Trader Joe's Holiday Items. What are you looking forward to?
I'd like to know what holiday foods TJ's has that you can't wait to see this year. I'm always happy to see the pumpkin ice cream, peppermint bark, and Vintage Ale.
madgreek
Nov 06, 2009 08:11AM
ooooh ooooh ooooh <thrusts hand into the air>:
white chocolate peppermint bark bar (by the checkout counter). and lebkuchen (sans chocolate).
(i tossed out that pumpkin ice cream --- it was so intense and sooooo heavily spiced. bleh).
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peppermint joe joes! YUM
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i REALLY REALLY REALLY hope they bring back the sea salt caramels. those were the perfect candy. i ate 3 boxes last year and i don't even like candy.
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Ooooohhhhh. Good Call.
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Based on reviews here, I bought a box of those last year and found they were highly overrated. I didn't detect much of a salty flavor and, frankly, I didn't think they were much of a step up from Kraft.
On the other hand, I LOVE the dark chocolate-covered caramels TJ's usually has this time of year, the ones with large grains of Dead Sea salt sprinkled on top. Very sweet + very salty = da bomb!
Also, I hope TJ's brings back their Scottish shortbread cookies, if for no other reason than they've always been outrageously inexpensive, at least compared to the identical Walkers brand.
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yes, the shortbread, for sure. i'm finishing a box i saved from last year. not bad for the time in the box! not bad at all -- esp. when i dip it in milk! '-).
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the ones with Dead Sea Salt and dark chocolate were the ones is was referring to. i didn't know there were others.
i went to TJ on Fri nite and picked up a few boxes. a friend in OR found them at her TJ's so it looks like they are available now.
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I liked the pretzel snowflake things, pretzels covered in a yogurt frosting. I'm going to pounce on some french truffles too as soon as they appear.
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They always have gift boxes of chocolate, perfect for office gifts, but a couple of years ago they came in a 3 foot long skinny box that was very impressive. For under $5. Last year though just regular square boxes. I'm going to check back in early December to see if they bring those back, the girls at work were very impressed.
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ooh that would be nice for holiday gifts! what was the packaging like?
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It was like a big fat yardstick, so easy to hand out (especially with all the swine flu around ;-) Maybe 2 chocolates wide, but delicious Belgian like they always have. I think they even came with nice gold ribbons on them, so just buy and hand out. I was so disappointed not to find them last year. The square boxes look so ordinary and nobody oohed and aahed.
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very cool.. if you see them again, let me know
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I'll be going there about a week after Thanksgiving, I'll post what they have this year.
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thanks!
Speaking of holiday food gifts... I bought a really nice gift set of truffle cookies last year from Costco. If TJ's doesn't have anything, I'll see what Costco has
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Costco has been selling Christmas items since the end of September. Most is one time only/not renewed on the shelf. I buy now and people who only go at the last minute don't know where I got their gifts.
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It's too early to buy gifts now... last year I went the week before xmas and found lots. The only thing Costco didn't have was the smaller ($10) Starbucks gift pack..
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They had that last week or maybe 2 weeks ago.
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I wonder if Costco will have V Chocolates again this year? http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/582677
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What are everyone's thoughts on the panettone?
I bought some last year and thought it was good, though admittedly I haven't had the bread from more than 1 other supplier.
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I've always bought the cranberry panettone and I like it. However, I've never had any panettone from any other company so I can't compare.
I even used it last year to make french toast.
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Loved the dark chocolate covered shortbread sprinkled with nonpareils. Hope they're back again!
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wow that sounds fantastic! do you remember what the packaging looks like? i was at tj's briefly on saturday and was overwhelmed with the variety of holiday items.
I tried peppermint joe-joe's for the first time, excellent. Now I'm curious to try the chocolate dipped ones.
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I just bought some dark-chocolate star-shaped shortbread cookies sprinkled with white nonpareils. Very tasty and fairly small. If that's what you're looking for, betterbeheaven, keep an eye out for a pale blue box with a big star cut-out. The chocolate dipped peppermint joe-joes were way too big and too sweet for me.
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""""The chocolate dipped peppermint joe-joes were way too big and too sweet for me.""""
one was enough for "dessert."
