adventures in super-marketing
A wave of excitement rippled through New York City this past week, as the long-awaited opening of our first ever and only Trader Joe’s grocery store opened on 14th Street. After all the hoopla (including many entries in the blog-o-sphere, including Gothamist, Kitchen Therapy, and even one called Tracking Trader Joe’s) it was impossible to shop there last weekend. The aisles were jammed toe-to-cart throughout. Determined to explore at a less hectic pace, I ventured down one morning before work, getting there just after 9 a.m. Since I would be spending the next ten hours in a big office building before heading home, I only bought non-perishable items. And as a Trader Joe’s newbie I was quite tickled by the selection, including the almost-too-pretty-to-eat dried hibiscus flowers (above). I can’t wait to go back and get my hands on some frozen goods. Are you a seasoned Trader Joe’s shopper? I’d love some recommendations on what else to try. See the next page for more details on what I grabbed.
Dried ginger so tasty it was like gumdrops.
Addictive chocolate cat cookies, for humans! Other goodies that were in my cart: Lemon Ginger Sesame Dressing, Jalapeno Blue Cornmeal Bread Mix, Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce, Hot & Sweet Mustard, Salty, Sweet & Nutty Trek Mix. Yum. Now you tell me: What are your TJ’s staples?
I love TJ’s. We have a few in Sacramento and I like to visit when I can. Typically they are pretty busy wherever you go. I really like their apple-pomegranite juice and their flat chinese fortune cookies. Pirate’s Booty is also good. But I think that’s available most places and not just TJ’s. Enjoy!
it takes me no less than an hour to get close to a trader joe’s, but the trip is well worth it. buy all of your cereal there. the prices blow regular grocery stores away. try barbara’s bakery puffins. and try reed’s ginger brew. to die for. super spicy and perfectly sweetened(i.e.-not too much!) i’m also a fan of this greek yogurt that comes with a little side of honey(the brand name escapes me now). if you are a chocolate fan(especially dark) check out their selection. it’ sick. in that good way. :) i love their blueberry scones. the pumpkin bread mix is delish. and the pumpkin butter. i could go on. those are my absolute minimums though on any trip. oh, and their pre-made sushi is pretty good too. it’s not gross like the grocery store kind…
Thanks for so many ideas, Lori. I do agree about the sushi! I love their stuff!
This post really made me appreciate having 3 TJ’s in a 5-mile radius! I don’t know what I’d do without them. Let’s see – what should you try…you found the cat cookies – that’s good. Most of our friends buy Charles Shaw wine (2 Buck Chuck) by the case – good for those weekday evenings when you don’t feel like opening a bottle of the good stuff (though C.S. is definitely drinkable). I like the organic mac and cheese, and the mini veggies you can steam in the package. We have the cheese and basil stuffed steak rounds a couple times a month (if you’re a carnivore). Basically I shop there as my grocery store, and haven’t been disappointed with anything yet!
Our staples from the freezer are Taquitos (Bean and Cheese or Soy Chorizo are my favs), Veggie Samosas, Gnocchi alla Sorrentella (sp?) and Shepherd’s Pie. For snack items I like almost all the salsas they carry, Guaca-Mango Salsa, Eggplant and Garlic Spread, Soy Mini Thin crackers and soy chips.
The first TJ’s in New York! You poor people, I can’t imagine life without TJ’s. Hopefully they will open some more stores in your area, they tend to be crowded in general, even when there are many within a ten mile radius. Anyway my favs are the canned Kalamata olives they are really good. I’m also a fanatic about the greek yogurt (the 2% without any flavorings, really good with fruit) their frozen fruit is the best I’ve found, and the reduced fat celtic cheddar is amazing tastes like the real deal irish stuff. What else… I second the Reed’s ginger beer, and the quattro formagio frozen pizza is about as good as frozen pizza gets.
Oh my. You people are making me hungry!
Try the chocolate thumbprint cookies.
Then try not eating the whole container in one sitting….
