What to Buy at Trader Joe's
After weeks of surveying, shopping, and tasting we created an "insider's" list of some best finds from Trader Joe’s - foodstuff that could be served beside a homemade dish at a dinner party, put out to nibble when guests arrive unexpectedly, or craved. As you might guess, we were quite discerning; TJ’s Mandarin Orange Chicken (frozen), although often suggested as a favorite, did not stack up to a picky foodie’s palate. Of course, we couldn’t try everything in the store. Please feel free to add a few of your favorites.
Frozen Foods:
Tarte d’Alsace (a French-style flat bread with ham, caramelized onions & gruyere cheese)
Garlic Naan Bread (cook on a pizza stone)
Trader Giotto’s Meatballs, Italian-style (beef or turkey)
Pastry Bites with Feta Cheese & Caramelized Onions
Penne Pepperonata
Seasoned Frenched Rack of Lamb
Chimichurri Wild Pacific Salmon steaks (grill, broil, or pan fry)
Green Garbanzo Beans
Haricots Verts (french-style green beans)
Dorot Chopped Cilantro and Basil (cubed in 1 tsp. portions)
Organic Brown Rice
Steelcut Oatmeal- especially delicious with TJ’s Ginger Spread and heavy cream
Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (pretty darn to close to homemade-tasting)
New York Style Cheesecake
French Apple Tart
Gone Bananas – chocolate covered frozen bananas
Frozen Fruits: all berries, cherries, pineapple, mango (much cheaper than standard stores)
Refrigerated:
Pre-cooked Baby Beluga Lentils
Whole Wheat and regular Pizza Dough
Off the Shelf:
Marcona Almonds with Rosemary (great for nibbling)
Papadums chips (Yogurt & Dill and Tandoori Masala)
Soy & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips
Buttermilk Garlic Mash Chips
Banana Crisps
Dark Chocolate Roasted Pistachio Toffee
Mini Peanut Butter Cup (super creamy)
Pecan Praline Granola
Just the Clusters Ginger Almond & Cashew Granola
This Fig Walks into a Bar… (cereal bars in assorted flavors)
Cornbread Mix (delicately sweet, the edges crisp up perfectly while the middle is moist)
Wild Rice (fully cooked)
Harvest Grains Blend (Israeli couscous, red and green orzo, split dried garbanzos, red quinoa)
Lemon Pepper Papardelle Pasta
Organic Tomato and Red Pepper Soup (tetra pack)
Red Mole
Cuban Mojito Simmer Sauce
Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce (try with pan-seared salmon; serve over steamed rice)
Ginger Spread (add to oatmeal, plain Fage yogurt, for "tea" or serve w/ cheese)
Best Bargains:
Assorted cheeses
Salsas
Nuts (large selection)
Natural Flavored Dog Biscuits (1/2 the price of Petco)
Rawhide bones for “Fido”
Larks Liver Pate
I thought the idea of Larks Liver Pate sounded unethical and probably wouldnt be delicious, but in fact I was so wrong on both counts. No more foie gras for me it's Trader Joe's Larks Liver and garlic pate every time.
It's all about the Lacey's
Their Chocolate Macadamia Lacey's are on the top of my must buy list at TJ's!
The produce is lacking
I'm a big Trader Joe's fan. We shop there often. However, there are a few things that I would recommend *against* buying there. First off, their store-brand cereals leave something to be desired (at least the ones I've tried, the honey bunches of oats and frosted mini wheats knock offs).
Sometimes the produce is just fine. I buy the guacamole kits, for instance, and they're great. However, I've yet to buy a piece of fresh fruit that I enjoyed. They're usually either off in texture or lack flavor.
Their frozen fruit is *amazing*, though. I'll eat a few pieces of their frozen pineapple and cherries as a dessert. They're so sweet and tasty, hands down the best frozen fruit I've ever had (and I've purchased pretty much every kind available in Seattle).
Oooh, their frozen chicken teriyaki is also very tasty, flamed broiled. I don't even like chicken that much, but I'll happily eat this dish.
They also have great palmier cookies. They're usually gone after three hours--my roommates devour them (okay, me too ;)).
One more thing... their fruit bars are great. Unlike the Dreyer's fruit bars, you can actually taste the fruit. Mmm, I want one right now.
Mac-n-cheese
Try the frozen mac and cheese---AMAZING. Mac and Cheese fanatics dis it until they try it. It is fantastic! Super cheesy and horrible for you.
I love their haricots verts.
I love their haricots verts. Saute' them in some olive oil until they are a very dark brown and add a little salt. Delicious!
Our Favorites at Trader's
Well, first we ONLY buy our milk (no hormones), dairy products, and eggs at Trader Joe's. No better quality anywhere else, in our opinions.
We also like their produce, salads, and specialty produce items. We know that we can usually find that "elusive" item . . . kumquat, key lime, fresh herbs, etc. when we need it.
