Trader Joe's withdrawal - do you have alternative suggestions or recipes to try??

Parent Cafe
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<p>I like TJs, and although I don’t do my regular grocery shopping there, it has some things I can’t get anywhere else. But we did have a period when we were trying a lot of stuff there, and I think their salt content is quite high, at least compared to how I cook from scratch. I had my only high blood pressure reading in my life after a couple of months of eating several main dishes a week from there. Figured that might be the connection and we stopped buying those types of dishes there. I still get chocolate, some vegetable dishes, and whole wheat naan there, but gave up most of the rest. So I think you can cook healthier than many of TJ’s main dishes. Sorry you have to do it “cold turkey”, though. </p>

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<p>When we lived in Germany, I learned to make tortillas. One winter week, for some crazy reason, the market had hard taco shells. I think I bought a dozen boxes. </p>

<p>Have to say, love Illy coffee. I don’t make the run to TJ’s as much as when we lived in CA. (Gosh, it;s a 15 minute drive.) But I still get a rush when I go in- and have certain prepared foods I love. and collect the various grocery bags. Yup.</p>

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<p>I made another pass through the local chain supermarket yesterday, and things are starting to look a bit less weird to me. I know I can cook healthier, but I have never particularly liked cooking (baking is another story), and the whole cold-turkey thing is worse than I’d expected. I just have to be patient with myself through this transition.</p>

<p>But honestly! A whole supermarket. Four brands of bagels. And not one single brand offers a version made with 100% whole wheat!!!</p>

<p>No. I do not want to make bagels from scratch.</p>

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<p>My sister lives in South Florida, which for years didn’t have a TJ’s. There is finally one there now, but in Miami near our dad’s house (about an hour from my sister’s) and he says it’s always too crowded so he won’t go. Ever since we got a TJ’s about 8 years ago, I have been sending my sister my must-have stuff from there: the orange muscat vinegar is the thing she requests most. Last week I sent her a couple of bottles of the Carolina BBQ sauce–it is SOOOOO good. Maybe you can ask a friend from your old community to do the same for you? If you use the USPS it doesn’t cost much to ship.</p>

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<p>Carolina as in vinegar or as in mustard? Hmm.</p>

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<p>Both, I think!</p>

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<p>Speculoos cookie butter? </p>

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<p>I make up chicken enchiladas for a friend according to her simple tastes and she never gets tired of them. They will keep 3 days in the refrigerator and they freeze okay. </p>

<p>Sauce: She likes the kind from Lawry’s in the packet because, unlike the traditional homemade or the canned, the package includes use of tomato paste. You can make this up ahead, takes 10 min. Or open a can of a decent brand.</p>

<p>Chicken: I cook it in a crockpot (stovetop is fine and quicker) for 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hrs until tender, with a little water or stock, a couple Tbsp of chicken taco seasoning I mail order from Penzy’s (or use pure chile powder, cumin, garlic or some combo like that) and a couple of Tbsp tomato paste. Easiest is boneless skinless breasts or thighs (bone on is fine but you will have to spend time picking out the bones.) After it cools a bit it will shred easily with two forks. Just moisten with some of all of the liquid. I make a big batch and freeze in smaller containers for enchiladas and chicken tacos.</p>

<p>Cheese: shredded cheddar or mix with jack</p>

<p>Optional: any of corn kernels, black beans, sauteed zucchini</p>

<p>Corn tortillas: heat 6 or 8 for 20 seconds in the microwave to soften (less calories than frying in oil)</p>

<p>Roll up each with just 2 Tbsp shredded chicken or whatever else you want. Cheese can go inside or just on top. Place in pan sprayed with cooking spray. Pour sauce on to lightly cover. Sprinkle with cheese. Heat for 25 min at 350F.</p>

<p>If I have all the components she can make up a pair of enchiladas in a few minutes. Or stack the layered tortillas in a pan with cheese and sauce in between, heat and cut into wedges. Or sometimes she layers torn up tortillas with canned refried beans, chicken, cheese and sauce in individual crocks to heat up after work.</p>

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<p>OK I thought of a couple more. I’m sort of embarrassed to print these because I used to do everything from scratch, but oh well.</p>

<p>Quick Lasagne
I used to do a free form lasagna on a plate. Assemble </p>

<p>Mix ricotta cheese with some shredded mozzarella and a couple Tbsp Parmesan cheese.</p>

<p>Cook lasagne noodles, in 3 or 4 inch lengths. Can be done ahead and bagged for a few days in fridge.</p>

<p>Jar of good marinara sauce.</p>

<p>Bagged washed spinach.</p>

<p>Place a pile of spinach on a plate. Layer on top, lasagna noodle, dollop of cheese mix, bit of sauce, noodle, cheese, sauce. Microwave. Or if you bake, you may have to cook the spinach separately first. Use any leftover cooked veggies, like mushrooms etc.</p>

<p>Pasta and Veggies with ‘Alfredo’ Sauce</p>

<p>Season 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves and saute in a pan. When cooked, dice it. (It will cook faster if you dice first but then you have to handle raw chix more.)</p>

<p>Meanwhile, bring pot of water to boil. Add 2-1/2 c penne pasta. 4 minutes before it is done add a bag (3-4 cups) of mixed veggies, like carrot, cauliflower and broccoli. Drain when done and return to pot on medium low heat.</p>

<p>Add 1 jar Alfredo sauce, I prefer the Bertoli or Barilla brands. Heat and serve topped with parmesan cheese.</p>

