Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trader Joes food does contain MSG. It is not labeled as such.

You revived a thread after almost a year to add this? A comment that was already made on page 2, back when the thread was mere days old instead of months? Why?

Because she just now discovered dcum due to 1. Having her first pregnancy or baby 2. Doing a google search related to that. Also, she lives in Chicago.

Time to educate those of us in DC about a store we've been shopping for more than a decade!

Anonymous wrote:Trader Joes food does contain MSG. It is not labeled as such.

You revived a thread after almost a year to add this? A comment that was already made on page 2, back when the thread was mere days old instead of months? Why?

I think TJ is a grocery store that has some unique options. In some cases they have lower cost healthy food (compared to grocery store alternatives). And in some cases it is the most wonderful junk food known to mankind.

Trader Joes food does contain MSG. It is not labeled as such.

Anonymous wrote:This is the best thread ever. So many people "know" that their special way of shopping is the best.

Right? i love the "universally known fact" about a store that 99% of the world likely has never heard of. I never imagined people could be condescending and sanctimonious about where we shop for groceries!

FWIW, I shop all over the place and Wegmans and TJs are my favorites. I do think TJ does try to be healthier and we love the frozen mac and cheese, among others. the frozen fish is good, so is the naan.

Anonymous wrote:I go to TJ's for
... cheap wine
... frozen Indian bowls
... pet food & treats
... dark chocolate bars
... bread

and I always get a mini cup of coffee while I am there.

Now that I think about it, I guess that is not so far off from an upscale 7-11. I think these items are 'healthier' and / or less expensive than at other places; but no, certainly not health food.

Not "upscale." Nothing about TJs is upscale. The word was "eclectic."

I don't consider cheap wine, packaged Indian food, chocolate bars and bread to be "healthier" than what you might get at a 7-11.

I go to TJ's for
... cheap wine
... frozen Indian bowls
... pet food & treats
... dark chocolate bars
... bread

and I always get a mini cup of coffee while I am there.

Now that I think about it, I guess that is not so far off from an upscale 7-11. I think these items are 'healthier' and / or less expensive than at other places; but no, certainly not health food.

I like that the bread there only has a few ingredients. It is so hard to find real bread at a regular grocery store.

I also like that its only a few aisles long. Very convenient when shopping with small people who hate shopping.

I like Wegmans too but I don't find their Wegmans brand products to be healthy--lots of food coloring and mystery ingredients in simple things like tortillas. At least when I'm frantically tossing things in my cart at TJs at Meltdown-O'Clock, I know at least the food isn't full of food dye and HFCS and weird stuff.

This is the best thread ever. So many people "know" that their special way of shopping is the best.

I shop at all stores (big grocery, WH, farmer's mkt, Yes, etc.), and I love TJs. All of this beating on TJs is pointless. I think they do an admirable job of selling a mix of staples and snacks for good prices with less crap in it.

You can buy crappy food ANYWHERE, including WH and the farmer's market. The question is whether you overpaid.

My criteria for a store these days is size and service. I shun big stores most of the time because more the 50% of the stuff sold is not anything I would bring into my house. I love small stores (even the last of the small Giants and Safeways). I get my shopping done in half the time. I also shop different store with different goals - BJs for paper/cleaning/bulk, Yes or WH for a particular yogurt.

Didn't get sick, and manure is a natural fertilizer. No big deal. The farmers markets here are outrageous, inconvenient and the produce doesn't last. I don't have time to shop daily and wouldn't if I could. Whole paycheck is ridiculously expensive and overrated.

All meat can be contaminated. It is the nature of meat. Cook it and you are fine.

If you are fool enough to think that you are safe from food borne illness because you spend 17 times what you should on food, go ahead.

Anonymous wrote:In who's universe? Compared to local supermarkets, TJs produce has a lower level of suckage. The lettuce and bagged salad stays fresh longer, or at least takes longer to be slime. The other stuff is comparable in both price and quality.

suck compared to Wegman's. Sucks compared to Whole Foods. And is an abomination compared to the farmers market.

TJs even was part of that recent eColi beef recall...along with Price Chopper and BJs. Same supplier, same point of origin.

Ecoli recall for your bagged salad too....ewwww, gross! You ate poo.

Why does someone have it out for TJs? If you don't like it -- don't go. That doesn't mean other folks won't like it.
We live in the city in DC and find TJs to have some good stuff. Now, if you live way out in the burbs and have a lot of choices, it might not be your thing. But if you have to
"haul ass" and drag your own stuff home w/o a car -- you'll find TJs to have some good stuff. Why such vitriol over a simple store?

In who's universe? Compared to local supermarkets, TJs produce has a lower level of suckage. The lettuce and bagged salad stays fresh longer, or at least takes longer to be slime. The other stuff is comparable in both price and quality.

Anonymous wrote:I own a farm and yes I've picked fresh food---and canned/frozen it too.

Then you should know better than anyone else that TJs produce sucks and that this is a universally known fact.