Trader Joe's--what do you buy?

jonnygurl76

I am heading there this afternoon and I have only gone once before and wasn't that impressed. So I am asking...what is on your Trader Joe's shopping list?

ellewoodsSC

I actually have one close to me so I use it as an alternative to regular stores for some of my weekly produce, especially bananas, citrus fruit and salads. 

They have a great selection of reasonably priced nuts, dried fruits and trail mixes.

Inexpensive and varied cheese selection and crackers

Coconut oil 

Chocolate covered pretzels 

Inexpensive basic spices 

I try to stay away from their prepared frozen meals, just not that great, with the exception of their mac and cheese.   

 

colliebabe

Wine! But not all of them have wine.

I usually buy nuts there because they are so much cheaper. I also like their hummus, salsa and other spreads.

Fianschneid

DH calls Trader Joe's my boyfriend because I love to browse and will not shut the *** up about it. 

I really like their whole wheat pizza dough and eggplant parm. 

jonnygurl76

ellewoodsSC:

I actually have one close to me so I use it as an alternative to regular stores for some of my weekly produce, especially bananas, citrus fruit and salads. 

They have a great selection of reasonably priced nuts, dried fruits and trail mixes.

Inexpensive and varied cheese selection and crackers

Coconut oil 

Chocolate covered pretzels 

Inexpensive basic spices 

I try to stay away from their prepared frozen meals, just not that great, with the exception of their mac and cheese.   

 

what do you use the coconut oil for?  Why do I keep hearing about coconut oil?

the Mac n cheese is on my list--2 of my friends said that I HAVE to try it. 

HappyAardvark

Organic French roast coffee beans
Bourbon vanilla extract
3 cheese pasta sauce
Gummies
Cornbread mix
Blueberry muesli
The Granola bars in turquoise box
Basil pesto chicken sausage
Spinach and kale Greek yogurt dip
Fruit leather
Greek yogurt
Multigrain pancake mix
Vintage ale if your TJ's sells beer
Mac n cheese
Edamame crackers
Multi grain soy sauce crackers, if you like rice crackers you'll love these
Sheeps milk Gouda cheese, really all their cheeses are delish and inexpensive
Frozen:
Mini chicken and cilantro won tons
Chicken and veggie gyoza dumplings
Chicken mini tacos, I make these for Wes. Great quick and easy lunch or dinner

mamaZbo

Dried fruit! I also like the freezedried fruit to add to dd's cereal.
Triple ginger ginger snaps.
Nuts
Pizza dough
Curry marinated chicken tenders

[Deleted User]

HappyAardvark:

Vintage ale if your TJ's sells beer

We cracked open a 2011 vintage ale the other night and OMG.  Heavenly.

Scramblersmom

We buy wine there because it is usually cheaper than the regular store prices. We also buy cheese especially parm, the small yogurt packs for DS, some frozen veggies and their frozen risotto, and some frozen meals for very busy nights. The meals we usually like are the broccoli beef, mandarin chicken, and temporary chicken. They also sell a lemon loaf on the breads section that taste close to Starbucks' lemon pound cake. We buy some fresh veggies there and I also like their spa face wash with tea tree oil. That pretty much sums up our whole list.

RichardSlap

Everything there is amazing. The only things I don't eat are their frozen pizzas and their ice cream. Not because the ice cream isn't good, it's just so fatty.

Healthy stuff: kale/chard mix  for salads and smoothies, many of their canned products are bpa free, awesome prices on greek yogurt, almond and coconut milk, coconut oil, ak-mak crackers for the kids, nuts, dried fruit

Junky deliciousness: ready made wraps for work lunches, toffee covered popcorn, gummies, speculoos cookie spread (like peanut butter but COOKIES INSTEAD), and cheese, all the glorious cheese.

[Deleted User]

Trader Joe's is our main grocery store, so, everything?

If you haven't been there in forever, don't expect anything you got last time to still be available.  In fact, don't expect any one item to be there.  They have almost no backstock so popular stuff runs out on a daily basis.

I would make sure to get Mediterranean hummus (the one with olive oil and pine nuts) and some frozen garlic naan.

On nights when I need a quick meal for DD, my go-to is their frozen organic brown rice (it comes in bags that you microwave, kind of like popcorn), frozen organic foursome (peas, green beans, corn, and carrots), and frozen mashed sweet potatoes.

They also have a frozen grain and veggie mix that DD loves.  It's wild rice, barley, carrots, peas, green beans, and zucchini I think.

missyishere

I use coconut oil  for a deep conditioning in my hair, as a moisturizer, to cook with, and I eat a spoonful here and there. 

Oh, and Trader Joe's is yet another thing I don't have access to in my area.  ::cue trombone slide::

ginamcp

Orange chicken

Frozen brown rice

Frozen meatballs (quick meal for C)

Enchilada sauce

Milk and yogurt

Their frozen Mac and Cheese is amazing

Highbrow Chocolate Chip cookies

Nuts

Snack foods - cinnamon apple straws, popcorn, veggie straws.

