Trader Joe's Products (2012–2015)

[Maison Rustique]

I am about to take back a product for the first time since I became a loyal customer at their first store in Pasadena in the early 80's. I am not a returner but the coconut oil pan spray just ticks me off. I know coconut oil is solid at room temp - so why did I think this would work? I go to spray and it is clogged solid. Have you experienced this?

I use this all the time and don't really have an issue. Maybe I keep my house warmer? LOL. It does collect around the nozzle, I just wipe it off and no real problem.

[rotuts]

A recent Addiction for Me :

Tj's Pork tamale 'plate' :

Ill take a snap of the Finished Plate. Cilantro is missing as Im out.

if you live in CA:

much better:

http://elgrullensepaloalto.com/

or any hole in the wall taqueria in the west or SW. none really in N.E.

comfort food for icy days. lots of thai green birds helps lots of sauce/cheese etc

all done in the MicroWave.

[Toliver]

I enjoyed TJ's Organic Lentil Vegetable Soup. It had a surprisingly good flavor. The sodium was kind of high, though. The label says a can of the soup is two servings (Yeah, right). So if one person eats the entire can, the sodium is 1160 mgs.

I would love to try some of their frozen fried rice/Asian dishes but, again, the sodium levels per serving are far too high IMHO.

[rotuts]

the vast majority of stuff at Tj's in the prepared sections has a lot of salt.

but that's the industry at large, not just TJ's. they had or have a won ton soup. its quite good. also a Thai soup

you get a weeks worth of salt in each package which seems to serve one human.

at least they have some lower salt chips and stuff like that.

[OliverB]

I love their confetti rice, something I could not reasonably make myself. Rice with lemon grass, baby corn, other things. Two frozen packs in the bag, just wonderful, tasty, fragrant. But not something one could make in small batches at home, you can't buy two baby corns etc. Occasionally I buy their frozen Teriaki or Orange Something chicken, kids love it and I always get that rice to go along. Tasty stuff! And the chicken seems to be real chicken pieces, not some processed and glued back together to look all the same junk.

[rotuts]

Wow

great suggestions

confetti rice

and

Rice Medley

Im trying them both soon !

sorry I cant get the bold to go away

Edited December 10, 2013 by heidih
Eliminate bolding (log)

[BeeZee]

Trader Joe's eggplant "cutlets". In a box, frozen, breaded slices of eggplant. I baked them, it took much longer than the package directions indicated to get them golden brown and crisp around the edges. But a very nice convenience item...I used them to top a baked ziti to make a combo "eggplant parm/ziti casserole". Every bit was scarfed up by the guests.

Caveat...they have been in my freezer a while, so I don't know for sure that it is currently a stocked item.

[Goatjunky]

Totally disappointed with the triple ginger brew (think i got the name right) i love ginger, i love gingerale. I was excited to try this and i love the bottle. Reality though is that it has an odd fruity flavor and makes my stomach burn

[brucesw]

Just saw this on Serious Eats - TJ's now has poutine.

I've only been to TJ's a half dozen times since it first arrived in Houston this year but it's about time for a run (and I'm pretty sure poutine is not coming to a McD's near me anytime soon..

[Kerry Beal]

Totally disappointed with the triple ginger brew (think i got the name right) i love ginger, i love gingerale. I was excited to try this and i love the bottle. Reality though is that it has an odd fruity flavor and makes my stomach burn

I bought a bottle on the weekend - haven't tried it yet. At least I'll have the bottle if I have to pour it down the sink.

[rotuts]

keep the "" evidence "" of what you do not like

take it back

it might help or not.

[Emily_R]

Hey all --

I'll be making a trip to Trader Joe's tomorrow, and need to buy some olive oil. I know they have a dizzying array -- any recommendations on which to buy?

Thanks!

[rotuts]

Ive tried many of them, and liked them all. there are smaller bottles from California so you can buy a selection of different ones.

