<p>Thank you SO much for starting this thread. I can’t wait to go shopping there and try so many new things</p>
<p>Barbara, I think I go to the same one you do, in North Jersey. There are only five in Jersey, and its the only one with a liquor license, alas.</p>
<p>When we move permanently down to S. Jersey, I am going to have to make some major shopping trips.</p>
<p>Stonyfield makes a pretty good lowfat caramel yogurt.</p>
<p>Another vote here for marsala burgers.
The small cubes of frozen herbs are wonderful. Much better than dried.
I love the small loaves of unsliced multigrain bread. It’s wonderful toasted or just warmed in the oven. Makes a good dinner with the french lentils and one of the salad mixes.<br>
The whole roast chickens are better than the ones I make.
The lowfat brie isn’t bad.
Just bought a new item-fava beans, was sitting next to the french lentils.
Unfortunately, there’s little at TJ I don’t like.
Two of my favorites have just been discontinued-the spelt mixture and 6 oz. containers of plain non fat yogurt. bah</p>
<p>I think paired with Costco, you can do pretty well. I like the whole roast chickens there, but I will buy a lot of the side dishes at TJs.</p>
<p>barbara960, I looked for the indian chips yesterday, and they are indeed MIA. Which is just as well for me, I could eat an entire bag on the drive from TJ’s home. </p>
<p>Maybe we should start a thread of TJ’s stuff we don’t like. There have been a few things over the years that I hated, but they always allow you to bring back stuff like that for a refund.</p>
<p>Without meaning to sound tacky, if there is ANYONE with extra time to consolidate this list, what a GREAT resource it would be - especially for those of us who can’t get to TJ’s on a regular basis!!!</p>
<p>I am another person that loves TJ’s but has to travel to get my fix. The closest one to me is about 40 miles away but I like the one that’s about 50 miles because it’s in a neat town. I’ve written the TJ’s corporate office three e-mail’s about putting a TJ’s up my way but no luck so far.</p>
<p>abasket, We DO have a fresh market in my town and it’s in no way, shape or form like a Trader Joe’s. They have a great selection of fresh veggies, meat and cheeses but it’s not really as good as my nearby Wegmans.</p>
<p>well…here’s the consolidated shopping list I’m taking with me next time I do… though I should note I’ve not copied some of the most intriguing., i.e. fattening, items:
frozen orange chicken
Tzatziki
Fire-roasted veggies with balsamic sauce (frozen)
Sesame pita chips
Smoked salmon (of course you can get this elsewhere, but TJ’s prices are unbeatable)
Alsatian ham, cheese & onion tart (frozen)</p>
<p>Simmer sauces - so flexible and fast for dinner. Just add your favorite veggies and protein, heat and serve over rice or pasta.</p>
<p>Frozen garden vegetable lasagna
bagged salads
frozen chicken shu mai
Dry Roasted Edamame
Eggplant Garlic spread
White bean hummus
Thai vegetable dumplings
General Tso’s stir fry sauce
turkey tenderloins (wrapped in bacon!)
marsala chicken in the fresh food section
thick flour tortillas
Mochi ice cream
chicken pot stickers
vegetable egg rolls
chicken egg rolls
Korean barbecue beef
holiday Jo-Jos (like Oreos, but with a crushed peppermint-stick filling)
frozen crabcakes
lamb roast w/rosemary
Turkey Chile
Turkey meat loaf
southwest chicken quesadilla
Fresh pizza dough
Mochi
frozen green beans
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)
a frozen veggie concoction called “greens with envy”</p>
<p>Great list Ivory!!!</p>
<p>Darn on the Fresh Market - doesn’t sound bad, but I’ve already got a two great fruits and veggies market options…(whining) I want a TJ!!!</p>
<p>I just keep adding to my list. These are some of mine</p>
<ol>
<li>Anything chocolate - yum</li>
<li>Simmer Sauces</li>
<li>soy Blintzes</li>
<li>chicken shu mai</li>
<li>their tortillas are the best</li>
<li>Granola - Mango - Apple and maple are our faves</li>
<li>Shredded beef for stir fry and philly cheese steak sandwiches</li>
<li>Their frozen chinese veggies and sauce with above shredded beef
9, pre-made salads for lunch - what a variety</li>
<li>did I mention chocolate - I like their dark chocolate mints</li>
</ol>
<p>I was inspired by this thread to go to Trader Joe’s tonight. Only the checkout line snaked all the way to the back of the store and back to the front. I was told a 20 minute wait to check out. I gave up and left. Should I blame CC???</p>
<p>That is interesting Bela. What I love about Trader Joe’s versus the regular market is that they always have plenty of checkstands open and I rarely have to wait in line more then a few minutes.</p>
<p>I think time of day matters. If I go late afternoon near the dinner hour, it’s impossible. The TJ near me is a smaller one and it’s a tight squeeze when the store is full and then a long wait. I try to go at off times when it’s not as busy.</p>
<p>My family loves the frozen tempura vegetable “birds’ nests”.</p>
<p>Came back laden with TJ goodies. $230 worth. And was tempted by the cute pincusion plant for sale that I did not buy. The greens with envy were MIA as was the volcano cake. Had the turkey meatballs in vodka sauce for dinner with a chinese mixed salad. Yummm. Also got a lot of goodies like the kettle popcorn, cheddar curds (tastes like cheddar cheesesticks, my kids like them a lot), some salmon that looked so good and lots of other things on the list.</p>
<p>The kettle popcorn is addictive. One afternoon I had not eaten all day and opened the bag on the way home. I think I almost ate the whole bag.</p>
<p>Well, this Trader Joe’s is in NYC, near Union Square (and NYU). There’s a Whole Foods there, too, and you’d think they were giving food away, the way those two places are mobbed. At the Trader Joe’s, they actually had herders with signs on long poles to guide people trying to check out, the lines were so long you couldn’t figure out where it ended, and which line (12 items or less, or regular) you were part of. I can’t believe how much discretionary money these students seem to have!</p>
<p>This is way more fun than the political threads!</p>
<p>Cocoa-covered almonds
Chocolate-dipped almond biscotti
Chocolate chips (great and, for the lactose-intolerant or those who keep kosher, they’re dairy-free)
Sharon’s sorbets (ditto)
Vermont Co. goat cheese
Pita chips
Jarred Morello cherries
Frozen corn (organic super sweet – just fantastic)
Nuts (walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, almonds – the best for baking)
Dried fruit</p>
<p>cpt–greens with envy hasn’t been there the last couple times I went; hope it’s not discontinued.</p>