. Lightlife Smart Dogs
Hot dogs might not seem like a snack, but these Lightlife hot dogs pack a real protein punch. I like to eat them as a mid-afternoon snack to fuel me for the rest of my day. I usually skip the bun and just dip them in dijon mustard!
4. Jerk-Style Plantain Chips
Out of all of the spicy snacks on this list, these Jerk-Style Plantain Chips are by far the spiciest… well, at least they are when you eat a bunch of chips in a row. While they may be spicy, that’s not all they are. The plantain themselves have a very slightly sweet flavor that pairs really well with the spiciness, cinnamon, and all-spice in the jerk seasoning.
3. Speculoos Cookies
With a taste and texture nearly identical (if not identical) to Biscoff cookies, these Speculoos make a tasty treat at the end of the day. My partner really likes eating them with coffee and I like crushing them up and adding them to ice cream!
2. Air Popped Popcorn
Taking the number two spot is… popcorn! I know this is a pretty basic snack, but it’s also the snack I eat most often. We usually buy at least two bags each shopping trip. I love that this popcorn is air popped, which means that it doesn’t taste or feel oily. You can also add your favorite toppings for some extra flavor. I regularly add nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. If I’m looking for something sweet, I’ll melt Trader Joe’s cookie butter and drizzle that over my popcorn. And my partner likes to add all kinds of spices, like chili powder and paprika.
1. Bamba Peanut Snacks
How could the number one spot be anything but Bamba? This snack fills me right up – I like to have it in the afternoon between lunch and dinner to hold me over. If you’ve never tried it before, imagine the texture of a cheese puff, but instead of it being cheesy it’s peanut buttery. The wild thing about this snack is that it is so intensely peanut buttery – it feels like every molecule of each puff is infused with peanut butter.
If you’re making your grocery list for your next shopping trip, be sure at least some of these snacks are on there because they are some of my absolute favorites and go-to vegan Trader Joe’s snacks. I would love the hear what your favorite Trader Joe’s snacks are. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out.
The original version of this post listed the Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries as vegan. A follower on instagram graciously let me know that they contain food glaze, which is not strictly vegan. I’ve removed them from the blog post for accuracy.