Opciones Saludables En Los Comerciantes Joes

En nuestra última comida smackdown, pusimos las comidas de conveniencia de TJ a la prueba.

& Mdash; Kiera Butler y Brett Brownell el lunes. 17 de junio de 2013 6:20 PDT

He confesado antes sobre mi adicción para llevar. Y ahora estoy listo para limpiar sobre otro hábito de la cena: las comidas congeladas de Trader Joe. Incluso cuando tengo un montón de tiempo para cocinar una cena real, a veces optar por un plato de gyozas vegetariano o un burrito de pollo en su lugar. Sé que estas comidas probablemente no son exactamente un zumo limpiar, pero me gusta pensar que no son comida chatarra tampoco. Entonces, cómo de salud son realmente? Decidimos poner algunas comidas a la prueba.

Y para los nerds nutrición real por ahí, aquí está el resumen completo de los platos que probamos:

Qué comprar y qué omitir en Trader Joe's

Si alguna vez desea iniciar una conversación en una fiesta, trate de hacer esta pregunta: Cuáles son las mejores y peores ofertas en Trader Joe? Es sólo un poco menos controversial que la reforma de la atención de la salud.

Los estadounidenses (y yo me incluyo) están locos por Trader Joe's: hay páginas en Facebook, libros sobre compras allí, incluso sitios web de fans. Qué inspira esta pasión? Jovanna Brooks, fundador de traderjoesfan. com y traderjoesguide. com. Dice: "La razón de que hay tantos fanáticos de Trader Joe, es porque puedes conseguir artículos increíblemente únicos. Es compras de aventura todo el tiempo porque hay cosas que son constantemente nuevas. Al mismo tiempo, la gente se molesta cuando los productos se interrumpen, pero eso es parte de la diversión ".

La compañía se inició en Pasadena, California en 1958 por Joe Coulombe, como una pequeña cadena de tiendas de conveniencia. Coulombe vendió Trader Joe's en 1979 a los Albrechts, una familia alemana propietaria de Aldi, una cadena internacional de supermercados de descuento. Ahora hay 340 Trader Joe's en unos 28 estados, pero a pesar de la expansión, la tienda ha mantenido su "yo soy su barrio-tienda de comestibles" Rareza

A los compradores les encanta la gente alegre y comprensiva de la compra en camisas hawaianas, la amplia gama de nuevos alimentos y los productos de bajo costo y de etiqueta privada que a menudo son creados por marcas muy respetadas. Mientras que Trader Joe no le gusta nombrar nombres (y no devolver llamadas para esta historia), los compradores ardientes y miembros de la industria dicen que usted puede encontrar productos de marca, como los platos preparados de Amy o el chocolate Callebaut, reenvasado allí bajo la etiqueta de Joe Trader A un costo mucho menor.

Como escribió Beth Kowitt en un artículo reciente de Fortune, "Dentro del mundo secreto de Trader Joe's". -Esas pitas fritas de Trader Joe? Fabricado por Stacy, una división de PepsiCo's Frito-Lay. En la costa este gran parte de su yogur es suministrado por Danone's Stonyfield Farm. Y los aficionados al gusto no les gusta pensar en cómo la escala de Trader Joe permite a la cadena vender una libra de limones orgánicos por $ 2 ".

Dejando a un lado la política alimentaria, mi pregunta es: los precios de Trader Joe siempre son mejores? He sido fan durante años y he comprado tiendas de California a Connecticut. A pesar de que los precios suelen variar de un lugar a otro y puede cambiar día a día, como el editor de EatingWell Creo que generalmente sé qué buscar allí. Pero a menudo me he sorprendido. Así que decidí ver lo que pensaban los demás.

Además de hablar con Brooks, le pedí a los fans de Facebook de EatingWell que nos dijeran cuáles eran las mejores y peores ofertas en la tienda, y recibimos una serie de comentarios. Luego, armado con una lista y una calculadora, fui a ver cómo los precios y las percepciones coinciden. (Para todas mis comparaciones de compras, revisé los precios de artículos similares en las tiendas y en los sitios web de grandes cadenas, como Stop & amp; Shop, Safeway y Wegmans).

Pase en el producto Una mascota de peeve mención de muchas personas es la falta de productos frescos, locales. "Para ser honesto, el producto no es el mejor", dice Brooks. "Definitivamente deja mucho que desear." Confieso que me gusta comprar fresco y local siempre que puedo y los pimientos envueltos en celofán de Trader Joe y otros productos no me inspiran a menudo. Pero para mantener una mente abierta, fui a un comerciante de Joe y recogió un paquete de espárragos sin envolver.

En esta tienda de Connecticut, las lanzas anémicas estaban vendiendo por $ 4.39 la libra, mientras que el mercado más grande en la calle ofrecía espárragos de aspecto saludable a $ 3.79 la libra o menos.

Pero no todas las ofertas son duds en la sección de productos; Sólo tienes que elegir los correctos. Trader Joe's es conocido por comprar a granel y producir que los buques bien parece estar mejor aquí. Los aguacates Hass se empaquetaron en una bolsa de cuatro por $ 3.29. Eso parecía valer la pena, especialmente cuando un supermercado cercano vendía cuatro por $ 5. Concedido, los aguacates del comerciante Joe eran pequeñas y duras pero después me dejan madurar por un día, estaban deliciosos. Me pareció buenas ofertas y calidad en productos resistentes como clementinas y plátanos también.

Skip the Meat Un comentario común que escuchamos de nuestros fans de Facebook: "Mejor oferta - leche, huevos y yogur. El peor reparto - las carnes envasadas. "Brooks está de acuerdo:" Usted pensaría que la carne sería fresca, pero no es apenas el mejor y no tienen un carnicero de la en-tienda. "

Fui de compras para mi Black Angus favorito rib-eye steak. Era casi $ 2 la libra más en Trader Joe's. Pierna de cordero deshuesada de Nueva Zelanda: $ 6.49 la libra (contra $ 4.99) y carne molida, $ 2.49 la libra contra $ 2.99. Una excepción son las carnes orgánicas: Trader Joe ha hecho un empuje hacia ingredientes más orgánicos y, a $ 6.99 por libra, pechugas de pollo orgánicas, deshuesadas y sin piel son una comida para mí, especialmente cuando no siempre es fácil encontrar pollo que es Tanto orgánicos como sin piel.

Batido o Srta.: Panadería y Alimentos Preparados Brooks considera los artículos del deli como el sushi, los emparedados y las ensaladas confeccionados, y las mercancías y los panes cocidos al horno-como realmente golpear o faltar. Estos artículos varían de tienda a tienda dependiendo de los proveedores locales, así que tenga esto en cuenta mientras compra.

Cuidado con las golosinas "Usted está ahí, está ahorrando dinero, está recibiendo buenas ofertas y luego tiene algunas cosas a las que no puede decir" No ", como almendras cubiertas de chocolate, galletas gourmet y Bélgica chocolates, y algunas de esas cosas realmente pueden sumar ", dice Brooks. "Pero en algunos casos son también mejores ofertas que en otros lugares", así que asegúrese de comparar los precios antes de comprar por impulso.

¡Queso, por favor! Todo el mundo ama la selección Trader Joe de queso y con buena razón: tienen quesos que son increíblemente bien y insanely bien de precio. Un Brooks dice que para buscar: "Comt & eacute ;. Un queso que viene como un Gruy & egrave; re. "Estoy de acuerdo. Y no puedo dejar pasar una buena oferta de queso. De hecho, tengo un arsenal de queso de cabra porque no puedo resistir el log gigante de 10 onzas de Vermont Butter & amp; Cheese Ch & egrave; vre por sólo $ 4.99 (frente a un log de 4 onzas por $ 3.99, que encontré en varias tiendas de alimentos y en línea).

Carga encima de las grapas Si compras el centro de la tienda, es duro no encontrar repartos grandes en casi cada pasillo, especialmente en las grapas como el Aceite de Oliva Extra Virgen de Trader Giotto para $ 5.49 un litro-más de $ 3 más barato que yo podría encontrar En otras tiendas. Las almendras de Trader Joe's - tiquetadas en $ 4.69 eran casi la mitad de lo que cuestan en otra parte. Camino de la Naturaleza Lino-Plus Granola de cereales: $ 2.89 por caja, frente a $ 3.99. Y mi favorito, una bolsa de verdadero arroz salvaje-no mezclado con grano largo - por $ 4.99 la libra, frente a $ 11 la libra y en otras tiendas.

Befriend the Freezer Con respecto al congelador: mi hermana jura por el salmón ahumado salvaje congelado de Trader Joe ($ 17.99 la libra, contra $ 27.96 la libra para el salmón atlántico ahumado en otras tiendas) y las vieiras salvajes congeladas jumbo ($ 11.99 la libra contra $ 15.99). La gente que encuestado nombró todo tipo de aperitivos congelados y entrantes como su favorito ir a las comidas. Como dice Brooks, "Lo bueno es que muchas de sus cosas están congeladas o estables en el estante. Simplemente las sacas del congelador o de tu despensa y tienes una fiesta". Las buenas ofertas incluyen arroz congelado, artículos étnicos como naan Un pan indio) y frutas congeladas, como trozos de mango. En cuanto a las comidas congeladas, algunos de los mejores vendedores de Brooks apunta a incluir el pollo de naranja mandarín, Penne Arrabiata y Tarte d'Alsace-una pizza fina cubierto con queso Gruy & egrave, queso cremoso, cebolla caramelizada y jamón.

Happy-Wallet Wine Tal vez el trato que Trader Joe's es mejor conocido por? Vino barato-tan barato en hecho que cuando las tiendas de California comenzaron a vender los vinos de Charles Shaw en $ 1.99 una botella, la marca ganó el apodo Two-Buck Chuck. OK, tal vez no un favorito de sommelier, pero para este y otros vinos de menos de $ 20, por lo general puede tomar unos cuantos dólares fuera de la tienda de licor de precios. Como Brooks señala: "Ellos tienen ofertas increíbles para el vino. Para cualquier lugar de $ 6 a $ 10 se puede obtener una buena botella de vino, se sorprenderá de lo bueno que es. Y luego por $ 10 a $ 20 obtendrá botellas que serían de $ 20 a 30 en otro lugar. "

Pero lo que creo que es la verdadera belleza de Trader Joe es que es un lugar que inspira conversación. Así que usted nos dice, cuáles cree que son las mejores y peores ofertas en las tiendas que compras?

Más allá de la comida

Podría seguir y hablar de las flores ($ 9.99 por una docena de rosas) y las plantas de orquídeas Phalaenopsis suelen ser de $ 3 a $ 4 menos de lo que se puede encontrar en Home Depot (el mejor lugar siguiente que he comprado para ellos), especialmente en el oeste Lugares de la costa. También me encanta el aceite de marca Trader Joe de lavanda y jabones, y el champú aroma de pomelo huele encantador y su envase es atractivo.

Por último, una de las cosas que me encanta es que Trader Joe está haciendo un esfuerzo concertado para hacer lo correcto. En 2001, la empresa decidió no utilizar alimentos modificados genéticamente en sus productos de marca privada y en 2007 se comprometió a eliminar las grasas trans añadidas de todos los productos de marca privada (junto con colores artificiales, sabores, conservantes). Los huevos de marca Trader Joe están libres de jaula y para el 2012, la compañía promete que todos sus mariscos serán de origen sostenible.

Usted nos dice: Cuáles cree que son las mejores y peores ofertas en su Trader Joe's?

Enlaces relacionados de EatingWell:

Trader Joe & # 8217; s

Nota antes de empezar a leer. Por lo tanto, esta es mi típica Trader Joes lista de compras. Sé que todos ustedes probablemente adivinaron esto, pero no compran todo esto cada vez que voy a Trader Joes, estas son sólo cosas que me encantan, ¡e ideas para ustedes! Siempre compra de acuerdo a lo que siento, y me encanta probar cosas nuevas! Cuando hago la tienda, los artículos que compraría son de esta lista. Están listadas ALL. ¡QUE TE DIVIERTAS!

Si hay algo que falta de esta lista que ustedes me encanta, me lo recomiendo en los comentarios de abajo y voy a ir a comprarlo y probarlo yo mismo! Me encanta la retroalimentación!

Para imprimir esto, COPY & amp; PASTE en un Documento de Word, resalta las cosas que necesitas, y échaleslas a medida que vayas! O, lea las instrucciones para mi sitio web para móviles y lo tiene ahí mismo en su teléfono!

Todo está en orden de la forma en que la mayoría de las Tiendas Trader Joes están organizadas (simple!)

Frutas refrigeradas & amp; Veggies-

☐ Organic Baby Spring mix

☐ Mezcla de hierbas orgánicas

☐ Espinaca de Bebé Orgánica

☐ Lechuga Romaine Orgánica

Las 20 mejores selecciones de un dietista en Trader Joe's

Katie Morford Autor, 'Rise and Shine' (agosto de 2016) y 'Mejor caja de almuerzo'; Dietista registrada, madre de tres hijos; La crianza de niños de comida fresca en un mundo franco francés

En un mundo perfecto, haría todas mis compras de supermercado a un ritmo tranquilo en el mercado de los agricultores, hacer mi propio yogur, queso y mantequilla, puede todas mis propias frutas y verduras, y han pastoreado pollos pastando en mi patio trasero Proporcionando huevos naturalmente ricos en omega-3 para alimentar a mi siempre educado y alegre niños.

La realidad es, algunas de estas cosas suceden algo del tiempo (menos los pollos de pastoreo y los niños perky perpetuos). Relleno los elementos de conveniencia cuando sea necesario. A pesar de que la "comida de conveniencia" es a menudo el código de la comida basura, no siempre es el caso. Tome Trader Joe's, por ejemplo, que hace un buen trabajo bastante bueno de ofrecer "rápido y fácil" que también es bastante saludable.

Y mientras que consigo la corrección de mi comerciante un par de veces al mes, algunas personas que conozco no hacen compras en ningún otro lugar y la cera tan entusiasmada sobre el lugar, usted pensaría que el comerciante Joe era alguien que estaban fechando. Además, a quién no le gustan esas diminutas tazas de café a la hora de comprar?

La ventaja de Trader Joe es que promete que cualquier alimento que lleve su etiqueta no tiene colores artificiales, sabores, conservantes, ingredientes genéticamente modificados, MSG, o grasas trans añadido. ¡El amor que, también!

La baja? Los alimentos dependen un poco más fuertemente de los envases de lo que me gusta. También sería bueno ver algunos artículos más orgánicos en la mezcla. Todo lo dicho, aquí están mis mejores selecciones para ir de compras en Trader Joe's.

Pain Pauline - El nombre y el estilo del pan es claramente un juego en el famoso Pain Poilane de Francia. Y mientras que no es absolutamente el pan de su contraparte parisiense, él hace para una rebanada excelente de tostada o de emparedado asado a la parilla del queso. Además, hecho con granos enteros y sólo tres ingredientes - trigo integral, agua y sal - cumple mis directrices para un mejor pan.

Lentejas al vapor - Yo estaba bastante sorprendido por lo bien que estos fueron la primera vez que los recogió en la sección de productos de la tienda. Las lentejas mantener su textura y no ir a mush, como es de esperar. Hacer una ensalada de lentejas calentándolos ligeramente, añadiendo verduras en cubitos, aceite de oliva y vinagre, sal y pimienta, y hierbas frescas picadas.

Trader Joe's Pound Plus Chocolate Oscuro - Prefiero el chocolate agridulce a la leche por su mayor contenido de antioxidantes. Éste es importado de Bélgica y vendido en un descuento significativo sobre muchas marcas de fábrica convencionales.

Organic Popping Corn - Uno de los mejores, alimentos de bocadillos de grano entero que usted puede comprar, y Trader Joe's ofrece un orgánico en menos de dos dólares en una bolsa. Eso es mucho tiempo en la película.

Salmón silvestre salvaje congelado - por supuesto nada mejor que el pescado fresco, pero con el fuerte precio del salmón salvaje en estos días, este sockeye congelado es una alternativa sabrosa.

Freeze-Dried Fruit - La tienda almacena una variedad de un solo ingrediente liofilizado, incluyendo frambuesas, fresas y uvas. Son una buena solución para un diente dulce y excelente en lugar de frutas secas en granola y muesli casero.

Old Fashioned Blister Peanuts - Hay algo de magia en estos cacahuetes. Más grande que los cacahuetes de variedad de jardín, son muy crujientes y perfectamente salados. Sabroso comido fuera de la mano, también me encantan en galletas de mantequilla de maní o arrojados en una ensalada asiática. Doble pulgar hacia arriba.

Jarabe de arce puro - Aunque crecí en la señora Butterworth, he adoptado el jarabe de arce puro para verter encima de crepes y para utilizarlo como edulcorante del hogar. Trader Joe's ofrece una opción más asequible en un tamaño generoso que la mayoría de los mercados.

Shredded Raw Carrots - Seguro que podría pelar y rallar un montón de zanahorias para mantener a mano, pero el hecho es, no lo hago. Esto se ha convertido en un refrigerador básico para agregar a sándwiches, envolturas y ensaladas.

Pan de Lavash de trigo integral - Esto es una grapa de despensa para envolturas, roll-ups y Lavash Pizza fácil. También venden una versión de harina blanca, pero me parece que todo el trigo pasa bajo el radar con mi tripulación.

Mini Brie Bites - Otro favorito de los niños para el almuerzo escolar, estos pequeños Bries vendidos en un paquete de seis son maldito bonito y bueno para un aperitivo junto con un trozo de fruta. También hacen un desayuno rápido manchado en pan de grano entero bajo tomate en rodajas.

Yogur orgánico llano de la marca de fábrica del comerciante Joe - tengo siempre una tina del yogur llano en el refrigerador, prefiriendo agregar mis propias frutas y edulcorantes sobre tener alguien más lo hago para mí. Este yogur orgánico cremoso hace el trabajo.

Almendras de Tailandia, Lima y Chile - Advertencia: Éstas son picante. Sazonado con limón, lima y chile, que hacen un buen alimento para bocadillos arreglar para el niño tolerante a las especias o para un adulto junto a un cóctel favorito.

Cabd Sharp Cheddar - Un Cheddar afilado que es realmente afilado, un poco va un largo camino con este queso Cabot ya que es mega sabrosa.

Remolachas del bebé - para un plato rápido, estas remolachas tiernas, cocinadas vendidas en la sección del producto son una cincha. Me gusta rebanarlos, mezclarlos con naranjas o mandarinas, mezclar con aceite de oliva y vinagre, y rematar con queso feta desmenuzado.

Bob's Red Mill Lino Comidas - Dado que las semillas de lino necesitan ser molido con el fin de obtener los beneficios nutricionales completos, opto por la harina de lino en lugar de semillas enteras. Almacenar la harina de lino en el congelador y añadir una cucharada o dos a los productos horneados, granola casera, cereales calientes, y batidos para una fibra y omega-3 impulso.

Pasta de pizza de trigo entero refrigerada - Yo compro la masa de la pizza cuando no tengo tiempo para hacer mi propia. Trader Joe's hace un pastel muy bien.

