Trader Joes - whats your favorite food finds here?

[Sparkled]

Everything!

 

[teentoddlermom]

Here's a thread I'd love to jump in on!
I love TJ's! The help is outstanding there too, much unlike the rest of the grouchy New Englanders around here, they must be transfers! We are lucky to have one nearby that has a beer and wine license, so I really enjoy picking wines I wouldn't normally try because they are so well priced. Of course there is the $2.99 Charles Shaw of which 2 varieties are excellent, the Merlot and Savignon Blanc!
The other great items I ALWAYS buy there are
Tuscan Pane bread
Bananas
Tri Color Frozen peppers
Frozen Thin Green Beans
Frozen Mango Chunks
Cornbread Mix
Frozen Barbeque Chicken Pizza
Assorted Soup Broths and Stocks
Cinnamon Sugar Pita Snacks
I'm sure there's much more I forgot!

 

[DisneyPhD]

OP, what section is the shaved steak in? Is it frozen?

I looked today too, all over and didn't see it. I didn't ask though. I just didn't feel like it. I knew if I had asked a worker would of looked all over the store for me. They are good about that.

 

[Cindy B]

Just a few days ago I bought:

Orange Mandarin Chicken
Vegetable fried rice
Asian style vegetables
Chocalate cat shaped cookies

They are all gone now.

My DH also likes the wasabi peas and the oriental trail mix

 

[minniecarousel]

Any of the soups in the carton (not canned). Roasted corn and red pepper is my favorite.

No Pudge brownie mix.

 

[Cindy B]

I forgot about the indian food.

The Naan (indian bread) is really good, as well as the frozen types of Indian entrees.

The Pad Thai they have (or had) was really good as well.

Thier truffles are really good as well.

 

[Mickey527]

teentoddlermom,
The workers are not imports, I have three sons who all work at TJs. My eldest was a manager in Westport but he went back to the Ffld store to work as a part timer. My 27 and 23 year olds both work PT at the Ffld store.
PT means that they don't have managereal duties, but all three of them work at least a 40 hour week.
The hours really are hard, all three of my boys work 4 pm to 2 am and don't get to bed till around 7 am then sleep all day. I know how they feel, I used to be a night nurse.
But TJs pays very well and they give raises quite often. They don't have any incentive programs for the employees to be better to customers, the people who work there really like the products and they are able to have fun while they are working. That fun comes across to the customers. They do have a good insurance program, better than Old Navy where my youngest son used to work. And even the under 20 hour part timers are eligible for the insurance benefits.
I love almost everything in that store, especially the fresh produce. It is very fresh, and TJs throws out anything that is not good looking. You won't find those soft peaches or bruised stuff in TJs.
And something else that alot of people don't know is that if you want to try something askan employee and they will open the package and let you try it. Then they write it off and the employees bring it into the break room to try. They encourage the employees to try every item in the store so they can tell people about it and they encourage customers to try things too. Make sure to try the new foods at the taste station.

 

[TDC Nala]

3 Buck Chuck (it costs extra in Virginia) and wasabi nuts (they've got several kinds now) and cheese!

 

[It's A Happy Day]

OP, what section is the shaved steak in? Is it frozen?

It is fresh shaved & very lean with all the fresh meats.

 

[lulubelle]

Almost everything we get has been mentioned, except...
the low-fat apricot loaf is a fav for breakfast, frozen two pack of brown sugar steel oatmeal, pre made chicken salad, spinach dip, pesto sauce.

The Cioppino mix is the best I have had anywhere, and the Orange Chicken on their Jasmine rice with a few sliced green onions on top is a favorite meal around here. Why does theirs bake up so crisp and flavorful in the oven? What makes that sauce so superior? And how much easier could the rice (which comes 3 pouches to a box) be to simply mic and serve?

And all the premade salads are good. Love the fresh veggies and frozen seafood, unusual juices and I could spend an hour in the wine isle....so many choices for $10 and under a bottle. Love the Smoking Loon they had last year ($4.99) - went through a few cases of that one, we did

P.S. Oh, and the employees are all top notch. Helpful, friendly and efficient. What more could we ask for?

 

[shortbun]

Walnut Gorgonzola tortellini , OMG! I love the artichoke too!!!
Party salsa
frozen blueberry waffles
the dark chocolate bars that are actually 76%cacao and good for me!!!
most of all, I love the fact that I can get quality food without bustin' my budget! Trader Joe's ROCKS!!!!

