What do you buy at Trader Joes?
 

TJs has just recently come to the ATL market so I, loaded up with ice chest (I need to start buying dry ice as my frozen things aren't looking so great when I get home) have been having a freaking FIELD DAY there. IMO it's the perfect place for someone who likes to eat but doesn't like to cook. I know they've been around forever in CA, so what suggestions do you have?

Here are some things I've tried:

Mochi ice cream - LOVE THIS. Mango favorite, Chocolate 2nd. Other flavors don't interest me
Sparkling blueberry drink - I don't know why, I just like it
Their guacamole - has to be the best premade ever
Cashew Macadamia butter - I will never eat peanut butter again
Their powered Chai
Frozen chicken enchiladas
Chilled soups: Tomato and lobster bisque are my current favs, have some clam chowder in the fridge
Garlic parmesean pita chips
Soy and flaxseed tortilla chips
Their organic FF milk is very reasonably priced
Frozen chicken lemon grass spring rolls
Frozen bean and rice burritos
Northern bean dip with garlic
Two buck (and a half) Chuck shiraz
And the most FUN thing ever: Freeze dried fruit! My nieces love me. It's almost as fun as eating the freeze dried ice cream


Not so great:

Soy and ginger broth - it's missing something
Cheddar cheese curds - was touted as a "special" thing - just didn't get that much flavor out of them


Things I've bought but haven't tried yet:

A couple of different frozen pizza
Frozen chicken burritos
Garlic hummus
Peach sauce (like apple sauce, but peach)
Small little containers of odd flavored low fat yoghurt - mocha, coffee, green tea
Glass jar bolognese sause

I'm pissed because I picked up their little newletter and then left it there.

The produce looks OK - I think I can probably get better at the local farmer's market and at worst, Whole Foods. But TJ seems very inexpensive for what you get.

So, any suggestions?

1) Maple Shredded Wheat. Fucking love it.
2) Real Canadian Maple Syrup
3) Canadian Brie

Yes, Trader Joes is my fix into Canada.

AVOID AT ALL FUCKING COSTS:
- Midnight Moo

Shit tastes so awful even thinking about it makes me want to vomit.

2 buck chuck. Actually, it's more like $2.99 buck Chuck.

I buy alot of wine there.

I love their garlic hummus
I also get the omega 3 eggs
their chilled soups are to die for
I like the pita chips too...especially with the garlic hummus ;-)

Something else recommended to me that didn't quite tickle my fancy:

The thai lime chili peanuts - if you like REALLY spicy things, you'll love these. They are good but more than a handful had me ready to stop eating them.

I LOVE real maple syrup. In fact, it's the only thing allowed in my house. Will try the Canadian (been buying Vermont). Their cheese section has so far just overwhelmed me. I want it all but realize I'll never eat it all before it goes bad. Time to have a cheese and 2 Buck (and a half) Chuck party :)

Forgot about the dog biscuits. Granted, 2 of my dogs eat poop and the other eats bugs, so their palate is the most refined, but they like them. I get the little peanut butter flavored ones.

Did you just say "to die for"??? Are you a male or a squatter?

I always buy the chili covered mangos. It's SOOOOO good.

Mango ice tea ....its in a big bottle...hella good ..try it

Cheese curds my wife will be running there.For some reason people from WI go crazy for them.

She might like them. To me, they just didn't have that much "cheddar" flavor. I know nothing about the curding process so maybe that's expected.

Lance, there is no such thing as TOO MUCH garlic :thumbsup

Chili as in the spice or as in the meat/tomato mixture?

holy crap, I did...
time to check my pants for a vagina...

but it is some damn good soup ;-)

It took a long time for me to finally give in and try the two buck chuck because I figured any wine that cost two bucks is bound to make ya chuck...but really it's not bad at all, I pick up a bottle of merlot every time I'm there (in Cali it actually does cost $1.99).

Their bottled orange juice is expensive but worth it, it's cured a couple nasty hangovers. Milton's buttermilk sliced bread is super yum, and also their frozen stuffed poblano peppers with chipotle are great, especially for a microwaved item. Oh, and their frozen orange chicken is better than most orange chicken you'd get from a restaurant.

Someone told me how great their OJ was and the bottled stuff had a different name (a female name, IIRC), is that what you're talking about? I ended up getting a carton of the extra pulp, not from concentrate organic but haven't tried it yet.

Noting your other recommendations for a trip later this week :)

Chocolate covered bananna chips......UN-fucking-real !!!!

Wine, cheese and meats are good quality.

i like most everytihng there! thanks for giving us your shopping list :)

Is it a restaurant or supermarket? I've never heard of it.

humus, veggie chips, sorbe, umm wheat waffles for the toaster, shredded spoonfuls cereal, a lot veggies they have, chicken sausage, pre sliced salami, apple juice, whole wheat bread... that's what I can think of off the top of my head. Trader joes rules. oh and i have plenty of two bucks chuck and a lot times they have really nice wines on special for around 3.99 that I always try as well.

