Help make out my Trader Joe's shopping list

[Anonymous]

TJ's is great for lots of stuff. Their cereal, chips (have you people tried their organic corn chips? Hello addiction), Joe's O's which is like Oreos except better for you, nuts, their mini peanut butter cups (try them in cookies), coffee, bread...In terms of the frozen stuff, we've tried just about everything and this is what we now buy:
edamame, frozen peas, frozen organic strawberries, frozen croissants (let them rise overnight and bake the next morning-heaven), most of their frozen desserts are good, frozen fish esp. the wild salmon, we love their frozen pizzas and those frozen French tart things in green boxes (can't think of the name).
We also get all their organic veggies and fruits and the Persian cucumbers.
Milk, yogurt, eggs are all fine too. I get organic so it doesn't matter to me where I get it-there or at another grocery store.
Oh, and the bagels are really good too. I also like the mini bagels for my kids.

[Anonymous]

I adore TJs but have found a few duds over the years, namely:

Bread! I only buy bread in baguette or ciabatta form if I am going to eat it asap, otherwise I find it goes very bad very quickly. The downside of no preservatives.

Enchiladas - I really want to like these. I hate them.

I have enjoyed most everything else. One thing to watch out for is getting really attached to an item and then having them pull it - happens a lot. I still dream about the vegan rice krispy treats and the blue jalapeno corn bread.

Current favorites are:
-Mushroom turnovers
-Greek style yogurt miles above other yogurts
-Granola bars
-Veggie meat balls
-Mochi ice cream
-Frozen veggie gyoza are amazing - restaurant quality
-Frozen naan
-Boxed indian food (this is insanely cheap too)

And items that are just cheaper than elsewhere
-Milk
-Veggie fake meats
-CHEESE! Their brie and such are at a fraction of the cost of other stores

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:frozen turkey meatballs (my son eats them all the time)
nuts and dried fruit/cheaper than elsewhere
chips/crackers
bags of salad/spinach: cheaper than elsewhere
brown rice/pasta
pizza dough
used to live on their punjab sauce but it's discontinued, others are ok but have not found a real substitute
frozen waffles
cheese is cheaper
frozen veggies
have to pick and choose among prepared foods/some are good, some are not
fresh fruit not generally good, don't think the frozen fish is either, i do buy their organic chicken
cookies for kids are good (cat cookies)

I am SO BUMMED their punjab sauce has been discontinued! I knew I should have stocked up on it when DC2 started eating it. That is one thing I really hate about TJ's -- they are not reliable so don't get too addicted to any one item.

Another thing we live on which is very cheap at TJ's is English Muffins.

[Anonymous]

Oh and I also wanted to add that their guacamole and salsas (esp. the freshly made one) are excellent. Also, their cold cuts are great (we get the low sodium Turkey a lot). They have wonderful salad dressings, pastas (the thick ribbon), organic jams and organic apple sauce. I also like to get their bread mixes in case I quickly have to whip up some cupcakes. They have vanilla and chocolate and seasonally available pumpkin spice. We get their waffle/pancake mix. And lastly, I love to get their prepackaged frozen rice that I can just throw in the microwave whenever I want to whip up a quick side dish.

[Anonymous]

There's actually a Trader Joe's cookbook, which I think is available online at Barnes and Noble. I bought it as a joke for my husband and we've actually would up using it quite a bit. It puts together meals that are really good using all TJ ingredients. Before the book, I really didn't know how to combine some of the somewhat unusual ingredients into a meal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's actually a Trader Joe's cookbook, which I think is available online at Barnes and Noble. I bought it as a joke for my husband and we've actually would up using it quite a bit. It puts together meals that are really good using all TJ ingredients. Before the book, I really didn't know how to combine some of the somewhat unusual ingredients into a meal.

I wish I had written that book. I am kicking myself as I type.

[Anonymous]

I felt the same way when I first went there. You need to go when you have some time, without kids and really look at all the different things and compare preices. I alternate between trader joes and the regular grocery store, so when I go to one I bluk up on the things I can't get at the other. This is what I get a trader joes, most of it is so much cheaper than the regular grocery store version. Also all their frozen prepared stuff is good quality so you don't feel like you are eating junk

Frozen veggies
multi grain frozen waffles
cereal bars
cereal
organic milk
peanut butter filled pretzel bites
whole wheat wraps
hummas
raviolis
frozen pizza
turkey meatballs
mojito salmon
organic fruit cups
I will get chicken breasts and ground beef when I am there, I usually get it in bulk at sams, I think they have some of the best ground beef compaired to other grocery stores.

