Community Chat

[Noel7]

@Moonchilde

I love marzipan so I always go for the almond.

Several posters on Chat say they get an extra Kringle and cut it into pie shape pieces, wrap each individually and freeze them.

I wrapped my leftovers in Saran wrap, froze them, and we had them over a couple of months.  They stayed good.  Someone else told me she froze them in parchment.

[Cakers3]

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@Bri36 wrote:

If you like a lot of prepared foods, you'll like TJs.   

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@Bri36  I agree but it depends upon where the TJ is located.  Ours has far less fresh meat (some processed packaged meats) but overall the frozen selections outweigh the fresh as far as entress and veggies.   They also have a good selection of breakfast items (frozen) but their dairy is well stocked.

I have been to TJ's in the Northeast and in Texas and both areas do have less fresh meat, with Texas having the least. 

I think people forget that different areas will have different types of selections.  Even our 2 Whole Foods can vary at times.

Not all of their fresh produce has been a win for us, either.  But as I said, it all depends where your stores are located.

[Noel7]

Northern CA seems to have changed stores in the area to carry more and more ready-made food, fresh or frozen.  People aren't cooking much anymore, not in younger generations, they're too busy to shop and prep food.  Makes sense to me, as long as it's not full of chemicals.

Here, TJ's offers a lot of ready made food.  I love their fresh cooked beets, I don't like peeling beets myself.  For today and tomorrow, I got two Costco roast chickens.  Chicken for dinner, and chicken sandwiches over the weekend.

I also love their teryiaki frozen chicken, nice pieces and not heavy or gooey.

Works for me.

[momtochloe]

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@Noel7 wrote:

Northern CA seems to have changed stores in the area to carry more and more ready-made food, fresh or frozen.  People aren't cooking much anymore, not in younger generations, they're too busy to shop and prep food.  Makes sense to me, as long as it's not full of chemicals.

Here, TJ's offers a lot of ready made food.  I love their fresh cooked beets, I don't like peeling beets myself.  For today and tomorrow, I got two Costco roast chickens.  Chicken for dinner, and chicken sandwiches over the weekend.

I also love their teryiaki frozen chicken, nice pieces and not heavy or gooey.

Works for me.

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@Noel7 I love the entrees you mentioned and since it's just me I have pretty much given up on shall we say heavy cooking.  Between trying to downsize recipes (usually unsuccessfully) and then freezing leftovers which weren't improved in the freezer, I love TJ's teriyaki, orange and BBQ chicken as I can take out a handful and have a nice meal with no leftovers.

[Cakers3]

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@Spurt wrote:

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@ChynnaBlue wrote:

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@Carmie wrote:

Most if the grocery stores on that list including Traders Joes is not in the area where I live. I have never even heard of them.

i don't know where that poll was taken, but it certainly wasn't in Pennsylvania.

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HEB always makes it into the top 5 and they are only located in Texas.

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@ChynnaBlue  @Moonchilde

A couple of my friends rave about Trader Joes......I bought a couple items---prepared food which was OK but not great, and another item some special kind of chips and they were stale even though the expiration date was not for some while...

Thanks for the article Moonchilde, not only interesting but best laugh of the day---HEB with 83% (I know your only the messenger)......but I can't believe those results and I think there's a bit of "creative math" going on with their statistics.....

I think HEB being the only major grocery store chain in town pushes up their satisfaction results.....who wants to wait in a long line at WalMart with your ice cream melting because they only have 2 cashier lines open........Target has terrible selection of produce.....if you have a specfic special product in mind then you might run into a Wholesale Food, Trader Joe's or Sprouts....but difficult to do complete grocery shopping there....So in San Antonio your basically stuck with HEB......they do not carry some products consistently so it's hit or miss......they bag groceries terribly putting eggs in with laundry soap or putting all the items in glass jars or bottles together so they clang together and break.....bugs in the cereal and Manager was rude about giving me a refund....(when I got home I immediately opened up the box and put it in a Lock & Lock container so it came from HEB and not my home)....Also HEB is carrying more and more of their brand and less national brands.....I have even tried going to different stores that are more high end....same problem....My friends and co-workers have the same complaints....Perhaps @ChynnaBlue you have better luck in the Austin area with HEB.....

