Ok ok, I might give Trader Joes another shot...

[arivecchi]

what do you recommend?

[SnuggleBuggles]

Cereal bars
frozen mac and cheese
dried fruit
nuts
brownie mix (I usually bake from scratch but these are delicious and easy)
keifer
chocolate chips
marinated bean salad in a can- mix that together with orzo and you have a yummy side dish!
flatbread with ham, caramelized onions, and Gruyere, frozen
pizza dough, fresh

Skip the produce, imo. It's usually not very good.

Beth

[Andi98989]

If you only get one thing, make it Jo Jo's. :ROTFLMAO:

Other staples that we get are:
Applegate Farms lunch meat
Turkey hot dogs
Mac & Cheese
Popped Potato Chips (blue bag)
Lite String Cheese
Guacamole
Hummus
Shelf stable chocolate soy milk
Filled tortellini (dried)

[khm]

My picks might be out of date, but when I lived near TJ's I loved -

Cereals (they were much cheaper than name-brand versions elsewhere)
Granola
Hummus / Pita bread
Tortilla chips
Wine
Freezer appetizers
Cheeses, oh man, good cheeses

[mommylamb]

Ha ha... I just got back from a TJs run. I'm glad you're caving.

I buy:
no nitrate hot dogs
apple cereal bars
milk (it's cheaper than my regular store for non-organic no hormone milk)
eggs
cheeses of all sorts (awesome inexpensive cheese selection)
wine
frozen stuff to bring for lunches
JoJos
yogurts
chips
coffee
cereal

OK, so I pretty much do my whole shop at TJs these days.

[TonFirst]

Cat crackers
ABC Schoolhouse cookies
Mini PB cups (that I hide from everyone else in my house)
Fresh flowers

[crl]

If I were you, I'd pick about 15 things from people's suggestions and be prepared to throw another 5 or so random items in the cart. There are always so many great suggestions on here that I'd get overwhelmed trying to find everything in an unfamilar store.

My suggestions:

trail mix
lavendar dishsoap
Graham crackers (so much better than any other brand I've ever tried)
Bottled peaches (so handy to have around for times when I've run out of fruit but want to wait another day to go to the store)
dark chocolate clouds (nuts and caramel covered in dark chocolate)
frozen potstickers
Marinara sauce
wine

Catherine

[TwinFoxes]

First, Don't go on a weekend!

"A Strawberry Walked into a Bar" cereal bars (the fig ones are good too!)
CHEESE! It's a lot cheaper than other cheeses
Organic Hot Dogs (they're yummy in addition to having no nitrates/nitrites)
Frozen sweet potato fries
Frozen waffles
Jo Jos are good :)
Hummus...they have a bunch of different kinds. I like the ones that don't have lemon juice.

WINE!
Have fun!

[arivecchi]

Alas, I can only go on weekends. :( I will have to write these down! I am going in about an hour and will report back. Keep 'em coming!

[lchang25000]

My all time favs at TJ's: the Peruvian chimichurri rice (frozen section), Blackthorn alcoholic apple cider, and WINE!

[KathyN115]

Good luck! And don't get frustrated - I have tried lots of stuff from TJ's that I have not liked. I tend to go once every 2 months or so, and stock up on specific things I can't get at the grocery store or that are cheaper:

Cereal bars (blueberry, strawberry) - cheap and no HFCS
Joe O's - like cheerios but much cheaper
Reduced guilt wheat crackers - like wheat thins without HFCS and also cheaper
All natural PB
Organic reduced sugar strawberry jam (yum!!)
Cream cheese (made with milk without growth hormones)
Organic ketchup - much cheaper than the grocery store
BBQ sauce - no HFCS
Frozen orange chicken - add rice and have a quick meal
Frozen organic corn - tastes better than others
Frozen chocolate croissants - these are deadly
Fresh pizza dough
Frozen Naan bread

These are the main things I get (I think). I don't care for their breads, baked goods (except packaged cookies), and produce. Their meat is fine but I usually get it at Costco.

