Tell me about TRader Joe's....

I was kinda curious when I read that. I know it's an old thread and 2007 was a long time ago. Things do change, for the better and for the worse.

But one of the things we usually buy at Trader Joes when we get there is... fish. We don't buy fresh, only frozen. And we typically won't buy much other than tuna steaks or salmon steaks. But we've been pretty happy with the fish we've gotten there.

I did wonder if the poster above (are they still here?) was talking about fresh fish as opposed to frozen, though. Somehow, with "fresh", I never feel like I know just -how- fresh it really is. And I tend to smell it. The fish I'm getting out of the freezer doesn't really smell all that much.

Anyway, I'd be curious if others like or dislike Trader Joe's fish.

We've occasionally bought some other stuff there but nothing I can remember as all that remarkable. They do have some organic stuff, which we do like. But we tend to try to buy stuff locally and put it in our freezer for our use later on... since we don't have our homestead yet. (And when I say "local", that might be anywhere between Alabama and Pennsylvania, depending upon the season. Our rv has wheels!)

I LOVE Trader Joe's! When we lived in Tucson I would portion out some of my grocery money to shop there. When we went we purchased the salmon and at that time we liked it. The closest one to us now is in Albuquerque, NM and about 5 hours away, so when we have to go there for the VA we make a stop.

Things that we like to get:

Balsamic Vinegar
Certain spices (rosemary, saffron)
Coconut Milk
Peanut Butter
Sipping Cocoa
Dried Fruit and Nuts
Lebkuchen (around Christmastime)
Pastas
Chocolate Chips
Baking Powder

I sure wish that we had one closer!

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By His Grace, For His Glory,
Sharon

himalayan sea salt
toffee chocolate sea salt covered almonds.
blood orange soda
bake at hime ciabatta.
and vahlrona chocolate bars

we use trader joes to buy our "fancy foods" when we are going to have a date night picnic. or a special dessert. or when mama is jonesing for one of the above.

we get other things too its usually based on what they are sampling

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the reward for conformity is that everyone likes you, except yourself.

What I like from TJs

Olive oil and vinegar
vitamins
DrBonner's peppermint soap is about a 1/3 less in price than elsewhere
marinara, I like to make my own, but theirs is good
frozen haricot vert beans
frozen kung pao chicken..cheap, easy and good to have in for long days with not so much time to cook from scratch, I add a tad extra liquid for more sauce
fresh style mozzarella
vanilla extract
boxed tomato/red pepper soup..delicious.
their canned tuna is good, the well known brands have become like cat food imo
chocolate
uncured pastrami
milk and juices

I haven't been happy generally with their frozen meat and fish

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I saw something nasty in the woodshed

When we went from two incomes to one I started doing a fair amount of shopping there ... bread, olive oil, tortillas, frozen fish, frozen chicken, Joe's Ohs, cheese, wine, coffee. Not a big fan of the produce - but you can save a bunch shopping there. And their ethnic foods are decent - the stuff that's supposed to be hot (spice-wise) actually is.

Trader Joe's is an amazing charitable company.
The 2 in Indy give TONS of food every year to a program called Second Helpings.
They, with only 4-5 paid staff members, provide 3500 meals A DAY FREE to hungry folks all over the city.
Trader Joe's helps to make that happen!!

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I am sure of two things: There is a God, and I am not Him.
The movie Rudy

I love Trader Joes- and they treat their employees very well- cashiers make over 10 bucks an hour and the prices are good!
on side note- if you have an Aldi's- Trader Joes owns Aldis- so if you buy trader joe stuff that Aldis carries- like the lentil soup- it is the same and the their triscuits- same product- and a little cheaper- their are things that are not sold at Aldi's that TJ carries- but I try not to get that stuff- I wait till we go to Aldis

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"If you can find a nice pretty country girl that can cook and carries her bible, now there's a woman." - Phil Robertson

CEO and President of SWS (Skirt Wearing Society)

A TJs has finally opened in Asheville, haven't shopped one since we moved from va and had forgotten just how much I missed it! The things I headed for first were vitamins, jalapeno cheddar baked cheetos and chocolate covered orange sticks. They do sell real food too....but first things first

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I'm not easy to live with, I know that it's true. You're no picnic either baby...