[Anonymous]

A few more favorites:

Jarred bruschetta mix (tomatos, garlic, spices) -- dump it and shredded mozzeralla cheese on a rice cake for easy fake pizzas for the kids.
Jarred olive tapenade (DD hates it but I love it on crackers and in salads)
Frozen lemongrass sticks
Joes O's (Cheerios but completely wheat free for those with allergies)
Chicken and cilantro frozen dumplings
Frozen bean burritos (no fat, super quick to microwave)
Simmer sauces (especially the Indian flavor)
Frozen veggies and fruit (for smoothies)
Boxed chai tea (mix with milk -- it's awesome)

I also like their marinated chicken to throw on the grill. (It comes in a bag in the refrigerated section, not the freezer -- I think it's southwestern or mexican spiced?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i agree...trader joes is all about the pre-packaged food. you can't get produce, or meat there.

Huh? When was the last time you shopped at TJs? Ten years ago? You can buy plenty of produce and fresh meat there and it's usually organic.

[Anonymous]

--quick-cook steel cut oatmeal (so cheap, and so good)
--organic brown sugar (for the oatmeal)
--frozen pizzas (they are made in italy and most of them are excellent)
--chocolate chip cookies in the little white bag near the pies (we had to stop buying them b/c we became too addicted)
--dark chocolate (from Belgium; again, had to stop buying them b/c ate too much of it; great price)
--I agree that their produce is kind of gross but we like their meats - good prices on kosher and organic chicken and beef; we also like their bacon
--organic corn chips and the makings for a Mexican Mountain Dip (remember that from the 80s? - guacamole, sour cream, refried beans, green chile peppers, black olives, salsa)

[Anonymous]

DD loves the French toast. The Naan is awesome- better than Indique. The frozen burgers are great for a quick meal. Frozen green beans- yummy. Mango sorbet- hmm. DH loves the ginger snap cookies- he was just eating some

I find the fruit hit or miss- can usually get berries/ melon/ tomatoes/grapes/ and bananas.

oh, I almost forgot the less guilt pita chips- when they have them I get bags to store up.

Lastly, DD always gets her balloon and stickers ...

[Anonymous]

Spinach Four Cheese Chicken Patties for toddler
Stop Light Peppers
Pomegrante Seeds
Cut Up Watermelon when it's off season
Fingerling Potatos
Nuts
Freeze Dried bananas, strawberries and blueberries for toddler
baby carrots
the shredded mexican chicken for fajitas - forgot what is is called
tortilla shells
hummus
frozen brown and jasmin rice
beef and chicken burritos
frozen pizza
mac and cheese
orange chicken
french toast/hash browns/frozen steel oats
greek yogurt
quinoa
quinoa bread
breakfast bars
frozen salmon
turkey breast for crockpot meals
bean and rice tortilla chips
peanut butter pretzels
omega three carrot/orange juice
unsweetened cranberry juice
cheese sticks
various cereal
ginger carrots
shelled edaname

Ugh, so much more but I cant remember any more off the top of my head.

[Anonymous]

The simmer sauces come in jars. I can't remember what aisle they are in. I liked the Picatta Simmer Sauce and the Tikka Masala one. Yes they are called simmer sauces. I chop up raw chicken into bite sized pieces, brown them, and then put them into a crockpot with the simmer sauce on top, set at low, for 8 to 10 hours. Or you can cook it in about 15 minutes on the stove.

I don't think the sauces are designed for crock pot cooking, so the long cooking may not be necessary or may not do much for the flavor, but it tastes fine to me, and I love having dinner ready to go when we walk in the door at 6.

Re- the frozen fish fillets -- I only like the tilapia. I haven't had great luck with the other fronzen fish, and I haven't tried any of the breaded frozen fish. The tilapia is pretty decent. I thaw over night and broil with lemon and olice oil, maybe top with capers or olives>

Re: - the preservative free bread -- you have to keep it in the fridge or freezer.

[Anonymous]

I'm originally from the West Coast and TJ's rocks out there...I used to do 100% of my shopping at the local Joe's. I was a little dismayed by the Georgetown branch, then switched to the Old Town location and can still do about 75% of my shopping there. Things that I can't get anywhere else? The BIG can of French Roast coffee beans for $10, the BIG blocks of belgian chocolate (milk and dark) for $3.99 and cheese. The cheese is significantly cheaper than Whole Foods and Eastern Market cheese shop.

I still have to go to Whole Foods for good organic fruit/veg.

[Anonymous]

TJ's seems to be the only place you can get good, shade-grown coffee -- the kind that doesn't involve cutting down trees that then wipes out migratory birds. Make sure it says "shade-grown" on the label! Starbucks should get on board with this.