I had my very first visit to Trader Joe’s today. We recently moved to Raleigh and I found out (on the SDMB!) that there’s a Trader Joe’s in Cary. It was packed and I had the kids, so I couldn’t do much of a browse, but I picked up some $3 bottles of wine (Shiraz and Cab Sav…wine was my main goal for the visit), some Shells with White Cheddar in a box, and a couple frozen pizzas for dinner tomorrow. We’re eating the Shells right now for lunch…pretty good, but I think I like Annie’s Organic better.
So, what Trader Joe’s products to you like and recommend? Any that I’m better off passing on? The peanut butter malt balls looked really yummy.
I’ve been told that their cheesecake is the best in the entire world. It’s also only like 9 dollars for a whole one. I haven’t tried it myself, but I know 4 people that rave about it.
We like their whole bean coffees and the prices are good. I usually get the dark roast.
I also buy some of their frozen dishes for microwave work lunches. They tend to be more interesting and a bit healthier than the Lean Cuisine type meals. I like their chicken enchiladas and their eggplant parmesan. They used to have a chile relleno with vegetables that I loved, but I haven’t seen that in a while. Other good things are the frozen gyoza-type dumplings and some of the frozen vegetable medleys–great to have on hand for quick dinners.
I love to browse the cheese section, too. They have a lot of unusual things. One I really like is called Basque Shepherd cheese. It reminds me a lot of the very expensive hand-made cheese done by some friends of ours in Vermont.
I like the French Roast because it comes in a huge can and only costs about $9. And I also buy the Volcano Roast, which is their darkest.
It’s probably better to look through the threads samclem linked, but…
Cocoa Almonds
Triple Ginger Snaps
Lamb racks and Leg-o-lamb
Thai Pasta Salad
Shrimp and surimi salad
Pacific Blue Salad
The chicken salad with the salsa and kidney beans in it
Stuffed poblano chilis (frozen)
Norwegian farm-raised salmon
Greek-style yoghurt
Notes: 1)The Cocoa Almonds are bolded. 2)I normally don’t buy farm-raised salmon, but I like the Norwegian stuff from TJ’s. I season it with salt, broil it, and squeeze lemon juice on it. 3) You can’t really go wrong with the salads.
There has only been one thing I bought at TJ’s that I didn’t like. Some sort of healthy tortilla chips. But I’ve been at least pleased by everything else, and love a lot of it.
Do stop by the demo booth. They offer tastes of their frozen foods, and also feature things the employees cook using TJ’s ingredients. For example, a bag of frozen artichoke hearts, some bread crumbs, Quattro Formaggio shredded cheese, kalamata olives, plus a bit of the olive juice and maybe some milk makes a tasty side-dish.
For a candy treat. Their ginger candies are delicious.
Really I have yet to be disappointed by anything other than the bread. I have on more than one occasion purchased bread and found it either moldy in the package or within a day of purchase.
However, the Middle Eastern Flat Bread is delicious.
I was just there this morning and got the carrot zucchini bread–very nice and moist, and not oversweet.
Other favorites: multi grain sesame pretzel nuggets, yogurt, dolmas, salad made with endive, romaine, walnuts and gorgonzola; Barbara’s cereals; frozen eggplant cutlets–these are marvelous with any sauce or cheese you want to add to them for a quick dinner; Toffutti Cuties–they taste just like soft ice cream.
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE the triple ginger snaps. Love them.
I also like the cold ginger-peanut noodle salad (which might not be what it is called, but you’ll know it when you see it, it’s glossy brown spaghetti noodles) and the frozen cheese and chili tamales (the omnivores here like the chicken tamales, too.) There’s a bottled Mexican red sauce they sell, too, and I sometimes heat that up, pour it over the tamales, and then layer on lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese and sour cream to make quicky tamale pie.
OH! TJ’s used to have the world’s most amazing wasabi cashews. They do not currently carry them, but I got so addicted to them that I contacted the manufacturer, Dand-D-Pak in Canada, to express my displeasure. They assure me that there are plans to bring the wasabi cashews back EVENTUALLY… but no idea when.
I third the triple ginger snaps. My husband and I actually fought over the last of them the other morning. TJs also carry ginger lemon cremes, which are hard to beat. They are my crack.