Don Henley

I thought I was the only one that liked Dr. Bronners Peppermint Soap!!!

oh and their chocolate is very good along with the 2 buck chuck

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Trader Joes here had peppermint JoJos this week.

They have the best price for maple syrup in town that I have found.

I love their enchilada sauce. They have good goat cheese.

Their bbq popped chips are the only potato chips I am able to eat without getting sick. I eat their jalapeno cheese crisp sometimes.

I get nuts there too. I usually put a bag of honey roasted sesame cashews in dd's stocking

If you are looking for real food you have to be very careful with TJs. I've seen "lighty hydrogentated" oils in some of their stuff. It really is just processed food with copious amounts of soy (which the majority still think is a health food). They also use a lot of canola oil - another pretend health food.

That said, there are a few things that I get there on a semi-regular basis. They have the best prices on organic ketchup, organic taco shells, these super yummy pappadew type peppers and an organic cheese pizza that I will get for a quick supper on the nights I work. I can load it up with veggies and meat and SO doesn't have to worry about cooking and I don't have to worry about the girls eating out of a sack. Their frozen OG veggies are also a good buy, as are the frozen fruits. OG jelly and lunchbox applesauce are also afforable - but when it comes to the boxes for cereal bars, bags of chips, mixes, crackers and other processed food - it's all just crap.

But man I have to stay away this time of year. The holiday candy they bring in ... the toffee and sea salt caramels are to drop dead for !!!

Ok - I went yesterday and they have Peppermint Joe Joes.

I bought 10 boxes - this will last all year.

Their Advent calendars are out and the gingerbread houses (made in Germany, NOT China) are due in stores today. They come in a big triangle package and the gingerbread pieces actually taste good! I refuse to buy any other kind. http://themodernballantynewife.files...r-joes-kit.jpg

We save the box and cut out the little pictures to use as gift tags.

Things I like at Trader Joes:

Peppermint Joe Joes
Great salad dressings- Spicy peanut- Champagne Pear
Great juices- Pink Lemonade
Great teas- Earl Grey
Great flour tortillas
Red Pepper Tomato soup
2 buck chuck
My go to spot for psyllium husks, $6.29
orange flavored dried cranberries
Red pasta sauce in a jar

We have one not too far from here and I LOVE it!

A word to the wise..tread carefully between now and Christmas...it can get crazy in there!!

I like it too, and a little goes a looong way.

TJ's frozen macarons are delicious and so are the chocolate croissants. Yum.

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Beth ~ Old Church, VA
3 Nigerian Dwarf goats, 4 cats, 3 Pekin ducks and 7 chickens. One very patient husband~

We buy olive oil, Tom's toothpaste, and wine. The chocolate is better at ALDI.

We love Trader Joes at my house. Very good products and great prices. When we lived in the city we could walk there it was great. I love there beer selection, the only problem is that it's not refrigerated. Most products of the natural or organic variety are way cheaper than any where else.

We got one about 65 miles from us. And yes we make a special pilgrimage to it every so often. I love their flat bread pizza, DH absolutely adores their frozen tamales. I always try something new when we go there.
Their cheeses are to die for.....nd there was some strange named beer that was very very good, I think it was Frog beer!! LOL
Alice in Virginia

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There is nothing any worse than an angry little old lady, they've had a lifetime to learn all the dirty tricks and people get upset if you hit them!

A liqour store built around a nice deli, lol we don't have them down here along the broder but when we are in Phoenix we visit one, love the medjool dates, I always buy 3 or for packages and then sprout the seeds!!