# Your Favorite Trader Joe's Products? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 14, 2007, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531 "2007-08-14T05:38:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TupeloHoney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@TupeloHoney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TupeloHoney)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/41 "2007-08-16T02:57:40Z")
What don’t I love from Trader Joes… that’s a better question. I’m going to admit it, I’m a fan of the Charles Shaw wine - $2 buck Chuck, as we refer to it as (even though it’s a bit more than $2, but not much more). I also love their cheese selection and I’m a fan of the hummus they make. I never leave without buying the peanut butter filled pretzels and pita chips. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/42 "2007-08-16T05:42:59Z")
[QUOTE=devilsknew] That’s the recipe of the year! You win! I hope you are a female, because I 'm in Reese’s Pieces for you. [/QUOTE] Well, to be honest, it was inspired by the M&M pancakes smothered in peanut butter that I’ve eaten on days that involved way too much time with high school theatre geeks in cold weather. So it wasn’t so much an invention as an adaptation. (And yeah, I’m a girl.) Completely unrelated to the prior content of this post but related to the actual topic at hand: **acsenray** mentiond A Fig Walks Into A Bar. Those would be one of my favorite products, if my local grocery store hadn’t spoiled me with whole-grain fig newton-style cookies that were even denser and less overly-sweet than the TJ’s version. I say “were” because I can’t find them anymore. _shakes fist_ ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/43 "2007-08-16T06:06:43Z")
Trader Joe’s really needs to expand into bloody Florida. We’re finally getting our first IKEA stores later this year, so TJ’s should be next, dammit. ---
**Author:** ![Shera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Shera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shera)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/44 "2007-08-16T06:34:55Z")
I can’t believe no one has mentioned the gorganzola gnocci yet. I could live on that stuff. I also enjoy the chili lime peanuts. The cashews will do if they are out of the peanuts. I also enjoy their cheese enchiladas and chili cheese tamales. Yum. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/45 "2007-08-16T09:30:36Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] Trader Joe’s really needs to expand into bloody Florida. We’re finally getting our first IKEA stores later this year, so TJ’s should be next, dammit. [/QUOTE] In the past year or so, they’ve made a decent first move into the Southeast, opening stores in Newport News, VA, Cary, NC, and about five stores in the Atlanta area, with two Charlotte, NC stores on the way. With any luck, they’ll be in Tampa and Orlando in another year or two. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/46 "2007-08-16T11:39:41Z")
The “…walks into a bar” line of breakfast bars Bay Blend Coffee in the big blue can, which might be the best thing TJ’s ever put out, seriously. Chocolate peanut butter pretzels The bison burgers in the frozen food section–not the pre-cooked ones, those are nasty Pre-made pizza crusts in the refrigerator section All the inexpensive delicious cheeses The frozen basil, parsley, cilantro, and crushed garlic cubes Wasabi peanuts Their much cheaper version of Pirate’s Booty ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/47 "2007-08-16T12:20:17Z")
You all inspired me. I was in a bad mood and had a killer headache yesterday, so I went for some Trader Joe’s therapy. Came home with: Butterflied leg of lamb Pizza dough Cherry jam Peanut toffee drizzled with dark chocolate\* Chocolate orange sticks Chocolate mints Triple ginger snaps Garlic naan Chicken potstickers Edamame Vegetable bird’s nests Organic mac & cheese in a box Marinara sauce Luna bars for cheap Various burritos Lemonade Limeade Cherry cider Rice cakes Last night’s dinner was edamame and potstickers, with limeade. I can’t wait to try the ($4/lb!) lamb on the grill. \*For my sweetie, who was also having a bad day. It must have been good, because this morning it’s gone. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/48 "2007-08-16T13:31:35Z")
Oh! Those pretzel thins thingies, whatever they’re called. Best form of hard pretzel I’ve ever had. [QUOTE=Drain Bead] All the inexpensive delicious cheeses [/QUOTE] I’ll have to say, I’m not impressed with Trader Joe’s cheese selection. They don’t have any of the prime imported artisanal cheeses you can get at Whole Foods or Dean and Deluca. ---
**Author:** ![I\_mOnlySleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/76d3ee/32.png) [@I\_mOnlySleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_mOnlySleeping)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/49 "2007-08-17T02:55:10Z")
I joined the board because of this thread! I love TJ’s, although we don’t have one that close. However, there are TJ’s within 45 minutes driving distance, and I head out to stock up every so often. Our favorites: Chicken Chili Verde (frozen) - I serve it over rice’ it’s so yummy. Kung Pao Chicken (shelf) packed in a Chinese take-out style box (for my husband’s lunches; he works from home) TJ’s version of Oreos Chili-Lime cooked chicken strips (refrigerated) - awesome in a Southwest salad My daughter loves their sushi, so I get a few packs for her to take to work. My husband loves their version of Cheerios, as well as their cherry almond clusters cereal and cranberry almond clusters cereal. I love their coffee-filled chocolates. Key Lime cheesecake (frozen). My younger kids love their version of Pirate’s Booty (they can’t eat regular popcorn with their braces). I find new stuff everytime I go, and the prices are so reasonable. I know TJ’s would do great up here, but for some reason they don’t want to put a store in our area. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/50 "2007-08-17T03:00:32Z")
Clay Oven Baked Lavash Bread. Absolutely perfect for wrapping just about anything. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/51 "2007-08-17T04:28:28Z")
