For those that don't know me, I moved out to California right after college graduation and lived there for 3 years. This is significant, because it was there that I began to really examine my life and the choices that I made. This is also where I began my Trader Joe's obsession.
Trader Joe's is a fantastic grocery store. It is small, personal, and people just seem to be happier going there and working there. I mean, the workers all wear Hawaiian t-shirts: how can you not be happy? My first encounter came when I was searching for my go-to neighborhood grocery store in Long Beach, and since I moved back to Jersey, I heavily weighed my options on where to live based on its proximity to the limited TJ's here.
The store "skips the middle-man" wherever possible, producing savings for its customers. There are no coupons, as most of the prices are already lower than the bigger chain grocery stores. The majority of their products don the Trader Joe's brand, and are just plain delicious. Their dairy products contain no growth hormones, and there are cage free egg options. I also enjoy it because their organic selections are reasonably priced, and they limit the amount of packaging used, decreasing the amount of waste you produce.
And...(drumroll please) they have a gigantic cheese section, with gourmet cheeses at a reasonable price! My current favorite is the reduced fat smoked gouda.
Here are some of my favorite products, for those with easy access and ready to give the store a try:
1) Sweet Potato Frites (frozen section) - frozen sweet potato fries, easy to bake in the oven with no oil, and somehow, still come out crunchy.
2) Pomegranate Blueberry Sherbet - newer item, fresh and delicious, right in time for summer.
3) Pizza Dough - Traditional, Whole Wheat, or Herb varieties...all good!
4) Fresh Ricotta Cheese - in a little green container, I could eat it straight with a spoon.
5) Pita Bite Crackers - pair with your favorite cheese.
6) Valencia Peanut Butter w/Roasted Flaxseeds - very crunchy, with just the right amount of salty-sweetness.
7) Meatless Meatballs - I really only eat fish these days, so these give me my protein fill and taste delicious.
8) Low Fat Tuscano Marinara Sauce - dare I say the best store bought spaghetti sauce. G is not a big fan of red sauce, and he loves it.
9) Tandori Naan (frozen section) - pop em in the toaster oven and you're good to go.
10) Low Fat Shredded Mozzerella Cheese and Low Fat Shredded Mexican Blend - sometimes, low fat cheeses may taste alright, but do not melt well. These cheeses taste great and melt just fine. People won't know the difference.
Most of the TJ's in NJ cannot sell beer, wine, and liquor, which is truly unfortunate. The exception is the store in Westfield, and I heard a rumor that the one in Princeton may be adding a liquor section. Frequent these locations for the "Three Buck Chuck" (Two Buck in California, but who's counting).
Check it out, I promise you will not be disappointed. Bonus points for bringing your own reuseable grocery bags: most locations hold a Trader Joe's gift card raffle when you BYO :)
http://traderjoes.com/
As you know, we are on this train with you. LOVE IT. The Union Square TJ's has a wine shop right next door--awesome. We <3 a particular Riesling and Vino Verde. I also love the brown rice pasta, TJ Greek-style yogurt, chocolate-covered everything (sunflower seeds, cherries, espresso beans...), etc. I almost don't want to tell people about TJ. Plenty of ppl still think it's a specialty shop that's expensive, like Dean & Deluca or something.
ReplyDeleteAlso, right now I am eating too many of the TJ Ginger Crisps (or maybe it's Thins?), super slim crunchy ginger cookies that after a while make your mouth burn a little. In a good way.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I like the cat cookies. Maybe we should try to keep TJ's a secret...but on the other hand, I am in the process of writing a letter to them asking (pleading) for them to open up a new store by the shore. Otherwise, I'll be in trouble.
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