Alenee Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 (edited) So many threads here about what everyone likes, I thought I'd try a different tack. Help me with a one week menu? While visiting my parents this week, I fell in love with the Simply Almonds Cashews and Cranberry granola mixed with the Greek yogurt. I love their wines and flowers and goodies but after that, I'm lost! So, breakfast, lunch, and dinner...hit me! :D ETA: Just shoot off meals your family would like...not looking for a whole-week menu from every person. ;) Edited July 24, 2012 by Alenee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 We like their chicken apple sausage for breakfast. We like their seeded baguettes. Also, mushroom ravioli and frozen gyoza (if you want a vegetarian option). We buy their meat and chicken, but the Empire brand chicken and the tri-tip cut of steak never cook up right for me. I don't get them anymore. I also like their expensive Parmesan (block) for a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Orange Chicken (freezer section) with organic broccoli florets (freezer section) and brown rice. Delicious!! Their "This (Fruit) Walked into a Bar" cereal bars are also very good. And the fig bars taste very much like Fig Newtons!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 oh my.... well, for breakfast: cereals: joe's "o's", and fruit flavoured joe's o's (they remind me of fruit loops, except more flavourful and not as sweet.... we eat them as candy/snack food rather than for breakfast), any of their instant oatmeals, baked goods: bagels and whipped cream cheese (and lox, tomatoes and onions), their cinnamon swirl bread, their cinnamon buns, the bake your own chocolate filled coissants, any of their breads with any of their nut butters or pumpkin butter their vanilla non-fat yoghurt paired with their maple pecan granola and frozen raspberries - we layer it in a glass like a mcdonald's parfait, 1/2 their baby frozen quiches, their hashbrowns, bacon, breakfast burritos .... now i'm hungry..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 The little chicken tamales with your own mixed sour cream and salsa. They had a dip they'd mixed together when I was there, but I had to guess at what was in it :( They are absolutely delicious!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Hmmmm.... all kinds of snacks, too!! They have hotdogs(beef organic) if you care for them. Turkey Bacon... Good Chicken... (organic choices, too) Juices... These yummy peach or strawberry juice squeeze things that are frozen. Quiche... YUM!! :) So many yummy choices. Honestly I haven't see anything that isn't really great:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heliconian Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 We like to make a pasta salad with their mango chutney, canned chicken, and bowtie pasta. Sometimes we add capers and Parmesan cheese. This was a recipe they made at their little sample stand. We also make their sample enchiladas with the grated Mexican cheese blend, corn tortillas, plain yogurt and salsa verde. But the vanilla goat cheese with blueberries on savory thin crackers is one of my favorite things in the whole world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 I am completely addicted to their organic cinnamon spice instant oatmeal mixed in with their very berry cherry blend frozen fruit. I take some of the fruit, rinse it off in the sink and then put it in the microwave for about a minute. Then, I pour in the oatmeal packet and use whatever liquid came from the fruit to mix it up. Add more hot water if needed. It is so yummy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 It's easy for me to cook from scratch most of the time- but sometimes I need or want a frozen meal to use. Trader Joe's is THE place for that. They have great frozen options- filled pastas, ethnic foods, vegetarian stuff- I haven't tried anything frozen that I didn't like. I've even bought the frozen brown rice- it's great to have on hand when I'm throwing together a quick meal or stretching leftovers. I LOVE their frozen blueberries- they're the tiny Maine ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 My husband must have their granola every morning. For lunch my kids would love orange chicken. I'd like potstickers or French onion soup--both found in the freezer section. For a change up at lunch we also love goat cheese, roasted corn, green salsa quesidillas---it was a sample once and we love it. For supper, the shrimp prices can't be beat. The raw frozen shrimp is some of the best I've had. And for a special occasion, be sure to try the frozen rack of lamb. Snack involves fresh bread and brie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Turkey meatballs from their freezer section, served with fage yogurt with cumin mixed in. Veggies- carrots and celery sticks, or any of their frozen veggies Brown rice Their carne asada is great on the BBQ. It's a bit spicy, but delicious. I bought the sliced one last time, instead of the roast. Served with black beans, corn salsa and sour cream. Oh, if you can get it, their lamb kebabs are great