I'm heading to Trader Joes this weekend - what should I put on my list?

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  • 2017aspiration
    2017aspiration Posts: 1 Member
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    The frozen stuff that’s lite! (That’s how they spell it on the packaging). String cheese, apples, a ton of their stuff is pretty healthy and relatively cheap. A lot of their almond / etc milk is good on cereal, Greek yogurt
  • darlibby
    darlibby Posts: 37 Member
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    I usually stock up on booze and frozen Indian meals. I also like their natural peanut butter.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
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    Cookie thins - lemon and gingersnap are crispy and sweet, and very low calorie (a serving is 9, I usually have 4 with tea for ~ 80 calories).

    Frozen prepared meals - we like them on gym nights because they're fast, pretty tasty, and help us avoid take-out. Mandarin Orange Chicken or Shiitake Chicken over broccoli slaw and a few of their potstickers is a nice sub if you're trying not to order Chinese takeout. Or mushroom ravioli with leftover pork tenderloin and steamed veggies.

    Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa mix. I think it's seasonal, so might not always be available. Whatever, it's fast and yummy, as far as cocoa mix goes.

    Marinades and sauces- tikka masala simmer sauce and red curry are standards at our house. Flavorful, and a little goes a long way to liven up lean meat and veggies or reheat leftovers. We make curry pizza abominations on their naan too.

    Pita crackers - whole wheat and flax. Nothing especially healthy about these, they just taste really good. Nice with hummus or a tiny bit of fancy cheese (speaking of cheese, I just had a lovely tasting selection of Trader Joe's Spanish cheeses - tiny portions of a few cheeses with tiny prices).

    Marinara #99. I like the flavor for a jarred sauce - basic and simple, and lots of garlic.

    Cheese. Definitely a better deal for your "fancy" cheese needs, at least where I am.

    This list is getting intense. :neutral: Anyway, TJs is our closest store, and the prices are usually better for fresh produce and dairy than our local chain market (I had a bok choy snafu and discovered that a bag of TJs baby bok choy was $6.50 less than the regular supermarket - I wanted to die).
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
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    Thanks Laur357! I wish it was closer and they had one on my side of town!!
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,978 Member
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    Tried30UserNames wrote: »
    How come people always think TJ's has healthy food? It's just a lower priced grocery store, isn't it?

    I shop at TJ's occasionally but I'd hardly call it a "lower priced grocery store."

    There are some lower priced items at TJs (which are generally the only things I buy there) but many things are as high or higher than at other stores, especially the prices on meat and prepared products.

    The appeal of TJs seems to be the different (from other stores) variety of food products that they carry. I give them that and always find it interesting to see what's there but I seldom buy any of them because of the price.
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
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    Their cooked lentils is a must buy.
    They can be eaten hot or cold, if you are in a rush throw them with something and dinner is ready. Lentils are full of protein and iron - you cannot go wrong.
    Also their tin coconut milk is organic.
    This is also a must buy - look for their coconut oil - comes in a box of 14 packets, so you do not have to weight anything.
    100% cranberry juice is a steal at their price.
    Cauliflower rice - good buy when you are low on calories. You can eat the whole packet, about 100 calories.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    Trader Joe's has a frozen seafood blend (shrimp, scallops, calamari) that I really like for things like paella, risotto and curries. I usually buy a few bags to keep in my freezer so I can make a quick meal if I don't have time to go to the grocery store. I also second the frozen spinach and artichoke dip. Again, I like to keep it on hand in case I have unexpected guest or have to take something to a get together last minute. It's microwave ready in less than 5 minutes. They also have great wines for the price and good prices on fresh cut flowers, which is usually the only time I splurge on them other than at a farmer's market.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    new wheels for your far w/ how messed up your tires will be.

    honestly I don't think there is anything special about TJ's other than their 4.99$ bottles of wine- which is the only thing I shop for in there.
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
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    JoRocka wrote: »
    new wheels for your far w/ how messed up your tires will be.

    honestly I don't think there is anything special about TJ's other than their 4.99$ bottles of wine- which is the only thing I shop for in there.

    Everyone's opinion is different and obviously yours is.
    I love the quality of their food along with wholefoods. And there don't give you any crap if you have to return something.
  • Lift_Run_Eat
    Lift_Run_Eat Posts: 986 Member
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    Gone Banana's (frozen chocolate covered bananas)
    Ginger Turmeric Tea
    Ghost Pepper chips
    Everything but the bagel seasoning

    Seriously the only reasons I go to Trader Joes.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
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    I love the nonfat blended greek yogurt. Nothing special about the nonfat other than it happens to fit my calories a bit better.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    socajam wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    new wheels for your far w/ how messed up your tires will be.

    honestly I don't think there is anything special about TJ's other than their 4.99$ bottles of wine- which is the only thing I shop for in there.

    Everyone's opinion is different and obviously yours is.
    I love the quality of their food along with wholefoods. And there don't give you any crap if you have to return something.

