Trader Joe's List

earnie

earnie

Well-known member
You all are killing me with your wonderful Trader Joe's items. Since I live so far off the beaten track, I have decided to drive 90 miles into Nashville's Trader Joe's once a month for a haul. What is on you must have list?

 
We live very close to a TJs and go frequently. Here are a few that I purchase regularly:

  1. Seasonings in my order of favorites: (Mushroom & Co) umami seasoning, onion salt, chile lime, 21 seasoning salute, Everything but the bagel and Herbs de Provence but I haven't seen the last one in at least a year.
  2. sweet chili sauce. nice for asian dishes
  3. rainbow carrots. grab at least one of these almost every trip
  4. refrigerator section pickles and slaw
  5. Audaciter ale. seasonal I think. the Providential is good too but I prefer the Audaciter
  6. tater tots, ketchup and mayo. I like the items like these that they sell as a preferred alternative to name brands because the TJ version they don't add any chemicals to them nor the catchall "natural flavors" which in an ingredient list can mean practically anything.
  7. the big chocolate blocks
  8. salt an pepper chips
  9. plantain crisps. the "crisps" are my favorite
  10. brioche bread and buns
  11. I like their half n half. This is probably regional so YMMV
 
Earnie, I know the feeling. I’m finally near one (Asheville) but it’s still a 45 mile trip there.

I like the big chocolate bars (Pound +) and recently used a blend for Dyslexic sauce. I always used Callebaut before but this worked.

Montepulciano dry red wine ($4.99) won a taste testing at my house with 3 others, all much more expensive. go figure. Grapefruit Prosecco was refreshing.

Butter is $2.99 and I buy 6 at a time, freezing it so I don’t run out.

They also have Creme Fraiche so I always get that (edited here).

I like their bags of butter lettuce, but found their brusselsprouts didn’t seem to last long before drying out.

Really like their bags of herb popcorn. Truffle potato chips are good but addictive.

DO NOT like their brand of feta, but that may be because I’m used to the brands carried at grocery store.

Like their Italian chicken sausage (cooked) for breakfast but haven’t tried any fresh meats or frozen seafood.

Love the chocolate dipped large biscotti. The small ones are too hard for my taste.

Speculoos are very good. Like Biscoff.

Enjoy and Have a safe trip!

 
oh yeah the Truffle Chips are on my pure evil list for sure. I pretty much cannot stop once the bag is open. 😳

 
I bought 3 bags last trip to "put in the pantry for company," then ate one whole bag at a single sitting and immediately gave the other two away to neighbors because my level of will power is obviously non-existent.

A few days later, the neighbor texted me on where to buy them.

Feeling a bit guilty now. Perhaps my middle initial E stands for Enabler rather than E******.

 
OK, here's my list. What drives me crazy about TJ's is when they come out with a gangbusters popular item, then it's never to be seen again. Guess they've got to make way for new.

Frozen: Cauliflower gnocchi, gyoza, mushroom flatbread, tiny ginger cubes--so handy!

Nuts and snacks: chili lime cashews, smoked whole almonds (great flavor, a bit salty) social snackers crackers. Seasonal: pumpkin tortilla chips--no "pumpkin spice" flavor :), peppermint jojos

Dressings: Asian sesame (on the shelf) Spicy Peanut (refrigerator case) I mix these two to make a dressing--it's a great combo. These are the only premade dressing I use.

Spices: I'm with Paul on mushroom and

Speculoo butter: can't buy it anymore. Too good.

English crumpets

I'm probably forgetting some, I'll come back when I think of them.

Enjoy the trip!

M

 
Thanks everyone. I'm going on Thursday of this week and have a starting list. I'm taking two large coolers and driving an SUV!🤑

 
I have been using their President's Reserve EVOO for a couple of years.

Recently I have also been getting the avocado oil for high heat roasting.

Love the salsas and the Flax seed chips. They used to carry a wonderful Israeli Feta cheese that was super creamy and not too salty, but that seems to have disappeared.

I'm fortunate in that there are a couple of Trader Joe's within a 25 mile radius, one just 4 miles away.

 
Hi Judy!

That feta was called Pastures of Eden, (yellow and green packaging) I loved it too. The only other place I have found it is Wegmans. Not sure if you have one near you.

TJ must have seen the sales numbers and decided to package their own brand of "Israeli feta" it's ok, not nearly as good.

 
Trader Joe's has the best feta called Israeli Feta. It came in bright yellow and green packaging. All of a sudden it disappeared and I miss it. It was the best Feta I have had.

 
We do have a Wegman's not too far away and we will be in that neighborhood tomorrow!

Thanks for the heads-up!

 
I love their corn tortillas, and also hamburger and hotdog buns. But these don't keep well, so I freeze them, and then they aren't quite so excellent.

 
Oooh, have fun shopping at TJs. But first off, a bit of a warning. Do yourself a favor and don't under any circumstances try the dark chocolate peanut butter cups. No no, don't even GO down that path, lol. Those leetle babies are addictive, I tell ya. I'm especially fond of them cold, straight from the fridge. But if you choose to go down that path... testing them out to see if they are a good fit for your taste buds...please don't come crying to me (as friends have done) if you can't stop at one (or four), lol. Available in 16 oz tubs (above the refrigerated section). And bags of 6 or 7 (single serving size, haha) at the checkstands.

Lots of faves as mentioned by others including the spicy peanut dressing. It's lovely tossed with TJs fresh arugula, for a peppery bite, and makes for a quick salad or bed to top with grilled chicken or TJs fresh salmon grilled. I'm not usually a fan of farmed salmon but l do like TJs.

Other items I buy there regularly are butter, eggs, half n half, cream, cottage cheese, nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt (great topped with granola), pita chips for dipping in hummus (though TJs hummus is actually not a favorite), packaged nuts and trail mixes, olive oils, cheeses (nice variety), Italian sausage (sweet and hot are both good), pizza dough in refrigerated section (great for a quick pizza), fresh veggies, ready made grab n go salads and wraps, pico de gallo (that I add to TJs fresh ground turkey to make turkey burgers...pretty sure I've posted that recipe as it's a quick go to for me), wine and beer, canned Italian tomatoes, jarred pasta sauce (for a quick sauce with sauteed onion, garlic, Italian sausage, TJs fresh cremini mushrooms), dried pappardelle, and seasonally available all butter puff pastry.

 
Too bizarre. I JUST finished all NINE dark chocolate butter cups in the $.99 package sold at the checkout counter. Pat really nailed that one. Wish I’d seen this before Monday.

Also I checked my freezer for the Israeli feta I bought in December and didn’t like (but too cheap to toss) and it's in a blue tub, not the green & yellow one. The feta in Israel was so good and I was looking forward to this. Sadly disappointed but will find some way to use it up.

 
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