OK you Trader Joe's obsessed people...

March 5, 2024 12:02 PM

give me your recs, the best of the best that TJ"s has to offer :)

I noticed that this question had almost solely Trader Joe's recommendations, but I'd like specifics. I've only been to one briefly and was too overwhelmed to buy anything (plus already carrying all my luggage). I'd like to be more prepared next time I happen to be in an area with one. Keeping no restrictions on the food so it's helpful as a general reference for others too.

(I know there have been threads like this before, but didn't find anything super recent.)

posted by Eyelash to Food & Drink (94 answers total)

My two recent faves: frozen scallion pancakes and frozen fried cheese curds. Both are way better than they have any business being.

Also: unexpected cheddar. It’s seriously good.
posted by theotherdurassister at 12:17 PM on March 5 [11 favorites]

I just made a TJ's run!

I love:

-Soy chorizo
-All the vegan ravioli
-Sriracha tofu
-the peanut butter pretzels! (these are hugely popular though I don't actually think they're better than peanut pretzels anywhere else)
-the Hold the Cone ice cream sandwiches
-Speculoos everything--including the ice cream, which is controversial
-Chile spiced mango (I'm South Asian and it tastes like candy I ate growing up--but for those without that specific touchstone, the regular dried mango may be a friendlier choice)
-Spiced cider
-Oat milk ice cream sandwiches
-Basically all the microwave Indian food is ridiculously good
posted by lizard2590 at 12:18 PM on March 5 [8 favorites]

Vegetarian Masala Burger and Truffle/Porcini Trangioli (triangular ravioli) are really good. That ravioli has no business being this good.
posted by indianbadger1 at 12:21 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

The frozen brown rice - so convenient!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:22 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

Tinned smoked fish (trout, salmon). Goat Milk Gouda. Eggplant Garlic Spread. Bottled chai concentrate. Dried fruits and nuts, generally.

As mentioned above, for whatever reason, anything Indian-inspired at TJ's tends to be good.
posted by kickingtheground at 12:24 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

OMG the kimbap!

Currently extremely hard to find, at least in LA. You either have to go right when the store opens, or hope you're at one that's limiting buyers to two packages, because that means the daily supply lasts longer.
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:24 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

You might find lots to interest you if you browse the traderjoes tag on AskMe, here's a blog titled What's Good At Trader Joe's, and also take a look at the subreddit.

My personal faves: their San Fracisco sourdough hands down, Vegetable Masala Burger, the chicken drumsticks (a loss leader at TJ's, super cheap yet organic free range chicken), and the entire freaking snack aisle sorry can't pick faves there.
posted by MiraK at 12:25 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

I had to ban those brownie ice cream sandwiches from my house.

On the healthier end, they have these seedy flatbread/cracker things.
posted by praemunire at 12:25 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Trader Joe's has really good vegetarian fake-meat options in the freezer case, if you're into that! We love the Korean beefless barbecue and the orange not-chicken.
Other hits in our house:
- Italian truffle cheese
- Dark chocolate pretzels
- Rice crackers (gluten-free, delicious even to gluten eaters)
- Everything but the bagel seasoning
- Georgian spice blend
- Dr. Praeger's veggie burgers
- Almond windmill cookies
- Dried mango
- Freeze-dried berries and apples
posted by SeedStitch at 12:25 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

- Zhoug Sauce (if you like spicy things)
- The block of Feta cheese (the one with the words "Feta Cheese" in an orange circle on the package. It's block feta, not crumbled feta.)
- Windmill cookies
- Everything but the Bagel crackers
- Ghost Pepper potato chips (okay, yeah, I like spicy things)
- Speculoos cookies
- Just Dried Mango
- Simpler Wines 4-packs
- Low Calorie Cranberry Juice Cocktail (it seems to be seasonal though)
posted by cleverevans at 12:25 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Their seasoning blends are nice, and they have a pretty good price on bourbon vanilla. Unfortunately it seems they've discontinued their dill pickle seasoning, but you should grab whatever sounds up your alley.

Their (seasonal?) beer bread mix was a recent hit for me (I suggest a dark beer).

Really you should just walk through the frozen and snack aisles and grab whatever calls to you. The price point vs taste ratio payoff is pretty good across their "little treat" selection and you'll probably walk away happy.

Grab a cheese.

