Happy February, we're moving right along through 2014! Punxsutawney Phil will soon let us know whether we should prepare for another snowzilla or look forward to warmer weather. It may be the shortest month of the year, but February brings many special days to enjoy the unique offerings from Trader Joe's. Perhaps you'll be buying a few extra treats for a Super Bowl party or chocolate treats for a special Valentine's Day celebration.
What items have you tried recently, would you rate these items with a YAY, MEH or NAY?
It looks like TJs is doubling down on Pepperidge Farm! The Convivial Cookie Collection is very similar to PF's cookie assortment (is it called Sociable?) and is a lovely selection of delicate, crispy cookies, some with chocolate, some without. (Actually these two are more alike than the sandwich cookies are to the Milanos, if you ask me, as are the names.) Big yay from me.
I was surprised it was 12.99 for a box of cookies?
Pretty sure these are just repackaged Lambertz biscuits from Germany
In that case, $2.99 is a heck of a deal!
Sure looks that way! Good detective work.
https://www.lambertz-shop.de/catalog/...
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6skOAdXcDl...
Maybe Pepperidge Farm should sue them instead? : )
Very little detective work was required on my part. I ate a lot of those cookie in my younger days while backpacking Europe. Those boxes were perfect for longish train rides (along with bottles of fantas).
I knew it was either Delacre or Lambertz ... the TJ box says it's made in Germany, and they kept the name of the cookies..that narrowed it to Lambertz.
Agree, these are PF knockoffs and pretty good.
They still have not had these cookies at my store and the two employees I've asked didn't even know what I was talking about. One said at first that they were seasonal and wouldn't be in stock until next Christmas and the other one asked if I were sure that it was the TJ's website where I saw them . . .
Meh. Have to dissent on these cookies.
Perhaps expectations were too high......but these didn't meet them.
Four of the six varieties were downright boring. The two more interesting types were the Coco-fleurs ("tender, round, coconut biscuits, coated with dark chocolate, and sprinkled with coconut flakes") and the Neapolitaners ("crispy, rectangular wafers completely coated in dark chocolate"). But even they weren't special enough to raise the entirety to a Yay.
I agree with you on the meh for the Convivial Collection. The best ones were the almond thins and the Milano-style cookies that TJ's also sells separately. The rest of the cookies are not very flavorful, just sweet, and the chocolate is just okay and a little waxy.
At least they were in excellent condition, none broken at all.
HUGE YAY! for the Spicy Pickled Vegetables (located near the refrigerated sauerkraut). I served them alongside of a curry and, as a self described pickle addict, they are INSANELY good!
Also, YAY to an oldie but a goodie: the honey sesame cashews. I had not bought these in a while, but I ate about a quarter of the bag once I opened them. If you like halvah, these are definitely a winner.
Apple Bourbon BBQ sauce: NAY for me. It tastes like ketchup more than anything. When I looked at the ingredients, it became clear why: it's basically tomato sauce and various forms of sugar/fruit juice. I like a little more complexity--spice and spices--in my BBQ sauce. If, on the other hand, you find most BBQ sauces to be too tangy, sharp, or spicy, you might like this.
They discontinued the broth packets, and those were so wonderful I tried that hearty vegetable stuff and I think my sink burped when I tossed the 31 3/4 down the drain. Sweet, viscous and vile.
If the broth packets are the small packets of concentrated low sodium broth that comes in a box, Savory Choice makes them, and you could order it directly from their website. Also some Whole Foods carry it.
Oh no! I hope it wasn't the low sodium chicken broth packets! Those are so good and convenient. I really don't want to have to order them or search other stores.
I still see the chicken broth packets at TJ, but think TJ used to carry the low sodium vegetable broth too.
Oh I never saw those. I would have definitely bought them if I had.
Savory Choice is a local company (to me, in SF bay area). I started using their product before Trader Joe started carrying it. Since TJ only carry the chicken broth (and are cheaper), I order directly from Savory Choice for other types broth and the pho broth. They often throw in a package of another of their product as a sample.
Amazon carries it, but it's way more expensive.
Agreed. I tried it once and also tossed the rest. At this point i either use the organic veggie better than bullion or my own stash in the freezer
Take the package back for a refund!
YAY-ish
Tried the frozen chana masala at the tasting station the other day- it's been around for years but I'm a wimp and have had my head blown off by restaurant versions. Surprisingly it's quite mild, definitely some spice but i found it managable. I flopped the whole hot thing into a bowl of fresh spinach which wilted a bit and added some green. Good for a quick cheap lunch but not so amazing to be a new staple for me
http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-fl...
Is the frozen chana masala significantly better than the shelf-stable version?
I don't think i have tried the shelf stable one... Too afraid it would blow my head off! Never would have bought the frozen one if it hadn't been for the tasting station.
If the shelf stable is super spicy and you like that then stick with it.
As a side note i bought the masala sauce (NAY) mistakenly thinking it would be the same/similar to what was in the channa masala and it's totally different- much more heavily spiced, maybe too much cumin? Not well balanced. And quite spicy. It's going back.
The shelf stable Chana Masala is not particularly spicy at all trock.
"Masala" is just blend of spices, not any blend in particular.
It's literally the Hindi word for spice.
Bought the Scandinavian Swimmers based on some YAY's here. Though they are okay, they taste and feel too much like gummy bears to me. I LOVE Swedish Fish, the consistency and flavor is much better to me, do not like gummy bears. Weird, I know. So, a MEH from me on these. The good news is... I won;t eat the whole bag in one sitting. :-)
Not sure if I wrote about the tamales in the refrigerator section, but steamed according to the directions (yes, timing was almost correct), they were really good. Have all three flavors in the garage fridge, but only tried the veggie ones so far. Actually used them as a side for a slow cooked beef dish, seasoned to match, and it worked. So, a YAY for these.
Me too on the Swimmers, love a good fruity candy. Did not like taste or texture, so I returned them.
NAY to the portobello fries which I was excited to try. Even though I baked longer and on foil, some of the breading stuck and fell off. Pretty greasy, as well, and mushrooms were unpleasantly chewy. I'm still searching for the ideal breaded mushroom of my youth, tender little bites in crunchy breading, sigh.
Those were a YAY for me as well...except the blue ones. Those are a MEH. I still ate them though.
I love Swedish fish too! And I know this is for Trader Joe's products, but the Target House brand (forget the name), is an excellent product. Great texture and flavor and for half the price as the original SF.
BTW, I have no affiliation to Target, just happened to pick up a package one night while I was there and got hooked!
Yeah, the swimmers were a "meh" for me, too. I thought the texture was too soft.
My SO reports that our TJ is out of Cream Shave lotion. Can anyone confirm whether or not their store has it?
Peanut butter: last month somebody mentioned that TJ's now has no-stir peanut butter, creamy or crunchy - just what I want. There was a question about what besides peanuts are in it. "Each jar has peanuts (ground smooth or crunchy), palm oil (from sustainable sources), a little cane sugar, and a pinch of salt - the oil and sugar help to keep the natural oils from separating." In effect, the same as Skippy's "natural" variety, but at $1.99 for a 16 oz jar, way less expensive. Sounds good to me and I'll pick up some of the creamy stuff next time at TJ's.
I'm always concerned about the use of palm oil in products and wish Trader Joe's and other stores would stop selling them. Apparently there really are sustainable sources for it, but that's the minority of the palm oil available. I doubt there is any oversight on the use of the word sustainable. More info here:
http://www.orangutans.com.au/Oranguta...
Yea - Creamy No Stir Peanut Butter Spread (groceries). Excellent. Tastes more like peanuts than Skippy, more spreadable than Jif, no sign of any oil separating. TJ's scores again.
Anticipating objections such as these, TJ's label says the product uses "sustainable palm oil." I trust them or I wouldn't buy from them.
