Trader Joe's Products (2015–2017)

[FrogPrincesse]

Spotted at Trader Joe's in San Diego, one of my favorite gins, Sipsmith London dry gin for $29.99. A good deal for a gin that can be a bit hard to find.

[rotuts]

Ive been hankering for few slices of chocolate frosted cake :

 

 

Tj's in my area has two  : this one and one with vanilla bean frosting.

 

it says 'moist' :  don't believe them.  dry as a bone.  frosting not butter-creamy at all :  more like concrete setting.

 

back it went.     I did keep trying.   ice cold milk did not help at all.

 

[HungryChris]

Deb tried this popcorn last season and raved about it. Apparently it was a seasonal item as the next time we tried to get more, it was gone. I just returned from my twice a month trip to TJ's today. I sent her a cell phone shot of it and her only response was "OMG, it's back! Get Several!!"

HC

 

 

Edited March 16, 2016 by HungryChris (log)

[dscheidt]

My wife bought some charcoal made from coconut shells.  (Not, I think, actually TJ branded, but I'm not going to look.)  It is awful.  Actually, it would have to improve substantially to reach awful.  It is non-flammable.  I tried three times to get my chimney starter to get it going, and then walked to the store and bought some merely awful charcoal.  the coconut crap felt threatened, and started to smolder while I was gone, so I let it go.  It approached being ready an hour after I started trying to use it.  And then it went out after it was dumped in the grill.   It is going back, and will be the first thing I've bothered to return. 

[Kerry Beal]

I love the coconut charcoal I buy (not at TJ's though) - it is hard to get started but no volatiles so you can use it almost immediately in a Big Green Egg and it burns very hot, lasts forever.

 

[rotuts]

@dscheidt  

 

just take it back.  Its Tj's Golden Rule.

[kbjesq]

On 12/11/2015 at 5:39 PM, FauxPas said:

These are fairly tasty. Product of Canada. 

 

 

Oh, I need to un-see this! We have Aldi's not Trader Joe's here, but they have the same cookie, under the "Benton" brand and made in Canada with real maple goodness. As I'm from New England, I have a huge soft spot and weakness for all things that are maple,  and that's a rarity here in Florida. After buying three boxes and eating all three by myself, I now deliberately walk past that portion of the store as fast as I can. These cookies are absolutely delicious and completely addictive

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@kbjesq, yes, I've had these in the past, and remembered having a box stashed somewhere. I send them for lunches with my husband, but have to keep them hidden or he'll scarf them all.

 

I tried the frozen TJ's mac and cheese the other day. My husband, who is a mac 'n' cheese freak, said not to buy it again, and I couldn't finish my portion. I remembered we had previously come to this conclusion, forgot about it, and bought a package again anyway. Stouffer's still makes better frozen mac and cheese than I can.

 

We also tried TJ's meat lasagna and it was better than the current version of Stouffer's. Quite solid, and probably the best frozen rendition available now that I'm aware of. If Stouffer's still made it's old lasagna version, though, I'd never have a reason to make my own.

[MelissaH]

12 hours ago, kbjesq said:

 

Oh, I need to un-see this! We have Aldi's not Trader Joe's here, but they have the same cookie, under the "Benton" brand and made in Canada with real maple goodness. As I'm from New England, I have a huge soft spot and weakness for all things that are maple,  and that's a rarity here in Florida. After buying three boxes and eating all three by myself, I now deliberately walk past that portion of the store as fast as I can. These cookies are absolutely delicious and completely addictive

I tried the TJ's maple leaf cookies side by side with the Dare brand (a box I purchased in Canada) and found them substantially sweeter and less mapley than the "real thing." They weren't bad enough to bring back, but they weren't good enough for me to buy again either.

[kbjesq]

3 hours ago, MelissaH said:

I tried the TJ's maple leaf cookies side by side with the Dare brand (a box I purchased in Canada) and found them substantially sweeter and less mapley than the "real thing." They weren't bad enough to bring back, but they weren't good enough for me to buy again either.

Interesting! Maybe the Aldi's brand is better? Aldi's and Trader Joe's were once part of a grocery market owned by two brothers back in the day. They got into a disagreement apparently. One brother opened what eventually became known in the United States as Trader Joe's and one brother opened the store that is now known as Aldi's.

