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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,443
Registered: ‎10-04-2010

@Lovely. Apparently you never read the labels otherwise you wouldn't make such a ridiculous comment. Trader Joe's carries mostly healthy food - very very minor preservatives and very health conscious. Living in California, we have lots of TJs and big stores and I do all my shopping at TJs. I never have to go to the big named markets for anything and when I do, I go to a small box store called Smart and Final.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,539
Registered: ‎11-23-2013

Costco takes cards with a PIN and checks. At least the one here does.

TJs takes cash, credit, debit, gift cards, checks. If you're unsure, check their website or give them a call.

When I lived in LA, TJs was our corner store. There was one everywhere, and they all sold everything.

Here in Maryland, they are in "high end" neighborhoods and I'm not very impressed with them. I go to one 30 miles away.

Get your flu shot...because I didn't.
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,207
Registered: ‎03-09-2010
TJ's sell jojoba oil for a good price. Bring some blue ice for those coolers (plural). Ive done crazier things in my life ( of course pre kids). Have a great time with your friend. ROAD TRIP!!
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,877
Registered: ‎03-15-2010
On 7/10/2014 lousgirl84 said:

@Lovely. Apparently you never read the labels otherwise you wouldn't make such a ridiculous comment. Trader Joe's carries mostly healthy food - very very minor preservatives and very health conscious. Living in California, we have lots of TJs and big stores and I do all my shopping at TJs. I never have to go to the big named markets for anything and when I do, I go to a small box store called Smart and Final.

Yes - TJ label means no artificial colors or preservatives, some of their food is very high fat. Check out their frozen boxed Indian food. Yikes!
Super Contributor
Posts: 2,010
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Trader Joe's Chocolate Ganache Torte. Is it healthy? Heck no. Do I want a slice right now? You betcha.

But it will have to wait in the freezer till the weekend. No sweet treats during the week.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,426
Registered: ‎03-10-2010
On 7/10/2014 scatcat said:
On 7/10/2014 lousgirl84 said:

@Lovely. Apparently you never read the labels otherwise you wouldn't make such a ridiculous comment. Trader Joe's carries mostly healthy food - very very minor preservatives and very health conscious. Living in California, we have lots of TJs and big stores and I do all my shopping at TJs. I never have to go to the big named markets for anything and when I do, I go to a small box store called Smart and Final.

Yes - TJ label means no artificial colors or preservatives, some of their food is very high fat. Check out their frozen boxed Indian food. Yikes!

And sugar- and sodium too! There are plenty of unhealthy ingredients to watch out for. And in the health and beauty area- I love some of their beauty items, but the sunscreen is chemical sunscreen! {#emotions_dlg.sad}

TJ's is a couple miles from my work, I go every few weeks for certain staples. But it defintiely isn't the only place I shop.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,256
Registered: ‎06-25-2011

Besides the produce, which was exceptional, Trader Joe's products are sourced from non-GMO ingredients. That alone makes it worth the trip...along with the things I can't get anywhere else. I sent a friend some of their Kona coffee cookies, and she went wild over them - I'll have to remember to get some more for her. Their butter cookies are the best I've ever had! {#emotions_dlg.thumbup1}

Springers - I know, right?! {#emotions_dlg.laugh} There are lots of frozen things I want to try, but at this point my freezer space is limited even after I cleaned the freezers out. I'm making another trip to Nashville in September to meet up with someone from the board, so I'll stock up some more on my way home - I should have made a bigger dent in my storage space by then. Also, I don't think I want to risk driving two hours with things like ice cream in this heat, so I plan to stick to things that I've seen recommended here. I have some ice packs I'm going to freeze and put in the cooler, and I guess we could get some ice, if necessary. My friend lives in an apartment and has a little freezer, so she can't get too much at once.

lousgirl84 - just ignore the "food police." Maybe if they ate something a little less "healthy" once in a while they wouldn't be so grumpy! Wink

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,539
Registered: ‎11-23-2013

Hula, what's on your shopping list?

I went a few weeks ago (30 miles for me) and got:

Pork Belly (made it worth the trip)

Frozen Balsamic Vegetables

Coconut Cream

Kale and other produce (the peaches are awesome)

Chicken Lasagna

More stuff but that was the most notable

Get your flu shot...because I didn't.
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,426
Registered: ‎03-10-2010
On 7/10/2014 FunkyHulaGirl said:

Besides the produce, which was exceptional, Trader Joe's products are sourced from non-GMO ingredients. That alone makes it worth the trip...along with the things I can't get anywhere else. I sent a friend some of their Kona coffee cookies, and she went wild over them - I'll have to remember to get some more for her. Their butter cookies are the best I've ever had! {#emotions_dlg.thumbup1}

Springers - I know, right?! {#emotions_dlg.laugh} There are lots of frozen things I want to try, but at this point my freezer space is limited even after I cleaned the freezers out. I'm making another trip to Nashville in September to meet up with someone from the board, so I'll stock up some more on my way home - I should have made a bigger dent in my storage space by then. Also, I don't think I want to risk driving two hours with things like ice cream in this heat, so I plan to stick to things that I've seen recommended here. I have some ice packs I'm going to freeze and put in the cooler, and I guess we could get some ice, if necessary. My friend lives in an apartment and has a little freezer, so she can't get too much at once.

lousgirl84 - just ignore the "food police." Maybe if they ate something a little less "healthy" once in a while they wouldn't be so grumpy! Wink


Other than bananas, my TJ's has the worst produce!!! Wegmans is across the street, I run over there instead. Aldi's- the 'brother' of TJ's is supposed to have great produce. I'm going to make a trip there one day- it's about a half hour away.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,256
Registered: ‎06-25-2011

ibb38 - the watermelon and nectarines I got in Nashville were both exceptional. {#emotions_dlg.thumbup1} I guess like with any chain, the quality varies depending on the produce manager.

ibb38, I don't know what I'm going to get for certain; I do need to get my friend some more of those Kona coffee cookies, oh, and the frozen chocolate croissants that were raved about on the board, but other than that, I'm going to just see what catches my fancy. When I went to Nashville I just got things like catsup, cookie butter, chocolate, pasta sauce - whatever would survive my driving around with it in my car. I didn't even look at the frozen and refrigerated things since I couldn't get them, so we're going to focus on that stuff this time around.

BTW, their oganic catsup (with no HFCS) is very, very good! I got the marinara sauce, which I haven't tried yet, and also the Bolognese pasta sauce - I didn't care for the latter, as it was too garlicky for my taste.