Another Topic Forum Suggestion - Favorite foods from Trader Joe's, Costco....

music-city-missy

Well-known member
I was trying to find the Trader Joe's and we have so many mentions of Trader Joe's that it takes a good bit to find them all. Once I find some of the ones I was thinking about, might add to great threads....

 
Here's a TJ's thread from August, the thing is once you find something...then it's gone

I'm still miffed at them for getting rid of my quick winter dinner staple: canned beef stew. I can't find another that compares. I like TJ's for chocolate chips, potstickers, butter, sliced sourdough bread (tho now Safeway is cheaper), cream, canned tomatoes, organic bag greens, and organic eggs. Where I am TJ's is right next to Smart n' Final so some items there are less, butter for one so I may switch. In the same center there is S'nF, TJ's, BevMo, and now Sprouts, which I had high hopes for as it's closer than WF, but it's more expensive.

I'd be really interested in what folks get at Costco, I renewed my membership last year and it's about to expire again and I'm wondering if a single gal without much freezer space could ever really find Costco useful...some things don't look all that less expensive, but did see those Hawaiian rolls and vanilla beans for much less than in a standard grocery store. I get my rx drugs filled there now that I'm between insurance plans and found unless a med is one of the rare $4 ones at Target they are considerably less at Costco, and you don't need to be a member to go there for rx drugs.

http://eat.at/swap/forum1/194150_Do_we_have_an_updated_TJ%27s_favorites_thread?_So_many_things_on_old_threa

 
Been a long time since I was a member at Costco, but I loved their

precooked low fat chicken mozzarella/spinach sausages. I also loved their ahi tuna steaks that I used to cook rolled in toasted sesame seeds with a soy sauce marinade (see link for recipe). I also loved the smoked gouda cheese and inexpensive Phillips pasteurized crab meat for about $4.00 less than supermarkets.

There's a new Costco in Sarasota that is nearer to me than in Brandon, FL where I used to go to four years ago (too far away, but I did it for Dad/moi during that time). I've been to Sam's Club, but I really prefer Costco and hope to join with them again.

I'm single too Maria but think that it's still worth a trip to Costco if you can find your favorites and are able to stash away your goodies.

http://eat.at/swap/forum2/43_Peppered_Tuna_Skewers_with_Wasabi_Mayonnaise_pan_seared

 
I was disappointed that many of the recommended Trader Joe items (inc. wine) weren't available here.

 
A love letter to Costco- we don't have TJs but I know them well

Costco changed the food-buying habits of a huge portion of the population here on Kauai. For me Costco opened up the possibility of getting better quality ingredients consistently-we are so rural here- and don't let me forget that they broke the high, high prices on the island and I pay about 30% less for food now than I did before they opened. I must travel over an hour to get to the one Costco here but I gladly do it and the store is always packed. We have a few grocery stores- one Safeway that is okay but has lousy produce, a few Foodland stores that are very high-priced, a few independent local markets that specialize in really local foods and a Oahu-based chain called Times that has a few stores I don't like at all. My only gripe with Costco is that often, when I fall in love with something it disappears. This happened with several things but notably the wedges of horseradish cheddar cheese I loved and my biggest gripe of all, the wonderful thin crispy parmesan crackers they used to make in the bakery. Grrrr! Recently they took away one of their Kirkland brand red wines (Meritage) that I loved. Grrr!

Okay, here is what I buy at Costco: prescriptions, gas, lettuce, sweet peppers, mushrooms, carrots, pomegranates, onions, garlic, potatoes, lemons, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, tangerines, oranges, grapes, broccoli, asparagus, little green beans, pears, other produce, La Brea breads, Kirkland whole grain bread, chips, wines, all meats- beef, lamb, chicken, pork, game hens, seafood- shrimp, scallops, fresh and frozen fish, paper products, cleaning products, laundry and dishwasher soap, coffee filters, spices, canned goods- garbanzo beans, chicken stock, kidney beans, oils, nuts, Perrier, black olives, stuffed green olives, Kalamata olives, pickles, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, coconut milk, brown sugar, cheeses, eggs, butter, milk, cream, cream cheese, frozen chicken and veggies to make dog food from, and probably a lot more that I forgot. Batteries, tires, office products, Zip Lock bags, clothes, books, you name it. I have yet to find a Kirkland label on something sub-standard. I have found the Kirkland-labeled foods to be of superior quality. These are my absolute favorite things from Costco:

Lamb chops
New York strip steaks
Rotisserie chicken ($5+ an impossibly low price here)
Whole raw chickens (less than half the price of Foodland)
Frozen Cornish Game Hens
La Brea breads (less than half the price of Foodland!)
Olive oils
Fresh salmon
Cheeses
Pesto (not quite as good as homemade but very acceptable)
Kirkland chicken stock
Pecans
Fresh mozzarella

I would love to have a TJs as well- wow. You folks that have them are so lucky.

