1st trip to Trader Joes, what TF items should I look for?

[Rachel J.]

I'll be going to Trader Joes for the first time on Thursday (it's about 2 hours away). I don't think I'll have much time there, we're planning to hit Ikea, too,: so I'm wondering what TF type items you like to get there.

[lauradbg]

We like:

sprouted grain bread
grass fed cheddar cheese
grass fed cultured butter
cage free organic eggs
plain greek yogurt
organic produce
raw nuts for making crispy nuts (the pecans are especially delicious)
yummy liver pate (it has some junk in it, but it's liver and so good)
frozen unbaked pan au chocolate that you let rise overnight and then bake in the morning (these are NOT TF):

[artemis33]

My list is very similar to the PPs (except I didn't know about the pain au chocolate - OH MY!!! )

I get:
grade B canadian maple syrup
sprouted grain bread and tortillas
raw nuts
Kerrygold cheese and butter (they have other grass fed cheeses too)
plain whole milk greek yogurt
dark chocolate covered almonds
frozen wild blueberries sometimes

I usually get a little produce if I am there, but it is not my preferred place to buy it. Organic avacadoes are a great price!

My DD loves the roasted plaintains too - probably not terribly traditional, but they don't contain anything too bad (I think just safflower oil and salt) and they keep her happy while I shop.


My advice - don't shop hungry! They have so many deliciously tempting looking convenience foods, you will surely end up with some in the cart if you are feeling weak

Oh and besides TF stuff, I like to stock up on Ecos laundry soap and lavender sachets for the dryer - good prices on those

[Brookesmom]

There was another post in here 3-6 months back about TJ's...

I like lots of little treats that aren't TF.

I also like their frozen french green beans.
My TJ's in California had unhomogenized organic milk for a good price but I haven't seen it out here, so I don't shop there nearly as much...

They do have some good uncured all beef hot dogs that the kids like once in a while and some good prices on uncured bacon (check the labels though because there are multiple brands).

[Rachel J.]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll definitely be looking for the maple syrup, sprouted breads/tortillas, nuts and frozen foods, okay, pretty much everything you all listed (oh, and probably the pain au chocolate, even though I shouldn't be eating bread or chocolate).

We only have one HFS here and they just opened up a bigger store, which means the high prices have gone even higher I was getting uncured bacon for $5.75/12oz. It just jumped up to $7.75!

[Leilalu]

we go there several times a week.

I like:

sprouted grain bread
eggs
kerrygold butter
trader joes brand full fat yogurt
non-homo organic milk(for kefir)
chocolate chips:
double rainbow ice cream:
organic bananas
organic apples
chicken sausages
bacon
organic free range chickens
organic baby carrots
nuts, dried fruits
organic peanut butter:
beer: for beer no knead bread
organic shade grown fair trade ethipian coffee
sometimes the baby yogurt packs
green food juice(sometimes we go to the nearby peets coffee to have snacks with juice and yogurt)
sea salt

everything else is pretty normal, not really NT.

[Tigeresse]

Speaking of beer, they do carry a raw beer at TJ's....I think it is called "Chimay" or something like that. DH loves it. I don't think it's labeled "raw" but I heard about it at a WAPF meeting.

[artemis33]

Originally Posted by Tigeresse

Speaking of beer, they do carry a raw beer at TJ's....I think it is called "Chimay" or something like that. DH loves it. I don't think it's labeled "raw" but I heard about it at a WAPF meeting.

Oh wow I haven't had that in a long time - I didn't know it was 'raw'! I used to be a bartender a looooong time ago and I used to share one of those with my now DH once in a while (they are large) - yum!

[Chicharronita]

They also have stuffed green olives preserved with lactic acid (rather than vinegar). You have to look on the label, though, because most of them have vinegar.

[nicolelynn]

my TJ's sometimes carries grass-fed ground beef as well. so i stock up on that when they have it.

[bigknitwit]

I always say to myself that I will stick with the basics when I go there - I never do lol

The basics for me are:

organic butter
Sprouted grain bread
Brown rice bread (GF)
Frozen berries
dark chocolate
unfiltered olive oil
organic rice noodles
lots of raw nuts (walnuts/pecans mostly - sometimes bazil nuts)
sticky fruit/fruit leathers (great shelf stable snacks to have on hand when needed for kids)

I think if I stuck to this list my bill would be way less than it usually is - probably by half

[Leilalu]

Originally Posted by Chicharronita

They also have stuffed green olives preserved with lactic acid (rather than vinegar). You have to look on the label, though, because most of them have vinegar.

yep! I just noticed that yesterday. i bought the stuffed garlic ones