Help Wanted! What are your favorite Trader Joe's items?

I need your help!

My brother is sending me a Trader Joe's care package, and would like to know what to send. Since I'm up in Canada, I'm not very familiar with their products.

I use their BBQ sauce on my burgers, but would like to know what your favorite Trader Joe's items are!

Beer. Almost any type of beer they sell at trader joe's. Of course it depends on what kind you like. You wouldn't buy an IPA for someone that likes stout. You know what I mean? Maybe not such a good care package item, but that's what I'd want. Sorry. I'll go sit in the corner now.

Haha, thanks for the reply Josh!
Since he's sending this up to Canada, booze can't(legally) be part of it. Trust me, there are SO many bottles of booze I'd like shipped up here it's not funny.

Ok, other than booze :)

Well, that's true. I guess you can't ship beer. I like the ginger snap cookies. Not sure if you're a cookie person, but I love them things.

Oooh, I love gingersnaps!

First item is gingersnaps!

Trader Joe's currently has Pyrat White on sale for $7.99! That should certainly be included.

The seeded sourdough wheat bread is one of the best breads I have ever eaten. Sometimes I have a meal of just that and maybe a little wine.

So many wonderful items there.

Their enchilada sauce & whole wheat pasta.
Everything else I like there is frozen or illegal to ship.

On 2006-01-17 15:31, Rob Roy wrote:
Everything else I like there is frozen or illegal to ship.

Isn't that always the case though? Ha!

Sesame seed coated cashews.

yummy!

I once had some tiny little round cookies that tasted like fortune cookies.
I'll have to ask for some of those too!

I will second the ginger snaps recommendation they have chunks of real ginger in them. They are called triple ginger snaps and they are yummy! If you are healthy they have some really interesting trail mixes and if you are not so healthy yummy candy check them out online there's a candy blog.

Tikisgrl

Yeah, those ginger snaps are really tasty. I also like their chocolate-covered cherries, they have liqueur in them. I imagine this care package won't be refrigerated, so you won't be able to get my #1 favorite, the blue cheese pecan dip.

Cherry Almond Crunch! or whatever the cereal is that has the big dried cherries in it. Fantastic flavor! Those cherries are so big and chewy - almost like gummi bears - and the rest of the cereal has a crunchy almond flavor, and when you are done the milk that is left in the bowl is cherry flavored.

My parents visited me this past April, and my dad had a bowl, and he said it was really good - the first time in my life he ever voiced the pleasures of a breakfast cereal.

I also like their ginger flavored Altoids, which I haven't seen anywhere else.

My local Trader Joe's is just a few doors down from the local ABC store, so whenever I buy groceries at Trader Joe's, I usually also stop in to buy some liquor also, or to see if they have anthing on sale or new in stock. Which means that I find myself shopping at Trader Joe's more and more - perhaps for the same reason that W.C. Fields carried whiskey in one pocket in case of a snakebite, and then carried a snake in the other pocket.

Vern

If I remember correctly, Trader Joe's buys up the entire batch from who ever wins the yearly "Best Maple Syrup" contest in Vermont. Don't ask me who the judges are... they might be Trader Joe's accounting staff for all I know. But it's damn yummy.

-Z

oh... and if you can't get it at your local grocery, Soy Vay!

[ Edited by: Feelin' Zombified 2006-01-17 17:35 ]

Rosencrunch and Gildenpop

Some of the best carmel nut popcorn ever

[ Edited by: Mano Tiki Tia 2006-01-17 18:29 ]

I got a cool TJ's Tiki Hut tin of cookies. It would have been cool even if the cookies sucked, but they were really good, sorta like Famous Amos.

They also have nice boil-in-a-bag spicy curry that isn't perishable...it keeps for a long while. I like the Spinach Panneer (Sp?)

Also there are Green Olive's from Morocco called "Crespo" that come in a little paper envelope...those olives are really strong. BIG Garlic! (They cost about .79 a package) For the money the coffees are a good value too.

The French Roast is flavorful, and you get a lot for the money, but the Pacorro is really good for @ $7.00 a pound.

One of the best deals in hooch anywhere is the Finnalggan Scotch. It's an Islay, so it's got heavy peat (Iodiny smoke) but it's quite nice if you like that.

They are really secretive about who bottles it, but it's kind of known in the industry to be "Coal Isola" The Trader Joe's Brand sells for 16.99, the other sells for between 45.00 and 60.00

Tell yer brother to get some of that for when you visit if he can't ship it.

I'll just give you my current TJ's grocery list.

Roasted Red Peppers
Capers
Olives for days
Goddess salad dressing (super yummy)
Flavored lowfat mayos
So many marinades and sauces we can not even name
Tray of Baklava - HELLO!
Flatbread crackers
Pita chips
Soy Chips - barbequed or white cheddar
Fine croutons
Couscous

I'll stop there.

