Trader Joe's tips

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a new Trader Joe's that just opened in Springfield. What are your favorites there? How often do you shop there? My impression is that it's all snacks and individual meals. We have a family of 4 with 2 teen boys - any reason for me to make it a regular stop?

(yes I know there was just a TJ vs costco thread, but I don't want to wade through the whole thing for shopping suggestions)

I live in walking distance of mine and buy all chicken, beef, cheeses, jarred sauce, nuts, dried fruits, beans, olives, snacks, eggs (organic pasture raised), naan, flowers, yogurt, oatmeal, and pasta there. They're known for not having good produce, but I have success with raspberries, romaine, English cucumbers, and their 79 cent bag of carrots. I probably go once or twice a week. Yes, you can feed teen boys from there.

I find their produce, with the exception of bagged lettuce/bagged salads to be comparable to the other places I shop - Giant, Safeway, Whole Foods. Their avocados are almost always good quality. Berries can be hit or miss, but in season they are good.

Our favorite meal - family of 4 with two teen girls - chicken shwarma thighs (pre-seasoned), a pack of the frozen beef kebabs, a salad I prepare (either a tomato/cucumber Middle Eastern style or Greek style), pita, TJs organic hummus or the Middle Eastern smooth hummus), and the garlic spread. The kebabs can be prepared in the air fryer.

One of my kids lives on the butter chicken and samosas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ground flax seed.
The teas are lovely.
Varied produce I don’t see anywhere else.
Soy milk is the best and very cheap.
Vegan Parmesan and feta cheap and good.
Beefless ground is good.
Kale pesto good.
Breads - crumpets, olive focaccia, others that are seasonal.
Cruciferous crunch salad mix very good….loved the carrot miso dressing with it but haven’t seen it lately.
Toiletries are awesome, truly. Lotions, shampoos, etc.
Love the linen aprons and towels, reusable sponge cloths.
If you have dog or cat, they have dehydrated chicken treats that are popular with pets.

We wouldn’t get one thing on this list.

Give us the mandarin orange chicken, and we’re good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a new Trader Joe's that just opened in Springfield. What are your favorites there? How often do you shop there? My impression is that it's all snacks and individual meals. We have a family of 4 with 2 teen boys - any reason for me to make it a regular stop?

(yes I know there was just a TJ vs costco thread, but I don't want to wade through the whole thing for shopping suggestions)

You had a TJs about 10 minutes up OKM, you really never went to that one that's been there for 20 years?

DP. The new Springfield TJ is laid out differently, more like an old-fashioned grocery store than the usual TJ with all diagonals, the way the old Springfield TJ is. That was one nice thing about the old Springfield WF, it was also laid out like an old-fashioned grocery store, with straight lines and sensible aisles. Also the new TJ seems to be aiming more for the full-service grocery store market rather than the more usual random-stuff of a regular TJ.

OMG is the new trader joe's in the old Fresh Fields location??

[Anonymous]

I've also found their produce comparable to the other places near us (Safeway, Whole Foods). TBH sometimes their produce is better than what we get at Whole Foods. We go to a very high volume TJ's so I have seen them restocking the same fruit more than once a day. It's on my way to work and on the way back.

[Anonymous]

Carne asada (buy 2) in fresh meat section and serve with street corn and Peruvian rice. Both in frozen section. I heat these up on the stove. Easy and quick!

[Anonymous]

I probably go once every other week or so, versus Giant at least twice a week.

When I go, I get lots of cheeses and nuts as the prices and variety are great. Dairy products are another good buy - milk and yogurts and butter etc - and beans and pastas.

There are many fun items we love. Many of the sauces (pesto and zhoug) and dips (onion and spicy hummus), too many of the sweets, and frozen apps and indiv frozen meals (my teens love the hatch mac and cheese and indian meals for weekend lunch). Spice blends like ebtb and furikake.

I dislike TJs coffees, tortilla chips, Joes Os (cheerios), and oat milk. I am less than thrilled with their produce.