It’s early fall here in Ohio and until very recently, the neighborhood pools were still open. If it weren’t for the early dark skies, it could easily be mistaken for still being the middle of summer. Our garden is still thriving so we are taking full advantage of the fresh herbs and incorporating some of our favorite late summer recipes while we still can and slowly transitioning into some fall favorite recipes.
This shopping list is for Trader Joe’s. I mean, what’s not to love about Trader Joe’s? My kids love going with us after church on Sunday because we get to pick out fresh flowers for the table every couple of weeks, sometimes get lucky and hear the steel drums, always grab an animal cracker treat, and of course, it wouldn’t be complete without a sleeve of cool stickers at the check-out.
If you need an updated list of what produce to buy organic we’ll email you a free printable for the Clean 15/Dirty Dozen. Get it HERE.
BEFORE YOU SHOP
Here are a couple of quick, standard notes and disclaimers that will apply to most of our meal plans. While some plans may feature gluten-friendly or dairy-free or keto-type meal plans, these plans don’t typically follow any types of restrictions (except Lindsey, whose household is gluten-free.) Email us directly if you have any questions or refer to specific recipe creators where it applies.
Also, we mostly follow USDA recommendations when it comes to portion sizes for meat, etc. That means we stick to 3-4 ounce portions of chicken, beef, fish, etc. We try to stick with as much organic meat as possible, and that access can vary. If you get your hands on organic turkey, pork or other cuts of meat, feel free to sub in where desired. See FAQ for more.
Next, we try to keep our shopping list totals to about $150 or less, but that doesn’t include tax. In West Virginia and Ohio, we don’t have a food sales tax, but Ali and Lindsey do in Tennessee, so keep that in mind when you are budgeting. This Trader Joe’s Meal Plan has a few extras on the actual shopping list that you may already have (if you love TJ’s as much as we do) like Everything Bagel and 21-Seasoning Salute, so the total is a bit higher.
Don’t Stress Too much
Finally, we all do the best we can when it comes to eating mostly organic, but we aren’t going to find every ingredient every time that’s organic. If you find something on our shopping list that you can’t get organic, simply doe the best you can with your options. Conversely, if you CAN find something that’s organic that we have listed as “conventional” on the list, feel free to grab that options.
Another disclaimer: Prices, product availability, and coupons will obviously vary from region to region.
Trader Joe’s Early Fall Meal Plan
Sweet & Spicy Creamy Italian Sausage Fusilli Pasta with Spinach
BAE Sandwich with Smashed Garlic Potatoes
Korean Beef & Broccoli Bowls
Lazy Black Bean and Guacamole Taco Night
Paleo Ground Turkey Hash with Squash and Peppers
Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower
Panko Crusted Sole with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce & Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Taste the Rainbow Vegetable Stir Fry
Sweet & Spicy Honey Sriracha Pulled Chicken Tacos
Garlic Ginger Turkey & Kale Bowl with Cauliflower Rice
Black Bean Churritos
Grilled Chicken with Zucchini Fritters
Paleo Egg Roll Soup