 

[cryssi]

ooh! I wanted to try the cioppino...

ok, where do I start??

Wintery Blend coffee
all the teas
.99 extra large eggs!
organic morello cherry spread
cracked wheat sourdough bread
cheeses!
pita chips
savory thins
cats cookies
chocolate torte (forgot what it's really called but it's to die for...)
unscented moisturizing cream
hummus
naan
frozen artichoke hearts
bagged spring greens salad mix
blue lake green beans
curried chicken salad

they used to have a light whipped yogurt cream cheese...sadly they don't carry that anymore...

hmm, I haven't been to TJ's in a couple of weeks...time to go get more eggs and milk! this could be my grocery list!

 

[DisnyMama]

Oh how I miss TJ's since we moved to from CA to TX! Iv'e checked and from what I have read there are no plans for them to move in to TX anytime soon which is really too bad. My favorite things were their produce...green beans, baby artichokes for DS, romaine hearts, etc. They also have a refridgerated light, low-fat creamy caesar dressing that is delicious (about 50 cals a serv.) If it didn't have to be cold I would have my sissy buy bottles of it and ups it to me. I also miss there frozen food in general. for the Orange Chicken too. Sure I agree that it's not the healthiest either but if it keeps us out of the drive-thru it's still a better choice.

 

[Imzadi]

They do have a good insurance program, better than Old Navy where my youngest son used to work. And even the under 20 hour part timers are eligible for the insurance benefits.

As a freelancer who works at multiple professions & doesn't have health insurance because of it, this is good info to know. The only other place i know of which gives health insurance to 20 hour PTmers is Starbucks. But I think I'd be over the place after making my tenth double skim, triple decaf latte.

I would think TJ would be interesting to work at as you'd always find something new to buy, eat & try.

Walnut Gorgonzola tortellini , OMG!

Okay, now where is this located? It sounds like it would go well with the premade walnut gorgonzola salad bowls. Yum!

 

[BeccaGrace]

I am way overdue a trip to Trader Joes!

My absolute favorite thing ever are the frozen dark cherries...soooooo good in smoothies.

All the wine and beer--the prices are unreal.

Dry roasted soy nuts.

Can't rember the name but it's the garlic crackle bread.

I love Trader Joes...can't say enough good things, I just wish there was one a little closer. The trip is definitely worth it for the prices though--especially when I am actually sticking to Weight Watchers

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

PINEAPPLE SALSA. Pour it over a block of cream cheese, add a bag of chips......OH YEAH!

 

[fan_of_small_world]

I love TJ's! I think most of my faves have already been mentioned.

My DH has been going deep-sea fishing since he was a kid, so he's picky about fish. But even he likes the frozen fish I buy there. And my kids love the breaded cod sticks (DH won't touch them though!). They're better than the fish sticks at the regular grocery store and I think a bit healthier, too.

What I miss are the frozen shrimp and chicken potstickers (I was told that they lost their supplier and are looking for a new one). I also used to buy vanilla soy granola, which was wonderful mixed into yogurt, but now I can't find it there.

 

[Imzadi]

My DH has been going deep-sea fishing since he was a kid, so he's picky about fish. But even he likes the frozen fish I buy there.

Ooh, that reminds me, they have great frozen crabcakes. They are in vacuum sealed packs of two crabcakes.

 

[fan_of_small_world]

Ooh, that reminds me, they have great frozen crabcakes. They are in vacuum sealed packs of two crabcakes.

I'm a Maryland girl originally, but I'll give 'em a try!

 

[bigmerle1966]

I LOVE Trader Joe's and can't wait for them to finish building the one closer to me. The one I go to now is about 30 min. away and most times I go on the way back from my sisters house in VA.

My favs are:

Red curry sauce
Whole wheat pizza dough
Double cream Brie
Shrimp potstickers
Blood oranges- they are organic and only $2.69 a bag.
The bagged chopped romaine- it is always dry, never any condensation in the bag.
Their whole wheat cous cous

And I just bought a Teriyaki Chicken that is really good.

Also a friend's children love Power Plant Green Juice. We were coming back from spending the weekend at my sisters and we got there just in time, needed some of those oranges, and her middle child so badly wanted some of that. They didn't have any. The past week I stopped in on my way home from a Dis meet in VA and they had it. He was so excited when I gave to him.