I have sent them a note and asked them directly about how "sustainable" their palm oil really is. We'll see if they ever respond.
I wouldn't be surprised if they tell you. They've been responsive to such inquiries in the past. Whether you'll be satisfied with what they say - whether you *can* be satisfied - is another matter.
In my experience, TJ's customer service has been better than any other major food vendor. Yet, sometimes they don't have or don't provide such detailed information. Also, many times, they are misinformed and plain wrong about their own products. I understand they have to balance with having their paid employees working on tasks that are more inline with their average customers. CH-type enthusiasm and inquiries are extremely rare. They will always respond once. But if you say, wait a sec, could you explain this, or here are pictures of your own products showing what you said is false, could you really find out for me; I've only received a follow-up reply twice in maybe 20 tries. Good luck.
Haven't seen the red palm oil there lately but fyi this is what they has posted about it
http://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/...
Thanks! I hadn't seen that on their website. I wonder if the same is true for the palm oil in the peanut butter and other products. I hope so! They still haven't answered my query.
It takes a while, but they'll get to you. If you want "express" service, ask in-store during business days/hours and they will usually get back to you while you shop. Otherwise, if HQ doesn't have the answer, the store personnel will call you when they HQ gets back to them with an answer. I have received this level of service in all three Baltimore-area stores, so I'm assuming it's standard practice. This is why I'm very forgiving even when their answer frustrates me -- you simply can't find better service.
I got a reply today. Here's what they said:
Thank you so much for contacting us, and thank you for your feedback on this important issue. We do want to let you know that much of the palm oil used in our Trader Joe's products comes from small scale family farms in South America. These farmers are certified by Pro-Forest, which ensures that they meet strict social, environmental and technical criteria.
With regard to environmental criteria, the assessments are carried out at the landscape and operational level at both the farms and processing facilities. These assessments cover environmental impact on the soil, water, air, biodiversity and local communities. The lands the farmers use are not lands that were deforested. The lands used to grow the palm fruit are lands previously used for agricultural purposes (cattle, rice, bananas, etc.).
Still, though, while much of the palm oil our vendors source is as described above, it is impossible for us at this time to ensure that all of our palm oil is sourced this way, and some of it is definitely sourced as a commodity. We definitely appreciate your input, though, and we hope this information helps inform your shopping choices.
Thank you again,
Nicki K.
Trader Joe's
Customer Relations
Much as I'd like to support the small farmers in Ecuador, based on the "some of it is definitely sourced as a commodity" statement, I think I'll restrict myself to only buying their products that don't contain palm oil.
Did you specifically ask about the peanut butter? If not, maybe you can ask about a specific product and see what they tell you.
I didn't because I wasn't going to buy that peanut butter anyway. I prefer Teddy all-natural no salt peanut butter. I don't mind stirring and I keep it in the fridge so it only needs that initial stir.
However, according to the fearless flyer listing it is from sustainable sources:
http://traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/...
Look promising that TJ's might be able to identify sustainability on a per-product basis.
True. But then does nothing about the non-sustainable products.
Also on the label, as I posted here.
From the February Fearless Flyer:
Yea - Turkey Chili with Beans (canned). I'm no chili connoisseur but I really like this and TJ's other varieties of canned chili with beans - sometimes eat it cold right out of the can.
Yea - Organic Maple Syrup, either the amber or the darker variety but especially the latter. $7.99 for 12 fluid ounces may not sound like a bargain, but for maple syrup it definitely is,
Yea - Omega-3 supplements, recently including wild salmon fish oil capsules. Recently there have been articles disputing whether taking fish oil actually does you any good, but I believe the issue is how the oil is processed. Without having checked or knowing how to, I somehow trust TJ's to do it right.
New to me and all Yays:
Turkey chili and beans. A friend brought over a simple dip with this and cream cheese in it....we devoured it. I have two cans on standby now, ready for an impromptu party.
Partially popped corn-butterscotch salted caramel. This is insanely good and I was pleased that it didn't break my teeth when chomping on it.
Chocolate covered salted caramels (something like that). These are so yummy. It's like an adult milk dud (and very soft on your choppers).
Oh, I've been meaning to post about the butterscotch partially popped popcorn. I was excited about it, but sadly, my taste buds didn't feel the same way as yours. I love butterscotch, but the butterscotch flavor on the popcorn was overly strong and tasted artificial to me. I have to give this stuff a NAY.
Just tried their kale, sweet potato and quinoa burrito, I'd give it a MEH. It would have probably been a yay had the spice factor went down a thousand. (Okay, it wasn't THAT spicy...but way too spicy for what it was.) The spice made no sense.
Also, I tried the goats milk yogurt, HUGE YAY!!!! It's dense like a greek yogurt (in fact, might be greek yogurt...I'm too lazy to go look at the label.) I had it with honey and blueberries. It's got a nice savory goat flavor.
i'm not sure if this is the right thread to post this in but has anyone else noticed that trader joes discontinued their baked onion rings snack about a month ago? i practically lived off of those(snack food wise) for the past 7 years, and have been craving them every day. i didn't need to eat other snacks with them, because they were so good, but they were also "healthy", so i never gained any weight. i already gained 5 pounds in the past month since i've had to resort to eating other crap. does anyone know who the supplier is? all i know is, this is hitting me hard!
Are you sure they're discontinued? Saw a bunch of bags of these last night at Trader Joe's in Austin.
Surprisingly the nutritional info for wise onion rings is nearly the same (same calories and fat per serving), but the ingredient list isn't quite as simple
http://www.fooducate.com/app#!page=pr...
The clerk in the store in Mpls. said they were discontinuing them when we bought a bag in late January.
Low-fat organic yogurt seems to have gone away. Last time, after a several month gap, a new producer with new labeling (TJ-branded) took their place, and it was AWESOME. Sorry they seem to have gone away so soon. Hope it's just a supply gap, but the fridge doesn't even have a slot for it anymore.
YAY for the mini butterscotch shortbread buttons. Apparently these are a new (in January) permanent version of the beloved holiday-season butterscotch shortbread wreaths. I suggest you take out a few and put the rest away before you taste them, or you might eat half the bag in one sitting.
Product idea: a food safe, with timer that allows door to be opened only for 30 seconds every 24 hours.
These things are perfectly evil. They are the keys to empty calorie Armageddon in a cheerful little bag. I bought them *knowing* the shortbread would not be up to my standard. Not to dismiss my fellow 'Hounds, but I am very picky when it comes to shortbread, Damned if they aren't perfection. And evil.
Oh, and they go really well with a glass of Jameson, too. Because if you're going for vice, pack 'em in, I say.
Haven't posted to CH in several years. Just want to thank 2 folks for recommendations in January:
To Mishaps: we loved the root veg. ravioli. never would have thought to try it without your rec. It will now be a regular purchase.
To ChristinaMason: what a terrific idea to make pizza on frozen naan bread! We tried it and it worked great.
I'd heard TJ's ice cream was good (I like the coffee one) but I tried the French Vanilla one. I like it a lot because it's not too rich, not too sweet. Had it with poached quince slices .. first time I've tried that fruit! (I made that, not from TJ!)
MEH-Chocolate covered sunflower seeds--I used to buy the dark chocolate covered pomegrante seeds as my one dessert/treat item that I could make last a week.. but I haven't been for TJ's for weeks, and now they cannot be found. Anyone seen them? Anyway, these sunflower seeds are OKAY, but not a replacement. They kind of remind me of pb-m&ms.
YAY-ish-Chicago mix popcorn--I haven't had this since it came out because I am originally from Chicago and know that this is pretty close to the real deal. I decided to go for it again tonight (movie night!!)--it is still good, but the caramel is a little heavy for me.. (maybe my sweet-tooth has just died a bit.
