What are your favorites from Trader Joes?

[sir_captain]

I'm back to being an exceedingly poor student, with hundreds of thousands of dollars of school debt, but I can't quite bring myself to eat ramen, so I'm filling my fridge and freezer with as much stuff from Trader Joe's instead. I've been eating a ton of their Indian Fare packaged meals, which are pretty amazingly good for $2.

In any case, I've only been living near a TJ's for a little while, so I don't know everything that's good yet--any recommendations?

[LeftyMom]

1. Eggplant hummus!

It's soooooo good.

[sir_captain]

4. Mmm... sounds good.

I'll have to check it out. I can't find the fantastic hummus that I used to get at home in NYC (ah, but I could say that about so many other things too) so a new substitute has to be high on my list!

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. Their frozen enchiladas and pad thai is good and only $2.

Also their wine is only $3. Trader Joes has tons of good stuff. I like looking at their specials flier online before shopping there.

[sir_captain]

6. Is the pad thai fresh or frozen?

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

7. Frozen. They have a vegan tofu one and a shrimp one.

Probably chicken too, but I only eat fish, so I never paid attention to chicken/beef/pork products.

[sir_captain]

9. Sounds good

I will pick some up--I'm a big fan of pad thai.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. I've only been in once...

while on a road trip. The wine and chocolate truffles were pretty damn good.

[sbj405]

5. Eating on of their Belgian Milk Chocolate Bars now.

3 for $1.39.

I like everything. I can't say that I've ever gotten anything bad there.

[HERVEPA]

8. Manitaropita

Phyllo dough filled with seasoned mushrooms in a white wine sauce.
Also Thai Vegetable Gyoza

[sir_captain]

10. Wow...that sounds great

I often wish that mushrooms had any real nutritional value--cause I could eat about a ton of them.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

11. Oh yeah, the gyozas are good.

Their Greek frozen pizzas are good too. Feta, olives, artichokes, etc. :9

[ForrestGump]

16. I second those

All their pizzas are very good. So is their spinach pie (not a spanikopita, but similar...I think they carry spanikopita, too) that tends to lurk in the same general area of the store.

And the gyoza/potstickers really are delectable...it's been a while since I had them, but I don't think they come with dipping sauce (you cna make your own fairly easily out of minced fresh ginger mixed in with soy sauce, rice vinegar (sake vinegar?...can't recall, because it's been a long time since I made it), and a little sesame oil. Food of the gods.

Oh...forgot all about canned goods. Their pea soups (split-pea and 'mostly unsplit' pea) and clam chowder are good. Their organic lentil stew is one of the my favorite products on the planet. I used to like their beef stew, now and then, and their chilis are all good -- I think my favorite is the turkey chili. Their salmon and tuna are also good.

Actually, again, most of the stuff in Trader Joe's is excellent, and I always liked that you could not only get things for a good price but that they tended to be better for you (and better tasting) than mass-produced counterparts from supermarkets. Good chocolate milk, too. :-)

[sir_captain]

17. Wow...you are really the man to ask

on this subject. I'm going to have to make a list.

[Gormy Cuss]

21. The best thing about TJ's is that so much of their product is good

that I don't mind the occasional stinker.

Avocado's Number, other than being a bit salty, is a good guacamole if one isn't inclined to make one from scratch.

[ForrestGump]

12. Lots of things, though I tend to run in and pick up the same few

things each time.

Back in the '80s, I used to live on their hummus (great stuff), eggless egg salad (mm...mmmmm), baba ganouj, dolmas, blue corn chips, and so on, and those remain classics. Ooo...and the cracked wheat sourdough...c'est magnifique. :D

What I've tended to get often lately, apart from Clif bars (99 cents each) and milk (hormone free, fat free), is this collection of yummies:

Ginger lemonade
Low-fat Chinese chicken salad
Chargrilled chicken breast with rice and beans (southwestern...in the same area as the salads, sushi, etc...forget the name, but it's good and a substantial meal)
Chicken verde burritos
Chicken enchiladas (in a red box...fairly new)
Spinach lasagne (cheap! also very good and not high in fat)
Avocado's Number guacamole


I could go on and on listing the stuff I love there, or get now and then, but these ones are staples of late (not so much the guacamole, though it is very good). I can't carry, much, because I'm on a motorcycle, but I max out the space I have.

