Trader Joe's Products (2015–2017)

[Shel_B]

maybe they could "let" you win the Brown Bag Lottery !

 

i won once  

 

What's the "brown bag lottery?"  (just returned from TJ's)

[rotuts]

in my area  ( MA ) they give you a red 'ticket'  you know the kind on a long roll, and you write your name and phone number on the back and put in in a hopper

 

on the way out.  thats for reusing bags.

 

for a long while it was $ 50 store credit.   of course when I won it was about $ 25 dollars and someone at Tj's pick out stuff and put it in a Tj's non-paper bag and called you.

 

I figured it out that if as most stores here do, they gave you 5 cents off for each bag you re-used, over time id be two times ahead.

 

they draw a ticket out once a week. then start from scratch I think for the next week

Edited June 18, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[Maison Rustique]

I won the bag raffle once years ago--at that time it was a $25 gift card.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Yeah,

 

The employees at the Cary TJ's are helpful and nice, to the point that I even had a lady cashier) open and check my eggs I was buying for breakage (I always check my own, down to seeing if every single one is loose in the carton; if it isn't, that means egg has leaked out and dried and glued it to the carton).

 

However, back when they did the lottery, they just gave you tickets, and put them in your bags. I realized after the first time, there was no way to win, so I passed on subsequent visits.

 

They are polite and helpful, much more so than other grocers in our area, but the "lottery" was a sham in our location.

[rotuts]

I don't doubt what you say, but thats really odd.

[Shel_B]

Returning an Item at TJ's

 

A few days ago I purchased a grapefruit at the local TJ's.  This morning I noticed it was moldy and starting to rot in a couple of spots.  We went to TJ's this morning, brought the grapefruit back, and got a new one - no questions asked.  I was curious if they'd take back the grapefruit since there was nothing to indicate I'd bought it there - no label or sticker on the fruit and I didn't have a receipt, and fruit is a perishable item.  They had no idea when I bought it or how it was stored.  I just love their trust, and that's one reason I shop at TJ's.

[Shel_B]

Trader Joe's Faces Lawsuit Over Country of Origin Labeling

[rotuts]

Im not quite sure what the above is saying

 

stuff is labeled as coming from multiple countries ?

 

its mislabel'd or co-mingled ?

[Shel_B]

Im not quite sure what the above is saying

 

stuff is labeled as coming from multiple countries ?

 

its mislabel'd or co-mingled ?

 

Essentially, yes to both.  For example, a package I saw noted that the product came from Country A, or Country B, or Country C.  The consumer is unsure of just which country the product came from, or if it may have come from multiple countries.

[ElsieD]

We have now tried the Trader Joe's Rice Medley, the frozen stuff, and it is very good. I would happily buy it again.

[MelissaH]

ElsieD,

 

I've been out of the country with limited internet access for the last three months, or I would have answered you sooner.

 

The Syracuse TJ's store is the closest one to me, "only" about an hour away. We also sometimes shop at the Rochester store, which is about an hour and a half of driving. Before these two stores opened, we would stock up on the non-perishables whenever we drove to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, the NYC area, Hartford, Washington DC, or anywhere else that had a store. And we'd search out locations when we flew to other places that had them (Phoenix, Tucson) to get airplane food and other small things that would fit into the cracks of our suitcases. I'm grateful that we now have a store much closer.

 

Anyway, in your initial post after your visit, you wondered about the size of the store. I'd say the Syr location is about average-size for a TJ's. What is not average is the parking lot, which is absolutely miserable. When they first opened, it was almost impossible to find a place to park in that shopping center. There were a couple of times when I drove through the lot a couple of times but couldn't find a space, and then left without actually stopping. (This is one reason why I've come to prefer the Roc location, which is in a much larger shopping center with an enormous lot.) It's gotten better since then, as the novelty has worn off.

 

We have a focused list of things we like to get at a TJ's. Tops on our list are the nuts (especially the 50% less salt cashews, which my husband adores) and many of the cookies, especially the Triple Ginger Cookies (known in our house as Leo Cookies, because our 17 year old cat goes bonkers for these and no other cookies). Here in NY, we can't get much in the way of booze at a grocery store, and none of the beers available at our TJ's is anything to write home about; we do better going to a more local specialty store in our town. We always check the produce, to see what's available and nice. During hockey season, we like to get the little packs of dried fruit and nut mixes, which we donate to our university's women's hockey team as bus food. In the freezer section, the breaded eggplant slices are a good building block for easy meals. We also like the chile rellenos, although they aren't always available. And during the holiday baking season, we stock up on the all-butter puff pastry. They also do a Harvest Hodgepodge frozen veg, which again is a useful building block for meal construction. And I almost always have a package of the frozen sliced leeks on hand, because fresh leeks are ridiculously expensive if they're even available in my town and I like to use leeks when I make soup. For a friend, I typically pick up "the usual": a box of the strawberry bars that are found near the cereal (her son's favorite treat) and a box of the brown rice cereal treats that are sort of like rice krispie treats, found in with the cookies over the freezer section (gluten-free and her daughter's treat).

 

If you're going to be shopping at the Syracuse store, though, I suggest you also plan an extra hour to visit the big Wegmans supermarket in Syracuse, which is not at all far from the TJ's. If you have a smartphone, download the Wegmans app, which includes prices of all the items, and you can comparison-shop on the fly for the items that are available both places.

[ElsieD]

I looked for the frozen leeks but they did not appear to have any. We too really liked the triple ginger cookies. Interesting that Leo only likes the ginger cookies. We had a cat who loved Black Forest ham. Any other type of ham he would turn up his nose at, and refuse to eat, but man, he loved the BF. I shall download the Wegman's app. Great store, that.