Bad news for ya..... TJs employee working near the chocolates and also TJs employee checking me out who verified with more official looking employee said those choco covered pomegranate seeds are no more and have been discontinued. :/
The dk choco covered cranberries might give you a similar choco vs tart kind of thing? Think they're gf.
Were they blatantly "checking you out"? How flattering! ;-)
To keep this on TJ"s... are the dk choco cranberries over by the frozen food where the cookies and sweets generally are, or by the nuts and granola? I don't like chocolate, but my son would love these.
NOOOO--the dark chocolate pom seeds were my favorite dessert option; I could make 1 mini box last so long. :( Why why why TJ's! I would buy those cranberries, but I doubt I could make them last as long. :(
Thanks for the update though, Ttrockwood. You always know so much--you must have TJ connections.
By the way--did they also get rid of the yogurt covered items? The only one that was at my store was the yogurt pretzels ... no more yogurt-covered raisins or ?? Not that I've had those for years, but they are really cutting down it seems.
Just discovered the roasted plantain chips...they are kinda hidden on the lowest shelf. LOVE plantain chips, but often they are too salty or somewhat greasy. These are perfect, at least for me. Very little salt (50mg sodium), very little greasy feel, and somewhat healthier for a snack chip. Finished the first bag so fast, went back today and bought a few more. YAY from me...
BTW: Bought the frozen Onion Soup today.. I am sure I have seen posts about it and forgot, but... would love to know what people thought. I will report back when I try it.
Too funny, the time i got those plaintain chips i was cranky they weren't salty enough and were too thick.. (There's a common brand in bodegas that are thinner and more salty that i like better)
Would love to hear your thoughts on the french onion soup- it's actually vegetarian!
I do not like a lot of salt, hubby and son tend to salt their food, even when I think it is salty enough. But, if I made meals the way they like them, I could not eat it. I do like the brand you are reffing to...though, I cannot recall the name. I can only eat a few of those. Too salty. :-)
Hubby is out of town a few days later this week, will probably try it then and get back to you. I am crossing my fingers...
The last time I bought those I ended up finishing the bag as I was waiting for the train home... It's amazing how they just disappear like that
YAY!
Bag of mini mineola oranges- slightly larger than the mandarin oranges, $2.99, super juicy and flavorful, easy to peel, i found one seed in one but i suspect they're supposed to be seedless.
YAY!!!!!!
Frozen mango chunks are back!! It's been for.ev.er since these have been in stock- I wasn't the only shopper picking up several bags.
MEH/NAY
"Jumbo raisins" (not "jumbo raisin medley) have a ton of stems! Like big enough they're obnoxious and you don't want to eat them. Otherwise delicious but annoying to pick off the stems. I usually get the regular raisins and never had a stem problem with those so maybe i got a wonky batch of these.
Spotted: sweet onion bacon salad dressing, which aside from the bacon sounds great (but I don't eat bacon so i passed)
Also spotted new organic ranch salad dressing in a large bottle for $2.99.
I picked up this new basalmic honey thyme dressing that i'll post about when i try it
Saw that ranch today, did not pick it up, though. Wish I noticed that sweet onion bacon, going on my list, along with that balsamic honey dressing. Sounds great. Let us know how it is when you try it.
I read a review of the ranch elsewhere and they compared it to hidden valley saying it was a much thinner texture.
I've tried several salad dressings and the only ones i have purchased more than once are the cilantro one in the refridgerated section and the not exciting but fine champagne vinegrette.
Thanks... I am not a fan of ranch, but my husband is a huge fan. Will try a bottle and see what he thinks,
They were tasting the spinach mix with the refrigerated vacuum packed beets and crumbled feta, tossed with the balsamic vinaigrette. It was really good. Went in to get the rice pudding and a side for dinner tonight. Bought all the components, dinner is all set. Friday nights are tough, need easy-peasy.
I bought a bottle of sweet onion bacon salad dressing last night...will try tonight and update.
I've tried a few of their salad dressings and so far, I haven't found the one that I want to repurchase....
Thanks... I haven't really tried their dressings. I do have that sriracha one, but have not used it yet. If I am doing store bought dressing, my go to is Ken's I am anxious to hear, it sounds really good..
I picked up the ranch, and it was fine, just a touch sweet. I prefer mixing up the packet with buttermilk and best foods.
I, too, love those frozen mango chunks!
YAY-ish
Honey thyme basalmic vinegrette: a little too sweet but otherwise quite good. The thyme is very faint. I'm thinking it would go well with spicy greens like arugala or to soften the bitterness of radicchio.
Not sure i will buy it again since I usually make my own and this would be so easy to replicate...
MEH+ for the Turkey Chili with Beans. Not bad, but a tad lacking in deep chili character.
(Try the Stagg steakhouse reserve, sold at Costco. Or, for much more $$$, on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Stagg-Chili-Ste... Delicious, with great green chile flavor. Lots of sodium, though. We now return your computer to the Trader Joe's thread.....)
Chocolate Babka - Yay!
I also bought a bottle of red boat fish sauce and it was full of umami flavor. I highly recommend it. You can basically add this to everything, sort of like anchovy paste...nobody will notice it has fish sauce but it will definitely elevate flavor of your food.
I also think the red boat fish sauce has a full, robust flavor. However, I disagree with using it in like anchovies or anchovy paste. They taste different to me. I tried for a year to sneak fish sauce into everything (I love the stuff.) Until the family finally made me stop. No matter how small the amount, they always knew. And when I didn't use it, they knew, too. I just tried again with the red boat last month, it was just a few drops into a pasta sauce, and it was immediately discovered.
Yay - Mixed Wild Mushroom Medley. Thanks to all who recommended this last month. I never would have picked it up otherwise. Mixed a bunch in with the Gnocchi al Gorgonzola and it was a great added meaty texture and mushroom flavor.
I've been looking for it and can't find it, maybe my store has it in stock now. Is this the dried mushroom medley or the frozen?
+1 YAY
I tried it a while back now too- i defrosted, sautéed, and added it to a rice pilaf situation with chopped pecans in it.
Very good mushroomy flavor, not so different from sautéed fresh in texture either.
YAY for the Chocolate Stout. In Albany NY a large bottle was $2.50. Not much of a beer drinker but I enjoyed a glass at a beef and beer Mardi Gras meal last night.
Yay: I've been buying TJ's bag of frozen chicken breasts for quite a few years. They're easy/fast to thaw and are flatter than the chicken breasts sold in supermarkets. Also love their sourdough bread (toasted), and their Greek yogurt (lowfat and regular) and I almost forgot: their pork tenderloins (plain) are really tender! Much better than any I've bought at any of the supermarkets (including Wegman's). I like TJ's Nova Scotia salmon--almost as good as Chutzpah's (but not as expensive). Their frozen naan is good (freezer to hot oven for a few minutes & almost as good as a restaurant's version). Indian simmering sauces are good too. And, I always grab a few packages of Reduced Guilt Mac & Cheese (sprinkle w/ paprika & it's a fast lunch). Regular Mac & Cheese is good too. Want to add: I've been buying their California Estate extra virgin olive oil for a few years and it is almost as good as a $29 bottle of Olio Santo (but only $5.99).
Yay minus for the Sriracha chips. They are very crispy. They are tasty but the flavor is not really like sriracha. It has heat and a bit of sweetness but the vinegar element stands out the most. Good, but I would never have guessed that they were supposed to be sriracha flavored.
Yay minus for the tub of Dark Chocolate Chunk & Almond Cookies. They are very crispy with lots of almond bits and chunks of chocolate. However, the tub I got tastes slightly burnt and on close inspection, the cookies are very brown, although they don't appear to be burnt. Maybe it has something to do with the almonds? On the rare occasions that I bake chocolate chunk cookies, I slightly undercook them so they will be soft, so I guess it is just personal preference.
Yay for the red grapefruit, blood oranges, and small Minneola tangelos, all very sweet and firm.