[scrooks]

We like the organic mini cheese cracker and peanut butter sandwiches, the HUMMOS is my fav, cereal, schoolhouse letter cookies, their organic instant oatmeal, frozen turkey meatballs, frozen orange chicken.

[elektra]

Joe joe's
yogurt- vanilla cream and bluberry pack
frozen meatballs- DD loves them
frozen steelcut oatmeal

[vludmilla]

Organic Hummus, plain (1.99)
Organic hot dogs ($5)
Organic romaine lettuce (2.99)
Non organic milk (about 3.70/gallon)
European style whole milk yogurt
Mini bagels for the kids ($2)
Pretzel flats in a bag (less than $2)
Organic olive oil popcorn (less than $2)
Pesto flatbread pizza (frozen)
Frozen broccoli florets (awesome)
Birds nests (frozen appetizer thing---sooo tasty)
Frozen samosas (if you like Indian food they are awesome)

[vludmilla]

Cream cheese
Organic, fair trade, morning blend coffee ($12 for a 28 oz can)
Organic ketchup ($2)
Organic mayonnaise ($3)
Peruvian cucumbers ($2.50/lb)
Bananas are .19c ea
Organic apples in a bag are a good deal

[AnnieW625]

pasta aisle:
Gravenstein first crush apple sauce
reduced sugar jelly (also sometimes located over the frozen foods section)
peanut butter
boxed mac n cheese (both the single serve, and regular boxes)
childrens' vitamins
brownie mix is okay (however the last time I bought it they came out hard, much still prefer Ghiradelli's)
pasta
tomato basil marinara
Organic marinara w/mushrooms
California Brown Rice Medly (best brown rice mix out there!)

Dairy/deli:
regular cheddar cheese (lots of different varieties; the Irish Reduced Fat cheddar is the best RF cheese I have ever tasted)
string cheese (not that much of a deal, but decent price if you do need it now; I don't like the low fat)
house brand milk prices (including sour cream, and cottage cheese are good)
pre cooked sausages (TJ's brand)
nitrate free turkey hotdogs
Chinese Chicken low fat salad (their salads and sandwiches in general are really high in fat and or sodium, but that salad, as well as the Fiesta salad is good)

frozen food:
beef steak burritos
chicken chili verder burritos
frozen shrimp
frozen corn
frozen petite peas
frozen green beans
frozen spinach (comes in 16 oz package)
Fruit Floes popsicles
frozen pizza
Bejing stir fry veggies

Cereal:
corn flakes
kashi cereals
Barbara's Puffins
Joe's O's
Mc Cann's Oatmeal (they have a box, as well as often single serve packets)

Bread:
if they have it (our store recently discontinued them:() pre baked pizza crust (much prefer it to the fresh dough)
pitas (have whole wheat, regular, and mini)
crumpets
Cliff Z Bars for Kids (DH and I love these too!)

Other stuff (usually over the frozen section):
chocolate/white chocolate chips
reduced sugar jam
Joe's Joes (chocolate/vanilla; although I keep this out of my house on purpose!)
nice slection of animal type cookies (cats, traditional animal cookies, chocolate cats)
Moo Moo chocolate syrup
house brand wheat thins/triscuits
Kashi itsy little crackers

checkstand:
fruit strips (both regular and fiberfull)

I can't comment on your dairy and eggs really because it's most likely not trucked in from California. Same with your produce. I think it's best that you investigate this area on your own and see what you like. 10 yrs. ago Trader Joe's had a really crummy produce selection (so much so that one I went to in college had a produce stand in front of it from a local farmer!) however it's gotten better over the years. Ask people who are shopping at the same time as you what they like and what they don't like. The staffers are usually very helpful with this too.

Good luck and just take it slowly if you end up liking it you'll eventually get in the groove and you'll be able to be in and out in the same amount of time as you can get through the regular supermarket.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Sunday evening is usually a pretty decent time to go. Of course, during the weekday mornings is even better but since that isn't a choice, just go this evening. You're setting yourself up for another frustrating visit if you go mid-day on a Sunday, imo. But, if you have to go during the afternoon just go with patience. :)

Beth

[arivecchi]

Thanks everyone! Heading there now with my shopping assistant - DS2.

