Planning our first trip to Trader Joe's...what are your favorites???

[busy mom]

We are going to Trader Joe's this weekend for the first time. Are there any items that are your"must buy's" when you visit. Can we bring our own bags? Any additional tips would also be appreciated!

 

[Allybaster]

Yes, you can bring your own bags. They'll like you more that way, too! Anything under the TJ's label is as good as or better than a name brand in my opinion.

 

[brittanidp]

Cookie butter and their crumpets! But definitely cookie butter

 

[potterfanatic]

The frozen french onion soup and pretzel bread are my two favorites at Trader Joes.

 

[Brittni__duh]

I'm a huge cookie butter fan!

But other than that, the frozen orange chicken is delicious. The produce is really affordable and good quality. My dog loved their dog treats, which were only like $3-$4 a box. If you're a wine drinker, Two Buck Chuck is a decent wine for $2 a bottle. Their vitamins are really affordable too.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

My DD and I are going to St. Louis tomorrow for a college visit, so a trip to TJ's is in my future. Here is my list for tomorrow:

1,000 day aged gouda (is a must for us, it isn't cheap, but is delicious)
nuts - I typically buy marcona almonds (rosemary - I don't like the truffle), cashews, blister peanuts - a story about the truffle marcona almonds. The first time I saw them in the store, I commented to my daughter, I wish I knew if they were any good because I hate to spend the $ and not like them. An employee was stocking a shelf behind us, heard me, and came over and opened a package so I could try them. I was very appreciative because I didn't like them at all and saved myself the $.
their fresh/frozen seafood is very good
frozen edamame (not in shell)
all natural peanut butter
K-cups
french onion soup (frozen)
sourdough bread (fresh)
Vanilla Jo-Jo cookies for my DH - he swears they are better than vanilla oreos
I will also pick up some frozen items for my son (he is in grad school and likes easy dinners to cook)
fettuccine alfredo
cioppino
gnocchi with sauce

Be sure to look around and feel free to ask the employees if there is something you really want to try. They are the most pleasant bunch of employees I have encountered in a long time.

 

[havaneselover]

Turkey burgers
Frozen brown rice
Chicken fried rice
Chocolate croissants

 

[ellie05]

The croissant! All of them are so so good. Their appetizers are good and they have a nice unique variety if you entertain often. Their goat cheese and sundried tomato ravioli or their lemon ravioli. Pretty much the whole store. Also their cleaning products are great.

 

[LJSquishy]

Trader Joe's is not that great in my opinion. I know many people love them but it isn't the type of grocery store I prefer to shop at because almost everything is prepackaged/precooked/frozen. We don't eat a lot of processed food so most of their offerings don't make it into my shopping cart. I did try their orange chicken once and thought it tasted like every other frozen orange chicken out there. I have heard they sell great frozen appetizers for parties like some sort of macaroni & cheese balls but I haven't had any. There cookie butter is famous but again, I haven't had it!

They do offer a pretty nice produce selection and some of their prices are excellent. They have a nice cheese section as well. Our Trader Joe's doesn't have a full bulk section so I can't comment on that. They're building another TJ's here (or it's probably already done by now) and maybe that will have a bulk section. They sell organic frozen riced cauliflower which is convenient.

What bothers me the most is how much packaging get waste they have...they will package a few zucchini in plastic wrap on a tray...why not just sell it in bulk like every other store?

 

[mbf]

Chili Lime Chicken Burgers
Raspberry Tart (frozen)
A Pumpkin Walks into A Bar (cereal bars)
Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans
Cookie Butter filled Candy Bar
PB and J Candy Bar
Soft Hazelnut Chocolate mini biscotti
Cookie Butter
Triple Ginger Snaps
Shelf Stable Heavy Cream
Spices
Large bottles of EVOO on the cheap
Half Popped Popcorn
Greek Yogurt
Bacon Popcorn
Brioche Crackers
Pepper Jam
Hot and Sweet Chili Jam
TJ's Baking mixes (all are good but when they come out with it the Gingerbread mix is SO GOOD)
Blue Cheese Pecan Dip
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Stix

There must be more but those are pretty much my staples when I go to TJ's.