I’m not sure what the brand is but when I lived in CA the trader joe’s I went to had the most amazing vegan chocolate chip cookies. If you can find them, I highly recommend them, although they are also horribly addicting! I still crave them but now there’s no trader joe’s nearby :(
Try the frozen risotto and alphabet shaped cookies. Both are really good.
My must-haves:
* Guacamole
* Their vodka pasta sauce
* Frozen naan bread
yummy!
Oh god, that Pinjur – roasted pepper holy goodness. It’s good with anything, even just on toast. Put a poached or fried egg on top, and it’s best.
I also love their regular dried blueberries, the trail mix called… uh, “Best Trail Mix” or greatest – something like that. And their frozen veggie pot stickers. I’m in france now, and everything (aside from the pot stickers) are being sent to me by family.
the cornbread mix is also damn good.
Only one Trader Joes. Shock, Horror!! I hope they open more for you. I know, that I simply couldn’t live without it! Their prices are amazing–even their flowers (can’t beat 99cent daffodil bunches)
You simply must try:
Frozen Naan
Tarte d’Alsace
Mushroom or Asparagus Risotto (add fresh mushrooms/asparagus–yum)
Gnocchi (Either cheesy or tomato)
Frozen Onion Soup (or the Mushroom)
Greek Yogurt with honey on the side
Just the clusters cereal.
Gosh, the list could go on and on. I have liked 99% of the items I’ve tried from TJ’s—so be adventurous.
I just moved from NYC and I now have 3 trader joe’s within 5 miles here in CA. And I am just LOVING it.
The mini-whole wheat pitas and hummus are perfect for my preschooler’s lunch and the Trader Joe’s brand “pirate booty” is just as yummy as the original version for a lot less money. I also just tried their frozen coconut curry chicken stix- really good. If you like beef, their pre-marinated korean beef is amazing. I also love the mango passion granola. LIke everyone has said before, you really can’t go wrong with anything you get there.
I’d never even heard of Trader Joe’s until we moved to California. Now, it is one of my favorite things about living here. There are so many goodies, I hardly know where to begin!
They have really good frozen pizzas imported from Italy, under the label Trader Giotto’s. Our favorite is the goat cheese and olive.
Mochi Ice Cream
I second the suggestion for Greek Yogurt with Honey (not light in fat grams, it tastes almost like cheesecake)
Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds (they look like little M & Ms)
Their store label dried pasta is really nice.
Wine and liquor–lots of good stuff for really reasonable prices. They get discontinued alcohol from good sources and the stuff with their label often comes from good wineries.
It’s almost magic to me how Trader Joe’s manages to have the highest quality stuff at such cheap prices. Happy hunting!
Oh, we probably passed eachother in the aisles. I just had to see it for myself, so I dragged the kid over there on Wednesday morning – I’ve been waiting almost six months for them to open. I’m glad to read everyone’s recommendations, because it’s really quite an overwhelming experience for those of us who hadn’t shopped there before. Cheers!
I love when it’s not crowded (rarely) and I can treat my grocery shopping like a treasure hunt. The somewhat un-PC labeling of their “ethnic” product lines tickles my funny bone, too. Favorite staples and recent discoveries:
Frozen gnocchi
Californai Arbequina EV Olive Oil
Eggplant hummus, dolmades, and those canned Kalamatas
Goat’s milk yogurt (quart size and a good price)
Niman Ranch uncured bacon
Chocolate and Ficklin Tinta Port (cheap!)
Melissa’s steamed & peeled baby beets * First I’ve found outside of France and great for a quick, healthy, gourmet salad with some tender mache, also in the produce cooler.
Has anyone noticed that the TJ’s employees are always friendly, ready to engage in conversation, and seem to genuinely enjoy their jobs?…that’s a refreshing change of pace here in Seattle, and makes the cramped aisles and other shoppers less of an issue.
