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Favorite Trader Joe's items

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by The Big Ragu, Jun 12, 2018.

  1. Guy_Incognito

    Guy_Incognito Well-Known Member

    Agreed on flowers. Also, the salt and pepper potato chips are outstanding. They used to have spicy flaxseed chips which were pretty good and seemed healthy, but now they just have the plain in the orange bags which don't taste like anything.
     
  2. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Interesting that you said that. We get 99 percent our produce elsewhere. TJ's stuff isn't very good, in my experience. But one thing we will occasionally grab there is a pineapple -- if we can find one that is ripe. Tthey tend to have a bin full of them that were harvested way too early.
     
  3. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    I don't think I've ever been in a Trader Joe's.
     
  4. Scout

    Scout Well-Known Member

    Coffee, chips, wine...

    Oh, the shaving lotion is amazing. I will go there just for that.

    But, Aldi is better IMHO because everything costs less, including meats, milk and cheese.
     
  5. Monday Morning Sportswriter

    Monday Morning Sportswriter Well-Known Member

    They carry an aged Gouda cheese that is among my very favorites.

    Oh, and the maple sandwich cookies.
     
  6. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    I'm with you, we've found the produce to be very mediocre. But that's about the only complaint.

    Good shopping/checkout experience too, though I feel like an Earth-raping a-hole when I walk in there without my own canvas bag or paper from the last visit. Might just go full heel at some point and throw down a wad of old supermarket plastic bags.
     
  7. X-Hack

    X-Hack Well-Known Member

    We get about 2/3 of our groceries at TJs because it's pretty inexpensive and reasonably decent quality. Most produce isn't very good but if the berries look fresh, we'll buy those and we'll get bagged broccoli and cauliflower florets, bagged arugula and the small Persian cucumbers. And we get our eggs there. In terms of favorites:
    -Single serving guacamole
    -Hot pico de gallo
    -Mediterranean hummus
    -jarred, pitted kalamata olives
    -Frozen grass-fed angus burgers (for when I'm not grilling that day)
    -Frozen grilled chicken strips (not bad to microwave and toss on a salad)
    -Frozen bags of shrimp -- good quality, cheaper than elsewhere
    -Organic boneless chicken thighs (good for grilling and for the crockpot)
    -Spicy Italian chicken sausages and spicy chicken andouille

    Also -- I buy beer there. Simpler Times is a great lawnmower beer and the Trader Joe's brand bombers of Belgian-style ale (contract brewed by Unibroue) are solid. And they have a good selection of local stuff (Jack's Abby, Night Shift, etc.)

    We generally do not buy fruit, meat, fish or pasta there -- we go to Whole Foods for the rest of the staples (it's worth it for the quality of their fresh meats, fish and produce) and if you stick to the 365 brand for prepackaged stuff, it's not as outrageously expensive as people think it is.
     
  8. trifectarich

    trifectarich Well-Known Member

    I've been in one; no need to return. The fascination escapes me.
     
  9. Guy_Incognito

    Guy_Incognito Well-Known Member

    Their pizza doughs are also really good and so easy and cheap.
     
  10. ICanRowCanoe?

    ICanRowCanoe? Member

    Although I shop there occasionally, Aldi creeps me out. And I don't need the song and dance about how they're the same company ... they're related, but certainly not the same. I like it for pantry staples but wouldn't buy meat there.
     
  11. Slacker

    Slacker Well-Known Member

    Are all those off-brands at Aldi worth the savings? Been there twice, but was unsure if the packaged food measures up.
     
  12. justgladtobehere

    justgladtobehere Well-Known Member

    The dried apricots, dark chocolate peanut butter cups, and the taffy.
     
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