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@Spurt  H-E-B has gone downhill.  We only stop in there for household goods because they carry just about everything we need so no having to go to Wal-Mart.

Since H E Butt  (yes that's his name) just about owns the whole grocery store market the pickings can be slim.  The Hill Country brand is atrocious.

Central Market is good for bulk spices, though, when I only need a smidge of something.

Stopped shopping Sprouts before it was Sprouts-forget the name-but their meat cases used to STINK as you walked by.

Not to mention Butt tried to stop Trader Joe's from entering the area.  He failed but it took some time.

[Spurt]

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@Cakers3 wrote:

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@Spurt wrote:

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@ChynnaBlue wrote:

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@Carmie wrote:

Most if the grocery stores on that list including Traders Joes is not in the area where I live. I have never even heard of them.

i don't know where that poll was taken, but it certainly wasn't in Pennsylvania.

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HEB always makes it into the top 5 and they are only located in Texas.

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@ChynnaBlue  @Moonchilde

A couple of my friends rave about Trader Joes......I bought a couple items---prepared food which was OK but not great, and another item some special kind of chips and they were stale even though the expiration date was not for some while...

Thanks for the article Moonchilde, not only interesting but best laugh of the day---HEB with 83% (I know your only the messenger)......but I can't believe those results and I think there's a bit of "creative math" going on with their statistics.....

I think HEB being the only major grocery store chain in town pushes up their satisfaction results.....who wants to wait in a long line at WalMart with your ice cream melting because they only have 2 cashier lines open........Target has terrible selection of produce.....if you have a specfic special product in mind then you might run into a Wholesale Food, Trader Joe's or Sprouts....but difficult to do complete grocery shopping there....So in San Antonio your basically stuck with HEB......they do not carry some products consistently so it's hit or miss......they bag groceries terribly putting eggs in with laundry soap or putting all the items in glass jars or bottles together so they clang together and break.....bugs in the cereal and Manager was rude about giving me a refund....(when I got home I immediately opened up the box and put it in a Lock & Lock container so it came from HEB and not my home)....Also HEB is carrying more and more of their brand and less national brands.....I have even tried going to different stores that are more high end....same problem....My friends and co-workers have the same complaints....Perhaps @ChynnaBlue you have better luck in the Austin area with HEB.....

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@Spurt  H-E-B has gone downhill.  We only stop in there for household goods because they carry just about everything we need so no having to go to Wal-Mart.

Since H E Butt  (yes that's his name) just about owns the whole grocery store market the pickings can be slim.  The Hill Country brand is atrocious.

Central Market is good for bulk spices, though, when I only need a smidge of something.

Stopped shopping Sprouts before it was Sprouts-forget the name-but their meat cases used to STINK as you walked by.

Not to mention Butt tried to stop Trader Joe's from entering the area.  He failed but it took some time.

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@Cakers3

What I hate about HEB is the store is poorly stocked (employees are usually chatting with each other or on their personal phones instead of working), one week they might have something, the next week they don't carry it or they are out of it  I have to change my menu based on what they have because you can't count on HEB........(when a friend of mine complained they told her to shop when the trucks arrive for a better selection--why dont they have their employees stock their shelves all the time!!!).  They are constantly moving the produce around---its like a scavenger hunt to find anything.......SHEESH!!   I hate their Hill Country brand, one time I was forced to buy that brand of green beans (they were out of the national brands of course) and there was stick in my green beans........