I was at our Trader Joes yesterday. It’s 40 minutes away but well worth the trip. I bring a cooler in my car. Try the frozen Thai green beans (heaven), the corn bread mix is awesome (actual kernels of corn in the mix), eggplant cutlets – low cal and YUMMY, 3 buck Chuck wine (Charles Shaw) — a standard in our house, cheese enchiladas, and the frozen asparagus soup! That should give you a head start!
Congrats on you TJ’s!! So: Potstickers! They are the best ever besides homemade (who has time for that). The selection of frozen fish is better than anything around here (Huntington Beach, CA)…don’t know if that is the case in your neck of the woods but worth mentioning! Great flowers by the way, and great photos!
I was there today as well. We always get dried fruit and nuts there. Try the flattened bananas…so yummy.
Trader Joe’s is the best–I visit everytime I am on the mainland.
Everything is great buy my favorites are:
-flavored Naan breads and pita on the bread aisle
-hummus and tzatiki
-plain greek yogurt–just throw in frozen blueberries
-the potstickers are the best
-excellent cheeses–better selection and cheaper than anywhere else
-marcona almonds–salty and addicting
-meringue cookies in the tubs–lots of sugar but lowfat
-truffles
-rice cracker mix
love TJs! my favs:
rosemary chicken with wild rice (pre-cooked meal deli meal)
thier “just chicken” or “just salmon” pre-cooked packages
prepacked salads “for 1 or 2″
chocolate chip “dunkers”
frozen vegetarian rice bowls
Orangina
and they always have airborne in stock!
I buy most of my food at TJ’s. Every week I buy a gallon of TJ’s organic 2% milk. It tastes like milk used to when I was a kid–I’m 81 years old. I buy organic bananas. They do not go bad as fast as conventional ones and they taste better. I buy fat-free plain TJ’s yogurt. I often buy free-range chicken raised without hormones and antibiotics. I often buy wild caught fish. Everything at TJ’s is labeled–origin, how it was raised, etc. Shoppers have a choice between conventional and organic produce, dairy, eggs, other food like nuts and dried fruit. There are often suggestions about how to cook things or combine with other food. The frozen food section and the deli are full of great stuff, and the produce section is the best around. Produce at TJ’s is packaged, so you don’t get everyone handling what you are going to eat. There are always beautiful flowers and potted plants to buy. Our TJ’s in Santa Fe specializes in orchids. Finally, the staff is friendly and helpful. You can ask any staff person for assistance and he or she will help you immediately.
I love their meatballs in marinara sauce! It’s supposed to make a good sandwich too, but I like it with spaghetti and parmesan cheese. Last time I was there I found pistachio toffee with dark chocolate, and it was hard to not finish it all at one sitting.
how i wish the tj’s were in brooklyn! i doubt those frozen goods would survive the F train. it’s been a long time since i shopped at a trader joe’s, but i can recommend the wasabi mayo, the flavored cashews, and the frozen key lime pie (mmm).
What great serendipity! Check out my site!
Thanks for the fun article. The Silver Goat Organic Feta at T. Joe’s is divine.
Last week I bought the most delicious carrot ginger soup in a tub (not the box). Not to contradict the others but I stay far away from their sushi. I love it from my local market though. Trader Joes is a trial and error store. You’ll find out as you go!
LOL
It’s going to take you months to try out all these recommendations. The different stores don’t always carry the same things so you might not find everything folks are listing.
Here’s some of our regular ‘must haves’ from TJ’s…
Vegetarian or Chicken Chili (canned)
Cornbread Mix (great for breakfast even!)
Red Thai Curry Sauce
Masala Sauce
Chicken Enchiladas w. Green Sauce (frozen, black container with clear wrap)
Chinese Orange Chicken (frozen)
Turkey Pot Pies
If you like to bake definitely pickup some of the organic sugars and cocoa powder. I also love the vanilla (without alcohol). We also have found their vitamins to be very fresh and affordable compared to other places (like GNC). We even buy our dog vitamins there!
