aug17girl Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 We live far, far, far too far from Trader Joe's. My husband is going to be near one while on a trip and would like to buy some treats. What should he buy that won't spoil or require refrigeration. We especially like the cooking sauces and BBQ sauces. Any recommendations on what I should ask him to get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 We like the curry sauces; green, red, yellow. We also like the spice mix, 21 season salute. The sweet and spicy chili sauce is good. If you want snacks, my kids love the peanutbutter filled pretzels. I love the dark chocolate carmels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerine Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 http://www.foodbeast.com/2014/05/07/trader-joes-most-popular-items/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubamama Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Answer: Your dh should buy EVERYTHING!! confession - I super duper love TJ's and I was so upset when they stopped making my favorite...but I have forgiven then bc they still have so much awesomeness on their shelves....Sometimes I actually go by myself and just enjoy looking around without my kids bickering (that was embarrassing to admit!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Rosemary marcona almonds if you like rosemary plantain chips freeze dried fruit nut butters if you want something sweet, Joe Joes or cookie butter seaweed snacks canned organic beans are pretty cheap there (about half the price per can as Eden) tortilla chips crackers dunkers (looks like biscotti, chocolate dipped) butter almond thins pumpkin butter (wasn't out when I was there recently but should be out soon I would assume?) mixes like choc chip scones, berry scones, banana bread, etc. I use these for tea time treats for the kids sometimes If you drink wine and he's shopping in a state where TJs can sell it, there are some great bargains. Some love "two buck chuck" which is now really about $3. I like the chardonnay as much as any 10-20 dollar bottle, which isn't to say it is the best of the best, but I like it better than many $20 bottles I've had. Prosecco, malbec, etc. all for a decent price too (although not in the $3 range) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I would say if you can afford it, go for a little bit of everything and have him just grab fun stuff to try. Dry goods like pasta and grains are often really well priced. Nuts and chips are also well priced there. Their cereal is good and my kids love the treat of their breakfast bars and their granola bars. Their roasted red pepper and tomato soup is really good and if you do canned/boxed stock, theirs is cheaper (except from Costco) and better than most of the other brands. Their not Nutella stuff - Cocoa Almond Butter - is really good. All their sweets and candies are good. The Jo-Jo's with chocolate are really good if you're an Oreo fan (way better than Oreos). Their jarred tomato sauce is good. They have a jarred masala simmer sauce and a curry sauce that are good for a really quick meal. Their various oils are good. I like their pancake mix. Most of their quick bread mixes are decent - not as good as homemade but better than most brands for in a pinch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderchica Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Dark chocolate sea salt butterscotch caramels! Little balls that come in a blue bag. You're welcome :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'm assuming he's in a car and doesn't need to pack this in luggage for a plane ride. If he IS on a plane, I would limit it to nuts, dark chocolate bars, maybe some of the other small candy containers (dark chocolate almond bits are good, as are mini peanut butter cups). Other staples here (if he can put several bags in a car): honey nut o's crackers--the multigrain ones and the pita ones many of the cookies--the kitty cats, animal crackers, dunkers, vanilla jo-jo's, petite chocolate batons, etc. extra virgin olive oil coconut oil mac & cheese, shells & cheese apple sauce canned tomatoes--they have crushed with no salt added. We are now low-sodium and those are hard to find here pasta sauce--they have a marinara with no salt added--also hard to find elsewhere. black bean dip quinoa, basmati rice, jasmine rice are priced well compared to other stores Soyaki sauce makes a wonderful and easy teriyaki chicken--it's too high in sodium for us now but we used to get it regularly We like the crumb cake box mix for a special occasion. Easy-peasy and delicious. So many wonderful things to just throw in the cart if you can't get there often--just roam the aisles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aug17girl Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 Oh, it all sounds so yummy. Thanks for the recommendations. He is travelling by car, but space is an issue