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Never been to one in SoCal, never been to any other than the one they just opened here in Sarasota,FL; but yeah, ours is pretty underwhelming, especially considering all the other great shopping we have available here. Still, it's good for a once every two months trip for those "specialty" items. The TJs out west must be much larger and better than what we have here.
I had several work assignments in the LA area and became very familiar with Trader Joe's. It had great fresh foods - the kind that would make you want to skip a restaurant meal. Also, they would have great bakery stuff and good dry goods. It was the kind of place that I would fill up a box with a lot of their products and send it home.
When they opened up in Chicagoland, I was really enthusiastic ... until I shopped there. Most of the baked goods and "fresh" items come from the East Coast - not local Chicago vendors. And there prices are a higher than the local ethnic markets.
I've only been to one TJ's -- here in the Philly area, there's only a handful of them and they are pretty spread out. I go there a few times a year if I want to splurge on some goodies -- I don't think the prices are all that great, but the quality is fantastic! Here's what I always get:
Frozen goods: Breaded chicken strips
Little quiches
Hash browns
Mac & Cheese (tastes a LOT like home made BAKED mac & cheese)
Mint choc chip ice cream (REALLY minty and fresh!)
Jasmine rice
Butter chicken (Indian entree)
Other items like black pepper potato chips, fresh lentil soup, baked goods, breads...
And how has nobody mentioned their Christmas goodies? I've already made a note on the calendar to go in November (since December's too late) to stock up on Christmas cookies and candies to give away -- to make into a really nice gift baskets, stocking stuffers, hostess gifts. Very different from what you'll find in regular supermarkets.
I also think that they are just charming and have a sense of humor with their brands. When's the last time I said that about my local market? Trader Joe's turns into Trader Giuseppe's for Italian goods, other names for other nationalities. Ok, so I'm a sucker for packaging, but it makes me smile!
The butter chicken is really good, as is the frozen palak paneer. Samosas and garlic naan are hits at our house. The white chocolate dipped gingerbread cookies they had last Christmas were such a hit at our house last year we ended up going back and buying several more boxes.
The butternut gnocchi with rosemary butter is really delish too. I love the edamame in pods and boil them for sushi night. I've been making my own sushi every Saturday night for over a month now. The big package of prosciutto is the best deal in town and their mixed Italian deli meat trays are tasty and affordable. Smoked beef was a nice surprise as well.
The butter chicken is really good, as is the frozen palak paneer. Samosas and garlic naan are hits at our house. The white chocolate dipped gingerbread cookies they had last Christmas were such a hit at our house last year we ended up going back and buying several more boxes.
The butternut gnocchi with rosemary butter is really delish too. I love the edamame in pods and boil them for sushi night. I've been making my own sushi every Saturday night for over a month now. The big package of prosciutto is the best deal in town and their mixed Italian deli meat trays are tasty and affordable. Smoked beef was a nice surprise as well.
I always try something new each time I visit TJs.
I love the palak paneer and sushi from TJ. I only get to go there about once a month as it is not very convenient to do regular shopping. I will check out the rosemary butter, never bought that before.
Not related to groceries: I buy my cat cardboard scratching posts that go on the floor from TJ as well once in a while.
I have just found one thing i am not crazy over from TJoes. The flavor is great, the texture not so. son in law brought us back 2 loaves of wheat sour dough bread. It was truely sour and the wheat flavor was there, but it was totally fat free, so it was really dry, especially when toasted. I think we will skip that. On the other hand the Hollandaise sause is the best I have ever had. So often, anymore it seems hollandaise sause, whether packaged or in a restaurant (probably also packaged) isn't nearly as tart as in years past, TJs is...We will have eggs benedict for breakfast tomorrow morning.
I love TJs! Much better than Whole Foods as it is less expensive. I like most of what I've had from there, with the exception of some frozen breakfast burritos..... if we wouldn't have been eating them on our way out of town I would have returned them.
I love TJs! Much better than Whole Foods as it is less expensive. I like most of what I've had from there, with the exception of some frozen breakfast burritos..... if we wouldn't have been eating them on our way out of town I would have returned them.
I wish we had them here.
I don't go to Whole Foods much at all. While the selection of all kinds of things is incredible there, the prices keep me out. I can't stay in a budget if I shopped there regularly.
I might try more of the dairy products at TJs, that is one thing I haven't really tried yet. Much of it looks really good too. For the holidays, I buy more their candy and chocolates, good stuff.
I don't go to Whole Foods much at all. While the selection of all kinds of things is incredible there, the prices keep me out. I can't stay in a budget if I shopped there regularly.
I might try more of the dairy products at TJs, that is one thing I haven't really tried yet. Much of it looks really good too. For the holidays, I buy more their candy and chocolates, good stuff.
We don't have Whole Foods, but we have Fresh Market which I guess is similar. We venture into the store rarely, but it is fun. Yes, very pricey, not someplace to do your weekly grocery shopping, but they have some awesome specailty items, good bread at not to high prices and sometimes decent produce sales. It is a once every few months treat..
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