Either of the frozen gnocchis are delicioius (and so easy – perfect for the I’ve worked too long to make an effort at dinner tonight days). Any of their cookies or candy are worth a try (I like the Dilletante chocolate covered dried fruit a lot), their beer selection is surprisingly good (and cheap, and the TJ beer we tried a few weeks ago was great). My cats also recommend the double-wide scratching boxes. I eat the roasted red pepper and tomato soup almost daily…it’s cheap and good for you. Dried fruit and nuts at Trader Joes are so much cheaper than at a regular grocery store too (and of better quality). Enjoy, TJs is fantastic!
I love the soy wholegrain pretzels (lots of fiber and protein not just empty carbs) dipped in the spicy eggplant dip or the red pepper dip. I ladore the whole wheat pita with the pineapple salsa, Niman ranch black forest ham and some cheese…zap in the microwave for quick pineapple-ham pizza!
Congratulations on getting a TJ’s!
TRUFFLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Uhoh, you asked for it. Here’s my list, sorry it’s so long:
Vegan Black bean and Corn Enchiladas (in the freezer)
Ratatouille (probably not spelled right, but I serve it over a pilaf made from organic garbanzo beans and whole wheat cous cous… all from TJ’s of course)
Dark Chocolate Covered pretzels
Roasted Beet Salad
Korma Simmer Sauce (I add two table spoons of cashew butter to it, a handful of cashews and a bag of frozen veggies, the sweet peas or normandy veggies work nicely)
Sundried tomato brushetta (in a jar next to the olives)
Green olive tapenade
Vegan Chocolate chip cookies
Eggplant cutlets
Well…. I could go on and on but I think you really just have to try everything!
Mmmm, Trader Joes!! So many good things! They have great frozen pizza dough! Seriously try it! Like a few other people said, their veggie dumplings are fantastic. I’ve used their frozen artichoke hearts in a few dishes and they were wonderful. Their cheese selection (at least the one in Chicago) is pretty good and the prices are even better! They have some great snacking foods. My personal fav is their wasabi peanuts. Spicy delish!! There is also a trader joes brand black bean dip that is just so uber-tasty! I’ve never been disappointed with anything I’ve bought there.
Oh and I recommend trying their lemon, ginger and echinacea juice. It’s great when you are starting to feel a bit under the weather.
peanut-butter stuffed pretzels
the edamame
yogurt with honey (as mentioned)
two buck chuck (as mentioned)
wow…finally a trader joes! congrats.
my list…
niman ranch bacon…no other will do now.
frozen naan
champagne grapes (tiny bubbles of heaven…seem to be in the summer only)
pirates booty
ambrosia mix (great on salads)
oyster crackers…cheaper than world market cape cod ones and they are the same.
staples:
*total greek yogurt (but try the TJ brand greek yogurt- its just as good and so much less $$)
*a real crowd cheeser (its a cheese plate of sliced cheeses for snacking)
*cilantro pecan dip
*pita chips
*crumbled feta
*fresh basil
*goat cheese log
*high fiber cereal
*cheese enchiladas (sooooo yummy and cheap too)
*california garlic powder (A MUST!)
the list goes on- unfortunately the trader joes in San Francisco are always so crowded so I don’t go as often as I would like. I tend to stock up on all of the basics and hoarde them in my cabinets til the next visit.
congratulations on your new TJs . they are too much fun.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I live in NYC but we go on weekend jaunts to TJ’s.
First the one, bad TJ’s thing – pasta. Cooks up gooey and falls apart.
Now the good!
frozen roasted yellow and red peppers
frozen shrimp
organic raisins – for your kids (all variety of nuts and dried fruit – NO SULFUR added)
pre-cooked Indian sauces
all premade breads – including muffins
Also if you like Reeds’s ginger brew try the root beer I forget the name but it’s made by the same company.
here’s my pals list, she’s the queen of Trader Joe’s
FROZEN FOOD AISLE:
Frozen mini mushroom turnovers – great appetizer
TJ’s frozen mini pizzas
Flash frozen chicken tenderloins – a million uses
Frozen tiger shrimp from Thailand – the ones that taste like lobster
all cookies (cookies are usually above the frozen foods)
NEXT TO THE TOMATO SAUCE:
Packages of dried porcini mushrooms
arborio rice
quarts of real maple syrup
Olive oil & balsamic vinegar
roasted peppers, caponata, olivada, etc.
