I am an occasional shopper at Trader Joe's but never really know what is tasty and worth the special trip. I have had some disappointments and some great finds. What are your Trader Joe's favorites?
Wow! What great responses! I can't wait to get back to TJ's to do some more shopping with your recommendations. One more product to share with everyone....the French chocolate truffles (large display of red boxes were at the Glen Ellyn TJ's) are out of this world. I picked up a bunch and will use them for teacher gifts, hair stylist, etc. Keep those recommendations coming.
We love the frozen mini chicken tacos. I buy their guacamole and it is the easiest dinner.
I also really love their chicken salad.
The cereal like Joe's O's
the cheap 3 buck chuck Charles Shaw wine
Dunker cookies (cranberry are the best)
Fruit leathers (like a healthy fruit roll-up)
all fruit popsicles, strawberry ones
Trader Joes kettle chips, salted
some of the bath stuff ( I love their shaving cream)
Country white bread
Sunflower seed butter
Cashews (you can use raw ones to make a dairy-free whipped cream substitute)
Individually wrapped boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Hubby likes their ribs and shredded pork
Heat and eat (right past produce but before cheeses) meal with chicken, sundried tomatoes, and pasta
Salsa,
Goat cheese
OJ
Pecan pie
Pumpkin spice cake
Frozen- chicken tacos, ham and cheese bites, croissants
(avoid the frozen chinese things- YUCK)
Multigrain crackers
Longboard tortilla chips
Chocolate covered raisins
Shampoo, conditioner
Juice boxes, mango lemonade, pomegranate fizzy, unfiltered apple juice
my kids love their tri-color letter noodles and their mango lemonade. we all love their meringue cookies (fullsize white ones). the goat cheese they carry is excellent and a decent price. my husband buys a lot of their frozen foods, canned stew and indian foods to bring to the office for quick/cheap lunches. when we make the trek to tj's, we buy a lot of our favorites so we're set for a few months till the next trip -- so far everything has held up quite well (the things we didn't gobble up right away, anyway).
Some of my favorites:
fresh salsa
beef tamales (frozen)
strawberry granola bars
salmon bel mar (frozen) awesome with the spicy green beans!
drizzle some of the sauce onto salmon
spicy green beans (frozen)
Joe Joe's cookies (their version of Oreos)
I wish I could shop Trader Joe's more regularly, but with where I am located and with my hectic schedule it just isn't a possibility.
The one thing I stock up on from Trader Joe's is their decaffeinated organic green tea. That's an item not easily found at a local grocers.
I love their 100% cranberry juice and frozen broccoli. I also adore the selection of nuts. I make my own trail mix. They also have some pastas made from wheat durum and their cashew and almond butters are great too.
I have treated my self to a bouquet of flowers also.
S.
Cashews
Cornbread mix - Its awesome
Rye crackers
Mini croissants (in the frozen section with their waffles etc) - these taste just like a fresh baked croissant from a bakery
I buy the kids vitamins from here as well. (the non gummy variety)
What a smart idea to save precious time & expense!
My family craves the frozen Mandarin orange chicken. I add in fresh chunks of green pepper & tomatoes. Serve with their frozen Jasmine rice & it's better than takeout.
Other favorites:
Pretzel chips
rice chips
party crackers
smoked danish cheese
marinated mozzarella
challah bread
frozen veggies
lady fingers
Cuban black beans~better than my Cuban MIL's! YUM!!!!
The uncooked, frozen fish is not expensive and wonderful if you like to cook. The packaged frozen jasmine rice makes for a quick side dish.
Every season they publish an info sheet - you might be able to find past ones online. They describe products they are featuring or seasonal stuff and even give suggestions on how to prepare it or what to serve it with. Could help you narrow things down a bit. I'm like you - I don't shop their much, but every time I do, I lament there is not one closer to my house! So what I usually do is look at the latest info sheet, have a mental list, and then just cruise the aisles and see what I find. You're right, some have been misses. But a few things I've consistenly gone back for include:
Precut butternut squash and sweet potato spears (generally TJ's is NOT the place to stock up on produce though...it has improved, but generally they have a small selection and not everything you might be interested in)
Great prices on organic milk (and lots of other organic stuff)
Chicken salad (in fridge case)
Mandarin Orange Chicken (in freezer - add a veg like broccoli and some rice, great easy meal)
Buffalo Burgers (in freezer - something different)
Bag of frozen chix breasts (always great to have handy)
Frozen Cod sticks
Roasted Red Pepper soup (its in a box carton)
Macadamia-Cashew nut butter
Their tortilla chips are good too!
Ok, wow, now I'm hungry and want to plan my own trip to TJs soon!
Happy shopping!
We have to shop there for my daughters foods and have found quite a few things that the whole family likes!
Sunflower Butter- Cashew was gross
Raspberry Jam
Joe Joes cookies! - these beat even Oreos! lol
A "Fruit" Walked Into A Bar- cereal bars (fig is the fav)
Salmon with the shrimp and cheese filling
Garlic Fries- these things rock!!!!!!
Chicken Pompodoro and another that is garlicy forget name
the Honey Nut cereal- cant think of the name!
Buffalo Burgers- careful that you do not cook too long!
Everything Bagels- MUST TRY!!!!!
Brocolli with water chestnuts and a pepper mushroom sauce
Those are our most common purchases.
Anything you do not like you can bring back or even just tell them and they will refund your money. I was so embarassed when I told the girl who helped me shop my first few times there some of the disgusting (IMO) things I tried- like the pickles. They completely refunded my money, no questions asked and no reciept either! It has made trying things a lot easier- I will not say something unless we took a few bites and threw it out though.
Good luck and please share with us your favs too so if we have not tried it we will!
Blessings!
By the way, If you don't like something bring it back with your receipt for a refund. They totally want you to be happy with your purchase!
Our favorites:
Vanana organic yogurt (we go through 3 tubs a week!)
Fresh Orange Juice
Sparkeling juice (pomegranite, blueberry, the kids call it their "pop")
brown rice bars- don't know the exact name, similiar to rice krispie treats.
french onion soup
candy-cane joe-joe's
peanut butter cups
organic chocolate chips
alphabet cookies
truffle brownie mix
mandarin oranges (not from china!!! like all other brands)
laundry detergent
lemon body soap
tea tree shampoo
pub cheese
mini whole wheat crackers
mini pizza's - 12 to a carton
mini chicken tacos
I'm sure there's more-- we love TJ's!
My staples include:
Pesticide free spinach
Organic Rice Milk
Jarred peaches and pears (not in syrup, in white grape juice) then I'll buy my own pears to cut them up and re-use the juice since it is cheaper
Sunflower butter
Gluten-free pasta
Organic Garbanzo beans
Hummus
bag of avocados (cheapest around)
organic apples, (cheapest around)
Snap Pea Crisps
Organic Blue tortilla chips
Rice chips (sea salt and pepper flavor)
Sundried and tomato basil chicken sausage (the three pepper is good too)
BBQ Chips
Brittany Blend (frozen veggies)
All frozen fruits, pretty good deals there
Mini-tacos (chicken is better than beef)
The uncured turkey bacon, (I craved it when I was first pregnant...made my hubby go there after a X-mas party two yrs ago to buy some
Trek Mix
all of their nuts are good too.
I can go on...
Have fun!
J. W.
Wellness Educator/Lifestyle and Wellness Consultant
Dried Fruit, cheese, nuts, dried tortellini, cereal, soy milk, wine!