too. I cook them up in the cast iron frying pan, serve with tzatziki, rice and a salad. Other snacks to get... Their plain almond milk is awesome - get it from the milk section, not the stuff in the boxes you can put in your pantry - they were nasty! Their dried mango is a huge hit here. I have to buy multiple bags of it. Oh, their turkey jerky is awesome too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 We like their organic hot dogs & whole wheat buns. I adore the heirloom tomatoes they sell - add some of their fresh water-packed mozzarella for a great salad. (it's what I had for lunch yesterday!) I buy tilapia filets in the freezer section and either bake them in the oven w/ a veracruz sauce, or oven "fry" them as in this recipe:Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meena Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 One of our favorite meals is stir-fry made with General Tsao sauce. I just saute diced chicken breast in a small amount of oil, add bias-cut carrots, then toward the end add the sauce, broccoli, and a bit of water. Sometimes I'll add different veggies (sugar snap peas are good). The sodium content in the sauce is high, so I try not to be heavy handed with the sauce. I serve with baked brown rice. Quick, easy, and so tasty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Dinner ideas: Salmon (frozen) with couscous (box), artichokes (fresh) Falafel (frozen) with tahini sauce (refrigerated) inside pita bread (bakery) Pizza - pre-made dough (refrigerated), pizza sauce (jar), cheese, olives, pepperoni Tortellini (dried) with alfredo sauce (jar) and vegetable melange (frozen) Black bean soup (shelf-stable box), topped with sour cream and shredded cheese Salad mix, top with diced "Just Chicken" grilled chicken slices (refrigerated), parmesan cheese, salad dressing; baguette Gnocchi with tomato sauce and cheese (frozen) Breakfast: Try the (frozen) Danish pancakes, organic "Pop Tarts", yogurt, (frozen) croissants. Lunch: Taquitos (frozen) or tamales (frozen), individual salads (fresh), hummus and pita bread, lentil wraps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 It's easy for me to cook from scratch most of the time- but sometimes I need or want a frozen meal to use. Trader Joe's is THE place for that. They have great frozen options- filled pastas, ethnic foods, vegetarian stuff- I haven't tried anything frozen that I didn't like. I've even bought the frozen brown rice- it's great to have on hand when I'm throwing together a quick meal or stretching leftovers. I LOVE their frozen blueberries- they're the tiny Maine ones. Ditto. Most of our TJ's meals are assembled for nights when I don't want to cook properly. I won't buy frozen pizza from anywhere else. That and a salad is one of our "emergency" meals for the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waa510 Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 For snacks, my kids love the little bars they have in the baskets on the end of the frozen foods aisle ( boysenberry, apricot, apple banana). I love that I can slip a few in my purse to hold my kids over if we're out of the house for longer than expected. Their raw almonds and trail mixes are big hits here ( especially the one with the peanut butter cups in it for dh). We love their pineapple salsa as well. We eat a lot of Mexican and it's fantastic on bean burritos. We use their basil marinara as a base sauce for chili, soups, stews, etc. Their dry pastas are a hit, especially the tortellini. The premade pizza dough is great too, it's an easy meal that I can whip up quickly. I put some of their pizza sauce, lite shredded mozzarella, and frozen veggies at 425 for 15 minutes and dinner's done. I agree with pps that their frozen meals are awesome too. We really like the pad Thai and orange chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 Thank you, everyone! I had fun shopping today. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Thank you, everyone! I had fun shopping today. :D No fair- you have to tell us what you bought! Folks like me, who drive 1 1/2 hours to get to TJ need to hear this stuff!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 We like their organic hot dogs & whole wheat buns. I adore the heirloom tomatoes they sell - add some of their fresh water-packed mozzarella for a great salad. (it's what I had for lunch yesterday!) I buy tilapia filets in the freezer section and either bake them in the oven w/ a veracruz sauce, or oven "fry" them as in this recipe:Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia What? They have organic hot dogs now? I'm so out of the loop when I send DH to go shopping. He just looks at the list and won't tell me new products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 No fair- you have to tell us what you bought! Folks like me, who drive 1 1/2 hours to get to TJ need to hear this stuff!! Ohhh, I bought all kinds of stuff! Tomato/Basil pasta sauce to go with their cheese tortellini Garlic Naan to make personal pizzas using their sweet Italian sausage and Feta Aged Parmesan Ritz-like crackers Regular hummus Avocado hummus Bread to go with dinner tonight Live basil plant Bananas Simply Almond, Cashew, and Cranberry granola cereal Greek yogurt Peaches and Cream/Mangos and Cream yogurts Milk Ridge potato chips w/sea salt Tortilla chips Taco shells Bbq something or other chicken ;) I'm sure there's more but it's escaping me now...Oh, and WINE. