Trader Joe's food review thread (((updated coming soon list post 583)))

[Zoe Moon]

I've been trying out various food products from Trader Joe's. Thought a food review thread might be fun. Please do add your own reviews of Trader Joe's foods/products.

So far...

Trader Joe's Chocolate (Product of Belgium): Really nice and a good value too.

Shepard's Pie: This one was a huge disappointment. It was watery, almost like soup and had very little meat in it. Hubby couldn't even eat it. The pic makes it look so good, the reality was a shock.
http://www.traderjoesfan.com/components/com_mtree/img/listings/409_shepherds_pie.jpg

Chicken Enchiladas in Salsa Verde: Very tasty, have had this one a couple of times. Not bad value either. Cheaper than TV dinners at other stores. *Note: The only pic I could find is not the best, it looks much nicer IRL on a plate.
http://heateatreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/tjenchiladasverde.jpg

Chicken and Chile Verde Burritos: Not bad, would eat again but not as nice as the enchiladas. Would be nicer with a sauce on top.
http://heateatreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/tj-chicken-chile-verde-burrito.jpg

Chicken and Gorgonzola with Lentils: Not my thing, found the chicken a bit bland for me, although the lentils were nice.

Mandarin Orange Chicken: This one is very nice and pretty easy to fix. Just put a 1/4 cup of oil in a pan, brown the chicken and then dump in the sauce and serve over rice (sold separately). To make it a little healthier, I took the chicken out of the oil, patted it to remove the excess oil and then mixed in the sauce. You can also bake the chicken in the oven, the instructions are on the package, it's just been too hot to fire up the oven here. Just bought more today. It's enough for a family of four or you can just do half for 1 or 2 people, as it comes with two sauce packets.

[wikipost]

Feel free to add your own, good and bad foods to the list but please, don't delete/move foods that someone else added - thx!

For those of you who might be wondering when a Trader Joes will be built near you. Here's the list of newly opened stores and ones that are coming soon. Note, these are only new stores, not a list of all locations. For other locations, click here then select your region. Linky (http://slickdeals.net/forums/../?sdtid=905058&u2=http://www.traderjoes.com/locations.asp)


Now Open:


Athens, GA
Davis, CA
Greenville, SC
Lincoln, NE
Rochester, MN
Omaha, NE
Portland, ME
Shrewsbury, NJ
Ventura, CA (just opened)
West Des Moines, IA




Coming Soon:



Chicago (South Loop), IL
Chicago (Lakeview), IL (just added)
Kansas City, MO
Leawood, KS
Mt. Pleasant, SC
Pittsburgh, PA (just added)
Salem, OR
Silverdale, WA (Just added)
Spokane, WA
Staten Island, NY (just added)




List of Lounger approved (or disapproved) TJ foods.

Good Foods by category:

Gluten free favorites:
Rice Noodle Soup Bowls
Rice mac and cheese
Fiberful fruit leathers
Crunchy Curls
Raspberry chicken walnut salad
lara bars
gluten free brownie mix
gluten free pancake mix
Individually packaged omega fortified cranberry and nut mix
Banana waffles


Baked Goods, Cookies and Desserts
Brioche loaf (not bakery good but better than the grocery store type)
Candy Cane Joe Joes (available at Christmas time)
Caneles de Bordeaux (fairly good 3.5 out of 5 - needs a little more flavor and custard on the inside)
Carrot cake muffins
Chocolate Caramel Tartlet
Chocolate Dipped Dunkers
Cinnamon Rolls
Crispy crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lacy's milk chocolate macadamia nut cookies
Lemon Cream Cheese muffins
Lemon loaf cake
Mango Passion Torta Cotta
Maple Cream Cookies (oreo style)
Oatmeal cookies
Parmiago Rosemary Rolls
Pinachios
Pumpkin Bread mix
Pumpkin Spice Bunt Cake (baked goods area)
Raspberry Tarte (Best thing we've had so far. Frozen foods. They also have a blueberry tarte.)
Raspberry Chocolate Torte (frozen foods)
Schoolhouse Cookies
Seven grain bread (great flavor and texture)
Sheppard's Bread (great taste, with just a touch of honey)
Shortbread Chocolate Thumb Print cookies
Strawberry Shortcake (frozen foods, cake)
Triple Gingersnap cookies (in the tubs)
Vanilla Bread mix
Vanilla Lemon Cupcakes with cream cheese icing
Vanilla Meringues
White Fudge drizzled Oatmeal Cranberry Dunkers


Snacks
Alsace tart (appetizer) (frozen foods)
Any of the TJ chocolates
Banana chips
Blue tortilla chips
Bruschetta
Dark Chocolate Caramels
Dark Chocolate Roasted Pistachio Toffee
Ginger gummy bears
Gluten free trail mix
Golden crackers
Gorgonzola crackers
Lemongrass Spring Rolls (frozen foods)
Mini milk chocolate peanut butter cups
Mini Peanut Butter Sandwich crackers
Multigrain crackers
Phillo dough (frozen foods)
Pirate's Booty
Pistachio covered toffee
Pita chips with cinnamon and sugar
Pretzel Slims (either plain or chocolate covered)
Rice pudding
Roasted Plantain Chips (they are salty, not sweet)
Sesame Sticks
Thai Lime and Chili Cashews (spicy!)
White Cheddar Corn Puffs




Meats and main courses
Smokehouse Pulled Beef Brisket
Paneer Tikki Masala (new frozen food)
Bison burgers
Chicken Empanadas (frozen foods)
California Rolls (prepared foods)
Beef or chicken tacos (frozen foods)
Chicken Enchiladas in Salsa Verde (frozen foods)
Chicken and Chilie Verde Burritos (really needs a sauce)
Mandarin Orange Chicken (frozen foods)
All of the pasta dishes
Asparagus Rissotto (frozen foods)
ChickenTaquitos (frozen foods) *note: the beef ones are okay but not as good as the chicken taquitos*
Chicken Gorgonzola with mushrooms (frozen foods)
Pre-cooked seasoned lentils (produce section)
Organic Jasmine Rice (frozen foods)
Vegetable Masala Burger (frozen foods)
Turkey chili with beans (canned)
Puff Pastry Margherita Pizza
All of the pizzas (esp. the BBQ Chicken Pizza)
All of the meats
All sausages
All frozen fish - tilapia and cod is awesome
Roast beef, pickled onions and honey mustard sandwich (prepared foods section)
Chicken Serenada (frozen foods)
Chicken Pompadoro (frozen foods)
Carne Asada (makes great fajitas)



Other
Pizza dough (in the prepared/refrigerated foods section)
Garlic & Herb Pizza Dough ( even better than plain)
Spring Creek garlic and herb goat cheese
Roasted Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade
Masala Simmer Sauce (starter sauce)
Water crackers
Multigrain flax seed crackers
Golden Entertainers crackers
Brown Rice Medley
Grilled eggplant and zucchini (frozen foods)
Peanut Butter
Cookie Butter
Salad mixes
Greek style yogurt with honey
All soups (except Miso)
Frozen Garlic
Frozen Cilantro
Frozen Basil
Red pepper hummus
Edamame hummus
French Roast Coffee(drive across town just for this)
Bold and Smokey Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce
Romano Caesar salad dressing
Chile Spiced Mango (dried fruit section)
Thai Style Soy Ginger Carrot
Nasi Goreng
Black Raspberries (frozen foods)
pear sauce (in cups like apple sauce)
Almond milk
Garlic naan (frozen foods)
Banana waffles (frozen foods)
Lightly smoked canned sardines
Powdered Chai (pretty sweet but yummy and easy to mix)
Winter Blend coffee
Mango Chutney
Garlic Bread (frozen foods, by pizzas)
Beans So Green (frozen foods)

Bad Foods:

Oatmeal bars (way too sweet)
Shepherd's Pie (watery and nasty)
Chicken and Gorgonzola with Lentils (bit bland)
Tangerine juice
Orange juice (too sweet)
Instant Miso soup (powdered miso)
Dried Salted Green Beans
Currant cookies (too seedy)
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Egg salad sandwich (bland and dry)
Perline Pasta & Proscutto (terrible filling, bad flavor and weird texture)
Chocolate covered frozen bananas - bummer, I thought they'd be a hit but no one liked them here
Pinachios cookies
Filet of Sole reduced calorie meal (frozen foods - good flavor but very small portion)
Dried pumelo (over sweetened yet still bitter)
Tom Yum cashews (the flavor was too overwhelming)
Turkey meatballs - frozen foods section - (Mixed reviews, one lounger's DH liked them but to me they had a weird texture and odd taste, plus they gave my DH terrible heartburn so with 2 out of 3 no's, in the bad foods section they go.)
Eggplant Garlic Spread - bland and had an odd aftertaste
Spicy Shrimp Bao (strong fishy aftertaste)
Frozen falafels (incorrect seasoning, tastes like frozen veggie burger discs)


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[iconian]

u sending out samples????

nice thread:)

p.s pictures needed :)

[Dnez]

YUM, i am a bit hungry and know how good some of there stuff is...

[Scampsters]

All the pasta dishes youll like . Ilike the asparagus rissotto its yummy. What I usually do is add some mushroom, oniion and green beans to make the portions a little bigger.

Also get those salad mixes for one and add some lettuce, tomato cucumber to make a 2 person portion.

[Just Peachy]

I wondered how their green chili enchiladas were. The last time we were there we got the beef taquitos. I'm pretty discerning when it comes to taquitos, and these were delicious alone without the guacamole and sour cream on the side.

[Zoe Moon]

I almost bough the rissotto today, will have to get some next trip. Along with the taquitos. Thanks!

[Scampsters]

Oh yeh and your grocery bills are lower than going to safeway or Ralphs

[Zoe Moon]

Tell me about it. I was shocked at how reasonable some of the things are at TJ. A few of the fresh made meals are a little pricey, IMHO. I took one of their salads that I like and bought the separate ingredients to make it myself. $5.00 for a small salad that barely feeds one person is a bit much. It's the mixed greens with blue cheese, dried cranberries, sugared pecans and raspberry vinaigrette dressing. :yummy:

Probably not one I would have tried, didn't sound appealing, but they were giving away samples one day and it was soooo good.