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I was just thinking that no one ever mentions these and I like them a lot -- both the chocolate and the cookie are pretty good quality. The star shape and the blue box make me think they're supposed to double as a Hannukah-related item.
Anyone seen any kosher turkeys yet?
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the brined and kosher turkeysa are due into the stores (at least in so CA) friday.
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Due to distance, I'd never considered purchasing our Thanksgiving turkey at Trader Joe's. Well, happy day, the largest TJ's in the U.S. opened a scant 20 miles away in Minnetonka, MN last Friday. There was quite the crowd around the Glatt kosher turkeys. I'd appreciate any feedback anyone could give me about these particular birds. (I just couldn't bring myself to wade through the crowd to read the packaging.)
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I'd like to try a brined or kosher turkey from TJs but I need at least an 18 pounder. That is the lowest weight that will do as there are going to be three of us for Thanksgiving dinner. Do you think they will have any birds that have some real heft to them?
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I just got a TJs email and it says 12-16 lb Kosher turkeys.
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>>>""""18 pounder. That is the lowest weight that will do as there are going to be three of us""""<<<<
am i reading correctly that three people eat an 18-pounder?
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We have 3 or 4 and I consider 20 to be minimum weight. We do love our leftovers though.
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how many pounds of meat do you get from a 20# bird?
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Usually it's supposed to be 25% bone to 75% meat when figuring portion size. But since we don't eat the dark meat (goes into stock pot and then into enchiladas etc) it's not all that much. Enough for 4 or 5 days of sandwiches and asst leftovers. I don't go to all that trouble to only eat for one day!
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If we must, alkapal. I think about four years back I managed to wrangle a 28 pounder, now that rocked.
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a 28lb that was kosher???
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No, not kosher. Thinking of trying a kosher bird from TJ's this year if I can find one big enough. Last year's selection was kinda puny but they may have been picked over. I was being kind of a smart aleck. Alkapal asked me if I really meant an 18 pound turkey for three people, and I said yes, if that is what I have to settle for. I really do like to get a heftier bird than eighteen pounds, that is my minimum requirement. Bigger turkeys are a dream to cook. lots of filling and great gravy, and it is much easier to get the dark meat cooked while keeping the white meat moist. What can I say, I can be kinda lazy. And all those leftovers. I love dinner the day after Thanksgiving. So easy after all the effort getting everything hot to the table. I'm smiling right now thinking of my plate piled with all those wonderful leftovers. This year I'm thinking about a turkey pie a few days after thanksgiving. I made one years ago with just a bit of rutabaga in it. I love Thanksgiving!
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Wow, 18 lbs for 3 people! I had a 14 lb. bird for 7 last year and had a lot of leftovers.
You should change your name to givemeprotein!
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went to TJs tonight, and they had 18 pounders.
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It would be the frozen pumpkin pie - but no - I've been told no frozen pumpkin pies this season.
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I never even noticed if TJ's has one. I did find a frozen pumpkin pie locally for $1.25. At that price, I couldn't say no. Not to mention it was all natural (all the same ingredients I use in my recipe) and tasted freakin' awesome!
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Escargot? I have heard that they have a decent escargot app on the West Coast but have never seen it in the Chicago area. Nothings says "Holiday" like snails...
Any info on this????
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The last couple holiday seasons, they've had these stacks of single origin dark chocolate bars from around the world. The chocolates are delicious and it's really fun to pick out the nuances in flavor between each one. I think there were 9 or 10 bars to a stack, around 3" square, very reasonably priced.
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that sounds fun. i haven't seen those, operagirl. but, now i'll be on the lookout.
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not to derail this on costco stuff, but now is the time when you should be able to buy their chocolate-covered dried fruits -- in the plastic tray-like container (sometimes oblong, sometimes circular). dried cherries, blueberries, apricots, etc. dee-licious.
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Those were great. They were really high quality but cheap enough that I could buy them in large quantities for holiday baking (though it is a pain to open so many small packages).
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a few years ago, they had round straw trays of mixed nuts. i liked them (and still use those trays as plate holders when watching tv).
has anyone seen mixed nuts this year?