so we are sticking to things that aren't common ingredients we can by at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolatechip Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I vote the mini peanut butter cups. :drool5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 We love the dark chocolate mini peanut butter cups. They sell a bucket of them, but they also have small packages at checkout. The mini rice crackers - multiseed with soy sauce are delicious as are the peanut butter filled pretzels. I haven't tried the ones dipped in chocolate though - too dangerous to keep in the house! :-) The cereal is a great deal - Joe's O's and rice krispies are $1.99 for a big box here which is less than half the cost of the ones in the regular grocery store. DS loves Joe Joe cookies (oreos). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applethyme Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Vanilla Jo-Joes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ad astra Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Big ears because I'm also a regular customer of TJ's but have bought mostly fresh and frozen food there. I was upset when they stopped selling dried kimchi, kimchi fried rice and bibimbop bowl. ;( Thanks for the ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I love their cookies. The Joe-Joes are good, but my all time favorites are their almond windmill cookies. They have a wonderful Italian rosemary cracker, which is so good with their tapenade. DS2 is gluten-free and they have wonderful gf pastas, gf flour, almond flour, etc. Their brownie mix (non-GF) is really really good. They have nice teas. I also usually treat myself to a nice big bottle of Orangina. They sell red lentils which is nice because usually I have to go an Indian or Middle Eastern grocery to find them (or health food store). Cookie butter. Cookie butter with the faux-Nutella. They have nice jams/jellies too. All of the ones we've bought have been sweetened with sugar, not HFCS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Cookie butter. Always cookie butter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Salt and pepper pistachios Chile lime cashews Marcona almonds Lots of other nuts and seeds are well-priced if you need any Nut butters--cocoa almond, cashew, peanut butter with flax seeds and something else (in a shorter, fatter tub than usual PB jar) Salsa Authentica Jarred pesto Bottled enchilada sauce Cuban black beans Organic sweetened condensed milk in a squeeze bottle Their pumpkin stuff is being put out--the pumpkin butter, pumpkin waffle mix, canned pumpkin, yum! Chocolate chips Pound plus chocolate blocks for baking Tiny peanut butter cups Penguin gummies Salted dark chocolate covered almonds Chocolate sea salt caramels Lots of fun cookies. I puffy heart the Too Many Chips chocolate chip cookies in a tub. If you have kids, the cat crackers and alphabet cookies are lower in sugar (similar to an animal cracker nutrition-wise) Yogurt Stars Jo-Jos (too bad the peppermint ones aren't out!) This Apple/Fig/Blueberry Walked Into a Bar (similar to Nutrigrain bars but better) Cereals Good prices on ethically sourced coffees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Answer: Your dh should buy EVERYTHING!! He can skip the seaweed things by the cash register. 99c down the drain. None of us liked them. Sorry. The pumpkin butter is okay but only buy it if you like apple butter. Ellie, did you see they now have cookie butter ice cream? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara H Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 The Roasted Red Pepper spread is really good. http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article.asp?article_id=1433 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy the Valiant Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 those little green tea mints right by the registers - DELICIOUS! *added bonus: the tins, when empty, make EXCELLENT "treasure boxes" for small, inquisitive people *grin* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 We bought the cookie butter ice cream. The kids love it. I decided that it was better if I not try it. I already love their espresso chip ice cream, but it's rich enough that just a spoonful or two is enough for me. I'm afraid the cookie butter ice cream might require larger portions.. We all love the frozen macarons too, and my second son declared he was moving to Japan after having the mango mochi ice cream. Zoobie…your list is going to cost me $80 more next time we go. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 If you have kids, the cat crackers and alphabet cookies are lower in sugar (similar to an animal cracker nutrition-wise) :lol: if you have kids Umsami, save on airfare and just stock up on mochi ice cream! (By the way, it's not TJ specific. My local Chinese grocery store sells it and I've seen it in restaurants.