A Kidney Stone Diet-Friendly Shopping List for Trader Joe’s

A common question in my Facebook group is, “What do you guys buy at Trader Joe’s?”

I thought I’d put together some standard goodies to look for next time you find yourself at the nearest TJ’s. I recognize not all of you have a Trader Joe’s, but you might still find some of these KSD-friendly items at your favorite specialty grocery store.

I don’t personally buy all the products on this list, but they’ve all been listed at one time or another by kidney stone patients just like you. I hope you find it helpful on your next trip to TJ’s. 

If you have any favorite items from Trader Joe’s that aren’t here, let me know and I’ll update our list!

Produce:

All produce is good, but spinach and raspberries are pretty well off the table. Look for these fan favorites:

• Zig Zags: This is butternut squash that’s been cut like crinkle fries.
• Cauliflower Rice
• Mirepoix: This is a blend of carrots, onions, and celery used as a base for sauces and dishes. Precut veggies are always helpful in cutting down meal prep time. I use mirepoix for my chicken soup. 
• Broccoli Slaw
• Cruciferous Crunch
• And don’t forget the frozen produce section!

Low Sodium Meat and Seafood:

• Just Chicken: Plain, pre-cooked, grilled chicken usually found in the refrigerated produce section with premade sandwiches and salads.
• Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin Roast
• Ground Chicken
• Ground Turkey
• No Salt Canned Tuna

Low Sodium/Low Oxalate Crunchy Snacks:

• Unsalted Tortilla Chips*
• Fire Roasted Salsa
• Barbell Protein Bars (exclude peanut or almond varieties)
• Inner Peas 
• Unsalted Pistachios
• Unsalted Sunflower Seeds
• Plaintain Chips*

Dairy and Non-Dairy Calcium Sources:

• Kefir (plain non-fat or low fat)
• Coconut Milk
• Oat Milk
• European Greek Yogurt (plain non-fat)
• Swiss Gruyere Mix Shredded Cheese
• Jarlsberg Lite Cheese
• Swiss Cheese
• Low Fat Mozzarella 
• Goat Cheese (higher in sodium, but a nice treat)
• Everything But The Bagel Greek Yogurt Dip

Lower or No Added Sugar Snacks:

• Dehydrated Fruit*
• Dried Fruit*
• Dried Cranberries with no added sugar. These are very high in fiber. I like to use them for my oat muffins and my popular low oxalate granola recipe. 
• Dark Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter Cups. These do have 8 grams of added sugar, but you are allowed 25/38 (women/men) grams of added sugar per day, and you might want to fit these into your budget here and there. Yes, there is some oxalate, but nobody makes a kidney stone by having the occasional treat. Get your calcium each day and you will be fine.

Favorite Sodium Free Seasonings:

• 21 Seasoning Salute
• Ajika Georgian Seasoning Blend

KSD Lower Sugar and Sodium Odds and Ends:

• Barbell Protein Bars (avoid the ones with nuts)
• Flaxseed Meal
• Ezekiel Low Sodium Bread
• Nutritional Yeast (vegans like this for cheese substitute)
• Sunflower Seed Butter
• Coconut Aminos (a lower sodium option for soy sauce)
• Olive Oil Spray
• Avocado Oil Spray

Asterisk Items: 

These items need to be eaten within serving size, MOST OF THE TIME. I hear from patients that they tend to overeat KSD-safe snacks and gain weight. Just because these snacks are lower sodium and lower sugar does NOT mean they are low calories. Be careful.

Your friend and advocate,

Jill