Trader Joes

mhwitt74

It seems that a lot of people on here have an obsession with this place. What's with all the hype? I don't have one near me but it seems like the spot to be.

usmcmp

I could take it or leave it, but they do have a higher fat peanut butter that I like to use when I bump up my fats.

ForecasterJason

I do find their snacks to be higher quality and just as tasty as the ones in regular grocery stores.

lauracups

Two words, cookie butter!; )
Actually I find REALLY good deals on cereals and other dry goods, nuts, prunes etc and I really like their brand of pasta sauce. They have items that most commercial grocery stores don't have, and their wine selection rocks!

Francl27

Very tasty frozen prepared food.

bbell1985

I live in NYC and Trader Joes gives me a panic attack. If I see it's not swarming with crazy mobs I might pop in for the canned smoked trout which is actually stupid good.

karahm78

Francl27 wrote: »

Very tasty frozen prepared food.

Agreed, they have some very good and unique frozen specialties that I can't find elsewhere. So I make a trip once a month to stock up on those items and a few other things.

HeidiCooksSupper

We go there once every two or three weeks but we make a weekly trip to a regular supermarket which has better produce and get some stuff online, chiefly via Amazon, because of price or availability.

TJ's has lots of items that are high (or at least reliable) quality and are reasonably priced. For example, feta cheese is much less expensive there than at other supermarkets around here. There's real parmigiano reggiano. They have an expeller-pressed canola oil.

It's not true that TJ's is always better. At least with the mix of stores here, TJ's is the place we can get ricotta without thickeners whereas their sour cream includes "modified food starch (corn), sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, guar gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, kosher gelatin." We pick up Daisy sour cream at the supermarket that doesn't. I avoid the thickeners for culinary reasons; they change how such items behave in recipes.

meganw2020

Unique products and generally very reasonable even cheap prices. Just be warned it is not really the kind of store you can do all your shopping at as they have a somewhat limited selection, but I usually ago once a month or so to pick up some of my favorites.

Sp1tfire

Francl27 wrote: »

Very tasty frozen prepared food.

this.

CaliMomTeach

I love their salads. I usually go with half of the dressing.

04hoopsgal73

It carries 75% of the food I eat. I can always find the fresh veggies, cheese, chicken I want there.
Many items are less or the same as my food supermarket. The larger stores carry fresh fish, beef, chicken, pork.
Prices are the same or lower.

sgt1372

I've been going to TJ's for at least 30 years.

They've got a few things that you can't find anywhere else but a lot that is overpriced and not unique at all.

Started going there for the 2 Buck Chuck but the 2 Buck Chuck is no more. I will often go there to browse the aisles to see if there's anything on sale that I want to buy but right now it's my go-to place only for dried apricots and pre-made Hollandaise sauce.

CTcutie

When cooking for 1-2 people, it's great bc package sizes aren't huge, and so the prices are a little lower than the bigger stores. They have a good selection of things you can't frequently get at a regular store, and have great customer service. (If you need gluten free foods, they have those, too.) Their brand of things is typically awesome- Nuts, dried fruit, cereal, protein bars, produce, Greek yogurt, Applegate Farms turkey & cheeses, cheeses in general!, tasting area, etc. I go like 2x a week.
Edited- to add that the chocolates are also very good!!

ccruz985

They've got some pretty great frozen stuff for nights I work late and weight loss or not, the cookie butter is LIFE (for a treat, I replace my peanut butter with it on a toasted English muffin with sliced banana). Also, the ground turkey is always 2.99/lb and their stuff is generally cheaper than a lot of places. They also have a wide variety of not easily found ingredients like fennel and every kind of cheese I can think of and some I can't. I live in NY and not the skyscraper part everyone imagines so for me, a trip there is worth is.

earlnabby

My preference is Aldi (which owns TJ's BTW) but I do go there when it is time to load up the wine cabinet. Great prices and a good selection (I rarely buy 3 Buck Chuck).

Occasionally I will pick up some cheese from them but they really don't carry much I can't get elsewhere.

NorthCascades

Feta and goat cheese, laundry detergent, the tea tree shampoo and conditioner, lots of frozen stuff. Not for fresh produce though, at least here.

OldDudeOnBike

I like some of the stuff there that you cannot get elsewhere, and the prices are mostly good, unlike Wholefoods. Items I like are the 16oz bags of mixed nuts for about eight bucks. Several varieties (different mixes). My two favorites are one that has macadamia and pistachios, and another with Brazil nuts. They have premium wines for a couple of bucks less than the grocery store.

OldDudeOnBike

bbell1985 wrote: »

I live in NYC and Trader Joes gives me a panic attack. If I see it's not swarming with crazy mobs I might pop in for the canned smoked trout which is actually stupid good.

Their canned tuna has good ratings for dolphin safe, and mercury content.

OldDudeOnBike

HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »

We go there once every two or three weeks but we make a weekly trip to a regular supermarket which has better produce and get some stuff online, chiefly via Amazon, because of price or availability.

Agreed. I get produce from the super market or farmers markets. Their produce is all packaged.