BIG YAY to the rice pudding. Just discovered it today and KNEW I should buy two, but did I? NO! Now I have to go back tomorrow. In the milk section... creamy, but not too creamy. Soft rice, but not too soft. Sweet, but definitely not too sweet. Really, really liked it... I say that in past tense, because I already finished it. :-)
BTW: Bought the sweet onion, bacon dressing. One of the employees said she uses it as a marinade. So maybe that idea from up post, is a good one.
Thyme, honey balsamic will not be in ATL until next month. Oh well!
Kozy Shack sets the bar pretty high for supermarket rice pudding. (And tapioca!) Is this better?
:-)
To be honest, it has been a LONG time (years) since I bought supermarket rice pudding, however...I do not recall EVER finishing it in one sitting or saying I had to go back tomorrow to get more. :-) It was very fresh, tasted natural (homemade) and I am going to venture a guess that it is better. Go try it and let us know your opinion.
Another vote for the rice pudding. Very much like Kozy Shack in style; couldn't say which is better. The tapioca pudding is also good, and the Belgian chocolate is best of all.
Bought more rice pudding today. Already opened one, should probably not be buying multiples...SO GOOD!
Bought the Belgian chocolate for the boys, I don't like chocolate, but it looked good and thought they would enjoy it. Glad to hear it's the best!
did anyone check to see if they have the riced cauliflower in freezer section? I always forget to check.
YAY-Spiced pickled vegetables (next to the sauerkraut). I like these, although I went through them all too quickly.
The Spicy Pickled Vegetables are a Yay here as well. Pleasant hint of heat without being at all overwhelming but I agree that there could be more veggies packed in that brine, they go fast. The brine being tart and sweet makes for a nice salad dressing with a drizzle of EVOO and a few twists from either the Everyday Seasoning or Lemon Pepper grinder.
Meh - I hadn't bought the canned Lentil soup for a while and while it is fine - good amount of sliced carrots and cubed potatoes compared to others I've had - the canned is white-plastic lined.
YAY!
Marinated olive duo has plump delicious olives that are on par with fancy olive bar olives- the olives have pits (which i think makes them more delicious). I may have munched through half a package in one afternoon...
The packaging is impossible to reseal, so you have to transfer the rest of them to a container. Just $1.79
http://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/...
NAY - Tarte L'Oignon. The crust is okay, but the onion filling is terrible, terrible, terrible. Tastes like sugared onions.
NAY to Red Wine Vinegar bottle. The vinegar itself is great and a wonderful value, but there's no plastic shaker thingy on top, which I can never remember. It's causing a lot of waste. At least fermented stuff is good for you!
YAY to the Salted Butterscotch Molten Macaron. Yes, I caved. Yes, it was delicious.
YAY to the Spicy Pickled Vegetables, love it. However, I'm not sure what the use-by date should be after opening - I've had them opened for a couple of weeks and there was a moldy jicama in there today :(. Guess I thought that pickled might last a bit longer.
I bought the Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese and will report back once I've tried it.
Is the Tarte à l'Oignon you're talking about the one the call "Alsatian style"? If so, I'm sorry to hear your report, since have one tucked away in the freezer waiting to be eaten... Any thoughts about doing something to/with it, like adding some crumbled, salty or piquant (like blue) cheese to cut the sweetness?
Well, there's really no point in returning it without even tasting it since I can get a refund if I feel about it the way you two do. ;) I'll be sure to try it when I'm not looking for a last-minute dinner or something and can take them time to make something else.<g> And of course I'll be sure to save the packaging, I'm sure I have the receipt tucked away somewhere...
Yes, that's the one. Walker is correct - I don't think any amount of doctoring can help this. It's just not good.
Yeah, I agree on the onion tart. It's very one-note, with none of the rich flavor that I was expecting. I didn't even eat half of my half. Disappointing.
Yay - Simply Nutty Bars, dark chocolate, walnut, peanut, fig and date variety. Tasty but a bit pricey at $4.99 for 5 bars. Can't really taste the fruit much, either. But it's a pleasant snack.
Not sure - the new Balsamic Honey Thyme Vinaigrette. I'm not sure because the olive oil in it solidified in the fridge and I can't get it to come out of the bottle! I guess I'll have to leave it at room temp and use it quickly.
I don't think that you need to refrigerate that salad dressing or worry about it spoiling at room temperature as the ingredients (olive oil, vinegar, honey) don't need to be refrigerated.
I imagine you're right. The bottle does say refrigerate after opening and I typically keep dressings in the fridge, so I automatically put this bottle in even before I had opened it. Now I just have to remember to take it back out and put it in a place where I'll think about it when it's time to eat!
A confused meh to the frozen shepherd's pie. Confused because I remembered having this a year or so ago and liking it. The one we had last night was not very inspiring. Meat was stringy, not much flavor, watery potatoes.
Yay! - Hatch Chile Mac & Cheese. I like the regular mac and cheese but it can taste a little bland after eating half of it. The hatch chili combines that great cheesiness from the original but gives it a little kick with the hatch chilis. This will definitely be my go to moving forward.
YAY - Spotlight Cheese (Aged Vermont Cheddar). Remember it from a few years back. Glad they have it again
Yay - Simply Nutty Bars - Dark Chocolate, Walnut, Peanut, Fig & Date Bar. These are just ridiculously good. In addition to the ingredients already in the title there is inulin, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla, pea protein crisp, rice flour (in with the figs), honey, pea protein isolate, natural flavors, salt, canola oil, vegetable glycerin. This seems actually like a cleaner list than the average bar from the grocery. Not perfectly clean like a Kind bar but not too far away depending on your preferences.
The good - in addition to taste - the 180 calories for the 40g bar includes 13g Fat, 16g Carb (6 sugar, 6 fiber), and 6 g Protein look like pretty good numbers (for me) - lots of fiber and protein with not too much sugar.
The reservations - that inulin can cause digestive issues (for me). Not sure if my system needs to get used to it or if it is just that inulin is a difficult fiber. I eat plenty of other fiber with no issues.
There is another flavor I didn't try. Interestingly these bars were shelved with the protein bars next to the nuts and dried fruits and not in the cereal aisle with the granola bars - wonder how they make the differentiation?
Ran in today with my 9 year old son to pick up a few things. They were tasting the triple cream brie. I do not like brie (yes, I know), but my son loved it. Picked up a wedge for him. My mother LOVED brie, just not a creamy cheese girl. Bringing it with pita rounds for in between baseball games tomorrow, along with fruit, etc. :-)
Also, not sure if I wrote about this before, but we just tried the cheese tortellini, topped with my homemade bolognese sauce and it was really good. Cooked right in the middle of the timing directions for a perfect bite. Picked up a few more packages today, in the refrigerated section.
"I do not like brie (yes, I know)"
(thumbsup) Heh. Me too. I don't *hate it*, but I don't love even really good Brie, and I really, really dislike the myriad merely-passable versions one usually comes across. The only reason I can imagine for it ever becoming so popular is that the fundamental lack of flavor in the mediocre stuff manages at least not to offend a broad spectrum of "average" consumers.<chuckle>
I know, there are so many "versions". :-) But, kudos to my 9 year old... I love to encourage his ever expanding palate. A quick note: I always said, you either get an eater or a sleeper. I got an eater. LOL The
boy did not sleep through the night until he was 2 1/2. UGH! But his palate is huge and varied! I will take it.
Considering that at that age, "Hot Pockets" are a frequent "delicacy of choice"<g>, I'd definitely encourage any nine-year old who was even just *interested* in tasting any sort of unfamiliar "real" food, even Brie.<lol>
Haha. My 4 year old won't eat hot pockets or corn dogs. Now a creamy brie on those round Ritz like crackers and some (gag) mandarins from a can? ALL OVER IT. Kids sometimes make the weirdest food combos.
