The Trader Joe's Product Discussion Thread (S/D)

almond meal: awesome!

You guys big upping that corn bread mix, man, I totally disagree with you on "right amount of sweetness." That cornbread was as sweet as Funfetti.

http://mai-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/pillsbury_funfetti.jpg

soy nuggets til i drop yo

I didn't like the cornbread too much either, but I'm a fan of southern style, aka not sweet at all, cornbread.

Same here. I usually make cornbread to eat with salty pinto beans & it was a terrible, terrible combination. Like Funfetti with salt pork on top.

soy nugs always and forever.

have any of you guys tried the souffle balls yet?

That sounds absolutely horrid.

YO waht are soy nuggets; i want them

Love the chilie mango slices.

white bean and basil hummus oh man

the mango-something 'gel' cups (not bone gelatin) are good

peanut butter cups put reeses to shame

have nyc ilxors been going to the new chelsea one? lots of open space, easily the most bearable nyc trader joes outside of the queens one (which is in the middle of nowhere)

possibly just cause people don't know it exists...

Normally I have a tough time eating someone else's corn b read.

the chipotle salsa has a nice kick to it

i picked up some "double rainbow" (lol rite) brand sorbet the other night -- mango/tangerine flavor. hella yum.

i can't believe they make 100% cranberry juice. i really can't. i've been waiting my whole life for someone to do that. its my dream come true. i can now die happy and fulfilled. we are talking straight up cranberries in juice form. no water no nothing. of course i'm no hero, i cut it with seltzer or ginger ale and its heaven on earth. its makes me want to buy a case of vodka and i don't even drink vodka.

Ooh how much is it? I've been getting not-from-concentrate cranberry for years but it is always $$$$$$

its not that much. i dunno, four bucks or something for a big glass juice size. someone brought it to our house and left it in the fridge and i sipped some thinking it was regular cran juice and my eyes lit up and i saw god!

i can't believe they make 100% cranberry juice. i really can't. i've been waiting my whole life for someone to do that. its my dream come true. i can now die happy and fulfilled.

ditto. the unmolested cranberry is a thing of beauty.

fascinating article on Trader Joe's history and market strategy: Inside the secret world of Trader Joe's. Includes juicy bits on where some of their food comes from (their pita chips come from Stacy's, a division of Frito-Lay) and how they choose their locations (one way is checking out an area's gourmet food magazine subscription numbers).

Store managers, "captains" in Trader Joe's parlance -- the nautical titles are a holdover from Coulombe (newly promoted captains are commanders; assistant store managers are first mates) -- can make in the low six figures, and full-time crew members can start in the $40,000 to $60,000 range. But on top of the pay, Trader Joe's annually contributes 15.4% of employees' gross income to tax-deferred retirement accounts.

Uh... That's pretty good starting pay and do I love Trader Joe's enough to consider a career change?

Wow, jeez, no kidding.

I heard it's a cult. You make money but give up so much more.

Like, your very soul? Or something less than that?

iirc to officially become a 'captain' you have to kill a whole foods worker

Whoa. I have extensive grocery and retail experience.....dotdotdotdotdotdot

Even some retail management experience.

iirc to officially become a 'captain' you have to kill a whole foods worker

Done and done.

I heard it's a cult. You make money but give up so much more.

ha, yeah, i once overheard a conversation in a video store (back in the olden days, when that was a viable business model) between two employees. the one guy was like 'oh, man i loooove trader joe's. they have the best food and it's so cheap' and the other guy kept saying 'i don't know, man, i just feel like there's something bad about that place. you KNOW there is, there's gotta be a catch!' 'you mean, like, they treat their employees bad?' 'nah, not necessarily, just something. it's too good to be true, man.'

my favorite trader joe's story involves hanging out with some guy that my roommate at the pal-ed around with. at one point she took off, and the guy was like, 'hey do you mind if i just hang out here with you? i don't feel like going home just yet' and i was like 'sure, whatever'. we proceeded to hang out and drink beer and listen to music while he regaled me with stories about growing up in la and skateboarding and being in some gang or something. there was also talk of his job at trader joe's. and his wife. anyhow, at one point, he tells me that he needs to step outside 'i gotta go smoke some crack!'. i thought he was just being silly and that he was just going to run down the street to buy some cigarettes or whatever. silly me, it turns out he actually went outside and...smoked crack.

anyhow, according to him trader joe's was a great place to work!

I would like a job that would both accommodate a crack habit and pay enough to maintain it.

there is a trader joe's down the street from my house now so it's a twice-a-week stop. my vote goes for the peanut butter cups.

also yeah some people are pretty paranoid about trader joe's since their parent company (in Germany) is so secretive. the founder just died actually like two weeks ago, I think. But I don't think it's like, linked with the Masons or anything. (unlike, say, Bay Area vegan restaurants CAfe Gratitude, which is completely hooked up with the Forum).

I would like a job that would both accommodate a crack habit and pay enough to maintain it.

there are probably more of those opportunities than you think...plus just imagine the residuals from your eventual augusten burroughs-style tell-all! it could buy a LOT of greek yogurt and trader giotto's evoo

does cafe gratitude still exist? that was possibly the worst dining-out experience i've ever had. it simultaneously made me angry and creeped me out.

hate that place so much

Oh man. What a load of bullshit. Never have I hated hippies more than after my meal at Cafe Gratitude. I walked by tons of great taco shacks to eat there. NEVER AGAIN!

just made a margarita with tj's 100% agave reposado tequila
not bad at all

Guys wtf is Cafe Gratitude and why so hated?

Did they print their menu in Papyrus or something?

bay area vegan restaurant

here's what the menu is like:

COOKED SPECIALTIES

Available in select locations

I AM TRUSTING TAMAL PLATE $12 A handmade corn tamal made with stone-ground heirloom masa and filled w/seasonal vegetables served with beans, salsa verde & Mexican cilantro coleslaw Add avocado $2 or “cheese” $2.25

I AM TRANSFORMED TACO PLATE $12 Two handmade corn tortillas with brown rice, beans, salsa verde, guacamole & cashew nacho cheese. Served with a side salad with fig balsamic dressing Add avocado $2, sautéed mushrooms $2 or sautéed onions $1

I AM WISE QUESADILLA PLATE $12 Two handmade corn tortillas w/bean puree and macadamia cheddar cheese served with guacamole, salsa roja & cilantro spiced Mexican coleslaw

I AM VIBRANT SAUTEED GREENS $7 Seasonal greens sautéed with garlic and pumpkin seeds

I AM FORTIFIED STEAMED VEGETABLE BOWL $12 Organic quinoa or brown rice topped with steamed seasonal vegetables and choice of sauce: garlic tahini, Indian curry or Thai coconut Add avocado $2, “cheese”$2.25, black beans $2 or extra sauce $1.50

so to order the disgusting $12 tacos you actually say "I'd like one 'I am transformed' please"

Cafe Gratitude is our expression of a world of plenty. Our food and people are a celebration of our aliveness. We select the finest organic ingredients to honor the earth and ourselves, as we are one and the same. We support local farmers, sustainable agriculture, and environmentally-friendly products. Our food is prepared with love. We invite you to step inside and enjoy being someone who chooses: loving your life, adoring yourself, accepting the world, being generous and grateful every day, and experiencing being provided for. Have fun and enjoy being nourished.

and apparently you're not ~allowed~ to ask with shortcuts, e.g. "i'll have the steamed vege bowl" - you HAVE to say "I AM FORTIFIED".

it goes without saying that people are mortified to work there or no?

I AM WISE QUESADILLA