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 All the tea! All the sauces! Some coffee! Cookies! Salsa! Pasta! NUTS. Cereal! Soup! Really, though, you should force a cooler on him and make him bring back ALL of the Trader Ming's frozen Chinese foods and some of the marinated meats. Additionally, the tea tree conditioner and Middummer night's cream are both wonderful. Ya know what, just tell him to get ALL the soaps, body butters, and lotions. Just get'em all. If you have curly hair and wash with conditioner tell him to buy ALL the tea tree conditioner. ALL of it. And the guacamole kit with the fresh veggies. It'll travel well. Use this handy guide: http://www.foodbeast.com/2014/05/07/trader-joes-most-popular-items/ And and and the TAPANADE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Dark chocolate salted almonds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 We love some spicy black bean dip Corn salsa (yum!) Chocolate orange sticks They have some great sauces one can throw in a skillet of chicken. My kids LOVE the curry simmer sauce and they have a Thai green sauce that is pretty yummy but just a wee bit too much kick for my six year old.\ I love the dark chocolate honey mints. They have some regular chocolate mints that are also good. the kids love the tiny peanut butter cups I use their verde salsa for recipes Pound plus chocolate Cocoa almond spread They have some inexpensive marinara sauces that I buy. We like the Tuscan which is in a can or just the jarred marinara. I usually buy several varieties of beans while I am there, ds loves their refried beans and I like their Cuban black beans but I usually buy several varieties of beans there. Dark chocolate caramels Ds loves the penguin gummies The JoeJoes are great Their pumpkin butter they have my favorite trail mix. I love the antioxident nut and berry trail mix. Triple ginger snaps Almond butter cheap wine. I don't buy the cheapest, but they do have some good wine that is around $6. I also like buying individual beers there, even if I don't buy a six pack I do sometimes buy one or two just to try an unfamiliar brew. Rosemary almonds My six year old's favorite meal in the world is their Manderin orange chicken but it is a frozen item Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 A nice wedge of aged cheddar cheese. TJ's is so good! Belgian chocolate pudding. That stuff is so rich (and delicious) that you can be satisfied with small servings. Nitrate-free bacon. Balsamic vinegar jug and little bottle of balsamic drizzle. I think they have great deals in milk and salad greens - good quality and price - but perhaps you're not looking for perishables like that. I agree with what someone said above about the wine. They sell a wonderful Malbec for under $5. I like that one for the high resveratrol content (good for cholesterol management). DH likes their Simple Times lager beer. Lots of other yummy stuff, most of which has already been mentioned above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Oh, the dark chocolate bars! There are fancy ones but they also sell plain 72% and other chocolates in packages of 3 small bars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 :lol: if you have kids Umsami, save on airfare and just stock up on mochi ice cream! (By the way, it's not TJ specific. My local Chinese grocery store sells it and I've seen it in restaurants.) I meant little kids. Oops. :) The vanilla wafers in the tubs are great too. Thin and crisp and filled with vanilla bean specks. Which reminds me--get the vanilla bean paste from the baking section. Cheapest saffron anywhere. And their seasoning grinders! There's a new lemon pepper and garlic salt. There was a cocoa nib with sugar too... Oh, sesame oil, and the lavender chamomile hand soap! Yeah, just buy one of everything... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Just did a search for Trader Joe's (because a friend posted something on Facebook about TJ) & found this thread. I've heard so much about Trader Joe's but I've never been there. But I recently found out there's a store about 1 &1/2 hours from us, and dh is taking me there for my birthday (which was actually Wednesday). I already know I want to get some cookie butter, and this thread is giving me some more good ideas, so feel free to add more. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I really like their bold BBQ sauce. It's not spicy and it's well-balanced. I also like their Buerre Maniere popcorn and their tomato and red bell pepper soup (not the low salt one). In fact I'm sprinkling the popcorn on the soup for lunch as we speak. Lots of good suggestions on this list. I feel guilty for living walking distance to a TJs now. :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 We're going this afternoon, and I have a feeling I'm going to be in sensory overload. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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