The Trader Joe's Product Discussion Thread (S/D)

Because I have one in my neighborhood now and because I can't afford to shop much in the foodie shops.

Great stuff I have tried:

The trail mixes (especially "Simply the Best" w/cranberries, cherries, cashews, almonds, pineapple, etc.)
The tamales (cheese > chicken > beef imo)
Seeded Whole Wheat Bread (the one that looks kind of like a knockoff of "The Baker")
European Style Whole Milk Yogurt (plain)
Swiss Dark Chocolate
Gyoza Dumplings (esp. pork)

Good/Decent:
Hofbrau Bock beer
Pollo Asado (the pre-marinated one you cook yourself)
Salmon Roulettes (frozen)
Fajita Burrito
Enchiladas Verdes
Crab Patties
Quesadillas (the non-frozen ones)
Natural peanut butter (hard to fuck this up)
Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins
French Vanilla Ice Cream

Meh:
Wild salmon
Vegetable Burrito
Some kind of frozen vegetable medley with weird flavored-butter melty clumps
Most of the other jarred pasta sauces

It's a bit disturbing how easily Trader Joe's has lulled me into eating so much frozen food. But I guess law school is partly to blame for that.

classic: lb bag of pecans for $6
sourdough bread
hard-to-find red-label california style sourdough bread
focaccia ($2.99)
seasonal spiced apple drink with cloves and things
dud: recalled peanut products
not selling individual avocados
some weird kind of carrots that sound delicious but you get them home and they're just more frozen carrots with weird lumps of ginger infused butter that you eat on their own, just a bowl of carrots whose refined charisma you thought might carry them.

chili mango slices <3

some weird kind of carrots that sound delicious but you get them home and they're just more frozen carrots with weird lumps of ginger infused butter that you eat on their own, just a bowl of carrots whose refined charisma you thought might carry them.

― deveraux billings (schlump), Tuesday, March 10, 2009 11:16 PM (13 minutes ago) Bookmark

Yeah, that! It was gross!

classic:

salmon patties
peanut butter filled pretzels
i will second gyoza dumplings and seeded whole wheat
one of the bacons they sell, can't recall details

dud:

andouille sausage (this made me feel fucked up)

i don't have a microwave so large swaths of their frozen stuff is useless to me.

The cioppino is the absolute most refined, delicious, and clutch frozen dinner I have ever had. Throw it on some spaghetti and you have an even bigger meal.

do you have to microwave that?

s: that white cheddar w/ the carmalized onions in it (<---- my favorite shit ever)

s: mango mochi

classic:
vege medley w/balsamic butter dressing
vege medley w/potato wedges
^both great tossed with spag and oil
vegan choc chip cookies
almond caramel clusters
chocolate ice cream (some of the best ice cream and it's CHEAP)
hashbrowns
frozen vege lasagna

i wish trader joe's was not so crowded so i could go more often and buy cheap delicious things.

their fresh fruit is shit - every time we get stuff from there it goes rotten in a couple of days

no one's mentioned the dark chocolate ginger pieces...they're...delightful

oh i had a party and put out the dark chocolate covered almonds rolled in dark cocoa and ppl were like omg nommmmm

lacey cookies A++++++ not sure if they're TJ brand though

Yeah, produce is generally hit or miss. I like buying their big bags o' mixed chard or "southern greens." I love cooking greens and cleaning/cutting them is such a pain, especially in my tiny-ass kitchen.

As far as crowds -- best time to go is 10AM or earlier on a weekend (well, excluding going on a weekday during work hours, which you probably can't do). Another good time -- dinner hours, Friday evening.

their fresh fruit is shit - every time we get stuff from there it goes rotten in a couple of days

the way they treat their apples makes me want to cry. you can paw through a whole shelf of apples and find none that aren't bruised

i always feel sorry for the people who are holding the signs that shepherd the line. at first i thought it was a pretty good lazy job, then i realised that it's queueing, ALL DAY LONG, never getting anywhere. when you're at the bank and there's a massive line, you always rely on that schadenfreude of other people piling up behind you and having to wait longer. but if you're the trader joe linesman ... always at the end of the line.

they also call it 'twelve items or fewer' which is nice

I always find the cashiers super nice -- do they pay unusually well or something?

their bagged greens do seem to last really well - we get the baby spinach a lot, it's a big bag and stays fresh for close to two weeks.

dinner hours?? no way. that is also known as 'after work' when everyone in the world goes!

omfg
http://justinsomnia.org/images/trader-joes-chocolate-croissants.jpg

dinner hours?? no way. that is also known as 'after work' when everyone in the world goes!

