I walk 2½ miles to shop at my nearest Trader Joe's. Here are the 13 items I absolutely swear by.

I grew up with Trader Joe's dark-chocolate-covered espresso beans in my house. They're smooth to the taste yet offer a satisfying crunch.

My mother and I often fought over who "stole" the last few chocolates. If you have loved ones, keep your box well hidden.

"Hot Ones" may have popularized the spicy food gauntlet, but I've always loved some heat. Case in point: these ghost-pepper chips from Trader Joe's.

The lattice cut provides a great crunch, and the ghost pepper packs a punch without overwhelming the taste buds.

For something gentler on the palate, I love Trader Joe's thin-sliced raisin-and-rosemarry crisps. The raisins are sweet, and the rosemary brings some savory goodness.

Plus, each serving of the crisps is just 90 calories.

Trader Joe's Unexpected cheddar cheese comes in dip form and it's smooth and creamy — perfect for a cocktail party or pre-dinner snack.

I've seen the dip in two flavors: a standard spread and a spicier hatch-chile one. If the ghost-pepper chips weren't a tip-off, I prefer the zestier spread.

Trader Joe's onion-confit swirls combine the flakiness of a French palmier pastry with the tangy taste of caramelized onions.

Don't be fooled by the small box and bite-sized swirls. The flavor in these crunchy snacks is immense.

When I'm not snacking on espresso beans, I'm sipping one of Trader Joe's excellent brews. Each bag of Joe's coffee states that it contains "nothing fancy," but I disagree. The coffee smells great and tastes even better.

The chain offers a light, medium, and dark roast, each with its own striking color scheme.

A friend recommended I try Trader Joe's sweetened and dried orange slices, and I'm glad she did.

Unlike dried pineapple or mango slices, these oranges even include the peel. If you want a quick snack or dessert, you can't go wrong.

Salmon is my favorite food, and Trader Joe's premium salmon burgers means I can enjoy it on the regular.

Visually, the patties lack pizazz, but they taste great. They thaw quickly and are easy to cook on a grill.

Trader Joe's tomato-and-burrata-ravioloni blew me away when I first tried them.

The burrata elevates the taste and these pasta pockets are way better than your standard four-cheese pasta. These ravioloni don't even need sauce or seasoning — simply boil, toss in oil, and enjoy.

Trader Joe's often has a few types of focaccia, and I especially enjoy the one with roasted tomato and Parmesan.

The focaccia is easy to prepare — it takes about 10 minutes to heat in the oven — and it tastes superb. The bread is fluffy, the tomatoes have a sun-dried sweetness, and it has just the right amount of seasoning.

Lentils may not be as tantalizing as focaccia bread, but they're hearty and versatile. Plus, these lentils have only 120 calories per serving.

Pair them with chicken for a hot meal, or combine them with grains, seeds, and veggies for an unconventional salad.

Sometimes I just eat them on their own. Lentils can be an excellent source of both protein and fiber, so I'm guaranteed to feel full when I work these into a meal.

These butternut-squash-mac-and-cheese bites are part of Trader Joe's seasonal fall offerings. The chain also sells a butternut-squash mac and cheese made with rigatoni pasta, but I like the texture of the fried bites.

Heat these bites up as an appetizer for family and friends, or enjoy them yourself as a dinner side. I think you'll want to buy a few boxes, though, since each comes with just 10 bites.

At the end of a long day, I'll kick back and treat myself to a Joe-Joe's cookie. Its flavors come and go with the seasons.

My favorite are winter's chocolate-dipped peppermint Joe-Joe's. I also enjoy the pumpkin-spiced ones (pictured above), which pair a yogurt glaze with sea salt for a heavenly bite.

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