Snack de algas asadas - Las algas son naturalmente ricas en minerales, bajas en calorías y se encarga de la "merienda salada" arreglar. Mis hijos están locos por ello.

Frutas congeladas - Tengo un pequeño almacén de frutas congeladas a la mano (orgánico cuando puedo conseguirlo) para el desayuno y después de la escuela batidos. Trader Joe's tiene una buena variedad.

Pepinos Persian orgánicos - Estos pequeños pepinos no necesitan ser pelados o sembrados así que hacen un complemento rápido a las ensaladas oa los almuerzos de la escuela. Son crujientes y obtienen puntos adicionales por su factor "lindo".

PD También me gusta la sección de vino de la tienda. Bargain precios del sótano y una buena variedad de opciones.

Cuáles son las selecciones de su Trader Joe?

Para más de Katie, compruebe hacia fuera su blog, manual de la cocina de la mamá, donde usted encontrará recetas y extremidades para alimentar a una familia. También puedes seguirla en Instagram @KatieMorford y averiguar lo que está haciendo en Google+.

Más:

Lo que compré en Trader Joe & # 8217; s

Los lectores han estado preguntando más y más qué productos de comida real comprar en Trader Joe & # 8217; s, así que pensé que yo acaba de convertir la discusión en una entrada de blog! En primer lugar, no hago todas mis compras en Trader Joe (obtengo productos, productos lácteos y otros artículos en Earth Fare y el mercado de los agricultores), pero sí voy allí cada pareja Semanas para algunos grapas que en algunos casos no puedo conseguir en ningún otro lugar. En segundo lugar, sé que Trader Joe es promocionado como una tienda de alimentos saludables, pero al igual que el resto de ellos todavía venden un montón de (orgánica, sin gluten, veganos, multigrain, etc) la comida chatarra! Un lector me preguntó una vez si había algún lugar donde pudiera comprar comida sin tener que escudriñar las etiquetas y comprar cualquier cosa que esté disponible (mientras evita los alimentos procesados). Para ser honesto, lo más cerca que vas a llegar a un lugar como ese son los campesinos & # 8217; mercado. Y aún así me gusta preguntar si rocian pesticidas químicos o utilizan fertilizantes sintéticos en sus productos. Tan larga historia corta, que casi siempre tienen que tener su guardia up & # 8230; y que incluso incluye compras en Trader Joe & # 8217; s!

Antes de bucear a la derecha en los productos, aunque quiero estar seguro de decirle acerca de dos de nuestros patrocinadores. Nuestros patrocinadores son los que mantienen este sitio de forma gratuita, por lo que realmente apreciamos cuando usted les envía un poco de amor. ) Primero hay Sal Real que se produce sin aditivos, productos químicos, o procesamiento de calor de cualquier tipo. Real Salt tiene un tono rosado con manchas de color de más de 60 minerales naturales. Toda la sal no se crea igual por lo que definitivamente debe comprobar a cabo.

También quiero asegurarme de que conoce las tapas de enlatado reutilizables sin BPA de Tattler. ¡Si usted no ha terminado de conservar todo su producto del verano todavía entonces ahora es el tiempo! Conservé un poco de condimento de tomate verde el fin de semana pasado y fue muy agradable tener las tapas Tattler en la mano porque para ser honesto tengo problemas para mantener un registro de qué tapas de bola se han utilizado antes o no. ) Si desea darles una oportunidad, asegúrese de usar el código de cupón & # 8220; 100Días & # 8221; Para 5% de descuento! Y ahora de nuevo a los productos de Trader Joe & # 8230;

Lo que compro regularmente en Trader Joe & # 8233; s & # 8230;

Trader Joe's Whole-Wheat Pitas Encontrar productos de pan decente en la tienda de comestibles no es una tarea fácil. La mayoría de la gente tiene que ir a una panadería o hacer ellos mismos con el fin de tener 100% de pan de grano entero hecho con sólo 5 o 6 ingredientes, por lo que estaba tan emocionada cuando me di cuenta de que estos Trader Joe's pitas ajustarse a la ley. Es tan bueno tener una alternativa al pan de sándwich regular, porque me gusta cambiar las cosas de vez en cuando. & # 8211; & # 8211;

Trader Joe's Queso Havarti en rodajas Me gusta la comodidad del queso pre-rallado, pero no el aditivo en polvo que se utiliza como un agente anti-aglutinante para evitar que se pegue (celulosa de Pulpa de madera), por lo que creo que el queso pre-cortado es el medio perfecto. Es muy rápido y fácil sin aditivos no deseados, porque no importa lo difícil que intente, no puedo conseguir que mis rebanadas de queso sean perfectas y uniformes. Además, estoy aprendiendo que havarti es bueno en casi todo (incluyendo las pitas que acabo de mencionar!). ) & # 8211; & # 8211;

Comerciante Joe Hummus Orgánico Parece que estoy creando un delicioso pita sandwich aquí con estos tres primeros artículos! Claro, me gusta hacer hummus casero. Pero no siempre tengo tiempo y esta es la única versión orgánica que puedo encontrar fácilmente. Ya no llevan hummus orgánico (a mi conocimiento) en la tarifa de tierra, que es otra vez donde hago mi compras principal. & # 8211; & # 8211;

Aceite de coco Puedo encontrar aceite de coco orgánico en otro lugar, pero no en el precio TJs de sólo $ 5.99! Ahora que es un acuerdo en comparación con alrededor de $ 10 en otras tiendas. & # 8211; & # 8211;

Yogurt A veces puede ser un reto encontrar yogur que cumpla con todos mis criterios & # 8230; orgánicos, leche entera, llanura. Ya un precio razonable! Ahora, si el yogur está a la venta en las otras tiendas, es el mismo precio que el material de Trader Joe, pero al comparar los precios regulares este es un poco más barato. & # 8211; & # 8211;

Miel Puede no ser miel local, pero una vez más a un precio razonable! Yo normalmente comprar grandes frascos de vidrio de miel local de la Tierra Fare o los agricultores & # 8217; Mercado, pero por conveniencia me gusta tener una botella de apretar alrededor de cuando sólo necesitamos un poco (en avena, por ejemplo). & # 8211; & # 8211;

Nueces y semillas Hablando de más barato, no se puede superar el precio de las nueces (almendras, anacardos, nueces, piñones, pacanas, etc.) y semillas (girasol, calabaza, sésamo, etc.) en Trader Joe . Pero diré que el precio a veces viene a costa de calidad. A principios de este año me di cuenta de unas cuantas bolsas de nuestro comerciante Joe's cajú olía y sabía muy funky. Traté de usarlos de todos modos y que casi arruinó todo nuestro lote de granola. Las tuercas pueden ser más caras de los contenedores a granel en la tarifa de la tierra, pero por lo menos puedo hacer un cheque rápido de la calidad. Sé que Trader Joe no acepta devoluciones por lo que todavía puede rodar los dados y tratar de ahorrar dinero en sus frutos secos y semillas & # 8230; y simplemente devolverlos si don & # 8217; t trabajo. & # 8211; & # 8211;

Café / Espresso Ahorro mucho dinero acumulando café y espresso de Trader Joe cuando estoy allí! El café orgánico puede ser un artículo grande del boleto en otra parte. & # 8211; & # 8211;

Tres Buck Chuck Sí, culpable como acusado. Ponemos un gran esfuerzo en la selección de la más alta calidad de alimentos disponibles y luego lo lavamos con vino barato. Qué puedo decir? ¡Definitivamente no somos perfectos! No es que no disfrutemos (o queramos) vino más caro que simplemente no ayuda el presupuesto si usted sabe lo que quiero decir. [ACTUALIZACIÓN: Desde que escribí este post he cambiado a los vinos orgánicos que las ofertas de Trader Joe ofrecen en lugar de & # 8220; 3 Buck Chuck. & # 8221;] & # 8211;

& # 8211;

Lo que compro de vez en cuando en Trader Joe & # 8233; s & # 8230;

Whole-Grain Pretzels No hay muchas opciones de 100% de pretzel de trigo integral por ahí. Estos contienen jarabe de maíz (aunque no mucho), que es definitivamente menos de lo ideal, pero a veces los mendigos no pueden ser selectores. Así que cada par de meses vamos a recoger una bolsa de estos sólo para mantener nuestros almuerzos escolares interesante! & # 8211; & # 8211;

Bares de Lara Estos están disponibles en un buen número de lugares ahora, Target, tiendas de abarrotes, tiendas de alimentos saludables, etc, pero una vez más es difícil de superar el precio en Trader Joe & # 8217; s. Así que si estoy allí y sucede a pensar en ello, recoger algunos. & # 8211; & # 8211;

Ak Mak Crackers ¡Éstas son una de nuestras marcas favoritas de galletas porque son grano entero y orgánico! Puedo comprar estos en otros lugares, pero a veces obtener estos de Trader Joe & # 8217; s también. & # 8211; & # 8211;

Queso Todo vuelve al precio. Trader Joe tiene algunos de los mejores precios de queso (que puede llegar a ser bastante caro en otros lugares), pero para ser honesto su selección isn & # 8217; t mi primera opción cuando se trata de sabor. Así que dependiendo de cómo el presupuesto se está acumulando al final de la semana a veces ir para su queso como una alternativa más barata. & # 8211;

Qué alimentos no procesados ​​le gustan comprar en Trader Joe & # 8217; s?

Real Foodie's Guide to Healthy Food en Trader Joe & # 8217; s

Esta publicación contiene enlaces de afiliados.

Hace unos años pensé que Trader Joe era sólo para los ricos y quería ser famoso.

Según mi auto pretencioso, las tiendas estaban llenos de comida cara y gente overdressed. Había demasiados de ellos también, y definitivamente no había suficientes niños para que me sintiera cómodo traer el mío.

Entonces un día mientras los niños estaban teniendo una fecha de juego con la abuela, fui a Trader Joe & # 8217; s.

Cue las nubes de despedida con arpas y cantando ángeles!

Si sólo hubiese sabido la diversión que me esperaba a través de esas puertas de cristal antes, este momma podría haber sido en el cielo foodie diversión! Y aprendí una lección importante ese mismo día:

Aunque me parece que la mayoría de los & # 8222; Los alimentos están en el lado más caro en Trader Joe, tienen algunas buenas ofertas en lo que consideraríamos artículos de la especialidad, y que las noticias muy buenas de s!

Este post es parte de una serie corta que cubre lo que los alimentos frugales un verdadero foodie puede encontrar en ciertas tiendas. Lea sobre las buenas ofertas disponibles en Costco AQUÍ. Además de encontrar ofertas específicas sin gluten de Costco AQUÍ. No olvides la descarga gratuita al final de esos mensajes & # 8211; Es una lista para ayudarle a rastrear las mejores ofertas que encuentra en Costco!

Alimentos saludables en Trader Joe & # 8217; s

Chocolate . $ 1.49 & # 8211; $ 1.99 por barra

Vamos a comenzar con las cosas buenas, verdad? Una buena porción del chocolate de Trader Joe es de comercio justo y orgánico (no tenía tiempo para revisar todas las etiquetas). La etiqueta de comercio justo significa que los agricultores se les paga un salario justo por su trabajo duro, y la etiqueta orgánica me da la paz de la mente que los edulcorantes utilizados en el chocolate no son HFCS u otro acesulfame de potasio (las cosas icky en Los paquetes rosados.) $ 2 suena como mucho por solo 3.5 onzas, pero eso realmente es un buen negocio para una barra de chocolate de calidad.

Puedo comprar el chocolate más oscuro que tienen en el 85% de cacao y usarlo en mi receta favorita de la galleta de chispas de chocolate.

Polvo de cacao sin azúcar. $ 2.49

Es realmente difícil encontrar cacao unsweetened asequible, déjame decirte! La mayoría de las tiendas de comestibles ofrecen un envase de 8 onzas por $ 4.99, por lo que está ahorrando 17 ¢ con cada cucharada que usted mida con este buen negocio.

Mis tiendas de comestibles locales regulares no ofrecen polvo de hornear que sea libre de aluminio, por lo que esta es la única manera que puedo conseguirlo (a menos que pida una gran bañera de 2 libras de Amazon).

Briquetas de madera dura 100%. $ 7.99 por 18 libras

Una de las mejores ofertas de Trader Joe me esperaba justo fuera de la puerta principal. Estas briquetas no vienen con los productos químicos que el carbón tratado hace, pero las tiendas cobran un centavo bonito para las briquetas. Afortunadamente, estas briquetas no sólo son asequibles, pero se obtiene tres veces más que la típica bolsa de carbón!

Aceite de coco . $ 5.99 por 16 onzas

Aunque actualmente compre aceite de coco de Tropical Traditions. Esto era un alimento básico mensual durante mucho tiempo. No sólo es el mejor precio en la zona, sino que es la mejor degustación también!

Quieres una lista casi completa de toda la tienda de Trader Joe en una práctica descarga de dandy?

Ingrese su dirección de correo electrónico a continuación y obtenga acceso instantáneo a una impresora que puede llevar fácilmente con usted para ayudarle a comparar precios mientras compra.

Al ingresar su información, usted se suscribe al boletín semanal de Crumbs, al cual puede darse de baja en cualquier momento.

Aceite de sésamo . $ 2.29 por 5 onzas

Este delicioso aceite es sólo un par de dólares aquí, pero sé que es más en otros lugares. Teniendo en cuenta que utiliza sólo 1 / 2-1 cucharadita en cada receta, vale la pena la botella de cinco onzas!

Garbanzo secado & amp; Frijoles negros secados. 89 ¢ por libra

Quién sabía que un & # 8220; salud & # 8222; Tienda de comida tenía una gran oferta de frijoles secos. Tienen otros frijoles también, pero casi cualquier frijol puede ser sustituido por estos y la receta resultará bien. Además, cuando cocines estos frijoles, ¡es como pagar sólo 28 ¢ por lata!

Leche de coco ligera. 99 ¢ por 15 onzas

Es increíblemente fácil hacer su propia leche de coco en casa. Pero compramos esto antes de que supiera que era posible! No hay nada añadido a esta lata de leche de coco, y es suave también para aquellos que tienen aversiones a las texturas.

Queso parmesano . $ 6.49 por libra (aproximadamente $ 4.50 por cuña)

El queso parmesano añade una muy elegante & # 8222; Sabor a las comidas ordinarias como la sopa de albahaca de tomate, y Trader Joe tiene el mejor precio en mi área. Supera con mucho el precio de Costco de $ 9.99 / lb, y las cuñas más pequeñas son perfectas para nuestro presupuesto mensual y recetas.

Gorgonzola, $ 5.99 por libra (aproximadamente $ 2.50 por paquete)

A menudo compramos Gorgonzola en lugar de queso azul porque se puede utilizar de forma intercambiable en recetas. El verdadero queso azul es bastante caro, pero como el queso parmesano, este queso es muy asequible. El precio por paquete es muy asequible también, por lo que es fácil de obtener lo que tanto se necesita para el mes o la receta, en contraposición a un ladrillo enorme de Costco que se pone en un cajón y terminan olvidando y se pone moho & # 8230; *Ejem*

Nota. Sus precios de queso en general son muy razonables. $ 2.69 por 6 onzas de feta, $ 3.99 por un registro de 16 onzas de mozzarella fresca, $ 4.49 por 12 rebanadas de provolone & # 8230; Además tienen una gran selección de quesos mejor! Definitivamente vale la pena mirar si estás en la tienda.

Pastas orgánicas de trigo entero. 1,29 $

Esto es sólo 10 ¢ más que el precio por paquete en Costco, que es grande si sólo necesita un paquete de espaguetis en lugar de nueve. También es mucho mejor que lo que puedo encontrar localmente. Puntos de bonificación por ser grano entero, doble puntaje por ser orgánico (lo que significa que no se enriquece con vitaminas sintéticas). Además, usted puede obtener varias variedades de pasta también & # 8230; Espaguetis, fettuccine, rigatoni, espirales, macarrones & # 8230;

Pasta sin gluten & amp; Pasta Alternativas. varía

No tomé nota específica de los precios de cada artículo sin gluten aquí, pero me di cuenta de una muy buena selección de alimentos sin gluten. Pasta orgánica de maíz, pasta de quinoa, pasta de arroz integral e incluso polenta (que vi era de $ 1,99 por 16 onzas) estaban en los estantes, y esto es probablemente el pasillo favorito para la gente sin gluten. Sé que los alimentos sin gluten tienden a ser más caros de todos modos, y mientras que la primera línea de defensa sería comer más de los alimentos que son naturalmente sin gluten (como frutas y verduras), es agradable Saber que hay un lugar asequible cuando usted sólo quiere un plato de pasta.

Semillas de girasol . $1.99 per pound

Talk about a STEAL! No other store in my area (or even this good deal on Amazon ) can beat it. We use sunflower seeds in our salads for a crunch, as protein in our granola bars and protein bars and use it to make sunbutter when we’re out of peanut butter. These right here are always on my shopping list.

Trader Joe’s has a decent selection of spices, and while some can be found elsewhere for a better price, they’re all priced at $1.99 – even the “expensive” ones. When you’re shopping for spices, definitely check out their selection first, because most grocery store prices for spices start AT LEAST a few bucks higher.

I was SHOCKED to see this on their shelves, but they have raw honey for as low as $4.49 for 12 ounces (or $5.99 for 16 ounces). The only downfall is that it wasn’t local. The smaller jar was from India, and the larger jar was from Mexico. However, if you don’t have a source for affordable local honey anyway, you might as well consider these!

White Balsamic Vinegar . $2.29 for 16.9 ounces

Oddly enough, this was on my “to find” list when lo and behold, Trader Joe’s carries it! I know this specialty vinegar would cost at least $4 at my local grocery store, not to mention what other health food stores might charge (or even what Amazon charges for the cheapest bottle ). As a lighter sister to the traditional balsamic vinegar, this would make some delicious salad dressings!

Balsamic Vinegar . $3.49 for 33.8 ounces

I’m reluctantly adding this one to the list because I’m a bit bitter than Trader Joe’s has such a great deal on balsamic vinegar. Costco charges $11 for the same thing! Consider this trip a lesson learned. I’ll get my balsamic vinegar (and likely all vinegars) from Trader Joe’s from now on.

Uncured Nitrate-free Bacon . $4.99 for 12 ounces

This isn’t the best price I’ve seen for nitrate-free bacon, but the cool thing about Trader Joe’s is that their prices are consistent. If no one has a sale, or Grocery Outlet runs out of our favorite brand, I know I can get some here. They sometimes have the “ends and pieces” variety of nitrate-free bacon, which sells for $3.99 for a full pound. It’s definitely fattier than regular slices, but a good alternative if you’re needed some real bacon bits and bacon grease.

Honorable Mention

Organic Corn Taco Shells . $1.99 for 12 shells

Sometimes taco night needs a crunchy taco, and these shells are the best bang for your buck. You’re getting organic corn and avoiding GMO’s ( great book on the topic. by the way ), plus you’re getting two more shells than most other boxes. Win!