But Friday night it seems to work, like maybe 7:30 or later.

good:

bread
peanut butter (also almond butter)
three cheese frozen pizza
sole filets
sharp cheddar (cheap!)
chocolate-covered edamame
tomato soup (okay, not as good as Amy's)

always disappointing:

anything salsa-related
produce

i stay away from the frozen dinners and pre-marinated crap too, and the overpriced meats.

they have nicely prized frozen meats.
i prefer whole foods' frozen fishes.

cheeapest clif bars off the net!

"good:

bread"

But not good, the plain-old "Whole Wheat Bread" (the one with very small slices) -- cardboardy. Same with the bread that comes in imitation Alvarado Street Bakery packaging.

It's funny how TJ will have like five different brands of the same product that are all TJ's and all knockoffs of other brands, and then they compete against each other.

classic x100:
free samples of coffee

i always feel sorry for the people who are holding the signs that shepherd the line. at first i thought it was a pretty good lazy job, then i realised that it's queueing, ALL DAY LONG, never getting anywhere. when you're at the bank and there's a massive line, you always rely on that schadenfreude of other people piling up behind you and having to wait longer. but if you're the trader joe linesman ... always at the end of the line.

Suggest Ban Permalink
― deveraux billings (schlump), Tuesday, March 10, 2009 10:02 PM Bookmark

I have never seen this

I like the "New Zealand Grass Fed Organic Cheddar" -- very cheap! (not as yummy as Cabot, but, you know, in this economy...)

i have never bought any of the cheese/fresh meats because the line wraps around the store and makes it impossible to get to anything in that case

I have never seen this

do you live in somewhere with a breezy, unencumbered open plan trader joe's? like one in arizona where they test out new products?

i think there is a bit on the website dedicated to regional variations, if anyone is keen for more idiosyncratic tj innovation

I like the "New Zealand Grass Fed Organic Cheddar" -- very cheap!

That stuff's good -- it's a little earthy-tasting, though. I usually just get the Wisconsin sharp white cheddar.

You know what's pretty good, and new I think (at least in my neck of the woods)? The edamame hummus.

My favorite of their hummuses is the Mediterranean Hummus

should be its own thread/poll, but i have come to the conclusion that all other houmouses are bullshit. i have been burned too many times. original is BEST, though red pepper is sometimes acceptable.

Do you specifically mean Trader Joe's original or are you just against flavored hummuses in general?

The cioppino is the absolute most refined, delicious, and clutch frozen dinner I have ever had. Throw it on some spaghetti and you have an even bigger meal.

― throwbookatface (skygreenleopard)

One of my all-time faves too. I put it on rice at first but it's even better on pasta. And you can cook the seafood/sauce in a pan - no microwave necessary.

Also the Chicken Gorgonzola in the frozen section is classic. Make a sandwich with their cibatta.

A lot of their frozen stuff works in the toaster oven if you can wait around for a little while.

their veggie meatballs are awesome. also, their wheat tortillas are shit for everything EXCEPT making enchiladas, we discovered today, in which case they are the best tortillas you can possibly buy.

Do the frozen stuff (entrees & such) on the stovetop with a little oil, maybe a little water--set it on medium-low and stir.

best:
chocolate covered pretzels
chocolate mint hot chocolate
chocolate covered fruit
lacey cookies
brie - good price compared to Whole Foods
some of the frozen appetizers - mushroom turnovers I remember being pretty yummy, though I haven't had them in awhile
greek style yogurt
decent prices on fancy brand hard liquor
big jugs of juice
spiced apple cider

they have nicely prized frozen meats.
i prefer whole foods' frozen fishes.

agreed - Whole Foods has frozen soft-shell crab. They spent almost a year building a Whole Foods down my block, and I resented it a lot. Then I saw the frozen soft-shell crab. Best sandwich I've ever had was a soft-shell crab prepared burger like. Sorry to derail TJ thread with WF talk.