I like: the mini-tacos (beef or chicken), as they are very tasty and a serving isn’t very many calories (less than 200, I think). I haven’t had too much stuff out of the frozen section that wasn’t good. The BBQ teriyaki chicken wasn’t great. You’re better off with some chicken or other meat of your choice and some Soy Vey (also available at TJs). The instant chai tea is pretty awesome, as is nearly their entire tea section (but then I’m a tea whore).
Their cheese selection is pretty nice. I usually get my gin there, since they are the only place within an hour of me that offers Hendrick’s. Sapphire is cheaper tho at Sam’s Club.
Olives. I get the colossal blue cheese stuffed olives. Awesome in martinis or on their own.
Also there are some awesome little bags of shelf-stable pre-cooked brown rice. Just heat and serve. I’m excessively time limited so these little things really save me.
I don’t have a Trader Joe’s near me, but I make a pilgrimage every time I’m in Boston. Matter of fact, I sometimes go to Boston JUST to go to TJs.
Last time I got the Roasted Garlic Tuscan Bean Dip and plotzed at how good it was. I read the ingredients and have been able to replicate it somewhat in my own kitchen. Crackers, pita chips and the like have all been successful buys. My husband picked up a tub of chocolate kitty cookies and they were gone before you could say ‘hairball’.
I always buy several jars of the Roasted Red Pepper/Eggplant Spread. It is to die for! I mix it with low-fat mayo for a spread or dip, add it to sauces or stir fries, toss it with pasta–hell, I make a sammich of it and nothing else, for christ’s sake.
I also always buy the chocolate/raspberry or chocolate/orange candy sticks in a tub. They are so definitely not on my diet, but one or two after a meal can ease that sugar jones in a relatively guilt-free way. My daughter loves the fruit leather–so much better than the fruit roll ups in the local grocery store.
I am on a mission to bring TJs to my neck of the woods.
Thanks for all the suggestions…now I can have a list and a strategy next time I go. Seriously, there were like a million people in there; the frozen food aisle was a mass of people pushing carts out of the way, jumping in front of each other…chaos! Friday afternoon was probably not the optimal time to go.
Next time, I’m definitely getting those peanut butter malt balls. I really want some right now. (And the $3 Shiraz I’m drinking right now is good enough for a Friday night at home!)
Dang, I so want to go to Trader Joe’s! Especially after reading all the glowing reviews here as well as actually hearing reports from friends at work. Ima try to find one that I might be able to get to–there’s none close to me, unfortunately.
I have shopped at Whole Foods and love their selection of natural food stuffs; I suspect that TJs is probably less expensive. But it sounds just as crowded as WF!! Last excursion to WF, the store was packed and I nearly got cart bashed several times. LOL What is up with folks in there? Or are the aisles just too narrow?
I am also a recent convert to Trader Joes. There is one across the street from my new part-time job. I tried it, on the advice of several threads here. I have since convinced several co-workers that they had been ignoring a hidden gem.
What I love the most is the sheer variety of items for every taste. I get such an amazing variety of terrificly priced quality items there.
The household favorite? The whole wheat pasta potato gnocchi. Great with marinara sauce, some grated cheese, and a salad.
The real treasure? The whole wheat couscous. They have it at a price that was at least a third of what I have paid for elsewhere.
Next thing to try? Their bags of “frozen roasted corn”.
Dollar Tree’s Dan-D-Pak wasabi cashews do, indeed, rock. A lot. However, the version that Dan-D-Pak distributed through Trader Joe’s had a thick, crunchy coating, almost like a heavy wasabi cookie batter. The Dollar Tree ones are nicely, but less crunchily, dusted with wasabi powder. As I said, though, Dan-D-Pack did assure me that I will again find them at Trader Joe’s someday, just don’t know when.
In the meantime, it was only this week that I purchased 5 bags of the Dollar Tree version. Until the uber-awesome ones are back at TJ’s, the only-slightly-less-awesome ones will do me just fine.
I seem to recall having bought some chocolate gingersnaps at TJ’s at one point. They were great. Also the lingonberry scones and the garlic hummus. During the holidays they carry pannetone (Italian fruitcake) and liqueur-infused chocolate cakes. Trader Joe’s is the only retail store I’ve found that carries Stash Moroccan Mint tea, which I have to order from the catalog otherwise. I need to go back there, haven’t been in months.