I've always loved Trader Joe's...missed it like crazy when I was south of the Manson-Nixon Line and had to now and then have CARE packages sent out from Californy....

[sir_captain]

13. Thanks for all the recommendations!

The Chinese chicken salad and chicken with rice and beans sound particularly good. I will definitely check them out.

[ForrestGump]

14. Their original Chinese chicken salad is sublime, but

the dressing is pretty loaded with fat, so when they recently came up with the low-fat version I switched to that (might as well cut where I can, right?)...it's still very good. The full-fat one's definitely worth a taste now and then, even if you're trying not to eat too much fat in one sitting. Yum!

All their salads are good, actually, in my experience.

And that chicken dish is just great, with lots of high-quality chicken and lots of fiber (I tend to like high-fiber stuff) with very little fat. I only discovered that one a few months ago. It's in a round plastic bowl container. Mmmmm...

[sir_captain]

15. I don't care that much about fat content

In general, I try to watch my calorie intake, but don't discriminate much about where the calories come from. But I'll definitely try both versions. And I keep on trying to get myself to eat more salad (probably will finally get over that inertial hump once nutrition class starts!)

I did treat myself to a rack of the babyback ribs a few nights ago, which were really good, and really not all that expensive.

[driver8]

18. The Chicken Tika Masalla (spelling) is awesome. But you might

have to eat 2 of them to fill you up!!

Also, any of their salads, sandwiches, or California Rolls.

They also sell the big bottles of Tejava iced tea for 99 cents.

[martymar64]

19. The cheap imported beer

I used to go to Trader Joe's and buy all the beer I could fit in my car and go down to the parking lot of the venue when the Grateful Dead was in town and I would circulate in the parking lot selling beers at $2 a pop. Made mad cash that way!


The Gyozas rock too!

[sir_captain]

20. Yeah, unfortunately

I live in Philly now, so no beer or wine to be had. I did pick up a case of a microbrew at the state beer store this afternoon, though. Man, a state beer store--what a concept.

[martymar64]

22. What kind of brew?

I'm a bit of a beer snob myself.
I had a couple of newcastles earlier.

[sir_captain]

24. Stoudt's

I had to buy by the case, which I didn't really want to do, so I ended up taking home a sampler pack of Stoudt's (if you're not familiar with it, it's one of the older microbreweries in PA). It has a six pack each of their ESB, American Pale Ale (not usually a big fan, but this one would be a pretty great BBQ beer), German-style Pilsner and their Gold Ale, which is the highlight. All pretty decent stuff, though. They make a nice oatmeal stout as well.

I had a bottle of the wonderfully named Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre earlier today which was pretty excellent.

[tigereye]

62. I always have to champion those who love Dogfish brews!

yes, Pa has very weird liquor laws... someday we might even have beer in the grocery store! (sarc)

[Misunderestimator]

23. Love their Indian meals... You should cook some rice to supplement

them... it would stretch them nicely, and there is plenty of sauce to warrant twice the rice they put in them.

[sir_captain]

25. I mostly get the ones without rice

and then make my own brown rice or Naan or something like that. They're all really good, though. I kind of couldn't believe the quality of a meal that came out of a $2 metal pouch. I'm a particular fan of the spinach with indian cheese cubes--any particular favorites?

[Misunderestimator]

26. I've tried almost all of them...

but the ones I've tried all have rice... Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Vindaloo, Chicken Biryani, Tandoori Chicken with Spinach, Massaman Chicken... love them all!

[Shakespeare]

42. The frozen naan they recently started carrying is AMAZING

You toss it right onto the baking rack (no pan), while frozen, for about two minutes. It comes out restaurant-perfect (feel free to brush with butter or just tear into it as-is).

[Zhade]

38. My only complaint - no agra peas!

Most of the other altgroceries around carry it, but I can't find it at TJ's, and it's my fave!

:P

[LibertyLover]

27. Favorites from Trader Joes?

Anything they have that doesn't have fish or sea food in it.

[sir_captain]

28. Not a seafood lover?

I love pretty much all seafood myself, and I'm thinking about cooking some of the vacuum packed fish sous vide.

[LibertyLover]

49. Definately not a seafood lover

and I live in Maryland too. :rofl: But as I tell my husband - it just means more crab for him.

