Trader Joe's

13

Replies

  • DargoMack
    DargoMack Posts: 75 Member
    *Greek Yogurt
    *Almond Milk - great prices
    *Turkey soy meatballs
    *Dark chocolate bars
    *Dark chocolate covered edamame
    *Frozen veggies
    *Thick cut ridge chips - perfect to take to a party for dipping, but so not good for you.
    *Olive Oil
    *Pasta sauces
    *Black Beans
    *Chicken broth
    *Brown Rice noodles

    I hate the Brown Rice. I thought it tasted like dirt and returned it.
  • Mich4871
    Mich4871 Posts: 143 Member
    100 calorie frozen blueberry cheesecake on a stick.... YUM!

    Non-Fat Vanilla Greek Yogurt

    Hummus snack cups

    Low Carb Whole Wheat Tortillas - great for wraps - only 45 calories each. I actually just pulled Quinoa Black Bean Enchiladas out of the oven that I made with them.

    I like their canned White Chunk Chicken in water.

    Salt and Pepper Lentil Chips are always good for a snack
  • deagh93
    deagh93 Posts: 77 Member
    you had better get your extra cash ready ...these guys make you pay through the nose for "feeling cool" while you shop in this trumped up hippy shop....:) No I dont shop there, I have better ways of spending my money. most of this is tongue in cheek but it really is kind of how I feel about the place.

    That's how I feel about Whole Foods, so I get where you're coming from.

    There is some truth to this, but if you make your choices correctly, then it is very affordable.

    I buy all of my dry pasta there. They are cheaper than the supermarket.
    They also have fabulous canned pinto beans (I spent a large portion of my childhood picking dry pinto beans before my mom cooked them. No, thank you.)
    Trader Joe's Salsa Authentica
    Tea! They have an awesome selection. My wake-up drink of choice is the Trader Joe's Irish Breakfast Black tea. So much less packaging than what you get in the supermarket - they don't individually wrap the bags.
    Sunflower Seed butter. It's great if you have someone in the household who has a peanut allergy, and their jars of it are only $3 each, versus $5-$6 that I've seen in the grocery store.
    Produce can be hit or miss, I agree, but we do make a point of getting a box of grapefruit every winter. I grew up in the area where the Texas Ruby Red originated, so I'm picky. They're one of the few places here in the Northwest that gets really good ones.
    Frozen fish - they have a lot of sustainably farmed choices.
    Unsalted tortilla chips. This is the only place I have EVER seen these. My partner is on a low sodium diet, and because of these he can actually have chips and salsa now and again. I've come to prefer them.
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    I tend to stick to the shelf-stable groceries at TJ's:

    fat free spicy black bean dip
    coffee
    sweet potato bisque
    shampoo, conditioner, body wash -- I like the Tea Tree and Citrus varieties: I don't care for the scent of the Spa line but my daughter does
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    you had better get your extra cash ready ...these guys make you pay through the nose for "feeling cool" while you shop in this trumped up hippy shop....:) No I dont shop there, I have better ways of spending my money. most of this is tongue in cheek but it really is kind of how I feel about the place.

    Really? I wouldn't say the prices are higher than anywhere else in our area. The biggest "problem" I have is the same problem I have with the grocery section at Target -- they don't have everything I want. Could I live on just their product lines? Yes, but I don't want to. So most of my food shopping remains with a local grocery chain that doesn't carry motor oil and whose staff actually knows food and cooking.
  • tlspratley
    tlspratley Posts: 24 Member
    The salsas are excellent, particularly the black bean and corn salsa! One of my weekly staples.
  • HisPathDaily
    HisPathDaily Posts: 672 Member
    Seen a couple comments on pricing ... not sure if if varies by area, but 2 locations I've went to were clearly lower on average prices. By far one of the most economical places outside possibly a super-wal-mart (which I won't shop unless I absolutely have to) ... but I do agree on their produce issues, good prices, but not the best ... when I did shop at TJs (as my regular store) I bought most things there, but not produce.

    Anyway, in Michigan their prices are more than competitive ... and I'm comparing to the chain grocery stores, not Whole Foods or the like. The ONLY reason I don't go there now as my primary store is that it's located in a VERY busy area ... will gladly avoid 20 minutes of traffic for a little premium in prices.