[GeminiiGirl]

these are my faves :yummy:

http://heateatreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/BambinoCheesePizza.jpg

http://www.traderjoesfan.com/components/com_mtree/img/listings/1037_brown_rice.jpg

http://www.nutritiousjunk.com/files/pictures/TJ%20cookies.jpg

[Catsanova]

a tj is suppose to be built by the new mall 3 miles from me but its out of my way to go check.might have to go see if the coke target gc deal is working so i can check then if tj is almost ready to open or they are slow to construct it.i looked on tj website but it doesnt show it as open or sheduled to open yet. :)

[BrgnHntr]

The alsace tart (on the left) is awesome. Like a really thin pizza with proscuitto and sauteed onions.

http://www.italyinsf.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/trader-joes-4.jpg

Chicken gorgonzola. There are 3-4 other varieties that are packaged just like this, they're all good.

http://thekeystonewjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/tje28099s-chicken-gorgonzola.jpg

Their chop salad is really good.

Pre-cooked and seasoned lentils from the produce section (refrigerated) are very good if you like lentils.

The microwave jasmine rice (like the brown rice GG listed) is great if you just make a small amount of rice at a time.

http://heateatreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/tjorganicjasminerice.jpg

I agree about the asparagus risotto, it's really good.

They have a greek style yogurt with honey that's really good.

Pita chips with cinnamon and sugar.

Look in the freezer section for french onion or asparagus soup...both are great in the fall/winter months.


There's so much good frozen stuff I know I'm forgeting. :scratchh:

[arjunsr]

i'lll second both rices. both are pretty yummy and very quick fix. my friend does individual portions just for her. just heats up what she eats.

[lakeforestdude]

Love TJ's and their yummy samples.

[appleyum]

Trader Joe's Charles Shaw wine for the WIN!!! :rock: :thumbup: Two-Four Buck Chuck :whee: :woot2:


Too bad we don't have Trader Joe's near by. :sadwalk:

[shhaggy]

White Fudge drizzled Oatmeal-Cranberry Dunkers are the best.

[dlarge]

Watch the sodium content in these bad boys. I thought that because they're TJ's they'd be somewhat healthier than elsewhere. Not the case.

[Zoe Moon]

Watch the sodium content in these bad boys. I thought that because they're TJ's they'd be somewhat healthier than elsewhere. Not the case. I have to watch DH's sodium so on the dishes he eats, I do check it. The Mandarin Orange Chicken isn't bad at all, 320 for one cup, not including rice. The Chicken Enchiladas in Salsa Verde are 480 for one enchilada and I eat both in the pack. So it's a little high, but then, I have low blood pressure.

[damnyou]

You should try this

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3032/2642254964_b06cde6439.jpg?v=0

[handyguy]

Tangerine juice was questionable, so must return it, $4.99. Squeezed orange juice is okay, a bit sweet, $2.99

Best is cream style yogurt, it's like pure cream, about $2.59 for a qt.

The prices on things I buy there haven't changed at all.

[Zoe Moon]

The alsace tart (on the left) is awesome. Like a really thin pizza with proscuitto and sauteed onions.

http://www.italyinsf.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/trader-joes-4.jpg

Chicken gorgonzola. There are 3-4 other varieties that are packaged just like this, they're all good.

http://thekeystonewjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/tje28099s-chicken-gorgonzola.jpg

Their chop salad is really good.

Pre-cooked and seasoned lentils from the produce section (refrigerated) are very good if you like lentils.

The microwave jasmine rice (like the brown rice GG listed) is great if you just make a small amount of rice at a time.

http://heateatreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/tjorganicjasminerice.jpg

I agree about the asparagus risotto, it's really good.

They have a greek style yogurt with honey that's really good.

Pita chips with cinnamon and sugar.

Look in the freezer section for french onion or asparagus soup...both are great in the fall/winter months.


There's so much good frozen stuff I know I'm forgeting. :scratchh: It's funny you said that about the Alsace Tart, I picked one up and almost bought it but put it back as I wondered how good it would be. Will get one next time, thanks!

Love the Greek style yogurt but it's so bad for you, so I rarely get it.. A small cup of it has 14 grams of fat! :eek:

[Reneek]

I love the Mandarin Orange chicken!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Omigod....thanks for this yummy thread, Zoe! SLURP!

[appleyum]

Trader's Joe Instant Miso Soup gets a D, miso powder just doesn't taste as good as miso paste.

[bryantq]

Trader Joes Dark Chocolate Roasted Pistachio Toffee!!!... **runs out to buy some now**

[GeminiiGirl]

i ate some of the brown rice for lunch :eat:

[handyguy]

Hansens ginger ale, no calorie version. When I open it, it is so strong that I cough.

[*JeanGrey*]

There is some stuff I still really like there, but some of it I'm sick of and I don't shop there nearly as much as I used to.

Used to love the Mandarin chicken in the OP, but it has a lot of breading and the sauce is sweet so I stopped buying it. They have a similar teriyaki chicken bag which is not breaded and I like that.

The sausages are all good, the shaved steak is really good and they have AWESOME sirloin steaks, these are all pre-packaged.

I love most of their burritos too. I used to get chicken nuggets and soy nuggets... but now they kind of gross me out.

They also have good varieties of rice there. Good desserts.

Oh and their bison burgers are good.

[briang]

i've never had any frozen fish from there that wasn't great. i need to go get some of the burritos and such for my lunches.

i :heart: the schoolhouse cookies, and the chocolate dipped dunkers.

[coupon queen]

Trader Joes sells an excellent pizza dough (the kind you actually have to roll out).
The whole wheat pizza dough is the best.

[Clivefrog]

Oh and their bison burgers are good.


:iagree: it was the first time i've tried buffalo, but it was TASTY!

[arjunsr]

damn this thread. i went in for a few things with a basket. quickly ditched that for a cart and left 62 dollars lighter...

[Clivefrog]

what's Trader Vics?

[Just Peachy]

damn this thread. i went in for a few things with a basket. quickly ditched that for a cart and left 62 dollars lighter...

That's cheap! :woot: What'd ya get? :eat:

We can't seem to coordinate between us how to get out of there on less than $100. I think last time we both had carts. One filled with a case of (what I use for) cooking wine and produce and the other was filled with everything we didn't need. :( We have grabby hands syndrome.

[arjunsr]

veggies/fruits:
cherry tomato ish heirloom mix
organic zuchinni
salad mix
green lettuce leaves
avocados
bananas
apples
lemons
limes
onions
corn

random stuff:
bison steak burgers
cheddar cheese
par baked ciabatta rolls
a roasted pepper/artichoke tapenade
water crackers
masala simmer sauce (basically easy chicken tiki masala)
olive oil
red wine vinegar
brown rice

carrot cake muffins.

i'd get a lot more frozen stuff if my roommate didn't fill up most of the freezer with costco stuff.

[Clivefrog]

arj have you been to Fresh & Easy? that's another cool little grocery store

[arjunsr]

nope. the closest one is in ocean beach. worth a 12 minute drive?

[Clivefrog]

meh. guess not

[DealGuru82]

I went to Trader Joes for the first time lat month. I tried their Goat Cheese Pizza. It was my first time having goat cheese. The pizza was delicious. I had one from Whole Foods but that one didn't have an sauce on it. It was just cheese and bread.

I've been to Fresh and Easy. It is a cute little store. I would like to try the Gelato ice cream from there. I usually get one of their rice bowls.

[Just Peachy]

:omg: Dang, Arj, that's a lot for $62! I'd probably swap out the masala for something else (probably the taquitos) but I should use your list and stick to it, (says she of the grabby hands duo). I think we buy or have bought everything on your list except apples which I'd probably swap out for honey sesame sticks.

Guess I know where we're heading out to this weekend. :eat:

[Zoe Moon]

Went to one of the Asian markets in Redmond today. Their veggies and fruit are always so fresh. Headed to Trader Joes tomorrow to stock up on some stuff. :whee:

TJ's shortbread chocolate thumb print cookies are sooooo good but I can't stop eating the little farkers! Won't buy another tub of them. :nono: :lol:

The gingersnaps are good too. Hubby likes them a little too much.

[BrgnHntr]

what's Trader Vics?

polynesian restaurant...we got one here not too long ago and I just saw earlier this week that they're out of business already :( They had an awesome happy hour.

[GoneForNow]

Their oatmeal cookies are amazing. :drool:

[veritableqndry]

Don't bother with the dried salted green beans. I really don't know why I thought these would be anything but exactly what they sound like. Which is a giant crunchy pile of yuk. My dogs like 'em though! :woot:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2076/2041310411_1aaa515688.jpg?v=0
Also the little seedy currant cookies were okay, but too reminiscent of bird seed for me to recommend them to anyone.

I'm kind of angry at Trader Joe to be perfectly honest. The one in Fairfax, VA is kind of small and really doesn't have as much selection as I expected. Also, they discontinued their house brand powdered alcohol-free vanilla extract and I'm having a hell of a time finding a replacement. :mad:

[blackbrutha]

I wondered how their green chili enchiladas were. The last time we were there we got the beef taquitos. I'm pretty discerning when it comes to taquitos, and these were delicious alone without the guacamole and sour cream on the side.
Trader joes has some good tasting food

[wmarkley]

I can't believe no has said how good the chicken empanditas are. They are the best thing in the store!!!

[Starbelly]

I agree about the whole wheat pizza dough. It's rocks and it's only $1.50! They have a carne asada that is amazing. It's just enough for my husband and I and it is beyond words delicious. Their strawberry jam is really great and no high fructose corn syrup. We go there just for the peanut butter and jelly. I also love to get the sirloin strips they have. It's incredibly thin, lean, and versatile! Add veggies and sauce, voila! stir fry in seconds. Throw it on a griddle with onions, peppers, salt, pepper and garlic powder, ka-pow! Philly cheesesteaks. One pack is enough for us two dinners for the two of us. My guy doesn't like peppers or onions, but you could probably add some sneezonings and make some killer fajitas too. One thing I'm bummed they stopped carrying is chidori. They were these tasty crispy low cal cookies that were basically just fortune cookies with sesame seeds only flat. Speaking of sesame, the sesame sticks are hella good as well as Virgil's root beer. Virgil's is pricey, but by far the very best. You can really taste all of the spices in it. It's amazing.

[R.G.]

My newest addiction :drool:
http://www.traderjoes.com/Images/Products/SunnyCaliforniaRoll.jpg
I bought all that they had today :O

[Zoe Moon]

:bump:

San Jose is now open! :whee:

Please see the wiki. Some new locations have been added to the 'coming soon' section, as well as some opening dates for locations that were already on the list.

[serra]

the frozen beef (or chicken) tacos are pretty good.

