Trader Joes :)

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MiniMichelle
MiniMichelle Posts: 807 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I love Trader Joe's- Anyone have any recommendations???

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  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
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    I'm a huge Trader's fan also. OMG their oats and flax is so yummilicious!!! :P
  • dmanakho
    dmanakho Posts: 143 Member
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    it's hard to boy something wrong at TJ. :)

    I'm glad that i have one 10 minutes away from my house.

    Bread... I recommend TJ brand sprouted breads... Healthiest bread out there.
  • realme56
    realme56 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    There is so much there! I love the scottish steel cut oats, hummus and those mini whole wheat pitas! The blue corn tortillas are the bomb, I spray them with a bit of I can't believe it's not butter and "fry" them in a hot oven (or broiler) slather on the Salsa Style Refried Beans and Roasted Tomato Salsa.......my mouth is watering!
  • Becky1971
    Becky1971 Posts: 979 Member
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    I have never been there, but am so excited, they just announced today they are opening in town here this summer!!
  • angelarozmyn
    angelarozmyn Posts: 91
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    instant steel cut oatmeal - in the frozen section. Fiber, protein, low cal - I add almond milk and dates and it is delicious and quick to make!
  • ImperfektAngel
    ImperfektAngel Posts: 811 Member
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    I go there almost every day lol I love to check out what they are sampling for the day, they have some wonderful recipes :D
    Some of the usual stuff I get there are, unsalted roasted almonds, prunes, mediterranean hummus, spinach, 100 calorie dark chocolate bars, Pesto pizza, parmesan low fat ranch dressing, low sodium turkey slices, lite string cheese, mild cheddar cheese sticks, marinara sauce, parmesan cheese, basil, sea salt, spice blend, french vanilla ice cream, ginger snap cookies and lots more I'm sure Im forgetting lol
  • joolzsd
    joolzsd Posts: 51
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    I just got back! :) Love that place.

    Single serve packs of unsalted almonds, low-sodium soups (butternut squash and tomato/red pepper), multigrain pita bite crackers (delicious with tuna on top for lunch), TJ brand greek yogurt - I try to get the plain because of the sugar in the flavored ones, the 2% is a perfect balance between the fatty-but-delicious regular, and the too-tangy 0%. They have lots of good high fiber cereals, great selection of nut butters, and lots of options for whole grains & oatmeals.

    As far as "treats" - I get the "reduced guilt" frozen mac & cheese sometimes, and they just came out with cute little 70 calorie ice cream cones.
  • s_bettencourt
    s_bettencourt Posts: 2
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    Ah How I miss that store, we don't have any in England :( I love their Orange Chicken!
  • olyrose
    olyrose Posts: 569 Member
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    Love everything from there! I love their toasted sesame Asian salad dressing. I usually get their prepackaged herb salad and spring mix then chop up a bunch of other veggies. And their Mediterranean hummus is the best ever! Sometimes there are some good eggplant and zucchini frozen foods, like one that is grilled and another that has some marinara sauce with it. Both pretty low cal
  • ellenangel
    ellenangel Posts: 106 Member
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    I LOVE their apple cranberry fiber cakes! I freeze them then thaw when ready to eat- microwave for 10 seconds and top with Laughing Cow Extra light. So good!

    Also love their pumpkin butter (40 cals per tablespoon- also good with Laughing Cow cheese on pita bread, grilled on George Foreman!)

    Their sandwiches-to-go are really delicious- the hummus wrap is my go-to (320 cals and tons of veg, vitamins, etc) but the turkey/swiss wrap is amazing (390 cals but BIG and packed with protein).

    The egg white salad is meant to be really good too.

    Never tried their frozen things because I live too far away but the salmon burgers are popular, as are the sorbet filled coconut shells.

    Sneaky suspicion that a lot of their vegetarian meals (lasagne, etc) are actually Amy's- not sure if this is true but apparently taste identical but half the price.

    I buy other stuff there too just because it's so much cheaper- Clif Z-bars, Better 'n' Peanut Butter (which is nothing like peanut butter but delicious if you think of it more as a fudge-like spread- I keep it in the fridge and add to banana + Greek yogurt). The soy liquid creamer for coffee is delicious and so much lower in cals/just as creamy as real cream.