Sweet Chili Sauce . $1.29 for 10 ounces

This sauce has some added sugar in it, but I couldn’t help but write the price down after buying something similar for more. It might just be 70¢, but it all adds up!

Orange Marmalade . $3.49 for 17.5 ounces

Finding this deal just made me mad. I had searched the shelves of Savemart high and low to find the ONLY orange marmalade without HFCS. and then they charged me two arms and a foot for it! Although 50¢ isn’t too much cheaper, it inspired me to find a homemade orange marmalade recipe (which means YOU can expect to find it too ).

Organic Chocolate Syrup . $3.49 for 20 ounces

Yes, I know this is totally NOT real food. And I know you can make your own using real food ingredients. We’re supposed to pick and choose what we spend our time on in the kitchen, right? Well, I choose not to make my own chocolate syrup. We literally buy maybe two of these a year, so it’s just worth the extra few bucks to me. Besides, the organic variety again means there’s no HFCS or other artificial sweeteners.

In a Nutshell…

Trader Joe’s is an excellent place to shop when you’re wanting better foods, but don’t need the quantity that buying in bulk comes with.

When you’re looking for a very specific “specialty” item, there’s a good chance they have it AND it will cost less than your local grocery store.

Trader Joe’s is NOT the place to buy fresh produce. I thought their produce section lacked much diversity, and was also on the expensive side. You could easily find better deals at your local farmers market, or even your grocery store if need be.

Want a near complete list of the entire Trader Joe’s store in a handy dandy download?

Enter your email address below and get instant access to a printable that you can easily carry with you in order to help you compare prices while shopping!

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What about you – what frugal real food do you buy at Trader Joe’s?

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. By making a purchase through those links, I will earn commission that helps to keep the lights on in the Crumbs house – with no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Crumbs in this way. Read my full disclosure statement here .

Comentarios

I shop at Trader Joe’s once a week as my regular grocery store because of many of the prices you list. I do purchase their bags of organic potatoes – red, gold and russet. Also, bags of organic apples. When they carry these items, the prices are great and it’s hard to get organic potatoes and apples at better prices at other grocery stores.

I’m not yet making my own yogurt. So, their $2.99 plain European style organic yogurt is a good deal for a large container, too.

19 cents per banana has worked out to be a better price for me on bananas than the other grocery stores – unless they’re running a really big sale.

There are some great prices and so many organics at TJs. I find it more consistent than Costco and other grocers.

Thanks for featuring some of my favorite products!

Thanks for adding your buys Kristin! Their yogurt is a fair price – very competitive with Costco’s. I forgot about the bananas! It’s toss up between TJ’s and Costco for those, like you said, if no one else is having a sale.

Sadly I don’t have a TJ’s near me, but I do love orange marmalade, and it’s pretty easy to make yourself! (And tastes soooo much better than store bought!) My favorites are apricot orange and triple citrus.

¡YUM! I browsed a few recipes, and it does look incredibly easy. It’s on my summer bucket list for sure!

This is wonderful. Pinning it to my group boards – hope it brings lots of new friends your way. This is SO helpful! Thanks, Tiffany! xo

Thanks so much sweet friend!!

Okay so I wasn’t the only who thought Trader Joe’s was a bit artsy-fartsy at first—PHEW! But once I actually went into the store, I noticed that the items were reasonably priced and I actually buy a lot of the stuff they sell. I’ll be pinning this for future use. Thanks so much for sharing this!

LOL, you’re definitely not alone! And dare I say, it’s actually fun? unesdoc. unesco. org unesdoc. unesco. org

I agree with the previous poster about the organic potatoes and apples. I also really like the packages of fresh basil. Nowhere else can I get that amount for so little.

They also carry live basil in pots at an incredibly low price. I buy these and plant them in my garden. Just pinch off the flowers and they will grow for a very long time. The only trick is that you have to introduce them to the great outdoors slowly before planting. I think they are grown in a greenhouse and setting them outside in So Cal’s hot sun right away puts them into shock.

Anita – basil is also a “warm” plant. It thrives in warm, non-breezy weather!

I too didn’t shop TJ’s for a long time as the people that I knew that shop there were always raving about their frozen foods and I didn’t (still don’t much) use much frozen stuff. I thought all they sold was frozen foods. That being said, their frozen foods are usually quite tasty and really make meal prep on super busy nights a breeze. We don’t do it often but it’s nice to know the option is there. I prefer their fruit to Costos because (except for berries) we don’t get through the large bags or boxes before they go bad. AND the bananas are normal sized, not mondo sized.

I always tell my friends that Trader Joes is Whole Foods choices at Walmart prices. Finding organic food is very expensive in Dallas. I usually shop at Tom Thumb for everyday needs (they have local, organic food at my Tom Thumb) and Trader Joes for stocking up on stuff like coconut oil, nuts for granola, and dairy (they have Kerrygold grass-fed butter – which I haven’t been able to find anywhere else). Our TJs is very small and always a bit crowded but it’s definitely worth a trip if you can drag yourself out of bed at 8 am on a Saturday.

A major kudos for the Chocolate bar is that is does NOT contain soy lecithin. Hooray!!

Mark Mandel says

I was trying in vain to remember the cost of asparagus and sheperd’s pie from Trader Joe’s. A Google search showed me a mention of your “massive Trader Joe’s price list”. I signed up, above on this page, to download it. The link you emailed me got me a list of maybe 120 items. Somewhere along the way you said “Want a near complete list of the entire Trader Joe’s store in a handy dandy download?” and I think that brought me back to this page.

I’m still looking for anything like a “near complete list” of TJ prices. Do you have such a thing, and if so, where?

Hi Mark – if you downloaded the printable at the bottom of this post, that’s the list I’m referring to. All of those prices were hand-written down by me and seen with my own eyes – not trolled from the internet. In terms of real food at Trader Joe’s, it’s the most complete list I’ve seen!

Mark Mandel says

OK, so that is it. Thanks for the info, and for the list.

OMG yes love TJ’s. However I’ve found that for yr now (like over a half decade) in opposite ends of the country, TJ’s has lowest price for organic fresh strawberries. Their organic selection is good and unless Aldi has avocados on sale, they’re the best bet. They also have organic sprouted grain bread that’s cheap (it’s their knockoff of Ezekiel which they also sell). The ice cream is divine and hormone free. Oh and the yogurt so good! They have good meats - organic chicken (the family pack is a steal) and grassfed ground beef a little less than other stores. And why oh why have you not mentioned the wine. Green Fin organic - like $4 and it’s awesome! Seriously that store is so dangerous to my bottom line and my waist line but I love it!

LOL, thank you for all the great tips! I didn’t mention the wine because living in CA, I thought the prices wouldn’t necessarily the same across the country. But that’s great information on the bread and beef!

Yes, the ice cream is divine, BUT the Coffee ice cream is even beyond that-the best I have ever tasted..

LOL – thanks Marlene!

Deb Freitag says

Hi – I’m a Fellow Foodie, Mom, and concerned about my grocery spending, so I’m happy to find your article about Trader Joe’s and some of the items it offers. I also work at a Trader Joe’s and wanted to remind you that TJ’s food has no preservatives (other than salt) or artificial colors or flavors and no GMO (genetically modified organisms) in its ingredients. For a Mom who is concerned about the food she feeds her family that takes a lot of pressure off knowing I can choose anything and know that it’s wholesome. I’m tempted each week to spend too much on the fun stuff so I’m learning with you to curb my spending while making tasty, wholesome meals for the family. I’m eager to read more of your postings. ¡Gracias! Debutante

Jasmine Flame says

Thanks for your comments Deb. Are you saying that ALL TJ products are organic?

Organic is different than GMO. GMO has to do with the seeds or reproductive part of the plant used not having its genes scientifically altered. Organic has to do with pesticides and fertilizers used while growing a food. While some foods may be very wholesome, the grower may use a fertilizer that is not considered “organic,” so some pretty healthy foods don’t qualify for the organic label. Organic is more stringent. Still, foods at Trader Joes are basically purer and safer than from a non-GMO store, and TJ’s really tries to keep chemicals out of the food they sell.

Last I checked, certified Organic cannot be GMO.

You’re most welcome Jasmine! Thank you for your encouragement!

Pamela Gammill says

I, too, love TJ’s and am fortunate that they opened one about 5 min. from my house in September of this past year. Since I am retired and my husband is working part-time, we have to watch our spending. I did want to mention that the price you quoted for parmesan is for the US made parmesan. The Italian Parmiggiano Reggiano is much, much more expensive. I do understand that for those living on a strict budget, why you would choose the less expensive one. However, having lived in Italy for many years, Parmiggiano Reggiano is the only one I buy, because once you eat it for 20 years, you can’t go back to a US made. It’s just important to keep this in mind when comparing prices. I was so happy to find that TJ’s carries some real cheeses from European countries at prices that beat any other source. I also buy Swiss Emmantelar, Swiss Gruyere, and Holland Gouda there. As to balsamic vinegars, it’s important to read labels when comparing prices. The real deal will only have grape must and is aged for a minimum of 12 yrs. and comes from Modena, Italy, which is why it is so expensive. Another really good balsamic vinegar is a mix of grape must and aged balsamic vinegar. Still very good, but it doesn’t have to age as long because they add some aged with the new. If you see one that has caramel coloring, preservatives, or anything else on the label, then it’s imitation and that is why they can sell it so much cheaper. I am not judging anyone for what they buy. I think it just helps to know when you are comparing prices, exactly what you are comparing. I always enjoy your posts, Tiffany. Thanks for sharing with us. I found some new things to look for at TJ’s.

Trader Joes is my “go to first” store on shopping day. I love their frozen fish, coffee, bananas, organic sugars, healthy trail mixes, cheeses, and so much more. When I need a nibble food for the girls in my writers’ group, I buy their blondie, brownie, or pumpkin bread mix. There’s nothing in them that I wouldn’t use if I were making them from scratch (although for family I use more organic ingredients). They are fast and easy to bake.

I like their pizza dough, I used to buy their cream-at-the-top milk but TJ said their supplier lost their supplier of raw milk and shut down. There’s no substitute. This kind of milk is three times the price anywhere else, so I now buy their organic milk. Will check if UHT or not. I wasn’t aware of the difference until I read your blog.

I buy their creamline organic yogurt when I don’t have time to make my own. I like their heirloom cherry tomatoes. Usually we grow all of our own tomatoes but when off season, I like TJ.

They have organic blue corn chips that I love. I sometimes buy their frozen pie crusts for when I don’t have time to make my own. I wish you would write a blog on making pie crust. Mine is always so hit and miss. Even when I do everything right, i. e. add lemon juice or AP vinegar to retard gluten, keep everything icy cold, etc.

Mrs. Crumb, you are the woman I wish to be. Thanks for all your wonderful work.

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The Trader Joes Healthy Meal Plan

If I had things my way, I’d probably only shop at the farmers market and my local co-op, but with some recent career changes, life feels busier than ever. And you know what this means? It means a lot of shopping at Trader Joe’s.

A couple of times a month I get emails from readers with questions about how to make healthier decisions at the grocery store. I also frequently get asked to create meal plans with servings. This isn’t something I normally do, but since I’ve been focusing on my own food budget lately and doing a lot of shopping at Trader Joe’s, I thought this would be the perfect chance to create a Trader Joe’s Healthy Meal Plan!

In this post I’ll show you what my typical shopping list for the week has been looking like and the recipes I make. These recipes are a mix of some basic prep and pretty simple cooking. Since I’ve been tight on time lately, my goal has been to keep meal prep and cooking time under 30 minutes per meal so these recipes are definitely great for busy folks! Each section shows you the amount of servings along with the total price and price per serving.

I typically only shop and cook for myself so I will do 1 – 2 shopping trips a week and do batch cooking usually twice a week to make sure I always have fresh food on hand. If you are cooking for 2 or a larger family, you can adjust the recipes and multiply the items by how many additional servings you need for the week. Make sense?

So let’s get to it!

I opt for a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs with veggies and my default breakfast lately has been my Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Eggs. I’ve adapted the recipe a bit and usually leave out the leeks and sub in bell peppers so feel free to adapt the recipe to your tastes. Since I’m usually in a rush in the morning, I’ll prep my breakfasts for Monday through Wednesday on Sunday evening and then do a second round of prep on Wednesday evening for the rest of the week. This saves me time and ensures that I get a healthy start each morning! If you don’t eat eggs, feel free to substitute legumes or tofu and make a veggie scramble instead.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Egg

Breakfast Shopping List:

Organic Free-Range Eggs: 2 cartons – $4.19 each x2 = $8.38 total

1 bag of organic sweet potatoes – $3.99

1 organic yellow onion – $.69

1 package organic red bell peppers – $2.99

7 servings = $2.29 per serving

I keep my snacks pretty simple and like some sort of veggie with a protein-based dip. I rotate between almond butter, peanut butter, hummus, and my vegan walnut and mushroom pate dip .

Snacks Shopping List:

2 packages organic celery – $2.29 x 2 = 4.58

1 jar peanut butter – $2.99

7 servings = $1.08 per serving

Now that the weather’s warming up a bit, I’ve been throwing together simple salads for lunches. The prep is quick and as long as there’s a hearty protein source and some healthy fats, I feel pretty satiated. Some of my favorite salad recipes include my Summer Salad with Grilled Chicken (paleo) . Roasted Fennel and Spring Vegetable Salad (vegan), and a simple Massaged Kale Salad (paleo/vegan).

This is just a typical list of some items I use to create my weekly salads. Depending on your dietary needs and preferences, it’s easy to add some simple grilled chicken, tuna, legumes, or tempeh to the salad to make it a bit heartier. Since I usually use avocados as my fat source, I keep the dressing pretty simple and add a dash of plain balsamic vinegar.

Lunch Shopping List:

Organic Spring Mix – $1.99 x 2 – $3.98

1 bunch broccoli – $1.79

1 can organic kidney beans – $1.19

1 can organic white beans – $1.19

1 yellow onion – $.69

1 bell pepper (from the package purchased for breakfast)

1 avocado (from the bag purchased for green smoothies)

Vinegar (from the pantry)

1 pound organic chicken (not pictured, optional) $6.99

4 servings = $4.33 per serving

I always have a green smoothie as a pre-workout or post-workout snack. My recipe uses cucumber, lemon, avocado, greens, and some coconut water to create a delicious creamy and healthy treat. Trader Joe’s does now sell kale, but it comes pre-chopped in bags and I’ve had pretty bad luck with it already being spoiled by the time I get it home. If I can help it, I’ll usually try to grab a few fresh bunches somewhere else.

Recipe: Fruit-Free Green Smoothie

Green Smoothie Shopping List:

1 bag avocados – $3.99 for bag

1 organic english cucumber – $2.29

1 bag organic lemons – $1.79

2 cartons coconut water – $2.99 x 2 = $5.98

2 bunches organic kale (not pictured) – $2.99 x 2 = $5.98

7 servings = $2.86 per serving

Finally onto dinner! I’ve been obsessed with my spiralizer this year and have come to rely on it for a lot of my meals. If you haven’t heard of spiralizing zucchini before, this is going to change your life. (You can check out my tutorials here: How to Spiralize Zucchini and How to Make Zucchini Fettuccine .)

And now I have a confession… I no longer make my own spaghetti sauce from scratch! I used to use canned organic tomatoes to create a simple red sauce, but ever since I found TJ’s tomato basil spaghetti sauce, I’ve started using the pre-made stuff. The main reason for this is because I actually trust the ingredient list and it’s the first pre-made sauce I’ve ever found that did not contain some source of added sugar. Woohoo!

This dinner is easy to create with beef or lentils, depending on your dietary preferences. Since I now use the pre-made sauce, you’ll find the ingredient lists on the recipes below differ slightly from the shopping list, but the method for cooking is still pretty similar. Disfruta!

Recipe: Zucchini Spaghetti with Beef Bolognese or Zucchini Spaghetti with Lentil Marinara

2 packages organic zucchini – $2.99 x 2 = $5.98

1 jar organic tomato basil spaghetti sauce – $2.29

1 pound organic ground beef – $6.99 (or sub 2 packages of pre-cooked lentils to create the vegetarian/vegan version)

4 servings = $3.82 per serving

This is an awesome post! I’m obsessed with Trader Joe’s and after doing a month long paleo trial run, I’ve decided to try to try to keep with it. Though I love cooking elaborate meals sometimes, it’s not practical on a day to day basis. I love the simplicity of your recipes. Totally doable for someone with an insane graduate student schedule like myself. I’m excited to try some of these.

I love going to Trader joes and this list is so so helpful!!

¡Hurra! I’m so glad this was helpful!

What a great post Sonnet! My best friend. Lisa, works for Trader Joe’s and she loves it. She swears by the quality of their products. I love the ideas and recipes in your blog post.

Unfortunately, there is no Trader Joe’s on the island we live, but I love it when Lisa sends me care packages full of cool Trader Joe’s products.

Thank you for sharing these great ideas!

Thanks so much for this post! I barely wandered into the TJ in my area and didn’t know what to buy! These recipes will come in handy in the future

Hi Sonnet. They just opened a TJ’s very near to my home (THANK GOODNESS!) and I’m starting your meal plan today! Thank you for providing vegetarian suggestions as well. Eating my sweet potato hash and eggs as I type this! My question is: can we have ANYTHING else outside of your list? Coffee? Fruit? I can’t believe I’m going to be eating clean and non-processed for 5 days! I need to do this! ¡Gracias por adelantado!

Hi Jodi! Of course – you’re welcome to eat other snacks, foods, or drinks that feel good to you. These were just my suggestions and what I typically eat during the week, but it’s completely open to adaptations and additions of your own. Congrats on getting a TJ’s! I love that store!

Amazing post – thank you so much for this list, heading to TJ now and this is perfect for meal planning! unesdoc. unesco. org unesdoc. unesco. org

Enjoyed reading this post. But fyi an avocado is a fruit. So your smoothie is not fruit free. Fruits have a seed or seeds in them (e. g. avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet and hot pepper, squashes etc.)

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Top 10 Recipes

This recipe uses the cute idea of making mini meatloaves using muffin or cupcake tins. I've tried it a few times and it's been a great hit with all of us. I've been making them with lean turkey, and they are not only very tasty but very moist. If you're thinking that meatloaf sounds boring, these are a fun twist on an old classic. The second time I made them, my kids cheered, "Yay! Meat cupcakes!" I haven't come up with the perfect name for this recipe, but I don't think that's it. The recipe is very easy; the only lengthy part is boiling the potatoes. If you want to skip the potatoes, use 2 lbs of turkey and only 1 egg.

A mango lassi is basically a smoothie made with primarily yogurt and mango. We added a little orange juice and agave nectar to kick up the tart and sweet flavors. The flaxseed oil is optional if you want to add some healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids to your morning.

This is the recipe that appears on the back of Trader Joe's fried onions. A classic holiday side got even better, now that TJ carries mushroom soup in addition to fried onions. Trader Joe's fried onions appear seasonally during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Eggplant has great texture and give a nice heartiness in vegetarian sandwiches. In this sandwich, the rich eggplant and zucchini slices contrast nicely with some fresh, peppery arugula and tangy feta. Don't skip the lemon garlic sauce - it adds so much flavor and brings it all together. If you're not crazy about garlic, start with a little less and see how you like it.