[Zoe Moon]

Oh...my...god! The Spring Creek garlic and herb goat cheese (from Trader Joes) is the best goat cheese I've ever had. I just had a snack of the goat cheese on TJ's bagel crackers. :yummy:

[Zoe Moon]

The TJ garlic mashed potatoes were a big letdown. They were very bland and had a weird, almost glue like consistency to them.

On an up note, the vanilla lemon cupcakes with cream cheese icing (from the baked goods section) were yummy. l:drool2:

[Linette]

We do most of our shopping (about 75%) at TJ's and the one thing that we have been going crazy for lately is the Raspberry Chocolate torte (frozen section). They use a phillo dough that is just out of this world and full of buttery goodness. Some of the tortes have less berries than others, so I just add more frozen berries before baking and you can pick up a bag really cheap (the black raspberries are wonderful). The only thing that has been driving us nuts is the pricing. Some TJ's have the torte at $3.99 and others at $1.99. This last time I was not playing, so I picked up three at the TJ's that had it for $1.99.

The pumpkin bread mix they have out is also great and not too full of spices like the Williams Sonoma brand. You can even add some chocolate chips and raisins before baking to give it a little twist. I made a cream cheese frosting with a little cool whip for an extra fluffy topping.

The one thing I miss is the Mole' sauce they had at the start of the year. It went missing and no one knows why and if it is coming back.

[Linette]

The TJ garlic mashed potatoes were a big letdown. They were very bland and had a weird, almost glue like consistency to them.

On an up note, the vanilla lemon cupcakes with cream cheese icing (from the baked goods section) were yummy. l:drool2:

They were sampling these (mashed potatoes) and I thought they almost had too much gluten. I thought the girl had maybe over whipped them but it is good to know that this is how they are and should be avoided.

The big Cinnamon Rolls (they come in a plastic container and have two of them per package). These are deadly and hubby ate himself stupid by eating a whole one after dinner and to boot added ice cream on the side. It was like he had to sleep it off because he took a long nap after dinner.

[olu]

All of you are just making me jealous that there's no Trader Joe's in Colorado. Trader Joe's has the best ginger gummy bears ever :)

[RenegadeDrummer]

I love just about everything TJ's sells. Their mini milk chocolate peanut butter cups blow Resse's out of the water!

[Zoe Moon]

We do most of our shopping (about 75%) at TJ's and the one thing that we have been going crazy for lately is the Raspberry Chocolate torte (frozen section). They use a phillo dough that is just out of this world and full of buttery goodness. Some of the tortes have less berries than others, so I just add more frozen berries before baking and you can pick up a bag really cheap (the black raspberries are wonderful). The only thing that has been driving us nuts is the pricing. Some TJ's have the torte at $3.99 and others at $1.99. This last time I was not playing, so I picked up three at the TJ's that had it for $1.99.

The pumpkin bread mix they have out is also great and not too full of spices like the Williams Sonoma brand. You can even add some chocolate chips and raisins before baking to give it a little twist. I made a cream cheese frosting with a little cool whip for an extra fluffy topping.

The one thing I miss is the Mole' sauce they had at the start of the year. It went missing and no one knows why and if it is coming back. I have one of the Raspberry Chocolate Tortes in the freezer, will have to try it this weekend. Thanks for the tip on the berries. Will have to buy the pumpkin bread mix next time, I looked at it today but didn't get it.

We tried the Lemon Torte (fresh, not frozen) tonight. It was nice and tart but not too tart and the crust was perfect. I just wish I hadn't eaten such a big slice. :lol:

[BrgnHntr]

I had the nasi goreng tonight (indonesian rice). It was a nice side dish. I'd buy it again.

[BostonGirl]

I love the lemongrass spring rolls..a little strong on the lemon flavor, but fiancees greek so Im used to the lemon.:lol:
We also love the alsace tart. They were on demo one day,and it was yummy. Although I find I like it cooled down. Otherwise the cheese drips too soupy.

So many things, I cant think of right now..lol
I have to try that asparagus risotto though, you all make it sound so good.:eat:

[rrc06]

Trader Joe's Brown Rice Medley - A blend of long-grain brown rice, black barley and daikon radish seeds.

Best rice ever made. It's so hearty and full of flavor. Plus it has a ton of fiber to help you poop better :D

http://www.traderjoesfan.com/components/com_mtree/img/listings/m/75.jpg

[Scampsters]

In frozen section grilled eggplant and zucchini - just throw it in the microwave.

[Zoe Moon]

**Updated the wiki with a lot of new stores which are now open or opening soon. A lot of them are on the east coast.**

The TJ Pumkin Bread is simply wonderful. It was nice and moist with a great flavor. It's nice to eat as is or you can make a cream cheese icing to pour over it.

Wasn't fussed though on the TJ Gingerbread as the ginger was too overpowering.

The TJ Chicken Teriyaki from the frozen foods section is another winner. Just chop up the veggies of your choice, or use the TJ frozen stir fry veggies and sautee them in a pan with some of the sauce. The chicken is prepared in the microwave, per the instructions on the package and comes out great. We have it usually once a week.

[wuzzy]

This place just opened up near me. I got a flyer in the mail for Thanksgiving food and they seem rather expensive.

[BostonGirl]

We just got back from there, their turkey breast, stuffing and squash are yummy...they were sampling it. Its all pre-cooked and ready to go. :eat:

[Zoe Moon]

This place just opened up near me. I got a flyer in the mail for Thanksgiving food and they seem rather expensive. Some of the meat is expensive but soooooo good. On a lot of things though, they're cheaper than the grocery stores, at least the ones in the NW.

We just got back from there, their turkey breast, stuffing and squash are yummy...they were sampling it. Its all pre-cooked and ready to go. :eat: DH went tonight to get a pumpkin pie and they were sold out. If I could drive, I would have been able to pick one up this morning or make one from scratch like I normally do. :annoyed:

[StarNova]

I :heart: Trader Joe's peanut butter. You can't beat it for the taste and price. Also the Mini Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers are very good.

[BostonGirl]

Some of the meat is expensive but soooooo good. On a lot of things though, they're cheaper than the grocery stores, at least the ones in the NW.

DH went tonight to get a pumpkin pie and they were sold out. If I could drive, I would have been able to pick one up this morning or make one from scratch like I normally do. :annoyed:

Costcos had tons of pumpkin pies....but they threw us out of there...literally...:rolleyes:

[wuzzy]

Some of the meat is expensive but soooooo good. On a lot of things though, they're cheaper than the grocery stores, at least the ones in the NW.

DH went tonight to get a pumpkin pie and they were sold out. If I could drive, I would have been able to pick one up this morning or make one from scratch like I normally do. :annoyed:

I will have to check it out then. I didn't even know it was a grocery store until I read this thread. Thought it was a place that just had food already made and you order it and buy it then leave.

[Zoe Moon]

I've added a list to the wiki of all the foods the Loungers have recommended or said to avoid.


Yes, I have way too much time on my hands right now. :lol:

[Linette]

We purchased a turkey from Trader Joe's. I've never had a fresh (never frozen) turkey, so I will update on how it is after the holiday. I purchased the Vanilla bread mix and just added wild frozen blue berries and it was great. I love how little these quick bread mixes cost.

Last night, we were short on time and I picked up a pizza dough, a trio of sandwich meat (the packet that has salami, mortadella, and prosciutto), and pepperoni. I made a quick white cheese sauce (with herbs) on the stove and wrapped it all in the dough with mozzarella. It was ready in 20 minutes and we had a wonderful Stromboli for less than $10.00. Hubby loved it and we even have left-overs. I don't know what I would do without Trader Joe's. They even had herbs for sale (live plants) Rosemary, Thyme, and Sage. It was $7.99 and all 3 come in a pot (the pot comes with a ceramic Turkey and a sign that says Turkey Stuffing) and I plan to keep it until Christmas.

[Starbelly]

I :heart: Trader Joe's peanut butter. You can't beat it for the taste and price. Also the Mini Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers are very good.

We go to Trader Joes just for the peanut butter and jelly. It is nice to be able to pay less for them, but not have all of the crap they throw into everything at the regular grocery store. You can't pick up a jar of jelly or preserves without high fructose corn syrup in it period! I only wish they'd make a concord grape kind.

[tlerner]

Great TJ recipe! I fed 6 people for $20 with this and still had leftovers:

Ingredients:
Mediterranean style flat bread (9 in a package, I buy 2 for feeding 6 people)
Cous Cous (plain style, in a box)
Hummus
Taskiki (cucumber yogurt, next to the hummus in TJ)
Tomatos
Cucumber (hot house, or the "sweet" type)
Feta Cheese
Spinach leaves

Directions:
1) Cook the Cous Cous (takes about 10-15 minutes for the cous cous to soften)
2) In a small saute pan, put 2 TB of olive oil spread around the pan, on med/high heat and put in a piece of the flat bread. Cook 45 seconds on each side until light brown (careful not to burn it).
3) Place the bread on a plate and add a thin layer of hummus and Taskiki
4) Add cous cous and feta cheese (so the loose pieces stick in the hummus and taskiki)
5) Top with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and spinach
6) Enjoy!

Its almost like a Mediterranean tostada. Once you make one you will understand how to make the next one better, and can even fold it like a taco, or just pile everything on and eat it with a fork and knife!

Mad props for the inventor of this!

[rrc06]

I just went to the one in downtown Chicago on Ontario St. and MAN do they have a great wine and beer selection. I wish PA would repeal their stupid alcohol laws :ranting:

[Zoe Moon]

Glad you bumped this. I tried the TJ turkey chili with beans last night. It was really nice for canned chili. Didn't have that funky canned meat taste that some canned chilies get. Will buy again.

[Piccaboo]

Okay, now I want a TJ's by me :mad:

For Thanksgiving my BIL brought over some things from TJ's and I loved them :whee:

Now I want one near me, so I can shop there too :sadwalk:

[Zoe Moon]

Got this on the TJ news email and thought it was interesting to see what their bestsellers are. Also updated the wiki with new stores and upcoming stores.

