What are your favorite products from Trader Joe's?

[Sakuracherry]

I'm going home for New Years and have to shop gifts for family and friends. I usually buy small make up stuff and candies. I was wondering if you guys could help me by sharing your favorite products from Trader Joe's. People in my country seem to love cute packaging from Trader Joe's. Cookies, chips, soaps.... Anything that travels well would do. Thank you!

 

[GemFever]

I was initially going to say their Dark Morello Cherries (made in Germany, I believe), sooo good. But something that travels well... I like their "Everyday Seasoning" spice grinder. Super universal and delicious.

Great idea for gifts!

 

[missy]

I love Trader Joe's. My dh loves their beer! But that wouldn't be practical to travel with.
I love their Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups and Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Salted Caramel Truffles...TDF!!!
I also love their yogurt covered nuts.
Happy shopping!!

 

[kenny]

Two Buck Chuck!

 

[vc10um]

CANDY CANE JOE JOES. (Basically Peppermint Oreos...but BETTER.)

In the checkout lanes they sell little purple bags of tahitian vanilla caramels covered in dark chocolate. OMG. So.Good.

Speculoos Cookie Butter (found by the peanut butter) is a life changer. They also sell candy bars filled with it in the checkout lanes.

Dark chocolate covered edamame. (Sounds weird, but so tasty!)

Mini biscotti!

 

[VRBeauty]

Ginger cookies - they have little bits of candied ginger in them. Yum!

But then, I haven't yet checked out the goodies that vc10um, missy, and GemFever mentioned!

 

[rainwood]

The fleur de sel caramels and the peppermint bark are great and very reasonably priced. I just bought some of the caramels and put them in a glass snowman jar as a present. The toasted coconut cookies have been really popular when I serve them. They have a great selection of chocolate bars too.

 

[Haven]

CANDY CANE JOE JOES. (Basically Peppermint Oreos...but BETTER.)

YESSSSSS! These are the best!

I like their Australian licorice, too. Mmmmmmm.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

CANDY CANE JOE JOES. (Basically Peppermint Oreos...but BETTER.)

In the checkout lanes they sell little purple bags of tahitian vanilla caramels covered in dark chocolate. OMG. So.Good.

Speculoos Cookie Butter (found by the peanut butter) is a life changer. They also sell candy bars filled with it in the checkout lanes.

Dark chocolate covered edamame. (Sounds weird, but so tasty!)

Mini biscotti!

Yes!! Those are amazing - I can go through a bag (or two) in a sitting.

I like the Peppermint Joe Joes, but the Peanut Butter ones are just incredible.

They also sell a sharp white Vermont cheddar I like (not TJs brand but my favorite cheddar, especially paired with Honeycrisp apples).

ETA: Also love their dark chocolate covered almonds, and the honey sesame almonds.

 

[Mayk]

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Covered Almonds... DEADLY!!!!!

 

[Skippy123]

There are so many things I love

They have this Chocolate Hazelnut bar with Whole Hazelnuts (usually by the checkout stand), yummy
I second the Peppermint Joe Joe's
My boys like the tub of Animal Crackers
chocolate croissant (freezer section, soooo delicious)
sea salt brownies (baked goods)
the tub of Ginger Cats
Organic carrots
Flax Raisin Cereal
Irish Oatmeal
bananas (cheap)
Greek Yogurt
Naan (frozen section)
mediterranean Hummus
cheeses
Chicken Tikka Masala
My husband loves their coffee
Lemon Hand Soap
Next to Godliness Multi purpose clean for Granite


I love everything they sell and if you don't like it, they let you return it.

 

[kenny]

I assumed Skippy's favorite would be peanut butter.