All aboard! Shrimp, mango, and jalapeños set sail on endive boats. No utensils needed for this seafood adventure. The sweet flavors in the fruit salsa offset the slightly bitter taste of crunchy endive. Be prepared for the salsa’s spicy kick!

I make lots of different salads, but they often follow my golden formula: salad = greens + nuts + cheese + fruit (usually topped off by a variation of a balsamic vinaigrette, my favorite). This salad uses herb greens + walnuts + gorgonzola + fresh strawberries. The greens are washed and ready to use. The sweetness of the fresh strawberries contrasts nicely against the creamy tang of Gorgonzola and the crunch of sweetened nuts.

Pumpkin hummus is a twist on the classic party appetizer, perfect for holiday gatherings. Serve with pita chips. For a fun party idea, use cookie cutters to cut tortilla chips into fun shapes, spray with oil, sprinkle with 21 Seasoning Salute, and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. If the idea of making homemade hummus makes you run the other way, just grab a container of pre-made hummus at Trader Joe's and mix with half a can of pumpkin puree, adding seasonings such as cinnamon, cumin, and salt to taste.

This simple sandwich is reminiscent of the kinds you'll find in cafes in Europe. Use fresh bread and minimally accessorize to let the flavors of the ham and Brie really shine.

Panettone is a traditional Italian sweet bread that is served during Christmas and New Year. It's a fluffy sweet bread studded with candied fruit, and it makes for fabulous bread pudding. Eggnog adds to the festive holiday flavors.

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Tag: Trader Joe’s

6 Lessons Marketers Could Learn From Trader Joe’s

People don’t just shop at Trader Joe’s — they love it. Trader Joe’s make healthy food taste, look and feel good. How do they do it?

1. They make food shopping fun When you enter Trader Joe’s you are greeted by friendly employees donning Hawaiian shirts and a genuine smile. You progress into a colorful store with chalkboard signage created by that store’s personal chalk artist. They transformed grocery shopping from just another errand, to an experience that you actually look forward to.

2. They make healthier versions of favorites Trader Joe’s has a line of products they call “Reduced Guilt”, which transforms timeless comfort foods into healthier but still delicious alternatives. This line ranges from pizzas and chips to macaroni and cheese and brownies and usually boasts half the fat of their high-calorie comfort food counterparts.

3. They make healthy food taste good Kale, arugula, gluten-free products—these are just some of the things Trader Joe’s promotes. They market gluten-free so well, that even those who consume gluten want to give them a try. That’s amazing! They also demonstrate new ways to consume healthy foods, offering great salad combinations and making healthier pasta. Trader Joe’s takes eating healthy from a struggle to a treat.

4. They make it easy to eat healthy Trader Joe’s is well known for its robust frozen food section. Here they feature many convenient healthy options in this section. They are also well known for making brown rice and sprouted rice easy by providing already cooked and frozen options that need only a trip to the microwave. They carry an extensive selection of frozen fruits and vegetables as well as vegetarian options and fish. They understand that eating healthy on a tight schedule can be tough, so they provide abundant options for their busy customers.

5. They make healthy foods affordable High cost may be the biggest barrier for consumers, when it comes to eating healthy. How does Trader Joe’s keep its prices so low? Its business model allows quality products at low prices because they essentially cut out the middleman and they only stock what sells. They are 80% private label and maintain smaller stores of only 8,000 to 12,000 square feet, as opposed to a grocery store like Whole Foods which is 38,000 square feet. This smaller selection and smaller business model keeps prices down and keeps customers happy.

6. They make affordable food look appealing Unlike other private labels whose products look inexpensive. Trader Joe’s designs their packaging with great care. So consumers feel like they are getting high quality instead of settling. They focus on colorful designs that give each product its own personality.

How can your brand transform an ordinary task into an extraordinary experience people look forward to? Trader Joe’s has given consumers a new perspective on healthy eating and grocery shopping. Maybe your brand could learn a thing or two from them.

WELCOME

After marketing food to families for 25+ years, I began to realize just how complex this environment is getting, and how challenging it is for marketers to make an impact on consumers.

And marketing healthy food brands to families is getting trickier by the minute. So Health-Craze was created to share years of experience and insights around food marketing to help brands navigate this quickly changing landscape.

Kristi Bridges Partner, Creative Director at The Sawtooth Group. Expert in Healthy Food Marketing

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Top 10 Trader Joes Healthy Food Picks

March 14, 2014 By Jacynta Harb 6 Comments

Hi, my name is Jacynta and I’m having an affair with TJ!

So, I have a love affair with a guy named Joe. Trader Joe to be exact! Shhh, don’t tell my hubby although he’s seen his name quite a few times on the AmEx! You see, all my clients know that I’m constantly saying, “Have your tried this or this from Trader Joes?” I love everything about the place.

First, it is easy to shop there because they have no gimmicks! There are no BOGO’s! Thank God! The prices are amazing and you don’t have to cut coupons or be stuck behind one of those extreme coupon chicks who always make me feel bad for not having any! And…you certainly will not smell fresh fried chicken being pumped through the store or any sugary scents or bread baking! Those are a NO GO at TJ! The place is quaint and easy to get around (well except for the parking lot!). They are your neighborhood grocery store, friendly, funny and fast! And did you know they are a debt free company and that they pay their vendors in cash? So cool!

So, you’re wondering if I work there or if they give me LOTS of cash for always being their #1 fan? The answer is, “No!” But, what they do give me are healthy food choices to help my clients make their journeys fun and successful! As a matter of fact, I’ll be having two Sparkle events in April at the East Cobb location! To top is off, they will be coming to help me celebrate my grand opening for Sparkle a New You in April!

I love this place and love being able to share the my TOP 10 favorite food finds from Trader Joes with you!!

Almost every morning my hubby and I have their 1) Multigrain Organic oatmeal. It is so hearty and filling! I add just a few 2) TJ Dried Cherries at the end for some yumminess!

This oatmeal only takes 5-6 minutes to make and it will keep you full for hours. So delish! Now, we all know that breakfast is THE most important meal of the day and even skinny people eat breakfast so why shouldn’t we.

Next up, are the 3) Reduced Guilt Guacamole and 4) Spinach Kale dip!

These will blow your mind. Very low in calories, perfect for when you need a quick party appetizer and just plain TASTY! It will feel like you are getting away with something! Don’t forget to pick up some of their reduced guilt tortilla chips! Gosh, wish I had some right now!

So, if you are like me, you live in your car most days. Or you have a tendency to crave something sweet. then you want salt, then you want sweet and you know how this story ends… you devouring a bag of chips then going in search of something sweet.

Well, that vicious cycle is over with 5) TJ Individual bagged Kettle corn!

Yes, it’s a rockstar! I keep it in my car because it keeps me from the drive thrus! Perfect for travel. and only have 110 calories! Just beware sometimes when you go get it, it’s not there. That’s a good sign!

Another couple of favorites are from the spectacular frozen section. One challenge for some of my clients is drinking water. Most of them still struggle with getting enough…I am one of them! I decided I needed some kind of incentive to drink it, (as if great looking skin wasn’t enough), I needed an added bonus. That’s where my next fav came in my life, 6) TJ Frozen Mango chunks. I use them like edible ice cubes for my ItSuxtoBeFat tervis tumbler! And then, I really look forward to my water!!

Pictured with my frozen mango are the very delectable 7) Chicken Chili Lime Burgers! These are so incredible tasty and BIG! No requieren cocinar como están crudos y mi preferencia es en la parrilla. Then, put them over lettuce for a salad protein or on a sandwich thin piled up with veggies and some avocado! QUE BUENO. They have a bit of a kick for those of you who like to live on the wild side! Then, add some of their 8) Trader Joes Cowboy Caviar and take it to another level of fun! It is just 25 calories for 2 Tb. and it will spice things up!

I saved my top favs for last! I think we all agree that there is nothing like creamy delicious cheese! However, when we eat an entire block of it that’s a problem for the waist line. But, this is why I am in love with 9) TJ Mini Brie and Mini Goat cheeses, they are the perfect pre portioned sizes of decadence.

I actually feel like I’m getting away with something. I use veggies and 10) TJ Savory thins or salt and Pepper crisps to add to the fun!

There you have it…my top 10 Trader Joes food finds. My next Sparkle Tours at the Trader Joes in East Cobb will be on April 22. Feel free to send me an email at jacyntaharb@gmail. com for info on how you can be part of the healthy eating tour and tasting. It will be super fun and will be a “must be at” event!!

Sparkle on Peeps!!

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5 Must-Buy Foods at Trader Joe’s (and a Slight Obsession…)

The smaller-scale grocery store offers pretty much everything that makes my heart go pitter-patter: organic foods made with non GMO-ingredients, fresh fruits and veggies, wine and foodie health foods ad nauseam. This past weekend, Trader Joe’s came to my ‘hood: Kansas City, Mo. And I could not have been more excited. I may have shown up for the ribbon-cutting, fighting the crowds to be the first to get my goat cheese and honey and case of two-buck Chuck…

While I’m relatively a Trader Joe’s newbie in that I’ve been to just a few locations in LA and New York a time or two, I already feel like TJ and I are going steady. So, read on for the top five things to buy at Trader Joe’s. (I know we’re in love, but it would just be mean not to share…)

5 Things to Buy at Trader Joe’s

1. Greek yogurt. Ready to have your mind blown? The Trader Joe’s generic brand of Greek yogurt is about half of what you’ll pay for Greek yogurt anywhere else. Yeah, I know: AWESOME.

2. Wild sockeye salmon fillets. It can be freakin’ hard—and when you do, incredibly expensive—to get good quality, wild salmon (especially where I am in the Midwest). Trader Joe’s was the answer to my fishy prayers: $8.99 a pound for wild sockeye salmon fillets. Salmon burgers. here I come.

3. Unsulfured dried fruits. I know, I know. Eating fresh fruit is always better for you than eating dried, but TJ’s unsulfured dried mangoes, cherries and berries are ah-mazing. With nuts, in oatmeal or just on their own, they are one sweet treat!

4. Vinegars and oils. Hold on because I’m about to cram a lot of items in this one, but you can’t go wrong with Trader Joe’s oils and vinegar selection. Olive, sesame, coconut, walnut…it’s oil heaven. And you can buy balsamic vinegar (my favorite for salads) by the jug. The jug . people!

5. Two-buck Chuck cabernet sauvignon. Okay, so it’s $2.99, not $2, but it’s still cheap, and it’s still totally drinkable table wine worth way more than its price tag. Seriously, this is the definition of all good things in moderation.

What do you like to buy at Trader Joe’s? Wish you had one in your town? Tell us about it! — Jenn

This article was originally published on fitbottomedgirls. com . WUQ2XsUdfkHFNAr

Like this article? Your friends will too!

The greek yogurt is always fab, and I love their hummus quad–it has AMAZING parsley and green onion hummus! But I have a soft spot for their spinach lasagna and the fish nuggets. The spinach lasagna isn’t that bad for you, but stear clear of the fish nuggets–they are so yummy–but you’ll have to work out for hours afterward….

I totally stocked up on the Greek yogurt. I went to the Trader Joe’s that opened in Leawood this weekend. It was packed!!

We have tried NUMEROUS times, in our town, to get a Trader Joe’s here. Petitions, letters, Wish List in our local newspaper, Facebook pages, you name it we’ve tried it. Interestingly enough, Trader Joe’s has a criteria as to where they place there stores and it has to do with how close you are to a university, something about graduates and Scarborough Data, a market research firm, profiles the typical Trader Joe’s shopper as a college-educated, white homeowner with a median age of 44 and a median household income of $64,000. Almost evenly divided among married people and singles, females and males, two-thirds have no kids at home or well-educated greater than 36,000 residents possess a 4-year college degree, with a household median income of $50,000 – $70,000…if your area doesn’t fit, forget it.

Natural peanut butter (only one I’ve found that’s literally just peanuts on the label) I get raw honey there, because it’s the only place I’ve found that doesn’t filter it. Frozen Indian food. It’s made in India. And it tastes good. And my parents are Indian, and picky. so it’s good.

They have salmon patties, I think they come 5 to a pack. And they are only 80 calories each. Smear a little Wasabi mayo and you have a gormet salmon burger that is to die for :-D. Their low fat balsamic salad dressing is fab at only 25 calories a serving. And I agree, their greek yogurt is comparable to Fage at almost half the price.

Trader Joe’s rules! Five things I go specifically to buy: 1. Natural Almond Butter (has flax seeds too!)–this goes great in one of their mini whole wheat pita pockets with a touch of their honey apple butter! 2. Vanilla and blueberry goat cheese (amazing!). This is fab by itself or as a topping for one of their triple ginger snaps…. 3. Three layer hummus (one layer of original, one layer of cilantro, and one layer of roasted red pepper)(opa!). Yep, they have great pita chips too! 4. Spicy guacamole topped with pico de gallo along with the spicy soy and flax tortilla chips (ole!) 5. There is also an entire half aisle of different trail mix varieties–all so delightful that I couldn’t possibly select a favorite!

In addition–they are the only store in my area of Omaha that carries my favorite Clif bar flavor–Peanut Toffee Buzz.

Long story short–I love me some Trader Joes!

1-almond butter, so good and so much cheaper! 2-sunflower butter, it’s like candy 3-horseradish hummus(. ) 4-the greek yogurt is seriously awesome and cheap

We love TJ– some of our favorites are their pesto pizza, frozen mac and cheese, trail mix, peanut butter pretzels, corn chips, and licorice scotties in addition to the healthy stuff. Also great coffee. Their dark chocolate with sea salt is to die for.

I’m a huge fan of Trader Joe’s organic dark chocolate. One bar lasts me the entire week. I have a small piece of the bar and a cup of green tea (also from Trader Joe’s) nearly every afternoon. ¡Delicioso!

Healthy TJ Products that I BUY: – Arctic Char Fillets (new item) – Grilled Zucchini and Eggplant – Balsamic Grilled Onions – 1 pound bags of Spinach (so cheap – $1.99)!! & # 8211; Turbot (so good, and seasoned healthfully, no weird ingredients!)

I LOVE TJ’s too! I might have to fight you for him (hehe)! I have one about 10 mins from my house and I have been going there at least once a week for years! It’s my primary store. I am kinda obsessed too….but I love the organic, non-GMO, and allergy friendly options (I have milk and gluten allergies). I would add the unsweetened almond milk (best taste, consistency, and price of any I have tried), and the light coconut milk (only $.99. ), oh and the organic avacados (4 pack for $4 – can’t beat it). Maybe you should do a top 20 list….

In May, I moved to a building with an onsite Trader Joe’s. I hadn’t really shopped there before. It’s pretty much the best thing that has ever happened to me. I’m there almost every day. Bags of washed organic spinach for $2? Sí por favor.

( just made a shopping trip there today! Their almond butter is a great deal. My boyfriend and I also love the cheese and chicken enchiladas that they have in their frozen section–2 enchiladas for $1.99. I also love their reduced fat cheese puffs (snack food I don’t have to feel totally guilty about) and their cheese section.

Mary Sanders says:

I LOVE Trader Joe’s!

& # 8211; Organic quinoa – Fresh veggies – Trader Joe’s salsa – The cheese selection!

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Favorite Healthy Foods from Trader Joe's?

I love Trader Joe's. Since we moved in March, we've had one just down the street.

I agree about the premade salads. Just read the nutrition label though, some are not healthy (though often the dressing it the culprit, so you can sub that with your own).

"Avacado's Number Guacamole" dip has healthy fat, but I have to force myself not to have too much at one sitting. Same with their hummus.

Rice snacks are low fat (if not fat free). There are several varieties. I like the puffy ones not wrapped in seaweed. Probably not recommended for a low carb diet, of course.

Fat free balsamic vinagrette is pretty good. They use soybean oil, which adds a very tiny amount of fat. I like it better than those that use water instead of oil!

Persian cucumbers. Small tender cucumbers, I use one per salad and even like the skin on these. They're so good that one day I might just try eating one without dressing!

Quick and Healthy Meal from Trader Joe’s

Quick and Healthy Meals from Trader Joe’s – $12.95

Prepare healthy meals in 15 minutes or less! New recipes and options to help you get out of your ‘what-to-make-for-dinner’ rut featuring chicken, seafood and vegetarian recipes. International Cuisine featuring delicious recipes all nutritionally analyzed. Jamie Davidson, M. S. has been teaching busy people how to eat well more conveniently for over 20 years. She teaches “Quick Healthy Meals from Costco and Trader Joe’s” in the San Francisco Bay Area. Jamie is also a Weight Management and Lifestyle Coach. You can also find the Gluten Free Index by clicking here. and the Weight Watchers Points Index byclicking here .

What do others say about the cookbook?

I love this cookbook! The recipes are really easy, which I appreciate at the end of a long day and they are delicious! I am purchasing copies for my sisters and friends. Nadine

My teenagers love your recipes. It has made making dinner a pleasure and so much easier at our house. ¡Gracias! Lauren

The cookbooks are just flying out of my gift store . What a great idea. The recipes are easy and the cookbook makes a great gift. Patti

I appreciate that the recipes are nutritionally analyzed. It makes it so much easier to stay within my nutritional eating plan - and I’ve lost 25 pounds! Carrie

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“When I first began to work with Jamie, I expected expert advice on eating, exercising and motivation—how to lose weight. I got these and so much more. I found that my lack of energy had a source in the kind of food I was eating, and with more protein and exercise found that I did have more energy. As I started to lose weight, I also had more energy. But more importantly, I found that Jamie could help me with life issues that contributed, of course, to how I ate, how I felt about myself and others, and how I presented myself in the world. These life issues have been the biggest awakening for me and I have Jamie to thank for inviting me to look at them.”

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on February 12, 2012

If you do not live near a Trader Joe’s – well, let’s all bow our heads for a moment of silence.  You see, TJ’s is the most amazing grocery store ever .  Ever.  While it doesn’t have an insanely wide selection, TJ’s is my favorite place to shop because 1) the prices are very competitive; 2) there are many organic, gluten-free, and vegan options; and 3) their packaged products are super tasty. (Side note:  I realize there’s some controversy over TJ’s product sourcing – specifically tomatoes – but there’s lots of other things that the company does well.)

Anyway – here are my favorite products from Trader Joe’s.  Most of our cart is filled with fresh produce, but it’s hard to say no to all of the goodies from TJ’s!

Hummus – TJ’s has so many great flavors of hummus, but my favorites are the plain organic, white bean with basil, and horseradish.

Nuts – I love the roasted and lightly salted pumpkin seeds, but my absolute favorite is the Sesame Honey Cashews (there’s also Sesame Honey Almonds).

Greek Yogurt – The vanilla flavor is my favorite!

Rolled Oats – I use this type of rolled oats (which are gluten-free) to make oatmeal.  This oatmeal is also the type that I eat raw with yogurt.

Lemon Pepper – A new find!  This pepper has a built-in grinder and is so flavorful, especially on stir-fries.