The Most Favored Favorite Trader Joe’s Products
of 2008 (in no particular order )

1. Mandarin Orange Chicken (except this one is really #1)
2. Greek Yogurt
3. Triple Ginger Snaps
4. Candy Cane Joe Joe's
5. Refrigerated Pizza Dough
6. Frozen Green Beans
7. Hummus
8. Tarte d' Alsace
9. Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
10. Avocados
11. Frozen Brown Rice
12. Frozen Buffalo Burgers
13. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
14. Sparkling Blueberry Juice
15. Garden Patch Vegetable Juice
16. Almond Milk
17. Tortillas
18. Dunkers Cookies
19. Pound Plus Bittersweet Chocolate
20. Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies
21. Creamy Tomato Soup
22. Cannned Corn
23. Veggie & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips
24. Five Seed Almond Bars
25. Frozen Chocolate Croissants
26. Frozen Meatballs
27. Roasted Red Pepper Spread
28. Freeze Dried Mango Slices
29. Frozen Steel Cut Oatmeal
30. Peanut Butter Pretzels
31. Olive Oil
32. Nuts
33. Coffee
34. Charles Shaw Wines**in stores where wine is sold

[Starbelly]

Got this on the TJ news email and thought it was interesting to see what their bestsellers are. Also updated the wiki with new stores and upcoming stores.

Oh my gawd Candy Cane JoJos are the shiznit!

[murahmeriah]

I love their chocolate chips. They're cheaper than the "national brand" and taste sooo good!

[justinem1]

Trader Joes carrot cake muffins are the best!

[Zoe Moon]

DH isn't allowed to bring the TJ chocolate thumbprint cookies into the house. I can't stop eating them if they're there. :pig:

[LukesMama]

French Roast Coffee(drive across town just for this)
Bold and Smokey Kansas City Style Barbeque Sauce
Romano Caesar salad dressing
Lemon Cookies with chocolate drizzle
Chicken Enchiladas

[2littlemonkeys]

This weekend was my first trip to Trader Joes- an hour each way just to avoid HFCS :).

Anyways, I tried the best snack that I'm ready to go back for--- Chile Spiced Mango. It sounds weird, but they are both spicy and sweet at the same time and I finished off a bag in a day. They are in the dried food section.

Another yummy find was the White Cheddar puffed corn. Tastes like a cross between a cheese doodle & popcorn- kids (& dh) love them.

[BrgnHntr]

I made a big TJ's trip yesterday so will have lots to share soon. :whee:

First item was a big disappointment, though. The bbq chicken pizza. Mediocre would be a compliment. Will definitely not buy this again.

Anyway, noticed someone really likes it in the wiki... Maybe it's a personal preference thing. I thought the crust was bland with a funny taste to it. Chicken had no flavor, not much cheese, onions were overpowering, sauce had a fake taste to it.

[Ram|bunc|tious]

I miss Fat Weasel, twas a great beer :sadwalk:

However, there is a beer from the Kennebunkport brewery that is a seasonal double-bock lager that is a-ok! :thumbsup:

[Starbelly]

I made a big TJ's trip yesterday so will have lots to share soon. :whee:

First item was a big disappointment, though. The bbq chicken pizza. Mediocre would be a compliment. Will definitely not buy this again.

Anyway, noticed someone really likes it in the wiki... Maybe it's a personal preference thing. I thought the crust was bland with a funny taste to it. Chicken had no flavor, not much cheese, onions were overpowering, sauce had a fake taste to it.

Make your own with ingredients from TJ. That's what I do. The crust is in the refrigerated section and is only $1.69. You have to let it rest and roll it out, but it's delicious! There is even a whole wheat kind! I use Lucille's barbecue sauce (Lucille's is a Southern barbecue chain here) but TJ's barbecue sauce is supposed to be wonderful. Grab some cheese, grill and dice up some chicken, add some fresh cilantro and some red onion rings and you're in business! It's scrumptious!

[BrgnHntr]

Tonight, I made the Thai Style Soy Ginger Carrots - two thumbs up, very good!

Also made the Nasi Goreng again.

[katierysz]

I love the red pepper hummus (and it's SO CHEAP!) and the Vanilla Meringues. So delicious. I also love the Dunkers cookies.

[R.G.]

I'm addicted to their White Chedder Corn Puffs :O
I think I ate about half the bag when I got home today :lol:

[BrgnHntr]

I made the wild mushroom and black truffle flat bread today. It was okay - edible but not my favorite thing. I love mushrooms, but this was a little too strong for me. The sauce is ground up wild mushrooms and truffles with a light sprinkle of cheese over.

[hathor]

Has anyone tried the pomegranate glaze? We saw it there a couple weeks ago but haven't tried it yet. Made a trip there last night, but didn't pick any up. For the person that didn't care for the BBQ chicken pizza. I've never tried it (always make my own), but I LOVE their BBQ shredded chicken on whole wheat buns. I've taken it and put it on a pita bread with some more bbq sauce, some scallions and some cheese. MMmmmmm :yummy: Delicious! Instant BBQ chicken pizza. :)

[Zoe Moon]

DH likes the BBQ pizza and I do too. It's not great pizza, compared to fresh, but it's nice for frozen.

I bought some of the whole wheat pizza dough and am going to do a pesto and feta pizza with red onion too. Schlotzsky's in Texas makes a pizza like that and I really crave it about twice a year.

[BrgnHntr]

I guess that's where different tastes come in. I thought it was one of the worst frozen pizzas I've ever eaten.

And you just missed Schlotzsky's by about a year. :lol: :comfort: There used to be one in Redmond, right next to Value Village.

[Zoe Moon]

I guess that's where different tastes come in. I thought it was one of the worst frozen pizzas I've ever eaten.

And you just missed Schlotzsky's by about a year. :lol: :comfort: There used to be one in Redmond, right next to Value Village. :mad: I did a search and the closest Schlotzsky's is now 186 miles away.

[veritableqndry]

I thought it was one of the worst frozen pizzas I've ever eaten
You should get another one, and cook it this time. :P :harhar:

[BrgnHntr]

:mad: I did a search and the closest Schlotzsky's is now 186 miles away.

sorry! :hug:

You should get another one, and cook it this time. :P :harhar:

:P You should go buy one and break the tie.

[veritableqndry]

:P You should go buy one and break the tie.
I don't wear ties. :P

The best BBQ chicken pizza I've ever eaten is from Carrabba's Italian Grill. And after I got those dried green beans from TJ's I'm loathe to go back there... plus the one near my house is tiny & always crowded, and it's close to a pet store that sells puppies & kittens, which is a hazard of a different kind.

[rrc06]

:mad: I did a search and the closest Schlotzsky's is now 186 miles away.

you still have TJs --- i'd rather have that than schlotzky's!

[Zoe Moon]

I bought some of the whole wheat pizza dough and am going to do a pesto and feta pizza with red onion too. Schlotzsky's in Texas makes a pizza like that and I really crave it about twice a year.

Well, the attempt at making pizza didn't quite go as planned. It stuck to the board after I rolled out the dough and since I'd already put the ingredients on it, it was really hard to get off the board in one piece. Then I put it on a piece of tin foil in the oven as I don't have a pizza stone. It didn't look too pretty, more like a blob than a round pizza and it got very puffy, guess I didn't roll it out enough. However, it tasted good. Think I'll get a pizza stone before trying this again. :lol:

[wuzzy]

Since this place seems to have odd foods. Anyone know if they have blocks of cheddar cheese with pepperoni bits in it? I've seen it only at one store and they stopped selling it. I may go this week.

[HeyLookItsMe]

Since this place seems to have odd foods. Anyone know if they have blocks of cheddar cheese with pepperoni bits in it? I've seen it only at one store and they stopped selling it. I may go this week.

try whole foods.... they will likely have it....


at Tader Joes buy the gnocchi in the freezer section and get some fresh cilantro and tomatoes.... cook the gnocchi, then mix in the chopped cilantro, ground pepper to taste, and some diced tomato.... this is very yummy....

[longislandmom]

I like the British crumpets with lemon curd and my husband loves the trail mixes. In the frozen section: BBQ chicken pizza, frozen bananas (in the summer!), artichoke risotto, breaded eggplant (I use them often to make eggplant parmagiana), and the pot stickers.

I really like Trader Joe's and shop there often.

[arjunsr]

Well, the attempt at making pizza didn't quite go as planned. It stuck to the board after I rolled out the dough and since I'd already put the ingredients on it, it was really hard to get off the board in one piece. Then I put it on a piece of tin foil in the oven as I don't have a pizza stone. It didn't look too pretty, more like a blob than a round pizza and it got very puffy, guess I didn't roll it out enough. However, it tasted good. Think I'll get a pizza stone before trying this again. :lol:
sprinkle some cornmeal and flour on the board to help roll it out wihtout sticking

[Zoe Moon]

sprinkle some cornmeal and flour on the board to help roll it out wihtout sticking I did sprinkle some flour down but it didn't help. I'll try the flour and cornmeal combo next time. Thanks! :hug:

[Starbelly]

I did sprinkle some flour down but it didn't help. I'll try the flour and cornmeal combo next time. Thanks! :hug:

Did you let it rest before working with it too? That always helps me.

[CQ1]

I did sprinkle some flour down but it didn't help. I'll try the flour and cornmeal combo next time. Thanks! :hug:


yes...and

I don't want a pizza pan - try using a heavy skillet - cast iron is great!

[SlickChik]

Their gluten free trail/granola mix is really good. Its the first gluten free thing I've found that has flavor :lol:

[Zoe Moon]

Their gluten free trail/granola mix is really good. Its the first gluten free thing I've found that has flavor :lol: :hug:

[Zoe Moon]

Updated the wiki with locations now open (including Ballard) and new coming soon locations.

The Green Thai Curry sauce is pretty good. Would have it again.

[BrgnHntr]

They need to put one in Redmond - driving to Crossroads is a PITA!

[Zoe Moon]

They need to put one in Redmond - driving to Crossroads is a PITA! You have it better than I do. I have to drive to Issaquah.

[iconian]

ms zoe,

i had few small sammies from trader joe's
it was a roast beef whopper or something

basically roast beef, pickled onions and honey mustard sauce...

i could eat 20 of them!

[lilmonster]

i love trader joe's dried mangos! only $1.99 and comes in different flavors!

[Zoe Moon]

I've updated the foods section now. Let me know if I've missed anything or you can just add it.

i love trader joe's dried mangos! only $1.99 and comes in different flavors! I'll have to try those. Almost bought them a couple of times but was waiting for someone to comment on them. Thanks!

[BrgnHntr]

You have it better than I do. I have to drive to Issaquah.

If you see a curly haired girl named Kristina there - tell her I said hi! :wave2: :lol:

[.teri.]

You have it better than I do. I have to drive to Issaquah.

Issaquah. I remember when the only Krispy Kreme was out there and people would go buy them and bring them back to town and sell them on the street corners.


