Trader Joe's
Posted by Anonymous on May 22, 2007 · Member since Dec 1969 · 11789 posts
Okay, so I've decided that I must make a trip to Trader Joe's - I've heard everyone rave about it and now I want to check it out. I didn't realize there was one only 40 miles away from me, so I am going to plan a trip soon.
My question is - what are your "must-buys" from Trader Joe's? I looked on their website but it doesn't list any of their products. I want to make sure I don't miss anything!
wow that depends...
I love the convience of TJ's but have done well without it... if i get a care package form my mom which is usually TJ's stuff... i get raw cashews, nuts etc... stevia powder... she just sent me some vegan trail mix cookies and vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
but none of those are "must buys" just nice....
What i like about TJ's is it's just nice to walk around a regular store and have a fairly good chance that something you pick up to check on is veg or vegan... or made of spelt or something. TJ's isn't a health food store, things are made with bad stuff still... but it seems to be more of a 50-50 chance than the regular store where it's impossible to find even one salad dressing without sugar.
I'm getting giddy just thinking about it ;D Thanks jenniferhughes and mdvegan for your suggestions! I'm definitely going to bring a cooler with me.
And mdvegan - you have to have lived in Rhode Island to understand that 40 miles away is like a MAJOR trip LOL - you can drive from border-to-border in an hour or less. And that's how something could have been 40 miles away for a hundred years and a native Rhode Islander wouldn't have had a clue! ;D
TJ's has become my regular grocery store for just about everything except for produce (I'm not impressed with their selection, and sometimes you just want one tomato, not a pack of 4...). I'm there each week. Lots of yummy food, and it's just about always cheaper than my local Shop Rite :)
In addition to what Mdvegan listed:
Soy milk - I think it's a pretty good price (I get Soy Dream)
Pretty inexpensive tofu - .99 a pound, not my favorite kind but acceptable
Tempeh - I can't find it in any of the local supermarkets, just at TJ's
Burritos - Bean and Rice -I think they're really Amy's, but I'm not sure
I like all the juices they have there - if I'm not sure, I just get what they have free samples of that week..
Vegan chocolate chips
Cereal - Puffins, my new favorite
Lunabars - for 1.29 each which I think is a pretty good price - not a great selection of flavors though, at last check, they had only three, and no Jocalat ones :(
I would suggest that you try to make your first trip to TJ's at a time when it's not likely to be really crowded. The aisles can be pretty small, and you'll want to check everything out. There really is so much there. My staples are organic bananas, nuts, hummus, soy milk, and tofu--stuff I can't get at the farmer's market. But Trader Joe's has so many cool things besides that. And do check out their wines if you drink wine. They have really good prices!
Have fun!
Do they have bulk foods? I was really curious about TJ's too Veggeroni and there website doesn't say much. Gotta definitely check it out! Thanks!
I don't shop at Trader Joe's much because I'm totally spoiled by vegetarian supermarkets where I live. Trader Joes is more a small market than a large grocery store, so there are limited things to buy - BUT - they have:
-Ezekial bread
-their fruit is prepackaged into units, so you can't pick out your favorite fruit, you buy a shrink-wrapped tray of something
-there's a good selection of nuts and dried fruit
-the freezer selection has some cool veggie mix options. There's a bag pretty frozen veggies there for $0.99, if I remember correctly
-I like their condiment aisle
-I think their eco-friendly clothes detergent is a Trader Joe's brand, so it might be less expensive than brand types like Ecover
-proportionately to the store, they have a large wine selection (not as large as Cost Plus). I don't like wine, so I don't know which brands are vegan
No bulk.
Thanks Humbolt_Honey! :D
Mmm Peanut butter puffins... those are goood!!!!
I'm making a trip to the US soon and I think I'm gonna ship a case of puffins back.
YES take a cooler cuz lots of the yummies are frozen!
I'm from LA and about half of what TJ's sells (stuff that isn't TJ's brand...amy's etc.) is avalible at a regular grocery store there. but if you're normal grocery store doesn't sell that kind of thing TJ's will be a good place to find it.
They also have vitamens and that kind of stuff.
Most are small, but I've been in a few larger ones.
Wow. I didn't realize how spoiled I was with Trader Joes, which is walking distance from me. (Two more a short drive away) I realize now I shouldn't take this for granted.
Like it was suggested before, it's best to go when it's less crowded to avoid long lines and to find a spot in their sometimes thimble-size parking lots.
Also, before you go, you might want to call the store and see if you they can send you the May issue of the Trader Joe's "Fearless Flyer," which features some light-hearted product descriptions w/prices. Printed on recycled newsprint too I think.
Suggested purchases:
Bananas (19 cents each)
Tofu (99 cents)
Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
Earth Balance buttery spread
Potato gnocchi
Marinara sauce (good to have on hand if you're too tired to cook after school)
Canned garbanzo, black and kidney beans
Raspberry sorbet (think it's 1.99
Decaf Tea
Wine(Inexpensive Chilean wines, cabs, chiantis and merlots)
Toothbruses (made from recyclables)
Trail mix
Chocolate chips(the semi-sweet kind is vegan I think)
Flowers,or small plant, to brighten up your room
Happy shopping! :)
I only go to TJs about once a month, because the co-op here has so much more to offer.
