Category: Health

My 5 Favorite Trader Joe’s Items

~ Carrie ~ Leave a comment

A few months ago, I went to Trader Joe’s with my friend in an attempt to delve outside my comfort zone and explore products I wouldn’t necessarily choose myself. I find that whenever I go grocery shopping, I always reach for the same products so I figured inviting a friend could help change that! I’ve done this with my sister too and it’s so fun to swap recipe ideas and get real-time reviews on food items. Perhaps in the future I’ll have said friend or sister do a guest post on their favored items but for now here are my go-tos:

  1. Mandarin Orange Chicken: I love having bags of this in my freezer for an easy weeknight dinner. The kids crush this chicken and I typically pair it with sticky rice, air-fried broccoli, and seaweed. Chef’s kiss!
  2. Rice Orzo Pilaf Mix: I believe my sister introduced me to this item and I’ve been a die-hard ever since. The flavor is so delightful using butter and water but you can also make it a little richer by subbing chicken broth for the water. This is also kid/toddler approved and I’ll make this with a veggie and a protein (typically chicken thighs) as another weeknight dinner win!
  3. Original Savory Thin Crackers: These crackers remind me of Nut-Thins- they’re light and delicious and I’ll often load them up with tuna or egg salad for an easy, high protein lunch. I add these to the kids’ lunches as well and they also come in a bagged version of mini crackers.
  4. Hold the Cone mini ice cream cones: I have at least one box of these in my freezer at all times. They’re a great little treat for kids and adults alike and you can’t go wrong with any of the flavors. I personally appreciate these for portion control as I tend to go off the rails if I have a pint/gallon of ice cream calling my name from the depths of my freezer. TJs recently came out with strawberry minis which are delightful!
  5. Cheese: I’m going broad here but the cheese at Trader Joe’s is top notch and I always love venturing into the cheese area to discover something new or new-to-me. I currently have a bag of Unexpected Cheddar in my fridge which I’ve been adding to my salad but others I’ve tried and loved include: burrata, triple cream brie, manchego, colby-jack sticks, chevre goat cheese…I mentioned the burrata right? Add it to your eggs, salads, pizza, skincare routine (jk?), etc. Ya just can’t go wrong with any of them in my book.

I’d love to hear what YOUR favorite Trader Joe’s products are!

 

Carrie’s Chitchats

~ Carrie ~ Leave a comment

Thanksgiving is over and done with but the 5 lbs I gained over the weekend is still hanging around. I am notorious for going HAM eating-wise during this delicious & indulgent holiday weekend and its good to know that I remain consistent in my eating habits year after year. I stepped on the scale this morning feeling both amused and surprised. And the tests I took over the weekend confirmed that I am in fact not pregnant, just very very hungry. This year I have managed to work out at least 3x/week for 20 minutes every single week and I’d like to close out the year being cognizant of those good habits while reigning in my other habits so all my hard work doesn’t fall to the wayside. I may have mentioned it here before but I’m very anti-diet and prefer to take on a more intuitive approach when it comes to eating. I also believe maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to torture/force yourself into doing things you loathe. Find out where in your schedule you can squeeze in some exercise and at what time is optimal. I love waking up early to workout (which is when I have the most energy) and the buzz I get from that exercise seems to last all throughout the day. And do something you can enjoy and look forward to. When it comes to your diet, take an honest look at your habits and how you can modify them to fit your health goals. I would love to eat a pint of ice cream most nights but I know the sugar hangover I’ll feel the next day and the extra fluff I’ll feel on my body isn’t worth it. Instead, I’ll buy the mini Trader Joe’s ice cream cones and have one of those with my kids every now and then. Or when we go get ice cream I’ll treat myself to a sundae. Anyway I think you get the gist of what I’m all about- finding out what works for you and sticking to it. So here are some of the ways I’ll be tightening up my regime for the remainder of 2023:

  • Drinking two 30oz Stanleys/day. Yes I’m admitting my basic-ness when I say I’m a Stanley girly pop. But also have you noticed how much more energy you have when you’re guzzling down water?
  • Getting my 10k steps in/day. Last night I charged up my FApple watch (fake Apple watch) in preparation for holding myself accountable with my steps. Where I’m at right now: 2643. I better get to steppin’.
  • Mindful eating: be more conscious of my hunger/fullness cues. Am I actually hungry when reaching for more food or just bored/emotional/etc? Just having the awareness is super helpful.
  • No eating after 8pm. This is a tough one but I notice I sleep better when I cut out the night eating and I look forward to waking up hungry. I also think the scale is receptive to this one. When I stop eating after 8pm, I tend to lose weight easier. Also a note: I know the scale can be very harming for some people. If that’s the case for you, get rid of it. For me, I use it as a data-gathering tool rather than a way to feel bad about myself.
  • Drinking is reserved for weekends only. Friday-Sunday evening, my husband and I will share a beer or 2. During the holiday season, its easy to let this slide and allow these habits to seep into the weekdays. I told my husband we ain’t doing that anymore. Hopefully my accountability partner will help me stick to it.

That’s all for now. XOXO