Skip the produce.
posted by phunniemee at 12:26 PM on March 5 [4 favorites]

Watermelon wine

speculoos food ~ peanut butter and candy bars

the chocolate coffee beans

Chocolate Dunkers (which I guess they don't sell anymore?)

bats and ghosts chips only available during Halloween

Kimbap sells out extremely quickly in my stores, though I think it's just ok.
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:27 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

The gluten free fettuccine in the refrigerated section is better than any other GF pasta I have ever had.
posted by corey flood at 12:28 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

My TJ’s go-tos:

- I always have the sweet and spicy candied pecans, I use them in salads
- Their baking basics are a great price, but I also like their box mixes, especially the blondies mix and the ginger cake mix.
- Lately, I like the cinna-dragons cinnamon gummy candies.
- my child loves the mini ice cream cone treats and they have seasonal flavors; the grownups like the ice cream bon bons
- the dark chocolate peanut butter cups
-usually the Jo-Jo cookies are a good bet, including seasonal flavors (esp peppermint at Christmas)
- I like the various cheese & nut cracker things even when they’re weird
- I liked the enchanted jangle snack mix last spring
- the knife cut noodles

Generally I don’t especially their prepared foods other than snacks.
posted by vunder at 12:28 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

I can't get the mini-chocolate chip cookies anymore because I eat the entire (large) package in a couple of days.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 12:29 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

I love TJ's cheese selection! Everything tends to be good quality and cheaper than it would be at other grocery stores.
posted by peperomia at 12:34 PM on March 5 [5 favorites]

i like their italian bomba hot pepper sauce, dark chocolate peanut butter cups, dried chile mango, rice crackers medley, and sweet & spicy pecans.

on the flip side, i find their frozen fish underwhelming across the board and outright gross in a few cases (frozen trout).
posted by guybrush_threepwood at 12:41 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

hmmm I don't even shop at TJs but the peanut butter cups. I can't believe no one has mentioned them. the peanut butter cups. SO.GOOD.
posted by supermedusa at 12:42 PM on March 5 [5 favorites]

jinx
posted by supermedusa at 12:42 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

The seasoned bulgogi (over in the meat section near the tenderloins) is awesome. Grill, slice, serve over rice with some green onions and sesame seeds.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:43 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

They have seasonings that we're hooked on in my house -- Green Goddess seasoning, Cheesy Seasoning, etc., all so good.
posted by maryellenreads at 12:45 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

If I’m stopping by TJ’s, my husband always asks me to pick up Garlic Zing dip, sardines, and Kalamata olives. We also like to stock up on nuts as they are quite cheap.

Other things I have loved—some are not always available, but I keep an eye out just in case: peanut butter pretzels, chocolate crisps (like Pringles made of chocolate!), chocolate truffles, frozen gyoza, frozen tamales, salsa verde, lime chili crisp, mochi ice cream, 1000 Day aged Gouda, kettle corn, piñon coffee, freeze-dried snacks like okra or mushrooms.

There’s a pink body wash that smells great and vanilla-y if you’re into that kind of thing, I’ve heard it’s a dupe for a fancy lotion called Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. I’ve also gotten Manuka honey there for skin care use at a very decent price.
posted by music for skeletons at 12:46 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Everything but the bagel Greek style yogurt dip, which is unbelievably good on Schwartz Brothers everything bagel chips and merely outstanding on anything else.

Their puff pastry sheets are made with butter and far superior to Pepperidge Farm, but only available October through December.

Multigrain bread, which is my favorite grocery store bread and keeps quite a while, unlike their other breads (or so I’ve heard).

Their unsalted butter (in the orange box) is better than Land O Lakes and much cheaper.

I’m also partial to the unbleached coffee filters which are also far cheaper than Melitta.

Their cinnamon graham crackers are the best I’ve ever had.

When they’re in season, their boxes of peaches are excellent to the point where I don’t even care how much they cost. (Pro tip: one box is enough for making peach crisp with one left over for snacking)
posted by DrGail at 12:48 PM on March 5 [5 favorites]

I love TJ's cornbread, and their ciabatta everything rolls are amazing. Also love their portobello/truffle ravioli and butternut squash ravioli. So many toher things too, but those are my favorites.
posted by j810c at 12:48 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

Many of these have already been mentioned, but I'll cosign.

• chili spiced mango slices and pineapple rings
• harissa and Italian bomba chili pastes
• many of the cheeses, but I especially like the Cambozola and the wild mushroom Brie
• ajika seasoning
• jalapeño sauce (RIP, Trader Joe's Aleppo pepper sauce)
• tinned fish, especially trout (and if they ever bring back the kippers and mackerel, those too)
• lemon + ginger seltzer water (the cranberry + lime and the blood orange are good too, but lemon + ginger is my favorite)
• horseradish and chive potato chips

posted by egregious theorem at 12:55 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

+1 for the Ghost Pepper potato chips. I usually come with one of those blue Ikea bags and buy 6 bags at a time.

In my opinion, most store branded or national brands or restaurants are afraid to put in a level of spice that satisfies me, EXCEPT some TJ items.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 1:07 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

They have brought back cultured butter after it was discontinued! So, so good.

While you're getting that butter, they might have their seasonal Irish soda bread, known as a "Blarney Scone." This is as good as homemade as far as I am concerned, and it includes caraway seeds, which many home bakers do not add.

Anything seasonal is worth trying. If you go in the summer, the ube ice cream is fabulous.