 

[PintoBean]

Hubby loves the thai lime chili mixed nuts and the various jerkies

 

[pandabee]

There are so many things I love

They have this Chocolate Hazelnut bar with Whole Hazelnuts (usually by the checkout stand), yummy
I second the Peppermint Joe Joe's
My boys like the tub of Animal Crackers
chocolate croissant (freezer section, soooo delicious)
sea salt brownies (baked goods)
the tub of Ginger Cats
Organic carrots
Flax Raisin Cereal
Irish Oatmeal
bananas (cheap)
Greek Yogurt
Naan (frozen section)
mediterranean Hummus
cheeses
Chicken Tikka Masala
My husband loves their coffee
Lemon Hand Soap
Next to Godliness Multi purpose clean for Granite

I love everything they sell and if you don't like it, they let you return it.

I heart chocolate....and also hazelnuts!! Is the chocolate/hazelnut bar dark or milk choc?

 

[Sakuracherry]

Everyone is making me hungry!!!

>GemFever
I love cherries! Those spice bottles are great! I brought a few bottles of lemon pepper last year and they were a big hit! I'll try everyday seasoning this time. Thank you!

>missy
Great suggestions! It's hard to find candies with peanut butter in my country, so I'll definitely buy them. Thank you!

>kenny
Are you talking about wine? I had to google it!

>vc10um
Never heard of dark chocolate covered edamame. I'd definitely have my husband try first Thank you!

>VRBeauty
I love ginger! I wonder why I have never tried ginger cookies in my life. Thank you!

>rainwood
Putting caramels in a glass snowman jar is a wonderful idea! May I steal your idea? Thank you!

>Haven
I've never tried licorice. I'll buy some for my friends. Thank you!

>B.E.G
Oooooh another cote for vanilla caramels! I buy nuts often, but never tried sweet almonds. They sound so yummy! Thank you!

>Mayk
Almonds!!! I really have to try them! Thank you!

>Skippy
I love their Greek yogurt, bananas and oatmeal! Thank you for recommending lemon hand soap. It'd be a great gift!

>PintoBean
Sounds like your hubby loves beer Jerkies would be great for my cousin who loves drinking. Thank you!


I enjoyed reading everybody's comments! Please keep recommendations coming

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I always shop there when in Cali! Alas we don't have them here in Canuk-land.

That said, I love their carbonated bottled drinks--sparkling cranberry, or lemonade, etc.

cheers--Shaorn

 

[kenny]

Yes, Two Buck Chuck and 2BC are nicknames for Charles Shaw wine, sold only at Trader Joe's.
There are several varieties, all only $1.99 a bottle, $2.99 in some grumpy states.

The occasional variety/vintage is actually nice, some so so, and some awful. (Whuhduya expect for $1.99?)
Twice a year I sample one bottle of each, and when I find a good one I'll buy a case or two, only $23.88.
Some years one variety will be awful, but wonderful the next year.
Only once did I have to pour it down the drain after a taste.
Even 2BC varies.
I wouldn't serve it to fancy guests, but it serves as an adequate table wine if you aren't to fussy.

The Beaujolais, Gamay or Nouveau, comes out right about now, and is sometimes the best 2BC of the year.
It's only available a month or two and must be consumed right away as it does not last in the bottle.
Another treat is the 2BC Southeastern Australian Shiraz, but it is only rarely available; if I see it I'll grab 3 cases and put it in the basement.



The Regular Two-Buck Chuck Line-Up

2011 Charles Shaw Pinot Grigio California.
Pale yellow color. Faint perfume. Light and crisp with a faint bitterness on the finish.

2010 Charles Shaw Sauvignon Blanc California.
Pale yellow color. Grassy perfume with a faint skunkiness. Tart, grassy, and crisp.

2010 Charles Shaw Chardonnay California.
Pale yellow color. Faint perfume. Light and crisp with a very faint floral citrus nuance.

2009 Charles Shaw White Zinfandel California.
Pale pink color. Faint orange hue. Subtle perfume. Faintly earthy. Light, supple, and a bit flat with some fruit and sweetness.