I want a Trader Joe's :sadwalk:

[Zoe Moon]

Issaquah. I remember when the only Krispy Kreme was out there and people would go buy them and bring them back to town and sell them on the street corners.


I want a Trader Joe's :sadwalk: Where (roughly) do you live?

[.teri.]

Where (roughly) do you live?

South Carolina :lol: But I lived outside of Tacoma for 4 years.

[R.G.]

Their chicken tamales were really yummy!

[Zoe Moon]

South Carolina :lol: But I lived outside of Tacoma for 4 years. :lol: Yeah, the closest to you would be in Charlotte or Marietta. Now that's a drive!

[.teri.]

:lol: Yeah, the closest to you would be in Charlotte or Marietta. Now that's a drive!

3 hours to Charlotte. I did email them and ask them to build a store here, but of course they never answered :lmao:

[iheartgossip]

Oh my.

The Mac & Cheese is DEVINE. Unbelievably good. So rich and...yummy.

Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup. Man, I SURVIVED on this for months and months my second year of college. Only 100 calories a cup.

Buried Treasure, TJ's knockoff of Pirate's Booty is also excellent.

Also love the Greek Yogurt, 100 calories a cup with 20 grams of protein. Half the price of Fage. Just as good.

[mystery250]

Wish there was one around here..

[veritableqndry]

Another reason to love TJ's (http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2009/04/trader-joes-less-vs-fewer-express-lane.html)

[BrgnHntr]

Zoe, guess what?!? You know the Pizza Hut that just got torn down in Redmond (over by Ben Franklin and the small QFC)? The new store they're building is going to be a Trader Joe's! :yahoo:

[Zoe Moon]

Zoe, guess what?!? You know the Pizza Hut that just got torn down in Redmond (over by Ben Franklin and the small QFC)? The new store they're building is going to be a Trader Joe's! :yahoo: :woot2: That's great news! I hate the TJ in Bellevue as it's too small and a PITA to get to. :whee:

[Just Peachy]

We tried the Lacy's milk chocolate macadamia nut cookies. :bigeye: I can't stop eating these! They taste like a toffee but very easy to chew.

We also bought some Gorgonzola Gnocchi. :eat:

[jillyq]

We tried the Lacy's milk chocolate macadamia nut cookies. :bigeye: I can't stop eating these! They taste like a toffee but very easy to chew.

We also bought some Gorgonzola Gnocchi. :eat:

Their Philly Cheesesteak and BBQ Chicken Pizzas are to DIE FOR!

[Zoe Moon]

Based on TR's thread the other day, I picked up some blue agave necter yesterday. It's so good, the flavor is kind of a cross between honey and cotton candy yet it's not too sweet. :yummy:

[Just Peachy]

Their Philly Cheesesteak and BBQ Chicken Pizzas are to DIE FOR!

I hovered over the pizzas for a few minutes and couldn't remember which ones were recommended. The next time we go (in about three months since it's not that close to us) I'll have to scope out your recommendations. :woot:

[appleyum]

We tried the Lacy's milk chocolate macadamia nut cookies. :bigeye: I can't stop eating these! They taste like a toffee but very easy to chew.

We also bought some Gorgonzola Gnocchi. :eat:

I only had half of a cookie. I am afraid to touch it....Peachyum might attack me

:hide:

[jillyq]

I hovered over the pizzas for a few minutes and couldn't remember which ones were recommended. The next time we go (in about three months since it's not that close to us) I'll have to scope out your recommendations. :woot:

:drool:

[mackeeg]

Joe's just opened here today. I would like some tried and true lowfat food ideas:D

[Zoe Moon]

Joe's just opened here today. I would like some tried and true lowfat food ideas:D Check out the good food list in the Wiki on page one. None are specified as low fat but a lot of TJ's foods are low fat, including a lot of the frozen foods.

[Zoe Moon]

Bump, updated wiki.

Now open:
Virginia Beach, VA (newest store)


Coming soon:
Saint Paul, MN (just added)

DH loves one of their new products just because of the name. It's a snack bar with strawberry filling. It's called, 'A Strawberry Walked Into A Bar' :teehee:

[BrgnHntr]

I like the 'So a Fig Walked into a Bar' bars. :lol: They taste kind of like fig newtons.

[Alan.]

So I just moved to Pittsburgh for a few months, and we have a TJ here... I will be here through August, and am alone here so I am looking for some microwaveable or fast meals that are one serving.
I have been buying the Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, etc... and they are actually very good...but what should I look for at TJ? I went in there the other day and did not see many single serving prepared meals.

[Zoe Moon]

So I just moved to Pittsburgh for a few months, and we have a TJ here... I will be here through August, and am alone here so I am looking for some microwaveable or fast meals that are one serving.
I have been buying the Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, etc... and they are actually very good...but what should I look for at TJ? I went in there the other day and did not see many single serving prepared meals. Not every TJ's carries the same stuff but here's what I've tried and liked.

Paneer Tikki Masala
Chicken Tikki Masala
Chicken Enchiladas in Salsa Verde
Chicken and Chilie Verde Burritos (really needs a sauce, buy a jar at TJ)
Chicken Chili Verde (put it on rice or on top of an omelet)
BBQ Chicken Pizza (could be two meals, depending on how hungry you are)
Pizza Formaggio (little mini pizza's in a box, you just take out how ever many you want to eat)

Look on page one, there's a list of SDer approved TJ's foods in the wiki, below the first post.

[katierysz]

ATTENTION MASSACHUSETTS DWELLERS:

Now, this is just a rumor, but I heard from a very reliable source that Trader Joe's will be opened in the Wareham Crossing Plaza where Linens N Things used to be. YAY!

[wuzzy]

I went to Trader Joe's for the first time today.

[Parkay]

Mochi Ice Cream (http://www.mikawayausa.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=5PK&Category_Code=) :woot:

Went to a fancy schmancy fusion restaurant after DD's promotion few weeks ago, ordered mochi ice cream. They charged us $6 for 2 pieces and they were the same kind you get at Trader Joe's for $3 for a box of 6 :mad:

[Zoe Moon]

I went to Trader Joe's for the first time today. What did you get? :bounce2:

[arjunsr]

I went to Trader Joe's for the first time today.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26024972@N06/3681987489/

view out my window

[wuzzy]

What did you get? :bounce2:
Just a few things for my first run. I will go back.
the chocolate that was mentioned here - smooth and good
baked french bread - was OK, really had to pull with my teeth when eating
unburied treasure - pretty good
mac & cheese - yet to have
pizza dough - having tonight

I was going to get the buffalo burgers but didn't. Has anyone here bought them and how do they taste?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26024972@N06/3681987489/

view out my window

Nice. Walking distance for you. Mine is about 10 minutes away.

[Zoe Moon]

Just a few things for my first run. I will go back.
the chocolate that was mentioned here - smooth and good
baked french bread - was OK, really had to pull with my teeth when eating
unburied treasure - pretty good
mac & cheese - yet to have
pizza dough - having tonight

I was going to get the buffalo burgers but didn't. Has anyone here bought them and how do they taste?



Nice. Walking distance for you. Mine is about 10 minutes away. Their bread in the paper bags can be a bit hit or miss. But their breads in the plastic wrappers (sliced bread) are really nice. I didn't realize how nice until I couldn't make it to TJ's the other day and bought some Orowheat, which is what we used to use. The taste and texture of the Orowheat bread wasn't nice at all after having eaten the TJ's sliced bread.

Both JG and froggy have said they like the buffalo burgers. They were also on the TJ's bestsellers for 2008 list.

[rrc06]

I love the 25-pack of little dark cacao chocolate squares (70%). Those things are addictive

[Zoe Moon]

Tried the buffalo burger patties with mushroom, cheese and onion in them. They were really yummy and even DH, who isn't big on mushrooms, liked them and said he wanted to have them again. TJ's also sells a plain buffalo burger patty too.

[veritableqndry]

How did you cook all of that with one hand? :dontknow:

[arjunsr]

the buffalo burgers are good. but it just seems its a better quality meat than the usual fare. henry's has some nice quality ground beef and taste similar/better

[briang]

wild mushroom ravioli > artichoke ravioli... i had it with homemade pesto.

tonights dinner was the cioppino (sp?)

that stuff rocks.

[DeadCheap]

Try the protein shakes, they are good. Though they raised the price by a dollar though.

[briang]

Try the protein shakes, they are good. Though they raised the price by a dollar though.

though?

[Zoe Moon]

How did you cook all of that with one hand? :dontknow:DH explained to me that, hand in a splint or not, I needed to fulfill my wifely duties and feed him. :secret: We had them on Sunday, before the mauling on Monday.

[Zoe Moon]

DH gave the vanilla Joe Joe's with the golden cookies (not chocolate) the :thumbup:

:bump: Two new locations have just opened and another is opening this
month. Updated the wiki.


Now Open:
Huntington Harbour, CA
Larkspur, CA (just opened)
Los Angeles (Sunset Strip) , CA
Newbury Park, CA (just opened)
Redding, CA
San Diego (Scripps Ranch), CA
Santa Maria, CA
St. Paul, MN
Virginia Beach, VA
Westwood, CA

Coming soon:
Aliso Viejo, CA
Olympia, WA (opening August 21)
Princeton, NJ
Raleigh, NC
Redmond, WA
West Los Angeles, CA

[wuzzy]

NEW Organic Milk Chocolate Covered Mini Peanut Butter Crackers - $3.49/$3.99: Not worth it. They are OK but not that great.

[Zoe Moon]

The TJ's Perline Pasta & Procuttio is not nice. :mad:

The filling had a so so flavor and a really odd texture to it. It was sort of like eating a ball of compressed flavoring from a packet of rammen noodles. :sick:

I even tried cooking it longer, hoping the filling would soften up a bit into something nicer but it didn't. That just made the pasta (which was too thin to start with) fall apart, while the filling was still yucky.

[ForeverDcember]

I wish I had a Trader Joes near me! :weeping:

[SlickChik]

Gluten free favorites:

Rice mac and cheese
Fiberful fruit leathers
Crunchy Curls
Raspberry chicken walnut salad
lara bars
gluten free brownie mix
gluten free pancake mix
Indivually packaged omega fortified cranberry and nut mix
Banana waffles

[Zoe Moon]

Gluten free favorites:

Rice mac and cheese
Fiberful fruit leathers
Crunchy Curls
Raspberry chicken walnut salad
lara bars
gluten free brownie mix
gluten free pancake mix
Indivually packaged omega fortified cranberry and nut mix
Banana waffles I added a gluten free category to the wiki and put your list in there.

