Post your favorite Trader Joe's item!

[nokitsch]

So, I like Trader Joe's, but I never get more than 12 items, just so I don't stand on the regular line, and I often end up getting the same things. I would like to know what I'm missing, so list your favorite TJ's items! The only thing that disappoints me at TJ's is bad coffee (am I missing something?), and lack of fresh baguettes.

My favorite has to be the filet of flounder (I think) stuffed with crab meat, and white organic jasmine rice. Coupled, they make a great, inexpensive dinner at home.

[Jacey]

Very outdated post but my all-time favorite TJ's item is their egg white salad in chives and spicy flavor. Sadly, they only have this in their CA stores (I live out East). I also love the pre-packaged salads in CA--much better variety, interesting ingredients and tastier than on the EC.

In my East Coast store my standbys are the jumbo eggs, turkey bacon, TJ brand spicy jalepeno chicken sausages. I sometimes grab their 96% lean ground beef and parmesan cheese, as well as some of their pre-packaged cut up veggies (these tend to rot fast, though).

[sprock]

Oh man! I love Trader Joe's. I am originally from Chicago but am currently located in upstate New York, where there is NO Trader Joe's anywhere!
Favorite items include: garlic feta and white cheddar soy crisps, dried granny smith apples, seasoned turbot, peanut butter filled pretzels, gruyere cheese and prosciutto tart, cinnamon pita chips, and the spanakopita.

My life seems to be one big perpetual diet, so I rarely let myself go loose and buy things that look delicious but I just have never tried. I should really get on that!

[macca]

This weekend, I picked up a frozen apple tart.It was small- but it was less than $4.00. cooked up in the convestoin oven nicely, and made a quick, easy dessert. I wish I had bought more than one, as I only got a bite of my 5yo nephew's piece! But it did give me the inspiration to make it mayself next time.

[mustardgirl]

Mediterian Olive Hummus

[cecibean]

The Alsatian tart "pizza" - thin crust, grilled and crispy onions, gruyere cheese, ham....very good. great to stick in your freezer for unexpected guests to serve as an appetizer/snack.

[cookiez]

key lime cheesecake - delicious served with fresh berries
goat cheese
honey whole wheat pretzels
lactaid free milk - costs much less than the grocery store
Stash white tea
Thai lemongrass chicken egg rolls

[Lyndalh]

The Alsatian tart "pizza" - thin crust, grilled and crispy onions, gruyere cheese, ham

I second that one! I like to cut this one up into appetizer portions and top them each with a little dollop of Farmhouse Chutney (Stonewall Kitchen not Trader Joe's). So good to have on hand for an impromptu cocktail hour.

[archangelcat]

Just where I'm going after work to buy...
1. Frozen French Apple Tart...Paper thin pastry is coated with a thin cream custard and then a single layer of shaved granny smith apples. It is delicious and serves 2 hungry people - great with vanilla ice cream.
2. Supreme Brie - triple cream, oh-so reasonable and serve on their pepper/poppy water crackers
3. Trek Mix Cookies actually have peanut brittle baked into the dough!
4. Refrig. pie crusts are almost as good as scratch
5. Hand made flower tortillas
Plus all the impulse buys that make the trip so fun.

[macca]

Fage 0% yogurt and the boxes of carrot/ginger and tomato soup. Always but these items- but love this post- gives me ideas for my next trip to TJ's.

[grobson]

I love the fresh refrigerated pizza dough. I can't find it at any of the big super markets, even local gourmet shops you usually have to buy it frozen.

[Cathy]

In San Diego, they sell cream top organic milk in a half gallon plastic container.

I also like the cream top yogurt.

[Amuse Bouches]

The frozen Tarte D'Alsace makes a terrific dinner or lunch paired with a green salad. I love the organic lemonade (plain for me - the Cranberry is sweeter, IMO), the Pomegranate Sparkler (totally addictive), the dairy products (their organic milk is a bargain, as is their regular milk, and butter, and sour cream, and eggs, and yogurt ...) Recently I've been snacking on their reduced salt roasted almonds (try a trailmix made from that, dried cranberries, and the chocolate covered dried figs).

[ElissaInPlaya]

dark chocolate covered "soy nuts"
fiber cake muffins
Aria vanilla protein powder
and a recent addition
ricotta stuffed chicken breasts with marinara

Although, we do most of our non-produce shopping here; items above are just the current favorites.

[jungirl]

holy moly. the tarte d'alsace is RIDICULOUS. every time i go to the TJs in the city or the 2 in northern jersey, i have to ask the staff to bring out more boxes. they always reply, oh, those are SOOOOO good.

i've had a version of this at the MOMA's restaurant, the Modern, which charges $14. the TJ one is better. just make sure you bake it in a hot hot oven, directly on the rack, so it gets the crisp.

[jujuthomas]

Their Butternut squash soup with a spoonful of soy sour cream, vanilla jojos, smooth and mellow coffee. :)

Edit:
OH and their bagged molasses cookies (near the bread)

[nbermas]

Their 1.99 butter cookies and bar chocolate for baking or hot chocolate. I love their vinegars.

[operagirl]

Their frozen mac 'n cheese is the best I've had, especially cooked in the oven so it's crispy and browned. They also have the best deals on Morningstar Farms frozen products around here.

Other frequent buys are their southern greens bagged mix, a dozen eggs for 99 cents, organic peanut butter, creamed honey, vanilla, candied sesame almonds, hearts of palm, and fresh herbs.

[Gelato_in_Roma]

Ditto on the Mac & Cheese. Yum! It would take too much time and cost too much for me to make my own. This is a great sub.

