Trader Joes

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
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falcontook

Assistant Cook
Joined
Sep 8, 2008
Messages
49
Anyone else find Trader Joes to be a great answer for being to lazy to cook? :ROFLMAO: Their frozen food sections really have everything and a person can warm up food in minutes. What do you guys think?
 
I love Trader Joes. My favorite is their croissant's that you bake fresh. After eating those, it's hard to go back to the packaged kind. I also love their orange chicken.
 
TJ's is always in my head when it comes to food items. For example, my roomie doesn't like black beans (which I love for mexican meals), but likes refried beans. TJs has refried black beans. Voila. They have some killer salad dressings, including a pear vinagrette with gorganzola cheese and a low-fat parmesan ranch dressing. Also I love their 100 calorie pack cookie snacks, and the price is right. Big thumbs up for TJs from this working chef.
 
My Trader Joe favorites?

All of their ethnic "simmer sauces"
Frozen potsticker dumplings
Frozen eggrolls
various noodles & noodle mixes
Asian dipping sauces
various pickles
pasta sauces


Frankly - there are very few things I've bought from Trader Joe's that I haven't enjoyed.
 
couple years back i did a whole christmas eve dinner with frozen stuff from tj. they have lots of products in small serving sizes. it was well received . don't get there very often. it is way on the other side of town.

babe:chef:
 
I am a HUGE TJ fan!! favorite items....? Where shall I begin....
Frozen terriyaki chicken breast in strips
Frozen Tempura!!! Awsome!
frozen veggie birds nests
ALL THEIR CHEESES!
fresh bread very yummy!
pea crisps (chip section)
simmering sauces!
frozen individual servings of Jasmine rice or brown rice
decent wines at great prices
ok I think you guys got the point...or shall I go on?:LOL:
 
I love Trader Joes. My favorite is their croissant's that you bake fresh. After eating those, it's hard to go back to the packaged kind. I also love their orange chicken.

I love Trader Joe's underbaked breads that you just put in the oven and bake fresh. I also like combining their orange chicken with their shrimp fried rice haha. O and I cant forget about their chips and salsa. I always buy a jar of salsa and the organic corn tortilla chips.
 
My list almost mirrors BreezyCooking's. My favorite, for a quick healthy meal, is their simmer sauces. I always have Trader Joe's frozen veggies on hand so What I do is set the rice cooker before I leave for work and have it have the rice done at a specific time (usually 6:30). I cut up some chicken and cook it up in a frying pan then add one of the simmer sauces and a few handfuls of frozen veggies and cook until the veggies are heated. Serve over the rice and you have a healthy delicious meal for very little money and in very little time.

If you do not have time to make the rice then you can use one of TJ's already cooked rices. We really enjoy one of the wild rice blends. There is also a grain mix that has Israeli couscous and 3 other grains that is delicious and cooks up in minutes.
 
Another Trader Joe's lover here!

Where to start - some of my favorites include:

feta cheese and carmelized onion appetizers
TJ pizza dough and sauce
TJ hummus
TJ sesame pita chips
TJ sesame crackers
TJ butter (esp the European style butter)
beluga black lentils (already cooked in a little pouch - awesome)
chicken pomadoro
naan
hericot verts
frozen wild Maine blueberries
whole grain bread
roasted red pepper and tomato soup
chocolate truffle brownie mix
greek style yogurt
frozen rack of lamb
frozen apple strudel
fresh flowers
 
I agree with all of you and I've found a treasure, really good evoo and oo at a reasonable price. In the grocery store the same size bottle is any where from 10.00 to16.00 I get them for 5,6 or 7 dollars..There ready made salads at 2.99 are a steal especially for my girls who don't have long at lunch time. In a hurry I grab some seasoned ready to use pizza dough and make one at home...There little mushroom appetizers are so tasty..The selection of wines and beer keep my sons in law smiling...I've been pleased with everything I've gotten there..There green chili enchiladas are fantastic..No I don't own any stock, but I sure wish I did:LOL:
kadesma
 
The only TJ in my area is too far to drive to conveniently.

BUT... I noticed a sign in a close shopping center that one is "coming soon".

Although I haven't been impressed with TJ so far, I am anticipating really exploring this new one.
Their products seem great, but the store is so small, and so packed with shoppers that it is no fun to shop there. Hopefully the new one will be larger.
 
I have to admit that I think most of TJ's frozen food is mediocre at best. :(

Interesting when I buy it but very disappointing when I eat it. Same with their canned goods. Their "fresh" bread is usually stale.

Pretty much the only thing I buy there anymore are nuts, cowboy charcoal and cheap wine.

I might rethink the croissants now, though.
 
Their "fresh" bread is usually stale.
That is really too bad. I have gotten some delicious and very fresh breads there.

Try their olive oil Jenny. There is a brand called Santini. It sells for about $3 or $4. Next time you find yourself in a TJ's and want to try something worth your trip I think you will be pretty happy with it.
 
That is really too bad. I have gotten some delicious and very fresh breads there.

Try their olive oil Jenny. There is a brand called Santini. It sells for about $3 or $4. Next time you find yourself in a TJ's and want to try something worth your trip I think you will be pretty happy with it.

I will try it. I've heard good things about it. Though I am quite picky about oil and did not liked the oil I bought there years ago. I am hooked on Fairway's olis.

I go to the one in Cambridge which is always crazy crowded and the breads (like the frozen stuff) look good but taste stale to me. I get better at Stop and Shop or Bj's if I am not making my own.
 
I know what you mean about the frozen stuff Jenny. I have been disappointed with some of them. I used them as a quick dinner when I don't feel like cooking and it is between something like that or takeout Chinese or pizza. i figure the TJ's frozen things are a little healthier and usually less expensive too.

What I do like is some of their frozen fish. they have a chimichurri tuna that is delicious. I will cook one of those with the 4 grain blend and some veggies for a quick weekday meal. Takes about 15 minutes from start to finish and costs just a few bucks to feed my entire family.
 
I love their fresh Salsa and Guacamole dip. It's the next best thing compared to homemade. :D
 
I was just there yesterday. I would love to be able to shop there more but I forget to go when I'm close. I'm such a forgetful shopper sometimes. They have great fish and great cheeses. I love their prices too.
 
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