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Breakfast: oat bran with frozen organic blueberries and frozen organic raspberries Lunch:whole wheat tortilla with black bean (okay, I get those elsewhere), peppers ( they usually sell packages of yellow, red, orange--sometimes organic), onions, garlic, guacamole (near the hummus) Snack: if I'm in a hurry, hummus rolled up in a tortilla , or hummus with veges: (peppers, cherry tomatoes, etc. If you're ina hurry and don't want to chop fresh peppers, they sell a bag of frozen chopped multicolor peppers) or with tiny whole wheat pitas Lunch: organic spinach & organic romaine (sold in pckg of 3 heads); TJ's light feta cheese, dried cranberries or tart cherries (near the nuts), walnuts, TJ's balsamic vinegrette dressing (top with 1/2 can of salt free salmon if desired) Snack: handful of pistachios, unsalted OR whole almonds, dry roasted and lightly salted Snack: blue corn chips and peach salsa or chipotle salsa Dinner: Silverbrite salmon, french style string beans, bag of pearl onions (also frozen section), bag of frozen rice/mushroom risotto Dessert: a couple squares of organic dark chocolate Their meringue cookies are yummy. They taste like lemon meringue pie if dipped into their lemon curd (totally decadent). The kids love their lemon cookies and the Powerberries, too. Except for the dark chocolate, the other desserts are a rare treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Avocado hummus??? I must acquire some of this. And using garlic naan to make personal pizzas- what a good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 What? They have organic hot dogs now? I'm so out of the loop when I send DH to go shopping. He just looks at the list and won't tell me new products. I am having the same conversation with mine right now! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 (edited) I LOVE this cookbook: Cooking with Trader Joe's: Dinner's Done -- these are all 30 minute meals (though, take's ME more than 30 minutes, lol). If you need menus with recipes, try the Cooking with Trader Joe's Party Cookbook. I just discovered this cooking with Trader Joe's blog with free recipes, from the authors of the TJ cookbooks. Here and here are more websites with recipes using TJ products. Mmmm... Trader Joe's! Just had 2 of their ready-to-eat entrees tonight: Blackened Cajun Chicken Fetticini, and Gorgonzola Chicken with Peas, Asparagus and Bowtie Pasta. yum! Edited July 25, 2012 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 We love their tortillas (in the bread section), their maple syrup (looks like a wine bottle), maple cookies, triple ginger cookies, chicken tamales and beef tamales from the freezer section, and wine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 (edited) I just went there today for a few things. I just got to the new house and I didn't find dh's food supply adequate. :) Going to have to make a costco trip tomorrow I got Breakfast things Eggs Stone Ground Grits (yum!) Bacon Cereal Coffee Juice Milk (real and fake milk :lol:) Lunch Taquitoes Corn salsa Black Beans --A Dinner Dover Sole Red potatoes (for crash potatoes) Bag salad Snack Cucumbers Roasted red pepper hummus Snack trail mix rainier cherries Snack Strawberries Crackers Soft spreadable Cheese Dinner A jar of curry simmer sauce, I intent to cook chicken breast in it in crockpot Basmati rice Nan Peas Edited July 25, 2012 by Sis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Two of our current favorite dinners... #1 Some of their pre-cooked, plain chicken breast 1 bottle of the Thai Red Curry sauce Can of light coconut milk Container of cherry tomatoes, cut in half Some fresh basil leaves, julienned Mix together and heat thoroughly. Serve over basmati or jasmine rice, and top with s little more fresh basil. #2 1-2 marinated tuna or salmon fillets (the chimichurri salmon is delicious!) 1/2 package of the brown rice penne pasta Broccoli florets, other veggies as desired Bake the fish with all its marinade until flaky. Meanwhile, cook the pasta, and lightly steam veggies. Flake the fish apart, and mix with pasta and veggies, and cooked marinade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendi Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Some of my favorite quick meals from TJ's: bulkogi (pre-marinated; just grill it) with rice and edamame; chicken pre-cooked sausage, sliced into chunks, and sauteed with the frozen parmesan potatoes and some green beans; turkey meatballs with marinara sauce and spaghetti; grilled chicken (frozen) and broccoli (steam) with Alfredo sauce and pasta; baby spinach salad with any protein; grilled chicken (frozen) with Caesar salad; tacos; mandarin orange chicken (frozen) with egg rolls (frozen) and broccoli or veggie stir-fry Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.