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I went to TJ's today. OMG I felt like a kid in a candy shop. I couldn't stop tasting and trying things and deciding what to buy. It was rediculous. I literally just walked down the candy aisle and sampled 3 or 4, maybe 5 different things. It was like lunch almost lol.
The Those Dead Sea Salt Caramels covered in Chocolate, i tried those they were very good and like fattening too I think 11g of fat for 1..wow. And their were some other kind of caramel I picked up a box of those, not chocolate covered though, but its in my pantry now though lol..has like a sea salt too, very good and soft and creamy in a white box. i think what another poster said "sea salt caramels"
Saw the usual P Joe Joes..now they have some new Joe Joes? like Extra Thick kind? I didn't try those, by the time I got to those I was full of the caramels! Are they good eh? Maybe next time I will sample.
Oh I tried some Dark Chocolate Covered Caramel in plastic container..Awful. I spit it out. It was hard as rock and tasteless.
So next time I think I will look for the choc. pretzels and some shortbread ...they are pretty good eh?
And the turkey..it's good? I've always been weary bout meat from TJ's. I mean they did just have an ECOLI recall :/
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i may be alone in this, but the chocolate covered pretzels were just "meh" to me.
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They actually have three different types of chocolate covered pretzels (actually, now that I think of it, maybe there are four). If you only tried the milk chocolate ones, try the dark chocolate ones, which come in both the "knot" shape and in the thin, crisp style (the fourth would be a vague memory that they also have chocolate covered "baton" shaped pretzels). The chocolate covered thins fall into the "I can't buy them because I'll eat the whole package in one sitting" category for me.
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woofwoofwoof said: "I literally just walked down the candy aisle and sampled 3 or 4, maybe 5 different things. It was like lunch almost lol."
You're trolling again about sampling without permission, aren't you?
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I caught that too Steve. I admit it does sound like fun.
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I tried the dead sea salt caramels and didn't like them at all. I LOVE salted caramels and try them at most chocolatiers I visit. I was hoping these would be a lower cost option, but they had such a strong palm/coconut oil taste I spit it out. Sorry chowhounds have to disagree on this product.
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I've got a box in front of me, jsaimd. There is no palm oil listed in the ingredients. The caramels do contain what appears to be a small amount of coconut oil, listed about 2/3 of the way down. To each his/her own, but I highly doubt many people will be as offended by the trace flavor of coconut oil as you seem to be.
And Woof: There are 11 grams of fat in a serving of THREE pieces, not in each piece. Huge difference.
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I noted the coconut oil taste when I first reported on them last year (or maybe the year before). To me, I can taste it but it's not unpleasant.
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Just back from TJ's in Alameda (Northern California). Turkeys are in, both kosher and "natural." Fresh Italian chestnuts, $4.99/lb.
Brussels sprouts on the stalk
Organic canned pumpkin, pumpkin butter
Chocolate Palatte: a stack of 9 different single-origin dark chocolates is back
They were tasting the turkey gravy and I wasn't impressed.
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pumpkin butter is a real winner! i'm *thinking* that they may have it year round, now.
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Ruth, they have had the organic canned pumpkin year-round.
Pumpkin butter, though, has definitely been a seasonal item, and I see no reason to believe TJ's will change that. After all, this is the store that recently gave ordinary pie crust a seasonal designation.
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The wafer thin crackers w the cranberries in them.
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Guindilla peppers are very good as are the pumpernickel pretzels.
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Hey (And not talking horses here), TJs allows for open and free sampling. I for one did not want to buy the whole aisle of Holiday Selections. I tried a few things new to me, and bought those Sea Salt Caramels, after sampling a couple of course cause they were excellent. I left the box for others to try too :) (Could of bought the Dark Choc. Sea Salt ones too...delicious as well)
Can't wait to be back to try the Pretzels, Shortbread, Peanut Brittle, & Choc. Covered JoJos :)
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I know this has come up before, but I cannot believe TJ's encourages this behavior. I would NEVER take a sample from a box left open on a shelf. How do you know if it's been tampered with?
There's a reason things are sealed to a fare-thee-well these days--can you say Tylenol in Chicago??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_...
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i've never seen it done "on one's own", but if you do want to try something, you can take it back to the gal at the sampling station and she'll open the box and give you some. that's how i first tried the white chocolate peppermint bark bar (actually, no, i was asking about peppermint bark, and the gal recommended the bar instead, and then went and got one, cracked it open, and gave me a chunk.).
