Help make out my Trader Joe's shopping list

[Anonymous]

I've tried Trader Joe's before and thought it was totally overrated and couldn't find anything. But then I would be at someone's house and compliment some food item or see an item in someone's lunch at work and sure enough...it's always from Trader Joe's. I realize now that I was expecting it to be more like a regular grocery store, but it seems like they are more specialized for prepared, pre-packaged or frozen foods. I'm ready to get on the bandwagon, but I don't want to get overwhelmed. I would love some advice on items that people get from there that they love.

My situation: No kids yet but I'm pregnant now with lowered energy and don't feel like cooking for DH and I like I used to but still want to eat healthy. I'm not necessarily looking to defrost dinner, but I'm just not up to cooking from scratch like I normally do. I also would like to bring my lunch to work (can't just go to Potbelly's or Subway anymore). I would also love to make DH's lunch so he's not getting pizza everyday.

Before anyone gets snippy, yes, I realize that I am seeking out assistance in making simple a grocery list. But I haven't been able to unlock the secret of Trader Joe's yet. Plust, give me a break, I'm pregnant.

Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

The frozen prepared foods are great and very cheap. TJ Orange Chicken (chinese style) is great and very easy. A bag easily feeds two adults with leftovers.

[Anonymous]

I think Trader Joe's is overrated, too -- their food quality is sometimes low and their prices aren't all THAT great. That said, i shop there a lot....

Here is something I made recently with ingredients all from TJ's. I'm sharing it because you don't have kids yet and my kids hated it but I loved it and it was super easy.

I cooked frozen seafood sausages in some water in a covered sauce pan with about two tablespoons of butter. When they were done and there was a nice broth, I added frozen TJ's "Organic Foursome" frozen vegetables, and when they were heated I added leftover white and brown rice which I had in the fridge. It was like fake paella and all in one pan so easy clean up. I loved it.

[Anonymous]

The frozen vegetables. always the vegetables!

[Anonymous]

OP here. The fake paella sounds great! I might try that and add some garlic and maybe frozen shrimp.

I've never used frozen veggies before. I used to equate them with canned veggies that are always soggie and overcooked. I'll have to give them a try.

[Anonymous]

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

i find that being pregnant i don't have the energy to go to two different stores to buy what i want. so i go to safeway, get lots of fruit, string cheese, yogurts (i like the greek yogurt), etc on the easy to grab stuff for snacks. i then make really simple meals in bulk...like 3-4 cups of rice to reheat for different meals (black beans with some green peppers and salsa...you can even heat that in the microwave), gorton's frozen tilapia (i've been obsessed with these), frozen veggies, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The fake paella sounds great! I might try that and add some garlic and maybe frozen shrimp.

I've never used frozen veggies before. I used to equate them with canned veggies that are always soggie and overcooked. I'll have to give them a try.

I felt that way about frozen vegetables before I had kids, too.

Wanted to add that their frozen turkey meatballs are really good (although there are noticeably less of them in the bag now than there used to be).

Also their spaghetti prices are reasonable and I love their vodka spaghetti sauce.

[Anonymous]

Turkey meatballs! That's one of the things I complimented at someone's house and they whispered, "Trader Joe's."

I also had some sort of frozen coconut shrimp appitizer at someone's house from there. Does anyone know what I might have had?

[Anonymous]

I don't know that appetizer but at the TJ's in my neighborhood they have some frozen appetizers in the dessert cooler for some reason instead of with the rest of the frozen foods (lack of freezer space there???) so try there. (I am not a TJ's sock puppet; I live down the street from one otherwise I wouldn't shop there so much.)

[Anonymous]

The frozen brown rice. I try to avoid prepackaged foods, but this is a life saver. With two under two, getting dinner on the table asap is critical, and waiting 50min for rice to cook can make or break a meal sometimes. Totally worth the cost.

[Anonymous]

Frozen veggies are great, nothing like canned veggies, I promise!

[Anonymous]

Another meal that's good for adults but not kids: frozen cheese and green chile tamales (I steam them on a regular vegetable steamer) with salsa on top. I don't care for TJ's salsa so I use the Whole Foods brand.

[Anonymous]

I like their frozen vegan pad thai (and I am not a vegan, or even vegetarian). Also like the frozen black bean and cheese taquitos, although I'm fairly sure those aren't healthy in any way, shape, or form.

OP, if you can, plan to go there and spend a few minutes looking around - it really is different than a normal supermarket like Safeway or Giant, and probably isn't the best for the weekly shopping trip, but I go there every month or 2 for things that I can't find anywhere else.

[Anonymous]

I actually like TJs for snack foods. Their nuts are very cheap, and trail mix is reasonably priced. Chile-spiced dried mangos are yummy. Different flavors of crackers than I'll find at my Safeway. We usually shop and cook fresh, but I like to keep some frozen foods in the house for emergencies or the random quick dinner for myself, and I like their frozen pizzas and burritos better than the regular grocery store brands. They have a decent selection of wine and beer at decent prices, too.

As PPs have mentioned, their frozen appetizers or I'll grab some of their "nibbles" (eg chocolate covered nuts) to have out at parties.

I can't do a full grocery shop there, but when I can I'll stop by just to get a broader assortment of things in my pantry and freezer.

[Anonymous]

OP again. I realize that I can't think of it like a normal grocery store. I think that's why I was so turned off before. I normally cook from scratch and couldn't find any staples. I'll have to go as a separate trip and puruse the aisles, but keep the suggestions coming!

Also, I went to the one in Bethesda when I was totally underwhelmed. I'm going with a new purpose now, but is that one particularly small?