Thanks! I am thrilled he loves a wide variety of "real" food. I allow the treats, and such... TJ's take on pizza bagels is a mainstay on sports nights, but he is a happy and healthy eater. Makes life easier... :-)
Setting those little hound palates is excruciating in the beginning, but pays off dividends. I was on the verge of losing faith first few years -- it was physically, mentally, emotionally demanding -- but when I witnessed our's shun Coldstone cake, I was so proud.
Some of those odd combinations kids come up with can be "real". Other night we got back from TJ's and ours wanted avocado and 70% Valrhona. I tried some and it was pretty good. Then I remembered a "sushi" place next to my college which used to make avocado shakes with chocolate syrup, so it's probably a real combo somewhere in the world.
bmore avocado is secret tech in a lot of raw vegan dishes. The raw vegan chocolate mousse I had once was amazing.
I hear you! Funny enough, the first 3 years of his life, he ate tons of avocados. All of a sudden, he had decided he hated them. I had to let it go for about 3-4 years, trying to re-introduce it, to no avail. ARGH! His dad and I love avocados. He finally got back on the "loves" avocado train. :-) I think this is a common thing for kids, going off a particular food. I think the reintroduction, many-many times, is an important step. Takes a while, but worth it.
ETA: There was a CH thread years ago about this subject. I will see if I can track it down. Had tons of great advice and discussion. I used to send the link to friends with fussy eaters...took some advice from there, myself.
For us, usually it's because someone says "hate", "ew" or "gross". (Yeah, I know, blame other people's kids.) We don't even speak English at home, but kids learn these words fast. So we have what we call "resetters". For avocado, it's avocado milkshake. Happened twice, we'll just make the milkshake and start drinking it ourselves, the kid comes comes around pretty easily. I mean, not only is it delicious, it's green. Thankfully, for things like fish eyes, our kid likes to chase the other kids around with it, and then eating it in front of them bestows some odd sense of respect. Kids are strange.
BTW, Avocados are super cheap at TJ's right now. $3 for 4 here in Baltimore.
Have the avocados been good lately? I haven't bought them at TJ's in a while after too many stringy flavorless ones. But they do go up and down. Maybe I'll try again. What country are they coming from at the moment? Thanks.
Headed there tomorrow, will check them out, thanks!
I really dislike the "ew" thing - kids take their cues from other kids when in a group. My son has a good friend who is super fussy, I just make what I know he likes when he comes over and leave the good stuff for another time. One meal without a green will not harm my son. His mom is not a cook per se, but asks for suggestions all the time to help expand her son's palate. We do what we can to get nutrition into him and he is a good sport about it.
BTW: Love that your kids are multi-lingual at a young age.
Chompy, the avocados are from Mexico right now. (I really tried to give an Peru ones a chance.) Even the Mexican ones are up and down a little bit, but I'm guessing they are in season right now, because on average I've been happy.
Thanks. A while back, even the Mexico ones were less than tasty. Glad to hear they are better now. I think I'll give them a try!
Learned tip from local chef this week. Cut ripe left over avocado in half and scoop out of shell. Place in zip lock bag a freeze. Great for smoothies, soups or dips. I tried it this week. It was great thawed then sliced on eggs. Life changer. Now I buy huge amount when on sale or a good batch.
Once my avocados are ripe (or just before they're perfectly ripe), I store them all in the fridge. It slows the ripening process and they last much longer! For halves, I just cover them with either foil or plastic wrap with the pit in and throw them in the fridge. I read a great thread about storing avocados here: http://bit.ly/24x08Z9, one includes submerging in water... who knew!
I loooove the creaminess of avocados in smoothies though so maybe I'll try that next time!
All new to me:
Linguine with clam sauce- NAY. Did not enjoy at all. There was a good amount of clams but the flavor was awful, way too much cilantro.
Garlic Naan- YAY. Had this with chicken lettuce wraps and really enjoyed. Using the rest to make naan pizza.
Mandarin Chickenless Bites- YAY. I've had this and the regular orange chicken and they are both fantastic. This was so similar to actual chicken that if I did not know it was fake meat, I would not have been able to tell the difference. Great for meatless mondays!
Cowboy Quinoa Veggie Burgers- YAY. Loved these!
Sweet Onion Bacon Vinaigrette- YAY. This was really good. I wish there was a little more bacon flavor, but overall we enjoyed this. It would be great over brussel sprouts.
Pizza al Pollo Asado- YAY. Great size pizza for one person and the flavors were on point.
+1 for the chickenless mandarin orange bites, they're like a way better version of chinese delivery (without the mystery meat interior)
Do they say/can you tell what the fake meat is made from? I haven't like TJ's other "fake meat" things much (nor for that matter, most mainstream commercial meat subs made from "complicated" recipes rather than just being regular old seitan, tofu, or whatever.)
It says it is soy protein, but it tastes like chicken to me (same consistency as say, a chicken nugget that has been fried and coated in the sauce)
Thanks. Sounds like it has potential. The last TJ's "meatless" thing I tried was the frozen Vegan Tikka Masala, which was made up of a hodge-podge of just about every "meat substitute" ingredient known to humanity. And about that, I'll just say that while it was something of a "memorable" experience, I really wish it hadn't been.<lol, sort of>
I'm 99.9% positive it's this from Gardein
http://gardein.com/product-type/chickn/
Gardein makes the frozen breaded chickenless strips too.
Nothing like the vegan tikka since it isn't made from seitan- different texture altogether. Scary similar to chicken, or what i remember of chicken anyhow
(Note that Gardein brand "beefless" products are very similar to seitan so you probably wouldn't like those)
No, seitan (in the sense of proper/ordinary seitan) wasn't the problem with the tikka masala. I *like* seitan.<g> But the stuff in the tikka masala is just weird, imnsho. It definitely had wheat gluten, but ALSO soy protein, as well as several other ingredients one frequently sees in meat subs, just not usually all mixed together in the same place at the same time.<lol> Aside from a flavor I found disconcertingly odd, it was way "chewier" (not in a good way) than any other meat sub I've had, and if were actual meat, I'd have said they must've used an even lower (pet food?!) grade than usual AND screwed up when cooking it.<lol>
Ha! That vegan tikka really scarred you ;)
Maybe i'm one of the few who likes it.... But then again i have no "real meat" point of reference either.
<lol> It surely did. It'll be a while before I forget *that*...<g> Though conversely to your situation, I very rarely eat manufactured "meat substitutes" as such so I'm not at all used to them, and really never know quite what to expect when I do try one. I do just happen to like lots of vegetable "proteins", as it were, like tofu, seitan, and tempeh for their own sakes, but since I'm not vegetarian, if I want something that "(sort of) looks or tastes like, or has the texture of, meat (sort of)", I just eat... You guessed it: "meat.";)
YAY-ish
These new semi dried frozen apricots are quite good- although once fresh apricots are in season i'll be buying those. These have a semi firm texture for being frozen yet aren't as sweet or chewy as dried. Kind of pricey at $4.99 for 10oz.
I had some over plain greek yogurt with cinnamon after nibbling one as is.
Trader Joes in general I feel has decent stuff. Not bad, but not good either. It's the ideal shopping solution for the college freshmen double majoring who wants to at least avoid ramen.....but overall I say nay to trader joe's. It's the grocery store for people who can't cook for shit.
However...they're across the street from me, and their mochi/ice cream is good as is their chocolate. So for emergency sweets I say yay.
I felt this way for many years, but once I improved my palate, confidence and knowledge -- and looked past the pre-made stuff -- I found my gems. I still don't like 95% of what they sell, but the other 5% is still a lot of stuff and the value is hard to beat. Coupled with the exemplary customer service, it's my favorite grocery store right now. Give them another try in a few years, maybe you'll feel different.