[tyedyeto]

29. None of their frozen foods for me

The organic canned beans and tomatoes plus anything in the dried fruit/nuts section is what I go for.

[Zomby Woof]

30. Their cheeses

They have Spanish cheeses I can't get readily anywhere else.

They have a great affordable wine selection.

Good dairy, great juices.

Love the eggplant hummus, and the chocolates!

Oh, and Double Rainbow Ice Cream!

[tyedyeto]

32. Damn, I forgot to mention wine in my post

thanx for the reminder. Even tho 2 buck chuck is 3 bucks here.

[begin_within]

31. The frozen french onion soup. The "truly hand made" whole wheat tortillas.

[begin_within]

33. Avoid their frozen pot pies - not good

[ForrestGump]

46. I like the turkey one

Much better than most, and it actually has meat (quite a lot of it). Haven't had the chicken one in years because I always get the turkey (though I haven't had that in ages, now). I like the flavor, including the fairly substantial contribution from mushrooms.

[begin_within]

69. OK... I have only tried the chicken one, and it was flavorless.. the ones

sold by Marie Callender's are better, but the best ones on the market, in my opinion are "Claim Jumper" brand - large chunks of good white meat chicken.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

34. Their pancake and waffle mix is the BEST

My sister sends me care packages from the Bay Area because Texas doesn't see fit to have Trader Joe's here. Their cat cookies and mini brownies are awesome, too.

[ScreamingMeemie]

44. Agreed!

:hi:

[trackfan]

35. Berry Medley and Unsalted Roasted Almonds.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

36. Have you ever tried the Tamari Almonds or Curry Cashews?

Fucking awesome!

[trackfan]

65. I haven't, but that sounds good.

I'll look for them next time.

[Zhade]

37. If you're still asking for suggestions...

I don't shop anywhere else now, because I recently found buying from TJ's did two things for me:

1) made me eat healthier, tastier food

and

2) broke up my routine - a very BAD routine of processed crap from Ralphs and Albertson's.

And all for the same amount I'd spend at those places - sometimes less for better, especially things like tomatoes, milk, eggs, and other basics!

My recent recommended buys:

Papadums (Indian rice chips - try them with hummus, an outstanding combination!)
dolmas in olive oil
frozen shrimp scampi
any of their frozen veggies - the veggie melange in butter sauce is to die for (I cooked up some of TJ's genuine all-pork no-filler andouille sausage with it, YUM!)
canned beef chili
Madrigal Swiss cheese, the best swiss evar (their cheese is all great)
Portuguese sausage-and-bean soup (comes in a glass jar)
any of their sandwich meats (if you eat meat), and their sopressetta log (?) is amazing.
TJ's mac & cheese, 89 cents a box and tasty, with no nasty stuff
...

Basically, it's hard to go wrong there, I've found. And now I'm hungry!

[NMMNG]

39. Their dried Granny Smith apple rings are great,

as are the dried pineapple chunks.

I loved their fat-free pepper jack cheese but I haven't seen it for some time so they may have discontinued it.

They have delicious flat breads--the "everything" is my favorite.

I love their frozen Asian mushroom mix, it's excellent in stir fries.

The "soy nuts" (roasted soybeans) are a yummy and healthy snack.

[ForrestGump]

47. Oh, yeah, on the subject of apples,

the organic Gravenstein apple sauce is excellent...good fruit snack for 'dessert' or whatever, and the ingredients are perfect: apples from the first pressing and well water. And nothing else. Yummy. Good for you.

All the juices I've had there are good, too.

[NMMNG]

81. I'll have to check that out next time I'm there

I happened by today after an appointment I had in the area. I picked up some edamame, portabella caps, quinoa, fancy mixed nuts w/ 50% less salt, an intriguing looking basmati rice medley and some strawberry fruit & juice bars (like the Edy's bars but less expensive).

[Shine]

40. OMG, I could do a commercial for TJ's, seriously!

I'm at our local one at least once a week. Some suggestions:

frozen turkey meatballs, can be microwaved up and added to pasta w/ sauce
frozen chicken nuggets, my kids love 'em, what can I say?
frozen tofu/soy "riblets", microwavable. Kids love these, too.
frozen edamame
frozen berries and mango for fruit smoothies
yellow curry sauce, great over a stir fry
Clif bars, good to have a stash of them for quickie meals on the go.
fresh lemons and limes
the organic produce is actually pretty decent
trail mix
granola bars
frozen pesto pizza and the bbq chicken pizza, too
poptarts
I could go on and on....but I won't :D

Happy shopping! :hi:

[pinniped]

41. Wild salmon burgers.

.