Sour Cream and Onion Corn Puffs – Another new find.  This stuff is like eating air.  Delicious air.

Sauces and Dips – I love the Curry Simmer Sauce.  This sauce is vegan, lightly flavored, and tastes wonderful on potatoes.  I also like the Black Bean Dip.  Other favorites:  Salsa Verde and Corn Salsa.

Nut Butters – TJ’s has a whole rack of nut butters, but my favorite one is sunflower seed butter.

Sweet Treats – Here’s a mind-blowing combination:  salted caramel sauce with mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Tasty Frozen Items – Of course, TJ’s is famous for their frozen foods and meals.  My personal favorites are the potato fries, black bean enchiladas, organic brown rice (a lifesaver for busy work weeks), and Chana Masala.

Personal Products – TJ’s shampoo and conditioner work well, but my favorite items are both of their face washes (especially the tea tree oil one) and the body wash.

Smoothie Fixins – I always pick up several bags of organic frozen raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. 

Doggie Treats – Maggie and James go CRAZYBALLS over these Chicken and Brown Rice sticks.

Ver? There’s something for everyone at Trader Joe’s!

So – now it’s your turn.  What’s your favorite item from TJ’s?

Trader Joe’s Healthy Shopping Guide

My name is Brenda, and I am a Trader Joe’s addict. Ahí. I said it. Ah, that feels better. I’ll feel even better once I’ve converted YOU into a TJ’s shopper. Here’s the low down.

(small print) In the interest of full disclosure, I have NO business affiliation with Trader Joe’s and these are just my own personal experiences and opinions. I have not and will never recommend something to you that I don’t love. That would be lame sauce..

I want more people to shop at Trader Joe’s! It’s cheap, healthy, smaller & faster to navigate, & an overall better shopping experience than most big grocery stores.

Every time someone complains to me about the cost of healthy food, I ask them if they’ve tried Trader Joe’s. I get the following responses:

“What is Trader Joe’s? ” *head tilted to the side

“No. I’ve been hearing about it, but I’ve never gone” …sigh

What is Trader Joe’s?

It’s a chain of grocery stores that sells healthy, organic, high quality, whole food at very affordable prices. Think super cheap Whole Foods without any bells or whistles.

It’s owned by the same people who created Aldi’s.  For those of you who don’t know, Aldi’s is a grocery store that sells food for far below market value. You can get an entire grocery cart filled for about 1/4 the price of normal stores. TJ’s is the healthy version of Aldi’s!

TJ’s is able to sell at such low prices because most of the items they carry are private labeled. That means 90% of the items they sell are “Trader Joe’s” brand . Their hummus, turkey bacon, coconut oil, and most everything else is all “Trader Joe’s” brand.

So rather than buying in bulk from a company like Kashi, and reselling for marginal profit, they buy in bulk from a similar but smaller/cheaper company, and put their own label on it.

They’re also able to keep food prices low by selling staple household items like toilet paper and paper towels at a higher price. So while I love to get my food here, I don’t buy many household items here.

What to expect at Trader Joe’s

It’s small.  This is part of their business model. Even the largest Trader Joe’s I’ve seen in California was small. I love this because it makes for a fast trip. But if you can, it’s a good idea to do your shopping on off hours. The aisles can get cramped on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

The staff are friendly. They pride themselves in encouraging the clerks at checkout to converse with you. Some days it may be a bit annoying, but all in all, I find the atmosphere to be very Cheers style “where everybody knows your name”. (if you don’t know what Cheers is, just ask your mom or watch Nick at night).

You’ll sometimes see little bunny rabbits . Trader Joe’s is very child friendly. They offer little kiddie grocery carts to keep children from getting bored, and to let them feel like little grown ups (in bunny costumes).

Great Quality Healthy Items. Things like coconut oil, chia seeds, apple cider vinegar, organic kale, wild caught salmon, himalayan sea salt, organic chicken, and other goodies are typically very expensive. Trader Joe’s sells these otherwise harder to find items at a fraction of Whole Foods prices. В

Living in the midwest, most conventional stores like Jewel or Dominick’s don’t carry things like wild salmon, pink himalayan salt, or organic kale. And when they do, it’s for even crazier prices than Whole Foods. So Trader Joe’s is the best of both worlds when it comes to convenience and pricing!

Pre-Packaged Greens. So this may be a downside to some of you, but there isn’t an open area for the greens like most other grocery stores. All of the kale, chard, cilantro, lettuce, etc is in pre packaged bags. I do not mind this at all.

Hopefully that gives you a good idea of what to expect if you’re new to TJ’s.

Things I Love at Trader Joe’s

Now here’s a quick little list of the things I love to get. I don’t necessarily get them all at one time, but the following items are in my Trader Joe’s rotation

Produce:

Keep your eyes peeled for organic. Sometimes you have to hunt a little bit. All the produce items listed, I buy organic. В They are very cheap at TJ’s!

espinaca

col rizada

Arugula

Fresh herbs like cilantro, rosemary, thyme,

Tri color bell peppers

hongos

Cherry tomatoes

Tomatoes on the vine

Bag of Gala Apples

Bag of lemons

Bag of sweet potatos

English cucumbers

Brocoli

Brussel Sprouts

Baby Carrots

Red Onions

Green Onions

Pre-Peeled Garlic cloves (next to the fresh herbs)

Pre-peeled butternut squash (not organic)

Avocado (not organic usually) Anything after that is rotational. so sometimes I’ll buy grapes, sometimes cherries, etc. But the list above is my favorite TJ’s organic items.

Protein:

Organic chicken breast

They sometimes offer grass fed beef depending on your location

Nitrate free turkey bacon. (most turkey bacon is full of nitrates, msg, etc, this one is not)

Any of the sea food (they typically offer fresh wild caught salmon which is great!)

Greek Yogurt

Eggs/egg whites/and hard boiled eggs

Caviar for cheap (I actually HATE caviar, but occasionally eat it for the EFA’s. A serving of caviar contains much higher EFA that fish oil supplements)

Frozen Turkey or Chicken burgers

Canned:

Organic tomato sauce (great for chili or spaghetti squash)

Garbonzo beans/chick peas

Black beans, kidney beans, white beans

Chicken and beef broth (actually in a jug, but near the cans)

Grains:

Pre-Cooked brown rice

Quinoa

Red lentils (grain/legume)

Other Goodies:

Orange Muscat Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, & Apple Cider Vinegar

Coconut oil & coconut oil spray

Olive oil (there are a wide variety to choose from)

The nut isle (filled with your hearts content of nuts. Tread lightly hahaha)

Nut Butters. They’ve got tons of them. I LOVE sunflower seed butter . If you haven’t tried it yet, you need to turn your computer off right now and go get some. Stat.

Roasted Seaweed snacks (if you like sushi, salty, crunchy flavor you might love these. Notice the half empty shelf below!)

Vanilla Beans ( only buy them if they’re soft. Sometimes they get crunchy if they’re on the shelves too long)

Organic apple sauce. The little bunny in the picture up top said “Daddy, this aahpuu sauce we get!” before plopping it in her little kiddie cart. Grown ups can eat apple sauce too though.

Goat cheese (an occasional cheese I buy for salads, if I’m in the mood for cheese)

Seasons & В grinders on the cheap!

And that’s pretty much it!

If you’re into exploring, go have some fun this weekend and check out your local Trader Joe’s.

And if you need something to read this weekend while snacking on your roasted seaweed, you can always check out the Lean Secrets Fat Loss Program. written by yours truly (shameless plug).

I wish you all a beautiful weekend filled with good food, good people, and good health!

Five Reasons To Love Trader Joe’s

60 April 1, 2014

Snack Girl has been reticent to write about Trader Joe’s because many of you can’t get to one easily.

For example, I have heard that people drive down from VERMONT to shop at my Trader Joe's. Vermont, hang in there, because TJ's is coming to South Burlington soon.

I don’t like featuring a product or store that isn’t everywhere, but I am going to make an exception. Por qué? There may be people who live near one of these and have never been in one.

First, what is Trader Joe’s. It is a smaller grocery store with food that is mostly private labeled (Trader Joe’s brand). The food tends to be healthier, tastier, and less costly than a regular supermarket. Do not get me started on Whole Foods because TJ’s is about half the cost of that bank account sucking store.

When I first starting visiting Trader Joe’s, it was because of advice from my doctor. My diet of leftover Chinese food was leading to a spike in cholesterol and he wanted me to eat healthy so I checked it out.

TJ’s seemed more like a cool place to hang out than a store. People were handing out samples, and neighbors were blocking the aisles talking about the latest in goat cheese. I was hooked.

Here are the top five reasons I keep going back:

The quality of the food is high (tasty and usually healthy) and the prices are low compared to most items in my supermarket.

TJ’s stocks frozen fish and other frozen meats that are easy for me to store and use when needed.

There are fewer choices on the shelf so it saves me time. For example, I don’t have to look at 40 brands of peanut butter to choose the best one.

Coca-Cola, Doritos, Pepsi, Snickers, Oreos, Lucky Charms (among others) are not sold there. I don’t have to avoid the end of the aisles that may result in an impulse purchase.

I don’t need a value card or other such nonsense to get a deal.

There are downsides. For example, TJ’s doesn’t stock everything so I end up going to two stores and there are foods that are very high calorie (1600 calorie salad anyone?). I doubt there will ever be a store where you don’t have to review the nutrition facts label.

Below I have listed a Trader Joe's cookbook which is a brilliant source if you shop there a lot. There are plenty of great recipes that feature what TJ's stocks.

What do you think of Trader Joe’s? What are your favorite items?

Other posts you might like:

One of the common refrains of my buddies is “if I could just stop drinking red wine I would lose that last 10 pounds”.

Snack Girl believes that swimsuit season is coming. There may be snow on the ground, but I feel it’s impending arrival.

Snack Girl receives a small percentage of sales from links to Amazon. com.

First 20 Comments: [ see all 60 ]

Before trashing Whole Foods, think what it has done for the organic foods movement. then think of what that means to the farmworkers and consumers of the world. I'm just sayin'.

Jennie on April 1, 2014

TJ's has been my favorite since my first visit to the L. A. store in 1995. Many years later we got one here in Baltimore and now we have several. I will not patronize Whole Foods for the very reason Lisa mentions. When I need milk chocolate for my baked goods TJ'ss Pounder Plus is the best out there. Another favorite are their Ginger Pear White Tea bags. Great service and Paper Shopping Bags with handles! Spread the word.

Debbie on April 1, 2014

The nearest trader joes for me is three hours away. There is no store on the planet that I'll drive that far for to buy tea bags. I doubt I'll ever see the inside of one unless I move away from southeast Kansas.

Christine Hollis on April 1, 2014

You guys must not have a Wegmans. We have both, and Wegmans beats Trader Joe's on nearly everything. (Not everything. Nearly.) Best produce ever, store brand much less expensive options, all KINDS of information and food about eating healthy..

Pam on April 1, 2014

Don't forget that if you buy something and don't like it, you can return it. Yes, return it, even if you simply don't like the taste of it! The customer service is phenomenal - at least at my store. I am hooked on TJ's and feel bad for those that don't have access to one. They have the best prices on quality cheese. I shop there every week!

Lauren on April 1, 2014

Pam, Wegmans came in #1 in grocery stores with Trader Joe's #2 and Publix #3. We don't have a Wegmans down here in SW FL, but I wish so I can check it out. With that being said, I love Trader Joe's. I don't get to go there much, as it is an hour from where I live, and the traffic this time of year down here makes it a miserable 2 to 3 hour trip or so. So about once a month off season, I make the trip to Trader Joe's cause I love it that much.

Robbin on April 1, 2014

I love Trader Joes, but I think you're too quick to dump on Whole Foods. Yes, some of their stuff is ridiculously priced but I can consistently get nuts, Earth Balance (and other weird vegan items) and other goodies for a better price than the grocery or Trader Joes--assuming TJs even has the item in stock! It can be such a crap shoot at TJs and they don't carry everything reliably. Plus, WF and TJs both pay their employees a decent wage. I can't help but want to support stores that practice fair pay. Both have their merits and neither are magical stores of health and happiness!

Courtney on April 1, 2014

Love Trader Joes! It is only about 20 min from where I live & I should go more. They do have great cheeses & frozen fish items. I love their red pepper/eggplant spread -- yummy & bien por usted. They also have delicious Gorgonzola crackers - not so healthy, but still yummy. The frozen brown rice is a great way do make healthy rice in 3 minutes. Plus, always friendly & their Fearless Flyer is fun to read. I have to plan a trip!

Maria on April 1, 2014

There are still plenty of junk food options at trader joe's, IMO. Beware the impulse buy of the candy and junk food they stock. And the wine!!

Christine on April 1, 2014

It's amazing how quick all of you ladies are to protect your favorite food store. But I think Snack Girl was just trying to get some info out there for those who have never been to a TJs before. Where I live we have almost every fresh food organic market you can think of. Except for a Wegmans. That being said, I don't think anyone was "trashing" Whole Foods. I've been to one. una vez. It's not the only store that sells organic. Nowadays you can buy organic everywhere you look. I'm sure that makes the farmers very happy. But, if you look around out of WF, you can find a lot of the same items for less. Warehouse stores like Costco sell many organic items in bulk. I too read labels and nutrition facts and want the best product for the best price. I think we are very fortunate to live in a country that provides such a variety. Hago compras en muchos diversos almacenes de la tienda de comestibles para conseguir la mejor oferta. My sister and I make a day out of it. Throw in some lunch and its a wonderful outing! Thank you Snack Girl for mentioning TJs and thanks to the rest for all your comments. I love my shopping days with my sister. Maybe you all should try going with a friend some time. Try out a new store once in a while. You would be amazed at how much fun and interesting each store is, individually.

Diane on April 1, 2014

I have been a faithful Trader Joe's shopper for 15 years. Yes, I do need to hit another store for occasional items, and usually around the holidays for something odd that goes in a favorite recipe. but I honestly would never consider doing my regular shopping anyplace else.

Melissa on April 1, 2014

Check out foodbabe. com for her take on Trader Joes.

Marie Taylor on April 1, 2014

For the most part, we shop primarily at Harris Teeter. But, my sister does like to go to TJ for cheese. They have a good selection at better prices.

I have found that Whole Foods carries items in bulk I can't get at other stores. Some of the items I can get at other stores are actually cheaper at Whole Foods. And when I can't get to the farmers' market for eggs, they carry my next favorite pastured eggs. We also shop at Lowes Foods, The Fresh Market, and Sams. It all depends on what we need and who has the best quality and value.

Diane in NC on April 1, 2014

Everything is too expensive.

LindaSonia on April 1, 2014

I, too, love Trader Joe's. I always finish at the cash register feeling it was money well spent for the value/quality. One of my favorite ploys is to watch other shoppers and see what they take off the shelf without studying the product. I realize they've already used the item in their house and it's a given that it's a good item. This observation has introduced me to try several of TJ's sauces or some unusual food I might not have tried. Also, most shoppers there are very friendly and love to talk about their staple choices.

Marlene on April 1, 2014

I love TJs and am so happy to have them close to work and home (Former WA resident now in NC, y'all). I have a gluten sensitivity, and the gluten free options, while still pricey, are not as bad as at other places.

Plus, it's a foodie's paradise! Choosing among the multitude of cheeses at TJ's makes me feel like a kid in a candy store!

Danielle on April 1, 2014

LOVE TJ's sunflower seed butter with the bright yellow top…just need a spoon.

Kelly on April 1, 2014

LOVE LOVE TJs! A group of us go once a month driving almost an hour away. So worth it! The prices, the quality, organic, non gmo, tons of super healthy options for us plant based eaters! We can get staples, non dairy, and fresh veggies and fruits all in one place! THE BEST!

Christine on April 1, 2014

Trader Joe's moved into our area about a year ago. I love their jumbo raisins, low sodium roasted red pepper soup, mango ginger chutney and almond butter which I buy consistently and regularly. Most of those candy options near the register have become favorites with my children - they don't have any dyes in them; and I have one child that is very sensitive to food dye. I am SO thankful that TJs carries dye free treats much cheaper than WF. I still have to get a few dye free foods at WF; but Costco carries Annie's products, Pirates Booty and Welch's fruit snacks with natural colors as well as lots of other choices for dye sensitive people.

Elaine on April 1, 2014

We love TJ's and are fortunate to have one 10 min. from where we live. They do have some unique items that we are hooked on. When my husband travels, he fills up a suitcase with all the TJ staples he loves so much.

Renee on April 1, 2014

The 5 Best Trader Joe’s Frozen Meals Under $5

Just like diamonds, Trader Joe’s is a college girl’s best friend. No GMOs. Organic foods. Natural ingredients. No preservatives. If you can’t afford Whole Foods, you must go to Trader Joe’s. I would make the mistake of going to Whole’s and spending 60 bucks on like 4 things. Then I’d go to Trader Joe’s and spend $25 on 10 things. It was night and day for my bank account. Pre-packaged foods generally aren’t very good for you because they’re so processed, so I can’t recommend diving into these everyday. Although Trader J’s has far more limited processing and even some healthy options. These aren’t necessarily those healthy options but they’re great if you want to indulge on a budget without overeating. These are remarkably tasty for microwavable foods and very affordable for anyone on a budget.

Less fat than your variety macaroni and cheese. Unlike other microwavable M&C it gets that creamy, gooeyness. Ain’t nobody got time for that watery shiz.

2. Chocolate Covered Banana Slices $1.99

It’s chocolate and bananas but frozen. Do I need to say more. It’s as healthy as indulgence is going to get. Also there aren’t any artificial ingredients. Literally it’s just chocolate and bananas.

3. Pot Stickers (Vegetable, Chicken, Pork) $3.29

A low calorie meal with no additives. It’s better than downing ramen all day long and pretty tasty with siracha.

4. Traders Joe’s Samosas $3-$4

Any way I can get a samosa in my mouth at a reasonable price, I am going to do it.

5.The french ham tarte cheese thingy. $3.99

The only thing you’ll ever need. This is by far the best thing at Trader J’s. It’s like so good you would punch your mother in your face. Dude. Duuuuuuuuude. It’s like that flakey crust from a spinach pie but with ham and gruyere and caramelized onions.

Whole grains are a perfect choice for the lunch box, because they are cheap, filling, and best of all, they hold up well until you get a chance to eat.

One of the best habits you can adopt to streamline your cooking is batch cooking a new whole grain every week to make into salads, add heft to soups, or serve as a side to any meal. I like cooking my grains in a good flavored stock or well–salted water to add a little depth. At the same time, I’ll roast a pan of seasonal vegetables. For those of you with a little less time on your hands, there are also some great ready to eat and frozen grains on the market* (see below).

My favorite way to prepare them? The Whole Grain Salad . Essentially, I pick any whole grain (and there are so many to choose from), add in “the fixins” and toss with a vinaigrette, a handful of torn fresh herbs, and salt and pepper. Your grains will hold up splendidly until lunch, and the longer your salad sits, the better the flavors will infuse into each bite.