In quart cartons: roasted red pepper & tomato soup, roasted chicken broth -
also TJ’s chicken soup in small cans, taste homemade
Organic macaroni & cheese
Lots of canned italian tuna in oil, large cans of chicken & turkey, reg. tuna, etc.
DELI SECTION:
American & Icelandic caviar, gravlax
Top quality organic sliced turkey, ham, beef, prosciutto etc.
Lowfat mozzarella sticks, the ones that say award winner for best taste
cheeses
salsas
IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS, ALSO LOOK OUT FOR:
Trader Joe’s chili and lime tortilla chips
Packages of raw or blanched almonds, cashews, pecans, etc. – great deals
Large blocks of semi sweet chocolate for cooking
Orange blossom honey liquid soap
Shower gels, etc.
tea selection, especially earl grey
juices & sodas
VEGETABLE SECTION:
Hydroponic boston lettuce a must
I couldn’t live without my TJ’s. Here’s my list (off the top of my head):
TJ’s BBQ sauce
Frozen Mahi Mahi steaks (marinated in garlic and other good stuff)
Frozen veggie meatballs (served in the BBQ sauce)
Pre-chopped and bagged for microwaving veggies (especially the squash)
Pre-cooked chicken sausages (onion and pepper flavor, or lousianna hot)
Frozen whole grain French Toast – SO good (and toaster friendly)
Canned albacore tuna in water
Sauces: Cuban Mojito and Morrocan Tagine
Frozen chicken breast tenders
Frozen spanikopita triangles
Frozen fire-roasted corn
Frozen BBQ chicken pizza (my husband’s favorite)
Whole wheat pasta – the only kind I will eat
Jamine brown rice
Truffle oil (white & black) cheapest I’ve found
Kalamata Olive oil
Spices – again with the cheap (even Saffron)
Vanilla (Madagascar and Tahitian) – cheap cheap
Crumpets
no-sugar added sour cherry preserves
Lemon anti-bacterial hand soap
Vitimins (so cheap!)
[...] We had a busy week here at Shelterrific: testing out classic recipes, starting herb gardens, surfing for the perfect teapot, and shopping for our Aries friends. Take a look at some of our previous posts. It’s not too late to weigh in (though reading through all those amazingly thoughtful Trader Joe’s recommendations is going to keep us busy all weekend!). [...]
I love that I have a TJ’s near me (within 20 minutes).
Here’s what I love (though they have new stuff every time so there’s always something new to get!)
Frozen foods:
Australian seasoned lamb
Tuna steaks
Fire Roasted Veggies w/ balsamic butter
Sweet Potato fries
Burgers stuffed w/ blue cheese and bacon
Produce:
mini sweet potatoes
organic apples
roma tomatoes
Other “cold” items:
Madeira Mushroom (Bisque)
Various cheeses
Other stuff:
Global Village Nut Mix
Hot and Sour Soup
Coffee
Chocolate flavored tea
Pear cider (in with the beer usually)
Chocolate Stout
Cinnamon Scones
I *miss* Trader Joes! Whenever I visit my brother in Massachusetts, I go on an all-out TJ stockup spree.
TJ’s has some really great powdered Chai that we love (even the kids drink it) and I am absolutely addicted to their Pinjur (on toasted slices of baguette… Heaven!) I haven’t found a ‘clone’ recipe yet, but I’m determined to make one up this summer.
I usually pick up potstickers, Muscovy duck, and about a million condiments. I haven’t been since last year… and now I’m itching to go.
And it’s 3 degrees. And snowy. Perhaps my brother will send a care package (scurries off to make a list….)
Danielle
[...] We just noticed this over at the the D-Home blog and knowing how many of you are Trader Joe fans, didn’t want you to miss it! The cult-like grocery store is having Caption Contest. All you [...]