[REP]

43. So Many Things I Love at TJs...

The frozen spanikopita. It's truly excellent; rivals the best I've had at great Greek restaurants. Cheap, too.

The Tongol tuna. Yes, canned tuna, but it is so delicious even right out of the can. I've always liked tuna, even canned, but I'm spoiled now - I can't eat any other canned tuna but TJ's.

I'm not a big bread eater, but my Loved One is, and all the super-multi-grain breads I've gotten for him are actually pretty tasty.

The Plugra butter. With TJ's organic wild rice. A perfect meal by itself - and I'm a carnivore.

The pesto in the fresh case.

The Niman Ranch meats.

The Evenus port.

Irish breakfast tea.

If you have cats, the canned food is very high quality and cats LOVE it (the dry food isn't as good; it has ground yellow corn it, which is basically indigestible filler). Dogs will do *anything* for the dried chicken strips (I give them to all my dog friends).

Just looking around my pantry and seeing that 99% of what's in came from TJ's, it's easier to list what I *don't* like:

The broccoli and cheese quiche tastes like ass. The sun-dried tomato pesto is not as good as it sounds. The potato chips are too hard and thick for my taste.

[ScreamingMeemie]

45. The cheddar bread sticks... the three cheese pizza... the (I can't

remember the name) brick oven style pizza... any of their cereals... CHERRY CIDER!!<<< The very best.

Really, I have never gotten a bad item from TJ's. I also love their "Next to Godliness..." line of cleaning products.

[Kellanved]

48. Well

Aldi here has Trader Joe's walnuts and raisins, so I say "the Californian Walnuts".

[AngryAmish]

50. Aldi owns Trader Joe's

[LibDemAlways]

51. The blue cheese pecan dip spread on

the tortilla flatbread. To die for.

[AngryAmish]

52. Mojito marinade...

good for pork chops. Papadums (non-fried snack chips - they are like crack). Artichoke spread in a jar. Cheap wine - wine makes my tummy feel good. Their freah baked bread is the best I ever got from a store. Roast red pepper and artichoke tapanade. Spinich and yogurt dip also good. Chocolate covered cherries - careful or you could eat the whole thing.

I am a fan of TJs and I now live 1/2 mile from one. I am lucky that I live near TJs, 2 supermarkets, a wonderful neighborhood wine and liquor shop (every wine is selected by the owners and they hold the price down) and the best butcher shop in Chicago. I am eating better than ever before.

[LynneSin]

53. I don't like Trader Joes

I'm looking for high quality meats and produce, which you'll be hard-pressed to find at a Trader Joes. I go to a place called Food Source which has an amazing selection of Meats & Produce - much of it organic

[sir_captain]

56. I do know what you mean

I'm used to going to my nice butcher and Fairway at home, but there's some pretty great meat and produce at Reading Terminal Market, so when I want that, it's available.

[LynneSin]

57. But I'm talking about Trader Joe's

Most of their meat is frozen and their produce selection is minimal, sometimes pre-cut and pre-packaged.

[Coventina]

59. It has to do with TJ's background. They started out as a liquor store.

And then expanded into specialty foods.

Their "core business" isn't fresh meats and produce, it's the liquor and dry goods they sell.

[LynneSin]

61. That's fair enough

I just like Food Source because they have all the specialty foods AND the meat/produce.

It's a PA/DE store that is part of the Genardi's Supermarket chain but specializes in Organic & Natural foods

http://www.afoodsource.com/

[sir_captain]

66. Yeah, it's nice to have a one stop place

but I'm ok with going to two places to cover all my bases

[Ramsey]

54. Their trail mixes

TJ has a great selection of nuts and dried fruits and mixtures of the two. They sell the BEST dried apricots ever!! I also like their orange dried cranberries, spicy pecans and chocolate raspberry trail mix.

What I don't like about TJ is very limited fresh produce and meat selections. Also, they don't consistently stock the same products all the time.

