Bought a pork tenderloin there. Never again. Chicken was ok, but I'd rather buy my meat/poultry from local sources.

TJ's coconut oil is not refined which means it has a strong coconut flavor if you use it for cooking. It will fluctuate from a liquid to solid state depending on temp where it's stored.

Because our family is so busy and the kids (age 15-24) sometimes have to fend for themselves at mealtime, I stock up on TJ's frozen pizzas and some of their other frozen foods -- Asian dumplings, rice, stir fry veggies, etc. I have also heard people rave about the pumpkin ice cream, which might be back in season now. They have interesting bread selections, and a good variety of cheeses. My kids used to love their brand of Oreo-like cookies, can't remember what they're called now, but I had to stop buying them when I realized I liked them too much.

Sueb, Those are Jo-Jo's. The peppermint ones at Christmas are even better.

Yes, TJ has great frozen foods.

They curate their foods like an art studio curates a show. You won't find 5 brands of ketchup. But you may find 5 tomato based condiment products that are different and tasty from 5 different food cultures.

I like it but since we moved we don't have one nearby.

Owned by Aldi btw.

Sorry to intrude ... I'm usually on the non conversation side of Home Decorating, but wandered over here.

Just wanted to clear up the Aldi/TJ's relationship. Their parent companies in Germany are owned by estranged brothers families. They operate entirely independently of each other.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theo_Albrecht

"Theodor Paul "Theo" Albrecht ......owned and was the CEO of the Aldi Nord discount supermarket chain. In the US he owned the Trader Joe's specialty grocery store chain. His brother Karl Albrecht owned the Aldi Süd discount supermarket chain. The two chains originally were a single family enterprise until a friendly division of assets in 1960. Aldi Süd operates the Aldi groceries in the United States. So Aldi and Trader Joe's, while owned by the brothers, have separate and distinct ownership and operations.

As far as items being in other supermarkets, some are, some aren't. There are items that are pretty transparently the same, many Amy's items, Soy Vey Teriyaki, etc., but the pricing at TJ's is significantly less. And then there are items that are exclusive to TJ's, baby dried bananas, Bollywood popcorn, Sriracha baked tofu etc. There are commodity product that available everywhere, milk, butter, frozen veggies, that are better priced and often higher quality at the same time. Finally there are branded items, like Fage yogurt, Kerrygold butter, that are simply better priced.

I eat yogurt with berries and nuts every morning for breakfast, and you can't beat TJ's prices for nuts or frozen berries. I tend to go when I need to stock up. Their yogurt and milk are also at a good price point. The rest of what I buy tends to be convenience food: Indian frozen dinners, scallion pancakes, tortellini and their Genoa pesto. I get seaweed snack for my daughters lunches.

Before a supercenter moved to the next town, our smaller grocery store butchered it's own meat. It was delicious. I kept going there to buy beef, but I guess the supercenter caused them to stop doing that and now they sell pre-packaged beef. And they don't sell T-bones anymore!

Cindy, the cheese sounded good until it said it begins to taste like Parmesan cheese. Hate the stuff. lol

If you buy organic meat and poultry, TJs prices alone make that worthwhile. We go there specifically for their selection of crackers which seem to have better ingredients. Plants are very inexpensive. When they get a shipment of something fresh in, say strawberries, they can be very good and very inexpensive. Things like real maple syrup we buy there. I also am a fan of their skip jack tuna and I like their mayo. If you are a chocolate fan, they have a nice selection of chocolate treats including dark chocolate. Whenever I'm making a chocolate dessert I always use their 72% belgian chocolate as the flavor is so intense.

Oakley, you probably already know this, but some company - in Texas, I think -bought the Watonga Cheese label. I tried some a year or so ago and it was awful. But my husband brought home a half moon of Watonga Cheese in the Longhorn Cheddar variety and it was actually pretty good. I haven't tried melting it yet. Might be worth a shot?