    Have heard that the low-fat French vanilla granola is good- the pumpkin spice one is gross though.
  • eastcoaster
    eastcoaster Posts: 67
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    Vegetable Root Chips are so good. They come in a red bag. Love their produce. Hamburger meat is great and inexpensive. Their frozen corn is delicious, tastes like it's right off the cob. They sell Morning Star tomato basil veggie burgers. Sooo good.
    I love everything there. I'm waiting for their unsweetened ice tea to come back. It's seasonal. Love it!:drinker:
  • maremare312
    maremare312 Posts: 1,143 Member
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    Some of my essentials from there are instant miso soup (crazy high on the sodium, but only 90 cals for 2 servings), fat free balsamic dressing (so yummy!), orange muscat champagne vinegar (so good you don't need to add oil to make a good dressing), savory mini thin crackers (yummy sesame and rice crackers, gluten free and like 130 cal for 37 crackers), Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (40 cal a cup, not exclusive to TJ's, I just pick it up there since it's cheap), and chocolate cat cookies for my mom, they are low fat crunchy cookies. Also tzatziki sauce!
  • mayasmom
    mayasmom Posts: 61 Member
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    I saw those cute little 70 calorie ice cream cones yesterday ... definitely on my "to buy" list once the weather turns warmer (for good!).
  • cheshirechic
    cheshirechic Posts: 489 Member
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    I love EVERYTHING there. That's where I get my raw almond butter, since it's significantly cheaper. Also, organic frozen veggies and pre-marinated meat are much more affordable there. I love the sun-dried tomato chicken tenders. I'll usually bake them and put them on a salad.

    LOVE TJs!
  • dmanakho
    dmanakho Posts: 143 Member
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    and something else i've just discovered at Trader's Joe.

    I always buy Plain Kefir.... it's healthy and i like the taste.

    Now, i've discovered Indian Lassi.... mmmm.... it's heaven... love it.
  • julesaz
    julesaz Posts: 12 Member
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    I love TJs!
    I treat myself to the Spicy Ranchero Egg White salad - only 100 cal per container, but it is also $3 a container!
    I get the spicy spinach pizzas for when I am on the go.
    The crumbled goat cheese is cheap and a little goes a long way, flavorwise.
    I get steamed lentils and baby beats from the produce area.
    As someone who is skeeved out by raw meat, I buy the just chicken pieces and use that in my salads for the week.
    I also buy the milk chocolate minis for when I need a fix.

    I had a sample the other day and bought the ingredients to make the recipe - super easy!
    1 package of fully cooked mango chicken sausage
    1 can pineapple
    1 bag of the melange a trois peppers
    I sauteed the diced up sausage links in some pineapple juice, until they browned a little, then I added the peppers and pineapples and heated it through. It makes 5 servings.

    Buy some pretty flowers there to spruce up the dinner table!
  • deadmittens
    deadmittens Posts: 536 Member
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    The mandarin chicken is the BEST! I LOVE that stuff but have realized I can't buy it because I'll eat the entire bag in two days.
  • aawh
    aawh Posts: 96 Member
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    My list gets longer and longer every time I go there because everything I try is really good :)


    Champagne pear vinaigrette salad dressing - by produce

    Chicken chili lime burgers - frozen

    Frozen wild blueberries

    Rice cakes

    Almond milk

    Corn puffs - both white cheddar and sour cream and onion

    Mango chicken sausages

    Better'n'peanut butter

    Baby carrots and sliced mushrooms are priced really good

    Pinata apples - a hint of tropical flavor
  • sarahc001
    sarahc001 Posts: 477 Member
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    If you'd like, add me as a friend and take a look at my food diary- I subsist almost entirely on Trader Joe's! The butter tandoori chicken (near the meats, and hummus, and deli items) is all fresh ingredients, and you heat it in the microwave for 3min. 360cal, a great dinner. 2 cups of chicken broth, 3 egg whites (or the pourable egg whites they have in the egg section if you don't want to go to the trouble) 2 turkey meatballs, and 2c spinach gives you a super filling soup for 180 cal. The low carb flour tortillas, along with the sliced chicken or turkey breast and a tbs of hummus is a fantastic lunch. The same tortillas (45cal ea) used to wrap 3 egg whites, and salt and pepper to taste- great breakfast wrap and less than 100 cal. The breaded chicken tenderloins are in the frozen section, 110 cal a pop. heat them up in the microwave, then put under the broiler to crisp. Take a stick of their fresh mozzarella (like string cheese but not with the hard waxy feel,) split it in half, put half over each of the two tenderloins, broil, and drizzle with marinara sauce for a chicken parm that tastes like 800 calories but is more like 300 (220 for tenderloins, 70 for cheese, and if you only use 1/4c sauce, 25cal for the marinara.)

    Oh and don't forget the dark chocolate covered mini pretzels- 10 cal each! Yay!
  • abeautifulvoice
    abeautifulvoice Posts: 246
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    I wish we had one here! I went there a few times when I visited Phoenix. I didn't get to look around much. But, we ended up getting these naughty, but delicious Mochi Balls...(green tea ice cream balls--I think they come in a variety pack though). SOOOO good!

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