The spray household cleaner is really good, and I have been using the bottle for at least 10 years for my Mrs. Meyer's cleaner mix.

The mango shaving cream is really good and doesn't irritate my legs.

They have delicious raw almond butter at the best price anywhere.
posted by jgirl at 1:10 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

TJ's has excellent vegan/non-dairy options, including:
- Vegan feta
- Vegan kale pesto
- Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Chocolate Fudge Oat Bars (and a wide variety of other seasonal vegan frozen treats)
- Vegan butter
- Sunflower butter chocolate cups
- Maple leaf cookies

Other staples in my house include:
- truffle potato chips
- TJ Takis (aka "chili lime rolled corn tortilla chips") - better than the original if you ask me
- Mushroom & company multipurpose umami seasoning blend
posted by ourobouros at 1:11 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

This is gonna sound totally boring, but hear me out: the lemon verbena 'triple-milled' bars of soap. So much better than soap in a bottle, and so much cheaper than comparable Marseille-style soap bars.
posted by niicholas at 1:19 PM on March 5 [9 favorites]

I was only a very occasional TJ's shopper until I discovered their zhoug sauce. Now I'm there every week-10 days. It's sooo freaking good, esp on protein - peanut butter, meat, eggs, cheese.

A few other regular purchases - honey roasted peanuts, shishito peppers, frozen breaded chicken tenderloin breasts, frozen meat lasagna, various forms of ciabatta.

(An FYI about the mini-chocolate chip cookies mentioned by Mr.Know-it-some - they either changed their supplier a couple months ago or their supplier changed their recipe. They used to contain a bit of coconut which was surprisingly great, but they have since subbed an OD of vanilla, and, for me, what used to be a regular purchase has become a never-purchase.)
posted by ClingClang at 1:20 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Their frozen meals are a cut above what other places offer but my favorite item whenever I am in a TJs is the bag of dried mandarin slices. They are only available sometimes (maybe seasonal) but I always get them when a see them.
posted by AndrewStephens at 1:20 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

The caccia e pepe puffs are delicious.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 1:25 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

Frozen chicken gyoza potstickers
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 1:27 PM on March 5 [7 favorites]

Chocolate hazelnut cookies. I avoid even looking at them, since I know once I buy them I’ll eat the whole box in a day.
posted by tinymegalo at 1:31 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

The frozen scallion pancakes are great, especially if you cook them longer than the directions specify so that they turn brown and crispy. I like a lot of their frozen side dishes. They've got a grain/vegetable medley that's neutrally flavored and can be flavored however you like or eaten as is. The Japanese fried rice is pretty good, too.
posted by mollweide at 1:34 PM on March 5 [4 favorites]

The roasted garlic and pesto pizza with a deep fried crust (frozen section) is so, so delicious! I am about to make one for lunch and I cannot wait.
posted by Synesthesia at 1:35 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

Sour Scandinavian Swimmers are a BIG favorite around my house. It's a slightly sour gummy candy, and the texture is reliably much better than the Sour Patch stuff.
posted by that's candlepin at 1:36 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Here's some things I don't see mentioned much so far:

• Triple gingersnaps
• cornbread crisps (only sometimes available at mine)
• It's a very good source for petit basque cheese, though you can get the same stuff elsewhere. Generally a good cheese selection.
• frozen tamales (especially the basic green chile+cheese ones)
• dark chocolate peanut butter cups
• mochi rice nuggets
• dark chocolate stars / mint stars (seasonal)
• Various trail mix things. Flavored nuts (e.g. thai lime chili cashews).
• sriracha baked tofu

posted by advil at 1:41 PM on March 5 [4 favorites]

Everyone has covered a lot of good stuff already but I will add these to the list:
Mini French Baguettes — they are frozen and heat up in less than 5 minutes in the air fryer
Almond Butter Coated Roasted Almonds — couldn't find them on the TJs web site but they are a great snack
posted by blacktshirtandjeans at 1:43 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

Orange chicken (frozen)
The frozen proof-at-home chocolate croissants are just in. sane.
Sesame coated cashews
Mint chocolate chip ice cream
the lunch salads are really very good
almost any of their chocolate candies. The PB cups are my fave.
posted by Dashy at 1:43 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Oh, I forgot something important: dried Montmorency cherries.
posted by advil at 1:44 PM on March 5 [6 favorites]

Yes, the mochi rice nuggets! I also like their almond butter granola and the milk chocolate toffee bars. Their organic raisins are good and competitively priced. They have good plain whole milk european style yogurt. Tiny gummy bears, scandinavian swimmers, all the fruit leather. I once found za'atar there and it was ok, but haven't seen it in a while.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 1:46 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

They've finally made the cracked wheat Sourdough nationwide
posted by brujita at 1:55 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