[GeminiiGirl]

my new fave is the Double Roasted Salsa (in a jar - not refrigerated) :yummy:


i dont know why this person made the video, but i found it when i was trying to search for a photo :ermm:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/video/7989/trader_joes_fire_roasted_salsa_product.html

[SlickChik]

I added a gluten free category to the wiki and put your list in there.

thanks :highfive:

[Kair]

my new fave is the Double Roasted Salsa (in a jar - not refrigerated) :yummy:


i dont know why this person made the video, but i found it when i was trying to search for a photo :ermm:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/video/7989/trader_joes_fire_roasted_salsa_product.html

:lol:
Love that stuff too! But that wasn't my video.

[Zoe Moon]

:bump: Added Albuquerque, NM and an opening date of 8/21 for West LA to the 'Coming Soon' list in the wiki.

[SlickChik]

Blue potato chips are yumy :licklips:

Sweet potato chips are good too :nod:

[whimseys]

So a Trader Joe's opened up about half an hour away from me (previously the closest was 1.5 hours away). I wanted to try it out since I can't afford Whole Foods for a family of six. :whee: I went yesterday and was overwhelmed by the, shall we say, lack of order to where the products were placed? Obviously the produce was condensed in one area but there was cheese on both sides of the store, sunflower butter on three separate aisles, and I walked past the yogurt twice. Is there any rhyme or reason to where stuff is or is it just that I'm out of my Stop & Shop element? ;)

I loved the stuff we've tried so far (tilapia, garlic naan, blue tortilla chips, banana waffles) but want to go back a little more informed. Please tell me what you've bought and liked and what sucks.

Thanks!

[aceboo]

sunflower seed butter
multigrain crackers
best place for avocadoes
organic raisins, nuts, seeds
almond milk

JOE JOE's vanilla cookies!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Zoe Moon]

There's a list in the wiki on page one of all the Lounger approved (or disapproved) TJ's foods. :)

[dimi]

Mango Passion Torta Cotta :drool:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/3152317494_913a0dce57.jpg?v=1230684475

[Starbelly]

I can get them at the regular grocery store, not just TJ's, but I'm obsessed with pirate's booty. They are the noms!

[Zoe Moon]

sunflower seed butter
multigrain crackers
best place for avocadoes
organic raisins, nuts, seeds
almond milk

JOE JOE's vanilla cookies!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The low sodium cashews and peanuts are really good. Just the right amount of salt. Try some of the dried fruit too, it's yummy. I like the banana chips and the mango slices in different flavors.

[Starbelly]

At Christmastime, Candy Cane JoeJoes are irresistible!

[whimseys]

There's a list in the wiki on page one of all the Lounger approved (or disapproved) TJ's foods. :)



Awesome, I did not know that...thanks!

[whimseys]

The low sodium cashews and peanuts are really good. Just the right amount of salt. Try some of the dried fruit too, it's yummy. I like the banana chips and the mango slices in different flavors.

Forgot about the banana chips - DH and DS ate a whole bag while we were shopping! :yummy:

[Zoe Moon]

:bump: Several stores have opened recently and new coming soon stores have been announced. Can't wait for the Redmond store to open. :bounce2:

Now Open:
Aliso Viejo, CA - September 8th
Huntington Harbour, CA
Larkspur, CA
Newbury Park, CA
Olympia, WA
Redding, CA
San Diego (Scripps Ranch), CA
St. Paul, MN
Virginia Beach, VA
West Los Angeles, CA
Westwood, CA

Coming soon:
Albuquerque, NM
Princeton, NJ
Raleigh, NC
Redmond, WA (:yahoo:)

[Zoe Moon]

We tried Chicken Serenada tonight and it was a big hit. DH is a very picky eater but he loved it. It's chicken breast with a coco caribe sauce, topped with poblano peppers. It's in the frozen food section and I think it's one of their newer items.

[BrgnHntr]

I've had that before, it is quite good. We just had the kind of Italian version from the same line the other night and it was very good.

[Zoe Moon]

They have added opening dates on all but one of the coming soon locations. So I wanted to bump the thread for those who are waiting on a store to open. Redmond is opening on Oct. 9. Happy, happy, joy, joy!!!!! :bounce2: Can you tell I'm excited? :lol:

For other locations, click here then select your region. Linky (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=905058&u2=http://www.traderjoes.com/locations.asp)

Now Open:
Aliso Viejo, CA - September 8th
Huntington Harbour, CA
Larkspur, CA
Newbury Park, CA
Olympia, WA
Redding, CA
San Diego (Scripps Ranch), CA
St. Paul, MN
Virginia Beach, VA
West Los Angeles, CA
Westwood, CA

Coming soon:
Albuquerque, NM - Sept. 25th
Millburn, NJ
Princeton, NJ - Sept. 25th
Raleigh, NC - Open Oct. 30th
Redmond, WA - Open Oct. 9th :bounce:

[Just Peachy]

We're going this weekend to the one in Princeton! :woot2: Unfortunately it doesn't sell wine, but we'll just have to make do with driving out of the way to the other one and buying it by the case loads.

[BrgnHntr]

The edamame hummus is very good!

[Zoe Moon]

We're going this weekend to the one in Princeton! :woot2: Unfortunately it doesn't sell wine, but we'll just have to make do with driving out of the way to the other one and buying it by the case loads. :highfive:

[CQ1]

The edamame hummus is very good!


really? cuz i've stayed away do to tj's china sourcing of soybeans (aka edamame).

[Just Peachy]

Bummer, we missed out on the grand opening by a day. Apparently they gave away Hawaiian shirts and tote bags so if one is opening near you, go the day it says it's opening to get a couple of nice freebies. :whee:

We bought the usual stuff we love and a couple of new things.

Pinachios cookies: A premium butter cookie with smooth white chocolate chunks, and pieces of pistachio nuts. Sounds pretty good, right? :shake: There's almost no flavor at all and they are so dry, it's like eating unbuttered toast. Don't recommend.

Jumbo Raisin Medley: Four types of raisins. All of the raisins in the bag are large, moist, and naturally sweet. Would recommend.

Dried Berry Medley: A blend of dried cherries, dried blueberries, and dried strawberries. It's a good mix of sweet and slightly sour if just eating by the handful as a snack, but I plan on using them for baking. Would recommend.

And I looked for pizzas but for some odd reason, they didn't have them out or in inventory, nor did they have any peppers or zucchini. I'm hopeful that the next time we go, they've finished unpacking and those items will be available. And thank you to Zoe for posting the new stores and opening dates! It's because of you that we even learned that this store was going to be close to us. :hug:

[Zoe Moon]

You're welcome. Thanks for the heads up on the free shirts and tote bags. I'll be there bright eyed and bushy tailed on the day they open the store in Redmond. :hug:

[GeminiiGirl]

my new fave:

http://theskinnyplate.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/01-21-09_1141.jpg?w=225&h=300

Pretzel Slims :yummy:

[Princess_Spock]

Roasted Plantain Chips:

The purple bag with the monkey graphics contains the tastiest thing you never heard of. Plantains are a staple in Puerto Rican and Cuban cooking; when fried... imagine the best French fries you ever had, but better. The chips aren't THAT good, but they're delicious.

You'll probably find them with the dried fruits, since plantains ARE fruits (the chips are NOT sweet at ALL, as the plantains are used before they get ripe), but the chips aren't dried, they're cooked in oil and salted like potato chips.

YUM!!!!!!!

[mrlaugh]

In frozen section grilled eggplant and zucchini - just throw it in the microwave.

in my quest to expand the vegetables I eat with my diet, I bought it a week ago, and was thoroughly confused by the package when I got home, which says 'defrosting' when you look closely at the 'directions' how long did you microwave them for? anything else I might try (pan fry with olive oil??)

also, I'll throw in a recommendation for the sweet and spicy pecan :yummy: very good stuff

[Zoe Moon]

really? cuz i've stayed away do to tj's china sourcing of soybeans (aka edamame).

They haven't used soybeans from China for almost two years. From the Seattle PI blog...



Edamame, China and Trader Joe's
I spent some time during edamame season thinking about why (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=905058&u2=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/332122_denn19.html) [nwsource.com (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=905058&u2=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/332122_denn19.html)] so many of the frozen beans, even those with happy-small-organic-U.S.-countryside-farm packaging, are almost inevitably imported from China. Now, the Arizona Star reports (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=905058&u2=http://www.azstarnet.com/business/219722) [azstarnet.com (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=905058&u2=http://www.azstarnet.com/business/219722)]that Trader Joe's (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=905058&u2=http://traderjoes.com/) [traderjoes.com (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=905058&u2=http://traderjoes.com/)] has stopped selling Chinese edamame (and other single-ingredient items from China). The report quoted company spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki as saying: "Safety is of utmost importance to Trader Joe's.
"We are diligent in making sure that all our products sold in our stores meet if not exceed USDA and FDA guidelines. We feel confident that all of our products from China meet the same high quality standards that we set for all of our products. However, our customers have voiced their concerns about products from this region, and we have listened."
Mochizuki did not return several follow-up phone calls and e-mails seeking elaboration on the new policy and the products affected."
I called up the Lynnwood Trader Joe's and was told that its edamame are now imported from Thailand.
Looking at the latest FDA list of rejected exports (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=905058&u2=http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/12/ora_oasis_cntry_lst.html) [fda.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=905058&u2=http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/12/ora_oasis_cntry_lst.html)], sorted by country, why don't I feel overwhelming relief?

Posted January 31, 2008 2:14 p.m.
Linky (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=905058&u2=http://blog.seattlepi.com/devouringseattle/archives/130745.asp) [seattlepi.com (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=905058&u2=http://blog.seattlepi.com/devouringseattle/archives/130745.asp)]

[Zoe Moon]

:annoyed: :mad: The Trader Joes in Redmond opened this morning but I can't go. The antibiotics the doctor put me on have made me sick. :mad: :ranting:

Let the, 'you fail as an SDer' comments commence. I can take it.

[BrgnHntr]

Oh sad :(

I didn't make it this morning either.... just too tired.

[BrgnHntr]

I had the filet of sole from their reduced guilt line of frozen meals today. It's good, but they reduced the guilt by making the serving size tiny. I could easily eat a second so I probably won't get it again.

