Trader Joes

  • Nutrition, Saving Money, Technology

    10 Best Back-to-School Gifts for Graduate Students (2026 Guide)

    Graduate school is exciting—but it’s also expensive, stressful, and mentally demanding. Whether your favorite grad student is starting their first semester or returning to finish their dissertation, a thoughtful gift can remind them that someone is cheering them on.

    As someone who has earned a PhD and now supports women in graduate school through Grad Girl Wellness, I know that the best gifts aren’t just practical—they help students stay healthy, motivated, and encouraged throughout the semester.

    Here are 10 back-to-school gifts every graduate student will appreciate (and use).

    1. A Grad Girl Wellness Care Package ⭐

    If you only buy one gift, make it a care package designed specifically for graduate students.

    The Grad Girl Wellness Care Package was created to encourage students during one of the most challenging seasons of their lives. Instead of another generic gift basket, this package focuses on wellness, motivation, and self-care—things graduate students often neglect while juggling coursework, research, teaching, and life.

    Whether they’re celebrating their first week of classes, preparing for comprehensive exams, or trying to survive dissertation writing, this care package is a meaningful reminder that they’re not alone. I’m really saddened by the fact that care packages and gifts seem to be reserved for undergrads–that doesn’t have to be the norm.

    You can shop the Grad Girl Wellness Care Package here:

    Grad Girl Wellness Etsy Shop

    2. A High-Quality Reusable Water Bottle

    Hydration is one of the simplest ways to improve energy and concentration, yet it’s often forgotten during marathon study sessions.

    A durable insulated water bottle keeps drinks cold all day and serves as a gentle reminder to take care of basic needs—even during finals week.

    Check out this Camel Back example!

    3. Noise-Canceling Headphones

    Graduate students spend countless hours reading, writing, and attending virtual meetings.

    A pair of quality noise-canceling headphones can transform a noisy coffee shop or busy apartment into a productive workspace.

    I’m a fan of these noise cancelling Airpods!

    4. An Adjustable Laptop Stand

    Hours of writing papers and analyzing data can wreak havoc on your neck and shoulders.

    An ergonomic laptop stand helps improve posture and makes long writing sessions much more comfortable.

    Here’s a great place to start!

    5. A Weekly Planner or Productivity Journal

    Graduate school requires balancing deadlines, meetings, classes, research milestones, and personal responsibilities.

    A planner helps students organize everything in one place and reduce the mental load of trying to remember every deadline.

    6. Blue-Light Blocking Glasses

    Many graduate students spend 8–12 hours each day looking at screens.

    Blue-light glasses may help reduce eye strain during long writing sessions and make late-night work feel a little easier.

    Check out these frames!

    7. Gift Cards for Coffee—or Better Yet, Lunch

    Yes, coffee gift cards are always appreciated.

    But don’t overlook restaurant or grocery gift cards. During particularly busy weeks, having one less meal to prepare can make an enormous difference.

    Every grad student I know loves Trader Joe’s!

    Photo from https://cbo.io/app/public/bidapp/spirit/i/929329

    8. Healthy Study Snacks

    Skip the candy-only gift basket.

    Instead, fill a snack box with protein bars, trail mix, nuts, dried fruit, popcorn, tea, electrolyte packets, and other grab-and-go options that help students stay energized between classes and meetings.

    Check out this protein powered snack pack!

    9. A Kindle or Reading Tablet

    Many graduate students read hundreds of journal articles every semester.

    An e-reader makes it easier to carry textbooks, articles, and books without adding extra weight to an already heavy backpack. It saves paper and makes finding documents and annotations so easy.

    Check out this tablet!

    10. A Wellness Experience

    Sometimes the best gift isn’t something you can wrap.

    Consider gifting:

    • A yoga class
    • A massage
    • A fitness studio pass
    • A meditation app subscription
    • A museum membership
    • A walking date together

    Experiences encourage graduate students to step away from their work and recharge—something they often struggle to prioritize.

    Final Thoughts

    Graduate school is a marathon, not a sprint. The right gift can provide comfort during stressful weeks, motivation during difficult semesters, and a reminder that success doesn’t have to come at the expense of wellness.

    Graduate school can feel incredibly isolating. While students often receive congratulations when they begin their programs, support tends to fade as the months go on.

    A thoughtful gift is more than just a package—it’s a reminder that someone believes in them.

    Here’s to helping the graduate students in our lives start the semester feeling supported, encouraged, and ready to thrive.

  • Food & Nutrition, Saving Money, Uncategorized

    Grocery Haul: March 2019

    Grand total: $36.38

    You might notice that my total this month is about a third of what it usually is. That’s because my goal right now is to use up whatever food I have since I’m leaving for fieldwork later this month (insert ugly tears). I have a bunch of random things left like tuna, string beans and lentils.  Thus, I have to get a little creative and don’t have as much freedom as I’d like. Since my shopping list is a bit limited this time around, I thought that I would highlight my TJ staples that are always on my shopping list no matter the occasion. Surely, I’m a creature of habit because I have yet to get tired of these items.