• frozen almond croissants
• the frozen Indian dishes (especially the Palak Paneer, Paneer Tikka Masala and Chana Masala)
• the frozen gnocchi w/ tomato and cheese
• Mediterranean Flatbread
• the mini peanut butter cups
• cheese, almost all the cheese
• refrigerated limeade
• butternut ravioli

posted by kbuxton at 1:57 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

There's some breaded jalapeno crunchy things that i think are meant to be a salad topper that i eat like potato chips. Dangerous. Comes in a little cardboard canister about 6"tall. In my TJs it's near the canned tuna for some reason.
There is a Light Roast Whole Bean Small Batch Coffee that is notably good- Yellow and navy-purple packaging-apparently not available on the west coast, i know because a recent house guest went back to LA looking for it and asked a manager. It's that notably good!
Goat Gouda Sliced Cheese.
3 layer Hummus in the dip section
Caccio e Pepe Raviolis
there is a newish antipasti salad in the dip section with olives, feta, and tiny peppers that is SO good but i have only seen it in NYC store, not the connecticut one i have frequented in the past.
Tadka Dal (the yellow lentil-based indian pouch meal)
There's some chocolates that have minty honey on the inside that are incredibly tasty and pure (seriously there's like 3 ingrdients)
sriracha garlic bbq sauce

Seasonal
Watermelon Mint Tea
Dill Pickle Mustard

Great thread. Pumped to try some new stuff.
posted by wowenthusiast at 2:07 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

Yep, the frozen potstickers are great. and the scallion pancakes. Mochi-covered ice cream balls. Olive tapenade. frozen Haricots Vert (french green beans). Hummus with jalapeno and cilantro, prepared salads and sandwiches. Bacon pieces. Generally, I've had good quality tasty food from TJs. It's a 25 minute drive, so I only go if I'm in town.

What I love is that there are always new and seasonal things, the staff are not disgruntled and are helpful, it's actually fun. Also, affordable, decent quality wine. Not so much the really cheap Charles Shaw, but the affordable wines are pretty good.
posted by theora55 at 2:07 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

We like the Quinoa Cowboy Veggie Burgers (we serve with salsa), the Panko Breaded Tilapia, the Chicken Cilantro Mini Wontons, the Tarte d'Alsace with Ham, Onions, and Gruyere, the reduced sodium soy sauce, seconding the Japanese Style Fried Rice (we sometimes add chicken). Also the Organic Argan Oil. Mr. gudrun is a big fan of the clam chowder and the tinned smoked trout and the tinned Giant Beans in Tomato Sauce.
posted by gudrun at 2:26 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Oh, also their whole milk Greek yogurt! I particularly love the passion fruit flavor. Yogurt is very hit-or-miss for me in general, and TJ's is one of the only brands I consistently love. I'm eating the apricot-mango flavor with my lunch right now!
posted by peperomia at 2:33 PM on March 5 [4 favorites]

*caramelized onion dip
*Kung Pao chicken kit
*Chocolate covered pretzel/corn chips/potato chips bundles
*Salted caramel hot chocolate mix
posted by WithWildAbandon at 2:36 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

The brie and mushroom tart, Tarte d'alsace, tomato & Mushroom and black truffle flat breads are all delicious. I always buy or have on hand the following, fresh burrata, shelf table heavy whipping cream, (in the baking section), canned eggplant, canned large beans, trout, Irish butter, pizza dough and , crystalized and uncrystalized ginger, chili spiced mango, tzatziki and caramelized onion dip.
posted by jennstra at 2:44 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Some things not yet mentioned:
-plantain chips
-pita crackers
-avocados (not special, but tend to be cheaper than elsewhere)
-pepita salsa

A lot of the items people have mentioned aren't special per se, but simply a fine product at a good price point. I'd say that's most of TJs honestly - and I like the store - solid products for reasonable prices is great! But I think the way to approach it is to stock up on items that are staples, but not expect to get everything there - their supply chains are limited, so it doesn't quite have the variety when it comes to everything, especially produce.
posted by coffeecat at 2:56 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Daily Facial Sunscreen is a knockoff of the much-beloved and beauty-award-winning Supergoop at like less than half the price.
posted by box at 3:00 PM on March 5 [4 favorites]

random food: their frozen hash brown patties are really good. Also, they have gluten free hamburger buns that are also really good (though they leave a really fine crumb that's kinda odd? but their taste is indistinguishable from regular hamburger buns and they hold up and toast great). Will cosign on the frozen Indian food, Hold-the-Cones (good flavor and good size), and passion fruit Greek yogurt.
posted by mrg at 3:09 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

I can't leave a TJs without at least one container of the Dark Chocolate Almonds with Sea Salt and Turbinado Sugar. As addictive as crack.
posted by AwkwardPause at 3:11 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

