Almost exactly a year ago, I asked our lovely readers to help me out with my dinner issues (small issues like cooking it, for example), and as always, you came to my rescue. You had great ideas… but dinner is something I still struggle with. I don’t get home until 5:45 each night, and so time is of the essence.
Anyway, when I posted the plea for help last year, our in-real-life friend Krista left a comment saying that she finds shopping at Trader Joe’s really helpful. I stuck that in the back of my mind and always meant to go there, but never got around to it… until about three weeks ago. And now I am hooked!
They have a great selection of frozen food, dairy, wine and beer. And really, what more do you need? Oh, fresh produce, you say? Yes, they have that too. Bread, pasta, salsa, vitamins – they have it all. And none of it has any preservatives or high fructose corn syrup.
The only problem I have is that I like to plan my shopping trips ahead by looking online and getting an idea of what to buy, but as far as I can tell, the Trader Joe’s website doesn’t list their products (not very helpful, Trader Joe people!). So if you’re a TJ fan, help the rest of us out by leaving a comment with some of your faves (mine include salsa-flavored tortilla chips, mini tacos and Two Buck Chuck). Thanks!
Easy weeknight dinners – that works for me! For more WFMW tips, head over to Rocks in My Dryer!
(P.S. Don’t forget to enter our fabulous Itzy Ritzy giveaway!)
I love TJ’s too – none near us, but we stop at one whenever we visit family 2 hrs away. Fun tip – ours has a stuffed animal hidden somewhere in the store. If the kids find it, go tell the person at the sampling area where it is, and they each get a granola bar. They love this!
I try different things each time. So far, favorites are their coconut milk (I use it to make chicken curry), couscous, and rice.
My picky eater Niece LOVES their BBQ Teriyaki Chicken. It’s yummy, even without the sauce that’s included.
Their Prociutto is also good.
What am I saying? Everything there is good! 🙂
two buck chuck is one of my favorites, too. but I also like to stock up on their sunflower seed butter. I can’t send my son to MMO with any nut products (other kids are allergic I guess) so this is a great alternative, and TJ’s is the tastiest for the money that I have found. plus, lower sodium than other kinds, and good protein.
I would have to get on a plane to visit TJ’ so I can’t help out. Hey TJ’s corporate, what’s wrong with Florida?
That hidden stuffed animal trick is a great idea!
Trader Joes! oh how I love the! We dont have em here in Texas- we use to live in California and shopped there all the time! I visit one when I can. Love their deserts and fun pasta sauces!
I love so many things at TJ’s, it’s hard to list just a few. But I’ll try: mandarin orange chicken with the frozen brown rice (steams in the bag) and broccoli. Chocolate-covered peanut butter pretzels (if loving you is wrong, I don’t wanna be right!) Guacamole salsa dip. Soy flaxseed tortilla chips. Chocolate lava cakes. 100-calorie chocolate bars. Roasted red pepper spread. Scones. Wine, wine, wine. Geez, this list is getting long ….
I’m definitely with Kathy… everything I’ve ever had from Trader Joe’s is wonderful!
I can’t live without their pre-cooked organic brown rice. It’s so easy to pop in the microwave for perfectly cooked rice. And their Orange Chicken is the best! So quick and easy. And the Midnight Moo organic chocolate syrup… you will never go back to corn-syrup laden Hershey’s syrup again!
I am so craving a Trader Joe’s run now!
I LOVE Trader Joe’s and wish there was one close to us! Since there’s not, it would be fabulous if there was a way to order stuff online (hint, hint TJ people!!) Here are some of my favorites:
All the frozen pasta entrees (the gnocchi is excellent)
Frozen chocolate croissants
Chocolate lava cakes (frozen)
Chocolate covered edamame
Chocolate covered pnut butter pretzels
Sigh. How I wish I had access to all of this right NOW!!
TJ’s!! My favs: $1 fresh pizza dough(especially if you have a Foodsaver to preserve it!), GuacaSalsa (!), TJ’s smoked Salmon, Frozen Na’an, Tomato Red Pepper Soup, Barbara’s Shredded Oat Cereal, Vegetable Bird’s Nest (tempura veggies), Pot Stickers/Goyzas (SP?), organic frozen asparagus (great grilled with olive oil/pepper/garlic), Organic Peanut Butter, their roasts (lamb or beef), Pollo Asada (!), Chipotle Ranch French Fries(!), Fire Roasted Vegetables(!). Needlesstosay: I love TJ’s!!!