    What are you trying to return? I don't ever have to return food unless something was physically wrong with it (like moldly bread) which I've done exactly once- to "returnablility" is pretty low on my list of needs form a grocery store.

    absolutely but other than the fact it's cramped and niche foods- there isn't anything particularly special about it.

    what quality? they have a boat load of packaged foods which- if it's niche- it's niche- otherwise you can find something equally the same at other stores.

    And which whole foods are talking about? My grocery store locally sources produce- and while some stores are better than others (same chain and I know which ones are which) "whole foods" is just way to generic of a term to really nail that down- and TJ's certainly doesn't earn marks for having better produce.

    I also have a wegmans near me- so if I want specialty food I go there- they are about the same in terms of price.
  • Tried30UserNames
    Tried30UserNames Posts: 561 Member
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    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Tried30UserNames wrote: »
    How come people always think TJ's has healthy food? It's just a lower priced grocery store, isn't it?

    I shop at TJ's occasionally but I'd hardly call it a "lower priced grocery store."

    There are some lower priced items at TJs (which are generally the only things I buy there) but many things are as high or higher than at other stores, especially the prices on meat and prepared products.

    Oh, regional differences. Trader Joe's is my cheap grocery store unless I make the 45 minute trek to Aldi or shop at ethnic markets. Of course in my area Whole Foods is the second cheapest so it's a bit pricey here. We're fortunate to have TJ's every mile or so. There are 5 of them within a 10 minute drive of me, many more than any other grocery store.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Tried30UserNames wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Tried30UserNames wrote: »
    How come people always think TJ's has healthy food? It's just a lower priced grocery store, isn't it?

    I shop at TJ's occasionally but I'd hardly call it a "lower priced grocery store."

    There are some lower priced items at TJs (which are generally the only things I buy there) but many things are as high or higher than at other stores, especially the prices on meat and prepared products.

    Oh, regional differences. Trader Joe's is my cheap grocery store unless I make the 45 minute trek to Aldi or shop at ethnic markets. Of course in my area Whole Foods is the second cheapest so it's a bit pricey here. We're fortunate to have TJ's every mile or so. There are 5 of them within a 10 minute drive of me, many more than any other grocery store.

    you mean Whole Paycheck?

    that store is absurd. I can't imagine it being the second cheapest I might cry- and FFS I live in NJ- where the heck do you live that that's on the "cheapest list!!!"
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
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    Thd TJs frozen orange chicken is a zillion calories. Read the labels for stuff, it’s not sll healthy OR low cal!
  • SDpanda619
    SDpanda619 Posts: 41 Member
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    The dill popcorn!!! For when you need a snack!!!
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    edited January 2018
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    whmscll wrote: »
    Thd TJs frozen orange chicken is a zillion calories. Read the labels for stuff, it’s not sll healthy OR low cal!

    A 320 calorie serving of the orange chicken fits into my 1300 calorie day just fine. Of course you should read the labels. Everyone here has different goals.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,978 Member
    edited January 2018
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    Tried30UserNames wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Tried30UserNames wrote: »
    How come people always think TJ's has healthy food? It's just a lower priced grocery store, isn't it?

    I shop at TJ's occasionally but I'd hardly call it a "lower priced grocery store."

    There are some lower priced items at TJs (which are generally the only things I buy there) but many things are as high or higher than at other stores, especially the prices on meat and prepared products.

    Oh, regional differences. Trader Joe's is my cheap grocery store unless I make the 45 minute trek to Aldi or shop at ethnic markets. Of course in my area Whole Foods is the second cheapest so it's a bit pricey here. We're fortunate to have TJ's every mile or so. There are 5 of them within a 10 minute drive of me, many more than any other grocery store.

    TJ and WF are your cheapest food store options? !!! A TJ every mile or so?

    Just out of curiosity, where do you live?

    I live in the SF Bay Area which is one of the (if not THE) most expensive place to live in the US (at least in terms of the cost of housing).

    The closest WF to me is located over 20 miles away (guess my area isn't high income enough for a WF) but w/in a 3-5 mile radius of my house, I've got a TJ (only 1), multiple major supermarkets (Safeway, Raleys & Lucky), a Sprouts, a Walmart, 2 Grocery Outlets, a Target and 2 major local discount super markets (FoodMaxx and Winco) plus the farmer's market and local farm stands when they are open in season. A Smart & Final and and some local ethnic Asian and Latino markets are located just a bit farther away.

    There's just an over abundance of food stores in my area and I'm always searching for the best deals. Headed to a Latino market today which has mangos and avocados on sale for just 99 cents for 3.

    Never seen anything that cheap at TJ.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    See if they have anything Peppermint Joe Joe left, cookies or ice cream. I think not living near TJ's has helped my weight loss.
  • karahm78
    karahm78 Posts: 505 Member
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    I always have their organic frozen brown rice and the jasmine rice.... 3 mins in the microwave and done!

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