Trader Joe's Favorites?
I was making some rather amazing black bean dip last night for a little midnight snack, and it dawned on me that I could NOT live without certain Trader Joe's products. Their Cuban Black Beans are a staple in my kitchen, as is their Cilantro and Jalapeno hummus, Olive Focaccia, and their boxed soups! What are your favorite TJ products that you just can't live without? How do you use them?
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26 Comments:
TJ's Salad "Such & Such" (a nut mix of pepitas, almonds, and pine nuts to sprinle on salads)
TJ's Marcona Almonds with Rosemary and Olive Oil
TJ's Organic Corn Chips and TJ's Organic Sweet Potato Chips
TJ's Raw Trail Mix
TJ's Avocado 4-pack
TJ's Fair Trade Coffee Beans
TJ's Extra Virgin Olive Oil
TJ's Fat-Free Feta Crumbles
TJ's Goat Cheese Log
TJ's Frozen Organic Corn (both the plain and the "fire roasted")
TJ's Frozen "Greens with Envy"
TJ's Frozen Hericots Vert...... (I usually only buy the frozen veggies in the winter, when the fresh ones are hard to come by in these parts, though)
TJ's Dark Chocolate Bars
TJ's Bath Tissue and Paper Towels
Brownie at 1:15PM on 08/07/08
I recently discovered these baguettes that they have that you throw into the oven for 10 minnutes. They come out as if they were fresh out of a bakery. They are definitely my new favorite find!
avideater at 1:27PM on 08/07/08
Unsalted edamame.
Cassaendra at 1:40PM on 08/07/08
Wow, It's amazing how many things you miss that other people find. Didn't know about the baguettes, either avideater! And @brownie, I tried the fire roasted frozen corn once, one person mentioned it tasted like licking an ash tray, and now I can't get the idea out of my head. If not for that person, I would still be buying the darn stuff!
littlesalsi at 1:42PM on 08/07/08
@littlesalsi -- I use the fire roasted corn IN things, not as a side-dish. I don't like the taste on its own at all, but I love it in a good smoky veggie chipotle chili! It goes really well with the smokiness of chipole, and in dishes that use pimenton, it's also fabulous.
Try it again as a FLAVORING. It can be so yummy!
Brownie at 1:52PM on 08/07/08
You're completely right, when I used it, it was just a stand alone "dish." I will definitely have to try it with a chili like you say. Thanks!
littlesalsi at 1:57PM on 08/07/08
cannot live without TJ's everything pretzel slims. they go with pretty much any cheese or dip, and i eat them basically every day with lunch. also can't live without the fat free greek style yogurt.
sarahlucy at 2:38PM on 08/07/08
What's a Trader Joes???
Markbb at 3:35PM on 08/07/08
TJ's brand:
eggplant caponata (pizza/pasta/pita topping or by itself)
Whole wheat tortillas
frozen salmon patties
frozen chili lime chicken burgers
frozen vegetable gyoza
heat and eat brown rice, jumbalaya and multigrain pilaf.
Tuna salad from the pepared foods section
Honey wheat pretzels
KtMc24 at 4:02PM on 08/07/08
Markbb- it's a food market that has awesome food and incredibly affordable prices. I go to the one in manhattan, but I am unaware of how many states they are in.
http://www.traderjoes.com/
JacquelineS at 4:08PM on 08/07/08
Markbb-
Trader Joe's is a grocery store (and so much more, of course.)
Here's the "Trader WHO?" section of their website:
http://www.traderjoes.com/about_tjs.html
witheroad at 4:10PM on 08/07/08
Their frozen gnocchi with gorgonzola has become a regular item for us. We don't buy many convenience foods, but this one is a keeper.
Also on a whim we bought some TJ's hummus with horseradish. Interesting. Hubby really enjoyed it, I thought it was okay.
TJ's Italian Oragne Sodas. I like to use it as a mixer with vodka and a tiny splash of mint infused simple syrup.
wookie at 6:25PM on 08/07/08
TJ's has so much great stuff, but I try not to get too attached because they often discontinue items, such as a particular pepper encrusted salami that the bf loved and won't eat any other, and a hop dusted beer cheese his brother loved. But I love them because they always have new stuff every time I go, like a mix of southern greens. Plus, despite their produce section not being the cheapest or the freshest (and I hate the extra packaging) they have things that are hard to find in my area when in season such as Meyer Lemons and Kumquats or Pomegranate seeds.