[rotuts]

I finally remembered to ask my WineBuds at Tj's near where I live why the Brookline Tj's has distilled EtOH and not mine.

 

that requires a liquor license which the town gives out or not, which is different than a beer license  wine = beer in my area

 

liquor license's must require a substantial  increase in the Graft and Corruption fee, under the table.

 

F.D.:  that G&C fee is probably not paid by my local Tj's, but by the way way over-priced wine-liquor store near by to keep Tj's out

 

of the booze business locally.  you could even use the same parking spot for both stores.

Edited July 11, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[blue_dolphin]

TJ's soft & juicy dried mandarins are not a new item but I had not tried them and don't recall seeing them mentioned here.

Ingredients are mandarin orange segments, sugar, sulfur dioxide. Product of Thailand.

They are very sweet but have a fresh tart orange flavor as well. They would be nice dipped in very dark chocolate but some of them are sort of stuck together so it would be a pain to separate them out for dipping. I've been enjoying a few for dessert with a handful of walnuts, some dark chocolate and um, a Manhattan.

[Kerry Beal]

I've chopped them up and put them in dark chocolate bark before - they do go nicely in it.

[rotuts]

why not some Chips ?

 

 

these are a bit of bait & switch:

 

they are corn chips w some sweet potato 'flour'  they are 'bland' as the NaCl is only 95 mg / 28 gm's  chips

 

I avoid 'commercial' sodium if I can. before its too late.  that leaves 'chips' mostly out of reach.  not these.

 

you just add your own 'kick' if you like.

 

and indeed you can take them back is you were looking for the usual Sodium 'hit'

 

 

Im a big fan of Fritos ( i.e. an addict )  football games and Fritos go together, w guacamole and F's are de rigueur 

 

for the SuperBowl. I have friends who are kosher at their home, and these are kosher.  that solves a potential problem

 

and these are really really good.

 

if your are an Organico, these are that too.

 

110 mg NaCl  / 28 gms chips.

Edited July 16, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[Toliver]

TJ's soft & juicy dried mandarins are not a new item but I had not tried them and don't recall seeing them mentioned here.

image.jpg

Ingredients are mandarin orange segments, sugar, sulfur dioxide. Product of Thailand.

They are very sweet but have a fresh tart orange flavor as well. They would be nice dipped in very dark chocolate but some of them are sort of stuck together so it would be a pain to separate them out for dipping. I've been enjoying a few for dessert with a handful of walnuts, some dark chocolate and um, a Manhattan.

Yikes! I saw on the label that the amount of sugar per serving is 30 grams. That's 7 & 1/2 teaspoons per serving.   Granted, they're dehydrated so the sugar is more condensed per serving but then why add sugar on top of that? I may break down and buy them, sugar be damned, during my next trip to the store just to taste them.

[Shel_B]

Trader Joe's Pizza Dough ... Has anyone tried it?  Satisfied with the results?  

 

I'm thinking of making some small pizzas for Toots, but I dislike working with dough, and space is at a premium in our kitchens.  Pre-made dough seems to be a solution, and TJ's is convenient and well-priced.

[minas6907]

Many people have sworn to me by the pizza dough at Traders. I personally haven't used it, but basically have heard only good thing (even from my wife who has a pastry degree). To be very honest, it doesnt take much space to make a dough, but it does to roll it out and top the pizza, which you'll still have to do. But the price is right and certianly a convenience to pick up a bag of dough along with groceries.

[MelissaH]

Buying pizza dough from TJ's isn't really in the realm of possibility for me, as I live too far away. But one of my local pizzerias is happy to sell me a dough ball. Have you asked locally?

[Shel_B]

Buying pizza dough from TJ's isn't really in the realm of possibility for me, as I live too far away. But one of my local pizzerias is happy to sell me a dough ball. Have you asked locally?

 

No ... the local pizza places are either chains whose crusts I don't like or some locals whose crusts I don't like, and TJ's is far more convenient.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Shel_B (log)

[munchymom]

I use TJ's dough all the time and I love thin crust. For me one ball of dough = two thin crust pizzas roughly 12 x 14 inches. When you're ready to start, make sure the dough is at room temperature. Divide the ball in half and stretch to form pizzas - I usually stretch it once, let it sit for a while while I get toppings ready, and then stretch again before putting on the toppings. I bake at 450 until it looks done - maybe 10-15 minutes. Don't be afraid of a little trial and error - last I looked TJ's pizza dough is 99 cents a pound.

[BeeZee]

just picked up a can of dolmades (stuffed grape leaves, vegetarian) today and they were quite tasty and didn't taste "canned". The grape leaves were tender. There were 10/can. It can be found on the shelves where they keep the other jarred relishes/veg and near the canned tuna.

[rotuts]

new white recommended to me by my WineBuds @ TJ's :

 

 

 

it's 5.99 in MA, probably less in your area if you have less graft and corruption  let me know if you see it

 

My HouseWhite is the TJ's Chard from Chili.  its $ 4.49.  $ 1.50 " adds up "  if you know what I mean   

 

I won't show you the %adge   as it might scare you away

 

this is dry, and very little oak if not none.  more happening here than in the TJ'sChard.

 

I have liked this new wine both still and as M.R.

 

if you try it and don't like it you can take it back

 

 

better label pics :

 

 

 

Im chilling one up now for a MR a bit later

 

Its from France !

 

Yum !

 

Edited August 14, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[blue_dolphin]

Two things. 

Key Lime Tea Cookies:

 

I like them with a little glass of my homemade limecello:

 

I enjoy rosé anytime, but it is especially nice in summer.  This TJ's pinot noir rosé from California central coast is fruity with a bit of crisp acidity.  It has enough flavor that I can add a splash of sparkling water on a hot day and still taste the wine.  $7.99

I have also used this to make a very pretty methode rotuts.