One quick tip before I dive into the list: Take your own shopping bags to Trader Joe’s. I’m not suggesting this just because it’s environmentally friendly. Trader Joe’s has a gift certificate drawing for customers with reusable bags. Bring your own bags and get an entry into the drawing to win a store gift card. I like that incentive and have even won once! (These are my favorite shopping bags. And these are the reusable produce bags I use.)
Produce
- Organic Romaine Hearts
- Organic Carrots (watch for Rainbow Carrots, too!)
- Organic Celery Hearts
- Organic Sweet Potatoes
- Organic Steamed Baby Beets
- Organic Baby Spinach
- Butternut Squash, cut into cubes
- Organic Blueberries
- Medjool Dates (almost hidden on the top shelf, half the price of most stores!)
- Super Firm Organic Tofu
- Organic Fruit is often very affordable, take a look to see what looks good!
Frozen Foods
- Organic Brown Rice Packets (I can cook rice quickly, but sometimes don’t plan well. Lifesaver for me!)
- Gluten-Free Pizza (read my review here)
- Gluten-Free Toaster Waffles (I don’t eat these often, but they are the best I have tried. And only $2!)
- Organic Frozen Veggies, offerings vary, read labels. In the Winter, I buy frozen Brussels sprouts here. Do not include fries on your list without reading labels carefully, I noticed some of their frozen fries aren’t gluten-free.
- Organic Riced Cauliflower
Bread Area
Udi’s bread, buns and bagels(No longer in the KC area stores, replaced by store brand)- Corn Tortillas
- Store brand of white bread, multi-grain bread and buns
Canned Foods Aisles
- Organic Diced Tomatoes
- Organic Crushed Tomatoes
- Organic Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Chiles
- Organic Black Beans
- Organic Tomato Paste
- Crushed Garlic in a jar (works great in a pinch if out of fresh garlic!)
- Roasted Red Peppers in a jar
- Pickle Relish (no HFCS!)
- Organic Marinara Sauce (only a few cents more than conventional, great price!)
- Pizza Sauce in a jar
- Pink Himalayan Sea Salt in a grinder
- Cold Pressed Olive Oil
- Coconut Oil (To me, the Trader Joe’s brand has a distinct coconut flavor. If you don’t like coconut, buy a different brand.)
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Organic Coffee, many varieties!
- Raw Almond Butter
- Vegetable Broth in a box (regular and low-sodium varieties available)
- Applesauce Cups, unsweetened (each cup is 1/2 cup, which is great when a recipe calls for a small quantity.) (It has been reported that these are now labeled “contains natural flavor.” I do not know what this natural flavor is, so use caution. I have contacted Trader Joe’s but it is rare to get a reply from them.According to this post from a trusted expert, it is unlikely any natural flavor would be something that contains gluten.)
- Organic Pumpkin Puree (seasonal, stock up when you spot it!)
Pasta
- Brown Rice Fusili
- Brown Rice Penne
- Brown Rice Spaghetti
- Black Bean noodles
- Corn Penne
- Corn Spaghetti
Pantry Staples
Gluten-Free Oats(These are a product of Canada. Until early 2016, oats labeled gluten-free from Canada may come from Purity Protocol suppliers. That isn’t always the case now, so better safe than sorry.I read the statement in the Fearless Flyer about their oats but the wording doesn’t make it super clear to me whether these are sorted oats or purity protocol.)- Almond Milk (Almond Breeze, same as supermarket, just a great price! Also available as a store brand without carageenan.)
- Chia Seeds (little purple bag OR yellow bag, around $5)
- Hemp hearts
- Maple Syrup, Grade A and B are priced similarly and there is a Vermont-only bottle available.
Dried Fruits and Nuts
- Raw Sunflower Seeds
- Raw Pepitas/Pumpkin Seeds
- Pine Nuts (amazing price!)
- Sundried Tomatoes, NOT in oil, in a baggie (these are sometimes with dried fruit, sometimes with canned tomatoes)
- Check bags of nuts and dried fruits; Trader Joe’s is now labeling many products with the voluntary, “Made on shared equipment” or “Made in a shared facility” statements to many products and those can contain wheat. Always read labels.