Produce

HappyAardvark

Omg and how could I forget?? COOKIE BUTTER aka crack in a jar

Scramblersmom

missyishere:

I use coconut oilnbsp; for a deep conditioning in my hair, as a moisturizer, to cook with, and I eat a spoonful here and there.nbsp; Oh, and Trader Joe's is yet another thing I don't have access to in my area.nbsp; ::cue trombone slide::

Yeah we have to drive 1 and 1/2 hours to get there so we only go every 2 mos or so

missyishere

smit5009:

missyishere:

I use coconut oilnbsp; for a deep conditioning in my hair, as a moisturizer, to cook with, and I eat a spoonful here and there.nbsp; Oh, and Trader Joe's is yet another thing I don't have access to in my area.nbsp; ::cue trombone slide::

Yeah we have to drive 1 and 1/2 hours to get there so we only go every 2 mos or so

I just looked online to see where the nearest one would be to us. There is only one in the whole state, which is 2.5 hours away.  Although, I'm thinking of making a visit there the next time we visit in-laws.

colliebabe

They have these s'mores truffle things that are AWESOME. You can heat them up for a couple seconds in the microwave and the marshmallow melts and it amazing. I know you don't have a microwave JG but you can use an oven for minute or two. They are SO good.

Oh I forgot frozen edamame too. I find TJs has the best.

Chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels are also incredible.

RichardSlap

crystalbaby:

Meat and cheese products are the best buys there. I've never tried one that I didn't like. I love their bacon. The produce isn't that great of a deal excep for their bagged greens. I like their arugula. If you use coconut oil, they have the best price. All of their chocolates are to die for. Oh, they have these amazing garlic fries. Their pasta sauce sucks and so do their bread products. Cereal is okay. They have good trail mix. Pirate Booty. Greek yogurt. I always buy mozzarella and prosciutto there so I can put it on an arugula salad with balsamic vinegar; it's so yummy!

Btch be trippin'. Handmade tortillas will rock your world.

ginamcp

Richard Slap:

crystalbaby:

Meat and cheese products are the best buys there. I've never tried one that I didn't like. I love their bacon. The produce isn't that great of a deal excep for their bagged greens. I like their arugula. If you use coconut oil, they have the best price. All of their chocolates are to die for. Oh, they have these amazing garlic fries. Their pasta sauce sucks and so do their bread products. Cereal is okay. They have good trail mix. Pirate Booty. Greek yogurt. I always buy mozzarella and prosciutto there so I can put it on an arugula salad with balsamic vinegar; it's so yummy!

Btch be trippin'. Handmade tortillas will rock your world.

Thanks for the reminder - their cinnamon swirl bread is AMAZING.  Toast it, slather with butter and throw on some cinnamon and sugar.  So freaking good.

kellybug80

I know a lot of these will be repeats, but these are my frequent buys:

Cheese of all sorts, often goat cheese
String cheese
Sesame bagels
Frozen artichoke hearts, edamame, other vegetables
Frozen chimichurri and biriyani rice
Pizza dough
Chicken sausage
Applesauce pouches for S
Nuts and dried fruit
Mini pearl tomatoes
Greek yogurt
Refrigerated tortellini
Wine and beer

[Deleted User]

Richard Slap:

Btch be trippin'. Handmade tortillas will rock your world.

The Mis Abuelas or whatever corn and flour tortillas? OMG.

[Deleted User]

Yeah I've noticed that about the pita too.  Try the lavash bread for wraps.

Also the frozen naan is way better than their fresh naan.  Which isn't even like naan.

jonnygurl76

Ok so I ended up with sunflower seed butter, cinnamon apple sticks, produce, s'mores bites and the Mac n cheese.  

ellewoodsSC

jonnygurl76:

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what do you use the coconut oil for?  Why do I keep hearing about coconut oil?

the Mac n cheese is on my list--2 of my friends said that I HAVE to try it. 

Coconut oil is really great stuff and I mainly use it as a natural moisturizer for the kid.  It's great for the diaper area as it's got natural antifungal and antibacterial properties.  And they smell like pina coladas afterwards! 

I used it for cooking a little and it would work well in Thai or dishes with a tropical flavor. 

ChaiMomma

colleenb262:

Chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels are also incredible.

 

I crave these!

DoctorWorm222

crystalbaby:

overture:

Richard Slap:

Btch be trippin'. Handmade tortillas will rock your world.

The Mis Abuelas or whatever corn and flour tortillas? OMG.

Maybe I just meant their pita. It gets moldy really quickly. I don't really like tortillas. MH looooves their cinnamon swirl bread. I forgot about that.

Actually, I consider it a good think when something molds quickly. After E was born and I started making an effort to prepare homemade baked goods (whole grain breads, muffins, pancakes, etc), I noticed that my homemade stuff molded really, really fast compared to store bought since it didn't have any preservatives. I think Michael Pollan says in his book "In Defense of Food" that if microbes won't eat it, neither should you. Food for thought...

nycbride0707

We love the

nycbride0707

We love their spinach pie triangles, frozen steel cut maple oatmeal, organic mini pb filled crackers for DD, frozen silver dollar pancakes, edamame crackers, frozen mashed sweet potato are amazing. Our TJ doesn't sell wine which is such a shame!