Thankful for Trader Joe's

Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving season is officially upon us! In just three short weeks, the pies will be baking and the turkey basting.

Trader Joe’s is my go-to stop for all of my gatherings, and Thanksgiving is no exception. You can really stock up on everything you need for the traditional dishes plus some unique items that are sure to wow every guest—all while saving a pretty penny. My quick, budget friendly run to TJ’s has me feeling extra thankful today! I am not sponsored by them—I just LOVE the store, I can’t get enough.

I’m sharing a couple of my favorites below—plus, download a FREE printable shopping list at the bottom of this page—it will have all of these items and more, to make your shopping trip a breeze.

SHAW WINES

These wines are organic and oh-so-good. I have a rule that I never buy a bottle of wine under $10, because hello hangover, but these are the exception!! These are ONLY $3.99—how do they do it?! I don’t know, but I promise these will rival with some of your favorite fancy bottles. I am in love with their rose because its nice and dry— but my favorite Thanksgiving wine will always be a nice red. Shaw’s cab is a must for the thanksgiving season. As a bonus, you don’t need a wine opener for these bottles, the cork twists off like a champagne bottle and you can reuse it as the stopper to keep your wine fresh (if you have any left, that is). Trust, me you’ll want to stock up on these!

HOSTING TIP: Chill the cab slightly and empty a bottle into a pretty decanter before serving, this way you can leave it out on the table and it will look like part of your decor. Use antique colorful glassware to serve.

PARTY GOER TIP: Take a couple of bottles to gift the host with (at $3.99 a bottle you can afford it!), wrap dried floral with a cotton ribbon around the neck of the bottle to dress it up.

EASY APPS

Trader Joe’s ALWAYS has the best frozen apps—they are always a party hit (you just have to prepare your answer for ‘what is the recipe?!’ because trust me your guests are going to want to have these delicious dishes again). A few of my favorites for Thanksgiving and the holidays in general are:

BACON WRAPPED DATES STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE: need I say more?! These are SO delicious, just buy more than one box because they will go fast.
TURKEY CRANBERRY MEATBALLS: These are so easy to make, and you might just find yourself grabbing an extra bag or two for dinners—serve over mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower for an easy weeknight dinner as well.
MINI BRIE EN CROUTE: These are one of my favorites because they are so pretty. They are petite puff pastries stuffed with creamy brie (ugh, my mouth is watering)—fill a small ramekin with TJ’s fresh cranberry orange relish
CRANBERRY CHEVRE: This goat cheese is AMAZING! I love it in the blueberry version, but for the holidays the cranberry takes center stage. Add to your cheese board for a beautiful color and an incredible taste—pair with candied pecans and multigrain crackers or nut thins (the nutty flavored crackers pair so well with this cheese!)

HOSTING TIP: arrange your apps on platters or wooden boards, use gold serving ware and fresh herb garnishes such as thyme to dress up your platters.

PARTY GOER TIP: Take a small sign that prettily displays the name of your dish as well as any recommendations for how to fully enjoy it (i.e. for the Mini Brie En Croute suggest adding the fresh cranberry orange relish to create the perfect bite)

DELICIOUS SIDES

It’s all about the quick and easy—all of these sides will be ready to serve in under 15 minutes, but they’ll taste as if you made them from scratch.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP: TJ’s butternut squash soup is creamy and delectable. Serve to your guests in low bowls and swirl non-fat greek yogurt over the top or add 2-3 drops in a line and run a tooth pick through the middle to create a fall leaf look. Add a sprig of thyme for garnish. Your guests will think that you went full gourmet for them. If you want to make this a weeknight meal for yourself—I highly suggest making a grilled cheese to go along with it—I mix creamy havarti and goat cheese with pumpernickel or rye bread to pair with the soup.
VEGETABLE RADIATORE WITH AUTUMNAL HARVEST PASTA SAUCE: This side will look so pretty and taste equally as delicious. The vegetable pasta has all of the fall colors such as rich greens, oranges and reds—mix in TJ’s yummy harvest pasta sauce and top with shaved parmesan or your cheese of choice. You can also sub out the pasta for TJ’s sweet potato gnocchi—just make sure you cook it in a skillet to make the gnocchi golden and give it texture.

SOMETHING SWEET

I’ve included a few delicious sweets TJ offers on the FREE shopping list you can download below, but here I am just highlighting one because it might not be on everyone’s radar. I typically bake banana bread from scratch but TJ’s boxed banana bread is just nice to have on hand for when you don’t happen to have over ripe bananas to use. Now, banana bread isn’t what one normally thinks of when they think of Thanksgiving—but a couple of alterations and BAM you’ve made a delicious fall treat that can be enjoyed as dessert or breakfast.

PUMPKIN BANANA BREAD: for this all you need is the boxed banana bread mix, a can of organic pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and your mix-in of choice. Once you have your mix according to the box good to go in a large mixing bowl, add 1/2 can of the puree. Then add 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice. You can mix in pecans (my personal favorite) or dark chocolate chips. Bake according to the box directions—you may have to extend the time just a bit due to the addition of the puree, but just use a toothpick to test!

GIFTER TIP: These loaves make the perfect gift for neighbors, coworkers, or whoever your heart desires! Wrap in brown parchment paper and tie with twine to make the sweetest little delivery.

Now is the time to get to shopping—sign up below to receive a free downloadable PDF for these and more of my favorite Thanksgiving Trader Joe’s items. Trust me, you’ll be adding Trader Joe’s to the list of things you are thankful for!