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Photo by Christopher Wu

Los Angeles-based grocery store Trader Joe’s is set to open this week in Westwood.

With the Trader Joe’s on Glendon Avenue opening this week, the task of attending college and eating healthy just got easier. With no artificial flavors or preservatives and a variety of original items, Trader Joe’s is not your average grocery store. Whether you’re snack-deprived or craving a vegetarian dish, we encourage you to give A&E’s top picks a try.

Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels

Pretzels are boring. Their placement in most grocery stores right next to all the chips only highlights their unappealing-ness, compared to the lime-infused tortilla chips and the Flavor-Blasted Cheetos.

However, Trader Joe’s has figured out how to make pretzels great and defy their boring origins. Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels are shaped a little bit like rectangular ravioli, with the hard pretzel shell concealing the delicious morsel of peanut butter within. The peanut butter seems to be the perfectly sweet complement to the salty, starchy pretzels and the very coarse salt grains on top. If any pretzels are capable of being crave-worthy, these are definitely the ones.

– Jennifer Bastien

Refrigerated Margherita Pizza

After returning from a long day of sleeping through class, the last thing any student wants to do is get out some pots and pans. Thankfully, TJ’s has some of the best ready-mades on the market, especially the Margherita Pizza. It’s a small-medium heavenly disk covered with some fresh, tastefully garlicky sauce, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil. The fact that it’s refrigerated and not frozen means you have to eat it pretty quickly, but it’s so unbelievably good that it doesn’t normally present a problem. On top of that, it takes six to eight minutes to cook, so you don’t have to wait as long compared to frozen pizza.

– Jake Ayres

Banana Crisps

Bags and bags of these little guys are sitting in my apartment. Why? Because each one-ounce serving is just 40 calories, and despite the lack of sugary taste like in other banana crisps, these healthy alternatives from Trader Joe’s are so addictive that for some of us, we really can’t have just one crisp. There’s a milk-chocolate-covered version of these small chips, but they’re not quite as crispy, and they also have triple the number of calories. So if you really can’t stop munching on something while watching TV, spend an hour or two with a bag of Trader Joe’s banana crisps, and burn the calories by working out your eye muscles.

– Ray Luo

Frozen Orange Chicken

Stopping by Panda Express on the way back from class can be easy and tasty but only good ol’ Trader’s could come up with an alternative both better tasting and better for you. The portions ofTrader Joe’s Frozen Orange Chicken make for not one but two great meals, which means they even help the wallet! The frozen pieces only require 20 minutes in the oven before they are hot and crispy, and each package comes with microwavable (and delicious!) sauce to drizzle over the pieces. This dish is best served on top of white or brown rice, and make sure to have a big appetite.

– Kate Stanhope

Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce

There is no room in your sandwich for boring old mayonnaise anymore. Trader Joe’s Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce is healthier, more versatile and will radically change the way you think about mustard. Unlike traditional aioli, the medium-yellow mustard contains no mayonnaise (and at only 10 calories a tablespoon, you can shamelessly add more slices of Trader Joe’s specialty cheeses to your sandwich). The creamy taste is milder than Dijon, but a hint of garlic gives it an added kick, making it an excellent choice for a sandwich or burger spread, a tasty rub for chicken, or a superb dip for sweet potato fries. It is also delicious as a vegetable dip or on seafood. Filled with nine ounces of mustardy goodness, it is not a jumbo-sized monster that always seems to spoil before you can use all of it. Instead, its size fits nicely in a dorm Microfridge for any late-night sandwich cravings, study snacks or lunches on the go.

– Kelsey Ramos

Frozen Eggplant Parmesan

For the love of all that is delicious in the world, never resort to a TV dinner as a last-minute, quick meal solution to a busy evening. There is no reason why a fast meal cannot taste like it took hours to prepare, and nothing proves that better then the joys of the Trader Joe’s frozen-food aisle, specifically the Frozen Eggplant Parmesan. Apartment life gives few opportunities to indulge in a fancy meal, and this frozen dinner feels like a gourmet treat with the two big pieces of eggplant that are far from the rubbery, bitter or gooey textures frozen eggplant is known for. It only takes about five minutes to heat in the microwave, and even though it’s just vegetables coated in tomato sauce and topped with a sprinkling of parmesan and mozzarella cheese, it feels like a complete, flavorful and filling entree – even for the most picky and carnivorous eaters.

- Jenae Cohn

Tortilla Chips with an Identity Crisis

Nestled within the masses of Trader Joe’s chip shelf is a neon-checkered bag that screams, “Buy me or your taste buds will never forgive you.” These low-sodium, whole grain, gluten-free, wheat-free treasure trove tortilla chips are known as Tortilla Chips with an Identity Crisis and are changing the face of “regular” tortilla chips forever with their combination of corn, potato and brown rice.

The chips themselves are identically triangular and flat, though with enough groovage to encourage salsafication and not have it slide off in a goopy mess.

However, versatile to the last, they are equally enjoyable without salsa, cheese or topping, and even the crumbs that accumulate at the bottom of the bag – the sewer rats of any freshly popped package – are lusted after to the very last morsel.

- Michael Lowe

Truly Handmade Low-Fat Sun-dried Tomato and Habanero Tortillas

It’s not just Britney. Apparently, the tortilla can reinvent itself, too.

Case in point: Trader Joe’s Truly Handmade Low-Fat Sun-dried Tomato and Habanero Tortillas, which have a mouthful of a name and a taste to match.

The sun-dried tomatoes add an unexpected Italian influence to the tortillas while the habaneros bring a spicy kick that is still tame enough for the mild-at-heart.

This redesign is a welcome change from the standard flour or corn tortilla.

They add extra seasoning to any meal that they complement and can spice up some bland chicken and rice like a helping of fresh salsa.

Baked with cheese, these thick, zesty tortillas produce a delicious twist on a traditional quesadilla.

- Lauren Schick

Vegetable Masala Burger with Authentic Indian Spices

Fact: 90 percent of veggie burgers are boring and flavorless. But not this one. TJ’s own Vegetable Masala Burger with Authentic Indian Spices takes out the unidentifiable multicolored veggie chunks that make up most burgers and replaces them with velvety potatoes, sweet carrots, green beans, corn, peppers, onions and just the right amount of flavorful spices.

At 120 calories, 8 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of protein, the burgers aren’t terribly nutritious, but they’re not unhealthy either. The frozen four-packs give you just enough to entertain or tailgate, or unlike ground beef burgers, store until whenever you decide to grill them. Use them for sandwiches or wraps, dice one up and eat it over pasta, or eat one plain with a little ketchup for a snack. No matter how you use them, these spicy vegan burgers will add a little flavor to any meal.

- Christie McCollum

Pre-cooked Lentils

Lurking near the pre-cooked beets and bags of spinach, Trader Joe’s pre-cooked lentils don’t exactly scream for attention. The packaging is not aesthetically pleasing; in fact, they look like a mound of brown clay pebbles. However, after hearing culinary connoisseurs raving about these “incredible” pre-cooked lentils, they had to be given a fair shot. These lentils make for a quick yet healthy lunch when mixed with some olive oil, cherry tomatoes, diced garlic and balsamic vinegar reduction. The texture of the lentils is an unexpected delight: soft, but with a slight crunch. Because the lentils are versatile and easily absorb flavors, they’re fun to cook with. Put them in a soup, serve them hot as a side dish, or eat them in a large salad. The pre-cooked lentils are definitely a hidden gem.

- Leela Subramaniam