Around here we don't have TJs but we have its brother (?) Aldi's. I'm a fan of Aldi's -  more emphasis on basic ingredients and generally less of the prepared foods that seem to be a very large part of the TJs that I've seen. Great cheese selections at both stores IMHO.  Lots of organic and gluten-free (if you're into that) at Aldi's 

Slate article on TJs and Aldi's

[rotuts]

TJ's was actually bought by the german Boys from 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trader_Joe's

[HungryChris]

We have an Aldi's nearby and a Trader Joe's about 30 minutes away and visit each on a regular basis. I was first introduced to the deposit for the carriage in Italy (at the Coop) and loved the idea at once. No people on the payroll rounding up carts and no carts left all over the parking lot. I wish more stores adopted it here, but I digress. There are several items at both locations that we get regularly. Baby back ribs and grapefruit when they go on sale at Aldi's.

The items on the left are some regular things from Aldi for the price and on the right are things from TJ's that we buy for the quality.

[rotuts]

what is that mayo like ?

 

looks a lot like a Hellman's jar

[HungryChris]

1 minute ago, rotuts said:

what is that mayo like ?

 

looks a lot like a Hellman's jar

I don't think that a coincidence. There are several other items much like that.

[rotuts]

taste like Hellman's ?  at what sort of price ?

 

the's an Aldi's about 15 miles from me

 

Tj's is about %

 

Ill have to give it a look-see

[HungryChris]

15 minutes ago, rotuts said:

taste like Hellman's ?  at what sort of price ?

 

the's an Aldi's about 15 miles from me

 

Tj's is about %

 

Ill have to give it a look-see

It tastes fine to me. I think the mayo and half & half are both under $2.00, The blue cheese is $2.99 and their crackers and chips are on a par with TJ's but much cheaper.

[kbjesq]

@rotuts  if  you visit the Aldi's website, you can type in your zip code and see what is on sale this week in your neighborhood. Recently, I purchased 6 gorgeous, huge pineapples for 99 cents each and now the fruit is chopped and in my freezer and the tips are growing in my garden. They often have nice avocados for 49 cents. This week, blackberries and raspberries are 99 cents/pint. I also like the price and quality of the goat cheese, kefir, Chia seeds, flax seeds, various nuts, agave nectar, chocolates and organic vegetable broth. I'll be curious what you think if you try it and compare to TJs. 

BTW you must bring your own shopping bags or pay extra for them. 

Edited March 19, 2016 by kbjesq
clarification (log)

[rotuts]

after the ' big storm'  ( sun -> Mon )  Ill go down there and take a peek

 

ill photo if possible

[ElsieD]

9 hours ago, kbjesq said:

@rotuts  if  you visit the Aldi's website, you can type in your zip code and see what is on sale this week in your neighborhood. Recently, I purchased 6 gorgeous, huge pineapples for 99 cents each and now the fruit is chopped and in my freezer and the tips are growing in my garden. They often have nice avocados for 49 cents. This week, blackberries and raspberries are 99 cents/pint. I also like the price and quality of the goat cheese, kefir, Chia seeds, flax seeds, various nuts, agave nectar, chocolates and organic vegetable broth. I'll be curious what you think if you try it and compare to TJs. 

BTW you must bring your own shopping bags or pay extra for them. 

 

I have frozen strawberries and raspberries, but never pineapple, which I love.  Is there anything special you need to do to pineapple before you freeze it?   

 

[rotuts]

BTW  , perhaps new, Tj's has Red Boat 40

 

4.98

 

the last time I got this I had to get it at Whole Foods.  it was a while ago as I only use a few drops at a time

 

it was I think 7.98 or more there.

 

 

[kbjesq]

17 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

 

I have frozen strawberries and raspberries, but never pineapple, which I love.  Is there anything special you need to do to pineapple before you freeze it?   

 

Re: pineapples - just slice, cut into chunks and freeze in a large ziplock bag (lay flat until frozen so you can break off chunks as you need them). I often  use frozen pineapple in smoothies 

[kbjesq]

18 minutes ago, rotuts said:

BTW  , perhaps new, Tj's has Red Boat 40

 

4.98

 

the last time I got this I had to get it at Whole Foods.  it was a while ago as I only use a few drops at a time

 

it was I think 7.98 or more there.

 

 

Wow that's the best price that I've seen. Aldi's doesn't carry fish sauce AFAIK.  My local Asian market charges $9.99 per bottle, which is high, but still cheaper than driving 100 miles to the closest Asian Supermarket. Nearest Whole Foods and TJs is also about 100 miles away. 

[rotuts]

@kbjesq  

 

next time you go to TJ's  stock up !  two bottles will last you a lifetime !

[Tere]

I love Aldi. It's not my regular shop because it doesn't have all the things I want (and doesn't do online) but I go in every now and again. They tend to be very good for continental deli products (salami, parmesan) and they have good stuff at Christmas (cheap panettone, nice pate, that sort of stuff).

[rotuts]

I assume they take credit cards ?