I kinda feel that way about TJ's as a primary shopping source, too, and for that matter, haven't much liked almost all of their pre-prepared foods whether refrigerated or frozen, that I've tried. And on the whole, I don't even think their prices are as low as some people seem to think they are, though I will concede that I'm truly an inveterate online-circular-scouring bargain-hunter who has no qualms about carrying bags of groceries home on the subway when I happen to pass by a store that had good sales posted in the windows while out doing other errands or even just "hanging out"<lol>... So even at supermarkets, I usually manage to buy what I need/want on sale. That stuff's mostly shelf-stable or frozen and I fortunately have enough space to be able to stock up enough during sales to avoid paying full prices except in "emergencies."... Produce I buy at the small, primarily- or only-produce stores in my neighborhood where prices are generally low and turnover high, and meat, I usually eat whatever's on sale that week or conversely, buy from relatively-expensive-but-fancier/higher quality places for specific things or for special occasions...
But Trader Joe's does have a few things that are hard to find elsewhere that really are priced lower than their mainstream supermarket equivalents (like the frozen Indian entrees that are premium-priced at supermarkets and the frozen fish) or that are often overpriced at any mainstream "American" food market for various reasons (coconut oil, palm oil, maple syrup)...
That is why I was surprised to see that for the last 3 years TJ's has been voted best supermarket. TJ's continues to succeed because it is a niche store - (no direct competition),because it is not really a supermarket.Mostly it is a selective provider of (mostly) food products - usually of (relatively) good quality and (if possible) relatively healthy at a fair price. Not one stop-shopping but mostly guaranteed/sorted thru selection and the return procedure a final guarantee.
Interestingly (perhaps), the main things that I buy at TJ's are not prepared foods. I mostly buy dairy and eggs (good quality, good prices, especially organic), frozen veggies (for when I don't have time to buy or prep fresh) and other freezer staples. But I suspect like most people I mostly buy snacks. <vbg>
One thing I like is that you can depend on it to carry products that don't have HFCS, so when I need a product that with most brands contains HFCS (pickle relish, for example), I know I can get it at TJ's without having to read every label of a dozen brands at the supermarket.
Finally, even if you'd only buy 5 percent of what they carry, that's still a better hit ratio than the average supermarket, where I'd probably buy less than 1 percent of the items they carry.
I don't buy prepared food in general, nor do I often buy snacky things or packaged cookies and such, eliminating whole TJ's categories. My regular TJ's purchases are staples that they've got at good quality/price: olive oil, Dijon mustard, plain bittersweet chocolate, grade B maple syrup, organic sugar, frozen artichoke hearts, some wine and spirits, some cheese, yogurt. In other words, regular grocery store things that are a) part of TJ's limited selection and b) good quality and priced better than I can get other places I shop.
I find that many TJ's naysayers assume that because there is so much prepared food, snacks, and sweets that that's all anyone buys.
I do not know why we have the naysayers... here are my regular purchases: canned tomatoes and sauce, fruit/ veggies, coffee (great variety and pricing), sour cream, milk, eggs, butter, yogurt shakes, hummus (also hummus/ pita chip packages for my son's lunch), cheese, chicken sausage, carne asada, chicken, organic apple juice, fruit and grain bars, snack packages of almonds/ cashews, and nut mixes, fresh pasta (refrigerated), very affordable and long lasting flowers, Japanese style fried rice (easy and healthy side), spices, panko, hand soap, mustard, etc. I could go on...but nothing beside the rice is prepared (per se) and all of it is more affordable and healthier than the super market. I have a friend who asked me to take her to TJ's to teach her. You can do so well there... I still go to Fresh, Kroger, and Publix...depending on what I need, each week. My favorite thing, though, are the employees. I will always be a huge fan!
Our family is a big fan of their chicken sausage! How does their Japanese style fried rice compare to their vegetable fried rice?
Been a long time since I had the veggie fried rice, but the Japanese style has this distinct, but subtle flavor that we love. It has edamame and carrots, plus VERY small bits of tofu and seaweed that make it so nutritious. Even a picky eater doesn't notice it....and goes with so many types of meals, 4-5 minutes in the microwave on a busy sports night... My 9 year old asks for edamame rice all the time. I recommend you try it, I hope you like it. A little more interesting, I think. Maybe someone can help out here with some more descriptive input for you. :-)
The japanese fried rice is way better! ;)
There is the flavor of seaweed, like with eating a veggie sushi or if you added furikake and a touch of soy sauce to the veggie fried rice. I like to make a quick meal of it by adding some baked tofu ontop
Forgot a few more staples... BBQ sauce (especially the sriracha), soy-yaki, olive oil, maple syrup, boxed broth, tea tree oil-rosemary-mint shampoo, conditioner, and body wash for my 9 year old. Best and most affordable stuff for both avoiding lice in school and also for the amazing elements for skin and scalp (he loves it), face serum for me (with Vitamin C- $10 compared to the $90 one my aesthetician recommended), natural cat and dog food...again, I could go on and on. :-)
Well, to be fair to the naysayers, whenever I shop at TJ's, distinctly more than a majority of my fellow shoppers seem to be buying what I consider inordinately large amounts of snack/prepared food things...
I *can* understand "naysaying" it as a one-stop or even primary shop, but then, I really don't consider any store a one-stop shop, and after all this time (most of my life) living in NYC where I can relatively easily get away with shopping around quite a bit - whether for variety, quality, or price - without expending undue effort/time/expense, all I can say is that it would truly suck if I suddenly had to move somewhere where that became extremely/prohibitively difficult...
Myself, I only buy a small handful of things there with any regularity. Off the top of my head, all I can think of are the frozen Indian entrees/appetizers and a couple of the frozen "tartes", frozen fish, non-ultra-pasteurized heavy cream, and their brioche rolls. (Oh, and when I feel like arugula, their baby arugula is good, and a good deal.<g>) I will grab other things when I'm there (citrus fruit, blueberry juice, beer/cider, occasionally sausage) but the first stuff is all I plan specific trips to the store for...
No offense to the naysayers. :-) It is definitely not a one-stop for me, either, as my previous post explains. I grew up and lived most of my life in NYC, some years in LA, and have been in Atlanta for about 5. I work from home so have the opportunity to shop around during the week. The TJ's here is always well stocked, fruits and veggies are fresh and plentiful, so it is easy to do most of that shopping in TJ's. One point to note: they carry lots of organic fruits and veggies at ridiculously low prices compared to other stores. I do like their prepared foods, especially for late nights after football or baseball... their take on bagel bites works for us, the frozen chicken breasts for a quick dinner, their appie type foods for football Sunday's. What Indian entrees would you recommend? I recently bought Paneer Tikka Masala, but have not gotten around to trying it.
HIGHLY recommend the Chicken Tikka Masala. It's in the frozen section and it's one portion. I have recommended this to several people and they have all been impressed with it. However, I wouldn't recommend their Tikka Masala Simmer sauce that is shelf stable and making it yourself. The frozen entree is much better.
Thanks! Will try it...
The frozen Paneer Tikka Masala is a yay! too. Had it for lunch today with the frozen Garlic Naan (another Yay!) and a salad of cucumbers, tomato, onion, yogurt, and lemon juice. Also added a few of the meatless meatballs for additional protein.
After a look at the nutrition label, I generally scoop out 1/3 or so of the paneer and set it aside. Especially if I'm adding other protein.
I especially like it lopped over roasted baby potatoes.....or chunks of baked sweet potato (better than yam).
Really? Is it the fat content? (Paneer, much like tofu, surprises a lot of people who think (so-called) "healthful" foods are invariably "low-fat," which certainly isn't the case for those two!)
I'm exactly the opposite. I like the flavor, but don't usually buy it since I find the portion "non-filling" in the extreme. But if I had one in the freezer and had an open package of paneer handy, I'd definitely add *more* paneer, rather than remove any of what's already in there...