2010 Charles Shaw Merlot California.
Deep color. Faint perfume. Light, some fruit. Crisp.

2010 Charles Shaw Shiraz California.
Deep color. Faint berry perfume. Light. Some berry fruit and a balanced crispness.

2010 Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon.
Deep color. Subdued perfume. Light, some fruit. Soft tannins.

http://www.undergroundwineletter.com/2012/07/the-blending-game-is-it-time-for-three-buck-chuck/

 

[madelise]

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2012/09/cookie_butter_trader_joes_evil.php





It's like Nutella. It's another crack addict for the sweet toothed. Don't blame me if you can't fit your pants.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

They have a ton of great food goodies...the thing that I always buy, which is a huge hit for my kids, is the organic beef jerky.

I also stock up on a lot of other stuff, but I live in an area with tons of organic/natural food stores, so nothing is entirely unique these days, but a few things are a regular staples, like dish soap and d/w detergent, carbonated mineral waters of sorts, water crackers & whole grain water crackers, wild rice, and lots of others, like EVOO, which I'll be stocking up on this week...just random items that I can find elsewhere but for a few bucks less...

 

[fabulousfindk]

OMG I LOVE TRADER JOES!!!
Cookie butter is life-changing, especially on a warm, toasted english muffin.
Coconut oil (it's actually a solid, comes in a jar, I put it on my crows feet, my hair, my elbows, as well as cook with it.)
Frozen Orange Chicken - I buy this in bulk and pair it with veggies for lunches. So good, lower sodium and better for you.
Candy cane jo-jos. A MUST.
Wine, if your state sells it - there's no better deal and what a great Christmas gift for anyone!
I don't know if you eat pork, but we always buy a few of their marinated, pre-seasoned pork tenderloins
Greek Yogurt
Hummus
Pretzel Thins
Dark-chocolate covered cranberries

I'm sure there are more but these are my standbys. Enjoy!!!

 

[tuffyluvr]

I could absolutely go on all day about all the Trader Joes products I love...

As far as gift items that would travel well:

Definitely get some of the Speculoos. It's in a plastic jar, so no danger of it breaking!
Their crunchy almond butter is delicious too
They have some cute assorted jam gift packs now
English toffee with almonds! They have it in holiday-themed tins now, and only $9 for a big tin
Honey
Maple sugar or maple syrup
Kerrygold butter
Baking mixes--the blondie and truffle brownie are both good.
Tea--they have some really unique ones. I love the pomegranate white tea and the holiday themed peppermint green tea
Joe Joes--they have some fancy gift packs of chocolate-covered cookies in different flavors with toppings
Olives/tapenade/sun dried tomatoes/pesto
Any of their dried fruits or nuts--they're all really good quality
I bet their one-pound chocolate bars would get a laugh--they're massive! And the chocolate is good-quality Belgian.
Fleur de sel caramels, dark chocolate covered caramel, cocoa almonds
I noticed lots of cute gift items in holiday packaging last time I was there--chocolate covered mint marshmallows, popcorn, truffles, etc. I haven't tried any of those (besides the toffee and joe joes I already mentioned), but definitely worth checking out! I have never been disappointed by their sweets!

 

[Ellen]

To vc and rainwood, are the caramels soft? I am thinking about them for my mom, who has partial dentures.... she adores caramel and dark chocolate. And we will be going shopping in the next couple weeks in the next state over and there is a TJ's right by, so I'm thinking of getting her some for Christmas. But they really need to be soft.


I'm loving this thread, getting ideas for stuffers and such.

 

[vc10um]

To vc and rainwood, are the caramels soft? I am thinking about them for my mom, who has partial dentures.... she adores caramel and dark chocolate. And we will be going shopping in the next couple weeks in the next state over and there is a TJ's right by, so I'm thinking of getting her some for Christmas. But they really need to be soft.


I'm loving this thread, getting ideas for stuffers and such.

Yes! They are soft. And not really chewy/sticky. They're $1.99/single-serving bag and I can USUALLY be good and be satisfied with half the bag...but sometimes I have to eat the whole thing! There's no harm in buying one extra pack for yourself, either. Yanno, just to make sure they'll be okay for her!