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Yeah, it came up before, and it was the same poster. Woof must be trolling. T.J.'s would never let this person in the store again if he/she were continually opening up packages and sampling without permission as claimed. I fell for it last time like everyone else, but I just don't believe this any more.
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I'm with you Steve. But alkapal that was pretty awesome that the sample monger did that. I'll have to ask about prime rib next time I go. :)
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I did have a similar experience to alkapal's once. I was at checkout and told the checker that I'd changed my mind and didn't want a particular item -- that I didn't want to take a chance on it (it was some cookie IIRC). She said in so many words, "Hey, wonder what it's like -- let's try it", and proceeded to open it up and hand samples to me and other nearby customers. I ended up not liking it, but that was a nice gesture on her part.
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That was nice, but I'm not surprised, they have some of the nicest employees there. But everything is so cheap that I'm willing to take a chance occasionally, and I'm rarely disappointed.
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yes! prime rib! http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/576308
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Um, I think this might be called illegal, as in stealing. Yes, TJ's allows sampling but via the sampling station. It would be a health code if you opened up a package yourself, put your dirty hands in the package and left the rest for others to do the same.
I just don't get the entitlement and thought processes of some people.
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I LOVE the Wintry Blend coffee, but they seem to only have pre-ground this year.
I have already written them a strongly worded (aka begging) email for the whole bean. And we may try to make our own at home.
Also, another huge vote for the dark chocolate covered caramels with sea salt. YUM.
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I was going to buy that coffee but wanted whole bean also. I wonder if TJs powers that be ever reads our comments here?
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T.J.'s would never let this person in the store again if he/she were continually opening up packages and sampling without permission as claimed.
What are you talking about? Everybody does this. It is even written on the TJ's page that they guarantee their products. Why should a person buy a product, waste gas driving home, trying it, having it taste awful, then waste gas driving gas back to the store?
Peppermint Bark sounds good too :)
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I thought guarantee meant buy it, and if you don't like it, bring it back no questions. Not free lunch anytime you're in the area. Poor TJs, I feel for them.
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The TJ's policy doesn't, however, say you can go around the store opening packages you have no intention of buying and then leaving the open packages sitting there, or opening a package, sampling, and then buying an unopened package (all situations you've described when this topic came up before). As other people have pointed out, once the package has been opened and left on a shelf it would have to be discarded, since there is no way of guaranteeing it hasn't been tampered with. If you were really serious about wanting to sample the product with the intention of buying it and not just grazing for free, you could have it opened by one of the crew members. And no, "everybody" doesn't do this -- I've shopped at TJs for probably 20 years now and I've never seen anyone do it, nor have I seen evidence in the form of opened packages lying around indicating someone has done what you described.
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Seriously. The only packages I open in TJs (and other stores) are those meant to distract my toddler so I can actually get some shopping done...and I buy them whether she likes them or not.
WWW just likes to get people's feathers ruffled with talk of renegade sampling.
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Well put puddin head.
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Wow, haters. I still stand my ground that it is not a crime or much less wrong to sample the products at TJs before buying. Now, would I open a package I did not intend to buy at regular ol' Giant of course not.
But TJs ENCOURAGES one to sample their variety of constantly changing products :) I went again today and gave the sample lady the choc. covered JoJos to try. Thought they were a new thing for 2009. She handed me a whole cookie. I was impressed, and bought a box. Very good.
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Still waiting on the Scottish shortbread (I ran out last July) -- they say December, if at all. Has anyone seen it yet?
Yesterday they were handing out samples of the cornbread/sausage stuffing (prepared fridge item). It was excellent.
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I'm not a fan of TJ's cornbread products.
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Any sign of stroopwafels (usu in the blue and white tins)? I saw a few things in local TJ's on Friday, but not those. I didn't bother to ask. They did have a few boxes of Candy Cane JoJos, also the chocolate covered ones, and a few other bits of this and that for holiday stuff, but it clearly was not out in force yet.
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Last year when I was looking for my gift boxes of chocolate, they told me they don't put out most of their Christmas stuff until after Thanksgiving. What a unique idea!
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