[arivecchi]

Ok. I went there and did not completely hate it this time! :ROTFLMAO: I hate to admit it, but you guys were right. I bought a ton of stuff and expected to pay at least $50 more! The prices were actually good for most things. It was easier this time since I was expecting the weird layout and was armed with an awesome shopping list courtesy of the awesome mamas in the BBB. :)

So I bought:
wine
frozen veggies
edamame
frozen brocolli
frozen sweet potato fries
chimichurri rice (cannot wait to try this!)
turkey meatballs
chocolate clouds (for ahem, DH)
banana nut clusters cereal
applegate farms ham
hummus
kiwis
wheat pita
vanilla soy milk
chocolate soy milk
bbq sauce
maple granola
Joe Joes
light string cheese
whole milk (TJs)
steak burritos (DH was excited to see these in the bag)
mini wheat bagels
apple bars
strawberry bars
mini chicken tacos
frozen steel cut oatmeal
turkey hot dogs
chicken mango sausages
TJs dark coffee
smoked apple chicken sausages
chicken noodle soup
whipped cream cheese
strawberry yogurt
rice pudding
instant oatmeal
mac & cheese with WI cheddar
tons of organic yogurt for the kids
organic chese (they did not have regular slices)

I hope we end up liking the stuff we got. DH was happy with the prices. :)

[Carrots]

It sounds like you did a good job with your shopping!!!
I love the TJ's frozen appetizers. Spanakopita and phyllo cups with goat cheese and carmelized onions are my favorite two. They are great to have on hand!

I haven't been in a while because my TJ's moved and now it is a PITA to get to.

[Globetrotter]

:applause: Is it pathetic that I'm excited for you? Yes, pathetic.

I'm glad it worked out! Each time you go, you will figure out your favorites. I've tried a lot of stuff at TJ's, a much higher percentage than at the regular grocery stores, and I've liked most of it.

I would definitely recommend the cereals - they are a much better deal! Also:
cheese
organic baby carrots (great kid snack)
chopped mushrooms
baby spinach in a bag
peeled garlic in a bag
whole grain bread -YUM - this is in the bakery breads (unsliced)
whole wheat middle eastern flatbread - just tried this and loved it
whole wheat pita - also great!
mini bagels - perfect for kid's snacks
mediterranean hummus
almondina cookies
oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
cat cookies - kid snack (though i eat them because they are small and lowfat!)
frozen:
mushroom turnovers
spanakopita
salted edamame - great snack
potstickers
pizzas
frozen desserts are YUM, like ice cream bon bons
small ice cream cake that is perfect for small bday parties and SO CHEAP compared to Baskin Robbins - wish I had remembered that for ds's party ETA: just $7.99 for nine servings - WOW!

white whole wheat flour for baking
nut (and nut free) butters, like sunflower/peanut/soy/almond - priced reasonably
whole wheat pasta
tortellini and ravioli (inc. a mini ravioli that kids love)
gnocchi
basil marinara sauce
lentil curls (chips aisle)
red bean and rice chips - unbelievably good!
salted plaintain chips
apple clusters (if you like dried fruit)
all kinds of nuts and dried fruits, though I no longer like their dried bananas
omega 3 eggs
crispy taco shells without all the crap
canned beans - different types
quinoa in a box - great alternative to rice or pasta

I'll just stop there but you get the idea. :ROTFLMAO:

[Fairy]

D'oh! I missed this thread this AM! I am not kidding when I say I do have your JoJo's, and I'm not opening them till I see you! I thought about sending them to you, but I think they'll get broken up in the mail. Your list looks great, and I'm so glad you had a good experience. Yay!!! Some comments from me below!

frozen veggies
I really do love their frozen veggies and have yet to have a bad experience with these. The one surprise I got was their frozen grilled eggplant and squash, I think. They were oily, and I wasn't expecting that. They were good, but not really what I would eat, so didn't buy them again. The rest of the frozen veggies were outstanding.

chimichurri rice (cannot wait to try this!)
Now, they also have frozen organic brown rice (and a non-organic one, too) that I cannot say enough good stuff about. Three minutes in your nuker, and you're ready to go. Such a great staple.

chocolate clouds (for ahem, DH)
Uh huh.

applegate farms ham
We love their turkey. It's not as conveninet as the stuff you get a Jewel sliced up from the deli and easily taken out of its package. I will say the packaging here sucks. But it's such good stuff.

kiwis
I really love their produce, we get alot of our stuff here.