 

[LittleRiver]

I love TJ's veggie masala burgers, but they probably wouldn't travel well since they are frozen!

Goodies to take on the plane:

Jelly beans (so much better than other brands!)
Pfeffernusse
Dark choc covered candied ginger
Turkey jerky

 

[tuffyluvr]

To vc and rainwood, are the caramels soft? I am thinking about them for my mom, who has partial dentures.... she adores caramel and dark chocolate. And we will be going shopping in the next couple weeks in the next state over and there is a TJ's right by, so I'm thinking of getting her some for Christmas. But they really need to be soft.


I'm loving this thread, getting ideas for stuffers and such.

Beware--the dark chocolate-covered caramels that come in the clear plastic tub are VERY chewy and sticky. They're delicious and buttery, but not good for someone with dental work like that! The ones that come in individual packets (I think they come in a red and brown bag) are. I'm not sure about the sea salt caramels without chocolate.

 

[Ellen]

To vc and rainwood, are the caramels soft? I am thinking about them for my mom, who has partial dentures.... she adores caramel and dark chocolate. And we will be going shopping in the next couple weeks in the next state over and there is a TJ's right by, so I'm thinking of getting her some for Christmas. But they really need to be soft.


I'm loving this thread, getting ideas for stuffers and such.

Yes! They are soft. And not really chewy/sticky. They're $1.99/single-serving bag and I can USUALLY be good and be satisfied with half the bag...but sometimes I have to eat the whole thing! There's no harm in buying one extra pack for yourself, either. Yanno, just to make sure they'll be okay for her!

lol How thoughtful of you, I like it....

Thanks so much for the info!


And tuffyluvr, thank you also. I will make sure I get the bagged, single serving ones!!

 

[tuffyluvr]

Sakuracherry--I just left Trader Joes, and I wanted to tell you that they have some cute gift packs of soaps, flavored mustards, pepper and flavored olive oils.

 

[Sakuracherry]

>canuk-gal
My brother-in-law and his family live in Colorado and they often say that they wish they had Trader Joe's nearby. I love the lemon ginger drink I never tried their sparkling drinks, but will try next time. Thank you!

>kenny
There's only one Trader Joe's wine store in Manhattan, so I actually have never bought anything. I'll definitely check out your favorites. Is there any other wine you'd recommend? I'd love to pick up a few bottles from the store when visiting friends in the neighborhood.

>madelise
Argh, why did I never ever see this!? Currently I'm addicted to their pumpkin cream cheese. My husband says it tastes like pumpkin cheesecake! Maybe the cookie butter will be my next addiction

>MC
Yay! The organic beef jerky sounds great! I agree, one of the reasons I love Trader Joe's is their pricing.

>fabulousfindk
Wow! Another vote for the cookie butter! I'm interested in coconut oil and chocolate covered cranberries. Thank you!

>Ellen
I hope you get great gifts for your mother at Trader Joe's

>LittleRiver
Mmmmm candied ginger! I love their veggie burgers! Thank you!

>tuffyluvr
Gift packs of soaps? I've never seen any, I'm sure those would be great for gifts. Flavored olive oils sound interesting as well. Thank you!

 

[Sakuracherry]

I'll have to print out this thread in a few weeks and bring it to Trader Joe's

 

[zoebartlett]

CANDY CANE JOE JOES. (Basically Peppermint Oreos...but BETTER.)

In the checkout lanes they sell little purple bags of tahitian vanilla caramels covered in dark chocolate. OMG. So.Good.

Speculoos Cookie Butter (found by the peanut butter) is a life changer. They also sell candy bars filled with it in the checkout lanes.

Dark chocolate covered edamame. (Sounds weird, but so tasty!)

Mini biscotti!

TJ's just opened near us, and I can't wait to try the Candy Cane Joe Joes. I think I've had the vanilla caramels before and they were really good!