Trader Joe's has saved my sanity

[cmmcguire66 0]

I live in FL where we don't have Trader Joe's yet. I do travel to NY and CA quite a bit, and stock up every time I go. These are the items that I now can't live without from there:

TJ chewable Vitamins

Almond Meal (use to "bread" fish and chicken, replace up to 1/2 the flour in baking)

50% less salt "just a handful" of nuts - almonds and cashews. I carry them in my purse at all times for the hungries

TJ greek style yogurt

TJ Chickenless nuggets

TJ mini quiche with soy chorizo

TJ sliced and TJ slivered dry roasted almonds (I put them in my yogurt for an extra Protein boost)

TJ soy crisps and pita chips

Low effective carb and sugar free dark chocolate bars (one square melting in my mouth is usually enough)

TJ mini goat cheese pizza (an indulgence but man is it good!)

[PATCHELTON 0]

I too, love Trader Joe's. We have several here in Maryland. The Protein shakes I like, Worldwide, are sold there in 21g and 35g, but only in chocolate and vanilla. The Vitamin Shoppe sella only 35s but in all the flavors (strawberry, banana, and Cookies 'n cream--tastes like Oreos). They are a little higher than Trader Joe ($2.29 for the 35s) at $2.79 singly, but if you buy a 12 pack for $27.99 that works out to about $2.33 each.

I have used their light string cheese as a snack, and Joe's O's, which are like Cheerios but have less sugar. I don't put sugar on it, just light milk and fresh fruit. You have to shop carefully, but you can find a lot of interesting and lapband friendly stuff there.

As for nuts, I buy almonds, pecans and walnuts at costco. I get the unsalted kind that you bake with. I have eaten them since before surgery and recently went back. This time I took snack bags and counted 10 almonds, 10 pecans and approx 10 walnuts. Nuts are fat dense, and for some a little hard to digest, but the fats are the good kind, plus Vitamin E, and Fiber. If you are used to salt it takes a while to get used to eating them without salt, but I like them. I filled all my snack backs and put them in the fridge, the leftover nuts that I didn't have bags for I put in the freezer.

For those who like salads, get yourself some of those green storage bags (Evertfresh, Debbie Myers green bags). I buy hearts of Romaine in heads instead of cut up, and make variations on Caesar salad, using chicken or turkey, or ham, with a hard boiled egg cut up in it too for some extra Protein. I buy frozen chicken breasts at costco and cook them in olive oil or with Pam. The turkey and ham I get are already cooked, jullienne cut pillow packs I found at Mars. I also buy fat free croutons and light Caesar dressing. The green bags keep the Romaine until I can eat it all.

A little off the Trader Joe topic, but thought I would throw it in for ideas. I also make crustless pizza, almost completely fat free. Please pm me if you would like the recipe.

Edited November 10, 2008 by PATCHELTON

[aubrie 6]

Went to Trader Joes for the first time in California while on vacation. I would give ANYTHING to have one near where I live. I'm so jealous......

[Valstal 0]

Hi -

I was just banded on 11/24/08.

I am still recovering and having a lot of gas and some pain, but getting better each day.

I am on the clear liquid diet and have just been having diluted apple juice, Water , and can get down a little of the Protein drink. Seems like you guys shared a lot of great recipes and was wondering if you could share a few with me , for all stages, looking forward to eating some soup! You can private message me or email me at bongcivic@excite.com

Thanks so much! I appreciate your help. I live in NY so there is a traders joe near me!

[SeattleSweetie 5]

I absolutely LOVE Trader Joes also! Here are a couple more items for you to try if you have any way to transport frozen foods...

Lapband Eating 4 Life: Delicious nutritious chicken strips - straight from your freezer!

Lapband Eating 4 Life: Super Easy Cheaty Spaghetti and Meatballs

These are really really uber-great. Hope you're able to try them!