 

[WelshDH@98CPAlum]

I always think of them for cheap priced EVOO that I think is great!
Went to get that and also got their Brushetta (in a container, just the tomatoes, garlic and olive oil) and some fresh mozzarella and MMMMMmmmmm

 

[ellie05]

Trader Joe's is not that great in my opinion. I know many people love them but it isn't the type of grocery store I prefer to shop at because almost everything is prepackaged/precooked/frozen. We don't eat a lot of processed food so most of their offerings don't make it into my shopping cart. I did try their orange chicken once and thought it tasted like every other frozen orange chicken out there. I have heard they sell great frozen appetizers for parties like some sort of macaroni & cheese balls but I haven't had any. There cookie butter is famous but again, I haven't had it!

They do offer a pretty nice produce selection and some of their prices are excellent. They have a nice cheese section as well. Our Trader Joe's doesn't have a full bulk section so I can't comment on that. They're building another TJ's here (or it's probably already done by now) and maybe that will have a bulk section. They sell organic frozen riced cauliflower which is convenient.

What bothers me the most is how much packaging get waste they have...they will package a few zucchini in plastic wrap on a tray...why not just sell it in bulk like every other store?

I just curious if you don't eat process food what exactly are you missing from the regular stores? Trader Joe's has a great section of organic stuff and we also try to avoid process foods. I cook from scratch 6 days a week we don't even use can stuff if we can help it. I am able to do all my shopping at Trader Joe's. Probably 50%+ of my cart comes from the produce section, the other 30% comes from the edge/frozen such as almond milk, eggs, yougurt, butter, organic frozen fruit etc and the last 20%- comes from the middle things like coffe, nuts, toilet paper, etc. We do throw some convience items to our cart now and then like ravioli, croissant, etc we don't eat those often so we just keep them in the freezer.

I agree with you on the waster of the packaging.

When I shop at regular stores I found that I skip most of the middle isles. I am able to find everything except for maybe some rare spices that I normally shop at Trader Joe's plus a few bonus organic items like the califlower rice.

 

[kellia]

potstickers, greek yogurt spinach dip and 2 buck chuck wine! We live an hour away, so don't go too often. We always try new stuff when we go!

 

[wendow]

I am kind of in agreement with @LJSquishy

We just got our first TJ's within the last year and I was so excited to go in after hearing so much about them. We go in ever so often and pick up a few fun things to try but in general, I have been fairly underwhelmed. Now, our store is smaller, has no bulk area and no liquor sales. So, maybe it is just a 'dinky' store overall. And like the pp, we don't eat a ton of processed foods so that might make a difference for us. I bought the cookie butter the very first time we went and it is way too sweet for us. I so wanted to love it!

I will say TJ's was great when my dd had to go gluten free for a month. Their gluten free items were very reasonably priced and I was able to get her a lot of convenience foods.

 

[wendow]

I just curious if you don't eat process food what exactly are you missing from the regular stores? Trader Joe's has a great section of organic stuff and we also try to avoid process foods. I cook from scratch 6 days a week we don't even use can stuff if we can help it. I am able to do all my shopping at Trader Joe's. Probably 50%+ of my cart comes from the produce section, the other 30% comes from the edge/frozen such as almond milk, eggs, yougurt, butter, organic frozen fruit etc and the last 20%- comes from the middle things like coffe, nuts, toilet paper, etc. We do throw some convience items to our cart now and then like ravioli, croissant, etc we don't eat those often so we just keep them in the freezer.

I am not the one you addressed this to but I know for us, we can get produce from Sprouts and organic dairy as well as coffee and TP from Costco for a better price than TJ's.

You mentioned spices and I did buy a spice there last time when we were in, and I really like it. Salt-free and very flavorful. I have been adding to lots of foods

 

[ellie05]

I am not the one you addressed this to but I know for us, we can get produce from Sprouts and organic dairy as well as coffee and TP from Costco for a better price than TJ's.

