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This post is for my friend, Judy in Georgia, who will soon be able to shop at Trader Joe’s. Last week when I went shopping there, I took some photos so that I can share some of my favorite items.
I just have to say that lately, Judy has been making me feel like a slug. She was in her kitchen last night at 9:30 making homemade hand lotion for goodness sake. Terry, my friend here in Portland, and I haven’t been doing much of anything. I have come to the conclusion that the amount of sunlight one receives in a day is in direct proportion to the amount of energy you have to expend on doing stuff. Of course, Terry has a good excuse, she is happily waiting for her first grandchild to arrive.
So here, for Judy, are some of my fave TJ items. My caveat is that some items may not be available in other areas.
Snack foods: sesame honey almonds (for Mr C), tamari roasted almonds (for me), bittersweet chocolate wedges in a round tin ( I keep a tin by my computer), cilantro jalapeno hummus with pita chips and oatmeal cranberry dunkers.
The makings for pizza: mozzarella, pizza sauce, whole wheat pizza dough, Italian chicken sausage, broccoli, mushrooms and tomatoes.
Dinner food: chicken sausage raviolis and marinara sauce, lamb tenderloins and lentils and olive oil for many uses.
Breakfast and dairy: Blueberry pomegranate juice (yummmmmm), Greek yogurt that is really thick (I buy the 0% fat, but you can get low fat and full fat), half and half for my coffee (which I buy at TJ’s), butter, gorgonzola cheese, Comte cave aged cheese, and uncured bacon.
More breakfast foods: I love the Kashi Heart to Heart Cereal and the low fat granola, there is the coffee and whole wheat tortillas and the best non-flour sprouted wheat bread.
In addition to the juice, we love the Gerolsteiner bubbly water and we buy lots of wine. Many people go to TJ’s just to buy the Two buck Chuck wine (Charles Shaw), but I am a wine snob and I do not buy it. I once heard the owner interviewed and I didn’t like him – so there.
Non-food items. There are many non-food things at TJ’s. I buy flowers and these fantastic dish cloths that come in great colors. I buy my laundry detergent and many personal hygiene items. They have a great vitamin selection at great prices.
There are some great things in the frozen food department — Soycatash (succatash made with edamame), and other veggies. Mr C calls TJ’s the bachelor’s friend because of the prepared food that he can bring home and nuke.
So, Judy, I hope I have given you an idea of the great shopping experience awaiting you.
Last week, I was on the REI website to order an e-gift certificate for my son for his birthday. Suddenly, there was a blurb for a sale on Crocs — lime green Crocs. They arrived in the mail, today!
Mia had an earache and was up all last night so they didn’t come to stay over tonight. I’m hoping they can come tomorrow. We are watching, Proof. Mr C, the mathemetician, just told me that he loves the movie!
I have just copied down your entire TJ’s shopping list and hopefully will make a big purchase tomorrow. Thanks again for writing and photographing it all!
WHERE are you and why aren’t you blogging? I’m getting woried about you! Hope all is well and you are just having too much fun in SF.
xo
The last time I was in Indianapolis I made a special trip to check out this store…I guess I need to go with you, because it just wasn’t what I expected, but looking at your goodies maybe I just didn’t have my good eye open lol.
Love the crocs!
Yes, we are sluggish here in Portland. But I can always manage to get off the couch for a trip to TJ’s. My “going to the hospital when the baby comes” bag is stocked with nuts and trail mix from TJ’s. I will second the recommendation for the Cuban Mojito simmer sauce and the frozen edamames. They also have big wedges of Brie cheese at the lowest prices I have ever seen and soft, Australian licorice that is the best licorice I have ever eaten. (I looooove licorice!) And dried mango slices–oh mama! We buy all our wine there, even the 2 buck Chuck, which is great for cooking and not all that bad to drink.
The shopping list grows…
I’ll be right over-I started going for just the edamame and of course that led to everything else. It’s a few miles from me but worth the trip.
Sheesh, Gerrie…I’m blushing way over here on the right coast…can you see me? You are something else! I am going to print out this blog entry and take it to the condo so that when our TJ opens in the next couple of weeks I’ll be armed.
Last night we hosted movie night at our church and I brought all of the munchies from our last week’s whet-the-appetite visit to the TJ’s across town. Gainesville folks were impressed, since most Gainesvillians make it a point in pride NOT to go to Atlanta, EVER….now how weird is that?!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the shopping list and all of the visual aids. I can hardly wait!!!!
Your new crocs are great…I’m just jealous that I didn’t get any. (They’d go great with my new socks!).
xo
Judy in GA, who is off to Atlanta with her camera and extra set of batteries
Adding to the list my favorite TJ buys:
1. Mancheco cheese: Spanish goat cheese for those of us allergic to dairy.
2. The GoLean Almond Toffee meal bars.
3. The spinach Punjabi simmer sauce.
4. TG’s soy-wasabi mayonaisse
5. frozen calamiri rings
6. TJ’s Frozen spanekopeta. These a Greek salad make a great light supper.
7. TJ’s version of the Odwalla juices. As tasty and cheaper.
There’s no TJ’s really close to me, but there’s one fairly close to my sister’s house and I love to stop by there when I go to see her.
A very opportune post–I’m heading to the new Milwaukee TJ’s today. I love the simmer sauces–the Cuban Mojito and the Thai Green Curry are faves. They dress up a few plain chicken breasts very nicely. And there is a corn salsa that’s pretty yummy. I’m planning to stock up.
I am soooo jealous. Besides my family, TJ is probably the one thing I miss most about my big city life in the USA. I used to live off their spinach lasagna and tamales when I was single. Cheap, good, cheese and wine was a big draw too. 🙂 (OK, I also really miss carne asada soft tacos and bagels with lox, cream cheese and onion too) Darn, now I’m hungry.