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

TJs has their own tajin too, it's just called chile lime seasoning

oh sorry yerac already addressed that

The two things I always keep stocked in the freezer since a TJ's opened up a block away from me:

Broccoli & Cheddar Quiche
Chicken Fried Rice (I find it needs like an extra half chicken breast added to it per serving)

hot & sweet jalapeños = yes

Did a big chopping trip to TJs yesterday. They now have various items flavored with the Everything But the Bagel seasoning including an almond and cashew mix and lox. Also trying out the Synergistically Seasoned Popcorn, which is tangy and spicy.

*shopping trip

I had an egg-and-cheese on TJ's Everything ciabatta this morning and it was worthy

I like the idea of a chopping trip to the grocery store, just whip out your knife & cutting board in the produce section and start going ham.

TJ's is the only place in our town to get brown basmati rice these days; the Asian and Indian shops haven't a grain.

So the Everything but the Bagel Nut Duo is ok, really needs more of the seasoning to pep it up a bit, but the Olive & Herbs Mixed Nuts is really good. Lots of nice olive flavor.

Do not buy the V8 knockoff. Vile

I keep thinking about stopping my TJ patronage because of their labor practices not protecting their workers and their IMO dumb decision to not support online ordering, but when I get non-dairy milk from other places, it often tastes gross as hell. TJ's soy milk really is no-fuss goodness.

In normal times I shop at TJs once a week along with a couple other stores, but I'd only buy some wine and maybe six or eight other pantry items. Today I shopped there for the first time since early March and came away with $240 of stuff, mostly pantry stuff, 10 bottles of wine, some freezer items, and a bit of produce thrown in for good measure.

I went in today at lunch at what is traditionally the busiest TJs in the city I live in and it was a ghost town. Maybe 20 other shoppers? No line to get in, no line to check out.

Both times I'd driven by post-SIP, there had been lines of 50+ people winding down about a block and a half so this was a welcome surprise.

Also, iirc TJs is one of the most employee-friendly chains to work for so if you have beef with them, perhaps stick to your local co-op or family-owned+operated grocery store.

Not sure what things TJs did that were unsafe, but the one I go to seemed to have an extremely rigorous process in place for limiting the number of people in the store and keeping them well away from their employees. Much more so than any other store I've been to.

same -- people are waiting in line around the parking lot to get into TJs whereas you can waltz right in anywhere else
we do have to wear masks in any public place in my area though so that's not up for negotiation

my boyfriend called their baby bananas "dehydrated and reconstituted cat turds" the other day and i lost it. you're welcome

How do their bags of peeled hard boiled eggs have use-by dates 2 weeks out?? There’s no info on the packaging and this has been on my mind for longer than I’d like to admit.

TJs is significantly cheaper than our other supermarket options but it also has the best array of snacks so I end up spending more (cookies and candy are way better than elsewhere).

i get their current policy on online ordering/shipping. Especially with all the 3rd party sellers. who knows, it may change in the future.

Do you think the use by date is too far out? I usually thought hardboiled eggs have a week date you should eat them by. but I think there is also some weird thing about whether they are in the shell or not.

i am out of my TJs stash here except for a pink h salt, ghost pepper grinder and 5 more E.B.T. Bagel sprinkle. Oh, I might still have tea too.

I’m pretty sure unpeeled keep longer but still only for 7 days max. These TJs ones def do last the 2 weeks though. That’s what’s weird. The packaging just says “eggs”, no preservatives or anything. Why is this bugging me so much.

minds are built to find orderly patterns and those eggs don't fit the expected pattern

it's true, we don't even know if anything preceded them or if they came first

I think this article is the one I saw that gave me pause about TJ: https://www.eater.com/2020/4/10/21216678/trader-joes-employees-fight-for-protections-union-amid-coronavirus-pandemic

What are the other online-ordering places that you are considering defecting to?

Nothing that's available so far! It's one reason why cutting ties has been so hard for me.

We have a good friend who likes Trader Joe's so much she works at Trader Joe's *by choice.* That is, she doesn't need the money, she just likes the environment, benefits, management style and how it gets her out of the house, lets her socialize a little, etc. She was happy as a clam when I saw her this morning, where, fwiw, there was no line (despite limiting the number of people inside), they were wiping down carts by the front of the store (and retrieving them to be cleaned later at a different spot), everyone was wearing a mask and gloves, everyone was perky as usual (might be a self-selecting pool of those folks working at TJs), more or less everything I wanted was in stock (I didn't need them but they even had TP and hand sanitizer), and so on. Inside the store they were calm and organized, helped people check out safely (with marked spots to wait in line but also marked spots to wait while they bag your stuff; no self bagging right now) and so on. I've got no complaints.