I do like Central Market if your shopping for something different---..I do like some of their prepared food, and their deli selection has much more than their other stores, and they stock unique stuff, and there are sometimes shopper aides asking if you need help, ......and their bread and bakery are nice for special occasions too. but they don't carry enough regular type basic items to shop there for my weekly grocery order.(not many cleaning products, health products etc--not much variety pet food etc etc) .

I went to Sprouts once with a friend, never went back

Well we will see how "mighty"HEB does when they battle Amazon which just bought Whole Foods....HEB may not have prevented Trader Joe from moving in, but I don't think Trader Joe poses much of a threat to HEB unfortunately, now Costco is another story.........that parking lot is ALWAYS full.....I'm not a Costco fan myself, but some friends are and have gone shopping with them and that store is always packed!

[Cakers3]

@Spurt  (Didn't want to keep quoting-it gets harder to read.   LOL

Oh the same thing happened with a can of Hill Country green beans with us.  Sticks.

I'm all for fiber but that is just gross.

Central market does carry some unique items-we usually stop there during the holidays for a few things for appetizers.

I agree TJ would not have been a threat and is not a threat now but that just shows what happens when your choice of markets starts dwindling.  Both TJ here are ok-but their pre-prepped veggie bowl was more expensive than the one at Whole Foods so there ya go. 

I don't care for Sprouts, either.  Although their meat case doesn't stink as it did when it was the other owner.  Bought 1/2 and 1/2 one time and the sour smell was awful as soon as it was opened.  Never mind the curdles.  Yuck.

[Moonchilde]

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@Cakers3 wrote:

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@Bri36 wrote:

If you like a lot of prepared foods, you'll like TJs.   

---

@Bri36  I agree but it depends upon where the TJ is located.  Ours has far less fresh meat (some processed packaged meats) but overall the frozen selections outweigh the fresh as far as entress and veggies.   They also have a good selection of breakfast items (frozen) but their dairy is well stocked.

I have been to TJ's in the Northeast and in Texas and both areas do have less fresh meat, with Texas having the least. 

I think people forget that different areas will have different types of selections.  Even our 2 Whole Foods can vary at times.

Not all of their fresh produce has been a win for us, either.  But as I said, it all depends where your stores are located.

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Absolutely, the various TJs stock heavy on what people ask for in their area, and the percentage contents will vary - some stores have a larger produce area than others, more/less meat, baked goods, etc. depending on area.

No store is all things to all people. They've always had a huge frozen food section. In CA, fresh prepared foods are what everyone asks for, from 20-somethings who work long hours and want simple, quick & healthy to those retired, single or couples, and in between. 

Fresh prepared foods are also HUGE in the health and fitness industry. Fitness stores that sell supplements also sell "Fit Meals" that are prepared only hours before they are sold.  Many of them are very much like what TJs sells.

[momtochloe]

"when a friend of mine complained they told her to shop when the trucks arrive for a better selection" now that is what I call CS my friend @Spurt . . . and then companies wonder why they are struggling . . . uhg!

[Noel7]

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@momtochloe wrote:

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@Noel7 wrote:

Northern CA seems to have changed stores in the area to carry more and more ready-made food, fresh or frozen.  People aren't cooking much anymore, not in younger generations, they're too busy to shop and prep food.  Makes sense to me, as long as it's not full of chemicals.

Here, TJ's offers a lot of ready made food.  I love their fresh cooked beets, I don't like peeling beets myself.  For today and tomorrow, I got two Costco roast chickens.  Chicken for dinner, and chicken sandwiches over the weekend.

I also love their teryiaki frozen chicken, nice pieces and not heavy or gooey.

Works for me.

---

@Noel7 I love the entrees you mentioned and since it's just me I have pretty much given up on shall we say heavy cooking.  Between trying to downsize recipes (usually unsuccessfully) and then freezing leftovers which weren't improved in the freezer, I love TJ's teriyaki, orange and BBQ chicken as I can take out a handful and have a nice meal with no leftovers.

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@momtochloe

Oh, I do love that orange chicken!  I fix that every once in awhile.