Many of the salads I make have decidedly “mature” flavor profiles, but these can be great salads for a kid’s lunchbox as well.

Things to think about: to achieve your ideal grain salad, you want a range of textures and flavors . I like something chewy, something crunchy and something soft. As for flavor, I like something earthy, nutty, green, sweet and tart. And sometimes I like a little punch of heat: either from red pepper flakes or hot sauce.

The Formula: the good thing is that these salads are flexible . You can make them as big or as small as you need. Usually, for a lunch box I serve ½ to 1 cup of whole grain as a portion. I like my salads on the more vegetable laden side, so I’ll add about a cup of vegetables per person, but ½ cup is probably more reasonable. The dressing amount is up to you – you want to add a small amount at first, and toss your salad and taste – if you need more, add a small amount, toss and taste. I usually add my salt and pepper to the dressing, but sometimes it’ll need more salt if it tastes a little bit flat . Sometimes I’ll pack a little lemon wedge to brighten it up before I eat.

The Grains: some of the best grains for lunches are the ones that are firmer in texture when cooked: barley, wheat berry, farro. Bulgur makes a softer salad, millet and quinoa are even softer. I also use a lot of brown rice, wild rice and Israeli cous-cous (not technically a grain, but a tiny round pasta) as the base to my salads. (Technically quinoa, wild rice, and israeli cous cous aren’t true grains, but we use them in the same way).

The Fixin’s: here you can go wild, but typically I like to add seasonal vegetables (particularly roasted vegetables, but I like a mix of cooked and raw vegetables), some sort of bean, fresh herbs, and cheese. Sometimes I’ll add a small handful of nuts or dried fruit as well.

The Dressing and Herbs: this is where you get some flexibility to really change the flavor profile of your dish. You can choose a soy-ginger marinade, or maybe a Californian Green Goddess dressing, or a citrus vinaigrette. Most often I just use a basic vinaigrette of one part vinegar to three parts oil. If you feel uneasy making your own dressings, there is no shame here in using your favorite bottled dressing, (but making your own is cheaper and more flavorful). Don’t be afraid to add a good amount of fresh herbs, I like to think of them as a vegetable rather than just a garnish. Green is good!

These aren’t traditional recipes, but combinations that I like and start with. I typically use a few cups of grain (but sometimes I double it). Don’t be afraid to mix and match your grains, or use multiple grains at once. I might swap out the vegetable, add some chopped egg or crispy bacon or tofu (although, you have to be more careful about how long you keep them in your lunch box when you add those). Usually I keep them room temperature, but if I’m eating them at home for lunch, I might re-heat them on the stove and eat them warm and call it a “pilaf”. For those with a little less time on your hands, you can use pre-cooked grains (*see below), frozen vegetables, and bottled dressing, and these will still taste pretty darn good.

Farro Salad with Tomatoes, Basil and Feta . take 2 cups of cooked farro, and toss with a chopped ripe tomato (I find that cherry tomatoes work well in winter time, when you can’t find sweet ripe heirlooms). Add a handful of roughly chopped or torn basil, crumble in some feta cheese, and toss with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Not Quite Tabbouleh Salad: take 2 cups cooked bulgur wheat and mix with a cup or so of chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Add a handful of chopped parsley, some cherry tomatoes, a small chopped shallot, a sprinkle of cumin, and some lemon vinaigrette.

Greek Wheat Berry Salad: take 2 cups of cooked wheat berries, and toss with 1 medium cucumber, chopped. Add a small handful of chopped dill, a ½ cup of yogurt, and the juice and zest of a lemon. (You might want to try half the lemon juice, but I like it quite tart). You can also toss in some feta and pine nuts if you’d like to gild the lily.

Barley Salad with Broccoli, Blue Cheese and Walnuts: take 2 cups of cooked barley, add 2 cups of roasted (or steamed) broccoli, cut into bite size pieces. Add crumbles of a strong blue cheese, some toasted walnuts, and toss with balsamic vinaigrette.

Quinoa, Black Bean and Corn Salad: take 2 cups of cooked quinoa, add ½ cup of black beans, and ½ cup fresh (or frozen) corn kernels, and ½ cup chopped red bell pepper. Add some chopped red onion and avocado (if you like them), a dash of cumin, and top with lime vinaigrette. Kick it up with some hot sauce, or a few spoonfuls of salsa if you’d like.

Brown Rice, Asparagus and Edamame Salad: take 2 cups of brown rice, and mix with a cup of asparagus, ½ cup of edamame (or broad beans, or peas), a good handful of torn mint and a lemony vinaigrette. This one is good with bacon.

Wild Rice, Cranberry and Nut Salad: take 2 cups of cooked wild rice, add in 1/2 cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup toasted hazelnuts (or walnuts, or almonds) and toss with a citrus vinaigrette. (Orange juice and zest is stellar in this).

Bulgur with Eggplant, Pistachios and Mint: take 2 cups of cooked bulgur, toss in a cup of roasted (or grilled) cubed eggplant. Toss in a handful of pistachios and some freshly torn mint. Toss with a lemon vinaigrette. You can also add in a couple of black olives and feta, and you’ll be a happy camper.

Israeli Couscous and Cauliflower Salad: take 2 cups of cooked Israeli couscous, and add two cups of roughly chopped roasted cauliflower. Toss with fresh parsley and a dressing of lemon juice and olive oil, with a tablespoon of capers and a few chopped anchovy filets.

A note on precooked grains: I’ve long since made it a habit to cook batches of grains at the beginning of the week. I’ll often freeze small portions of cooked grains to reheat. As this isn’t practical for everyone, I’ve also spent a lot of time tasting pre-packaged grains (both shelf stable and frozen), and find many of them to be really good. Trader Joe’s has some really good options (frozen organic brown rice, frozen organic jasmine rice, fully cooked wild rice, and their multi-grain pilaf). My other favorite is a company called Village Harvest which I tried several years ago at the Fancy Food Show and fell in love with. They recently sent me some of their frozen whole grain samples ( it pays to write about companies you love, I tell you ) – and what sets them apart is the flash freezing which really preserves the grain, and their combinations: my favorites being the Farro & Red Rice . and Wheatberry & Barley .

Last night I got 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep. In addition to my yoga yesterday session I also managed to get in about 5000 steps – it’s wonderful how good exercise can help you sleep. I probably could have slept for another two hours judging from the way I woke up completely immobilized and zonked.

This morning’s breakfast was Trader Joe’s High Fiber Oh’s . with some Straus milk. I’ve been combating the munchies over the past few days, and decided to start with something fairly sensible. Also, when I get milk, which is fairly rarely, I usually end up having cereal five days in a row.

Last night for some reason I had the munchies. While making my dinner, I snacked on 4 of these vanilla wafer cookies . I actually avoid having snacks like this in the house, because I’m not very good at controlling myself. A little birdy left these instead of taking them to work, and so I made a bad choice. At least I cut myself off at 4.

Dinner was Goan black-eyed pea curry from ‘5 spices, 50 dishes’ (you can read my review of the book here) It’s a really simple dish to make, and has some lovely coconut milk in it. I ate it with some rice and a really large portion of homemade chutney.

After dinner, I still had the munchies. I made myself a bowl of oatmeal . with a spoonful of almond barney butter, a square of dark chocolate, and a square of coconut white chocolate . Not the healthiest decision. I couldn’t figure out why I was craving so much food…

And then a  funny thing happened – sometimes you can’t figure out something until it’s staring you in the face (in this case as I looked over my blog posts). I wasn’t really sure today why I was having these food cravings – and then it occurs to me that maybe they were misplaced, as somehow I neglected to eat *any* vegetables all day long. I’ll have to remedy that today!

Healthy Copycat Trader Joe's Recipes

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The combination of cabbage, carrot, and daikon in this 220-calorie citrus chicken salad is an antioxidant-rich trifecta! This Trader Joe's classic supports your digestive system and keeps your body hydrated in warmer temperatures. It's also high in protein and low in fat, carbs, and calories.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Leta Shy

2. Frozen Steel-Cut Oats

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This Trader Joe's hack will make your weekday breakfasts even better. These frozen oatmeal muffins heat up into a satisfying bowl of whole-grain steel-cut oats that's ready in under five minutes.

3. Greek Yogurt Guacamole

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We're big fans of Trader Joe's Reduced-Guilt Guacamole, which blends low-fat Greek yogurt with avocados, but we made our own fresh low-fat guacamole that's even better. Our version has 12 percent less sodium, zero sugar, and yes, more protein. Even better, we were able to add even more fresh produce to the mix — just the way we like it.

4. Kale and Edamame Bistro Salad

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Big fans of the Trader Joe's prepackaged kale and edamame bistro salad can make their own homemade version even better than the original.

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Even if you don't love raw seaweed, many find that the texture and flavor of this nutrient-rich, dense sea vegetable changes after a quick pop in the oven. DIY a lower-sodium, even more flavorful version than the Trader Joe's store-bought snack with this sesame-garlic nori chip recipe.

Trader Joe’s Shopping Guide

I use Whole Foods market and Trader Joe’s as my main two stores. If you don’t have a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe’s (they’re only in your area, seek out another health food store where you can buy organic, or at least natural products. If you’ve never been to a health food store, this might help prime you for the experience. Let’s take a trip through Trader Joe’s…

First thing in the door, grab a basket. Don’t even think of grabbing one of those little basket cart things. Human beings are designed to lift and carry things, and I don’t care how hard or often you work out. Beneficial exercise happens in more places than just the gym. Remember, our genes expect a certain amount of physical activity. Anyway, rant aside, let’s forage for some food.

First stop is the meats. There are a lot of good deals here. Most of the meats here are fair game, but just beware of many of TJ’s pre-spiced or marinated meats. Check the ingredient list first, which will often be quite lengthy. Ideally, avoid wheat, soy, sugars, corn (dextrin, dextrose, etc.), and stuff you can’t pronounce. There are many good choices, though. Occasionally, you can even find grass-fed beef. Some of the chicken sausages are awesome. When it comes to bacon, ham, or sausages be sure to get the uncured versions, or nitrate-free.

Next in line are the veggies. TJ’s pre-packaged, washed veggies are outstanding time savers. Chard of Many Colors, Southern Greens, pre-chopped onions, stir fry greens – you name it – all are huge time savers. Get them. There are some packages of squash and sweet potatoes that can become good post training meals. Also, check the fruits. Try to limit your fruit choices to things local and in season. Yes, this means less fruit in the winter months.

Next, you’ll come to the bagels and breads. Run quickly from this section, as poor recovery and eventual diabetes lurk here…..

Going down the frozen foods aisle can yield some more time saving options. At the end of the aisle are eggs; look for the omega-3 eggs. Frozen veggies you’ll want to keep on hand for when you’re really pressed for time (great for quick slow cooker meals). Las bayas congeladas también son buenas, y hay grandes opciones en la sección de mariscos congelados. Just like in the meat section, be sure to check the ingredient list on any pre-seasoned fish.

Nut butters can be a great option for getting in enough fat for a hard training athlete. You’ll find cashew butter (actually, this a little iffy, it does have some added oil), cashew/macadamia butter, almond butter, and sunflower seed butter that are all good and inexpensive. Go for these nut butters rather than peanut butter, since peanuts aren’t nuts – they’re legumes – and therefore not Paleo.

The unsweetened applesauce, tomato and marinara sauces (look for low sugar options), olive oil, vinegars, spices, and various simmer sauces are all good . As always, get in the habit of checking the ingredient list of sauces and the like. Some here are ok and others are not. Again, only ingredients that you recognize, not too much sugar (especially high fructose corn syrup), and no artificial sugars or colors.

There are great deals here on canned fish. The wild Alaskan salmon, wild smoked salmon, sardines, and “chunk light tuna with no salt added” are all favorites of mine. Nearby, canned artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, and olives, can be found. Add any combination of these three to dress up your salads.

A great new product is the broth concentrate . chicken, beef, and now vegetable. Though slightly processed, they have acceptable ingredients, and add lots of flavor to quick meals.

Beware of the coconut milk. Nothing is wrong with the quality. It’s just that TJ’s only sells the “lite” coconut milk – which is simply watered down coconut milk. Buy regular coconut milk elsewhere, then thin it with water yourself if you feel the need. If you buy the lite – here or elsewhere – you are paying full price for half the product. Watch out for preservatives in canned coconut milk, too. The ingredients should just be coconut, water and guar gum.

Nuts at TJ’s are always a good deal. The pre-ground almond meal is a great grain substitute that you can use in many recipes. Dried fruits can also be useful; check the ingredient list, though. You might get a surprise dose of sulfites if you’re not careful.

You’ll usually be done by this point. Some other things that you might occasionally buy here: wine, some supplements and coffee. Remember that just because a store features quality, organic products does NOT mean that 1. everything in the store is organic, and 2. that all of the food within the store is automatically healthy. Organic junk food is still junk food! A product can start out using natural ingredients, but can easily be processed into something very unhealthy. A couple rules of thumb are that you should be spending most of your time in the produce and meat sections, and you should be able to conjure a picture in your mind of every ingredient on the labels of prepackaged foods. Good luck and happy shopping!

Deja un comentario

Junk food is so delicious and addictive that it's practically crack. and there's no place better to get your fix than Trader Joe's, which has snacks you can't find anywhere else -- and all for less than it takes to rent a movie from that movie store that no longer exists. So, without further ado, check these six examples of why everyone's favorite Pusherman is wearing a Hawaiian shirt:

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6. Chocolate Chip Brownie & Oat Bars Why it should be in your pantry: These taste a little like a Cool Mint Chocolate Clif Bar that's been redesigned for someone who doesn't want the snacks they eat to have any health benefits. It's super-moist, like a brownie just out of the oven, and it has all the chocolate flavors a person could want.

5. Pomegranate & Blueberry Flakes and Clusters Cereal Why it should be in your pantry: Everyone loves Boo Berry. but for a more upscale take on the cereal, go for what we think is one of the best cereals on the whole darn market. It tastes sweet without being overly sugary, and it's packed with freeze-dried blueberries.

4. Speculoos Cookie & Cocoa Swirl Why it should be in your pantry: This is like Nutella without the hazelnut, which is to say it's a chocolate bomb perfect for spreading on every breakfast food except eggs. The product's label suggests spreading it on a cookie and putting another cookie on top of it, a proposition that left a look of (diabetic) shock on our face.

3. Pinachios Why it should be in your pantry: White chocolate and pistachios combine in a snack that hard cookie lovers should empty their wallet for. Soft cookie lovers should continue to buy snacks made by creepy Keebler elves.

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Ranking the best grocery store mac and cheese

What Is Trader Joe’s Hiding?

The answer to that question is easy – A LOT.

A family member does this little game with me and it happens over and over. After trying a bite of something that looks homemade, I say, “Mmm where did you get this from?” and she says, “Don’t worry, it’s from Trader Joe’s, so it’s organic.” The fact that people assume all products from Trader Joe’s are organic or healthy or better than what you would find elsewhere is an alarming misconception.

For the last several months, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about Trader Joe’s. Many people are questioning the grocery store chain’s policies on genetically engineered ingredients (GMOs) and asking if I personally trust their statements about the use of GMOs in their store brand products – my short answer is no, I don’t.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE shopping at Trader Joe’s. It’s fun, the employees are super nice and helpful and it’s a pleasant experience. However, they won’t share any information with us and are completely cloaked in secrecy regarding their business practices, which makes my head want to explode.

Trader Joe’s Official GMO Statement:

Our approach to Genetically Modified Organisms is simple: we do not allow GMO ingredients in our private label products (anything with Trader Joe’s, Trader Jose’s, Trader Ming’s, etc. on the label).

Given what Trader Joe’s tells us about their GMO policy, we should trust them, right? Or are we trusting them just like many consumers trusted Naked Juice, Tostitos, Kashi, Gold Fish, Barbara’s Bakery, etc. who are or have been faced with lawsuits finding suspected GMOs in their so-called “natural” products?

During my research, I found out there is no regular independent third party certifier verifying their products are non-GMO on a regular basis at Trader Joe’s. It is completely up to Trader Joe’s product supply team to regulate GMOs from suppliers – not the Non-GMO Project or the USDA (for organics) that requires a high level of standards and third party testing before stating a product can be deemed free of GMOs. If there are complaints about a product, Trader Joe’s will conduct verification with a secret third party that they won’t disclose, but it’s completely up to the consumer to alert Trader Joe’s with a complaint.

In fact, Trader Joe’s stated that their products “don’t allow for auditing using the Non-GMO Project because there is an additional cost associated with that.” A representative from Trader Joe’s went on to say, “We tend to not label our products a whole lot, and won’t until there is a government regulation to understand what non-GMO even means, we aren’t going to label products that don’t have specific FDA guidelines.” So this begs the question – what does non-GMO mean to Trader Joe’s? Are they making up their own definition because they claim they don’t have direction from a governmental official?

I reached out to the Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project, Megan Westgate, to find why Trader Joe’s refuses to become Non-GMO certified. This is what she said:

“The Non-GMO Project has reached out to Trader Joe’s a number of times over the years, and we remain hopeful that at some point we will be able to forge a meaningful partnership with them. To date, it has been very difficult to ascertain the credibility of their non-GMO claims. We know that many consumers believe Trader Joe’s to be a GMO-free store, but without transparent standards or third-party verification this is impossible to confirm. Many other retailers–independent grocers, co-ops, and Whole Foods Market–are leading the way by requiring rigorous testing and labeling, and it would be great to see Trader Joe’s follow suit.”

Trader Joe’s says they review affidavits (the documents that prove an ingredient is not made or contaminated with GMOs) from their suppliers who make their store branded products, but there is no way to verify this. I asked Trader Joe’s if they would send me an affidavit showing proof of non-GMO corn or soy in at least one of their products that wasn’t labeled certified organic and they refused saying, “Unfortunately we don’t share those documents, they are confidential.” They wouldn’t even tell me what country some of the products were produced in either as they do not provide “country of origin” labeling.

I find the denial of my request maddening, considering I requested a similar affidavit from Honest Tea, who is owned by Coca Cola, and they completely complied and sent me the information with the confidential suppliers name blacked out. Heineken Beer also provided their affidavits when I asked them to prove to me they use no genetically modified ingredients in their beer .

Furthermore, when I reached out to the Director of the Cornucopia Institute ( the top organic industry watchdog group ), Mark Kastel, he stated:

“It is very hard to figure out sourcing with Trader Joe’s. They heavily depend on private label products which are based on secrecy. We have said that private-label organics is an “oxymoron.” Organic consumers want to know “the story behind their food.” They want to know where it was produced, how it was produced, how the animals and workers involved have been treated, etc. None of that is possible with Trader Joe’s. Unlike the majority of all responsible brand marketers in organics they have refused to participate in our research studies and are thus rated very poorly on our scorecards that critique dairy foods, eggs and soy foods (etc.)”

We have the right to know where our food comes from and what’s in it and Trader Joe’s is refusing to give us this information.

