Al Roker is a Trader Joe’s regular.
Like many of us, the TODAY weatherman visits the aisles of TJ’s pretty frequently to pick up both grocery staples, popular ingredients and even a few snacks. With that in mind, we decided to ask Al what favorites sit in his fridge and well-organized pantry.
Eggwich Breadless Breakfast Sandwich
“You know, one of my favorite things for breakfast is their Eggwich, which is really great,” Al tells TODAY.com. “It’s like an Egg McMuffin, except instead of the McMuffin part are eggs in a little circular shape, and in between those two are a sausage patty and a slice of American cheese. It’s a nice kind of alternative.”
Sweet and Spicy Pecans
“Also, I’m a big fan of the Sweet and Spicy Pecans,” Al says, adding that he commonly uses them for breakfast. “I chop those up and put them in my overnight oats.”
In addition to making breakfast with TJ's products, the early bird likes to have a few reliable snacks as a man on the go. While flying to such locations as the White House for the Easter Egg Roll (and garnering scoops from President Biden) and most recently a cross-country trip to Sonoma County, California on the 3rd Hour, Al likes to have a few TJ’s treats on hand.
Mozzarella Rolloni
“If I know I’m going to be traveling, I might get a bunch of those cheese sticks with salami or prosciutto wrapped around them, you throw those in your backpack,” Al says. “You get a little protein pick-me-up when you’re going on the plane and you’re trying not to eat badly.”
Barebells Protein Bars
Al also says he likes Barebells Protein Bars for this reason, particularly the Cookies & Cream flavor which are now sold at Trader Joe’s. When he’s back in the city, though, Al has a different slate of go-to items he likes to snack on.
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
“Every week, I would get a couple of packages of the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, you know, snack-wise,” Al tells TODAY.com, adding that he'd also grab Trader Joe’s World’s Puffiest White Cheddar Corn Puffs. But there’s a snack he used to love that, at the moment, can’t be found in TJ's aisles.
“One of the things I used to love was their chili and tomato cheese puffs,” Al says of the Cheese Bites with Tomato and Chili. “They were almost like keto because it was just cheese and it was like a chili tomato kind of flavoring that they don’t carry anymore. They had it for about six, seven months and then they stopped making them, which upsets me, but what are you going to do?”
World’s Puffiest White Cheddar Corn Puffs
In addition to snacking at TJ’s, Al utilizes the specialty grocer for dinners with wife Deborah and the kids.
Fully Cooked Pork Belly with Organic Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce
“The Trader Joe’s pork belly is really good,” Al says, adding that he uses the shop’s sauces and Soyaki to take it to the next level. “Sometimes as an entree, I’ll just get one for each of us and then heat it and slice it, I might put a little Trader Joe’s barbecue sauce on top or a teriyaki type of glaze that I’ll slap on after I’ve heated it and put it under the broiler, just to crisp it up a little bit.”
Crunchy Chili Onion
Al also says he’s a big fan of the Crunchy Chili Onion — TJ's take on chili crisp — which has achieved a cult-like following, like many Trader Joe's items before it.
Wild Caught Boneless & Skinless Mackerel and Wild Caught Sardines
“I like sprinkling (Crunchy Chili Onion) over tossed and sliced Brussels sprouts and then roasting it in the oven,” Al says, adding that he also likes to dab the sauce on top of tinned fish like the Wild Caught Boneless & Skinless Mackerel or the Wild Caught Sardines. “It’s just a great condiment.”
Finally, when planning small get-togethers or larger fetes at his house, Al likes to hit up TJ’s for accoutrements.
Korean Style Beef Short Ribs
“For the Super Bowl, or if I’ve got a party here, some friends coming over, I will get an assortment of their dim sum and shrimp, and maybe the Korean-style ribs,” Al says. “I do a theme sort of thing.”
If you want to throw a Roker-style shindig yourself, Trader Joe’s has dim sum-style staples like fellow TODAY host Jenna Bush Hager-favoriteSteamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings, Chicken Gyoza Potstickers and shrimp — TJ’s currently offers Gluten Free Breaded Shrimp and Honey Walnut Shrimp for all your curled crustacean cravings.
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