I'm a little leery of their meats. I bought their kosher ground beef from Texas and it didn't taste like any ground beef I'd ever had before. I only buy their Rocky Free Range chicken as it's not a TJ brand. Their nitrate-free bacon and hot dogs are very good. I like the Fancy Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese when I don't feel like shredding from the block.

The first time I went to TJs, I came out almost empty-handed. I didn't go back until a few years later--I think I saw something in their flyer that looked good, and this time I picked up some staples and found the quality to be very good. I go back for those and add a few new things to try on each visit, slowly building a list of favorites. I've had only a few duds. I'm not a fan of their frozen snacks and meals, but I don't eat much frozen food anyway.

On the subject of duds.... If you find you don't like something you've purchased- return it! They have an awesome return policy- they rely on customer feedback when deciding what to stock and what to discontinue. Also, if you want to try something before you buy, ask an employee and they'll open a package for you. Of course there is always something to try at the sample station too.

Thanks Veda, Tina & Cindy! It's weird because the store is air conditioned and some bottles are liquid while others are solid.

Perhaps the liquid ones came from a warmer area & have been on the shelf for a shorter time?

The closest TJ is over an hour from my house so I might go 1-2 times a year with my sisters. I'm not as enamored with them as my sisters, or the rest of the world. I might get an olive oil or vinegar. I don't eat chocolate so I don't buy that although I've heard theirs is very good. I don't buy frozen foods. I avoid crackers and chips. I do like their seasoned salts and peppers.

I used to like their almond butter with sea salt, for awhile they never had it in stock, and when I found it again I bought it without reading the label. One bite and I knew something was different. They added cashews, yuck. Since it's too far to go to return it, I gave it to a friend.

Once in a NJ store, I bought blueberries. Turns out they cost more than the ones I bought at Wegmans and they were shipped in from California. My Wegmans blues were from Hammonton, NJ, not too far from the NJ I was in.

I would probably learn to like more products if there was a closer store but it's not worth an hour plus drive to me.

Before my visit trip, I asked my sisters what they buy and I scribbled their suggestions on a piece of paper. I get to the store, days, if not weeks later, and for one item I can't figure out what I wrote! It sort of looked like fruz (frozen?) salmon, but both sisters said they don't buy that so they didn't recommend that. It's a mystery. It would probably be the item that would make me a die-hard fan, if only I knew what it was.

It's weird because the store is air conditioned and some bottles are liquid while others are solid.

In my part of the world coconut oil is only solid for a few weeks in the winter, no matter where it's currently on display. I was amused to note the other day that Publix has started carrying an "always liquid" brand, like it isn't anyway.

aimeekm, they definitely share warehouse space here, so regardless of the family situation, they do work together to some extent.

I like most items at TJs. But I really like their employees, who always seem so friendly and happy to be working there. They "carded" me up until a few years ago so it was always my favorite place to buy wine. (wink)

Thanks Veda, Tina & Cindy! It's weird because the store is air conditioned and some bottles are liquid while others are solid.

Organic extra virgin olive oil and fresh (in the dairy case) pineapple juice. The bake yourself scones and croissants are good in a pinch. I also like the frozen fruit, usually less expensive than the supermarket brands. Triple ginger snaps, ginger or lemon thins.

Lisa, yes, as a general rule, TJ's employees are the best.

I'm sure I've already mentioned this in another TJ thread, but they are great if you need boxes for moving. Typically they break them all down in the morning, but if you call the day before, give your name, how many you want, and when you'll be there the next day to pick them up, they will hold them aside for you and even help take them out to your car.

I buy their garlic powder - it comes from garlic grown in California, not China. I like their dark roast coffees. Their frozen chicken packs are good because you can pull out as many or few pieces that you need since they don't stick together.

Regards coconut oil - whenever mine is liquid, I'm personally miserable. I'd hate to live anywhere where it is liquid most the year...

Oakley, did you go?

I grabbed some black garlic today. Have never tried it. Always fun trying something new.

