A friend and I, whenever we are in the mood for something good to snack on that are both delicious and not too junky, we would head over to our trusty spot – Trader Joe’s.

Aside from being a fun place to shop for foods, I like the fact that the store is not too big, which makes it easier and more efficient to find items that I would like to buy. Of course, another big reason for my friend and I to go is the “free coffee” and “free samples”.

In my opinion, the coffee, with a choice of fresh cream that is served there tastes much better than some of the famous coffee houses.

Let’s start with the decadent “snacks”. My son’s favorite is the super delicious “Crispy Crunchy Chocolate chip Cookies”, mini cookies that not only are filled with loads of tiny chocolate chips but has a exquisite fragrant coconut taste that is not to found elsewhere. Then there are the divine frozen treats such as the “Mini Mint Ice Cream Mouthfuls”, tiny size “Ice Cream cones”, and Ice Cream Mochi, all of which are flavorful, in addition to the sweetness.

My favorite is the selections of organic fruits and vegetables. They are reliable and consistently fresh. I especially enjoy the organic cherry tomatoes that are pop-in-your-mouth fresh and perfectly sweet. The last time I was there, there were the most beautiful figs, firm and luscious. The organic apples, bananas, pears are my staples there.

The organic Oatmeal here tastes better that the famous Quaker Oats. My son and I prefer the Trader Joe’s O’s cereal over the Cheerios brand. The O’s are puffier and not as brown and hard.

I use the Organic Chicken Drumstick to make “Soy Sauce Chicken” for my son which he kindly says is one of the best. The price is relatively non-expensive for $1.99 per lb.

The different selections of nuts are quite extensive here with various varieties in either salted, or non-salted. I also found an instant noodle that has no MSG nor any artificial ingredients that my son actually likes.

The fresh flowers and plants are always colorful and plentiful. The mini orchid is comparatively cheaper than most places and usually come in a pretty ceramic pot. One can also get different varieties of herbs in a pot.

My favorite sparkling water so far is the “Blu Italy Sparkling Natural Mineral Water” with a lemon and lime taste, so refreshing with ice.

See Trader Joe’s Website for various locations in your area.

http://www.traderjoes.com/