<p>I also like their bruschetta, the guacamole and their collection of flavored nuts(great in salads). </p>
<p>Their marinated mozzarella cheese is very good. </p>
<p>A friend of mine served their frozen chocolate lava cake recently as part of a dessert reception and it was so good that everyone thought she’d made it! </p>
<p>I also second the frozen green beans - they are excellent.</p>
<p>We have a TJ nearby and I hardly ever go because the parking is terrible. That’s about to change! Thanks for all the suggestions…</p>
<p>I like some of their things, but I have found that their flyers are a disappointment when I got caught up with their advertisement. For us, TJ’s is expensive as we have a big family with big appetites. But there are some things there that you just cannot find easily elsewhere. Their Tuscan dressing is another favorite of mine, and their prices for Jarlsberg cheese cannot be beat around here.</p>
<p>trader joes is about 15 minutes from here.</p>
<p>some favorites:
chicken mango sausage-
gaucamole
frozen brown or jasmine rice (easy and always perfect)
green beans
frozen shrimp (cooked or uncooked)
olive tapenade served with olive loaf bread
and lots more!!</p>
<p>Frozen Vegetable Masala Burgers (I like them without a bun, just plain – not a “burger” taste at all). I was introduced to these by a checker who said they’re his favorite product in the store. “I eat them plain, with a fork,” he said. Then added, “Nah, that’s not true. I eat them with my fingers, like popcorn! I could eat the whole box!” So could I. </p>
<p>Frozen green beans
Fresh naan
Those little spicy fresh tortillas (habanero?)
Frozen Morningstar Farms veggie sausages – great price
Frozen margherita pizza
Frozen rice biryani
Simmer sauces (jar)
Phalaenopsis orchids! – great price, and they bloom for weeks/months
Packaged sliced lite cheeses</p>
<p>Things that I haven’t seen mentioned yet:</p>
<p>Frozen mango chunks, as a snack and smoothie ingredient.</p>
<p>Challah, braided egg bread, traditional for Jewish Friday night Sabbath meals. One of the best I’ve ever had. Also makes exceptional french toast. </p>
<p>Super C citrus smoothie, unfortunately only available in pint size.</p>
<p>TJ’s whole-grain version of cheerios. These have a nice sweet nutty taste.</p>
<p>“Blister” roasted peanuts. </p>
<p>There are things we don’t buy because we love them too much. The indian-spice-flavored chips, the (new) whole-grain chips. Thank heavens the peppermint flavored Joe-Joe sandwich cookies are only available during the winter holiday season. </p>
<p>My parents swear by the refrigerated vegetarian burritos and the eggplant wrap sandwiches. </p>
<p>I know it’s spring when TJ’s starts offering bunches of daffodils for something like $1.09.</p>
<p>Don’t know if this has been mentioned yet, but I’m hooked on their salmon jerky. Sounds kind of gross, I know, but it’s weirdly addictive. Don’t be like me and eat too much in one sitting. You’ll be sorry!</p>
<p>All right, everyone, I’m heading out there tonight. Gotta try some of that stuff.</p>
<p>this sounds dumb but the basic bag of frozen corn … it is SO much better than any other frozen veggie</p>
<p>Agree with the Masala veggie burgers. I also don’t eat them with a bun. I’ve been known to heat up a couple for a quick breakfast.</p>
<p>Also like:
Frozen green beans in Thai sauce
All the simmer sauces
salmon in chimichurri sauce
crunchy almond butter
Vodka sauce
Organic spaghetti sauce
roasted veggies in balsamic sauce (frozen)
all kinds of veggie, organic pizzas
a frozen veggie concoction called “greens with envy” (hard to find, but it’s got edamame and all kinds of great stuff in it.)</p>
<p>That’s off the top of my head; there’s much more.</p>
<p>I am much more willing to use their frozen convenience foods because the ingredients tend to be natural, and are often organic. And taste good!</p>
<p>I live about a half an hour from one. So I don’t go too often–just as long as my case(s) of **two buck chuck **hold out (and Iwon’t say how long that is, :)).</p>
<p>Plugra (European style butter)
Triple Ginger Cookies (delicious and also good for human motion sickness at sea and for the dog in the car)
Pound Plus dark chocolate bars with almonds
pomegranate juice
Kashi cereals, best prices</p>
<p>Second the triple ginger cookies</p>
<p>I’m putting together a list.</p>
<p>Alas, we recently moved more than a day’s drive from the nearest TJ’s :-(</p>
<p>My list would be long, but the top two items:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Dark chocolate covered espresso beans.</p></li>
<li><p>Pound plus bar of Belgian dark chocolate.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Yea, I like chocolate.</p>
<p>I can’t believe that no one has yet mentioned them. I don’t even like brownies, but these are incredible.</p>
<p>I second the frozen greens mixture (edamame, broccoli, spinach, something else).</p>
<p>I now have a lot of new things to try - veggie masala burgers probably first!</p>
<p>Slithey tove, I can no longer get the Indian-spice flavored chips locally- I haven’t seen them in months. Ditto my true favorite the hot mustard Chinese wonton chips. Has anyone seen them?</p>
<p>My big question…if Trader’s Joes is so popular and SO good (which I have experienced with many of their products…) WHY arent’ there more stores!!! The closest one to us is a good hour away in Ann Arbor…I’d KILL to have one closer…</p>
<p>(we are getting a “Fresh Market” - is that similar???)</p>
<p>Barbara- my D misses the wonton chips.
Sometimes items are discontinued. My youngest finally found a salad dressing she liked that wasn’t Ranch. It was made by Trader Joe’s. I went to pick up another bottle recently and did not find it. The young man helping me looked it up on the computer and found that it had been discontinued due to low sales.
Abasket- I am amazed at how Trader Joe’s has grown. 25 yrs ago I think there were just a few in Southern California. It was mainly a place to by wine and cheese for parties. I knew people who would go in and buy 10 different bottles of wine and open them in the parking lot and taste and then go back in and by multiple bottles of the one’s they liked because there would not be much chance of finding the same wine on the next visit. Over the years as they have expanded they have added more food items. I remember when they did not have fresh produce or fresh meats. It used to be Trader Joe’s was not a weekly trip but now you can pretty much get whatever you need.
When I moved to where I live now we had to drive 45 minutes, now there are 3 in town and I shop there fairly often.</p>
<p>I do think they are aggressively opening new stores- I have 2 new ones within
easy driving distance, in addition to one that’s been there for many years (North Jersey). If you go to their website, you can find future stores.</p>
<p>They also stopped selling my husband’s favorite, Caramel fat free yogurt.</p>
<p>I read an article a few years ago about the way they rotate products by continually creating and introducing new TJ’s brand items and at the same time discontinuing TJ’s label items based on sales. I regretted the disappearance of their porcini mushroom sauce.</p>