The dietitian-recommended healthy Trader Joe’s snacks to fuel your workouts

Trader Joe’s has a reputation for making surprisingly delicious (and protein-packed) snacks. And it turns out many of them are also healthy, dietitian-approved options for fueling your workouts. “I love recommending items at Trader Joe’s for before, during, and after workouts because they tend to be budget-friendly, effective, and easy to find,” says sports dietitian and running coach Amanda Wagner, RDN.

Whether you’re on the hunt for carbs that will give you a quick energy boost before or during your workout (without sending you searching for a bathroom) or the kind of protein-filled recovery foods that your muscles crave after exercise, Trader Joe’s has it all.

I quizzed the experts — Amanda Wagner, RDN, Emily Moore, RD, CPT, and Serena Marie, RD, who are dieticians that work with athletes — to learn about the products they regularly recommend to clients, and put in their own grocery carts. Then I personally tested them all to narrow the list to just the tastiest picks. Here are the 12 most delicious, expert-backed options I found.

How I tested

To find the best workout snacks at Trader Joe’s, I consulted three dietitians about the snacks they regularly eat and recommend to their clients for fuel before, during, or after workouts. I collated all their recommendations and taste-tested each one myself. To select which to include here and give each a rating from one to five, I judged each product for digestibility, energy boost, taste and texture, longevity, and portability.

The best Trader Joe’s workout snacks for 2025 are:

• Best overall — Trader Joe’s fruit sauce crushers; $3.29, Prontohomedelivery.com
• Best budget buy — Trader Joe’s organic fruit leather wrap; $0.59, Prontohomedelivery.com
• Best breakfast cereal — Trader Joe’s organic peanut butter and cocoa crunch; $3.89, Prontohomedelivery.com
• Best running fuel — Trader Joe’s Scandinavian swimmers: $19.99 for 3 packs, Walmart.com
• Best hiking snack — Trader Joe’s banana chips; $12.95 for 3 packs, Walmart.com