I live an hour away from Trader Joe's and only shop there twice a year. Here are 11 items I always stock up on.

My kids love having Trader Joe's cereal bars as a quick breakfast or snack. These bars have a long shelf life and come in a variety of flavors.

Although my kids love the "This Apple Walks Into a Bar" cereal bars, I also pick up other flavors like blueberry in case they get tired of the apple variety.

Trader Joe's organic, creamy tomato soup is much more affordable than the version I get at my local grocery store, and it's also just as tasty.

Each box contains four servings, and the resealable top makes it easy to pour out only what I need.

Trader Joe's unexpected cheddar is slightly nutty and has notes of Parmesan.

I love using it in everything from cheese plates to sandwiches.

Because it's slightly aged, I find it keeps longer than other cheeses. When I travel to Trader Joe's, I often buy a few bars at a time.

I love steel-cut oats but don't always have 20 minutes to cook them from scratch.

Trader Joe's steel-cut frozen oats resemble hockey pucks, but they're incredibly convenient and ready in about the same amount of time as a packet of instant oatmeal.

I love Trader Joe's pop-up sponges so much that I'll often buy them for friends and family as stocking stuffers.

They're incredibly durable and easy to store.

Trader Joe's PB&J bars are another one of my kids' favorite items.

Each bar tastes like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and holds up well in backpacks and lunch boxes.

When we're traveling, I'll often bring a box of these for car and airport snacks.

My kids loved Trader Joe's fruit-sauce crushers as toddlers and still eat them as elementary-school students.

The pouches come in a variety of different flavors, but my kids love the apple-carrot and apple-strawberry versions best.

At less than $3 a box at my local Trader Joe's, these applesauce pouches are a great deal.

Trader Joe's yogurt cups are perfect for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack, and they come in flavors I can't get anywhere else.

They're tasty either on their own or added to smoothies.

I also love that they often last at least a month in the fridge.

Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend is amazing on top of avocado toast, but I also use it when I make homemade bagels from scratch.

I've even added it to eggs and savory bowls of oatmeal.

When my family wants something with take-out vibes, I'll heat up a few bags of of Trader Joe's Mandarin-orange chicken along with frozen rice and vegetables.

It's slightly spicy and something the whole family enjoys.

Trader Joe's Mediterranean-style hummus is exceptionally creamy, and I love using it on sandwiches and grain bowls or as a dip for veggies.

It doesn't stay fresh quite as long as some of the other products on my list, but it's still one of my favorites.

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