Joe Joes
Wait till the peppermint ones come out again. Mmmmm.

turkey hot dogs
I have yet to find a hot dog at TJ's that I've liked. It is one of the few things we haven't converted to. I just do the Hebrew National from Jewel. Might try again this summer.

instant oatmeal
SO GOOD I cannot tell you.

organic chese (they did not have regular slices)
I do not like cheese, generally, yet I have GREAT luck with their cheese. Great selection.

I'm a sucker for that frozen aisle. So many great prepared meals there. We do ALOT of those, and so far, they're pretty great.

Yay, you did a TJ's run! So happy for ya!

[srhs]

:applause: Is it pathetic that I'm excited for you? Yes, pathetic.
Add me to the list who's applauding your change of heart: :bighand:
It's just not right, you see......me living 3+ hours from a TJs, making family pick up carloads of food to bring me, stocking up coolers when on vacation to haul home, maintaining a database of suggested items, hits and misses.....and then you having multiple locations around you and NOT liking it... That was really messing with my universe. ;)

[mamicka]

Thanks for this thread. TJ's is about 30-40 minutes from me but I've been wanting to go for a while. Lots of good suggestions here.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Don't forget the soap and bath goodies. The Lavande de Provence (or something like that) soap smells heavenly! Tea Tree Oil and Castille Soap are cheap there, too. Along with some other household stuff. Our nearest one is 150 miles away, and I would LOVE to have one close by!

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Add me to the list who's applauding your change of heart: :bighand:
It's just not right, you see......me living 3+ hours from a TJs, making family pick up carloads of food to bring me, stocking up coolers when on vacation to haul home, maintaining a database of suggested items, hits and misses.....and then you having multiple locations around you and NOT liking it... That was really messing with my universe. ;)

:hysterical: I agree 100%!

[lchang25000]

chimichurri rice (cannot wait to try this!)


Yay! Glad you decided to buy it...I hope you'll enjoy it! It's my favorite thing there. I can eat the whole bag all by myself! :bag

[TwinFoxes]

:applause: Is it pathetic that I'm excited for you? Yes, pathetic.



Well, then I'm pathetic too.

I have to say, I find it hilarious that the first thing on your list was WINE! :54:

[michellerw]

YAY!

Fairy, I love that frozen brown rice too. It's put brown rice back in our weekday rotation.

[arivecchi]

Thanks everyone for convincing me. I'll have to take DH with me next time!
Is it pathetic that I'm excited for you? Yes, pathetic.

I'm glad it worked out! Each time you go, you will figure out your favorites. I've tried a lot of stuff at TJ's, a much higher percentage than at the regular grocery stores, and I've liked most of it.

I would definitely recommend the cereals - they are a much better deal! Also:
cheese
organic baby carrots (great kid snack)
chopped mushrooms
baby spinach in a bag
peeled garlic in a bag
whole grain bread -YUM - this is in the bakery breads (unsliced)
whole wheat middle eastern flatbread - just tried this and loved it
whole wheat pita - also great!
mini bagels - perfect for kid's snacks
mediterranean hummus
almondina cookies
oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
cat cookies - kid snack (though i eat them because they are small and lowfat!)
frozen:
mushroom turnovers
spanakopita
salted edamame - great snack
potstickers
pizzas
frozen desserts are YUM, like ice cream bon bons
small ice cream cake that is perfect for small bday parties and SO CHEAP compared to Baskin Robbins - wish I had remembered that for ds's party ETA: just $7.99 for nine servings - WOW!

white whole wheat flour for baking
nut (and nut free) butters, like sunflower/peanut/soy/almond - priced reasonably
whole wheat pasta
tortellini and ravioli (inc. a mini ravioli that kids love)
gnocchi
basil marinara sauce
lentil curls (chips aisle)
red bean and rice chips - unbelievably good!
salted plaintain chips
apple clusters (if you like dried fruit)
all kinds of nuts and dried fruits, though I no longer like their dried bananas
omega 3 eggs
crispy taco shells without all the crap
canned beans - different types
quinoa in a box - great alternative to rice or pasta

I'll just stop there but you get the idea. :hysterical: Are you SURE you like TJs?