Seek out the Greek Yogurt Strawberry-Vanilla Made With Whole Milk. That is all.
posted by Rash at 3:12 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Frozen chicken gyoza, frozen hash browns, crunchy slaw salad (with the peanut dressing), whatever is the newest ice cream but the coffee is their best one and is basically the Double Rainbow coffee ice cream before they rebranded it as Trader Joe's, and the mini dark chocolate peanut butter cups are my Trader Joe's desert island staples. I've had to pare down my food budget a lot, but these are essentials. Bonus for the frozen orange chicken.
posted by yueliang at 3:22 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

lots of classics in the thread

* sparkling coconut/yuzu soda 4 packs

* mango ice/vanilla icecream bars

* precooked thai wheat noodles (perfect for stirfrys for one)

prev mentioned but essential

*unexpected cheddar/parm hybrid : our "house cheese". equally good in sandwiches cold, melted or on a cheese board

all the snacks.
posted by lalochezia at 3:24 PM on March 5 [4 favorites]

The price point vs taste ratio payoff is pretty good across their "little treat" selection and you'll probably walk away happy.

Very true ... but if you're not happy, they will take back your purchases. (At least at my store.) It's ridiculous. You can buy a package of soy chorizo or puff pastry or whatever, and if it doesn't thrill you, you can return it, even if you've eaten half, and they'll give you your money back.

My favorites: the Golden Round crackers (like Ritz, only better); the raspberry carre is quite good (probably seasonal, may not be around much longer), and the (gluten free) chocolate muffins are also very good. And yeah, the nuts are a great value - pine nuts seem to be cheaper than anywhere else I've found.
posted by kristi at 3:25 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

Oh - also the little spanakopita triangles in the frozen section are great. (I haven't tried the bigger round pie-shaped version.)
posted by kristi at 3:26 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

The main thing to remember about TJs is that you should try anything that even looks remotely interesting. If you don't like it, return it. I know, it sounds weird, but I used to work there and the people working there really REALLY don't care.

Also, you can also just find an employee there and ask to try something, and 9 times out of 10, they'll just open it up and let you try it. Obviously, this doesn't apply for raw meats or things requiring cooking, but definitely candy, snacks, nuts and dried fruits, etc...

If you're there on your birthday, tell them, you might go home with some free flowers or candy. They might give you candy or flowers if you're crying also. Also, please ask any questions you have...TJs employees are hired for friendliness and are mostly always happy to help with anything.
posted by schyler523 at 3:40 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

I just mostly get staples there.

-Cheaper organic eggs
-cheaper organic butter(s)
-Paper Towels
-Tangerine Juice
-Cottage cheese for the dogs
- Long sliced pickles
- Honey

If they would just bring back the Hot & Spicy dill pickle chips, I would be a happy man.

-And freeze-dried blueberries/strawbs
-And the blister peanuts
-And sliced turkey and cheap salami

But other than that, I don't shop there much...
posted by Windopaene at 3:41 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

I love Trader Joe's Gnocchi Alla Romana, but please note the following:

* It's not gnocchi. It's more like a cheesy polenta-esque (but made from semolina) muffin/cupcake.
* The cooking instructions are ridiculously off. They say to bake at 350° for 20 minutes; I microwave it for 15 seconds, then bake it at 375° for 27 minutes, and honestly, if I weren't always so hungry by the time I started cooking, I'd let it go a few minutes longer.

It's delightful comfort food.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 4:10 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Their frozen French style green beans are really excellent.
posted by mai at 4:29 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

The peanut butter cups are great, but I like the dark chocolate covers marshmallows even more.

I picked up onion salt the last time I was there and it is fantastic with little dried pieces of onion, green onion, scallion.

Yes to the unexpected cheddar.
posted by jeoc at 4:51 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

The backyard birds here love the TJ's roasted, unsalted peanuts I put in the feeder.

Seconding their frozen Indian selection. Palak Paneer nukes up nicely, and makes a filling lunch on a cold day. When you can find it, there's an onion crunch spread that goes great on burgers.

Their wine selection depends on the region, and is hit or miss. https://www.reversewinesnob.com/search/label/trader-joes/ usually makes good recommendations. At the moment, VINTJS Paso Robles Cabernet is a good deal at $7.
posted by dws at 5:25 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

Chocolate hummus. I have spoken.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 5:39 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Seconding much of the above, and adding the multi grain pita crackers. The perfect cracker for cheese. It has flavor on its own, but not so much that it overpowers the cheese.
posted by foodmapper at 5:41 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

I recently tried the frozen mini veggie samosas and they were SO good.
posted by sucre at 5:49 PM on March 5 [2 favorites]

Things we always get at TJs which I didn't see mentioned yet:
TJ's vanilla ice cream is excellent
Lamb Vindaloo (frozen)
Turkish Dried Figs, Turkish Apricots, golden raisins, almonds, sunflower seeds, brazil nuts & walnuts
Peanut butter (it's the real thing, not adulterated like so many pbs are)
Flax meal

I'll for sure be trying a lot of the suggestions in this thread.