    Though I do miss many of their products, so I still visit occasionally.
  • Sailorwind
    Sailorwind Posts: 158 Member
    you had better get your extra cash ready ...these guys make you pay through the nose for "feeling cool" while you shop in this trumped up hippy shop....:) No I dont shop there, I have better ways of spending my money. most of this is tongue in cheek but it really is kind of how I feel about the place.
    This really depends on where you live as their prices don't tend to vary much from area to area. When I lived in the DC area, it seemed insane to me how cheap everything was at TJ's and I was very upset I still had to go to the over-priced regular grocery stores for some things. But then I moved to Louisville and as thrilled as I was when TJ's followed me here, their prices no longer seem like great deals, in fact some things I pass up because I know I can find it cheaper elsewhere in town. Same prices, different cost of living to compare them to. But the food really is great and some things still are better deals than the grocery store (like the almond milk which is a staple in my apartment), so I don't mind paying a bit more than I would at Kroger for food I know I will like better and probably feel less guilty about eating as the food at TJ's tends to be a bit healthier, even the processed stuff I'd like to eventually get away from.
  • spdoman7
    spdoman7 Posts: 121 Member
    wasabi peas
  • subcult
    subcult Posts: 262 Member
    2 buck chuck.
    lol for real
  • SWilland
    SWilland Posts: 232 Member
    Bump! Trader Joes will be opening in my area in two months. Totally pumped!
  • amersmanders
    amersmanders Posts: 118 Member
    Steamed Lentils.
  • kaosvarkas
    kaosvarkas Posts: 46 Member
    Definitely enjoy the sweet potato tortilla chips and their guacamole.
  • PaleoRDH
    PaleoRDH Posts: 266
    OMG that store is phenominal. You're just going to have to spend some time there going up and down all the rows and eyeballing it all. And every time I go I discover another treasure.................. they have an amazing and inexpensive cheese section too........... love it, love it! And I buy all of my nuts there too, great prices........I love the sweet and spicy pecans,mmmmm. I'd move in and live in the back if they'd let me. OH OH and they have great vitamin supplements, wine, pretty much all of their frozen foods, during the holidays they sell this chiffon pumpkin mouse cheesecake................SIGH. I need to run to TJ's, BRB.
  • ChelsoBee
    ChelsoBee Posts: 26 Member
    I am at Trader Joe's every week to pick up my weekly groceries.
    I love their fruit: watermelon, apples, grapes(except for the one time I found a spider hanging out in mine all week), and strawberries.
    I also love their Better 'n peanut butter, their ground turkey, and chicken breasts, and their bag salads are awesome and last a long time. Basically I love everything I get there.
  • seehe
    seehe Posts: 946 Member
    I like to buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts there. Laura Dolson, About.com's Low Carb Diets Guide says that Trader Joes pre-brines their chicken as part of the koshering process which helps it to be more juicy and tender. I also buy lunch meat and cheese, natural peanut butter, milk, yogurt, marinara sauce, whole wheat pasta, frozen organic veggies and fruits, organic milk and eggs, and even precooked sirloin. They have some other things like great dog treats, and really good sparkling wine.
  • Ck228
    Ck228 Posts: 25 Member
    Quarts of organic plain yogurt are cheap
    California complete protein bread
    Fig butter!! (it's a fruit spread, not butter)
    breakfast cereal is pretty cheap
    organic plain soy milk, in the green box-- only 2 ingredients: soybeans and water. Maybe salt.

    JUNK but worth it:
    chocolate-dipped almond crescent cookies
    nitrate-free hot dogs
    pretty much everything above the freezers... look out

    Avoid the produce, except keep an eye out for deals on berries.
    And for gods sake do not get the $2 wines... headache in a bottle.
  • Ck228
    Ck228 Posts: 25 Member
    Haha they dont sale wine in our grocery stores so no worries there. My grocery list grows longer and longer. Thanks for the suggestions everyone
  • terrappyn
    terrappyn Posts: 324 Member
    I love Trader Joe's but they are not you one stop grocery shop. I won't buy their produce with the exception to bananas. I like their bread products, snacks and dairy case. When I do go I pick up the usuals:

    Brie or goat cheese medallions
    Veggie burgers
    Apricot and Mango yogurt (with granola) or the vanilla with the almonds
    Eggs
    Their nuts are pretty good

    And sometimes Ill grab some dinner from their to go case. (Im the only one in the house that'll eat from there, the boyfriend would rather eat Little Debbie's.)