 
I'm single too Maria but I still save money at Costco and get good quality. I buy

lamb chops and freeze them two by two. Large packs of low fat sliced cheese and turkey that I split into 4. Keep one in the fridge and freeze the other three with my food saver. These things don't take up much room in the freezer. I buy wine, gas, an occasional electronic item, Olay face cream, Kirkland make up remover wipes, vitamins, eye drops, and canned chicken (quite tasty for salad but salty). I also occasionally find a sweater or a book or interesting flowers like protea. Well worth my membership fee just for gas and wine alone. If I am entertaining I buy more meat, vegetables and their good bread. I can't agree with those who like the rotisserie chicken though. Good price but very fatty, in my opinion. Also not antibiotic free. Who knows what they inject it with before cooking to make it taste so good!

 
Costco is a love/hate relationship love the beef and pork cuts, cheaper prices,

Paper goods. Hate the canned tomatoes that taste metallic, and the gristly beef chubs. HATE HATE HATE that they absolutely refuse to put signs on the ends of their aisles so you can actually find things AND the horrible crowds of people. I went into a SAMs Club, walking around listening to the music, open aisles, full shelves....ahhhhh...prices and items comparable to Costco...aisles well marked...lots of items for the food industry service that Costco doesn't carry. Too bad they are so far away. *sigh*

 
Trader Joes shelf-stable whipped cream is very good. It comes in a little box with the baking items

8oz box whipped cream is only $1.49. Love their nuts, cheese crunchies, milk products, chocolate chips, candy cane JoJos, chocolate covered pomegranate seeds, cheeses, fresh lettuces, lower prices on Udis gluten free breads, European yogurt, butter, eggs, spices ($1.99/bottle), blueberry preserves....

 
Cheezz, what brand of canned tomatoes tastes metallic to you?

Costco here carries three brands- I haven't tried the Kirkland brand- is that the one you bought?

What is a "beef chub"? Is that ground beef in a tube? I haven't purchased that either-I generally buy the organic beef and it is not at all gristly. Isn't it funny how one person loves a place and the other doesn't so much? We don't have Sam's Club- never been in one myself- but our Costco is always well-stocked and even though there are many people shopping it is never so packed that it is uncomfortable. I find it quite pleasant to wander the aisles and I never have trouble finding things. It is bright, clean, big, wonderful. Thankfully we have a very good store manager that keeps it all in line and stocked.

 
That's it. Just rub it in. Make a thread I can't post to. Oh wait...I just did.

Costco is on the other side of Orlando and isn't worth the yearly fee when I don't have a car at work (I vanpool). Trader Joe's has not deigned us Mid-East Coasters with its presence yet.

 
We have a TJ's in Mt. Pleasant, near Charleston. Very nice. I think the WF

here is really sub-standard, and the Costco (I told the manager this) is the least friendly Costco I have ever been to. The folks that work there are positively grumpy! Not everyone, though -- the people who take returns are well trained and pleasant. It is the checkers -- gosh! Do they really hate their jobs?????

The produce is better at Publix than at Whole Foods. And ditto for the attitudes of the staff there like those at Costco.

Maybe it was just the busy Christmas season?? I hope so

Love the frozen pastry shells from TJ's! and their curry simmer sauces are so convenient for a quick meal. The frozen tamales are wonderful too.

And who can argue with "Two Buck Chuck" (now three bucks) for a decent cooking wine!

 
Costco vs Sam's

The Nina tomatoes are good. Everybody raves about my Sunday gravy and it's basically those tomatoes hand crushed with a little onion well minced (tablespoon or so) in rendered salt pork fat with just a little fresh basil, maybe oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes.

I hate to admit it but I am finding more and more rude and inconsiderate people everywhere but particularly in the wholesale clubs these days. Standing blocking the aisles, parking like idiots, grabbing samples when they put them out even though two or three people have obviously been waiting patiently for them to come out. Throwing things around and unfolding everything they can on the clothing tables. Not putting their own stuff on the checkout conveyors, etc.

However, except for just some product changes that they used to always stock, I don't have too many issues with them being out, low on stock, etc. on the regular items I buy. I find their quality to be better than Sam's especially for meat. But I buy mainly whole cuts or their freshly ground beef. Their freshly baked goods to be much better especially the artisinal breads which are great! I do wish Costco had more of the restaurant supplies but I don't buy those on a consistent basis so my occasional trips to Sam's are adequate. And there is a GFS Marketplace behind Costco so it's very easy to get what I need.

 
We go to both and I really prefer Costco. On a recent trip, Costco was packed & Sam's didn't have

nearly as many customers, even though they're less than a mile apart. Costco in Texas doesn't have the selection those of you in CA and HI enjoy, but it still is head and shoulders above Sam's, imo. However, I recently read a business article about Sam's and how they're trying to do a catch-up. Should be interesting...

 
I thought that might be the brand. Have you tried the Kirkland brand? You might be surprised by it.

 
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