[Zoe Moon]

I sucked it up and went to the grand opening. The place was packed but not much more than a busy Saturday at the one in Bellevue. However, considering the store is at least three times as big, that's a lot of people. There were a lot of management people standing around watching and getting in the way of the shoppers and the employees who were actually doing the work. :lol:

Picked up some items we needed like their rice pudding (DH loves it) and a couple of things I hadn't seen before at any of the other stores. One was a frozen entree of roasted poblano peppers topped with spanish rice and large shrimp. Best of all, I got a free tote bag. :woot:

While over in the neighborhood, I stopped by World Market and used my Friends and Family 25% off coupon. :whee:

[BrgnHntr]

I stopped by tonight and bought 3 bags full of stuff so lots of reviews to come. Had the Canneles de Bordeaux tonight - little pastries in the freezer section, supposed to be caramelly on the outside custardy on the inside. Fairly good, I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. Could have had a little more flavor and been a little more custardy inside.

Also got the chocolate covered pretzel slims. Very good.

[SlickChik]

I tried the powdered chai....its pretty sweet but very yummy. You don't get a lot of servings per container, but its a tasty treat :nod: Really easy to make too...just add water!

[BrgnHntr]

Bought the brioche loaf from the fresh baked goods section. Very good - not bakery good, but better than normal grocery store bakery goods. Will definitely get it again.

Also tried the pistachio covered toffee, also very good. And the maple cream cookies - they're oreo style boxed cookies - so for that type of cookie they're very good.

[GeminiiGirl]

i got something new today went i did some shopping there :whee:

Parm-iago Rosemary Rolls

these are goooood :licklips:. i toasted mine and put some butter on it.

[BrgnHntr]

Tonight we had the tempura chicken with sweet and sour sauce. It's in the frozen food like the orange chicken everyone likes so well. I like the orange chicken a little better, but this is also good.

Had broccoli and water chestnuts with mushroom and pepper sauce to go with it. It's also from the frozen section and the sauce tasted like something you'd get in a chinese restaurant to me so it went well with the chicken but it would be a good side for other dinners, too. I really liked it, my husband said it was just okay.

Had both on the microwaveable jasmine rice... which I admit is expensive for rice, but it's just so convenient I get it anyway.

[Zoe Moon]

Is the baby keeping you up? :hug:

Thanks for the info. I've been wanting to try the tempura chicken but hadn't bought any yet.

[Princess_Spock]

Smokehouse Pulled Beef Brisket: Brisket is the meat right next to the ribs, and it tastes similar but better and more tender. This is fully cooked deliciousness for only $5.99/lb. :drool::drool::drool:

[Zoe Moon]

I didn't know this was on their website until today. Trader Joe's has PDF files of products by catagory. IE: Gluten Free, Vegan, etc.


http://www.traderjoes.com/labels_and_lists.html

[slikmama]

I had the cinnamon buns from the freezer section, they were great just missing icing

[Zoe Moon]

Smokehouse Pulled Beef Brisket: Brisket is the meat right next to the ribs, and it tastes similar but better and more tender. This is fully cooked deliciousness for only $5.99/lb. :drool::drool::drool: Thanks for the info! I almost bought some the other day but didn't want to spend the money in case it wasn't nice.

[Zoe Moon]

DH had the Shrimp Etouffee. He said it was very nice and he would have it again. This coming from a man who is very picky. It's a single portion, in the frozen foods section, I think it might be new.

[BrgnHntr]

Got the assorted baklava pack. It's okay, not the best but decent for a grocery store.

Their old fashioned graham crackers are really good.

[BrgnHntr]

My sister brought dinner over tonight. It was the pre-cooked rack of lamb from TJ. It was really good, nicely seasoned and still juicy inside despite being pre-cooked. The only thing I would change is the size. For my sister and myself, it was fine. If it had been my husband and myself it would have been a little small so plan heartier side dishes. She also brought over a wine bbq sauce from some winery she visited that we put on it and it was really good.

We had the TJ low fat greek salad with it. It was good, nothing amazing about it, good dressing etc.

[familyfirst]

Just wanted to say thanks to all that contribute to this thread. I recently went to TJ for the first time about a month ago and fell in LOVE! I now go once a week and am very impressed with their selection. My family loved the frozen Mandarin Orange Chicken!!

[Zoe Moon]

Just wanted to say thanks to all that contribute to this thread. I recently went to TJ for the first time about a month ago and fell in LOVE! I now go once a week and am very impressed with their selection. My family loved the frozen Mandarin Orange Chicken!! :highfive: That's what we had for dinner last night. You can also use the chicken from that with the TJ's General Tso bottled sauce, to give it a different flavor. When I use the General Tso sauce, I usually throw in some shredded or chopped carrot and green onion but it's fine with out veggies too. Then I save the orange chicken sauce packets for the next batch of orange chicken as DH likes lots of sauce.

[jillyq]

Mmm... I love that chicken. We usually pair it with either the TJ veggie fried rice or the curry rice. I highly recommend their mushroom and spinich risottos as well.

[Makana]

I <3 Trader Joes

[iamamalia]

i had a blast at TJs yesteday evening... bought a cart full of food, and will probably go back tonight (anyone have any low-fat recipe ideas? what are your faves?)

*i LOVE their fresh sweet potatoes that are pre-cut into fries- makes it so so so easy to just bake/fry them up!
*i tried their pre-made bbq shredded chicken- my bf loved it, but it wasnt really my thing. but for 1.5g of fat per serving, guess i can't really complain!
*their pizza doughs were only 0.99 so i bought two- i made one last week topped w/ tomoato sauce, fresh mozz, garlic, and TJs sliced chicken sausages- came out really good and low on fat!
*i bough frozen past and turkey meatballs- should make for a good dinner tonight!
*based on the recommendations of others in this thread, i bought the pumpkin bread mix- i made it into muffins, substituted applesauce for the oil in the recipe, and ended up with 12 ultra low-fat muffins that are sooooo yummy! thanks for the reviews everyone!

[TigerStar]

I wish we had a TJ's.

[iamamalia]

I wish we had a TJ's.

our's just opened up- i'd never even head of TJs before! I do wish it was bigger though... everything is smushed together and some of the things mentioned in this thread (i.e. frozen eggplant, etc.) were nowhere to be found!

[iamamalia]

and i just tasted the TJ's dark chocolate covered caramels and they are amazing!

[blo0op]

zoe moon and brgnhnter, have you ladies been to the lynnwood or everett locations? everett is closest to me but i feel its so small =( how does the redmond one compare? would it be worth it to drive an EXTRA 15 minutes to go there? although i may do so anyway, just to check it out.

dried pumelo in dried fruits section = blah, fresh pumelo is bitter but juicy and i love it, but not these. they sweetened it but it just tastes almost TOO sweet yet bitter and i threw it out after one bite

bruschetta (near tapenades and spaghettie sauces area usually) = haven't had this in a few years but it used to be a staple in my diet. awesome to spread on a cracker or bread and eat as a snack

garlic or curry naan = yummy! toast it up in the oven, its a little crisp on the outside, still moist inside, dip in hummus or curry, etc.

tom yum cashews (new product in the nuts section) = they were ok. good flavor if you like lemongrass. i liked them but it had so much strong flavor with the lemon grass and lime leaves that i could only eat a small handful at a time before being overwhelmed. has a little spicy kick from red pepper flakes.

[Starbelly]

Trader Joes has fantastic carne asada!

[BrgnHntr]

blo0op - the Redmond location is bigger than the Totem Lake and Crossroads locations, but they don't really have more merchandise available. They just have wider aisles and such. I haven't been to the Lynnwood or Everett locations but I doubt it's worth the drive.

[Zoe Moon]

i had a blast at TJs yesteday evening... bought a cart full of food, and will probably go back tonight (anyone have any low-fat recipe ideas? what are your faves?)
*snip* How were the turkey meatballs? I bought some but haven't tried them yet.

Their single serving frozen dinners are very nice and low fat. I love the Chicken Tikka Masala, the Paneer Masala and the Chicken Enchilada Verde.

FYI, I've tried all of the sausages and hands down, the best is the apple chicken sausage. The texture seems a bit weird for the first few bites as it has big chinks of apply in it but the flavor is amazing and you get used to the texture pretty fast, so it doesn't bother you after a few bites.

zoe moon and brgnhnter, have you ladies been to the lynnwood or everett locations? everett is closest to me but i feel its so small =( how does the redmond one compare? would it be worth it to drive an EXTRA 15 minutes to go there? although i may do so anyway, just to check it out.

dried pumelo in dried fruits section = blah, fresh pumelo is bitter but juicy and i love it, but not these. they sweetened it but it just tastes almost TOO sweet yet bitter and i threw it out after one bite
I've haven't been to either of those stores. I like the Redmond TJ's as the aisles are nice and wide. I was a little disappointed that with all that room, they didn't have more variety on the shelves but am hoping that they just didn't want to run out of the staples. Maybe as the newness of the store wears off, they'll start stocking more items, instead of large quantities of fewer items.

I've never seen the dried pumelo, will avoid it now, thanks! The plain dried mango is quite nice as is the chili mango. But you can only eat a little of the chili mango in one go. The banana chips are very nice but not low fat, IIRC.

Trader Joes has fantastic carne asada! Good to know! I've been wanting to try that but was waiting for someone else to go first. :lol:

[Nate650]

To me the main appeal of Trader Joe's is this:

"The Trader Joe’s logo assures that the product it adorns contains only the finest quality, natural ingredients - that means NO artificial flavors, colors or preservatives; NO genetically modified ingredients; NO MSG; and NO added Trans Fats. That's quite a name, if we do say so ourselves."

That is very hard to find at their reasonable prices.

I think I've noticed a slight decrease in the quality however. For example I'm seeing "yeast extract" and "monoglycerides" in ingredient lists, which I don't remember ever seeing, but overall I'm pleased.

In the review department, the Opera Cake is the best cake I've ever had.

I also like that the company isn't publicly traded, so you don't get the pressure from the big boys to increase profits at the expense of consumer health.

[iamamalia]

How were the turkey meatballs? I bought some but haven't tried them yet.



My boyfriend and i thought they were awesome! I made them with some pasta sauce and TJ's 'just pasta' ... quickest dinner ever! and even good re-heated the next day for lunch :yummy:

other recent things i've tried:

i tried a sushi platter the other day but i should;ve known better- was not good :shake:

the mock-meat (meatless) corn dogs from the freezer section were so good! surprisingly

and the frozen stir-fry chicken dinner was okay-ish... easy to make, good ingredients, but i thought there was too much sauce-- the boyfriend loved it though

[Homefrrie]

Frozen packs of 2 Chicken Burritos and a bag of Everything Bagel chips :yummy:

[Zoe Moon]

Trader Joes has fantastic carne asada! Used the carne asada to make fajitas last weekend. They were wonderful. Then used the left over meat, onion and bell pepper to make breakfast buritos the next morning. I think DH liked the buritos even better than he did the fajitas.