If I think of anything to add to my list I'll let you know

yes, capers!

also anchovy paste...great...both add complexity's to most dishes

check out a fearless flyer for TJ's. not sure what city your bro is in, but you'll get an idea of the seasonal stuff for sale!

get the milk chocolate peanut butter cups (better get two, unless you hide 'em from the spouse)

oh you Californians, making me crazy! we don't get the cheap booze at our stores in WA. even Two Buck Chuck costs 3 here! and no hard booze at all!

Woah, some great ideas here, thanks everyone!
Now I'm all hungry!

Make sure to try their Hawaiian Style potato chips (regular or salt & vinegar). Much better than the big brand name chips.

Trader Joe's Vintage Ale, brewed by Unibroue

Oh yes, we love Unibroue Freddy!(I call it Uni-brow) Fin du Monde is DrunknMunkey's favorite. I don't think he knew they were brewing for Trader Joe's! Cool!

It's a bummer you can't do perishables, my current favorites are the spicy green beans (frozen) and also microwave bags of frozen organic brown rice, you pop them into the microwave for 3 minutes and you've got 2 servings of brown rice! I'm doing Weight Watchers, and the frozen veggies and chicken tenders are the best!

Their salsas are great, so are the marinades, teriyaki and wasabi is working for me these days! I will concur on the cookies, very tasty! And we're really lucky, ours has a great selection of organic wine that has no sulfides, which bother my allergies.

I also liked the cereal with the nuggets of almonds and granola like chunks, very yummy, but not on WW! The 'box of soups' are good (butternut squash, tomato) and No Pudge fat free brownies (you just add fat free vanilla yogurt) Pancake mix is good,and the pretzels with peanut butter inside, mmmmm.

TJ's has a really weird effect on me, it's such a regular part of my life, and my loyalty to them is almost cult-like. I swear that I have NEVER had an unpleasant shopping experience there, the employees are so incredibly nice and helpful and SMART, which is crazy because it's a grocery store and retail jobs just don't seem to pull in that type. (I have worked many, many years in retail, I'm not slamming people who work in retail, I'm just amazed by the quality of help they are able to to maintain, they are treating them right, I'm sure!) My family thinks I'm weird, but it's mostly the ones who don't have a TJ's near them. Then when they go, and taste the stuff I get there, they get it!

Thanks Mrs. P! After hearing their praises from my Brother and Sis in law for the past 4 years, I've grown quite fond of them too. They need to expand northwards!

Maybe they're such cool people because of the tiki vibe?

Maybe...and also because they are part of German supermarket giant ALDI :wink:

You must ask for Garlic Golden Crackle! But careful, it's addictive, and you have no regular supplier!

Thanks for fixing the Cugi's Cocktails CD link :)

Chocolate covered orange sticks...mmmmm. The raspberry ones aren't bad either!

Their meringues (cookie like little round white thingys in a see-through tub) are amaaaazing.

And their little tea bread loaves are ALL great. So yummy. Oh, and the "handmade" corn tortillas.

Crumbs, though, no perishables or booze. Hm. That IS sad. The spreadable goat cheese is loverly.

Those heat-and-serve Indian entrees mentioned above are VERY tasty!! Also, there's an Indian Marsala sauce in a jar that's wonderful for stir-frying chicken and veggies.

Mrs. P is right. Shopping at TJ's is like visiting another planet...where checkout people are HAPPY and FRIENDLY and wear aloha shirts and NEVER snarl at you, even if you write a check. Perhaps like the Mai Kai if it was a grocery store :wink:

Crap. Now I'm hungry.

Frozen cheese enchiladas
Vegetarian hot dogs
Bites O' Brownie
Boston Fruit Slices (candy)
Pound Plus chocolate bars
Cat Cookies (any kind)
Dried Apple Rings
Terra chips (the original)

WASABI PEAS!!!

Trader Joe's version of Kraft Dinner is waaaay yummier than Kraft's Kraft Dinner.

Alright!
Well he sent a package which arrived yesterday. In it was the Tiki Hut tin of cookies, very, very cool! Also a package of Aussie Licorice Allsorts(which I love). Apparently there's a second package on it's way.

I really, really appreciate everyone's feedback. Next trip south of the border I'll be bringing a grocery list with me, made up of all the wonderful suggestions.

I'll post a picture of the cookie tin!

... the tj's ginger snaps are okay, but the henry's/wild oats ginger snaps are the bomb...

... go for the auatralian rack of lamp, handmade tortillas, salmon patties, mexican quiche, hibiscus cranberry juice, chicken chili, black beans, canned albacore, most any of their cheeses, cioppino, spinach dip, almond crackers...

OK, Tikiwahine, now that you have received your care package from TJ's, it's time for you to start assembling a Canadian care package to send to your TC friends down south. We're looking for five year old cheddar, smoked meat from your favorite deli, a whole Swiss Chalet chicken with sauce, and a tray of butter tarts.

Mmmm...butter tarts... drool

Hey I'm game! Is it ok if the chicken is frozen?

I'll throw in a box of smarties and a Coffee Crisp, how aboot that?