Favorite Trader Joe's items

Agreed on flowers. Also, the salt and pepper potato chips are outstanding. They used to have spicy flaxseed chips which were pretty good and seemed healthy, but now they just have the plain in the orange bags which don't taste like anything.

 

I don't think I've ever been in a Trader Joe's.

 

Coffee, chips, wine...

Oh, the shaving lotion is amazing. I will go there just for that.

But, Aldi is better IMHO because everything costs less, including meats, milk and cheese.

 

They carry an aged Gouda cheese that is among my very favorites.

Oh, and the maple sandwich cookies.

 

We get about 2/3 of our groceries at TJs because it's pretty inexpensive and reasonably decent quality. Most produce isn't very good but if the berries look fresh, we'll buy those and we'll get bagged broccoli and cauliflower florets, bagged arugula and the small Persian cucumbers. And we get our eggs there. In terms of favorites:
-Single serving guacamole
-Hot pico de gallo
-Mediterranean hummus
-jarred, pitted kalamata olives
-Frozen grass-fed angus burgers (for when I'm not grilling that day)
-Frozen grilled chicken strips (not bad to microwave and toss on a salad)
-Frozen bags of shrimp -- good quality, cheaper than elsewhere
-Organic boneless chicken thighs (good for grilling and for the crockpot)
-Spicy Italian chicken sausages and spicy chicken andouille

Also -- I buy beer there. Simpler Times is a great lawnmower beer and the Trader Joe's brand bombers of Belgian-style ale (contract brewed by Unibroue) are solid. And they have a good selection of local stuff (Jack's Abby, Night Shift, etc.)

We generally do not buy fruit, meat, fish or pasta there -- we go to Whole Foods for the rest of the staples (it's worth it for the quality of their fresh meats, fish and produce) and if you stick to the 365 brand for prepackaged stuff, it's not as outrageously expensive as people think it is.

 

I've been in one; no need to return. The fascination escapes me.

 

Their pizza doughs are also really good and so easy and cheap.

 

Although I shop there occasionally, Aldi creeps me out. And I don't need the song and dance about how they're the same company ... they're related, but certainly not the same. I like it for pantry staples but wouldn't buy meat there.

 

Are all those off-brands at Aldi worth the savings? Been there twice, but was unsure if the packaged food measures up.

 

The dried apricots, dark chocolate peanut butter cups, and the taffy.