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Trader Joe's Products (2012–2015)

Katie Meadow

By Katie Meadow
in Kitchen Consumer

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Lindacakes

Lindacakes

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Posted

 

The more I visit our new TJ, the more I like it. One thing I've noticed is that the fresh produce always looks really fresh. In our conventional supermarkets, veggies often look like they're a day away from the dumpster.

 
A product I really liked this week is the frozen Mojito Salmon. Plenty of fish for two meals, if served on rice or pasta. And I don't think you could get that much fresh salmon at a lower cost.
 
I've also been enjoying their refrigerated wraps, like the Vietnamese chicken salad. One wrap makes two lunches at about $2/lunch.
 
If I have to say one negative thing about my new love, it's that I can't get too excited about the cold cereals. Haven't found any yet that seem especially good, but have only tried 4 or 5 of them.

 

 

The granola is very good, it has pecans and coconut, I think.  Quite addictive, I actually can't buy it.  You might as well strap it to my face like a feed bucket.

I like to bake nice things. And then I eat them. Then I can bake some more.

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gulfporter

gulfporter

Posted
Posted (edited)

Love the convenience of their frozen crushed garlic cubes (plain and with basil); imported from Israel.  They thaw quickly and are great for a quick vinaigrette.  None of that funky aftertaste like the jars of crushed garlic.  

 

Also in love with their meringue cookies of various flavors.  Way better quality and low price compared to those found in most groceries.  

 

My nearest TJs now is almost an hour away, but there is a new one slated for opening later this year within 15 minutes from me.  Yippee!!!

Edited by gulfporter (log)
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Katie Meadow

Katie Meadow

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Posted (edited)

My local TJ's is selling grapes that are a cross of a thompson seedless with a concord. They are round, smaller than a concord grape, with seeds that are minimal or non-existent. They are delicious and not pricey the way concords often are. The down side is that they are not organic and they have the very unfortunate name of Thomcords. But they are worth it and I am thinking they will probably have a very short season.

Edited by Katie Meadow (log)
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blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

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My name is blue_dolphin and I am an addict.....a TJ's addict! 

 

I'm staying with my mother for a bit, here in rural northern NY.  I was OK for a little over a week when the pumpkin edition of the Fearless Flyer appeared in my inbox and pushed me over the edge.  Up until earlier this year, my abstinence would have continued, but there is now a way for me to get my TJ's fix.  I headed to the ferry dock, shelled out $10 each way and enjoyed a bit of fall foliage on my drive down to the TJ's in Burlington, VT, opened in May of this year.   Ahhhhhhhhh!  It felt so good to get my hands on that red shopping cart and wheel it around the aisles filled with familiar treats. 

 

I've lived in such close proximity to TJ's in So Cal for so many years that I forgot what it's like to go without!  I'm nibbling a freshly baked pumpkin crossiant with my TJ's coffee as I write this.  Mmmmmmmm. 

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Thanks for the Crepes

Thanks for the Crepes

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Posted

Hey, blue_dolphin!

 

I love T.J.'s too. I know I don't have to scrutinize the ingredients in even processed foods like I would at my mainstream grocery store because apparently T.J.'s still adheres to some old school standards about not feeding their patrons poisonous or at least questionable ingredients. That is a REALLY good thing, but at my local one it is so crowded at even at off hours, I have to give myself a pep talk to be able to withstand it. If you did try to read an ingredient label in situ, I could foresee a lynching or at least a vigorous round of verbal abuse.

 

On weekends here, it's a NOGO. The store hands out samples of their products. I never stood in line for one, but the one time I did go over the weekend, the queues for samples were such that they blocked access to the freezer cases, which you already have to stand in short lines to access when there're no samples on offer. NEVER again.

 

If I go at a non-peak time, I have to say this is my very favorite store for quality and price. Sometimes they are even cheaper than corporate offerings, while maintaining quality standards not seen or heard of in many years.

 

My only beef with the pumpkin croissants is that, at least at my store, they suspend the chocolate ones to make room for them.

 

Did you cross Lake Champlain on the ferry, or another body of water?

 

I lived in Jericho and Essex Jct., VT while my dad worked at IBM in the late 60's and early 70's.

> ^ . . ^ <

 

 

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BeeZee

BeeZee

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Posted

My local TJ's is selling grapes that are a cross of a thompson seedless with a concord. They are round, smaller than a concord grape, with seeds that are minimal or non-existent. They are delicious and not pricey the way concords often are. The down side is that they are not organic and they have the very unfortunate name of Thomcords. But they are worth it and I am thinking they will probably have a very short season.

I had some of those Thomcords this summer, don't know if it was the bunch I had but they were kind of unpleasantly soft textured. Very sweet, though.

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" - Oscar Wilde

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  • 4 weeks later...
patti_h

patti_h

Posted
Posted

In the freezer section, I found French Onion Soup. I didn't try it but my son really liked it. He loves French onion soup but my homemade is too "oniony" for him.... It comes two "bowls" per package, you can heat in the oven or micro. It does have croutons and cheese in it. Also found the poutine and decided to try that. I will probably follow the recommendation to fry the fries in lard.