D'oh! I missed this thread this AM! I am not kidding when I say I do have your JoJo's, and I'm not opening them till I see you! I thought about sending them to you, but I think they'll get broken up in the mail. Your list looks great, and I'm so glad you had a good experience. Yay!!! I was mentally prepared this time to deal with the alternate grocery store universe. :rotflmao: Already tried the JoJos. Um, yeah, they are dang good!


Add me to the list who's applauding your change of heart:
It's just not right, you see......me living 3+ hours from a TJs, making family pick up carloads of food to bring me, stocking up coolers when on vacation to haul home, maintaining a database of suggested items, hits and misses.....and then you having multiple locations around you and NOT liking it... That was really messing with my universe. Sorry for messing your universe! :hysterical: I'm glad to have turned things back to normal for ya!


Thanks for this thread. TJ's is about 30-40 minutes from me but I've been wanting to go for a while. Lots of good suggestions here. Yeah, go! I think I am now a convert. :tongue5:

[alexsmommy]

Ok. I went there and did not completely hate it this time! :ROTFLMAO: I hate to admit it, but you guys were right. I bought a ton of stuff and expected to pay at least $50 more! The prices were actually good for most things. It was easier this time since I was expecting the weird layout and was armed with an awesome shopping list courtesy of the awesome mamas in the BBB. :)


I didn't comment last time, but I read and thought, "Oh, she went in expecting Jewel/Dominicks." I think the trick to a slow love affair with TJ's is to go in thinking of it as an alternative/supplemental specialty store. Then you gradually find that there are also great substitutes to your typical grocery store items. Soon you may be like me who can do 70-80% of my shopping there. It's worth going to two stores for me.
And the wine - you can't beat the wine - great prices without having to hit a warehouse.

[Fairy]

I didn't comment last time, but I read and thought, "Oh, she went in expecting Jewel/Dominicks." I think the trick to a slow love affair with TJ's is to go in thinking of it as an alternative/supplemental specialty store. Then you gradually find that there are also great substitutes to your typical grocery store items. Soon you may be like me who can do 70-80% of my shopping there. It's worth going to two stores for me.
And the wine - you can't beat the wine - great prices without having to hit a warehouse.

ITA, this is how I finally got hooked. It took definitely three or four visits and me going, what the heck is this fuss all about, this place is really wack, before I found the right groove for me. There are things that TJs won't replace, at least not at this time. But every time I go, I find a little something here or there that I didn't realize I'd be ok moving to the time before. Slow love affair is a great way to describe it.

[KHF]

The TJ's Maple Pecan Granola (that I believe was on your purchased list) is one of my all-time favorites. I live about 30 minutes from TJ's, so when I go I buy 4-5 boxes of that stuff! I put about a 1/3 of a cup into yogurt. It's the only way I can stomach eating yogurt! The Vanilla Almond one is also super-tasty :)

[pastrygirl]

I love the Soyaki sauce/marinade (island or regular). I put a few chicken breasts into the slow cooker and pour that over it, cook on low for 7 hours, shred the chicken and add it back in, add a bag of broccoli slaw, and cook on low for another 1/2 hour. YUM!

[alexsmommy]

I love the Soyaki sauce/marinade (island or regular). I put a few chicken breasts into the slow cooker and pour that over it, cook on low for 7 hours, shred the chicken and add it back in, add a bag of broccoli slaw, and cook on low for another 1/2 hour. YUM!

Oh yum. Guess what we're having for dinner now that I read this?
Just stuck the TJ's organic chx breasts from fridge and the Soyaki sauce in the slow cooker... Already in pantry. Now to find a good veggie to stick in there since I do not have the slaw on hand.

Every time I grill with this stuff the neighbors come sniffing asking what I am making that smells so good.