Just want to mention this from Reuters:
"Feb 16 (Reuters) - Amazon.com (AMZN.O), opens new tab has joined rocket maker SpaceX and grocery chain Trader Joe's in claiming that a U.S. labor agency's in-house enforcement proceedings violate the U.S. Constitution".
Their anti-NLRB stance unfortunately makes me less keen to shop at TJs; I don't want to support such action. I like the store, and the people who work there, but the owner sucks, and that may eventually make the store suck too.
posted by anadem at 6:49 PM on March 5 [5 favorites]

Saucy scallops
Frozen mushroom medley or something like that
Lavender dryer bags
posted by SaneCatLady at 7:23 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

The sweet and juicy (dried) mandarins. The bacon wrapped scallops (seasonal). The vinho verde they have sometimes that is like 4 bucks a bottle and totally delicious somehow anyway. I miss the knafeh.
posted by shadygrove at 7:53 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

Showed this list to a vegan TJs enthusiast who informs me that the Trader Joes Vegan Tzatziki deserves a spot in our hearts
posted by wowenthusiast at 8:14 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

In the fall, their frozen pumpkin waffles are dynamite, as is their pumpkin bread mix - both GF and gluten-y versions are equally good and make good bread and muffins.

Year-round, their "salsa especial" medium-spicy fresh salsa is really good, a little smoky and quite flavorful (and a little hotter than medium!). Their frozen carne asada burritos and chicken chile verde burritos are good quick lunch options, and their refrigerated carnitas with salsa verde burrito (located with the grab-n-go sandwiches and salads, by the produce) are really quite impressive.

The one by my house, at least, always has a pretty solid selection of fresh flowers that are a good impulse buy to brighten up the house a bit, as well.
posted by pdb at 8:44 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

Lots of good products mentioned in this thread already. But I raise in protest at nobody recommending some of my TJ faves:

• Chimichuri rice - I quickly heat this up on a pan and use it to fill burritors, enchiladas, tacos and such. Also goes as a good side rice dish.
• Chimichuri sauce/dip - I see mentions of Zoug being made by a couple of people. You will find the Chimichuri sauce/dip near the Zoug. It goes well with eggs, rice, falafel,... so many things
• Organic bananas - They are a very good deal.
• Pasture-raised eggs - I like the non-organic ones. The yolks (for the most part) are a nice golden color. The organic ones are never this beautiful color.
• Egg salad - They are back in stock. My favorite sandwich is to cut a couple of slices of TJ sourdough boule, spread a thin layer of mayo (Kewpie), spread some chimichuri sauce, layer on a thin spread of Sri Lankan mango chutney, add a healthy dollop of egg salad, sprinkle some crispy fried jalapenos, Cover with the other slice.

posted by thaths at 10:32 PM on March 5 [3 favorites]

TJ's Middle Eastern Flatbread + persian cucumbers + plain yogurt + schwarma*

= EZ simulated gyro.

Aside from the persian cucumbers, the ingredients last approximately forever when refrigerated.

* TJ's refrigerated section, flat blue box, easy to miss, and not all TJs carry it.
posted by zippy at 2:16 AM on March 6 [3 favorites]

I love their Marcona almonds with rosemary.
posted by Sparky Buttons at 3:50 AM on March 6 [2 favorites]

...so in summary: Everything. Literally everything in TJs.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 4:30 AM on March 6 [4 favorites]

I forgot to mention that there are drastic regional differences in many sections of the store: bread, cheese, deli, wine based on availability. That means your friend in California might rave about some item you must get at TJs, but that item never makes it out of California.
posted by schyler523 at 6:02 AM on March 6 [1 favorite]

Their packages of frozen chopped garlic and ginger in individual cubes are super convenient. They're in flat packages with 16 or 25 little cubes that you can just pop out into the pan, no chopping or thawing required.
posted by davybyrne at 6:40 AM on March 6 [3 favorites]

My list (all happen to be vegan):
Japanese fried rice (frozen)
dried apricots (best price/quality anywhere)
dolmas stuffed with rice (canned)
kale, cashew, basil pesto (refrig section)
stir fied garlicky cabbage (frozen)
Thai wheat noodles (shelf stable)
posted by Pineapplicious at 7:00 AM on March 6 [4 favorites]

Okay, so I'm one of those people who kinda hates Trader Joe's. In the early days, back when it was way more of a "you never know what they're even gonna have today" kinda store that you had no hope of finishing your food run at, I got soured on them, and then after they turned into more of a quasi-grocery store I got burned way too many times by the way they just... randomly memory hole products, replacing them with something that sucks.

So, when I have a positive opinion of something from TJs, it's not coming from an enthusiast by any means.