I LOVE TJ’s and lucky for me, we just got one in Nashville last week. I, too, love the frozen brown rice. The bean and cheese burritos are great. They have wonderful salsas to accompany the burritos. And, last but not least, this is the time of year for the Candy Cane Joe-Joes. BEWARE: These are quite possibly the best thing you’ll ever put in your mouth.
TJ’s is awesome! I buy all my frozen veggies there and like everyone else have never found anything I did not love! The go to for nights I just dont have any energy to cook is the Italian Turkey Meatloaf they sell in the refidgerated section. 4 minutes in the microwave and we are set! Even my picky kids eat and love it. So Yummy!
I love Trader Joes. I’m a fan of their yogurt (.79 each), but full of better ingredients.
I also buy their small bags of potatoes. Their baby dutch and also their 3 potatoe blend (red, purple and white) are great for roasting and not too expensive.
Also, their ketchup 1.99 is organic and yummy!
I have a friend who buys their raspberry viniagrette and also their sweet and spicy pecans and adds them to salad.
I want to buy their french beans to use for a bean casserole. I’ve also tried their frozen potatoes w/onion and pepper..yummy.
I find their prices a lot less than whole foods and it’s closer for me.
I also buy their wheat tortillas, sometimes bread. It just depends on whats for sale. Oh, and their peanut butter and pancake mix is 1.99 each and really yummy. The pre-cooked brown rice is good too.
Everything there rocks…
We’re HUGE fans of:
Beef and Green chili burritoes
non-fat greek yogurt
green tea yogurt
the mixed carrost (white, yellow, orange) for soups and stews
the pinon coffee
the The Vert soap
their 100% recycled tp and paper towels (cheapest by far than anywhere else)
cereals
tamales
oh…it’s all so yummy!
I told you so! 😉 LOL….
I also love the frozen organic brown rice mentioned by others – it has been so great with all of us in the fam getting the stomach flu this week.
Frozen pastas are fabulous and fast.
The frozen Indian Naan (flatbread) is wonderful and the garlic flavor goes great with a pasta or salad.
Prezel chips everything flavor – yummy!
Fresh refrigerated pizza dough is so good and easy – and it comes in three varieties – plain, whole wheat and garlic/herb.
I also love some of the marinated frozen fish for easy dinners.
And not to be missed to stock in the freezer are these little packages of frozen garlic cubes. This is so handy for recipes. Each cube is one minced clove approximately. They also have basil like this and cilantro I think. It’s near the frozen veggies.
Speaking of frozen veggies…the super sweet corn is almost as good as fresh local sweet corn on the cob. Seriously. Can’t miss with most kids on that one.
I can go on and on…I think I already did.
Tomato Basil Soup (near produce, refridgerated) and the Candy-Cane Joe Joes (like peppermint Oreos) that appear around the holidays… they sell out quick around here!
Love Trader Joes 🙂
I’ve only been there once on my lunch hour. After reading through the comments, I really should go again and check out everything they have. But I purchased the GNU Flavor & Fiber bars…Cinnamon Raisin and Chocolate Brownie are my fave!
Two-Buck-Chuck is my favorite!!! 🙂
Thye used to have this Salmon Chowder that was awesome…but I have not seen it in a while! Give Me My Chowdah!
Ohhh…I love trader Joes! I go about every 2 weeks! It too has helped with making my dinners easier. They have alot of fresh, healthy, yet easy foods! I love their brownie bites, great wine prices, great healthy cereals for cheap…and great frozen food section!
I LOVE Trader Joes! I am a recent convert and can’t say enough good things about them!
We have been LOVING their chicken taquitos (frozen section!). They taste just like a restaurant and I love that they just wait for me in my freezer – never going bad! I serve them with black beans and rice and salsa for a freezer/pantry meal that still tastes fresh and yummy!
I’m with the crowd on this one – I love love TJ’s too! And you can’t beat the prices — they don’t even need coupons, Jenny!
You’ve got to try their eggplant and roasted red pepper spread! It’s in a glass jar and boy is it great! You can use it in recipes or use similar to bruschetta topping. Yum!!! They have lots of these yummy jarred spreads. I can’t imagine that any of them are bad!
mandarin orange chicken
You HAVE to try this!!! It is in the frozen food section. I am not a big frozen meat person, so this was huge for me to try!! It is soooooo good! Promise!