Trader Joe's

[Hoosier65]

Okay, I can't stand it, I'm making my first trip to Trader Joe's on Saturday, traveling 2½ hours to do it. What do I need to look for or what can't I just not live without?

[gertdog]

Well, definitely Pirate's Booty, since it's so much cheaper at TJ's!

I love their Tomato Alfredo pasta sauce... it's much more tomato than alfredo but still tastes rich and creamy, and the nutritional numbers (i.e. fat grams) are reasonable!

Nutritional bars (Balance, Luna, etc.) tend to be cheaper there.

They make some good fresh pasta... I liked the gnocchi and the lowfat butternut squash ravioli.

DF scarfs down their frozen meatless meatballs (if you're into vegetarian stuff), and also likes their frozen enchiladas for a quick dinner.

I'm sure you'll discover lots of other stuff!

[Sami]

If you like dried fruit, their dried pineapple is delicious. It looks bad because many of the slices are brown, but the taste is terrific.

[daner94]

I just went for the first time this weekend and their selection of dried fruits and nuts is amazing.

I bought a pound bag of pistachio nut meats. Yum!

[beejayw1]

Their candied ginger, if you cook with it. Moist, delicious, perfect for mincing and putting into things.

Their oriental snacks

Their obscenely low-priced Hearts of Palm

[BarbaraL]

Gertdog, butternut squash ravioli sounds wonderful -- what sauce do you use with iti?

[Jewel]

I can't say enough about their Chocolate Mint Meringue Cookies! The Lemon Meringue Cookies are good, but the Chocolate Mint are totally sinful. About 20 calories each, zero fat, and fairly low sugar! They're in plastic tubs usually above the refrigerated case, or by the breads. Do NOT miss these! I also love their natural style peanut butter! :D

[rinsav]

I love their Cat Cookies. I'm addicted....I grab a few several times a day. They are low fat too --- I think 15 cookies have 110 calories and 2 grams of fat (0 saturated fat). They come in plastic tubs. I like the cinnamon kind but I think you can buy chocolate too. I also like their whole wheat honey pretzel sticks. Very tasty!

[gertdog]

Originally posted by BarbaraL
Gertdog, butternut squash ravioli sounds wonderful -- what sauce do you use with iti?

I LOVE butternut squash ravioli!

Usually I'm lazy and just use a light tomato sauce or marinara.

Less lowfat but really yummy is a made-up sauce of minced garlic sauteed in olive oil, add chopped walnuts and saute until fragrant, add chopped fresh sage leaves plus salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the ravioli. Garnish with grated parmesan or romano cheese.

[BarbaraL]

Sounds yummy! Thanks!

[DeniseP]

I second the cat cookies. They also make vanilla Teddies cookies that are low fat and really good. Also, all of the Kashi cereals are at a much better price than the grocery store ($1.99-$2.49/box).

[Hoosier65]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have made a list. I may need to take out a loan.:D

[msbeehavn]

Originally posted by rinsav
I love their Cat Cookies.

Cat Cookies.....YUMMMMMMMMMY!!!!!!! I buy a tub of the chocolate and a tub of the cinnamon and mix 'em...http://www.theunholytrinity.org/cracks_smileys/cwm/cwm/spin2.gif

[Leslie w]

I love their Whole Wheat Couscous, they also have the large grain couscous that I couldn't find anywhere else. Their Natural Peanut Butter is wonderful and cheaper than grocery stores. And you can buy the Pirates Booty for 50 cents less a bag than grocery stores so since you live that far away I'd buy a case. If you're into decadence they carry an icecream from San Francisco that's to die for. The name escapes me at the moment. It's a great store.

[keeganm]

My favorite purchases are the huge jars of roasted red peppers, and kalamata olives. I also love their olive oil! Also, keep on the lookout for SAFFRON, I bought a jar for less than $3!!

[laughsandlaughs]

The PEANUT BUTTER PRETZELS are to die for. Do not get the no-outside salt ones, they're yucky, but the regular ones, OMG!! We have to bring an extra carry-on bag just for these for our family w/o TJs!

They also make fabulous bean dips that are naturally fat free...spicy black bean, pinto, etc are great and really not very spicy.

If they have these things called Cookie Joys, they're fabulous. They're dark chocolate with mint bits--think Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies. Yummy!

We like their cereals and the prices are much better than their counterparts, if you compare ones like Banana Nut Crunch, Oat Squares, etc. (these are DH favs!)

Pastas, rices, lots of interesting stirfry sauces, marinades, etc, that are really affordable and unique.

Their Cliff and Luna bars, etc, are the best prices I've ever seen.

They've also got some great frozen desserts, best prices anywhere for frozen fruit (think smoothies, etc), frozen veggies are great. Dried fruits and nuts, well, you'll see!

By the way, did I mention the PEANUT BUTTER PRETZELS?!?!?

Have Fun!
elizabeth

[munchies]

Ok, I'm another person who loves cats cookies! In fact, I haven't been to TJ's in a while...I could use some of these!

DH likes their fruit leathers but I think they're gross. Kind of like fruit roll-ups I suppose.

We also love their pico de gallo salsa.