[Love Bug]

55. What a great thread!

They recently opened the first Trader Joes here and I haven't been yet. Sounds like I can pretty much close my eyes and point and come up with something good!

[Coventina]

58. I'm addicted to their Habenero & Lime salsa.

Other products that I routinely buy:

Their dog food & dog biscuits: they don't contain scary ingredients like "bone meal".


Their granola bars are excellent

I love their dark chocolate covered caramels. I could get huge on those.

I also love their gourmet potato chips. I could get huge on those as well.

Their banana crisps are YUMMY! And I don't like bananas!!

Where else can you get drinkable wine for $3 a bottle?

Their organic yogurt is a real bargin compared to other grocers.


One negative: Their automatic dishwasher soap is useless.

I love Trader Joe's. I would go more often if it were closer to me.
As it is, I usually only go when I need to buy a new big bag of dog food, so around once a month.

[Kajsa]

60. Their chicken chili is great.

It's their own TJ label, and it costs
around $1.30 a can.

Add a salad and some good TJ bread
and you've got a quick dinner.

:D

[tigereye]

63. one is opening here soon

in a transitioning neighborhood, fairly near the Whole Foods. I liked one we went to when we were in California.

Looks like I'm going to be in trouble, based on all the listings of Greek and Indian foods there.

However, are the frozen ethnic foods really as good as in the restaurants? Nothing beats homemade or rest. Spanakopita....

[sir_captain]

64. I guess it depends on where you live

I didn't bother to go to the Trader Joe's in NYC cause it was a little bit of a schlep to get there and I could get fantastic food of all types much more quickly and freshly. But the neighborhood I'm living in in Philly now is pretty ghetto, and the stuff at Trader Joe's is much better than anything I can get around here.

[tigereye]

67. we have a lot of Greek, Middle Eastern and Indian rest. here

so I guess a taste test will be in order.

[sir_captain]

68. All in the name of science, of course

[Fridays Child]

70. A fish sandwich, made with a TJ tilapia fillet*, a TJ onion roll...

...some TJ tartar sauce, and lettuce. In addition to the above sandwich ingredients, we like the TJ California Protein bread. All TJ breads are high quality and, unlike other breads, they contain no corn syrup. Also, TJ has the best price in town on whole, free-range chickens.

*Tilapia fillets are in the freezer section.

[dback]

71. Any of their frozen appetizers are some of the best you'll find

Shumai, the little veggie bird's nest things, the peroshki, etc.

[Digit]

72. Alas, I am not adventurous when it comes to food

I can't even walk into a Subway without gagging...yeah, it is embarrassing.

I know it is my loss, and I accept that.

Do they have "plain" food for picky eaters like myself?

[sir_captain]

73. How much plainer than Subway can you get?

What do you normally eat?

[Digit]

75. I believe it is the smell of the various peppers

I don't eat raw vegetables AT ALL, but in my defense, FRESHLY cooked broccoli is my favorite veggie.
Cooked asparagus is a close second. It cannot be canned...yuck!

I will eat most Italian foods.
I will spice up some boneless skinless chicken breasts and have some Basmati Rice and a fresh veggie. That is a great dinner, at least to me.

No cole slaw, no potato salad, don't put pimentos or whatever those red things in my plain veggies or I won't eat them.

I was in high school before I would try pizza!

I guess you can tell I know how to cook or else I would be SOL.

[sir_captain]

80. Wow

Well, as long as you are satisfied by what you eat, then what does it really matter?

[philosophie_en_rose]

74. Free Samples, of course.

:)

It's like Costco without the membership fee.

:)

[meegbear]

76. Veggie Chips ...

cripsy and tasty.

I also like their frozen bowl meals and faux sushi. Good for a quick lunch or snack.

[warrens]

77. Potstickers

As good as any restaurant.

[Katina]

78. definately the pot sticker!

I have a bunch in my freezer right now.. serve them with a dip of reduced sodium soy sauce that you add chives, minced ginger root, chili oil and a dash of rice wine vinegar and you are all set. yum.

[GalleryGod]

79. Andrea, the weekend checker at the L.A. store.

:blush: :pals: :blush:

[catzies]

82. For their under $2 specials I get the quiches, spinach lasagna & canneloni

I eat a Luna Bar ($0.99) a day, and look for the Annie Chun's soups.