They’ve got great halvah. I buy that every week. And their sharp cheddar crackers are pretty good, too, though rich. They also have a very good imported cave-aged gruyère. And a decent biodynamic cab called Bonterra. And their NZ black licorice is a staple here.
Yes, the cones are crisp! Too often I have tried an ice cream cone to find that they are mushy and soggy.
My TJ staples:
zhoug sauce
carrot ginger miso dressing
masala veggie burgers
frozen mango chunks
spicy chakri mix
umami powder
chili lime seasoning
zhaatar seasoning
smoked apple and chardonnay chicken sausage
San Francisco sour dough bread
Thank you so much for mentioning the Crispy Plantain Chips. I am so addicted to those. Are they the ones that come in the purple bag?
@ChoatieMom have you tried just using heavy cream instead of half and half? I know, heavy cream. But it IS more creamier, tastes pure and you might be able to get away with using less (to balance out).
The nearest Trader Joe’s is an hour away which is disappointing. But some fav products:
Zhoug sauce (versatile!)
Almond granola
Sliced almonds (lots of their nuts are well priced)
Coconut milk
Lots of their cheese is well priced (though Aldi’s is even cheaper!)
The frozen bagged stir fried rice w/veggies
Frozen tilapia
Non Food:
I recently tried their hair mask (conditioner) on recommendation of my daughter. It’s wonderful for my thick, curly wavy hair (and hers!)
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Just checked our pantry for the names of a couple more items:
Organic Turkish Apricots: A little bit sweet but very soft and moist.
50% Less Salt Dry Roasted Almonds: Perfect in salads and smoothies or as a snack as they are crunchy but not extremely salty.
I wish I could remember the color since they don’t last very long in my house! I know our TJ has 2 varieties—crispy (more savory) and sweet.
Updated: Just went to our TJs. They are the crispy plantain SLICES. The chops are smaller and thinner.
Ok. I think it is the purple version. The other is kind is in a orange bag and is sweet (I have never tried this version though)
I love their shaved Brussels sprouts. They last way past the “Best Buy” date. I also buy apples, little potatoes, lemons and avocados.
I usually have a package of microwave brown rice in the freezer, in case I need a quick side dish.
I bake my own bread, and I buy sunflower seeds & pumpkin seeds for the bread.
The Unexpected Cheddar Cheese is awesome, as is the Cotswald cheese.
The cinnamon Graham crackers are delicious.
I also buy my wine there. I like Pinot Noir and Cabernet, and I can always find a good wine at a great price.
We also buy their apples. We love their Honeycrisps! We also buy their avocados and red bell peppers.
As for wine, my parents love Kendall Vintner’s Reserve (Chardonnay) although it is not at TJ.
If you go shopping early in the day, just as they start restocking the wine, you can get a good sense of the customer favorites. I’ve had good luck buying based on how bare the shelf is. Doesn’t always work, but people around here tend to buy their absolute favorites multiple bottles at a time.
So jealous of all you who can buy wine at TJ’s (and Costco)! #PAproblems
Gosh nobody has the dark chocolate peanut butter cups on their weekly shopping list? 
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My family stocks up at Trader Joe’s and frankly, as I read through this thread felt quite embarrassed at how many TJ products we always have on hand. The list is very long. Please don’t judge me. Lol.
Greek yogurt guacamole
Walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, dried montmorency cherries
Almond butter
Quinoa chips, Kettle potato chips, savory thin mini crackers
Salsas (the regular one, the island and the spicier cowboy one)
Black refried beans w jalapeños
Soba noodle stir fry and/or pesto pasta veggie stir fry
Soy chorizo, swiss/gruyere shredded cheese
Frozen items: Orange chicken, scallion pancakes, chimichurri rice, chicken tikka masala, chicken mini tacos, fish sticks, mini ice cream cones (coffee/chocolate chip/peppermint)
Cold brew coffee
Wine
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Has anybody tried their Dark Chocolate Truffles?
They are slightly bitter on the outside as they are covered in Cocoa Powder. But as the Cocoa Powder dissipates, it becomes sweeter. It is so good!
@Embracethemess,
No, I have not tried the PB Cups but they sound REALLY good.
@88jm19 ,
It is not you who should be embarrassed, it is me who needs to be embarrassed. Frankly, our family does not really try that many TJ products. We have a few that we always buy and a few that we sometimes buy but that is about it.
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Don’t know if anyone is a fan of Japanese dessert but I know that their Mochi is killer. They are like these powdered soft, dough shells with ice cream in them. You can get Green Tea (YUM), Chocolate (yum), Vanilla (meh), Strawberry (Never tried), and Banana (not so much). Just put them into the freezer and serve cold.
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Faves for my vegan daughter:
- Coconut/almond creamer vanilla flavor
- Vegan cream cheese
- Dried mangoes (the one with no added sugar…it’s already sweet enough by itself)
- Vegan Indian frozen dinners
- Frozen cauliflower bowl (has tofu I think)
- Organic baby spinach
My faves:
- Naan crackers (so addictive)
- Pumpkin bread mix (seasonal…starts selling in September until sold out which was November last year in our area. I would buy like 10 boxes for baking during rest of the year)
- California olive oil (for cooking as my doctor insists that olives grown in other countries including Italy and Spain have pollutants and contaminants)
- Organic black pepper (great price)
- Frozen cooked oatmeal (microwave and eat…yummy and healthy breakfast with added dried fruits & nuts)
Just went today and glad I saw this after I came home or I would have needed another cart!
I love the frozen vegetable nests (a nice dinner with frozen fried rice), caramelized onion cheddar cheese, and their Belgian chocolate pudding is amazingly good. I bought a chocolate Babka today that was really good and if I am there around lunch time, I usually pick up one of their premade Cuban sandwich wraps. Seasonal Jingle Jangle/Springle Jangle have a habit of jumping into my cart, too. I am a fan of their podcast and always hear about something new to try.
I love their Cuban wraps as well. I am not a fan of the T-word Chicken Wrap (Can’t think of the word but it starts with a T) but the Cuban is quite delicious.
I actually did not know that TJ had a podcast. I might have to go and check that out!!
Not so related to food:
Have you guys ever smelled their candles. I think they are seasonal or something. The Honey-crisp candles are SO good! They smell just like freshly sliced Honey-crisps.
I actually went to Trader Joe’s for the first time in almost two years today. Their gluten free hamburger buns are amazing!!
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