The Palek Paneer box marks the total as 2 servings of 220 calories each so maybe the decision is based on calories. I eat the whole thing without rice. Yum.
Oh, I thought he was talking about the Paneer Tikka Masala. The palak paneer isn't at all skimpy (though for myself, I also wouldn't consider 440 calories to be more than just enough to be considered "meal-worthy".) But personally I also couldn't eat it all by itself, I need *something* to "hold" it, so to speak, and bread (chapatis/naan/etc) wouldn't do it for me. If I'm getting home late and know I won't even feel like cooking rice before I can eat, I'll pick up a pint of (plain white) rice from a Chinese takeout joint between my apartment and the subway and then just heat up the palak paneer and something like a shelf-stable packet of dal (though generally not from Trader Joe's, which has such a limited selection of the latter) and make a fairly satisfying, if not exactly "gourmet-treat", meal of it...
For what it's worth, the shelf-stable sauce isn't "tikka masala" sauce, it's just "masala sauce" - and "masala" just means "spice blend", so it's really just meant to be is a sort of generic "curry" sauce. If you ignore the directions and only barely dilute it, if at all, I think it's pretty tasty, myself, but if you're expecting the flavor of "tikka masala," you will indeed be sorely disappointed.
As for the entrees - for whatever the reason, the paneer tikka masala just seems like a skimpier portion to me (though the chicken isn't exactly "generous" either) so I usually skip it. I like the chicken quite a bit, but realistically, for a major meal, need two of them, or it and something else The CTM itself just isn't very filling for me. The palak paneer, on the other hand, is very nice for a frozen entree and has a decent portion, though at the cost of the lesser convenience of not including rice. The frozen chana masala is OK, but I think kind of bland - in terms of overall flavor, though also not what I consider worth mentioning in the chile-spicy department. (As far as the overall flavor goes, I prefer the shelf-stable "Punjab Choley" myself.)
I do like the meat in the lamb vindaloo, and it's pretty satisfyingly spicy, if you like that, but is really otherwise disappointingly under-seasoned. It just tastes like a rather generic, spicy-and-that's-all sort of "curry". The lack of "flavorful" seasoning aside, there's also neither the proper/expected sour OR sweet notes. It's not bad for a quick "lamb fix", since frozen lamb entrees are SO scarce in whatever form, but apart from that, can be easily skipped without great loss. Personally, I don't much like the lamb koftas. I wouldn't call them exactly "gamey", but they do have some sort of funky aspect I find hard to articulate, but can definitely live without (and I like lamb itself quite a lot, so it's not the general "issue" a lot of Americans seem to have with that meat.) Oh, and I almost forgot, afaic, definitely pass by the biryani - I forget exactly what it tasted like at this point, but one try was all it took to be permanently banned from my freezer...
Not quite last but quite distinctly "least", I personally *loathed* the vegan tikka masala. I thought the sauce was OK (not great, but OK) but I found the "meatless" chunks to be weirdly and unpleasantly chewy, and an they had an unpleasant if not *quite* uneatable flavor. (They were edible enough, all right, but how much does THAT really tell you.<g>) But others do like it, so I will go so far as to say it wouldn't kill you to try it at least once.<lol> (How's *that" for "damning something with faint praise."<rofl>)
Last and NOT least, the frozen Indian appetizers are all pretty tasty, if none really stand out, for me anyway...
Thanks for all of that... :-) Headed over today. Will be picking up a few to try and will report back when I get to it. Baseball tournament all weekend, so if we do not end up eating out all meals, ARGH, it might be perfect for quick dinners when we get home. Hoping my 9 year old likes it...he is an adventurous eater, but sometimes it takes a few tries to click. We introduce different foods all the time and the TJ's entrees are a great way to do that.
Have you had the chicken samosas? How are they?
The not frozen madras lentils are my favorite- not spicy at all.
I agree with dreamer avoid the jar of masala simmer sauce
The thing is, that rating is based in part on their not knowing who the private label producers are, and TJ's sources their milk regionally, so it may depend where you are.
You can find out by entering the plant code on http://whereismymilkfrom.com/ For instance, at least in the past, in my Northern California area, TJ's organic milk was from Clover, a local dairy with a 4 rating from Cornocopia, and the milk I buy at my regular grocery store. But in other areas of the country, they're selling milk from other sources.
Did not know that, but I am glad to know there is some confusion on the ratings. :-)
For me, Trader Joes is nearly a one-stop shop. It's just a couple blocks from my house, the prices are reasonable, and they carry a wide variety of staples, snacks, and prepared foods. I mix it up with Grocery Outlet and the Farmer's Market as well. Everyone has different living situations, lifestyles, tastes, and resources. For me, Trader Joes meets my needs and wants.
That's true of every supermarket in the land, right? Except possibly Whole Foods. And it's with the supermarkets that TJ's should properly be compared. (What are you comparing them with?)
I'm not a college freshman, I'm at the other end of my life, and I couldn't disagree more. In general, I've found TJ's products as compared with the national brands to be more diverse, tastier, and healthier, not to mention priced lower. I don't generally buy their ready-for-microwave meals, and the ones I've tried (in a conventional oven) haven't measured up. But I don't buy these in the supermarkets either.
So: Yea for Trader Joe's. It has my vote for best supermarket too, because like a supermarket it stocks just about any food and drink I might want, so it's nearly my one-stop shop. All it needs is a deli counter to have it all.
You of course are such a gifted cook that you feel entitled to make boorish remarks about the rest of us.
I actually had not thought too much about the post until I just read your response. It was not a nice remark, you are right. I, for one, am a very good cook (not just my opinion) and I know from being on this site, most of the folks here are, as well.
Plus, my shopping at TJ's is 90% fresh foods...
This thread goes off-topic very frequently and no one complains, but it is not intended to be a thread about whether or not someone likes Trader Joe's in general! That's a fine topic, but it would be better discussed in its own thread.
The yeah-meh-nay is intended to be about sharing opinions and information about particular products at TJ's for people who do shop there. Do you like a particular item or not? Even more useful is to say why you like it or don't. This helps people to discover items they haven't tried and to help others decided whether or not to try products or not, especially new ones.
Almost every time I go to TJ's, I buy something I have never tried before, just to broaden my horizons. Most of the time, it is something I have read about here or an item I have seen listed as a new product on TJ's website and try not only because I want to taste it but also to share my opinion about it here.
Most importantly, this thread always stays FRIENDLY, even though some people love pumpkin spice taking over the store and some of us can't stand it, some are vegan or vegetarian while most are not, some buy a lot of frozen or prepared foods and others prefer fresh produce and a few mostly snack items, some use it for their primary grocery store while others only visit on vacation, etc.
The poster that started this discussion had just created an account so probably they weren't aware. When I first joined Chowhound, I needed a few nudges like you are doing here so I would remind myself to stay on-topic.
I will say it's not the end of the world if we aren't "friendly". Frankly, I love hearing dissenting opinions, and finding people passionately arguing about food is so rare, I'll take it anywhere I can get it.
And, in my view, the thread doesn't always stay friendly. Often someone will say "YAY- I like bananas" and someone else will respond "I disagree, big NAY, bananas are the tools of communism". It's really okay, in my opinion. I don't think we need the smily faces and over-the-top positivity of Facebooks and Instagrams.
The avocado salsa has been discontinued. My family is so upset, it was delicious.
I am on a little low carb crash diet to try to fit back in my dress pants and quit breaking dress code by wearing leggings. Been subsisting on products that I normally would not buy.
Hollandaise Sauce- Yay Been loving this on grilled asparagus and poached eggs, I am going to miss this when I got back to healthier eating.
Jarred pesto- meh used it with their provolone to make stuffed chicen breast.
Peeled boiled eggs and Bacon- Yay, a little less expensive than regular grocery, but definitely paying for convenience here.
