What are your favorite Trader Joe products?
Comments (34)
2 years agolast modified: last yearVery long list from me! Been shopping at TJ’s since the late 70’s when their only store was here in Pasadena. You really have to try things for yourself since opinions vary greatly. Some items I always have in my cart…
Marinated Artichokes
Olive Oil (I like the California Estate)
Red Wine Vinegar
Baby Potatoes
Crunchy Slaw Salad
Pasadena Salad
Frozen Apple Blossoms
Frozen Orange Chicken (good in a pinch!)
Frozen Shrimp
Frozen Joe’s Diner Mac and Cheese (not bad for store bought)
Frozen Spinach Artichoke Dip (good in a pinch!)
Beef Bulgogi
Mediterranean Hummus (in the deli section - I doctor it with a bit more lemon)
Canned beans, Corn and Mandarin Oranges
Nuts
Dried Fruits
Eggs
Greek Yogurt
Butter
Cheese (try the Cotswold Double Gloucester, Havarti Dill or Unexpected Cheddar)
Fresh flowers
There’s more I can’t think of. Just got some really good peaches there, too.
ETA - I’ve always kept these olives in the freezer but haven’t seen them lately.
Again, much is up to you, so you need to do some testing!agmss15 thanked chloebudRelated Discussions
Trader Joe's top products of 2010
Comments (16)I tried the Chicken Tikka Masala on my last trip and have to say it was pretty darned tasty! I will be stocking up on that next trip. The pumpkin ice cream is really, really good but we bought the decadent chocolate ice cream....*swoon*. I enjoy a lot of their seasonal products and wish some of them would be regulars (that's right....put those truffles out all year round!!). My list of likes at TJ is pretty long (and some of it is on that Chowhound link). I only buy their frozen veggies any more (mostly haricort verts, roasted sweet corn, brocolli) and various frozen stuff (mushroom turnovers!!). There are definately some misses as well but I won't go into that here. Tastes are very personal....See MoreAnother Trader Joe's Favorite
Comments (27)I believe it! It's supposed to. I just meant that the recipe photo wasn't professional and making it look good in a photo takes some skill. Here's a recipe on Hubert Keller's site: http://www.hubertkeller.com/recipes/recipe_detailsf9d7.html?show=TV-Episode-201-B There are many recipes. Lardons are classic, many just call for bacon, some use ham--they're interchangeable depending on what you can get, your budget and your taste. Most recipes have some kind of creme fraiche or white cheese. The ricotta and half and half is another way to get the same kind of texture. I'm not sure what you mean about the texture because puff pastry is lofty, not flat, whereas the thin, crisp crust you describe is the traditional texture. Thin and crisp is a function of how thing you stretch your dough and the heat you cook it at. To keep it from lifting, dock it with a fork all over....See MoreWhat do you like at Trader Joe's?
Comments (289)Yesterday I finally made it up to Trader Joe's. I went armed with a list compiled from the huge thread here of TJ favorites. Of the five or six "must haves" on my list, they were out of three---Rosemary ham, cooked lentils and scallion pancakes. I did get a tarte d'alsace for DH, organic tomato and roasted red pepper soup, and orange champagne vinegar from my list. I also purchased chicken and apple sausages, which we will have for dinner tonight with pasta, various crackers and other items. I forgot my cold food carrier so I bought one of their zippered, insulated totes which I will definitely use a lot for other purposes. When the checker asked why I was buying it and I told her I lived pretty far away and had never been there before, I became an instant celebrity. She rang a bell, welcomed me to the store, gave me a beachy patterned carryall for my groceries, a bag of plantain chips which she said was her favorite TJ snack, and a bouquet of flowers! We've tried the plantain chips and have sampled the roast beef, olive and fig crackers, some other kind of round pale yellow seasoned cracker., hummus and various other foods. They were all good except for the "organic vine ripened tomatoes," which were as hard as rocks, mealy, and did not taste anything like a tomato, and the plantain chips, which taste like I imagine chicken feed would taste. We've yet to try most of the things I bought, but except from the lovely warm welcome I was underwhelmed by the experience. On the up side, I now feel a bit less like I am missing out on a great culinary treasure trove living so far from civilization and I see that nothing can touch the home grown produce I am so lucky to be able to buy from pickup trucks that park around the courthouse on Saturdays. If anything we've bought proves a must have for me I will enlist my daughter to pick it up and bring it down, but I won't be making any more special trips....See MoreTime for an Update? Favorites from Trader Joe's &/or Costco
Comments (55)Another vote for the Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar here -- I don't even need olive oil with it and have used it straight on some of my salads. It has just a touch of sweetness and is mild enough that you can do that if you want -- especially with a salad tat has a protein and fruit in the summer. This time of year, butternut squash mac and cheese makes a brief appearance. It is better than the plain, I wish they had it year round. I am going to have to figure out a similar homemade version. It isn't something I eat very often, but it sure can hit the spot. My son always has the hatch mac and cheese in his freezer -- it's pretty good too. The butternut has a noticeable amount of black pepper, but neither should be too spicy for anyone not on a bland diet. IMO (in TX but not a total pepper head) My dogs love the pumpkin dog biscuits (and all the others too), but the oldest has been diagnosed with kidney disease and we are working on diet changes for them. If you see a little foil pouch with a red top near the checkout that is dark chocolate almond toffee bites, you might want to try one. Simple thing -- garlic and shallots. Better at TJ's than the grocery and we were getting CJ Ranch from Gilroy, CA garlic and we prefer that. Kalamata Olive Oil -- we just like the flavor. I am going to have to look for the pears. I bet I missed them if they are gone in Louisiana now. Costco -- always for meats, rotisserie chicken, organic unbleached flour, wine and fruit, vanilla beans this time of year, ciabatta rolls, and another vote for multi grain chips and the Charisma and no-name towels. I bought a bundle of the wash cloths to try as single use hand towels in my powder room -- almost too thick to put out as many as I would like at once, but playing with the fold/roll options. If you have't tried one, I'll make a plug for the Amope foot file and the deals they have at Costco (bundle and sometimes a coupon special), The new wet/dry one is a drastic improvement -- never used it wet, but love the two speeds and the fact that it doesn't eat up disposable batteries. Hard to remember what we have been buying there -- the other things that come to mind are the office supplies, kitchen organizers and things we have gotten for the son who graduated and just started teaching. And tires for my car. Oh -- for your own car or a holiday gift -- this https://www.costco.com/Lithium-Jump-Starter-Portable-Power-Bank-with-Brush-Metal-Finish.product.100383979.html...See More
last yearAgree with most of above. I don’t buy prepared foods but do choose their well priced pantry items, organic milk, pastured eggs, whole grain bread with the purple wrapper, 10 minute faro, ketchup, and today’s cheap/ pretty flowers.
agmss15 thanked lisaam- last year
agmss, if you have the time, it’s fun to wander around and grab some things that sound/look good to you. I love TJ’s but it can be hit or miss depending on your taste. These items recently caught DH’s eye and were a total MISS IMO.🥴
agmss15 thanked chloebud - last year
Another one to try to see what you think.
I slice and serve it with these…something else I always keep on hand.
agmss15 thanked chloebud - last year
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last yearlast modified: last yearWe buy a lot of TJ products. One item I will never buy again is TJ Key Lime Cookies. I love key lime pies and even have a key lime tree, but these cookies have a nasty bitter after taste. No one in the family will eat them.
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Gotta include these that I buy often...buttery and good. I’ve also used them for crumb crusts for pies and cheesecakes.
ETA - They’re very thin and I usually find some broken in the box. Not a big deal for me.
John Liu