[Amanda please]

The marinated tuna steaks were very tasty. I love the chocolate sandwich cookie called"joe Joes"....Fabulous

[KellBell]

The Peppermint JoJos that they have during Christmas time are AMAZING!

[Uptownflavor]

They do have great prices on the Morningstar products. Just wish they had a wider variety of products.

[ncs821]

Ginger snaps. We don't have a TJ in Houston but my daughter brings them from Chicago. Every time I go there, I beg them to put a TJ in Texas!

[chelleyd01]

Guacamole kit in the produce section
plugra butter
real orange juice
fage yogurt
decent cheese section
chocolate hazelnut spread
white balsamic vinegar
organic wildberry fruit spread
margarita pizza
gnocci al forno
gnocci gorgonzola
spin/artichoke dip
hansens soda
french onion soup
tiramisu gelato
haricovert
roasted corn
strawberry lemonade
truffle brownie mix

I could go on and on...I am about 60 miles from TJ's so when we go, we stock up!

[momof3]

Try the cranberry lemonade. It's seasonal, here now and soooo delicious. I drink it mixed with selter or club soda to tone it down and add some fizz.
I always love their nuts and dried fruits. Their organic frozen pizza is my kids' all time fave.

[Uptownflavor]

Ahhhh yesssss!!!! I am a huge fan of the Strawberry lemonade!!! Sooooo goooooddddd!

[AnneM]

I may have posted this on another thread but I love the spinach artichoke dip.
I also love the frozen French greenbeans. They're so thin and easy to cook. I eat them frozen and raw as well.
Their frozen thin crust pizzas aren't bad.
I like the fresh ground coffee very much.

[AlyKen]

Chocolate-covered espresso beans (so cheap there) or dry-roasted edamame

[Uptownflavor]

Ooohhhhhh, really! ::ears perk up::: Choco espresso beans??? Cool!

[AlyKen]

My mom lives in Florida and every time either she visits or I go home, she insists that I bring them.

[GroovinGourmet]

COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE!!! And they have expanded the selection. Just flew home from Vegas with Sumatran Dark Roast, Mexican Peaberry, Costa Rican Tarrazu and still my favorite Bay Blend. Brought back French and Volcano Roasts from my last trip. What flavors have you tried that so turned you off?

The sesame snack sticks (w/ or w/o honey) are near addictive, as is the Tomato-less Corn Chile Salsa.

[Nikki NYC]

I love the dried mango slices w/o sugar and the chocolate covered orange sticks. I can't keep them around because I eat it all too quickly...

[nosh]

I go to TJ's for the simple stuff:

Nonfat milk for $1.49 per half-gallon -- at least fifty cents cheaper than the supers.
Extra-sharp cheddar cheese -- nicely aged and at least a couple bucks/lb. cheaper.
Double Rainbow ultra-chocolate ice cream $3.99 a quart -- less than Haagen Daz or Ben and Jerry's for a pint.
Bagged frozen petite peas or thin green beans.
The 8 + 2 whole grain bread, just went up but still less than $2 for a 24-oz loaf.
Unsalted butter and large eggs -- always a dozen for 99 cents.

[garifw]

Most of the items mentioned above I've never seen in my local Seattle TJ's. But I would have to say, my #1 favorite is the Spanokopita, with TJ's Tzaziki. I live on the stuff. Also, the Shade Grown Coffee's - dark roast. Divine.

[bulavinaka]

Chocolate-coated almonds dusted with cocoa powder.
Double Rainbow Ultra Chocolate ice cream.
Double Rainbow Ultra Chocolate ice cream topped with or eaten side-by-side with chocolate-covered almonds dusted with cocoa powder...

[ciaogal]

Marcel & Henri's Duck Truffle Mousse Pate......

[Lyndalh]

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto. I have yet to meet a person who has tried it and doesn't love it.
I often have it out with some water crackers or crusty sourdough bread and cheese before dinner.

[marti]

The wine country chicken salad in a tub in the refrig. section is wonderful!! Also the orzo salad,again in a tub in same section. These both are really side dishes-not lettuce type salad.

[notmartha]

I have many, but the best recent addition to their stock is the Pasadena pecans - sweet, salty, with an occasional dose of peppery goodness.

[Uptownflavor]

Do I have to name just one...there are so many. Right now I am stuck on the crab cakes. They are soooo good. I bake them in the oven and you could easily make a meal by adding some broccoli florets or that pack of green and something else on the side. Personally I like them alone. I also like the burritos (they come in a blue packet). The convenience of TJ's foods has made it so easy to go home and eat something decent rather than grabbing something on the way home. The frozen turkey balls are a great deal too. Oh, and the chocolate pudding! Yum!

[ccbweb]

We're very big fans of the crabcakes as a "Benedict" for brunch. English muffin (or half a small sourdough roll from Acme in SF), a poached egg and some hollandaise, with or without spinach or tomato. A very good brunch dish.

[bulavinaka]

The crabcakes make a great app/salad when one or two are laid on a nice fresh bed of baby greens tossed with a nice vinagrette and a generous sprinkle of goat or blue cheese... I can eat those crabcakes all day...

[gloriousfood]

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/326682

[roze]

BBQ and white cheddar Soy Crisps- so much better than any other brand of soy crisp, sweet & salty nut mix (although it is highly addictive be warned) and their marinated frozen mahi mahi steaks.

[brendastarlet]

Current fave is the Cafe Latte Java Floe frozen bar, 130 calories, no fat. I'm on my third box. I also adore the candy coated chocolate peanuts but if I buy a tub they are gone in two sittings, so I'm trying not to buy them.

[Toot]

Bartlett pear sauce