    Basil Pesto—What can I say about this stuff? This little jar has a big place in my heart. I’ve found that I can use it as a sauce to go with the TJ pre-made stuffed shell pasta or even as a marinade for ground turkey. I have both of these things in the freezer right now, so this pesto will definitely be put to use in the next few days.

    Raw Almonds—Honestly, I usually buy two packs of these every time I go to TJ’s. For this price, it really can’t be beat, and they’re of course a great source of protein. I’m a snacker, what can I say?

    Dried Mango Slices–These fill the ‘treat yo self’ category for me because I absolutely love mangos. I would opt for the spicy version, but those have added sugar, which I’m not too fond of.

    Just Mango Slices - product in packaging
    more info here

     

    Do you all have any staples that you always get when you go to the grocery store? If so, what are they? How do you stop from getting bored?

     

     

  • Food & Nutrition, Saving Money

    Grocery Haul: January 2019

    Grand Total: $80.77

    Quite honestly, with finals, grading and vacation, my grocery shopping got all out of wack.  I did a lot of eating out, snacking, making multiple random trips to the grocery story but not coming out with anything I could turn into a meal etc…… Somehow, I managed to make it to Winter Break.  Now that it’s January, and the only commitment I have is to study for my qualifying exam (46 days away), I can make grocery shopping and meal prep more of a priority.  No new resolutions, I’m just trying to get back to being consistent.  To do that and to maximize my time, my thought process before hitting the store was to plan for meals that would be quick no brainers (pasta, stuffed peppers, turkey burgers, etc) and snacks of course so that I could focus my energies on reading.

    As much as I love TJ, I want to use this grocery haul as a reminder of something never to buy again, Winter Wake Up Tea.

    I drink a lot of tea.  It keeps me company and calms my nerves while studying, so I was excited to try this new flavor based on the description. It’s said to be “a spicy Black tea blend with cinnamon and ginger”–seemingly all good things.  TJ already has some great flavors that I love like Harvest spice, ginger pear, mango black tea, so I had no reason to doubt that this would be any different.  This taste like dishwater.  I’m sure it could be doctored up with a lot of milk, sweetener, etc, but ain’t no body got time for that. It was only about three dollars, so I’m not out of too much money, but I’m disappointed.  In short, Winter Wake Up should go back to bed.

    Here’s my first meal prep of the year!  I made the bbq chicken wings in the air fryer, and they came out pretty good!  As sides I made green beans and quinoa pesto.

    How are you all doing in the new year?  Have you gone grocery shopping yet? Any new food related commitments that you’re making to yourself?

  • Food & Nutrition, Nutrition, Saving Money

    Grocery Haul: October 2018

    Grand Total: $101.63

    Happy fall!  This month I’m really trying to be intentional about eating more, hence why my TJ’s bill keeps creeping higher and higher (FYI I don’t just shop at TJ’s–I’ll explain my strategy in a later post).  My desire to eat more isn’t just about preparing for winter hibernation.  Because of my under eating, I often wake up at 3 and 4 in the morning because my body is craving food.  Needless to say, this messes me up for the rest of the day even if I do  fall back asleep.  If I can manage to get this under control, I’m looking forward to sleeping more, and I also think it’ll be interesting to see how my body responds to getting more food on a regular basis.

    My new-ish item of interest at Trader Joe’s are these vegetable spring rolls….One box includes five pieces and they came up to $3.99.  They are filled with edamame, kale, cabbage and mushrooms.

    This is my second time buying these spring rolls, and there’s a reason–they’re pretty darn good. The first time around, I  baked them following the instructions on the box.  The second time, I used my roommate’s air fryer, which gave them a really nice crunch in only about 7 minutes.  I prefer the airfryer because it’s quicker and more fun to use; however, since I meal prep’ed with these and therefore put them in the refrigerator rather than eating them immediately after I cooked them as it’s suggested, the crunch pretty much just went away.  I know that this isn’t ideal and that the texture is less than desirable, but, even with the slight sogginess, I’m still here for it.

    My lunch this week.  In addition to spring rolls, I made stir fry with TJ pre-chopped vegetables, marinated tofu over brown rice. I also sautéed kale.

    Am I the only one that is willing to make small taste-based concessions for the peace of mind of knowing that your food is taken care of for the entire work week?  Meal prepping for me is more about saving time and money rather than eating perfect meals.  I’m willing to eat a semi-soggy spring roll or two.

    Onwards and upwards.  We’re already half-way through the semester!