But, at TJs, I usually get raw almonds/peanuts/cashews and other nuts for my trail mix. As well as dried fruit. They had Thai Lime Peanuts there last time I went, and they are sooooo good. Spicy!
Sometimes I get vegan cookies--I think that's actually the name of them--Vegan Cookies. But I ate so much of them last year, that I got sick of them. :-) I do that to myself sometimes. I don't know why.
Sometimes I get vegan cookies--I think that's actually the name of them--Vegan Cookies. But I ate so much of them last year, that I got sick of them. :-) I do that to myself sometimes. I don't know why.
The last time I was there I saw Uncle Eddie cookies.
I forgot! They have different types of pizza dough in the refrigerated section. The last time I checked the herb/garlic dough and cornmeal dough were vegan. You can make lots of different things with them.
They have vegan cookies?!? I go there lots, and I haven't seen any...maybe because I tend to walk right by that section because I figure there won't be any vegan stuff there. I must look next time!! Thanks for the tip :)
1) Organic Ketchup $1.89 (No corn syrup) I buy LOTS for my BF
2) Nuts and raisins...cereals are cheaper too
3) Water (I know but it is cheaper when I make the trip)
4) Soymilk (cheaper)
5) Tempeh $1.69
6) Tofu .99 cents
7) LARA bars $1.29 compared to $2.00 at store (I WISH they carried more flavors)
8 )Organic Apples -usually cheaper then store
9) Soap and shampoo (natural)
10) Frozen blueberries, mangoes
11) Organic corn (frozen) CHEAP and sweet peas-the ONLY i will buy
12) When I want something quick Organic frozen enchiladas $1.99 for 2 (not as good as Amy's but Amy's is $4.29)
13) They have great sorbets and some soy ice cream-cherry some name I cant remember is amazing!!!
I buy most of these every 2 weeks esp. the frozen fruit and veggies... They do have some amazing vegan crackers as well!
Sometimes Organic Orange Juice- not expensive at all and is milder than tropicana
I don't know if their smoky black bean dip is vegan or not, but since we moved to Germany, I've been craving the stuff!!!
I love TJ's!! The closest one to me is like almost 2 hours away. Anways, if your store sells organic bakes marinated tofu, you HAVE to try the thai-style. Oh My Gosh. So good, spicy and chewy. Absolutely delicious. They also have a good selection of raw nuts, which are hard to find around here. And soy yogurt as well. Oh, and multiple nut butters, raw or roasted. I don't really get to shop there a lot because of the distance, and I usually buy things around here or at the co-op in Rockford (I have to go there everyweek for therapist appointment). Have fun...it's soo cool in there.
I LOVE T.J.! I usually go once a week or very 2 weeks and stock up. Most of this is a repeat from what others have said, but my staples are:
1. Cereal - quite a few to choose from and very inexpensive
2. Nuts - HUGE selection, also very cheap
3. Dried fruit - the unsweetened granny smith apples are the BEST
4. Organic apples
5. Tofu - only .99 and it is seriously my favorite of ALL brands I have tried... organic as well...
6. Frozen fruit - mixed berries is sooo yummy
7. Nut butters - I just tried the Almond last time and it is AMAZING
8. Bread
9. Soy Garden Spread
10. Condiments
Not only do they have a great selection for us veg*ns, but their prices are MUCH lower than any other store I have found. Bring a cooler or an insulated bag... You will most likely want to buy things that need to be kept cold! And don't be surprised how small the store is. It is tiny but has a lot of great finds. I usually walk around twice to make sure I didn't miss anything! Happy Shopping 8)
They have vegan cookies?!? I go there lots, and I haven't seen any...maybe because I tend to walk right by that section because I figure there won't be any vegan stuff there. I must look next time!! Thanks for the tip :)
At the TJ's here (Issaquah, WA), they are usually found on the shelf with all the bread, scones, etc. They are quite good if you like "chewy" cookies, which I do. I wonder if TJs only offers them at certain locations. I should ask next time I'm there.
You all know your Trader Joe's!
You have inspired me to stop off on the way back from visiting my sister at the beach this weekend. I just looked on their website and found there's a store down the road a piece from where I am. I rarely go bc I thought the closest ones were in NOVA--too far.
Well, I'm not having the best evening, so I decided to get some retail therapy... at Trader Joe's! I noticed that they are selling insulated bags at my TJ's for $1.99 that they promise will keep your food cold for 4 hours! Here is a picture of what I bought. Now that I look at what I got and what I plan to do with it (make ice cream, eat p.b. straight from the jar, eat chocolate chips straight out of the bag, pour chocolate chips straight from the bag directly into the jar of p.b. and then eat the mixture straight from the jar, fill a chocolate cake with raspberry prerserves, and moisturize my skin) I can tell my purchases are directly related to my cruddy mood... :)
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