Sweet Treats and Cookies
I wrote an additional post all about the gluten-free cookie options at Trader Joe’s. Click here to read it. There are many options, my favorite being the Gluten-Free JoeJoe’s, an oreo-like cookie. There are other cookies that very much resemble
Trader Joe’s has a No Gluten Ingredients Used list on their website. My list is not intended to provide a comprehensive list of all gluten-free products in the store, just the ones I use most. It is up to date BASED ON THE PUBLISHING DATE. Because ingredients and suppliers change frequently, as well as suppliers being regionally specific with Trader Joe’s, I have done my best BUT you are responsible for reading labels and making your own buying decisions. Try as I may, items change quickly so you must read labels. I hope this is a good resource for those of you cooking the recipes I share here on my blog and also those who attend my classes. When I first made dietary modifications, knowing where to get the goods was really helpful to me and I hope this helps you! Shop on, happy eaters…
Such a great post, Johnna! I love these types of posts. I’m sure many will find them helpful. I’m not sure we’ll ever get a Trader Joe’s, but if we do or I get to visit one elsewhere, I’ll refer to your list. 🙂 Oh, and I love the Elvis photo! I think the title should be, “I (and Elvis) Shopped Here: Trader Joes.” 😉
Shirley
Thanks, Shirley! I had fun walking up and down the aisles making this list and hope others will chime in with what they buy, too.
Excellent post and list! I’m about a month in to learning of my gluten sensitivity and cutting it out of my diet. I was just looking for the black beans, but found the mother load here, thank you so much!
Thanks for dropping by! Good luck to you on your gluten-free journey. 🙂
Be very careful with Trader Joe’s gluten free products. If you read the fine prints, many of Trader Joe’s gluten free products are manufactured on equipment that also processes wheat. I am allergic to gluten and I finally stop buying Trader Joes’s gluten free products.
Thanks for your comment, Eric! I’ve mentioned that in this post, as there is definitely a difference in “no gluten ingredients” and “gluten-free.” I am also very sensitive to gluten with a severe reaction and haven’t had any issues with the items I buy at Trader Joe’s but think it is important for folks like you to share your experiences, too. 🙂
Hi there!
Thank you for this post also!
So I cannot eat gluten either and was wondering about the raw almond butter! Is that gluten free?
Are you saying those nuts you listed are gluten free ? I am afraid to eat them cuz I don’t know for sure and customer service could not give me an answer.
Thank-you for your help!
It’s so good to know we can find others out there too like us.
Thanks for dropping by.
To my knowledge, the raw almond butter is gluten free. I eat it with no issues, however each person needs to read the labels and gluten-free product listings provided by the Trader Joe’s in their area to make an informed decision.
I have noticed recently Trader Joe’s is adding more of the “Processed in the same facility” and “processed on the same equipment with” notices on their products. These notices are optional, so it is nice to see them added. I do not have any problems with the nuts I purchase at Trader Joe’s. I do not buy any of the ones with a “processed in/with” notice that includes wheat, but again those statements are not mandatory so you have to use your best judgment. You will also need to always check labels, as ingredients and processing changes, as well as regional changes that have been observed at Trader Joe’s.
Thanks again for stopping by!
Thank-you kindly for your time to reply back Johnna! Appreciate it. 🙂
Yea I found an old jar that I saved of the Almond Butter before it went to the plastic jars and it said “Gluten free” whereas the plastic jar does not say it. I wish they would add it to the things that are gluten free. It would make life a bit easier and hassle free. I did recommend that to the customer service phone number and she said they get that request a lot.
Yes, I learned the hard way as I was buying the almond meal thinking it was ok and found out otherwise about a month ago that it said it was processed on a facility with wheat. No wonder my rash would not go away and I cannot get better!!! So as always I do read labels and have been but somehow that one slipped right by me and I have been buying it for at least 3 -4 years.
Urgh!!!!
I totally appreciate your website and the help you offer as this is not easy to live a gluten free life.
I will eat the nuts then as you listed in the section. I have been a bit afraid to for fear of gluten.
I will check out more of your website too as I have yet to do so.
Thanks again Johnna!
Thank you so much for sharing. I’m having to go gluten free and don’t know where to begin. I’m new to all this. I didn’t know almond butter was gluten free. Nice to know. Thx again!
Good luck on your gluten-free journey. There are hundreds of recipes here and I share links to recipes from others on my Facebook page. I hope you’ll follow along!
Why doesn’t Trader Joe’s just label gluten free products that can be read while shopping?
They do. What’s included in this post is a listing of my favorites.
Trader Joe’s labels well, provides a website list and they have printed hard copies in the store as well.
I should point out though that we shouldn’t limit ourselves to only what is on their list–as fresh fruits and vegetables aren’t on their list as well as items that are naturally gluten-free.