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<p>^^^Sally305:
I used to also live in South FL and my sister is also there now! There is one in Ft. Lauderdale and they are in the process of opening more this coming Fall all over FL. Pembroke Pines, Boca Raton, etc.,etc., I just googled Trader Joes FL locations and it listed the cities opening up soon.
I buy that Carolina BBQ for my H & kids all the time! It’s golden, so definitely mustard based!</p>

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<p>The Ft. Lauderdale location won’t open until next year, unfortunately. I made the hour-long trek down to the one in Miami and parking was next to impossible. I anticipate the same problem in Pembroke Pines and Ft. Lauderdale. Is it this way in other states, too, or is it just the novelty of having a new store that causes the crowds?</p>

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<p>The no-boil lasagna noodles are good. There’s also a way to use regular L noodles and increase the sauce or something. I do often make bigger batches of favorites and freeze portions.<br>
Also, I just tried out Rocco Dispirito’s new chicken enchiladas recipe on my kids- big hit. Instead of rolling, made them as quesadillas. Made the very easy pico de gallo for it from Ree Drummond. She says basically same amount roma tomatoes, red onion and cilantro, some lime, S&P, a jalapeno or two, seeded, chill. But I used less onion and used hot sauce instead of the peppers. Easy. Can be frozen. Rocco says shred a rotisserie chicken from the store. </p>

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<p>Our nearest Trader Joes is at least 45 minutes away. I don’t shop there. And never have, and never will. Too far.</p>

<p>Re: bagels…look for a bagel shop. You will find what you want there. </p>

<p>Re: prepared foods…we have found that you can order from a restaurant and have enough for at least two meals. So while it may seem like it costs more up front…it doesn’t.</p>

<p>Coffee…look online. </p>

<p>And I agree…if you have an Aldi near you, check there.</p>

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<p>Parking at Trader Joe’s…</p>

<p><a href=“Mimi Pond: My cartoon about Trader Joe's parking lots!”>Mimi Pond;

<p>Lol. </p>

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<p>Wow, I guess we are lucky. There is always a nice crowd at our TJs (10 min from my house) but no craziness. I really enjoy their food and would miss them if I could not get to one. One thing I get there is Palak Paneer, in aseptic packaging. Stick “Palak Paneer” in the search box at Amazon and you will see that others sell this. You could mail order that sort of product. It would not need refrigeration.</p>

<p>Do you have a WalMart? They sell Newman’s products. They taste good. The freezer section increasingly offers lots of meal kits, just add chicken. You could try those.</p>

<p>We make polish sausage and kraut, white brat sausage and black beans, pasta sauce with sausage or meat balls, pasta sauce Bolognese with ground turkey, beef and rice, chicken and rice. Just simmer these meats for a while for best flavor, and if you have the time, cook the meat ahead, chill overnight, and pick off the hardened fat. (North Central MW means you can set this stuff outside, covered, about half of the year rather than use the fridge - I call it my outdoor freezer). Rotisserie chicken, boned, with noodles cooked in broth (stew the skin and bones and strain for a tasty broth, or use boxed broth). Pork BBQ simmered stovetop. Also tuna salad, Tossed salad with some meat and cheese for a main course.</p>

<p>I don’t cook with packets or cans of soup - I don’t like additives and feel better off them - and once you get into a rhythm, home cooking isn’t so bad.</p>

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<p>I read that an Aldi will be built near us next year. I had never heard of them, not to hijack this thread, but what is different from regular grocery store? </p>

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<p>Aldi is German- actually, related to TJ. Many of us who know German products can find some there. Sausages, some cheeses and prepared products. Where I am, many items are crazy inexpensive.<br>
A link <a href=“Aldi grocery store: best in America, related to Trader Joe’s.”>http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/12/02/aldi_grocery_store_best_in_america_related_to_trader_joe_s.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I don’t find the same endless variety of frozen products or all those cheeses or coffees TJ has. But Aldi is an experience. Bring a quarter to release a shopping cart and you get it back when you return the cart. </p>

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<p>In the process of taking my dad grocery shopping this spring, I became an Aldi shopper. It is another one of those ‘they have what they have’ places, which is to say that you can’t do your entire shopping there, but much of what they have is of very good quality, and much of it is lower in price than you will find almost anywhere. I have been getting free trade coffee, chocolate, corn chips, lettuce (romaine, and salad in the bag), goat cheese with herbs, flat bread pizza, ice cream, organic milk, yogurt, etc. dad gets the cheap wine, canned bean soup, eggs, some meats. They sell other stuff like lawn chairs and perennial bulbs in the spring. Last week I got a 4pack of vinyl cutting sheets with a grippy backing for $2. My best buy was the ‘tomato keeper’, a cheap tomato-shaped twist apart vessel priced just over a dollar, which I stuck into sis’s tomato plant to trick her into thinking she had an early tomato (it worked, and gave us both a good laugh). BTW you pay with cash or debit card. I often take in a bag and collect my stuff in the bag, set it on the belt and reload when checked out I.e. I don’t always bother with a cart. If they are building you a new Aldi, then it will probably be a nice one.</p>

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<p>Aldi is a barebones operator that makes Walmart look like a deli. Decent products are available, a well as crappy B and C white products. No real parallel to TJ, except for the ownership of the billionaire family Albrecht. </p>

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<p>I go to TJ’s in downtown Brooklyn at 8:00, definitely before 8:30, when they first open.</p>