[rotuts]

I put these two together last night:

and

and threw on freshly grated TJ's Parmesan-ish cheese and a green salad

I liked it and it was easy. the Turkey B. was frozen. the pasta needed more than the usual amount of

added pasta water after cooking, but was good.

pretty much all I had to do was boil the water.

tasty for a cold night.

Edited January 3, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[Shel_B]

Never saw that at the local TJ's around here ...

Edited January 3, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[rotuts]

its even a bit thinner than traditional spaghetti which i like

its my 'house brand'

took another look at the package: it has 6 gms of fiber vs 2 grams for the Organic from Italy.

the fiber is oat but you dont taste any oaty-ness

Edited January 3, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[Paul Bacino]

Looks like Tj's put a list together of their top 25 for 2013 items!!

http://www.traderjoes.com/productstories/index.asp

[rotuts]

Interesting, and thanks !

it seems the Rbt Shaw wine selections ( 2 buck Chuck for some, 3 Buck Chuck for me (graft tax, MA) )

is # 5.

as a student of the lower shelf, even I cant drink that stuff.

Ill have to get a Wig and some Dark Glasses from now on when I go there

of Note: My local store in MA gets about 45 % of its business on wine alone.

the Rbt. Shaw is stacked 8 - 9 cases high, three deep and about 20 wide at the end of the Wine Selections.

restocked every monday ....

what ever they have, its much cheaper there, especially the Top Shelf

and you can take it back. sort of ...;.

Edited January 6, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[Shel_B]

Stopped at the local TJ's this morning and discovered this puppy, price only $1.99:

http://www.clubtraderjoes.com/2012/01/trader-joes-joses-pizza-al-pollo-asada.html

It's an excellent size to feed one or two, and a perfect size to pop into the Baby Breville. Guess what's for dinner tonight ...

Edited January 8, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[rotuts]

let us know your thoughts

[Shel_B]

let us know your thoughts

I made the pizza a couple of nights ago, and am not sure I like it. The flavors are nice, but I had a hard time getting used to the beans and the cornmeal crust. I'm definitely used to a more traditional pizza.

However, once I got rid of the idea of this having a taste and texture of a traditional pizza, it was easier to accept it for what it is, and it became more acceptable. Putting myself in the frame of mind of a cheap taco stand, this pizza became a more worthwhile purchase and more enjoyable. I'm not sure I'd buy it again, but I might. It's definitely cheap eats, and the chicken does have a nice flavor. For me, less cheese and beans would have been just fine, but the little pizza is definitely filling and with a salad it would make a nice, easy-peasy-cheapy meal. Perfect for the mini Breville oven, which, by the way, did a good job cooking this little pizza-like disk.

[rotuts]

tried the TJ's Hatch canned green chile today

very disappointed: bland bland bland. its one thing to be bland in the sense that to me there is very little heat here, but quite another to be bland as in flavorless: no green chile flavor at all. or not much

took the cans back.

pic of can over in Green Enchilada Sauce thread.

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/146653-hatch-green-enchilada-sauce-your-take/page-2

# 35

Edited January 16, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[flourgirl]

Love, love, love TJ's! I get all my baking nuts and dried fruits from them. I also get all my bottled water from TJ's. I feel it has abetter taste then other brands I have tasted.

I also love the fresh fruit and bagged organic spinach.

Oh and the doggie treats!!!!

[Hassouni]

tried the TJ's Hatch canned green chile today

very disappointed: bland bland bland. its one thing to be bland in the sense that to me there is very little heat here, but quite another to be bland as in flavorless: no green chile flavor at all. or not much

took the cans back.

pic of can over in Green Enchilada Sauce thread.

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/146653-hatch-green-enchilada-sauce-your-take/page-2

# 35

Shit I just bought a slew of them for making, you guessed it, green chile enchilada sauce....

[rotuts]

try one, if you dont like it, take it and the others back.

that's my plan

or maybe you might like it? interesting to see ...

im going to try to use fresh green chile for my sauce and see ..

Edited January 16, 2014 by rotuts (log)