Favorite snack? Trader's peanut butter filled pretzels (salted variety).
Finally, the main reason we do the majority of our shopping at Trader Joe's is that the company will NOT sell ANYTHING imported from china. And my wife and I, for nearly ten years, have boycotted ALL products from china.
China imports
I was quite surprised to see the comment that Trader Joe's does not sell anything imported from China. That is refreshing news to hear. It seems that items from China, especially food items are to be avoided if at all possible. We have heard too many stories about unsafe products. I find it difficult to imagine why we need to import items like juices and produce, etc when we have excellent producers here in our own back yard.
Trader's Good Stuff
Well, first, we ONLY buy our milk (no hormones) and eggs at Trader's. There is no better quality anywhere else. Also, their cheeses are, in our opinion, the finest available.
My favorite Joe snack? Trader's peanut butter filled pretzels (the salted variety).
As a sidenote, my wife and I will NOT knowingly eat ANYTHING imported from china. Trader Joe's does NOT sell anything from china . . . so that is a real plus to us, and why we do a lot of our grocery shopping there.
Great post, by the way.
Favs at TJs
Don't forget dried lychees and mangosteen. Great price on almond meal too. I also heard a rumor that their 3 for a 1.79$ dark chocolate is really made by Guittard. Even if it isn't, it's darn good chocolate for the price. Also, Morello cherries in a jar... so good! And their pizza dough is great too.
As a vegetarian...
...I *especially* love TJ's frozen chickenless nuggets; the Soy Dream ice cream and Tofutti Cuties (although you can find those elsewhere); and the frozen meatless balls. I also appreciate the jarred curry sauces and the packets of cooked lentils found in the produce section.
mmm
The Hawaiian Style Salt and Vinegar kettle potato chips.
i forget the name, but they have these dark chocolate covered peppermint drops that are like knock-off york peppermint patties.
But, wait...there's more!
Chocolate Joe-Joes and now chocolate-covered Joe-Joes! So much tastier than an Oreo. Peppermint Joe-Joes come out around the holidays and they are delish.
Also, they sell these over-sized, hand-tossed tortillas that amazing. Uneven and bubbly, they are fantastic and a superior choice for all your tortilla applications.
chocolate croissants?
their frozen chocolate croissants are absolutely amazing, they taste like they come from a bakery!
Maple Chicken Sausages
(refrigerated) ...hit the spot at breakfast.
Chocolate covered pretzels, Key Lime Pie, Coconut Sorbet...
This is a great idea for a list - Trader Joes is so hit and miss - their good things are great, and their bad things are terrible - no way to know without trial and error. I hope you do an "avoid" list as well. They have a frozen salmon with spinach in the middle that turned out awful - which is not to say the chef didn't have something to do with that.
I'm partial to their dark-chocolate covered pretzels.
Their Raw Almond Butter is also really great as a sauce-enriching ingredient in curries and that kind of thing.
Love the Coconut Sorbet (I think it's Sharon's).
I regularly enjoy their frozen Key Lime Pie for breakfast with a spritz of whipped cream. (Though TJ's version of KLP got a thumbs-down in a Cooks Illustrated taste test for, I think, being too tangy, I like the tang.)
Eggplant caponata (in a jar on the shelf) makes great appetizers on crackers or topping over their frozen gnocchi.
Lastly, I've had exceptional experiences with their Bool Kogi (Korean marinated beef)...but also bad experiences where it was all fatty and gristly. You roll the dice, but when it's great it's awesome.
PRETZEL THINS
– Seems like NO ONE knows about these things.
A great low (or virtually NO fat) fat substitute for potato chips that is tasty, crunchy and I have only found at Trader Joe’s and another version is available at ONE Safeway in Boulder.
The Savory Thins Original
(Not Sesame)for 99 cents, are to die for. Addictive. Nothing Absolutely nothing is better on a cheese platter.
My Husband's Concerns About China -- I Share Them
First, let me qualify my question and my subsequent comments by the admission that we are NOT in favor of “globalism.” We think that the concept is VERY dangerous to the health and welfare to the citizens of the United States of America.
That being said, We are infuriated by the daily reports of China’s shipping of poisonous food and food-related products into the U.S. China has inundated us with poisonous products including pet foods, fruits and juices, vegetables, meat products, seafood, toothpaste, and God knows what else.
Many of our elected officials, who could not care less about our health, permit this travesty in the name of “open-trade” and “globalism.”
• So, what can we do to protect ourselves from China’s poisonous products?
• What are YOU doing to protect yourself?
• What suggestions do you have for the rest of us?
I know that this is not a political forum, nor should it be. However, the problem of people being sickened (and in some cases, dying) from eating imported crap . . . insufficiently regulated by our government . . . is worthy of rational discussion.
A hearty "Here Here" to Trader Joes for PROTECTING OUR HEALTH by refusing to stock cheap Chinese food.
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There are no Trader Joes in Canada so far as I am aware. We could do with one in Vancouver