s/o: so what do we like/dislike from Trader Joe's?

[AnnieW625]

Like:
prices on bread, we buy Miltons (might not be nationwide; it's based in San Diego) and it's a good $1 cheaper than at Vons (Safeway)
Joes Os: clone of Cheerios
Organic Cornflakes: No HFCS, and cheaper than the original
fruit strips
selection of cheeses
Fruit Floes popsicles
chicken nuggets
mini appetizer pizzas
price on Morningstar farms stuff
frozen waffles
frozen fruit (this is cheaper than the regular market)
peanut butter (the only other one I do like better the 365 one from WF, but I refuse to drive to WF just for PB once a week)
jams/jellies
Hansens sodas
fish sticks
canola oil
basic marinara in jar
frozen shrimp
chocolate chips
wheat thins
selection of crackers/snack cookies is pretty good
pasta
childrens vitamins
frozen burritos
bagged leafed lettuce (this lasts me a long time; longer than a regular head of lettuce)
frozen chicken breasts
eggs
bottled water prices are good (I like to buy a six pack when we travel for emergencies)
Mac N Cheese packets
frozen fruits/veggies (prices are cheap compared to Green Giant/Birds Eye)
pop up sponges
California Brown rice medley

What I don't like:
selection of frozen entrees (I like these for work and TJs only keeps a few)
lack of 16 oz canned tomato products or 8 oz tomato sauce
refried beans (much prefer Rosarita)
meat prices are kind of high; esp. for fresh chicken
produce is hit or miss
they don't keep regular white sandwich bread (DD likes this because it's just her size)
they discontinue products every so often
they don't keep the same stock of stuff (our store has been out of panko for MONTHS!)
their tortillas and pitas can go bad really quickly even when in the fridge
selection of ice cream, plus the ones they have are really $$$
they don't keep cream of_____ canned soups
they don't keep diced chiles all of the time
no chopped olives
mayannaise (it's Kraft or Best Food for this girl!)
sometimes I do find the layouts of some stores really confusing
call me a wine snob, but I don't care for 2Buck Chuck; the Pinot Grigio is okay, but everything else tastes like cooking wine to me!

If I didn't have TJs in less than a 5 mile radius from my house I most likely wouldn't go unless it was a special occaision. I am okay shopping at the regular supermarket too, but since TJs is right next to Target and has a semi large parking lot attached to it we just go when we go to Target. I always try and avoid it on Sundays between 10 and 5 as that's when it is the most busy.

[LexyLou]

I love TJ's

Non food related likes:

+The balloons for the kids
+How nice everyone is to me and my kids, like I couldn't open the bag of edamame crackers, and an employee saw me struggling so she came over with her box cutter and just opened it for me.
+Wolfie!! I love that they hide him in a different place every day and when you find him and tell the person working in the tester section, the kids get a special treat.
+The taster food-every day!


Food related likes:

+Hummus is out of this world!
+I can get a bag of honeycrisp apples for $2.99. I can't get them anywhere else right now and certainly not at that price!
+pre made guacamole. My Mexican MIL was inhaling it and couldn't believe it came from TJ's.
+edamame crackers
+Jo Jo's
+egg white egg salad
+pizza dough
+pizza sauce
+pre cut and packaged green beans (I loooove green beans but hate snapping them-so time consuming!)
+frozen mannicotti, my 4 year old begs for this in her lunchbox
+Great wine at great prices
+Great prices on Pure Protein shakes and bars
+When we were living in NJ Trader Joe's was the only place we could get tri-tip

so much more that I can't remember. I'm going tomorrow, so I'll be back to update.

I do agree in the beginning it can be a little weird. It takes a couple visits and trial to find the stuff that you really love. I wish I could do all my shopping at TJ's but I really get most of my meats at Costco and then I have to get my more mainstream things at Safeway.

[WatchingThemGrow]

like-
within walking distance of my house
choc. covered frozen banana was tasty last night.
Fage yogurt (thanks Brittone2)
knowing that it's HFCS-free
2buck Chuck
samples and coffee in the back (it's calming)
lots of registers open, so never more than a minute-wait
most of the food

dislike-
quick produce and bread yuckiness
going when there are lots of people

[billysmommy]

Along with most of the things already listed here


-Pumpkin pancake and waffle mix
- Fresh strawberries...I'm usually not a huge fan of their produce but their strawberries this winter have been amazing. They smell and taste like just picked mid-June strawberries. A BJ's sized package for 7.99.
- Cashews
- blood orange sparkling soda
- Joe O's
- bags of frozen shrimp and scallops
- the cubes of frozen garlic, basil, cilantro, etc. I absolutely love these for cooking!!!
- their re-fried beans for dips
- sipping chocolate
- dark choc-covered espresso beans
- mini dark choc pb cups
- turkey meatballs
- fish sticks
- frozen apple blossom desserts
- pretty much all of their frozen desserts
- cornbread mix

[Andi98989]

We've loved everything we've ever gotten from TJ's. My only dislike is that the nearest TJ is 2-1/2 hours away. When I was 8 months pregnant I made the trek across the state so that I could stock up at TJ's and Whole Foods.

We're going again in 2 weeks and I cannot.wait.

[wifecat]

We love:

Joe's Os
The gravelstein (sp?) applesauce w/ no additives
TJs frozen samosas (oooh yum)
Tofurky sausage (sooo good in pasta, on pizza, mmm)
TJs stoneground wheat crackers
the ciabatta rolls (when they aren't about to expire)
TJs organic whole milk yogurt

Don't like:
limited produce
super busy

[JTsMom]

Likes:
Any type of Joe Joe's
Maple pecan granola
Kashi Autumn Wheat
Real maple syrup
Cereal bars- all types
Hanes root beer
Charles Shaw wines- especially the cab
Organic applesauce cups- all types
various cheeses
veggie fried rice (frozen)
orange chicken (frozen)
breaded chicken breasts (frozen)
frozen peas and corn
frozen balsamic glazed veggies- not to die for, but good every once in a while
tiramisu
organic lollipops
Midnight Moo (chocolate syrup- no HFCS)
dishsoap
dishwasher detergent
fennel toothpaste w/xylitol
strawberry jam (low sugar, lots of real fruit)
cashews
pecans
Pirate Booty
popcorn
Snapea Crisps (although I think they are tad cheaper at WF)
frozen fruit
organic, free trade Wake up blend coffee
Smooth and Mellow decaf
mango (i think- something orange or fruity) tea (for iced tea)
olive oil
kid friendliness
good customer service

Won't buy/don't like
usually produce- tends to be less than fresh at my store
freshly baked stuff-ditto, although if I know we'll eat it that day, I will sometimes buy 1 loaf of bread
spaghetti sauce
soup
frozen quesadillas
that they discontinue stuff, like their frozen pierogies and castille soap
shopping bags- the paper ones are awful, and the reusables are the same price at WF's, but the straps are too short, and they are smaller
the fact that they are insanely far away
tissues
shampoos- they almost always have parabens

[viba424]

Love this thread. Going to TJs today. Anybody else have some recommendations?

My faves:

spanokopita
frozen pizzas (ham or margherita) made in italy
cheeses
vanilla almond crunch
sourdough bread
candied pecans
crab cakes
croissants and chocolate croissants (frozen)

What we dont like:

anything canned
black beans

[hillview]

The TJ around the corner from us seems so lame maybe 7 veggies? I assume other TJs are better?
/hillary