Olive Oil Tuna- I think skipjack-not bad for canned tuna.
Peanut Satay Sauce- Meh not sure what I think of this, I wish it was a bit sweeter, but then would not be low carb and on my current menu.
I usually avoid produce, but jicama sticks and broccoli slaw have been helping provide a tiny bit of nutrients. I can't remember if my raddishes came from there or not, but they are very mild.
If anyone has any other TJ low carb suggestions I would love to hear them.
Tuna varies, depending on time of year, I think they source it from different areas.
just recently finished a whole30 (which is naturally low carb besides the sugars/ carbs in fruit)... starchy carbs are good by the way when combined with veggies and fats (good fats).
suggestions:
Garlic and Herb chicken apple sausage
shaved brussel sprouts cooked in the fat from TJ's bits and ends bacon (for dinner side or topped with an egg for breakfast)- also add in the butternut squash chunks to this
the prepared TJs guac (the one with no sugar added and all whole ingredients) with plantain chips (all natural ingredients) or jicama sticks. Also good with the TJs prepared fresh salsa with no added sugar
frozen turkey burgers and chicken chile lime burgers. good on salads or solo topped with avocado, etc
TJs frozen roasted peppers and onion mix. Life saver for quick breakfasts or sauteed up with chicken apple sausage
good prepared salads minus the dressings (I make my own)- choose ones with little or no grains
CAULIFLOWER RICE. I like the new fresh one in fresh, refrigerated section. cook up with onions, TJs pork belly, and whatever other veggies and add an egg. I like the stupideasypaleo recipe. to DIE for. I make cauli rice a plethora of different ways (mexican style, cilantro coconut lime, etc)
frozen mashed sweet potatoes- only ingredient is the sweet potatoes- not low carb but not bad for you
see post below but also these links:
http://www.jennyonthespot.com/wellnes...
http://www.pbandjillie.com/whole30-ap...
http://wickedspatula.com/23-paleo-ite...
Meh plus for the canned Fire Roasted Diced Chiles. So far I have put them in macaroni and cheese and used them as a relish with corn. I don't detect any flavor or color that would indicate that they are fire roasted. They do have a nice fruity flavor with moderate heat but the texture is unappealing, like a mushy relish.
Yay! for the Bite Size Everything Crackers. I can identify the taste all of the toppings except for the poppy seeds and they are nice and crispy. I have been eating them plain and with hard cheese, but they would be excellent with a cream cheese, plain or vegetable.
Yay! for the Multigrain Crackers. Similar to a Ritz cracker but more flavor and a more appealing density and texture.
I am sure I have Yay!'ed these before, but the Chocolate Hazelnut sandwich cookies are SO GOOD that I think they may be my favorite packaged cookie.
The crispy Chocolate Chip cookies in the tub were a meh because they tasted slightly burnt.
I make a virtue of the canned chili sliminess by working them into dishes needing moisture. Accent on "working them in"....it's got to be background je ne sais quoi; this is not an ingredient you want to prominently feature.
Also, the Multigrain Crackers are priced even lower than TJ's other crackers, by the box and by weight. Not a big difference, but maybe surprising.
Those bite sized everything crackers are a YAY for me too- they're one of the few crackers i'm happy with eating naked.
Why doesn't TJs sell an "everything" seasoning blend yet...??
tentative YAY - Dried Baby Bananas - new item, first one of these type of packaged things from Thailand that I have liked. Hope these stay a YAY after repeated consumption. Taste like they were freshly dried, wonder how they will be few months from now.
This is not new but:
Huge NAY - Frozen pesto tortellini. Blech. It's just watery and has no pesto taste whatsoever.
I think I mentioned this up-thread, but... the refrigerated pastas are really good. The cheese tortellini is a staple in our house, as well as the beef bolognese ravioli. Quick and easy dinner after practice weeknights. I always have homemade sauce in the fridge and freezer. Makes it almost a home cooked meal. :-) Definitely worth trying, they have a variety of fresh pastas, we have tried most...work them in the rotation, but stick with the faves, in general.
Oh I do like the refrigerated pastas. The goat cheese and sundried tomato ravioli is a staple in my house. I usually pick up a few frozen entrees to take to work for lunch in case I don't cook/have leftovers. I tend to stick with the mac n'cheese or shells with brie and asparagus but picked up the pesto tortellini on a whim. After taking 2 bites I vaguely remember buying it once before but it's definitely on the do not buy perma-list now.
Picked up the dried baby bananas, baby pineapple, and the New Zealand sweet apple rings for this weekends baseball tournament. Tired of snack bar food every weekend! :-) Will report back. Heard the baby bananas were good. Any other opinions?
They used to have the dried baby bananas years ago. I always used to get raised eyebrows when I bought them in triplicate as they weren't the most appealing things to look at...but I like how they are more substantial than the flattened bananas & I enjoy the chewy texture. So yes, I'm super excited that they're back!!
Hate the mineola oranges. Hard to peel. Hard to separate. Hard to chew. Ridiculously acidic. This is the citrus version of waterboarding.
I may be wrong, but I feel like I can taste pesticides (the way you can with some apples). This may be because there's so little fruit flavor apart from the acidity.
I'm surprised. The bag of mineolas that I got at TJs a couple of weeks ago was excellent. Easy to peel and separate. Maybe your bag was old and dried up.
This sounds insane but if you microwave any citrus for about 30 seconds before peeling it comes off much easier.
I bought minneolas about two weeks ago at the uws TJs that were really sweet and juicy and easy to peel. I can't remember if there are organic minneolas but they do have organic mandarin oranges.
Stick with the Heirloom Navel oranges. They are small, sweet and juicy.
No one should suffer citrus waterboarding.
Maybe you got a bad bag. Take them back!
I'm now on my fifth bag of the season (yes, I love citrus and tangelos are one of my favorite types) and have found two or three that were not very sweet, but besides those few, they have all been sweet, tasty, juicy, well-textured and easy to peel.
No they, are not quite as good as the ones shipped directly from Florida, but they are significantly less expensive and easier to buy.
Just wanted to say that I got another bag of the mineolas last week and they're just as delicious as the ones I got back in February.
We're loving the bag of mineolas we just picked up. Just the regular TJ labeled ones. (not Sky Valley)
Yay for the Old Amsterdam gouda cheese. I loved the flavor and the texture. Kind of hard yet creamy.
I went the other day and there were NO MORE crunchy granola breakfast bars. I am distraught. I especially loved the peanut butter ones. Does anyone know of a decent substitute?
Aren't those basically a knock off of Nature Valley granola bars..??
http://www.naturevalley.com/nv-produc...
I'm a fan of the peanut, too. But they haven't gone missing for long enough for me to start really worrying yet…
Finally tried the frozen churros last night. Have had them in the garage fridge for a bit. We loved them. For a frozen version, they were terrific. I cooked them a while longer than package directions, not a surprise. ;-) Came out nice and crispy...mixed them up with the included cinnamon sugar packet, and served with fresh made whipped cream. Got raves all around. Definitely on my list for tomorrow. They are a great dessert to have in the freezer.
Yay: the beans, greens and grains frozen entree. It's an African sort of kale, tomato and chickpea stew with couscous. The stew has a slight peanut flavor. It was quite good. I would have been happier if the couscous was whole wheat but other than that I have no qualms. It wasn't quite enough for dinner so I cooked up a veggie burger and had that on the side.
Feb freezer cleanout: YAY pork shumai! they were a good office lunch and a nice we live in the country lunch.
YAY for vegetable gyoza for all of the above.
The above YAYed beef bolognaise raviloi made a good pasta dish with sauteed bell peppers and onions in olive oil and fire roasted canned tomatoes with a splash of two buck Chuck Sav Blanc, some dried basil and healthy handful of grated parm. All TJ's staples and YAYS. We TJ shoppers do not cook for shit.
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