I'm a dietitian who used to work at Trader Joe's — here are 8 things I'd absolutely get at the store right now

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A hand holds a blue box of frosted bite-size wheats with an image of a bowl of cereal on the packaging
I'm a dietitian and former Trader Joe's employee who shops at the retailer at least once a week.

Leah Kern

I took the same shopping list to Trader Joe's and Target. The bigger chain had more sales but still cost me way more.

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composite image of the outside of a trader joe's and the outside of a target
I was able to find similar products at both Trader Joe's and Target.

Pamela Brick/Shutterstock

I used to think Trader Joe's was overrated, but now it's my go-to for quick, easy meals. Here are 10 of my favorite items to buy there.

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A composite image of a hand holding a pint of Trader Joe's non-dairy brown-sugar-oat-milk creamer and a hand holding a bottle of Trader Joe's organic French-roast cold-brew coffee concentrate.
When I shop at Trader Joe's, I love picking up items like the non-dairy oat-milk creamer and cold-brew coffee concentrate.

Beth Heyn

I'm a vegan mom with 3 non-vegan kids. Here are 6 of my favorite dinner ideas that only use Trader Joe's products.

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bowl of mushroom gnocchi on a placemat
I cook dinner for my mixed-diet family six nights a week.

Stephanie Dreyer

I tried and ranked apple-cider doughnuts from Wegmans, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's. The winner tasted incredible in my air fryer.

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Apple-cider doughnuts from Wegmans, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's on a white plate atop a wooden cutting board.
I tried and ranked apple-cider doughnuts from Wegmans, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's.

Ted Berg

I ranked all of the jarred pasta sauces I found at Trader Joe's from worst to best, and I'd eat the winner by the spoonful

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10 Trader Joe's sauces arranged against a red background
I ranked every Trader Joe's pasta sauce I could find.

Isabel Fernandez Pujol/Business Insider Photo

I used to work at Trader Joe's. Here are 6 popular items that are worth the hype and 4 I'd skip.

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Intercut photos of a hand holding a clear bottle with a white label containing Everything but the Bagel Seasoning and a hand holding a tan carton of non-dairy beverage with an illustration of a glass of oat milk
I think items like Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoning is worth the hype but the nondairy oat beverage can be skipped.

Leah Kern

I tried 43 of Trader Joe's fall foods, and would buy at least 31 of them again

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trader joe's fall snacks in a cart
Trader Joe's sells an array of festive fall staples.

Savanna Swain-Wilson

I put Trader Joe's $9 gel-moisturizer dupe to the test. I'm never spending $60 on Clinique again.

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jar of trader joes moisturizer next to jar of clinique moisturizer
Trader Joe's has a moisturizer that's similar to a popular Clinique product.

Jen Glantz

My roommates and I share groceries. We save about $300 a month by bulk-shopping.

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Three roommates are eating take-out at a kitchen island and smiling and talking.
René Morrell (not pictured) and her roommates share groceries and have figured out a system that works for them.

AleksandarNakic/Getty Images

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