Cindy, where do they stock the black garlic? I thought about making some but it is a time investment and I want to make sure I like it enough to begin the process.

Tish, I found it in the produce area. A bag of 2 heads was $3.49.

I read that that olive oil sold at TJ's, from California is real olive oil. Most OO sold at supermarkets is not real OO! I do buy from there when using the OO as a drizzle vs cooking with it. I like that our TJ's has a huge variety of different types of rice, I like to buy the black or forbidden rice and I cannot get it anywhere else in town.

TJ's also has great condiments, my fave is the corn salsa. I get a lot of Indian food items there too, and curries also. My local markets have such limited versions of them, and they're way more expensive for that stuff. I never buy meat or cheese there-better pricing at Costco. Same with produce, I can buy it at better prices, even for organic at local grocers-and I buy from farmers markets during the growing season.

So I primarily use TJ's as a specialty market because I can't find those types of products at the grocery stores I generally shop at.

I now buy my organic extra virgin olive oil @ TJ's - $9.99 for the 33.8 oz. can. Can't beat that price anywhere else!

I went to the new one in OKC today! I waited a little while to go, so it wouldn't be so crowded.

I can see how parking would be a problem-especially on the weekends.

I made a list of items I wanted to try from this post-and was happy to find all of them! I had fun-I know, weird!

Tonight, we made the frozen jasmine rice and BBQ Teriyaki Chicken, not sure that one was on the list, but it was pretty good. We love how convenient the rice is to make. I can't wait to try the truffle pizza and lots of other things you all mentioned.

The green juice stated it had mango in it, I didn't realize it until I got home-I'm allergic to mango-DARN! But, DH and DS can partake.

I was in TJ's this week and remembered how much I enjoy their fall seasonal items. The spiced chai tea... this is fall, to me.

I saw a pumpkin spice flavored almond milk? I didn't buy it but it sure sounded good!

Heavy whipping cream for low carbers. Half the price here.

The pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds are really good. It's pumpkin pie spices but it's not too sweet and not too spicy.

I go to TJs because it is SMALL. I hate hate hate pushing a giant cart around the giant megagroceries in my area. At TJs I am in and out in a flash. Even if they had the exact same food and prices as the larger markets, I'd go to TJs to save myself the labor.

That's the one thing I dread about TJ shopping--their very SMALL parking lots. Sometimes, it takes longer to find a spot than to shop:(

Fortunately, parking is never an issue here.

Pumpkin bagels

Pumpkin "Os"

pumpkin shortbread cookies

pumpkin pasta and sauce

pumpkin pancake mix

and an orchid (not orange)

Nutherokie, sorry it took me so long to get back here. I do remember when the Hurricane came through and demolished their building. Our house was actually in the eye of the storm, it was a fun night! lol. Watonga is about a 40 min. drive from here. It's kind of the armpit of Oklahoma but don't tell anyone I said that. ;)

They sell online. I may buy some once it cools off outside. I think we bought the mild cheddar. Using it on nacho's, taco's, and especially cheese tortilla's ( put cheese between 2 flour tortillas and brown in a skillet). Oh my, the cheese was very stringy and delicious. We'd always eat cold summer sausage and a salad with it for dinner. Fast and easy.

Watonga Cheese

Cindy, I haven't gone yet, but plan to soon!

Well, I do believe I'm going tomorrow! My friend thinks she's free, so we're going to double check to make sure they're open which was supposed to be two weeks ago. And find out the time they open since it's Sunday.

I'll let you know, and I will make sure I am starving when we go. :)

I avoid TJ's on Sundays if at all possible. Major crowds. Good luck!

Yes, especially with a newly opened store.

Get on the mailing list. Every so often they send out a flyer highlighting what is new as well as suggesting other items.

It's a good way to learn about all the store has to offer.

We're getting there right when it opens at 9am. It's been 3 weeks since it opened so it shouldn't be too bad on a Sunday. After Church I'm sure it will be packed.