On the other hand, I've lately heard all sorts of horror stories about conventional supermarkets, with inconsistent (or no) policies, chaotic enforcement and other questionable practices. I have a friend who had to be escorted to her car out of fear a fellow shopper was going to kick her ass. (He was drunk/stoned, not wearing a mask and invading her space at checkout; in response to her concerns he threatened her). I've also heard stories of a lot of chaos being *caused* by Instacart shoppers and the like, who are racing around like scavenger hunters with long lists in search of items they don't know where to find.

Dolmas stuffed with quinoa taste good but the texture is like gruel.

one time I drove from buttfucknowhere Iowa to the Chicago burbs in one go and those dolmas saved my life (I was v. hungover)

i think the quinoa ones are new.

i posted that after eating two, but after that i ate the rest of the tin so i guess they are good.

Omg I need to try those.

Trader joes version of impossible burgers: pretty good!

Where are the quinoa dolmas? In the refrigerated section?

Near the canned beans/fish section.

i feel like tj's employees are superhuman there is no way i could do that shit for even an hour

god i would get so tired of having to say "omg those are SO DELICIOUS" about one thing for every customer and generally stay sociable and positive in a sea of entitled white people

i am genuinely in awe of and mystified by the fact that they seem to have solved the paradox of capitalism alienating people from their best selves

there is some legit great stuff for less at tj's but i have gotten tired of a lot of their snack-y stuff tbh

their nuts are cheap but not very good quality ime

flowers are cheap, my favorite thing about TJs really, but I am feeling bad about supporting cut flower industry so charm has worn off

i hesitate to post this but https://thenewinquiry.com/joe-cool/

i feel like tj's employees are superhuman there is no way i could do that shit for even an hour

I had a moment at TJs yesterday of pure total sadness - I’m one of those people who enjoys chatting and I missed talking w the ppl at TJs so deeply :( I missed the olde tymes but did not lose my shit so that’s good.

Xps I’ve considered my job options if my current workplace goes under, and I’d take a job at TJs over retail or hospo work for sure (I’ve worked all 3 types of job for multiple years in the past).

The chocolate chip almond cookies are ridiculously addictive btw.

I've got to say, I don't know if it is company policy or just our local store or some combination of the two, but without question Trader Joe's has its shit together better than any other store I've been to in the past few months. Not only are the employees across the board friendly, helpful and cheerful, but today they were wearing black in solidarity with the protests *and* (between cleaning the carts and regulating the in/out of customers) were handing out bottles of water to anyone waiting outside in the sun that needed it. It's almost last on the list that they also have just about everything I need; today they even had several varieties of hand sanitizer.

They're discontinuing the soy milk! :(

oh that sucks. They couldn't keep a decent soy yogurt supplier though so maybe it's the same + people wanting more almond or oat milk?

Maple butter is back!!!!! I’m going to buy a bunch because 1) it’s delicious and seasonal 2) my mom loooooooves maple and will lose her mind when I mail her some.

We just struck out on like 4 products we had to return, which is a record for us, even if we knew better. Watermelon Jerky (which ... I know), Apple Cider Foaming Handsoap, Pumpkin Spice Rooibus and ... Cinnamon Bun Spread? Anyway, all duds, all disgusting. But it's cinnamon broom season, which makes me happy.

I really wish TJ's would come out with a nice, cheap, 'natural' mouthwash. It pains me to spend $5 or $6 on a bottle of blue colored alcohol, especially if I'm not supposed to drink it.

Bought a "spicy miso ramen" instant/cup noodle thinking how bad could it be? It was terrible.

i am using their furikake. it's pretty basic but fine.

My son likes the watermelon jerky but he’s not yet 3 years old so there you go.

New product I like: jalapeño sauce. Most of the heat of a real hot sauce but you use it in mustard/ketchup like quantities. Works very well with the new Mexican quiche thing they have.

The Brazilian dough balls are not as good as the real thing but they’re pretty good. Freezer section.