We have also found the "Virgil's" root beer to be quite good. We don't drink much soda and I prefer my son to not ingest all those chemicals so at least at TJ we can get Hansen's or Virgil's and it is somewhat better than drinking coke. Or at least, that's what I tell myself!

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rotuts

rotuts

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Posted

""  the poutine ""

 

they have that south of the border, eh ?

 

pls let me know what you think of it

 

the Lunch Ladies periodically show us some poutine from North of the Border,

 

they claim its only so - so the stuff they try

 

they do this im sure to torture me.       

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patti_h

patti_h

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Rotuts- we ate the poutine, and although I really have no frame of reference, we thought it was great! Fried the fries in lard, it got a big thumbs up from both of my boys and even the son's picky girlfriend! Now, next time I go shopping I'll have to buy ten bags to stick in the freezer because I bet we'll never see it again. The downfall of shopping at TJ's- you love something and it disappears!

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  • 4 weeks later...
rotuts

rotuts

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Posted

was at Tj's the other day getting the " usual " then remembered I had to stop elsewhere for some refrigerated

 

horseradish.

 

I asked and Behold :

 

HR.jpg

 

its superb : good bite, not watery  etc

 

used it on a meatloaf sandwich and its the best prepared HR Ive ever had.

 

it might be seasonal, which would make sense re: my luck with them DC'ing stuff I really like.

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Shel_B

Shel_B

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was at Tj's the other day getting the " usual " then remembered I had to stop elsewhere for some refrigerated

 

horseradish.

 

I asked and Behold :

 

attachicon.gifHR.jpg

 

its superb : good bite, not watery  etc

 

 

What are the ingredients in the horseradish?

 ... Shel


 

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Shel_B

Shel_B

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Posted

horseradish, distilled vinegar, water, soybean oil, salt, natural flavors.

 

Not so good, regardless of taste.  There are others that I know taste well, with good heat, and which don't have the added ingredients like soybean oil, water, etc.  I avoid shelf-stable brands with fillers and, when I do but horseradish, go straight to the refrigerator aisle, making sure the label reads only “grated horseradish, vinegar, and salt.”

 ... Shel


 

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LindaK

LindaK

Posted
Posted

During yesterday's trip to my local TJs, I found this trio of nut oils for $14.99.

 

IMG_0563.JPG

 

Each tin is 250 ml, which is larger than the the 150 ml tin of walnut oil in my cupboard that cost me $9.99 in a specialty store.  They're from California, not imported, but I sampled the pistachio oil on an avocado salad and it was delicious. A bargain, if they're all this good.

 

 

 

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rotuts

rotuts

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Posted (edited)

These are for some reason a Seasonal Item at TJ's :

 

Tamal.jpg

 

they are refrigerated.

 

Last years were very good, much better than the Fz ones which are OK

 

the above only counts is you live Far Far Away from the Tamale Tex-Mex or just Mex Belt.

 

Ill be having some Tonight.

 

Point of Fact : they sell out quickly, at least in my area

 

that's why they will be evaluated tonight for a possible 'bulk - Fz' run.

Edited by rotuts (log)
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Toliver

Toliver

Posted
Posted

was at Tj's the other day getting the " usual " then remembered I had to stop elsewhere for some refrigerated

 

horseradish.

 

I asked and Behold :

 

attachicon.gifHR.jpg

 

its superb : good bite, not watery  etc

 

used it on a meatloaf sandwich and its the best prepared HR Ive ever had.

 

it might be seasonal, which would make sense re: my luck with them DC'ing stuff I really like.

I've seen it year-round at my local TJ's. I think it used to have a more generic looking label. I agree with your assessment...good bite, etc. It may be our go-to horseradish for our family's Christmas Eve Prime Rib dinner. 

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

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rotuts

rotuts

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I like the extra bit of Soybean Oil and 'Natural Flavoring'

 

it saves me the trouble of finding which isle they have that so I can add in 

 

:raz:

 

( come on now ....  just a tiny chuckle would be OK  :biggrin: )

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Honkman

Honkman

Posted
Posted

These are for some reason a Seasonal Item at TJ's :

 

attachicon.gifTamal.jpg

 

they are refrigerated.

 

Last years were very good, much better than the Fz ones which are OK

 

the above only counts is you live Far Far Away from the Tamale Tex-Mex or just Mex Belt.

 

Ill be having some Tonight.

 

Point of Fact : they sell out quickly, at least in my area

 

that's why they will be evaluated tonight for a possible 'bulk - Fz' run.

Had to buy some salads at TJ (pretty much the only thing we buy there) and they had those to try - wow, really bad. Sorry to say but these might be edible if you never had a tamale before but otherwise these are a waste of calories, not a good texture and flavor.

Two Foodies - One Journey
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IowaDee

IowaDee

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Perhaps- but if you lived in small town Iowa as I do, you would fall to your knees and thank the Tamale Gods for giving them to you. The only other choice being Hormel ones in a can.  Yup, those really exist.  

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