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

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.

Oh and everything but the elote corn seasoning is great!

my wife swears by the chili onion crunch condiment.

Fuck!! Tha soymilk has been a staple for me for like 15 years. I don't see any others in stores that are unsweetened, and with only 2 ingredients. I'm mushed. almond milk is watery to me. Dammit

I'm pretty sure that the Trader Joe's Special Reserve Irish Whiskey is just Jameson... it even hints so on the label. At $15.99 it's a steal.

There is a cottage industry of people trying to suss out the spirits sourcing. I bought a bottle of "platinum reserve" wine the other day, and the sales person coyly told me that the $14 bottle was actually a $35 bottle under a different name/brand.

Their private label bourbon (90 proof, $15 for a 5th) is made by Buffalo Trace/Sazerac. But don't assume this is the same as their top or even mid-shelf bourbon, it just comes from the same facilities.

my local store unfortunately does not carry spirits, only beer and wine

I have to settle for Costco house brand liquors. That TJ’s bourbon intrigues me!

fwiw Benchmark bourbon comes from those distilleries but is only 80 proof. Could be a slightly-better one-off for TJ’s

Tha soymilk has been a staple for me for like 15 years. I don't see any others in stores that are unsweetened, and with only 2 ingredients. I'm mushed. almond milk is watery to me.

The one glimmer of hope is that there is one kind of soy milk that they didn't discontinue, but I didn't quite catch which one it is and I think they said that they don't currently have a source for it.

The Islay single malt whisky (Finlaggan $18.99) is a real deal... There are only 4 distilleries on that island, so it has to be one of them... possibly Lagavulin aged in Caol Ila barrels or something like that.

My understanding is the TJ scotch is high quality, but I can attest the bourbon is nothing special. Haven't tried Costco bourbon yet, but at least it has an age statement. 7 years, the sweet spot.

recommend:

chile and corn quiche with taco shell crust (freezer)
+
their jalapeno sauce (fridge)

The chocolate chip almond cookies are ridiculously addictive btw.

OMG this.

I gotta say... my favorite beef jerkey is Trader Joe’s brand

anyone tried the instant iced coffee? it's weird! i think it's good but it might be bad.

Can’t believe I missed the window to stock up on maple butter. I swear it was only available for like 3 weeks???