• The prepared-foods carnitas. It's the second best "prepared" carnitas out there, and I've been using it for about a decade. Fry it up in a pan for a while first, to really crisp that bad boy up.
• The frozen macaroni and cheese dinner. We call this a "food module." The one you can buy is not as good as the one it replaced (argh, TJs! *fistshake*) but it's totally passable.
• The Indian frozen food TV dinners, which we call "the other food module" are also pretty decent.
• Currently there's a peanut butter rice crispy chew thing, and I've been buying 5 boxes at a time every month.
• I think they might have memory holed it, but they recently had a maple fudge thing, like Russian fudge, and that was the "5 boxes at a time" thing for months.
• The smoked gouda is literally the best smoked gouda I've ever had. I am not ashamed to admit that I have been buying this for almost 20 years and that as a TJ skeptic I would straight up go to TJs just to buy this and this alone. Literally single-item checkout. No shame. Good cheese.
• Hard disagree on the unexpected cheddar, I hate it. Get the New Zealand one.
• While you're over in the cheese section, get the Pub Cheese. It's basically the best bright orange weird foamy spreadable cheese you will ever try.
• Oh wait, go back to the veggie section for a sec. Get that sack of haricot vests petit. The fresh ones. Why they can't just say "skinny-ass green beans" I dunno, but those skinny-ass green beans are good.
• While you're over there, get the little tub of mirepoix. I know, I know, it's like, why would you pay that much just to have someone chop a couple veggies for you? I love, love, love cooking but the answer to this is because making a fine-cut mirepoix like that is actually a pain in the ass when you're just trying to make dinner. Buy a couple of these, sack one up in the vac-u-pac, and freeze it. Thank me later.
• Ignore all "speculoos" and "Joe-Joes" cookies that these clowns are pushing on you. Miss me with that awful cookie junk. Speculoos are gross. Get the triple ginger cookie.
• The vanilla ice cream in the square tub is legit. It's kinda chewy. Weirdly, all the other flavors in the regular circular containers aren't like that, but they're OK. Ignore the sack of cute tiny ice cream cones, they are mushy and gross.
• Ignore the vacuum-packed frozen fish. Yes, even the temptingly-priced swordfish and tuna. I mean, get it if you want to, but 80% of the time it's fishy as fuck even if you properly defrost it. Instead, get the big honkin breaded fish chunks in the brown box. Make those, chop them in half, and throw them on a tortilla with some cabbage and salsa.
• Recently, they started carrying these little pouches with a tikka masala sauce in them. It's an awful tikka masala sauce on its own, tastes like tomato paste, but it's a killer tikka masala sauce starter and only takes a little bit of doctoring to really make something wonderful. Buy two, though, because even with doctoring and stretching, one is going to leave you in that situation where your curry bowl is all chicken and no gravy.

posted by majick at 7:00 AM on March 6 [4 favorites]

I love way too many TJ's things to list, but I did want to point you to an occasional feature at Bon Appétit that is hilarious and also very informative. Here's the most recent installment.
posted by wisekaren at 7:20 AM on March 6 [2 favorites]

TJ’s is my regular grocery store. I get all the standard stuff there, eggs, produce (19 cent bananas), dairy so after opening my TJ’s shopping list and adding several additional items from this thread, here’s my list of items that make me login in on my phone and single finger type my contributions as TJs #1 fan:
Seasonal so if you see them, stock up because you won’t find them anywhere else, and if you do it will be way more expensive: jalapeño garlic lime crunch (in a glass jar by the onion chile crunch), dark chocolate covered peppermint joe joes, horseradish potato chips- OMG. Staples: Chimichurri- I used to make my own until I had theirs. In the refrigerator section by the hummus and dips. Southwest chopped salad kit, and several of their other bagged salad kits make dinner prep quick and easy. The dressings and add-ins are unique and tasty. Squiggly Knife Cut Style Noodles with Soy and Sesame Sauce. In my TJs, they’re hidden on the bottom shelf by the rice and pasta. We add bok choy, cilantro, and chicken cilantro wontons for a quick and delicious meal. Full fat Greek yogurt. I mix in chia seeds and vanilla. Favorite seasonings: green goddess, onion blend, umami mushroom; chocolate turbinado sugar sea salt almonds, cambazola cheese with olive fig crisps or any of the seasonal varieties, chai tea bags in the box, and my #1 favorite item that I eat regularly and declare every single time like it’s the first time I’ve tasted it, “these are SO GOOD”….the chocolate chip Hold the Cone.
posted by ms_rasclark at 7:32 AM on March 6 [3 favorites]

1. I have found the TJ popcorn kernels to be superior to other grocery store options. When doing the stove top method, more of the kernels pop and they're fully popped.

2. The dark chocolate bar options are usually quite interesting and good for everyday dark chocolate. Definitely better than the standard brands at regular grocery stores. ymmv.