In my opinion they have the best frozen pizzas ever! I also get alot of their sandwich meats, frozen pastas and ofcourse the wine :upsidedow

I've only tried the Trader Joe's brand OJ that comes in the gallon size:)

Yeah I love that stuff. Only complaint is i wish they would give more of the orange sauce :2 cents:

two buch chuck is a given..
cheese
Greek yogurt
salmon
pate
potatoes (try the small ones mixed yellow and red colored..best potatoes)
frozen veggies
frozen crab cakes

I'm so making a list for my next trip ;) I'm going to need some more coolers.......

wisconsin extra sharp chedder (with the black wax around it)
atlantic smoked salmon pieces
organic apricot orange fruit spread
Hawaiian style Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips

TJ's is the shiznit

I buy all my food there, their guacamole is great, if you got a cat try the bench & field dry cat food in a bin, healthy stuff, beware of the same company's cat treats as they are like crack for cats - seriously my goes through a bottle of them every two days.

yeah if you're looking for real cheddar flavor you're not going to get it from curds. but YUM! we're going there this week! i hope they have them when i get there. i can compare them to the ones i used to get at the cheese factory by where i lived. i can't wait!!!

here's the big question though...
did the curds squeek when you ate them?

Not so good: their animal crackers

:thumbsup

Nope. Though their website says they're supposed to:

I'll have to try the treats for my cat. In 15 years she's never liked treats and I'd love to find something "special" for her. If she doesn't like them, I'll do what I've done with all the other treats I've bought her and give them to the dogs. :thumbsup

If you like scones, they have a really good variety :) But I'm the only scone lover around here so the wood animals usually get at least 1 out of the pack.

They taste like silly putty to me. lol

amen to that :thumbsup

Bumping to see if there are any additions - headed out in a day or two (I feel like a cavewoman foraging for food).

Had to find this thread again :)

I've been getting lunch from TJs nearly every day for the past two weeks or so and am really loving their salads. They also have snapea crisps that I picked up on a whim and now have my whole family (including the kids) addicted to. They are baked snap peas...good and crunchy as a salad topper or just sitting down and eating a bagful of in a sitting ;-)

Veggie Chips
Flash Frozen fish...Salmon, Orange Roughey, Mahi Mahi, etc
Veggie Burgers
Pot Stickers
Organic Berries
etc.

Aside from fish, I'm pretty much a vegetarian now :)

- wine and port for sure!
- tzatiki is YUM
- pita cracker / chips
- salmon
- the meat u can by and cook in a bag (throw in the oven as is)
- hummos
- organic lowfat yogurt
- shrimp stirfry

i really haven't had much there that i don't like
trader joes is the shit!!

frozen food, beer and wine

I haven't even tried the salads! Believe it or not, or little local grocery sells those baked peas. LOVE THEM!

Last time picked up:

Freeze dried strawberries - not as good as the pineapple - not really good at all...
Chocolate covered banana chips - YUM
Orange chicken - haven't eaten
Chicken/spinach/feta sausage - haven't eaten
Frozen low fat french toast (yes, I am lazy) - great
Canadian maple syrup on above - great
Thai lemon chicken soup (chilled) - great
More of the other stuff I liked :)

Couldn't fine the frozen stuffed peppers and haven't tried the seafood yet. Sushi selection looked kinda odd....

The cashier said that they are building a warehouse in ATL because now they are getting everything from Chicago. :helpme

Oh, the frozen pizza with feta and olives - YUMMY!!

I love TJ's! I would totally recommend their Vintage Ale,thai tuna(in the box) and their dim sum!

this is something i would normally walk by, but i picked up their carbonated blueberry juice the other day and nearly had an orgasm when i drank it. it's the ill shit...and i'm supposing that it would go great with vodka, but i haven't tried that yet. mmmm...vodka and blueberry juice.

the carne asada that comes pre seasoned is bomb at trader joes. better than most shit you can buy at a real carniceria.

I KNOW! It's great :) Someone else recommended it to me or I would never have bought it.

Wasabi peas - too hot for me. If you like spicy, you will like them. I tossed them in a container with the thai chili/lime peanuts for the beer drinkers :thumbsup
Chicken/spinach/feta sausage on the grill last night - wonderful!

Headed back to town on Monday with another list. LOVE this place!!

Okay, now I want one in the UK just from reading this thread.

I swear if I lived closer to one I wouldn't shop anywhere else.

We don't have many 'funky' places like that over here. The big push is to go to farm shops and stuff (food miles are a big deal here at the moment) but when you live in the city there aren't many farm shops around.

Spinach and cheese dip - 5 minutes in the micro for ooey gooey goodness!
Mint and lemon chilled pea soup - meh

Wine...........