They don’t want us to know which suppliers they are using because it would upset consumers and their suppliers if we knew the truth. For example, Stoneyfield supplies yogurt for Trader Joe’s and Stacey’s (owned by Pepsi) supplies their pita chips. Because Trader Joe’s maintains a limited supply of products, they can buy many of the same items in bulk from different suppliers keeping costs low, which is fabulous, but this comes at a cost of not actually knowing who is manufacturing our food. They keep it secret because the companies they work with, like Stacey’s, don’t want you to know that you can buy their pita chips two dollars less at Trader Joe’s under a private label. This is how Trader Joe’s has become so successful, growing at a faster pace than Whole Foods.

There is another disappointing side effect of not knowing where your food comes from because if you are like me and boycott certain companies because of their business practices, it is extremely hard to vote with your dollars and know which products to buy and support. For this reason, if you want to REALLY vote with your dollars, you seriously need to consider what you are buying at Trader Joe’s.

I have a hard time trusting a company that is not willing to show their affadavits to a customer or prove that their products are in fact GMO free. Trader’s Joe’s won’t spend any of their 8 billion dollars in sales to test and prove their products safe. And they won’t tell us what companies they work with to develop their products or what countries their ingredients come from. Have you noticed that every single Trader Joe’s branded product has “DIST & SOLD EXCLUSIVELY BY: TRADER JOE’S MONROVIA, CA 91016” written on the back? I hope we are smart enough to know the entire line of Trader Joe’s products aren’t all really from California.

Since Trader Joe’s does provide a price point that is unrivaled, I can see the financial benefit to shopping there, but not much else. Their fruits and vegetables are usually flown in from half way across the world, packaged in lots of plastic, providing little to no local produce (at least in my store here in Charlotte, NC). This means you could be eating nutritionally degraded produce. I have been a victim to this more than once when I bought produce that I didn’t know was less than stellar and it went bad super fast in my fridge compared to the local produce I get from my farmer or buy from other grocery stores.

Considering Trader Joe’s total lack of transparency, there’s only a limited list of products I would personally trust from Trader Joe’s, here’s what I would buy and not buy:

Certified organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds

Certified organic branded Trader Joe’s products (USDA certified), for example their organic popcorn made with olive oil is a good choice

Certified organic milk products

Certified organic coffee and teas (like Yogi tea)

Certified organic frozen goods like frozen berries

Some conventional items on occasion (like kimchi) that do not have high-risk GMO crop ingredients like corn, soy, cottonseed, papaya, sugar, canola, zucchini/squash (here’s a full list of potential GMO ingredients )

Paper products – they use environmentally friendly practices and recycled paper

WHAT NOT TO BUY AT TRADER JOE’S

Charles Shaw Wine, otherwise known as “2 buck chuck” & # 8211; It’s so poor in quality, some experts call this stuff “grape-flavored soda” and compare it to what “Ronald McDonald is to the cheeseburger.” This wine is not made in a winery rather, “this wine is made in a factory, with a lot of synthetic and concentrated products, like grape musk, added to manipulate the flavors from bad grapes .” (Stick to organic wine with no detected or added sulfites)

Non-Trader Joe’s brands that likely contain GMO ingredients like Simply Lite, Reddi Egg, Dare, Orangina, The Laughing Cow, Morningstar, Toffutti, Think Thin Bars, Toblerone, Kashi, Barbara’s Bakery, Annie Chun’s and Power Crunch

Trader Joe’s branded products or other processed products that contain high-risk GMO crop ingredients like corn, soy, cottonseed, papaya, sugar, canola, zucchini/squash (A majority of their products contain one or more of these ingredients, until they can be fully transparent, I would not trust them.)

Pre-packaged meals like sandwiches, salads, and sushi – many of these items contain ingredients you definitely don’t want to be eating, like cellulose (wood pulp), or imitation crab meat. Additionally, there’s way too much sodium added to these meals and they can give you a serious case of water-weight bloat and bubble gut.

Trader Joe’s branded dairy, yogurt, or eggs, because they are likely produced from animals fed GMO corn and soy and can contain antibiotics

Non Trader Joe’s branded dairy, yogurt, or eggs because they could contain (cancer causing) rBST growth hormone, GMOs and antibiotics

Non-organic meat or dairy, Trader Joe’s still allows antibiotics and other harmful chemicals – like autolyzed yeast extract (a hidden form of MSG) in their meat.

The most important thing to remember when shopping at Trader Joe’s or anywhere else for that matter, is to read the ingredient lists. Trader Joe’s still allows harmful petroleum - based artificial coloring, artificial flavors, carrageenan. and other questionable ingredients to creep into their stores via other brands and this is something to definitely watch out for.

If you know someone who shops at Trader Joe’s, please share this post with them. Making smart decisions together is the only way we are going to change the secretive practices of the food industry.

Keep Your Chin Up!

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1,108 Responses to “What Is Trader Joe’s Hiding?”

Amanda

This is a great post. I do shop at TJ, but am not a huge fan. The choices are really limited and I feel like I can’t cook a whole meal from TJ. Over the years I have asked 4 or 5 employees about their GMO position and I get the same answer every time, almost verbatim. It was exactly or close to what Vani put in her post. They say it confidently but the fact that they just keep repeating the same thing seems off. I am not sold on their ‘non GMO’ stance under their private label. There are a few things there I like and stock up on once a month.

Also, to clarify, several people commented that TJ never said they were 100% organic. Vani never said that TJ said it. She said many people assume it. Strangely, this afternoon my daughter was asking for a snack and she wanted a TJ ‘fiberful’ granola bar. I said no and she asked why she couldn’t have a healthy snack. I told her, honey, just because it is from TJ does not mean it is healthy.

We have to read the food labels. Fin de la historia.

Debbie Sullivan Matteo (to Amanda)

funny shopped there today. and have been there many times but I am starting not to trust them. first I was looking for the organic orange juice I buy each week for my husband. under the sign for the organic non pulp orange juice was their bran. after looking at it for the organic label and not finding it I complained. turned out they were out and just stuck their juice there in its place. I buy few things there and spend a hell of a lot of time reading labels. because even though they have so many helpful people. when you asked about the product and GMO’s the get stupid all of a sudden. I also mentioned my concern to my cashier and stated I don’t have such a difficult time at whole foods. when you have a question they are open to answer. also they have clear labeling. I understand that they ( WF ) have notified the venders they use that by 2018 they will no longer sell foods with GMO’s. the cashier only said that they were expensive. but I said they are honest and sell what I want. TJ is closer but I can see now that I will be there less and less unless they changed their mind about what a customer has the right to know. I am not playing when it comes to what I feed my family

Sean (to Amanda)

I am an avid TJ shopper but I will be going to whole foods from now on. They are more expensive but I want to be healthy and GMO free. How could they not even let you see their affidavit if where their food comes from? So shady. Thanks Food babe you rule!

katie

Just because a company chooses not to disclose something doesn’t mean they are hiding something. If they are not legally required to do so, that’s their decision. And I’m pretty sure they’ve that of this. They’re smart people.

As someone mentioned trader joes has discontinued many products because the ingredients from the supplier no longer adhere to traderjoes standards. I see that you’ve failed to recognize this. And failed to appreciate this about them. I think if you have a problem with the fact that trader joes follows FDA standards and then some, you need to take it up with the FDA…but maybe that’s too big a fish to fryer you. I’ve been a loyal trader joes customer for many years and whenever I branch out to try other stores, I get nervous because I don’t know that I can even begin to trust their products the way I can trader joes.

The bottom line is that your doubts and nay-saying will not deter people from shopping there. Certainly not enough people at least to actually have an impact. The company consistently grows at a rate of 7%-10% a year and your hating on them will drain years off your life and not impact Trader Joes. Continue lobbying to them to support GMo labeling, ABSOLUTELY. But don’t make unfounded accusations based on weak observations at best.

DMH (to Katie)

If it’s all good why would they not disclose”

Katie (to DMH)

See now that’s circular logic. While I absolutly believe we have a right to know what is in our food, I alsounderstand that the current FDA standards dont allow that, nor is trader joes required to disclose that information. It would be good PR for them to do so, but they are not required to. It could be as simple as they don’t have to, so they don’t, right or wrong, but like I said the problem is with the FDA not Trader Joes

Penny (to DMH)

B/c for example Stoneyfield supples their trader joes brand yogurt and that company does not want people to know if you buy trader joes brand (cheaper) your getting their yogurt. They sign contracts with these companies that they are not allowed to disclose that info.

Michele (to Katie)

Forgive me, but I WAS a dyed-in-the-wool TJ’s fan UNTIL I just read this most interesting article from Food Babe. I will NO LONGER be shopping at TJ’s until they decide on transparency regarding their business practices & GMO ingredients with the public. I am just learning about all this, but this is enough for me to “vote with my dollars” (and there are PLENTY of them spent on behalf of my household each month) AND influence the MANY families in my circle of influence via school, work and recreation. Your presumption is premature and sophomoric to assume people won’t utilize the many other choices available (especially in large, metropolitan areas) for their families’ food sources. Perhaps you simply don’t have a grasp on the importance and ill effect of GMO’s on growing children, chronically ill people or the elderly with frail immune systems.

Charmie (to Michele)

I understand your concern, however, TJ’s does better than just about anyone else, so, that’s why I shop there most often. I do focus on their Certified Organic meats, vegetable, fruit, dairy, and other products and go to either local farmer’s markets, Sprouts and Lazy Acres for other organic based products as needed. TJ’s just happens to have most of the items we eat most frequently and at better value.

Whole Foods is quite pricey and has many products I would not likely put on my table, however, if no one else has something I can’t find elsewhere, I’ll drop in to WFs. I know see that TJ. s continues to improve as the opportunities to buy better product is available and at prices conducive to the economy and the budget of a working family.

Grateful to Vani for her “encouraging” TJs through her persistence. I”ll continue to support her efforts by emailing/letter writing to TJs on the subject of GMOs, and other potentially toxic foods and products. We should not have to read labels, but, until the unforeseeable future, I’ll continue to read labels.

Toni (to Katie)

Katie, You are either very young or very naive in your comments about Trader Joe’s practices and what they mean to people who are A: interested and invested in what they put into their and their families’ bodies and B: how that (ever growing) interest will affect the bottom line of Trader Joe’s IF they don’t disclose.

It doesn’t matter what the FEDS require (and for excellent business practices, it NEVER HAS.) from a company b/c anyone who’s done ANY research on healthcare, food, air or water quality KNOWS that the federal government has NEVER had the best interest of it’s citizens at heart, in fact, just the opposite as has been PROVEN by the revolving door of FDA directors coming from top positions in the very ag corporations they are charged with regulating. If that’s not a case of ‘the fox guarding the hen house’ I don’t know what is.

At the end of the day, ANY company will do better to allow transparency in their business practices where health is any way concerned, and most especially today, when there are SO MANY CHOICES for consumers, INCLUDING the ever-growing internet market. It simply makes good sense from a practical standpoint for Trader Joe’s to inform about their sources and the fact that they DON’T speaks volumes… if there’s nothing to hide, there’s no reason not to divulge this information.

The movement on TJ’s isn’t large enough, yet, b/c the ‘novelty’ of it hasn’t quite worn off, but it will and then the they will feel it in the bottom line and either decide to keep their customer base and make necessary changes or accept a great deal of financial loss. People today are more sophisticated and aware of their food sources, how that food affects their health, and aren’t as likely to succumb to the psychological-propaganda sales tactics that became so popular and effective in the 50’s and 60’s; they are educating themselves and many are willing to pay a little more for peace of mind about their what they’re eating and that number is only going to get larger as the movement increases. Fortunately, those of us in this camp have champions such as Food Babe, Natural News Health Ranger and Dr. Mercola, among others, who are helping us see to that.

John Robert (to Toni)

Folks who don’t agree with the non-GMO awareness are usually less than educated about what GMO’s are and what has been occurring in the food industry for the past 35-40 years. Other people are aware and are urgent about not feeding themselves, their kids or even pets GMO products. Trader Joe’s has responded in the past to pressure. I know because I was working with Greenpeace during the campaign to remove GMO soy milk from their shelves (which they did eventually). They respond to pressure from customers because they are not brain-dead, they know that their customers are driven to buy quality food and that’s why they’re at Trader Joe’s so when Trader Joe’s says (rudely) “Look it’s all non-GMO ok?” and refuse to put it in writing, what they are really saying is “we don’t care”. Any company who does not put it in writing is lying at the counter, lying to you on the box and more importantly is not deserving of your hard earned budget. I have been called a loud mouth activist (grandfather and father who cares about what my kids eat), an out of town agitator (a supporter of a number of local, neighboring communities) and a troublemaker (seriously I am not). My advice is to stop shopping at any place that will not tell you what you want to know, in writing, on the label and verified by a third party instead of just “trust me”. I find the Trader Joe’s of today to have less selection and while it is true that SOME food is more expensive at Whole Foods it is well worth it. Food is the last place I want to save money. Eat well and above all, know what you’re eating!

Amber (to Toni)

Aaron… 1) That intro was psychological propaganda to denounce her based on her age or maturity, as if that affected her argument at all. Come on now, leave the insults at home. You’re honestly no better off than anyone else. 2) Trader Joes never claimed to be an all health food store. In fact, although their food lacks GMOs, they still have every other awful thing in their products. 3) Their food is under a confidentiality agreement, if they’re certified Non-GMO, then they have their food vendors FDA approved because they can’t… they don’t have the factories. 4) If you’re so concerned that you want to pay 2x as much for the exact same bran d of food, that is your business, but don’t encourage people to do the same. 5) Trader Joes and the FDA does not want to hurt your feelings, they are not evil and out to get you and kill you and your family with food. 6) You cannot attack a company who’s main purpose was to save YOU money by marking down brand name products with their name, and primary purpose was providing better-for-you food while making an effort to boycott GMOs and offer lower-priced food for you because they did not reveal their vendor breaking contract to get you your stamp. Be real.

Aaron (to Katie)

Organic produce and food is about 25-35% more expensive. If you compare Wholefoods generic 365 label vs. trader joes you’ll find it to be more expensive in every way. Rightfully so, as we all know organic food(s) cost more to produce. Based on this fact alone Trader Joe’s starts to look to good to be true, their secrecy on the matter only compounds the issue.

I remember when the organic movement first started, many brands hopped on the bandwagon and spared no expense to stretch the truth. The term organic is too broad to be reasonably interpreted, there are plenty of things that are harmful but could be termed organic, poison is a good example. The point is should we be mad at Trader Joes for capitalizing on the stupidity of the masses or the very government who is supposed to have our best interests at heart?

John Robert (to Aaron)

I seriously doubt if you remember when organic foods began a “movement”. Organic food is what you’re grandparents called “FOOD”, most everything was organic since there were very little chemicals in agriculture until the 1950’s. Your figures (25%-35%) are ridiculous. Try these numbers on for size; when a product is listed as non-GMO or Organic the sales increase an average of 37%. What the new movement is that you have witnessed is the “Petro-Chemical Movement” and the GMO movement in American agriculture. I say American because the world has rejected GMO to a extreme degree. 58 countries world-wide have banned or created special labeling laws for GMO food, seeds and non-food products. Two of your points “organic food(s) cost more to produce” and “termed organic” are patently wrong. I grow organic produce, the fertilizer is free from my goats and chickens, I use no chemicals for insects/molds etc, and the soil is alive and dynamic because I use no chemicals therefore my produce is in high demand. It costs LESS to produce BETTER and HEALTHIER food organically. The advent of excess chemicals is getting worse because the chemical companies have purchased almost EVERY seed company in the U. S. and are foisting their GMO seeds and chemicals on the citizens of our country. This is why we do not want to eat what is commonly called “conventional food” anymore, it is sick. Sick soil grows sick food and makes people sick. The term organic means that no chemicals have been used to grow the food. Now I understand what Organic Chemistry is. This is NOT what we’re talking about and most sane, rationale people know what that means; Organic and Inorganic Chemistry is a completely different ballpark and has little relationship to “biologically grown” food i. e.; organic. Same word, different use and different connotation.

Aaron (to Aaron)

thank you Robert for the plethora of info however to refer to my numbers as ridiculous is a bit narcissistic considering I am speaking from the perspective of a consumer living in a particular region who has personally monitored my spending on my food and have found those figures to be true: to me. wouldnt it also be obvious to assume food costs differ depending upon where you live? It’s great to get a background from the farming perspective and I have no doubt all of your points are accurate but my post was addressing more of the marketing psychology that comes to play – do you think corporations are going to meander into the science of organic and inorganic chemistry to sell their products? I am happy that you have the land and space to produce your own food. Unfortunately the majority of us peasants live in apartments where we have to navigate the tricky landscape of healthy food options amidst a sea of lies and half truths.

Rebecca (to Aaron)

I find it hard to believe that many of the Trader Joes products are GMO free or could be anytime soon. I recently had to avoid soy and could only find one baked good in the whole store that didn’t contain soy. Maybe I didn’t look hard enough, I don’t know. What I do know is all their cooking sprays contain soy, their breads, their pizza sauce. As most of the soy in the US is GMO I now avoid many of their processed products unless they are organic. I am now shopping more and more at Whole Foods and a little at Sprouts and to stretch that dollar further Walmart as they do have some healthier options that are very well priced.

Anna (to Katie)

Katie, You are spouting circular thinking-better know as Common Core backward thinking-sounds to me like you’re an employ, possibly in management.

Matthew (to Katie)

Katie – Katie – Katie…what wonderful idyllic place on planet earth do you live?

“Just because a company chooses not to disclose something doesn’t mean they are hiding something.”

Are you a five-year old?

I am being serious too…you have to be EXTREMELY naïve to make a statement like that in today’s society.

Alana (to Katie)

exactly! The FDa and other places who require labels through testing, also charge anyone who wishes to get that label or stamp of approval thousands of dollars just for the honor. This forces organics& free range items to be overpriced where no one but the rich can even afford them. I am low income but still prefer organic tems& humane meats. I can barely afford my lical co ops. I also do not comprehend all this paranoia and insanity over what people eat, when it comes to other things like fats, salt, preservatives, Etc. I eat what I like& want. I do not concern myself with huge salt content or fats, and guess what/ my blood pressure is slightly low but healthy, not high. My ” good” cholesterol is perfect& the ” bad” type is actually low. I eat TONS of sugars and have no diabetes or glucose issues at all. My major concerns lie in how animals are treated while being raised for meat, and whether my dairy has medications inside it, or the after effects of factory milking. Thats repulsive to me. My other concern is things being organic, regardless of salt and sugar content. I want my sugar and fats organic! I eat a lot of vegan foods by choice even though I am no vegan, because I prefer the flavors. I prefer soy to dairy in taste. I prefer brown rice to white, due to its flavor. I really dislike non gamey meats. My choices are NOT all based upon some crazed level of nutrition and diet, but rather on humane practices, and flavors. I just happen to prefer flavors of soybeans and nuts, over burgers and pizza. Nothing wrong with that! I am not thin, I am around 40 Lbs too heavy. Yet my blood and health tests all come back perfect and good. So in spite of diet, there has to be something to this organic thing. All Id like is to know does TJ suppliers use humane or free range farming. Aminal care is my big issue. No gestation cages etc.