3. In general the cheese section is good. My go-tos are the Petite Basque and 1000 day aged Gouda. I suppose it depends on if you like those cheeses to begin with.
posted by garo at 7:39 AM on March 6 [2 favorites]

The chocolate sheet cake with chocolate mousse frosting. Hard on the blood sugar, but very tasty.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 7:55 AM on March 6 [1 favorite]

I have found the TJ popcorn kernels to be superior to other grocery store options. When doing the stove top method, more of the kernels pop and they're fully popped.

Hmm, I find that more kernels don't pop than with other brands, but I think my neighborhood is likely not a pop-your-own group that would turn the product over quickly.

The maple syrup is a good buy. They have truffle ketchup year round now, and it is good. The truffle aioli will likely be back in the late spring or summer, and it is great with burgers, roast beef sandwiches, fries and other potatoes, and on the mac and cheese. I am looking forward to the mango black tea, which I am certain used to be year round but is not anymore. I often get the frozen truffle and cheese flatbread.

When fall comes, the pumpkin pancake mix and pumpkin ice cream are great.
posted by jgirl at 8:06 AM on March 6 [1 favorite]

If you use coconut milk in cooking, stock up at TJ’s! Theirs is half the price of the store brand at my local grocery store and I can’t tell the difference.
posted by slmorri at 9:45 AM on March 6 [2 favorites]

I still miss their marmalade - d/c a couple years ago.

Things I haven't seen mentioned upthread - frozen garlic naan is great as is the carmelized onion cheddar. I like their cheese blintzes but the frozen latkes are meh. I like their tiny yellow finn potatoes - better priced than many places. Fire roasted canned tomatoes.
posted by leslies at 10:20 AM on March 6 [1 favorite]

Hmm, I find that more kernels don't pop than with other brands, but I think my neighborhood is likely not a pop-your-own group that would turn the product over quickly.

Dang, I was hoping that would hold up at other TJ stores. If it helps my store is SFBA, south bay, so probably does a lot of turnover of basically everything.
posted by garo at 8:43 PM on March 6 [1 favorite]

You might also like the recommendations from this thread. But it is from 2022, so, not super recent.
posted by brainwane at 5:20 AM on March 7 [1 favorite]

A few late entries:
- Seconding the frozen French cut green beans and the mirepoix (which is fresh in the produce case). They also offer 8 oz of chopped onion for $1.79, which is WAY cheaper than I've seen prepared onion at any other store. I freaking HATE chopping vegetables for soup, so I lean heavily on the mirepoix and chopped onion.
- I recently discovered their Caramel Coffee Almonds, and they are INSANELY GOOD. I bought them for my mom and sister as part of their Christmas presents, and they are now also obsessed.
- I love their frozen shredded hashbrowns. Super cheap, super easy to prepare.
posted by leftover_scrabble_rack at 4:40 PM on March 7 [1 favorite]

Frozen mashed cauliflower is not the kind of supermarket item that’s going to blow your mind.

But TJ’s is good, maybe even very good, and cheap and dependable.
posted by box at 5:16 PM on March 7 [1 favorite]

Also coming in late to n'th some things and add some new ones:

N'thing
- soyrizo
- pickle seasoning (sadly discontinued but snap it up if you find any)
- cracked wheat sourdough
- whatever they call their version of toum
- the vegan kale pesto in the fridge case

Not mentioned
- popcorn in a pickle (also sadly discontinued but I'm hopeful it will come back)
- the vegan boba ice cream. I love coffee ice cream so prefer that one, but the tea version is good too
- cranberry orange seltzer is probably my favorite seltzer flavor ever
- chili onion peanuts (hard to go wrong with their nuts but the thai chili lime cashews taste like dish soap to me)
- olive snack packs (not the best olives ever but tasty, cheap, and a good snack amount)
- their natural peanut butter is an excellent deal (it's about half the price of smucker's natural pb and comparable quality)
- the plain vegan yogurt. It's not quite the same as forager (the best plain vegan yogurt, imo) but it's pretty similar and a lot cheaper.
posted by snaw at 5:16 PM on March 7 [1 favorite]

Wow I just went to Trader Joes, got a bunch of stuff i have never tried from this list and wow all of the new discoveries are ~extremely good~ Another Revelatory Metafilter Thread!!! a couple more i remembered while i was there:

Waxed Amaryllis in the flower section they look like bulbsthe size of your fist covered in colored wax with a cut off onion looking tip. Stick em in partial sun they will grow 18" tall and throw 6 big gorgeous flowers in about 2 weeks. Blooms twice. Discovered at trader joes this winter and bacame obsessed. Mostly available around winter & spring holidays i think.

Jicama sticks! Delicious crunchy vegetable sticks that are kinda like halfway between an apple and potato but 10x better than you might be imagining. in a squarish clear plastic container, the jicama sticks are white and submerged in liquid, easy to miss, often by the Pomengranate seeds on the top shelf in produce.
posted by wowenthusiast at 5:26 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]