Oh my gosh, I forgot the house brand truffles! Made in France, rolled in cocoa powder, and have that perfect truffle taste and texture that seems to get cooler rather than warming up even as you’re melting it in your mouth–for like three bucks a box! We don’t get the gyoza here any more, :snivel: but I used to live on those things… TJ’s carries Marcel & Henri pate which I love, and for a decent price. They no longer carry the pork liver pate with truffles, though, that was the best. The organic Jo-Jo’s sandwich cookies–the grandkid loves these things. They made some limited edition ones with crushed candy canes in the filling last winter that were so incredibly good they sold out in about 9.636 nanoseconds–they promise they’ll up production considerably this year! The fruit jelly candy–not the ones shaped like fruit, those are horrible, but the disc shaped ones that have the raspberry and grapefruit flavored ones–I eat way too many of those! Sharp white cheddar for less than five bucks a pound. Mango shaving gel that the SO swears is the best stuff he’s ever used, and this is a guy who really hates to shave. Two buck Chuck. Chocolate covered pistachios and sunflower seeds–where else do you find stuff like this? Garlic chicken enchiladas–with some of that white cheddar melted on top! The best vegetarian breakfast sausage ever, for cheap! Veggie corndogs, veggie Italian sausage, veggie champignon burgers, amazing stuff. Gah, just thinking about it makes me hungry! ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/52 "2007-09-26T05:23:00Z")
I just had their two chicken burritos from the cold section, with a decent salsa included. Yum. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2007, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/53 "2007-09-29T22:55:52Z")
Their Italian Style Turkey MeatLoaf in the fridge section is great for sandwiches. Druid Circle cookies. The cheese selection has really gone downhill in the last few years, but they do still carry Castello Blue and Dubliner Irish Cheddar - both of which taste incredible on a good cracker. The Genova Pesto and the Sundried Tomato Pesto. Used in conjunction with their Focaccia/Pizza Dough and a little grated mozzarella either one makes for a lovely pizza. Organic canned black beans. Excellent price compared to the health food stores around town. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2007, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/54 "2007-09-29T23:01:36Z")
Ruby Red Chai tea Ruby Red Chai tea Ruby Red Chai tea … and dark chocolate covered caramel pieces. ---
**Author:** ![quilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/839c29/32.png) [@quilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quilter)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2007, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/55 "2007-09-30T00:01:50Z")
habenero pistachios half-salt peanuts chicken chili mango granola chipotle fries pitted kalamata olives barbeque chicken pizza pesto tomato pizza single-serving frozen quiche frozen guacamole frozen chicken enchiladas frozen chichangas stuffed salmon fillets apple-chicken sausage Sumatra whole bean coffee dark chocolate-topped shortbread cookies …off the top of my head, that is. The nearest TJs is more than 40 miles away, so I usually make a monthly run. NY law says there’s no beer or wine in the store though (I miss interesting beer and Two-Buck Chuck!) so I’m looking forward to moving back to the west coast! ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2007, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/56 "2007-09-30T00:13:35Z")
I have a feeling I’ve posted this before, but anyway, here goes: I don’t have a TJ’s in my neighborhood (or even close to my neighborhood), so I can’t buy frozen or refrigerated items unless we’re going to eat them in the hotel room during cocktail hour (Tuscan bean dip, anyone?). That said, every time I’m in Boston, I stock up on jars of roasted red pepper/eggplant spread, kitty cat cookies, dark chocolate dipped orange and raspberry sticks, rice crackers, and fruit leather which my daughter loves. I signed an online petition to bring Trader Joe’s to Portland, Maine. As did hundreds of others–cross your fingers for me. If they open a store here, I will revel in the glory of frozen delights, refrigerated cheeses and meat-laden delicacies–even the occasional bottle of . . . what’s that wine called again? ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/57 "2007-09-30T00:53:52Z")
Me and my wife have discovered the frozen penne arrabiatta and it is goooood. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2007, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/58 "2007-09-30T14:19:14Z")
I live half a block from a Trader Joe’s. I can feel your envy from here. 🙂 (OTOH, I can also feel the extra padding on my ass I’ve gained since I moved half a block from a Trader Joe’s.) Speaking of which: I love their Green with Envy vegetable mix (spinach, asparagus, and edamame). Frozen artichoke hearts Organic hummus Caramel yogurt (if yogurt can be to die for, this qualifies) Cherry almond cereal Cranberry macadamia nut granola Sweet apple chicken sausage Marinated mahi mahi steaks Honey mango shaving lotion Ciabatta bread (four small rolls for $1.69) Non-potato chips of many varieties Lemon curd Boylan diet cream ale My only complaint is that, unless you get there in the last hour before closing, they are always ridiculously crowded. Every Trader Joe’s I’ve been to (in MA, PA, DE, and MD) is like this. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/59 "2007-09-30T14:20:16Z")
Low fat wisecrackers roasted garlic with rosemary Cilantro and chive yoghurt dip Yoghurt and dill papadums Knotted challah rolls The Chinese style crackers with the hot mustard flavor Good organic fruit. I had some perfect nectarines and really great plums last week. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531/60 "2007-09-30T19:43:22Z")
What a coincidence! I was just about to head out to TJ’s! I love the fact that they’re the only store to carry my favorite bagged tea, Stash Moroccan Mint. I can’t find it anywhere else, for some reason, and must order it online if I can’t get to Trader Joe’s. I might as well post the shopping list I just made, which consists of what I always buy whenever I go to TJ’s (assuming they carry these items at the time): Garlic hummus Pita bread mini-toasts Yin-Yang peanuts (half soy, half wasabi-coated, not always there) organic bananas, broccoli and spinach heart-shaped lavash crackers lingonberry scones lady finger cookies instant chai latte mix brie Snapea crisps chocolate soy milk (I miss the strawberry and coffee flavors) and, of course, Two Buck Chuck. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-trader-joes-products/415531.md?page=2)