[arivecchi]

One more update: DS1 has approved the JoJos. When asked whether he prefers the JoJos or the Oreos, he pled the fifth. :rotflmao:

[Fairy]

Yay for JoJo's!

Speaking of which, watch out for all items in the general location of where you found the JoJo's, which in my store is above the frozen foods. That whole shelf above the frozen foods on each side is rampant with crap you do not need in your body but tastes so good you think you might die if you don't have it. I'm not kidding. None of them are cheap, and none of them are diet. I especially love anything chocolate-covered. I try to just not look at any of it.

[AnnieW625]

One more update: DS1 has approved the JoJos. When asked whether he prefers the JoJos or the Oreos, he pled the fifth. :rotflmao:

I honestly think I still prefer Oreos, but again Joe Joe's are usually cheaper and taste better than the other store brands.

Also-- for the beef steak burritos I usually avoid the beef entrees at all cost, but these are darn good and pretty much the only beef entree that's frozen that I'll voluntarily buy and or eat.

Glad you had a much more positive experience.

[Fairy]

Also-- for the beef steak burritos I usually avoid the beef entrees at all cost, but these are darn good and pretty much the only beef entree that's frozen that I'll voluntarily buy and or eat.


Annie, why is that? Is there something about THEIR beef, or is it frozen beef in general? Fill me in!

[AnnieW625]

Annie, why is that? Is there something about THEIR beef, or is it frozen beef in general? Fill me in!

I don't know why but beef in frozen entrees like Lean Cuisine has always kind of grossed me out so I have never bought it. I buy frozen ground beef at Costco all of the time and that doesn't bother me. I guess it's just a thing with me.

[Fairy]

I don't know why but beef in frozen entrees like Lean Cuisine has always kind of grossed me out so I have never bought it. I buy frozen ground beef at Costco all of the time and that doesn't bother me. I guess it's just a thing with me.

Ah. Gotcha!

[essnce629]

You must try the Cherry Almond Clusters cereal next time. It's pricey-- $4.89 for a small box but it's sooooo good and I get 2 boxes every week just for me! The dried cherries in it are so big and delicious. It's "a blend of oat clusters, cherries, almonds & cornflakes." I have a bowl every morning. Also try their Apricot Mango Yogurt. It's in a small orange and white container. It's SUPER thick like greek yogurt and is made with whole milk. It has a ton of fat and calories, but is to die for! I used to eat one every morning as well, but right now I'm dairy free. You can treat it more like a dessert if you want. They used to have a strawberry one as well that was awesome, but they discontinued it. I love their apple walnut raisin bars as well. So good toasted and with some butter on them for breakfast.

DBF loves the Baked Jalapeno Cheese Crunchies. They're like jalapeno cheetos kind of, but baked. He buys 3 bags a week and eats them every night as a snack with his TJ's wine!

Oh and don't forget the Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches next time you go. They're like chipwhiches. Two big chocolate chip cookies (with big chocolate chuncks) with vanilla ice cream in the middle that's rolled in mini chocolate chips. These are also super fatty and high calorie, but you have to try them at least once!

[srhs]

So glad this thread is still going!

I need to report I had a dream about TJs last night. :bag I don't remember all the details, but it definitely involved a hunt for more Carrot-Apple Crushers for DS1!

ETA: How can we get a TJ's smiley? I think we need one!

[arivecchi]

Thanks for all the additionals recs! I guess I will keep adding items to the list!

[JTsMom]

See, I tried to warn you that we'd convert you! ;)
Did you check out the post that was started within a day or 2 of your first TJ's post? I had a long list of recs in that one.

[arivecchi]

See, I tried to warn you that we'd convert you! ;)
Did you check out the post that was started within a day or 2 of your first TJ's post? I had a long list of recs in that one. No! I will have to look for it!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Forgot about the broccoli slaw! Yum! So easy! I mix it with some poppyseed dressing for a tasty, easy side dish.

Beth

[Globetrotter]

:hysterical: Are you SURE you like TJs?

Who, me? :loveeyes:

My kids always say I can't live without TJS, and they are right! :ROTFLMAO: