Trader Joes- what to buy?

[kima]

Trader Joes sounds very interesting. We sur don't have any up here in Victoria- or anywhere in Canada. I will be in Eugene Oregon later this year and I saw at the TJ website they have a store there. Any reccomendations on what I should buy. We are vegetarians and eat alot of different ethnic foods. As we will be travelling by car frozen and other perishables are out. Can't wait to visit one of these places!!

[BethR]

I recommend Pirate's Booty if you like healthy snack food. It's like cheese curls only tastier and not as bad for you (much lower in fat, and has some fiber). Their pita chips -- both the plain (w/ salt) and the cinnamon are good. They have great dried fruit at good prices. I just got some sweetened dried mango and crystalized ginger there. I like their chocolate soy milk (Trader Joe's brand) and we really like the apple-carrot VRUIT juice. We (meaning primarily my kids but DH and I like them too) also like the chcolate schoolhouse cookies. Their coffee is good -- I get the decaf Bay Blend -- and their price for Luna bars is very good. Happy shopping -- it's a great store!
Beth

[KimKelly]

We love the Red Bean chips. They are crispy and salty but really low in fat, and I think no sat. fat. My kids also love the "kitty Cat" Cookies, mostly the chocolate ones. I also get all my dried fruit and nuts there, as well as most of our frozen vegies and fruits for smoothies. We are also big fans of the the garlic salsa. They also have a good selection of marinades and simmer type sauces. I also love the garlic/basil pasta. The kids eat it with just a sprinkle of parmesean cheese.
Enjoy shopping!
Kim

[kwormann]

WHen we were in AZ this past weekend, we bought Pirates Booty (additcting!) and some Indian Masala sauce...cant wait to try it! We couldnt but more because we flew!

Kim

[LSB]

I agree with all of the above as well as: granola, Thai red or green curry simmer sauce, Tasty Bite Indian meals (they come in a thin box with a bag inside that you boil), salsa, olives, roasted red peppers, pasta sauce, peanut butter. I could go on and on. A lot of these things you can, of course, get elsewhere, but TJ's has great prices and great quality. I also buy all my pasta, crackers and rice there. Have fun!

[DanaSD]

Pirates Booty!!!!!! I shop at Trader Joes weekly but had never tried it until I saw it listed on this board. I bought a bag tonight and have already eaten half of the bag. Its like Cheese Puffs only better because they're not greesy and don't turn your fingers orange. Cheese Puffs and Cheetos is one of the foods that I've given up even though sometimes they just taste sooo good.

My favorite nonperishables - chocolates (not light but delicous and reasonably priced), marinades and simmer sauces (I use the curry simmer sauce all the time), oil and vinegars, blue corn chips, nut mixes (that one with the chocolate and peanut butter chips - Temptation or some name like that), Peanutbutter filled pretzels.....

[LGBurns]

If you're a coffee drinker, try Equal Exchange coffee. Trader Joe's carries it at the lowest price I've seen anywhere, other than ordering directly from the distributor. This is terrific, responsibly-grown, organic coffee. The company deal directly with coffee cooperatives in many countries where coffee farmers are usually exploited by big coffee companies (Guatemala for example). Their coffee is delicious and very reasonable for organic coffee (I believe it is $7 or $8 a pound). Equal Exchange as a website too, if anyone is interested in finding out more about it. http://www.equalexchange.com/

[laughsandlaughs]

I moved away from my Trader's Joe area and am having serious withdrawls from 2 things...they have the best and cheapest soy milk (I drink regular milk but like their vanilla soy milk better!) and their spicy bean dips. They make terrific dips that even when spicy are palatable to anyone (not hot at all!) Their hummus is really good too! Also try their edamame (frozen soy beans) which are a great salty snack that's extremely healthy!! (They don't come salted, you salt them).

[ChrisF]

Great topic! You all are adding on to my TJ shopping list for tomorrow...Pirate's Booty!
We buy a *LOT* of stuff at TJ's, and my son works in another one while going to college. So we get phone calls from him when they have employee tastings of new products and wines.
Although it seems that some things are regional, and sometimes we don't have what he stocks, or vice versa.
But for non-perishables, I like the spicy black bean dip, 'low-fat' cinnamon streusel teacake (not very lowfat when I eat half of it!), spicy apple cider, pretzel sticks, mediterrean flat bread. Also in the wine dept: at Christmas, our son brought home a bottle of Black Opal Shiraz that was just terrific, but that our store doesn't stock.
We buy lots of perishables too, and for those of you who are close to a TJ's, you might want to try their Tzatziki (sp?) a yogurt,garlic, cuke spread/dip that we just love. Also, their frozen orange juice is very good, and if your TJ carries tangerine juice in the container in their cold/refrig section--it is a delicious splurge.
Boy, I have really worked up an appetite!
Chris

[greta]

kima,
here are my favorites:
kashi go lean
lowfat cranberry meusli
fat free blueberry meusli
dried berry mix--strawberry, cherry and blueberry
frozen shrimp potstickers (thanks to fellow CLers for their recommendation)
almond butter
meditteranian flatbread
lentil soup (in a big roundish can)
mostly unsplit pea soup (in can, made w/ garbanzos)
soy ice creams--especially the chocolate peanut butter one

i love trader joe's!!

[Kimba]

I buy soy milk there by the half gallon - the price is way less than at my local supermarket.

Pirates Booty - yum http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Frozen veggies of every kind

Some of the frozen pastas are good - last one I tried was bowtie pasta with red peppers, carrots and spinach - makes a great lunch for me to take to work.

Chunk white chocolate for hubby dearest. He loves white chocolate...

Cat cookies - yum http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Fruit spreads.

Potstickers - veggie ones are our favorites

Dried fruits

Frozen mini tacos - another great lunch

Stir fry sauces - we've got a spicy peanut one that we're using now.

Puffins cereal - makes a great snack - low fat, high fiber

Can't wait to go back there.

[pipely]

I love the chunky spiced apples. There's no sugar added. They're really cinnamony and good with breakfast. Also TJ's has the best breads,cookies, etc. and wonderful prices. Like previously mentioned some items may be available regionally. Our TJ's carries wonderful Zen Bran Muffins (made in West Los Angeles) WW's recommended them, because they're very high in fiber (1 muffin - 5gms) and low in fat (2.5 gms, calories - 110). I think this was about 2 points??? If you can eat a whole one, you will feel full for hours! They're very good. TJ's here also carries 95% fat free ground beef and turkey. Have any of you noticed how friendly most customers are in the store and are willing to talk about their favorites? I can't explain it, but it seems everyone in there is excited about food. My friend calls them TJ's "groupies." We seem to all share a love for quality, exciting food products! And we want to talk about it. Sound familiar?

[kima]

Thank you for alll your suggestions. As it is a lond drive home I won't be able to try the frozen items but all the other ideas sound great- I will definately buy the Pirate's Booty!!! I sure hope they expand into Canada some day. The first thing I notice in the US stores is the selection- much better than up here. With our weak dollar it is not very economical either. We get alot of American tourists here and they are always thrilled at how far the US dollar goes. You can stay in one of our finest hotels for the price of a mid level one in the U>S> I don't work for the tourist board by the way!!Thanks again for all the suggestions-TJ here I come!!

[Karenf]

I go to Trader Joe's for:

Frozen green beans - the small French petite size.

Frozen desserts (a lemon tart I can't remember the name)

Wine - they are a great wine store

Fresh basil in bulk for $2.49 in So.Cal. It equals like 4+ of those plastic $1.99 containers offered at most stores.

Jarred roasted red peppers

specialty olives

Just go in and look around you'll find lots of stuff.

[cindyluwho]

Here are some of my typical purchases at Trader Joe's:

dried fruits and nuts (especially the dried cranberries, crystallized ginger, and walnuts for baking)

couscous and arborio rice (much cheaper here than elsewhere)

cooking spray (olive oil and canola)

maple syrup (grade A)

cheese (though this is perishable, the goat cheese is cheaper here than anyplace else I've seen)

one pound bars of chocolate for baking