4 Best Ways To Stretch Your Money at Trader Joe’s This September

Trader Joe’s may have a smaller selection and far, far more private label products than your typical grocery store, but don’t overlook its selection. Plenty of items here are affordably-priced, even when inflation and rising costs are pulling more money than you can budget for out of your wallet. And if you’re looking for ways to stretch your money, Trader Joe’s has you covered.

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Below, I’m sharing four products you can add to your cart at Trader Joe’s to make your budget last longer (and don’t worry, your hunger will be satiated, too).

Frozen Hashbrowns

If you’re looking for something other than eggs or cheap frozen waffles and pancakes to add to your breakfast rotation, TJ’s Frozen Hashbrowns are the best pick. Affordably-priced, frozen to last you quite a long time, and delicious once crisped up in an oven or air fryer (or microwave, if you need speed over crispy edges), they round out any breakfast and can be used for casseroles, too.

You can pull together hearty meals with nothing but eggs and these hashbrowns on a budget, which levels things up a tiny bit. Plus, they’re a great side if you don’t want to pay the premium for frozen tater tots or fries; just slice up these hash browns instead. And while Trader Joe’s doesn’t really sell much, if anything, in bulk, these are sold in a 10-pack stand out for quality and their larger size.

Organic Vodka Sauce

Trader Joe’s pasta sauces are, as a whole, perfectly fine. Every once in a while a seasonal new addition will catch my eye, but honestly? They usually aren’t stellar. The Organic Vodka Sauce, on the other hand, differs.

I love grabbing TJ’s Organic Vodka Sauce to stretch my grocery budget for two reasons. First, this is one pasta sauce that’s larger than others on the shelf. Instead of getting a tiny 6-ounce pesto or a typical 14.5-ounce jar of any other sauce, this is one of the red tomato-based options that’s sold in a 24-ounce one. That’s more bang for your buck and more sauce for your noodles.

Plus, this is one genuinely good pasta sauce. Creamy but not reminiscent of an Alfredo sauce, bright and acidic like you’d expect, and wonderfully versatile, this is what I always reach for if I’m pulling together a quick dinner or need a sauce for meatballs or frankly any other pasta-based dish.

Trail Mix and Nuts

Trader Joe’s has a whole aisle of trail mix and nut mixes (or simply packages of single-nut varieties), which is pretty much unmatched. Sure, some grocery stores like Sprouts offer the opportunity to buy nuts or trail mix in bulk, but TJ’s selection is vast, filled with delicious options, and reasonably priced. And you can easily pick up large bags of nuts or trail mix for less than your typical grocery store.

I like grabbing at least one bag of cashews and one bag of pistachios on every visit. Yes, nuts are always costly, but these provide great bang for your buck because they’re cheaper and so hunger-satiating. With plenty of protein to fill you up and enough nuts for multiple servings, they simply make a smart, good-for-you snack.

Mini Sheet Cakes

Need to pick up a dessert on a budget? Trader Joe’s Mini Sheet Cakes never fail to impress, and they’re surprisingly big enough to feed a (small) crowd despite being called “mini.”

These cakes are perfect for small get-togethers where everyone is perfectly happy with a quality cake and a slice of their own. Each cake can provide six servings — making these a far better alternative budget-wise than picking up a cake from other grocery stores’ in-store bakeries. 

Plus, there are so many great flavors to choose from. You can opt for classics or more adventurous picks like yellow cake, carrot, Dark Chocolate Ganache, Toasted Coconut, or even Cookies and Cream. Best of all, the frosting is decadent (and let’s be honest, that’s why we’re all eating cake in the first place).