I'm a dietitian. Here are my 11 favorite snacks to get at Trader Joe's.

Christine Craven
·6-min read
Trader Joes papadums next to image of Trader Joe's strawberry juice
Trader Joe's has some fun snack options that I pick up when I visit the chain. Christine Craven

  • I'm a New York City-based dietitian who shops at Trader Joe's for snacks.

  • I love Trader Joe's papadums crisps and sparkling strawberry juice beverages.

  • The chain's popcorn and flavored peanuts are smart snacking choices.

I'm a dietitian based in New York City, and I turn to Trader Joe's when I'm looking to stock up on snacks.

Trader Joe's is one of the biggest supermarket chains in the US, and the typical shopper spends just under $42 per trip. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of that budget goes to the retailer's impressive selection of crackers, sweets, and nuts.

Here are some of my favorite snacks at Trader Joe's.

Bamba is a lighter alternative to some chips and cheese puffs.

Trader Joe's bamba puffed peanut snacks
These Trader Joe's Bamba snacks come dipped in dark chocolate. Christine Craven

These puffed peanut and corn snacks are light and airy. They contain a touch of dark chocolate for added minerals like magnesium, zinc, and iron.

This snack has a serving size of about 16 pieces, which I'd say is a reasonable few handfuls. With a bit of fiber (2 grams per serving) and protein (3 grams per serving), they're a great choice for a chocolate fix.

Fill up your chip-and-dip platters with papadums crisps.

Trader Joe's lentil crisps, papadums, in bags
Trader Joe's papadums pair well with guacamole. Christine Craven

These lentil and chickpea crisps from Trader Joe's are a solid snacking option. Chips made out of legumes are usually a good choice because of their increased protein and fiber content.

Each 14-crisp serving contains 5 grams of protein and 3 grams of dietary fiber.

If you don't mind dipping chickpeas in chickpeas you could pair these with hummus, but I'd probably opt for some guacamole.

Trader Joe's apple-and-mango bars have two ingredients.

Trader Joe's apple + mango fruit bars
Fruit bars can be a good on-the-go snack. Christine Craven

These fruit bars from Trader Joe's are truly just apples and mango mushed up together, but they're much tastier than they sound.

They're easy to throw in a bag if you need a boost of vitamin C, which is found in apples and mangoes. I've also seen these bars in a few other varieties, such as apple and banana, apple and coconut, and apple and strawberry.

The sour-cream-and-onion-flavored rings are a good choice.

Trader Joe's onion rings
Trader Joe's sour-cream-and-onion-flavored rings are made with red lentils. Christine Craven

Trader Joe's flavored rings made of lentils and rice are tastier and higher in protein than typical sour-cream-and-onion potato chips.

They're baked rather than fried, so they're also a bit lower in fat. Each serving of about 24 pieces has 4 grams of protein.

Enjoy some sparkling strawberry juice this summer.

Trader Joe's sparkling strawberry juice beverage
Trader Joe's usually has a few types of sparkling beverages available. Christine Craven

Trader Joe's sparkling strawberry juice beverages are a great option if you want a refreshing summer drink.

Strawberry juice is the first ingredient in these, meaning it is the most prominent ingredient by weight. Plus, the drinks are 60 calories per can and have no added sugars.

Trader Joe's also sells Barebells protein bars.

Cookies and cream Barebell protein bars
Barebells protein pars come in a few flavors. Christine Craven

Protein bars are an easy way to consume more protein without having to do much prep. Most Barebells bars have 15 to 20 grams of protein.

Most of the bar's protein source comes from whey protein, which is the protein from the liquid that separates from curds during cheese production. It's been shown to be very effective in helping build muscle mass.

This could be a great snack to have on hand before or after workouts if you can't eat a full meal within a decent timeframe.

I enjoy the Mini (Almost) Everything Bagel Sandwich Crackers with cream-cheese filling.

Trader Joe's mini Everything but the Bagel seasoned sandwich crakcers
Trader Joe's has some snacks that incorporate its Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend.Christine Craven

The Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend is a Trader Joe's classic, and I'm glad it found its way into the snack aisle.

These tiny bagel bites are low in sugar (3 grams of added sugar per serving) and even contain a bit of protein (2 grams per serving).

I like the crackers with Everything but the Bagel seasoning, too.

Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel seasoned bite-sized crackers
I had to pick another snack with Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning BlendChristine Craven

Similar to the bagel bites, these crackers are low in sugar (2 grams of added sugar per serving) and are slightly higher in protein (3 grams per serving) and fiber (2 grams per serving).

These would pair nicely with cheese, peanut butter, or a bit of cream cheese to make them more satisfying.

For a post-meal fix, grab the chocolate-coated peanut-butter crispy-rice bites.

Trader Joe's chocolaty coated crispy rice bites
Peanut butter can make a snack more filling. Christine Craven

I tend to gravitate toward snacks with peanut butter because they can be more satisfying.

Each of these bites is pretty big, and I like to have one as a post-dinner treat. I also keep mine in the freezer because I love cold chocolate, which adds another layer of texture to the snack.

I always grab popcorn at Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's organic popcorn with olive oil
Popcorn is a great snack to keep on hand and it often comes in many flavors and varieties. Christine Craven

Popcorn is a whole grain, so it's a higher-fiber snack that you can enjoy on its own and still feel satisfied.

Trader Joe's has a lot of popcorn varieties, but I like the one with extra-virgin olive oil because it's ao versatile. I use it to make a trail mix with things like nuts, seeds, pretzels, dried fruit, and peanut-butter chips.

Trader Joe's crunchy chili-onion peanuts are high in fiber.

Trader Joe's crunchy chili onion peanuts
Trader Joe's crunchy chili-onion peanuts are packed with flavor. Christine Craven

The crunchy chili-onion peanuts have a ton of flavor and can be a great snack to grab a handful of when you're feeling peckish.

High in fiber, protein, and healthy fats, these bags are super satisfying to dig into and easy to grab on the go.

Each ¼-cup serving contains 3 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein.

Click to keep reading Trader Joe's diaries like this one.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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