Oh, and I found prosciutto there -- I can't ever find it at my grocery here. And cheeses. Oh my, the cheeses. Plan on making some dishes with some cheeses you can't typically find so that you can pick up some varieties at TJ's.

Have a fun trip!

Heather

[DmOrtega]

The sushi is great and below reasonably priced. Mini prepared pizza's again below reasonably priced. Their prices are unheard of and the foods are amazing. They have bottled water for $.34/ea instead of the $1.00+.

[Curleytop]

Look at their $2.99 wines imported from Chili. If you like Acmac
crackers, they are always .99 cents. Here in CA, the milk is much cheaper than the supers, ditto for lowfat sourcream and cottage cheese. Check out their fresh veggies, I get artichokes 4 for $1.99. Don't forget their olive oil and olive oil spray and their imported from Italy pasta. Non-fat sliced ham is another one of our favorites. It even comes chopped up to put into eggs (eggbeater) or in Mac and Cheese.This should keep you busy for a while! Have fun!:D

[HRJ]

Yes, yes chocolate cat cookies -- reading this thread made me go get some. I'm eating them now.

I love TJ's frozen eggplant parm in filo dough. It's restaurant quality! As a matter of fact, I was at a luncheon a few months ago, and I ended up sitting at a table with a bunch of women who work as professional chefs (I am not, repeat not a professional chef). Anyway, these women were all talking about how they stock up their freezers with TJ's frozen meals to eat on their days off, so they don't have to cook. So even chefs love Trader Joe's!)

The gazpacho is great, too, although I don't get it much in the winter -- during the summer it's delivered to my local TJ's on Sunday and Tuesday mornings, and if you don't get there by the end of the day, it's gone.

For non-food items, they have lovely hand-crafted soap at very decent prices -- I like the vanilla oatmeal soap (actually, that makes me hungry -- think I'll make real "vanilla oatmeal" for breakfast tomorrow.)

And for cat owners, try their $2.99 scratching posts. My 14-year-old cat never used any post, no matter how expensive, until I got him the one from Trader Joe's. He loves it. All the cat owners in my office have them.

[TheresaM]

Funny thing, I had DH check yesterday for the price of white chedder Booty and it was the same price as Bread and Circus. Now everyone knows that Bread and Circus is not a cheap store, (because they carry organic products only). I was really shocked. I had picked up a bag for T-day premunchies, but thought I wanted a second bag for reserve and you guys keep saying how much cheaper it was at TJ's. Oh well, not at the store I shop at, at least.

[RUSTYSMOM]

Yogurt Raisins, Giradelli (sp) white and milk chocolate pieces - tihs are large broken off pieces of 5 lb slabs - not chips(to melt for choclate dipped anything), pirates booty, cheese, cereal, etc... It is so worth the trip. Enjoy

[Hoosier65]

This is great! I can hardly wait. I am taking a big cooler with me. I plan on spending as much time as it takes to see everything. Thanks for all the suggestions. Where am I going to store everything when I get home!!
HRJ......How do you make your real vanilla oatmeat? Do you use canned milk?

[MKSquared]

Cat cookies. Yummmmmm.

Chicken Eggrolls.

Biryani rice.

And when I went, they gave me free flowers. :)

[aggie94]

Theresa,

Isn't everyone's booty private? ;) Sorry, I couldn't resist. :p

[HRJ]

Originally posted by Hoosier65

HRJ......How do you make your real vanilla oatmeat? Do you use canned milk?

Thanks for asking about the oatmeal, but, I have to admit, it really isn't really much of a gourmet item.

I just use Quaker old-fashioned oatmeal (not the instant kind), and water, and, before I pop it it in the microwave, mix in about a 1/2 teaspoon of real vanilla extract. It just gives the cereal a little vanilla-y kick -- sometimes I might mix in a little cinnamon after it's cooked. Nothing much, I know, but it's about all I can manage in the a.m.

(By the way, I'm currently using plain ol' supermarket vanilla and cinnamon, but after reading this BB for the past few months, I'm going to try Penzey's.)

And, I was doing some chores before and remembered 2 more TJ's items worth checking out -- their laundry and dish detergents. They're environmentally friendly, and much cheaper than Bread&Circus.

[Hoosier65]

Thanks HRJ. I have had some vanilla oatmeal before made by a Peruvian girl. I should have asked her how she made it but she didn't speak much English. All I know is that she cooked it on top of the stove using canned milk and vanilla beans. It was so creamy and good. I expermented once with not much success. I must try again.
Living in a small town in southern IndianaI have never heard of Bread and Circus. I'm assuming it's like TJ.

[HRJ]

Hoosier65, the oatmeal you had sounds a lot better than the "quick and dirty" kind I make.




Living in a small town in southern IndianaI have never heard of Bread and Circus. I'm assuming it's like TJ.

B&C is a "natural foods" supermarket. I think it goes by the name Whole Foods in most of the country -- Bread & Circus seems to be the New England name. It's not nearly as quirky as Trader Joe's. It does have every organic product you could ever want, and an astonishing cheese department -- but it's $$expensive$$.

Enjoy your trip!:)