Eld, I'll do that, thanks!

Veni, vidi, vici! I know I'm a cup is half empty kind of girl, so I don't know what to say. It wasn't crowded at all. Parked right in front of the store, and my friend and I got our own checkout line & we didn't have to wait. I did like how they took groceries to the car.

Store was on the small side so I'm wondering if all TJ stores are smallish? I don't think they are.

I bought a lot of things that was suggested to me above. First thing I did when I got home was open the Sparkling French Berryade. I also bought a bottle of their lemonade. Very good!

I was expecting a small bakery and a good selection of breads for freezing. Slim pickings. There were only a few small bakery items so I got pumpkin stuff for DH, including Pumpkin seed brittle. I hate pumpkin. lol

TJs is one of those stores that if you blink while walking down th aisle you'll miss something, so everyone was walking slowly down each aisle. It was kind of funny because we were all going the same speed and no one was crowded.

The ambience...meh.

Very glad I went and got it out of my system. I doubt I go back unless I fall in love with something I bought and just have it! Lots of frozen dinners in the freezer to try out. I'm looking forward to the Cod fillets and mini taco's. Yum.

Lynn! I also bought the green juice!

The selection of flowers was small, but I liked what they had.

I quickly stuck the center flower arrangement in water when I got home but I think these are very pretty. Good price on the Orchids.

I was wondering if the stores you all go to do the same. I was looking for the ginger snaps recommended above, and every snack, from cookies to candy were stacked on shelves above the frozen items. I had to go down several rows of frozen food to find them. Is it so hard to put them all together? lol

Yes, every TJs I've ever been in was small and had sweets stacked above the frozen foods.

BTW, I really like your backsplash.

Oakley, your TJ's has several rows of frozen food? That's a much bigger store than ours, which just has one row, but all the cookies and candy are stacked above.

In LA, the stores vary by size. However, the bigger the store, the smaller the parking lot:(

Ours has one aisle of frozen foods with the cookies and chocolates stacked above. They bring in a nice variety of cookies and chocolates for Christmas, many imported from Europe.

I've tried a few of their frozen meals and snacks but haven't been impressed. A lot are Indian and Asian, but I live in a high-tech area so we have several of those types of restaurants.

Ditto here. One aisle of frozen foods with cases on either side. Cookies and chocolate stacked above.

Thanks Writersblock! I could be mistaken, maybe there was only one aisle of frozen foods.

I wasn't fond of the lemon poppyseed muffins. The top was perfectly moist but the rest was so dry I almost had to spit it out. lol.

Christmas may be a good time to go back just for the treats.

No, I've seen two aisles before. Ours has one and half, so you may have seen more than one.

To me, outside of the things you can't count on (the special things that only show up once in a while), TJs is worth it for stuff like shredded cheese (you get twice as much as you get at Publix and it's cheaper than the smaller brand name package, too), olive oil, organic peanut butter, stuff like that.

I think that to really use the store effectively you have to be the kind of person who can wander around the store, look at what's there and then decide what you will make from it, because most of their merchandise changes all the time.

Ours is too far away to do that. I only go a couple of times a year.

I have never been in a TJ's that had several rows of frozen foods, and we have a few that aren't far from us. I don't think it's a big deal to access the crackers and cookies over the frozen foods. Unfortunately, I am able to easily grab the boxes of Jo-Jo's. ;)

The parking lots are always small and awkward! I thought it was just around us because the stores are in urban locations, but I guess not?

I think maybe we oversold the whole TJ's experience and you were disappointed, Oakley! I like it for certain things, but to me it's not the greatest store ever. I doubt that I'd go too far out of my way to shop there.

Forgot to mention earlier that my kids used to love Nutrigrain bars, and TJ's has their own brand that are basically the same and so much cheaper. That's one of the items I've stocked up on there.

Many items (dairy, baked goods, flowers,) are regionally sourced and will only be as good as your locality has to offer.