We tend to use them for quick meals, for the nights when we’re working late or have to squeeze something in before practice etc. for that we like the frozen Beef and Broccoli and the frozen Orange Chicken and the frozen black bean taquitos.
I always have a few of the frozen pepperoni pizzas in the freezer - mostly because my son’s will just eat one for Second Dinner some nights or like to make them if we are going out.
My husband loves their peanut butter granola, to the point that we have I think four bags of it right now.
There’s a lot of other things we tend to pick up, but those are the things we ALWAYS have.
We must live in a parallel universe than most CC’ers—we have 2 Trader Joe’s that we shop at and there are never any problems with parking! And the stores are very busy.
@Marilyn my daughter used to work right down the street from that TJ’s. I have been to two of the other three near you in SD - the one in Hillcrest and the one in Mission Valley. The one in Hillcrest has a tiny parking lot! The one in MV has a much bigger parking lot but that whole area of MV is just a nightmare to get around. However, one thing I noticed in San Diego are the teeny tiny parking spots everywhere. I’ve been all over MV, Point Loma, Sports Arena, etc and it was the same everywhere. My daughter has a smallish sedan that I use when I visit her and even in her much smaller car than what I normally drive at home, I could barely fit in the parking spots!
My local Trader Joes is in a medium sized shopping center with a large parking lot in front and another to the side. The one directly in front is always so busy that I find it much easier to park on the side. It isn’t any farther to walk but you can’t take the cart (well, i suppose you could but there is nowhere to leave it). I always park there. One day this summer I came out to my car only to see this Tesla parked not even halfway into the spot and jutting out into the driving lane! The rest of the parking lot on the other side of the car next to it was empty! I could not figure out why they would have parked like this!
The main things I get at TJs are cheeses, nuts, dairy, cut flowers and jarred goods like olives, condiments, etc. I don’t usually buy any of the prepared foods, frozen meals, etc. I do love their boxed pumpkin bread mix.
Yes, Liberty Station! The only times I’ve been to the one in MV is when I’ve gone to DSW. I figure as long as I’m parked anyways, I might as well. My husband goes to the Hillcrest Ralph’s after farmers market on Sunday, same place as the TJ, and always manages to park somehow - but his car is smaller than mine. I’ve almost never gone to the one in Pacific Beach, especially after the Tuesday Morning on the next block closed down. And finally there’s the one up in La Jolla next to the kosher Ralph’s, as we call it. Very difficult traffic in the lot but always a space. And I can go to the only convenient Cost Plus World Market around the other side while I’m there.
The parking lot at the TJs in Ann Arbor is pretty horrible. Cars often lined up on the street just trying to turn in.
My fav things to buy are their dips, staples, frozen foods, nuts, condiments and some of their specialty potato chip snacks! Also seasonal items and some of the beauty products
In Orange County CA I go to 4 different Traders Joes regularly (all about the same distance from me) and I don’t have a problem parking at any of them.
One thing about Trader Joes is the stores can vary in quality IME (well, okay, that is my two local stores and a few in other locations I have been to). In my local area both stores are located in strip malls, and the parking is okay, in part because the malls have large parking lots. The store we prefer we find is better run, the staff working there are a lot nicer, and in terms of store layout it is laid out better, and they seem better stocked too. Why the other store is more irritating I don’t know, I guess it comes down to the store manager.
Maybe the reason you don’t have trouble is that you have so many TJ’s available! Seriously, it would not be unusual here to only have one TJ’s in a fairly good sized city - or like me, to have to drive an hour to get to the ONE that is there!
Then you haven’t been to the San Clemente one. HUGE parking lot for a Ralph’s, CVS, two strip malls of businesses and shops, and in the far corner a TJ’s. It is up a slight hill from the main lot with about 10 parking spots, but really hard to get to from the mail lot.
But sometimes worth the effort. Last year at a Christmas gift exchange I got a bag of TJ treats with spices, a chocolate orange, some towels and gadgets. It was a nice gift for an exchange.
Almost every Trader Joe’s I’ve been to has terrible parking. I have two equal distance from me. Depending on the day of the week I go to one or the other. Tone shares a small lot with a surgical center and during the week the parking is tight. On the weekend the whole lot is available so it’s much easier. The other has better weekday parking but it’s still narrow. I don’t go to that one on Sunday as that is the store the college students frequent. Sunday afternoon one will find every register with a line to the back with students with their hand basket filled with just a few items.
My must buys are peanut butter banana dog biscuits, farro, habanero sauce, Kalamata olives and nuts and dried fruit. I don’t do a lot of impulse or seasonal shopping there.
The TJ parking lot in Boulder CO can be a busy, scary place (especially on the weekend). My husband braves it if he is driving. If I’m there in my ancient minivan (no backup camera), I prefer to park in the mall parking lot close by. Of course I’m the one who actually likes getting a few extra steps.
Fun story. Today we asked for help at TJ finding cinnamon. An employee about our age brought us to the spice shelf, apologized that they were out of stock. Later as we were checking out, that employee found us and said she had checked the computer and determined that today’s very late delivery had included cinnamon. If we could wait 5 minutes she’d go open the case to get some. We waited, and when she returned she said No Charge since we had waited so long. (We actually did pay because we were so impressed by the treasure hunt. Plus while waiting I had found another item to buy and were going through the line anyway.)
I love looking at TJ’s spices. I feel they are a good price and a good product. Plus I like some of the blends they have. For instance, the Green Goddess. I always stop in that section of the aisle!
I’ll again say that I loved the gift exchange I got with TJ spices and cooking things (a hot pad, kitchen towel). It was a usable gift and not the white elephant stuff I usually get (and then give to Goodwill). Fits any price range, just buy more or fewer spices.
In comments, people marveled not just at the news, but at the parking lot size. Because the store is filling an empty building with an existing spacious lot, this location will have a roomier parking lot than what is typical.
This has probably been posted here before, but TJ has some really nice cheeses. We went to a party this week, and we could buy 4 not too large different cheeses, so people could try different ones. I really like their pita crackers too.