You mentioned spices and I did buy a spice there last time when we were in, and I really like it. Salt-free and very flavorful. I have been adding to lots of foods

But that still doesn't answer the question you can get all of those items at Trader Joe's. My question was more of what of the non process items you can't find at Trader Joe's? Because she said she doesn't buy at TJ because all of the processed items that don't make it in her cart. So I was wondering what she can't find there since I find TJ cuts a lot of the middle processed junk isles than regular supermarkets has.

DH is very picky about his coffee and the only coffee he drinks is the Honduran organic coffee from TJ it is very good most guest at our house always want to know what coffee we use.

 

[QueenIsabella]

My DD21 loves their wine, and Dh loves the beer.

Some of our family favorites are:

frozen pizza
dark chocolate peanut butter cups
Cowboy Bark
Dim Sum (frozen)
12-grain crackers
chocolate covered coconut almonds
coconut body butter
EVOO
various types of trail mix
various types of cheese
Single-sourced chocolate

I'm looking forward to their holiday specialty items, which should hit the shelves in November. Favorites in our house include chocolate-covered peppermint Jo-Jo's, the chocolate-covered stars, and some of the holiday spiced items (pumpkin bread, cider and so forth). Some of those are probably out now, I haven't been recently.

There are a couple things we did NOT like, like their pickle flavored potato chips and the mac and cheese filled ravioli.

 

[wendow]

But that still doesn't answer the question you can get all of those items at Trader Joe's. My question was more of what of the non process items you can't find at Trader Joe's? Because she said she doesn't buy at TJ because all of the processed items that don't make it in her cart. So I was wondering what she can't find there since I find TJ cuts a lot of the middle processed junk isles than regular supermarkets has.

DH is very picky about his coffee and the only coffee he drinks is the Honduran organic coffee from TJ it is very good most guest at our house always want to know what coffee we use.

Oh, I see. My store is small so not sure I could buy everything there but I get your point.

That coffee is wonderful! I grab a cup every time I go into TJ's. We are not terribly picky about our coffee so we get that at Costco. Their store brand isn't half-bad and super good price but I agree the TJ's is good.

 

[pearlieq]

Went to get that and also got their Brushetta (in a container, just the tomatoes, garlic and olive oil) and some fresh mozzarella and MMMMMmmmmm

Ohhh, that stuff is SO good! I slice up their ciabatta, toast it, and top it with the Bruschetta mix and ricotta. It's delicious.

My staples at Trader Joe:

This Fig Walks Into a Bar cereal bars
Panda Puffs cereal (this is our cheapest source for this locally)
Frozen Organic Super Sweet Corn
Reduced Guilt Fish Sticks (I don't care about the "guilt" bollocks, these are just really tasty)
Whole Wheat Pitas
Pita Chips (Stacy's for 1/2 the price)
72% Cacao Bars (great for snacking and can be chopped up for baking)

 

[LJSquishy]

I just curious if you don't eat process food what exactly are you missing from the regular stores? Trader Joe's has a great section of organic stuff and we also try to avoid process foods. I cook from scratch 6 days a week we don't even use can stuff if we can help it. I am able to do all my shopping at Trader Joe's. Probably 50%+ of my cart comes from the produce section, the other 30% comes from the edge/frozen such as almond milk, eggs, yougurt, butter, organic frozen fruit etc and the last 20%- comes from the middle things like coffe, nuts, toilet paper, etc. We do throw some convience items to our cart now and then like ravioli, croissant, etc we don't eat those often so we just keep them in the freezer.

I agree with you on the waster of the packaging.

When I shop at regular stores I found that I skip most of the middle isles. I am able to find everything except for maybe some rare spices that I normally shop at Trader Joe's plus a few bonus organic items like the califlower rice.

That is exactly my point -- that Trader Joe's isn't special if you don't eat processed foods...I can get everything I need at other grocery stores with less packaging and less hassle. Every TJs is different but ours doesn't have everything I need (like no bulk section) and/or they don't have the specific products I want (like true pasture raised organic eggs for example). There is nothing wrong with their store, it just doesn't suit my needs well and I thought I'd share my experience in case the OP didn't realize it may not be the amazing store they heard it was. I know I was extremely disappointed after going for the first time because I had read how amazing it was online!