I fuck w/ the mushroom turnovers

i don't really buy stuff from the freezer aisle much, but the frozen naan is classic! dud: i bought some frozen egg rolls recently and they came out kinda mushy and greasy. but classic: frozen puff pastry. and their pizzas aren't half bad, esp. the roasted vegetable one.

i'm stoked that they have the winter loaf fruit and nut bread right now! it's super-delicious, esp. the bits of candied orange peel.

one of my other favorite things is the nitrate-free pastrami, which has a very beefy/briny flavor.

if i buy pre-sliced sandwich bread at all, i buy the milton's whole grain bread or the new repackaged TJ's version of it (it's cheaper).

the cheese selection is somewhat meh, but i'm all about that cotswold cheddar. and i've been keeping little hunks of their grana padano around to grate on pasta, etc.

they used to have these triple-shot cans of iced espresso at a very good price. i'm deeply dismayed that they've stopped carrying them.

so many things i've had from TJs were good or great the first time, horrible the second. the veggie chorizo, for instance. i hardly buy anything but staples there these days, the occasional lazy can of veggie chili... my wife loves their frozen pizzas. i find them pretty disgusting. they got rid of a lot of my favorite stuff in the past year or so.

quinoa bread - yum. not good for toast, though, just making sandwiches. everything bagels are okay. i'm really straining to think of anything exciting... um, chili-lime pistachios.

the balsamic veggie medley - blarrgh. canned soups - blarrgh.

when has something called a "veggie medley" EVER been good?

they had this half-round of sourdough bread, might've been whole wheat sourdough that was awesome.

when has something called a "veggie medley" EVER been good?

maybe if it was fried veggie medley, it'd be good. However, most things called "veggie medley" tend not to be fried.

veggie medleys/mixed vegetable mixes are never good, this is true

pretty good -
moroccan salted olives
greek yogurt
baby beets
ginger cookies, the small ones that come in a round plastic container
some of the frozen enchiladas (chicken chile verde)
relatively inexpensive walnuts, almonds, also almond butter

this guy agrees

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OYMta0NAQQ

The Norwegian Sourdough Rye Chips are really good.

Mocha Latte Pretzels are pretty good, not too sweet, and with a small punch of saltiness.

And 3/4 of a bag later, yes, pretty good.

i'm a fan of the crispbread seeds & grains norwegian crackers. they look like cardboard but taste very good and are a nice "filling snack" option.

same! the gluten-free ones are tasty (and i am not remotely GF myself)

i really like the TJs chili onion crunch but why does it require superhuman strength to open that little jar??

Recommended: Mango Sticky Rice Crisps. Excellent sweet snack.

I love those w smashed avocado and a lil salt

Oops xp meant the Norwegian crispbreads

Yeah, I like those too. The chips look similar but are small pieces, and I thought I tasted garlic but it's not on the ingredient list. There's a kind of "spiciness" from somewhere.

I liked that video caek posted. Of the frozen pasta products I've only bought the meat lasagna and the various mac and cheeses, which are passable but not particularly good. I will try the Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe and the Gnocchi alla Romana.

I must dissent on cacio e pepe! Glompy discordant salty mulch! if that's what proper cacio e pepe is supposed to taste like I'll stick to grinding pepper on top of 99cent mac & cheese, or dumping mac & cheese + year old parm packets from leftover pizza on ramen.

Speaking of ramen, The TJ squirelly noodles are apparently re-badged or re-sourced momofuku noodles (momofuku apparently gets them from a taiwanese company)

I had a suspicion that was the case!! They’re not that great. Imo they require a lot of dressing up to be legit tasty.

off topic but since mac and cheese came up, we successfully weaned our kids off box mac and cheese with this 3 ingredient recipe which takes approx the same time to prepare https://www.seriouseats.com/ingredient-stovetop-mac-and-cheese-recipe

(the second recipe in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_GeqmWPxEE)

well I bought two bags of the cacio e Pepe based on the recommendation but haven't tried it yet.

The Carolina bbq chips are really really good.

I love these! Can't get enough. Which is odd, given that when it comes to actual BBQ I'm usually not a fan of Carolina style sauce, but these chips are so good.

that mac & cheese recipe is good. also if you're the type of person who has typically always has milk, butter & parm around this recipe never fails & doesn't take much time...

