I've been on Weight Watchers for 5 years and love Trader Joe's. Here are 12 foods I always buy.

Trader joe's cauliflower thins on the left and the hold the cone ice cream on the right

I love these Weight Watchers staples from Trader Joe's.
Briana Luca for Insider
  • I've followed Weight Watchers for 5 years and lost almost 30 pounds at the height of my journey.
  • WW users are given color-coordinated plans and a daily amount of SmartPoints to meet their goals.
  • Trader Joe's has several low-point foods, like frittatas and rice, that are staples in my kitchen.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

I buy multiple bags of chicken-cilantro mini wontons.

You can find these chicken wontons in the frozen section.
Briana Luca for Insider

These mini chicken wontons are tasty, easy to make, and can be the core of a meal or a quick afternoon snack.

Whenever I'm at Trader Joe's, I buy at least three bags — they're that good.

Best of all, four of them are one SmartPoint on all WW plans.

These cauliflower thins work great as a bread substitute.

I make flatbreads with these cauliflower thins.
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Cauliflower is its own food group when it comes to Weight Watchers because it's incredibly versatile.

So these cauliflower thins come in handy since they're just three points for two pieces and make the perfect bread substitute for a grilled cheese or mini pizza.

I love to grill them on a frying pan and add some cheese and chicken to make a mini flatbread.

The sweet-potato gnocchi is higher in points but worth it.

This meal comes with a sage-and-butter sauce.
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Trader Joe's has a lot of pasta options, but one of my favorites is the sweet-potato gnocchi in a butter-and-sage sauce.

It's a bit higher in terms of points — a cup is nine SmartPoints on all plans — but it's worth it.

It's filling enough for a meal, but you can also use it as a side dish for any dinner. Just pour it into a hot skillet, stir, and you'll have delicious gnocchi in no time.

This frozen Jasmine rice makes lunch or dinner easy.

I make this rice in the microwave.
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My favorite frozen rice from the chain, this Jasmine option goes really well with the chicken wontons and is a perfect side to any lunch or dinner.

To prepare, I just steam the pack in the microwave for three minutes, weigh out how much I want to use, and then store the rest in the refrigerator.

A cup is five SmartPoints on the green and blue plans and none on the purple one.

This instant ramen soup is convenient and tasty.

This ramen is ready in minutes.
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Some days you just crave soup, and that's where this chicken-flavored instant ramen comes in handy.

Within a few minutes, you can have a delicious bowl of ramen soup for only five SmartPoints on all WW plans. Plus this is a great lunch to take to work since all you need is a microwave.

To beef it up a bit, I'll add some low-sodium soy sauce and maybe a few chicken wontons.

Trader Joe's spinach-and-artichoke dip is a welcome addition to low-point meals.

I sometimes add this spread to chicken.
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This frozen spinach-and-artichoke dip is both delicious and comforting. I discovered it on a whim and found that 2 tablespoons worth is two SmartPoints on all plans.

I used to eat it as a snack with some tortilla chips, but I recently started making it a part of low-point meals.

I cook the dip according to the directions, spread 2 tablespoons on top of two pieces of grilled chicken, then bake it all together in the oven for a few minutes. It's so delicious and jazzes up an otherwise ordinary dinner.

These Hold the Cone mini ice-cream treats are the perfect dessert or midnight snack.

Each cone is only four SmartPoints.
Briana Luca for Insider

When I started Weight Watchers, I was most concerned about giving up sweets — until I found the most delicious mini ice-cream cones.

These come in a variety of flavors that range from three to four SmartPoints on all plans.

These cones are tiny and made with ordinary ice cream, which is great for those of us who don't do well with frozen yogurt, high-protein ice cream, or the low-sugar alternative.

These turkey corn dogs are too good to pass up.

They taste like normal hot dogs.
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I don't like substituting beef or pork for turkey, but these frozen corn dogs are an exception.

I've never had a regular corn dog, but these looked too good to pass up.

At five SmartPoints on all plans, these are the perfect lunch with your favorite condiment and a handful of WW-friendly french fries.

I usually prepare these in the oven or air fryer, and they taste just like regular hot dogs, which I appreciate.

Trader Joe's egg frittatas make for a delicious breakfast.

I heat these in the microwave for a minute and a half.
Briana Luca for Insider

I stock up on these egg frittatas whenever I visit Trader Joe's. They're just four SmartPoints each.

Made with cauliflower and Swiss cheese, they come in a pack of two and are one of the best breakfasts I've ever had. They are great when you don't know what to eat and they pack more of a punch than typical eggs.

To prepare, I heat them up in the microwave for a minute and a half until they're hot and delicious.

This mac and cheese is Weight Watchers-friendly.

You can add some protein or vegetables to it.
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Not everything in Trader Joe's unmatched pasta selection is WW-friendly, but thankfully the best macaroni and cheese to ever exist is.

One of the higher-point items on the list, this meal is eight SmartPoints on all plans but worth it.

It's creamy, melty, and truly delicious. Plus you can add some protein or veggies for an extra-filling meal.

Trader Joe's hash browns are amazing in the air fryer.

These hash browns just as good as the ones from McDonald's.
Briana Luca for Insider

I love breakfast potatoes, so it's a good thing Trader Joe's has hash browns that rival McDonald's.

They are best prepared in the air fryer — though the stovetop also works — and I usually put an over-easy egg on top for a simple, filling breakfast or midday snack.

The hash browns come in a big pack and are four SmartPoints on all plans, which is pretty decent for the size and taste.

This lite mozzarella cheese is perfect for WW-friendly meals.

This mozzarella tastes great and melts well.
Briana Luca for Insider

This cheese was discontinued for a bit but thankfully Trader Joe's has brought it back, and it's better than ever.

It's two SmartPoints on all plans for an ounce, which is a lot of cheese no matter what you're putting it on.

It melts really nicely and tastes delicious — I will never be without this cheese.

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