I think they've had this for a while, but I discovered a Spinach curry sauce that has no preservatives last time we went that I made for dinner last night.
blankplate at 7:49PM on 08/07/08
i LOVE trader joes -- i get everything there except the few name brand items i have to get at ralph's (west coast supermarket). but if i had to choose:
red and yellow thai curry sauce (in a jar)
garlic naan
i can't find anything comparable anywhere else.
megannesta at 8:27PM on 08/07/08
Well thanks for the input on the store, but I live in the midwest and according to your map they're mainly on the East and West coast...sounds like a great place!
Markbb at 9:10AM on 08/08/08
Trader Joe's Almond Butter and their dried fruit and nuts are a great bargain and a handy pantry item.
Gardengal59 at 10:49AM on 08/08/08
@Markbb: I live in Ohio and know of at least 3 Trader Joe's...maybe one is coming soon to an area near you!
pandaramone at 3:38PM on 08/08/08
Zen cran-apple fiber cakes
CHOCOLATE chocolate chocolate poundplus darkpecanraisin swissmilk peanutbutterfilled OMG
Almost anything in their frozen section - I lurve experimenting :)
Chocolate caramel tartlets - to die for :D
Pammeh at 5:02PM on 08/08/08
Zen cran-apple fiber cakes
CHOCOLATE chocolate chocolate poundplus darkpecanraisin swissmilk peanutbutterfilled OMG
Almost anything in their frozen section - I lurve experimenting :)
Chocolate caramel tartlets - to die for :D
Pammeh at 5:07PM on 08/08/08
-broccolini
-california slab apricots (slabricots?)
-their tabouli isn't the most amazing thing ever, but good for the price
-tarte flambe- if i'm going to do a frozen pizza variant, it might as well involve caramelized onions, creme fraiche and ham
-those chocolate-covered peanut butter pretzels
-their greek yogurt- also good for the price
sloppydelicious at 5:12PM on 08/08/08
they have these tubs of oatmealy chocolatey crispy cookies that are awesome.
I could eat half the tub.
katarina_santiago at 6:36PM on 08/08/08
Don't know if it's new, but I pick up a box of Cannale de Bordeaux (frozen dessert section), it's quite good. Looks like it's made by Galaxy Dessert who does the frozen mini Croissants & Chocolate croissants (both my favorite TJ items) for TJ.
Also got a "sampler" box of Choctal ice-cream. It's a pack of four single serving cup of their single origin chocolate ice-creams.
Among my other recent addictions are their freeze dry mango, mangosteen and bananas.
gnomatic at 7:42PM on 08/08/08
The frozen chocolate croissants are really good. There are 4 to a box for $4. Williams Sonoma has a box of 12(?) for about $40. You let them rise overnight, and bake them in the morning. I don't have a Trader Joe's in my area so I bought some items in Philly to take home with me on my road trip. The croissants rose on the long ride from Philly to South Carolina and were one big blob, but they were still delicious.
kandecia at 9:57PM on 08/08/08
Ah I miss TJ's!
I can't wait to get back to the states--they just opened a new one in my hometown.
I love their mustard- I think the spicy/sweet. I can't remember the exact name
Hummus
Bulk Chocolate
Dried Fruits & Nuts
their chips- the wholegrain tortilla ones, i think...
the wine selection, oh man, don't get me started on that..
machellebelle at 7:34AM on 08/09/08
I just checked this out from the library:
Cooking With All Things Trader Joe's
http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-All-Things-Trader-Joes/dp/0979938414/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218310244&sr=8-1
pthom at 3:31PM on 08/09/08
TJ's BBQ Teryaki Chicken in the frozen foods aisle is so quick and easy, and as good, if not better, than any teryaki you will pick up at the ubiquitous teryaki joints in the Puget Sound area! I buy 5 or six bags per visit...if only I had a TJ's closer to home!
jenpippin at 11:22PM on 08/13/08