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/adult-mac-and-cheese

to get back on topic i will be going to TJs specifically to buy this product in anticipation of the beach this weekend, very solid approximation of this kinda tomatillo/avocado salsa

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/guacasalsa-075537

I do like the fall seasonal frozen mac and cheese they do btw https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/butternut-squash-mac-and-cheese-061023. it's too peppery for our kids.

the cacio e Pepe was indeed delicious but very creamy, heavy, and salty. Surprisingly the nutritional facts say only 33% of daily quota of sodium - thought it would be double that. 75% saturated fat.

On my second try I removed half of the frozen cream sawce pellets and it was better. Guess I should freeze those instead of throwing them away

Last visit, learned the Jalapeño Sauce is discontinued. Was recommended the Green Dragon sauce, which is good, but more liquidy than the creamy jalapeño sauce. I’ve made my own hot sauces, but around vinegars and fruit, so need to do some research on this one.

https://www.delishknowledge.com/creamy-jalapeno-salsa/ - well, that was easy.

Just here to applaud an old favorite, the Teriyaki Baked Tofu. it is delicious, and always has been

I haven't noticed this product before, but I will look for it when I go this week!

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT buy the 'Oven Dried Red & Yellow Bell Pepper Crisps'... they go down like shards of plastic, but what's worse... they come back out like shards of plastic

You've been warned

ouch.

New espresso martini hitting the streets soon

Very few of Trader Joe's processed snacks, sauces, dips, etc are any good imo. They just seem like enticements and are often way too full of sugar and are gross-feeling.

TJ's frozen foods are for the most part better (if you ignore the big sweets aisle)

The real value items at Trader Joe's are the cheap fresh produce and fruits, as well as dairy products, eggs, meats, various different canned goods, olive oils, cheese, alcohol, paper products

I love the trail mixes and kettle chips

I kind of love these even though they are indeed enticements, way too full of sugar and gross-feeling

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81fZC6xufyL.jpg

their selection raw and roasted nuts and dried fruits is amazing. I bought a bunch of different kinds as well as their rolled oats to make this granola recipe, which I gave jars of to several friends:

https://3jamigos.com/maple-olive-oil-granola-grae-nola-ful-breakfast-of-champions/

I've probably said it before but I'll say it again: Elote Corn Chip Dippers

I love how their produce bags are biodegradable

i'm hooked on their tea tree tingle shampoo and conditioner

they also have a shampoo bar that's pretty cool.. wrapped in paper so no plastic at all

the pink lady chips with cinnamon sugar disappeared just 10 min after being opened

Don't buy their grated parmesan cheese. Twice now I've bought it and after a week the bacteria in it starts smelling like barnyard funk/cow fur.

On the flip side, their canned dolmas, garlic mustard aioli, garlic olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, kalamata olives and frozen bake at home chocolate croissants are must have items in my kitchen at all times.

Don't buy their grated parmesan cheese.

otm. i've stopped buying their gorgonzola for a similar reason and I've had some bad luck with their gouda, too. If you buy cheese there, plan on eating it quickly or tossing it.

grated cheese is bad everywhere imo. if your grated cheese does not go off quickly then you bought plastic.

Don't buy their grated parmesan cheese. Fixed it.

As a Londoner shortly to have an extended stay in LA, what products will I not be able to find in TJs and other establishments that I should sneak into my suitcase? Or can you get pretty much everything everywhere now?

otm. also, TJ's has wedges of grana padano, which is pirated parmesan.

Baked beans! Proper ones anyway.

xpost

The fancy cheese is usually much cheaper than other places, but yeah, sometimes the quality control is a bit iffy. I've gotten some that was past its prime.

Just eat los angeles food (tacos!), you can eat UK food when you return home

they even have crumpets at Trader Joe's

what products will I not be able to find in TJs and other establishments that I should sneak into my suitcase?

Pimm's Winter Cup?

I promise you will be able to get anything you could possibly want in LA.

How long a drive it will be to get it is another story

Baked beans! Proper ones anyway.

They have these at Fred Meyer (ie. not a fancy store.)

(in Portland at least)