    Hope that helps.
  • kmorris246
    kmorris246 Posts: 312 Member
    Bump! Supposed to open in my town in just a couple months. So excited :-)
  • Brandon74
    Brandon74 Posts: 453 Member
    I love Trader Joe's but haven't been there lately.

    Things that I have gotten there that I like....

    Turkey Burgers
    Avocados
    Cocoa Almond Butter (Healthier and even better than Nuttella)
    Hamburgers
    Cheese Curls (These are the bomb. They are better than Cheetos)

    Could probably think of more too.
  • Roeri011
    Roeri011 Posts: 77 Member
    You have to buy their Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip!!!

    oh, forgot about that - and the cilantro and chive greek yogurt dip. SO good.

    Oh...I need to try that Cilantro and chive Greek yogurt dip! Sounds tasty!

    Question - never tried these dips before - is it a standard kinda dip that you would use for carrots or tortilla type chips? What do you guys typically dip in these dips?

    I've used the Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt dip in sandwiches, on carrots, and straight from the tub :embarassed:
  • ryovanovich
    ryovanovich Posts: 13 Member
    Sure these have all been listed by now:

    GREAT Nut selection, raw, salted, flavored, etc
    .Hummus is excellent
    Lots of sauces (Thai Green Curry, Red Curry, Choppino, etc)
    Pizza dough
    LF Cottage Cheese is best tasting IMO
    Good selection of pre-frozen fish (mahi-mahi, black cod, ruffy)
  • tigtigs
    tigtigs Posts: 52
    I love the place...so fun to just walk around and see what the new items are. :-)
  • ShaneOSX
    ShaneOSX Posts: 198
    you had better get your extra cash ready ...these guys make you pay through the nose for "feeling cool" while you shop in this trumped up hippy shop....:) No I dont shop there, I have better ways of spending my money. most of this is tongue in cheek but it really is kind of how I feel about the place.

    That's how I feel about Whole Foods, so I get where you're coming from.

    There is some truth to this, but if you make your choices correctly, then it is very affordable.

    Not sure where all these cheap stores you guys shop at are, but in my experience Trader Joe's is the cheapest grocery store in New York City. Far cheaper than Fresh Direct, Whole Foods, Food Emporium, etc., and certainly cheaper than bodegas and such. Maybe Target is in competition for lower prices, but even that varies from item to item.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    you had better get your extra cash ready ...these guys make you pay through the nose for "feeling cool" while you shop in this trumped up hippy shop....:) No I dont shop there, I have better ways of spending my money. most of this is tongue in cheek but it really is kind of how I feel about the place.

    I shop at Trader Joe's because I like the selection AND the prices. Organic produce is far cheaper at TJs than other stores in my area (carrots, broccoli, bagged spinach). The hummus is cheaper, cheese is ALWAYS cheaper, Greek yogurt is a full dollar less ($4.99 when it's $5.99 or $5.79 at Target for the same quantity). I've never seen frozen wild salmon priced as low as it is at Trader Joe's. I buy their brand of Cheerios for my son at $1.99 a box, and it's rarely that low on sale elsewhere. Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Granola is $2 less at TJs than other stores. And the pasta sauce I buy, no salt added and organic, is $2.39 - that is very low for the quality.

    I'm most definitely a bargain shopper, and TJs fits perfectly in my budget.
  • sheclimbsrocks
    sheclimbsrocks Posts: 110 Member
    I love trader joe's for their exotic snacks. For instance sesame-honey almonds / cashews or dark chocolate honey mints. They also have greener toiletries.

    What I don't like about trader joe's is that you can't find staple food items because most of their food is 'heat & eat' or semi-prepared. For instance, I couldn't find lasagna noodles but I could find frozen lasagna. I also remember their produce being heavily wrapped in pvc wrap. That's bad for the environment and bad for our health.

    I don't usually shop their, but when I do it's for treats!
  • krystleeanne
    krystleeanne Posts: 42 Member
    bump
  • mspris2u
    mspris2u Posts: 161 Member
    bump
  • jrwatson87
    jrwatson87 Posts: 66
    pineapple mango salsa on top of any of the fresh fish they offer, their turkey breast sandwich meat and provolone is the best, apple butter is good, and if you are craving Indian or Thai and can't cook (like me), they have good sauces that take the guesswork out.

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