15 Insanely Budget-Friendly Trader Joe's Deals to Fill Your Pantry in May

You may know that Trader Joe’s doesn’t offer coupons or special deals each week. There’s no sales flyer from Trader Joe’s out there either.

But that doesn’t mean you won’t save on groceries when shopping here. The retailer is noted for its fantastic everyday deals, and this May, TJ's is offering some outstanding budget-friendly items you need to add to your pantry.

Price: $2.69

With the weather warming up, a glass of iced tea is exactly what you’ll crave. Cold Brew Black Tea + Lemon is exceptional.

You’ll get 18 tea bags of this cold brew, which means you don’t need to do anything more than add the tea bag into a glass and pour over cold water.

Price: $3.49

With a bit of spice and sweetness, the Korean Gochujang Sauce on shelves this May is excellent.

Made in South Korea, it uses a gochujang base with brown rice vinegar, soy sauce, and canola oil. It’s the perfect topping for chicken, fries, or just about anything else.

Price $2.49

Start building out your spice drawer with the addition of Smoky & Hot Chile Powder, the perfect option for boosting the flavor of a soup or sauce.

With barbeque season upon us, try adding this spice to your favorite dry rubs as well.

Price: $1.99

This is a pantry staple and quite affordable, considering the quality. The Organic Free Range Chicken Broth at Trader Joe’s is more versatile than you may realize.

It’s perfect for soup, or add some to gravy or mashed potatoes to enhance the flavor. It’s also an easy way to add a salty bite to rice as it cooks.

Price: $3.69

A healthy, sweet snack, Joe’s Joe-Joe’s Granola Cookies & Creme is perfect for anyone who loves the company’s cookies by the same name.

This granola blends in rolled coats, a bit of chocolate, and the Joe-Joe’s style cookies into a hearty granola.

Use it as a topping for ice cream, or just pour on some milk for a late-night snack.

Price: 99 cents

Stock up on Organic Tomato Paste as your next pantry-boosting budget saver.

This tomato paste is not only affordable, but it’s also rich, thick, and made with vine-ripened tomatoes, which gives it a bit more sweetness than others.

In addition to making pasta sauce, you can also try blending it into a soup or with a dry rub for roasted chicken.

Price: 99 cents

Speaking of pasta, Trader Joe’s has excellent quality at a very low price. You’ll get a full pound (not 12 or 14 ounces, like the big brands offer) for about $1.

The retailer offers several versions, including Capellini. It’s produced in Italy and has a fine texture that’s perfect for lighter dishes like a simple shrimp scampi.

Price: $3.49

Everyone needs a good brownie mix for those days when you have a few extra minutes to make a special treat. The Blondie Bar Baking Mix at Trader Joe’s is easily an affordable favorite.

The center is chewy, the molasses powder offers a smoky sweetness, and the semisweet chocolate chips melt perfectly. Decadent is an understatement.

Price: $7.99

While the Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil may not seem like a super cheap Trader Joe’s bargain, its quality and refinement make it more affordable than competitor products.

This high-grade olive oil is made from Spanish, Italian, Argentinian, and Greek olives. Use it as a salad dressing or on some warm pasta for a simple addition.

Price: $2.99

Trader Joe’s Cheesy Seasoning Blend will easily become your favorite pantry addition to pasta, vegetables, and even popcorn.

It’s made with powdered cheddar cheese and a blend of spices — including oregano, garlic, onion, and a touch of rosemary — to create a savory sprinkling of goodness on your favorite dishes.

Price: $3.99

Everyone needs a good almond spread in the pantry, whether you plan to drizzle it over ice cream or on some toast.

The Cocoa Almond Spread at Trader Joe’s is competitively priced and offers nutty flavor, but not hazelnutty like its competitors.

Consider topping some homemade pancakes with it or adding it to a peanut butter cookie recipe as an extra topping after they cool.

Price: $1.79

An excellent, protein-packed pantry item, Wild Skipjack Tuna is a must when you want an easy addition to pasta or vegetables. You can just eat it with some crackers, too.

This is an affordable option, but it’s also a healthy one, noted for each tuna being individually tested for mercury levels. That’s not common in the tuna market.

Price: $1.99

Its name says it all. The Cuban Style Citrusy Garlic Seasoning Blend is packed with spices like coriander, cumin, red pepper for a bite, and cilantro. 

The lemon oil, marjoram, and other favors help to compliment any otherwise boring base, like pork or white meat chicken. Add some to tofu or rice, too.

For all of the Cuban spices in this mix, it would be easy to expect a much higher price point.

Price: $1.99

This big can of Organic Lentil Vegetable Soup is the perfect choice for May nights when the temperatures drop.

It’s a blend of potatoes, onions, green beans, and carrots with properly cooked lentils. It’s surprisingly filling but also feels rich, thanks to the slow-cooking process.

There’s nothing to do but warm it up, too, which means it's there for you when you need a fast lunch item.

Price: $3.49

If the kids are home for the summer, you’ll need to stock up on healthier versions of their favorite cereal (you know that’s all they want to eat throughout the day).

The Almond Butter Puffs Cereal is super affordable and includes roasted almond butter with a touch of cocoa powder.

It’s sweet, so they think they’ll be enjoying a fun treat. What they don’t know is that it contains lots of protein-packed almond butter.

This May, make the switch to Trader Joe’s.

If you haven’t made a trip out lately, skip the expensive items at the local grocer and replace them with organic or healthier versions that taste great and cost far less.

You don’t need a membership or any coupons to save money on groceries at Trader Joe’s, but you will want to bring along some helpers for this affordable grocery haul.