Powerberries - Blueberry and Pomegranate pulp dipped in very dark chocolate.
Try anything that looks good - I find that most of their stuff is pretty decent.
Seconded. Before I cut out sugar and carbs, this was an every-visit purchase. They used to have non-chocolate ones which were also excellent.
I’ve seen a lot of suggestions here I agree with so I’m going to second:
Tomato basil marinara
Hummus- the jalapeno cilantro is outstanding
Joe Joes cookies- like if an oreo had real cake frosting between the cookies
Frozen garlic naan
Frozen Indian dinners
I also love:
Thai curry simmer sauces- chicken and veggies and a squeeze of lime and it’s better than some Thai takeout.
Frozen Korean bibimbap bowl- omg so good
salsa, particularly the verde but also the inexpensive red salsa, unrefrigerated
chicken sausages
vegan chorizo- for real! Indistinguishable from the real thing and a great way to have a meatless monday
This is a fun TJs review blog.
Second this. Trader Joe’s frozen meals are the only TV dinners I will eat.
You need to make your own rice for the Indian ones, though.
Thanks for this! Very informative.
If they’re opening before Christmas, get the Candy Cane Joe Joe’s.
they have these certain ice cream sandwiches in the freezer section…i think they were s’mores.
amazing.
In Tennessee they can’t sell wine, so no 2 Buck Chuck for me. For a kick, try the wasabi almonds.
They have their Holiday Ale bottles in stores now. I haven’t opened this year’s bottle that I bought recently, but in previous years I’ve found the stuff quite tasty.
You might not think ice cream balls wrapped in powdered gelatinous goop would appetizing, but the Mochi they sell is awesome for dessert. Chocolate, strawberry, mango, or green tea flavors…
Their enchilada sauce is amazing. I pour it on my nachos before cooking them.*
*Okay. Before microwaving them.
Kinda surprised to see accolades for the hummus. One of the only things I’ve tried from TJ’s that I hated was a four-flavor hummus tray that had the consistency of wet sand, seemed almost like a reconstituted mix of some kind and was surprisingly awful. This was years ago and frightened me away from trying their hummus ever since, so maybe the more recent strains are much better.
I’m a fan of their frozen flatbreads and pizzas, which are light enough to make a good snack or component of a larger meal. Had mostly good luck with the frozen fish, particularly the wild-caught red snapper.
Two Buck Chuck is… overpriced. But they do carry a decent selection of drinkable wines and some of the TJ’s brand high gravity beers are decent.
I thought of some more!
(I also second whoever mentioned the mochi ice cream- delicious)
Their dressings are really great and many of them are low calorie without sacrificing flavor. I LOVE the cilantro dressing they sell and put it on everything possible. They have a great pear dressing and a cherry walnut with gorgonzola which is awesome for salads.
They sell great tampenades, especially an eggplant one that reminds me of a middle-eastern food around here, the name escapes me. Melt a little cheese on pita bread, spread some of the eggplant spread, mmm!
They sell chipped coconut in the dry foods area which I’m continuing to still get a kick out of, so delicious.
There are very few things I’ve tried but haven’t liked, I can’t even think of any right now to be honest. Wish I could afford to shop there more often.
Depending on the alcohol content, the usual TJ beers won’t be stocked in the SLC store and it will be devoid of Two Buck Chuck. Ahhh, Utah.
Only three? There was a woman in the other day, who told me she was shut out on the Candy Cane Joe-Joes for the last two years; this year she called ahead and bought a case (18 boxes). Your wife should also look for the chocolate-covered Joe-Joe’s, also only available now.
A few people here mentioned the frozen Indian dishes. Very popular: a few months ago there was an Indian woman who picked up a dozen Butter Chicken entrees. The Chicken Tika Masala is also very good, as is the Lamb Vindaloo.
Nobody’s mentioned the boxed soups yet, so I’ll recommend the Latin-Style Black Bean. Pair it up with a can of Cuban-Style black beans and you’ve got a great hot lunch.
More appetizers: Vegetable Bird’s Nest, and Ham and Cheese or Caramelized Onion and Cheese Pastry Bites. There’s a new one called Chicken Parmesan Lollipops; but these are not as good as they sound.
In the Fresh section (sometimes found with Deli and Dips): Turkey and/or Chicken Pot Pie, Cajun Chicken with Fettuccine, Pulled Pork, Chicken, or Beef.
Re: the peanut butter: TJ’s brand of peanut and almond butter were NOT affected, the recall was limited to the Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter label, and Trader Joe’s has not carried that brand since.
Not mentioned so far:
Whole Wheat Lavash
Smoked trout
Wasabi Gouda
Longboard chips (go great with TJ’s salsa verde)
Let’s see:
Their all-natural peanut butter - it comes in all four combinations of salted and unsalted, creamy and crunchy. I’m a crunchy unsalted guy, myself. If you see a guy in the Annapolis, MD TJ’s with a whole bunch of red jars of peanut butter in his cart, that’s probably me.
Stuff from the frozen section:
Chile-cheese tamales - they’ve become my #1 comfort food.
Chicken quesadillas - totally yummy.
Battered halibut and tilapia.
Coffee: Joe! Their breakfast blend is pretty good, too.
Goodies: I’ve had to limit myself here, for obvious reasons: one could gain some serious weight by bringing home a selection of their dessert items. My choice is the chocolate-raspberry sticks.
Snack-type food: Snapea crisps.
Another thing: If you take any vitamins or other popular supplements, Trader Joe’s has pretty good quality and prices.
They didn’t have Gummi Vites when I went there a week or so ago. They had gummy vitamins, but I like the bear shapes. (The SO said she doesn’t like the lemon ones in the one I bought.)
I try to not buy too many sweets there too, luckily I find the way they have the cookies and crackers above the freezer section weirdly unappealing. It’s just a little above my eye-line so I never really see them and get tempted. I bought the Joe Joe’s because I was actively seeking them out.
The ice cream, on the other hand, is a siren that lures me in. The Lemon Gingersnap is awesome. And the prices are not bad, about the same as Ben and Jerry’s, but bigger sizes. They have ice cream sandwiches that are rolled in mini chocolate chips that are great too.