I've update the list of stores on the wiki. Quite a few have opened recently. Only one new store coming up. Don't know if that's due to the economy or if they're not building new stores during the winter.

Now Open:
Albuquerque, NM
Aliso Viejo, CA
Cambridge (Fresh Pond), MA
Millburn, NJ
Minnetonka, MN
Olympia, WA
Princeton, NJ
Raleigh, NC
Redmond, WA - Open Oct. 9th
San Mateo, CA
Virginia Beach, VA
West Los Angeles, CA
Westwood, CA

Coming Soon:
Palo Alto, CA - Open Dec 4th

[Zoe Moon]

The Trader Joe's pepermint Jo-Jo's are back. The store in Issaquah had both the regular candy cane jo-jo's and the chocolate covered ones.

We tried the Pumpkin Spice Cake from their baked goods area tonight. It's really moist and has a good balance of spices.

I had the reduced guilt Roasted Vegetable Couscous TV dinner. It was ok, I'll probably eat it again since I'm on a diet but it's not anything special.

DH finally tried the turkey meatballs from the frozen foods section. He loved them but then was horribly ill later, major heartburn. He told me to toss the rest. I tried a bite of one and wasn't impressed, they tasted funky to me and the texture was weird.

[arjunsr]

saw a new item at tj's.. fully cooked roast beef hash for 1.95. apparently serves 4, i got 2 out of it. surprisingly good. about the same price as the canned corn beef but better quality + decent amount of potatoes

[wuzzy]

What are peppermint Jo Jo's? Like a york patty?

[Zoe Moon]

What are peppermint Jo Jo's? Like a york patty? Jo-Jo's are the TJ's version of an oreo cookie and they have different flavors. The peppermint Jo-Jo's are only sold around Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think they actually have little bits of candy cane in the filling. I've never tried one but several of the loungers are big fans.

[Starbelly]

What are peppermint Jo Jo's? Like a york patty?

They are an awesome Oreo like cookie with bits of candy cane in the filling. They rock!

Their Winter Blend coffee is scrumptious too!

[HeyLookItsMe]

http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-All-Things-Trader-Joes/dp/0979938414/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259859485&sr=8-1

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/f8/65/198bc060ada0f868c27e1210.L.jpg

[Zoe Moon]

We had the Strawberry Shortcake from the frozen foods section. Could have done with a little more cake and a little less cream but it was very nice. Would have it again. FYI, ignore the thawing directions on the label as one hour at room temperature was not enough to thaw out the filling and the strawberries on top of the cake. I would give it two hours, next time.

Updated the now open and coming soon stores list in the wiki.

Now Open:
Albuquerque, NM
Aliso Viejo, CA
Cambridge (Fresh Pond), MA
Millburn, NJ
Minnetonka, MN
Olympia, WA
Palo Alto, CA
Princeton, NJ
Raleigh, NC
Redmond, WA
San Mateo, CA
Virginia Beach, VA
West Los Angeles, CA
Westwood, CA

Coming soon:
Corvallis, OR
Hollywood, CA

[Zoe Moon]

Posting this for those who don't get the TJ's newsletter

Your MOST Favored Favorite Trader Joe’s Products of 2009
(in no particular order*)

*1. Frozen Mandarin Orange Chickenº (except this one is #1... again!)
2. Frozen Brown Riceº
3. Wine/Charles Shaw Wines **º
4. Greek Yogurtº
5. Chocolate Covered Almonds
6. Olive Oilº
7. Flowers
8. Triple Ginger Snap Cookiesº
9. Peanut Butter Filled Pretzelsº
10. Cornbread Mix
11. Kettle Corn
12. Cheese
13. Pumpkin Butter∞
14. Candy Cane Joe Joe’sº∞
15. Frozen Roasted Corn
16. Goat Cheese
17. Pumpkin Bread & Muff in Mix∞
18. Arrabiata Sauce
19. Canned Cornº
20. Frozen Artichoke Hearts
21. Frozen Mac n’ Cheese
22. Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup
23. Joe Joe's
24. Maple Leaf Cookies
25. Pumpkin Pancake Mix∞
26. Hand Soap
27. Sweet Potato Friesº
28. Turkey Meatballs
29. Canned Salmon
30. Fat Free Feta
31. Wintry Blend Coffee∞
32. Wasabi Mayo
33. Frozen Green Beansº


** only available in regions where wines are sold
º a returning favorite
∞ only available seasonally, though we wish there were an infinite supply year-round

[StrawberryWine]

They are an awesome Oreo like cookie with bits of candy cane in the filling. They rock!I think we're the only family that doesn't like them. I have a whole box here that are going to be trashed or taken to the office. But it could be that I'm a diehard Oreo person--no Hydrox in this house ever.

[thriftyguy]

TJ's Jo Jo's are like crack. I just got back from getting 2 boxes.

[iamamalia]

i tried TJ's roasted garlic chicken burgers last night... only 1min in the microwave- so easy! they were pretty good! served with sweet potato fries (i love buying them pre-packaged at TJ's- sweet potatoes were always a pain to cut!)

[SlickChik]

Got the powdered chai mix....it was just ok. I wouldn't buy it again.

The peaberry coffee and shade grown Ethiopian coffee was really good too.

[iamamalia]

i tried the frozen brown rice tonight- it was surprisingly delicious! im not normally a fan of brown rice, i eat it reluctantly cuz its healthier than white, but the TJs frozen brown rice was awesome!
i never would have thought of freezing rice like that...

[arjunsr]

i tried the frozen brown rice tonight- it was surprisingly delicious! im not normally a fan of brown rice, i eat it reluctantly cuz its healthier than white, but the TJs frozen brown rice was awesome!
i never would have thought of freezing rice like that...
also super easy. i always keep a box around just in case i need some quick rice

[CQ1]

black cocoa almonds - good, very messy

oth

lacey (type) cookie - dark choco bottom, lacey nut-crunchy top :yummy: dh fav

[afrosheen]

went to get the peppermint joe joe's today, but palm springs was sold out. they would have made a good stocking stuffer for a friend who loves oreos and peppermint. went to target and bought mint oreos instead :lol:

[Zoe Moon]

The TJ's Raspberry Tarte is just amazing. The berries are tart but a little whipped cream cuts the tartness and the crust is superb. It's DH's favorite thing from TJ's. He's not one to say much while eating but he kept making mmmmmm noises while eating the tart. :lol:

They also have a Blueberry Tarte that I'm sure would be just as good but I haven't tried it yet.

[Scampsters]

I thought the $5 Pannetone deal at Big Lots was great until i found it at Trader Joes for 2.99. This is a sweet bread from Milan italy but is now eaten all over Italy and France during the holidays. I recommend you try it.

[ForeverDcember]

Still no Trader Joes even remotely close to here :sadwalk:

For Christmas my Dad got me some of the cranberry flax dunkers that I love and they are almost gone :weeping:

[SlickChik]

Mango Chutney......AMAZING! Great on my turkey burger!!

[iamamalia]

i made the easiest muffins yesterday and i just had to share:

Ingredients:
1 box of TJ's bread/baking mix (any flavor- apple spice, gingerbread, and pumpkin spice are the ones i made, but those are just what i had on hand)
1 15oz can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!!)

Just mix together the pumpkin and the bread/baking mix (will be thick) and spoon into muffin tins... bake at 350degrees for 19-22mins and viola! easy, 2-ingredient healthy muffins! :drool:

[Homefrrie]

I hit TJ's for lunch today.. got the mini chicken tacos & salted tortilla chips :yummy:


I had the bag of chips on my desk, but everyone who walked by ate them :mad:, so now they're hidden :evillaf:

[Zoe Moon]

I thought the $5 Pannetone deal at Big Lots was great until i found it at Trader Joes for 2.99. This is a sweet bread from Milan italy but is now eaten all over Italy and France during the holidays. I recommend you try it. You better go buy some more while you can. They ordered those for Christmas. I think once they're gone, they won't have any more.

Mango Chutney......AMAZING! Great on my turkey burger!! Cool, I had wondered if that was any good. Will add it to the wiki and to my shopping list.

[Zoe Moon]

Mmmmm. Trader Joe's Chicken Taquitos. :drool2:

I had the beef taquitos before, they're okay but nothing special, however the chicken taquitos are yummy. :woot:

[GeminiiGirl]

i tried TJs marinara sauce. it was pretty good! it's really thick which isnt typical of any marinara i've eaten.

also got some Organic corn chip dippers. they are like TJs version of the large fritos. they are ok. a little weird aftertaste, but they arent greasy like fritos, which is a plus.

[Moot-N-Me]

My Dad gets me the 21 gun salute spice mix when he goes out of town and there is a Trader Joes....I love it....I think I still have 3 left. Also very good olive oil.

[Zoe Moon]

The Corvallis, OR store is now open. :whee:

[GeminiiGirl]

i bought the doggie joe-joes cookies for my dog for a valentine's day treat. she seems to love them.

[Zoe Moon]

I was reluctant to try the tiramisu as I thought there's no way that frozen tiramisu that's been thawed out would have a nice texture to it. They were giving out samples though so I tried it the other day. Not bad for frozen, not bad at all.

[Zoe Moon]

Did not care for the Mango Ginger Chutney. It was the texture that was off putting, as it was sort of like jelly rather than a chunk of mango you could bite into. I know SC liked it so maybe it's just me.

Tried the Eggplant Garlic spread too and was really disappointed as it was bland and had a slightly odd aftertaste. If it had just been bland, I could have added something to spice it up but the aftertaste ruined it.

[StrawberryWine]

The new 3 fruit (raspberry, lemon, strawberry) frozen fruit bars are quite yummy and super worth it at $1.99 for a pack of 4.

Also tried the Tarte Alsace, that has ham and caramelized onions--really good!

[Zoe Moon]

I was stumbling yesterday and found a recipe for Garlic Butter Rolls made with TJ's plain pizza dough. They look yummy but I haven't' tried them yet. The bloger mentions in her notes that next time she's going to put some parmesan cheese in the middle of each one to push them over the edge. I think she's on to something there! :drool2:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4538284742_f7ce881109.jpg


http://www.shutterbean.com/pizza-dough-garlic-rolls/ (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://www.shutterbean.com/pizza-dough-garlic-rolls/)