Sinnola (to Katie)

lol…. this guy thinks the fda is on our side, that’s where u stop reading

rkief (to Sinnola)

Our government (and especially, the FDA) is supposed to protect us, and sometimes it does, but more and more, it is influenced by the corporations that it is supposed to regulate – so, let the buyer (that’s you and me) beware.

rob (to Katie)

she wasn’t really ‘hating on them’ from what I could tell, she was sifting through things she would and would not consume from there! if you re-read what she wrote, she actually started off letting us know how much she likes traders!

take a good long look at the label (last pics on her post) of the ingredients of the licorice, as one example! is trader joes that pure and wholesome selling products with red dye. If I were as naive as you to think traders was so innocent (they are a giant corporation for God sake!) I wouldn’t think twice about picking up a box of that pretty colored licorice and eating it, without knowing just consumed a bunch of unknown garbage that is not healthy.

the old adage, get what you pay for. they are cheap and there is a reason why. they don’t disclose because they are hiding things, again - reread her post. they don’t want you to know that pepsi (major offenders as we already know) has a hand in some of their products! how much more evidence do you need.? you have to carefully pick and choose in these places as she was suggesting in her article!

the days of trusting an outside third party for our food. will hopefully come to some sort of end one of these days. it’s a recipe for corporate greed and disaster! you don’t have to look far in this country to see evidence of that!

Linda Aguilar (to Katie)

This poster obviously has a vested interest in TJ’s.

Guido

Excellent point about reading labels. Puzzled by the example, though – not sure that artificial flavor or color is a whole lot worse than wheat glucose syrup, treacle, palm oil, or mono - & di-glycerides.

Gina

My cousin works for Trader Joes and says: This is BS! And we DO have certified organic green label products. We do have strict regulations on Non-GMO products. We stop carrying products if they dont meet the standards. All Trader Joe’s products are Non-GMO. People who think everything is healthy and organic from our store is just dumb. And the article cant prove anything, except that they cant verify where the products come from. Management is trained to know all this. I don’t buy everything at my store and i don’t think everything there is healthy and yes, always look for that green certified label.

marca

“They don’t want us to know which suppliers they are using because it would upset consumers and their suppliers if we knew the truth. For example, Stoneyfield supplies yogurt for Trader Joe’s and Stacey’s (owned by Pepsi) supplies their pita chips.”

As some have pointed out before me, the reason for this confidentiality is standard business and profit. It’s not that consumers would be aghast at what Big Label brand is behind the TJ’s product, TJ’s has an agreement to sell a great product from a widely-known brand under their own TJ’s label at a low price because they pay cash and are able to move a high volume of product. The big label wins because they have another outlet for their product, and TJ’s wins because they have a product that has already been market tested and shown to be popular, without the added expense and hassle of doing that research. Boom, up on the shelves at a lower price than mass retailers.

Unfortunately, yes, this makes it tricky to design a system of transparency–how do you allow customers access to source information like geographic location of production, packing, and distribution, or conditions of fields during harvest, or working conditions for packers and bakers and such–without exposing the very piece of information that allows TJ’s house label to be offered at such a low price, the name of the big label behind that product? It’s evident that there is no perfect way to do so, or TJ’s would be doing it. They value informed consumers and provide as much transparency and information as possible, this is the next step when a solution becomes apparent.

Also, third party testing and oversight is very costly in this country, the USDA is notoriously bureaucratic about organic and non-gmo labeling. It’s more effective to turn to them and demand that food labeling be overhauled to include more pertinent information like, gmo status, true ingredient lists that don’t have loopholes allowing undesirable things to hide under a different name or be omitted as “necessary components of food preparation having a negligible effect on nutritional content.”

In the end, if you actually get in touch with TJ’s in a non aggressive manner, they will almost universally be happy to track down whatever information you need. It’s definitely accessible to them at a store-level, just ask if you have questions!

Jacquie Jenkins

If Trader Joe’s does not use GMO’s in their products why don’t they indicate that on their packages. It is very easy to say not me when you do not stand behind wht you say.

Kerri

Just bought organic blackberries from TJ yesterday. Had to throw half out today as they had mold. (. Thought I grabbed organic blueberries…frustrated that I grabbed nonorganic in my quest to find non moldy blueberries. Read labels and be aware! And continue to read their labels… TJ brand changes ingredients. Must be due to changing suppliers. So hard and frustrating to shop for my family and having to always be sooo aware of each food I choose to put in my cart. So much to always research !

Charmie (to Kerri)

Feel free to take back any of your inedible purchases at TJ’s. They are good about it and I would imagine if each person did just that, maybe, they would reconsider some of their products. I’m a big fan of TJ’s because it’s small, has many organic items that I use. but, I totally agree with Vani, check the labels. We shouldn’t have to “check the labels”, but, until that changes, busy people with many things on their minds, will have to do just that.

steve

The main product they sell which I have doubts about is their 100 calorie dark chocolate bars-sweetened with beet sugar. I called them and they said it was non GMO but why not use cane sugar instead? I do buy some things there-sunflower seeds, frozen organic peas, kerrygold butter, some organic frozen stuff and their organic produce

glenn

I never trusted TJs after seeing “natural margarine” for sale there 20 years ago. Yeah, you can call anything “natural” legally but only a sleazy company would do so.

George Gibbs (to glenn)

Twenty years is a long time. According to Wikipedia it has changed hands some 4 times.

As for pita chips, Stacys might make tj chips but the taste and ergo recipe is different. It is common for an industrial bakery to make bread for different restaurants per their spec. That is how Chart house did it thirty years ago. Baking bread is a specialty.

Sharon Reeve

I applaud Food Babe in everything she does. She is just trying to illuminate the condition of the food we buy. I also applaud Trader Joe’s because, I think, they are trying. I write copious amounts of emails to Trader Joe’s to assert my food safety issues and to try to get them to reduce suspect ingredients like canola and soybean oil, and they listen. Two years ago almost ALL their products, that contained oil, had CANOLA and now it is difficult to find it listed in any of their products. I self-police what I buy with the information I get from Food Babe and other food saftey activists, and I buy accordingly. I do not buy foods from Trader Joe’s that contain suspect ingredients, and I do not buy anything that contains non-organic meat or dairy. I am smart when I shop there to protect myself and my family’s health. You cannot beat their price on organic, grass-fed beef or organic chicken–so much less than Whole Paycheck. If I buy anything that contains corn or soy, it had better be organic. It is no one’s fault but my own if I buy food with suspect GMO ingredients. Yo voto con mi dinero. If EVERYONE did, GMOs would be GONE.

Charmie (to Sharon Reeve)

Everything you said, but, I have not written to the company. I do frequent the customer service counter. Whatever works. It’s a challenge to keep costs down, have quality as well as consumer safe products. variety of products as well as choices in those products and keep the doors open. I commend them for trying to do all of that. Whole Foods has similar products but at a much higher cost.

Alana (to Sharon Reeve)

there is nothing wrong with canola oil! all it is is rapeseed oil under a new name because US people are waaay too sensitive. Everyone thinks they should try to police OTHERS and I have issues with that. What if I want organic food choices that are also not low calorie, or oil free? Maybe some of us prefer good flavors, fats and sugars, oils. But at same time also want our foods natural or organic. You CAN have organic sugars and fats and oil! Not all organic shoppers are health nuts. If only organic stuff available were bad tasting, fat free crap, what would people like myself do? Forced to eat unnatural stuff just to find sugars? Come on now! Contrary to what most of you serm to believe, not Every person who chooses natural, organic and non gmo foods, are concerned with content otherwise. Not all are watching their weight or salt intake. Some of us simply like natural stuff.

Sharon Reeve (to Alana)

Canola is gmo, partially hydrogenated, and highly refined. It causes heart problems and other organ problems and cancer. Plus the extraction and refining process involves high temperatures, and harmful solvents, like hexane, some of which remain in the oil after extraction. An additional deodorization process turns some of the oil into trans fatty acids. The majority of canola grown is gmo and treated with high levels of glyphosate which has its own laundry list of health damaging effects. I would prefer to eat olive oil, coconut oil or any number of oils that occur naturally and are extracted easily. If you want to eat canola go ahead, but I think it is a harmful option. I won’t be eating it!

Jasmine

Yes, let’s attack one of the few inexpensive alternatives to crappy Walmart food. I am thankful for TJ’s – yes read labels, not all their food is organic! It sure is a lot better than most big box grocery store choices however - especially for people who cannot afford Whole Foods! We supplement our diet with local veggies and eggs and do our best with the rest!

Wil

I think it’s hilarious how they encourage and even pressure customers to bring their own bags (or buy a trader joes bag) and be resourceful when almost every single product even most of the veggies in the store is wrapped in plastic

George Gibbs (to Wil)

Yes Wil, the inverse argument was used to justify plastic bags instead of reusable bags.

I have been bringing my own bags well before tj came to OC. I find it easier. I fit more food in one bag and it has a convenient handle.

Today the city I live requires reusables so tj follows along.

The Walmart my father shops is another city so it’s plastic bag city. The fish is packed in a plastic bag and each one is also packed in plastic. The outer bag is placed in a Walmart plastic bag.

My governor wants the state to eliminate plastic bags to clean the ocean but an East Coast bag makers lobbied against it because of lost jobs.

albert

I agree with those who are not buying into their ‘TRUST ME” respuesta.

Since there are more of us then them, I wonder how they would feel about a Class Action Suite since our health is on the line, and we the buyers have a right to know the truth behind their “stone walling” our questions what are we really eating?

Linda (to albert)

How can you not buy into Trader Joe’s “trust me” response and yet completely buy into whatever Vani Hari is saying? She has NO qualifications whatsoever. She studied computers for godsakes. I’d much rather listen to actual scientists and food experts thank you. Look it up – a lot of her statements are widely discredited by the scientific community.

Geneva Arif

Speaking English (only?) is considered a sign of freedom? Yikes, bet it’s the only one you speak….

sumayyah

Paz. I just wanted to say that I am a big fan of TJ’s. I find variety of organic produce there at a reasonable price being that I am on a budget. I do not see what is the big deal for them revealing all their private information if it is not required by the law. But I do know that they are resourceful in helping you with whatever it is you need to understand. Like they have a kosher list of all the foods they offer that are kosher and like someone else commented, if asked not so forcefully, they will try to get the info you needed.

As we all should know, that the laws has changed that now some companies can resource their own inspectors because the USDA does not have the people to do so. Another thing is that what The FDA consider healthy for us is always behind some kind of agenda and has many loop holes for big companies and names. As that being a fact how can you trust regulators that has been allowing these gmos to be sold in stores with little or no rules to regulate them in the first place.

The argument here doesn’t seem quite right. Yes we should read labels no matter what. But if I had my own comapny I myself would be lenient to some of the people who request my information because some of them work for these big companies who want to capitalized on everything. Probably try to put the farms and places TJ’S get there products from, or try to buy them out.

Did you ever think maybe the companies they work with do not want there information to be disclosed for protection from these capital giants? I mean you know it is organic if it molds, but people still complain because they want the produce when they want it and complain about the spoiling of natural and organic food. That is why they have GMO foods to please our nature to always wanting things all the time.

If a plum is not in season, than it shouldn’t be in our stores. That is how TJ’S is. Instead of trying to critique and mob attack one store that is offering organic food to families that have budgets and at good prices. Focus on the FDA and their standards. Focus on the big companies and their lobbying efforts to put the little people out of business. Use common sense anywhere but change our own habits and stop complaining. I have not once had a disappointment with the products at TJ’S and I am grateful there is a store like this.

Nadia (to sumayyah)

Are you serious. No company/store is perfect! I shop at TJ and I have started shopping there more often, but I have had a few complaints. Like when I found out what ingredients are in their breakfast bars, cookies and other non organic products. Which is the same as other stores, I realize. I did go a few weeks ago to buy the Organic Strawberry Lemonade and they were all expired except one that was soon to be expired which was very disappointing. I contacted customer service which NEVER actually responded.

Okay, that was just a couple of things except they should replace their Organic produce more often. Other than that I do like TJ for ORGANIC items, although I feel strongly that they SHOULD be honest and upfront about whether their products contain gmo. I feel that TJ should have a higher standard because even in their product descriptions they make like their foods are better for you and made better.

Don’t be a Wolf in Sheep’s clothing. *In the end they will get more quality customers that don’t mind spending a little more for an honest product than bs. * I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be fooled.

Pamela Gammill

TJ’s Organic Heavy Whipping Cream is the only whipping cream I have been able to find without carrageenan. For that I am very thankful, as products containing carrageenan make me very sick.

Mary Chaet

Organic farmers and NON-GMO PROJECT participants have to go through such stringent tests to prove they are organic and GMO-FREE, yet the companies loading our food with pesticides and poisons have to do nothing except keep producing their crap! Just think about that for a minute.

Alana (to Mary Chaet)

thank you exactly. its cheaper to give people cheap, messed up food full of crap, than good real foods. This fact HAS to be changed& turned around now. They blame obese people for their own issues, call them lazy. While the whole time, it is the fact that we cant afford proper diets, because it IS the govt and FDA that are causing all these food issues. Who trusts the FDA? Not me! Thats the same group who rush dangerous medications onto market, then the med kills people& FDA could not care less. FDA, same ppl who legalize alcohol but make drugs illegal that harm less people yearly. FDA cannot be trusted& Id trust TJs before FDA anyday

Wendy

Kashi does have some cereal that is certified organic and certified free of GMO. I typically just buy organic items at TJs, except my dark chocolate peanut butter cups.

S J

I have never trusted Trader Joe’s and it had nothing to do with GMO’s. When they first opened in my area, I grew suspicious because their convenience foods were full of junky additives, and it made me wonder about everything they sold. I only buy one or two things there on average, a few times a month.

I worked for a local health food store a while ago, and I learned about labels, GMO’s organic, etc. I remember their struggle to keep foods that contained white sugar out of their store. Of course, they gave in at some point, in and now carry items with sugar, but I think about how far things have degenerated in the healthy food world. We used to worry about cookies with “evaporated cane juice,” and now we have to worry about frankenfood in stores that claim to stock “healthy” comida.

I don’t think that it’s a bad thing to take the claims of TJ’s (and Whole Foods, for that matter) with a grain of salt. If you like TJ’s then, shop there. But shop there educated.

Nobody is protecting your health but you.

foodlover

Ha are you seriously mad There is corn in corn chips

Nicole

If Trader Joe’s disclosed their companies, then they couldn’t offer lower prices for their quality items. I am grateful that TJ’s wants to give us quality food at lower prices, because I can’t afford Whole Foods. Of course you have to read labels and educate yourself about ingredients. But as long as Trader Joe’s isn’t giving money to stop GMO labeling, then I don’t think you should worry. Or just buy organic. Really, TJ’s is not the bad guy.

dr. oz_GMO

As someone who has worked for Trader Joe’s I will say one thing. This company cares about knowledge. Walk into a store and ask an employee a question. If they don’t have the answer and it is Monday thru Friday they can call the Customer relations anytime business hours. These people are incredibly knowledgeable. I call them about mercury levels in smoked salmon, no hesitation, they know it off the top of their heads. Does anyone ask how expensive GMO testing would be company wide with the MANY MANY distributors we work with? Does anyone realize what that would do to their prices? If a GMO certification would cost share with the people who did the tests, how many companies would not try to do so?

The fact is GMO testing is EXTREMELY expensive for a company that doesn’t want to raise prices but still stands behind their products. Don’t like something? bring it back no questions asked! Seriously I do this everyday. The return policy is so lenient because we trust the product. Articles like this are fear mongering and will eventually force something that will make us test everything and raise prices for an article called: “Trader Joe’s USED to care about the middle class.”

I know as someone who has worked for the company this may seem like a placement to advocate them, but it isn’t. I do 90% of my shopping there. We aren’t an end all grocery store. We know you shop other places too. We don’t want to be an end all grocery store. We want to be a store you can get most of your shopping done for a fair price and with great quality and customer service. If you want ride a high horse in somewhere, try Whole Foods, I hear they have stables.

Concerned Patron (to dr. oz_GMO)

Ummm, I don’t think anyone “tests” for GMO content. It’s more of an exercise in tracing origin of ingredients. And to those who say we shouldn’t have to read labels…I think that’s why the labels are there, so we can read them. At least the gov’t got that part right!

I only buy stuff there that’s on your buy list, and their prices are way cheaper than the Whole Paycheck (Foods) within walking distance, therefore I don’t see the need to change ANY of my shopping habits.

We also have Sprouts out here in SoCal, have you written about them?

John Robers (to Matches Malone)

I shop 3 different stores, 2 local grocery stores and a Whole Foods. I am hearing people say how expensive it is to shop at Whole Foods. Let me tell you what expensive is; medical bills. Eating cheap food that is basically powdered and dry ingredients devoid of nutrition because it must have a long shelf life so it must be stripped of everything that may spoil (food and nutrients). An excellent example is brown rice. Uncooked Brown Rice will not have much more than a few months of optimal life shelf but has enormous amount of nutrition whereas white rice will last 30 years if stored properly but has very little nutrition except for the carbohydrates.

If you want to “save money” on food and end up starving your health you better grab a calculator because chances are you’ll be spending much more on medical bills than you planned. Processed food is more responsible for “Diabesity” and a $6 Trillion a year disease industry than anything else. This feeds the medical and pharmaceutical industry. This is a War on Food and Trader Joe’s can’t seem to discover which side they’re on… caveat emptor!

john (to Matches Malone)

We now have about 5 Sprouts here in Utah, I love these stores and shop there a couple of times a week. Their produce is the best anywhere and their prices are surprisingly low. I don’t get the uppity attitude there that I feel at Whole Foods. An employee was telling me they plan very rapid expansion over the next 7-8 years nationally.

Steve

I don’t shop at TJ when I see some of the same products at Walmart’s … that’s a clue in my book. I shop mainly at Whole Foods but they have disappointed now for the second time. I pay high dollar for high quality foods … so I feel when something comes out for example 365 organic corn is produced in China labeled USDA Organic … this is nothing but a lie! They should take it off the shelve’s. And now I just found out about Horizon dairy products issues that’s been going on for years thanks to foodbabe. I guess I need to research everything! New saying … trust know one … do the research … make sure your buying high quality and don’t just believe it because it say’s organic. They need to be find for lying.

oldbat

you forgot to highlight “natural flavors” on the one item. that is code for msg. and beware of “corn sweetner”. I suspect it is code for hfcs.

alemán

My family shops at TJs. The atmosphere is positive, friendly and you NEVER see sick, unhealthy, pajama pant wearing people standing in the Line Of Death (Pharmacy)…WalMart.

We tend to eat clean and healthy, best we can. We read the labels and if the labels reveal the bad stuff, we don’t buy it. A lot of raw foods go in our bellies, so it’s easy to choose an organic carrot, rather than trying to read a label on a box of processed “who knows what”.

Jeanne

First, I have really enjoyed the Trader Joe’s shopping experience.

That said, I have found several products that make me sick. I cannot eat my favorite nut mix with Cranberries, Almonds, and Cashews (and others) without getting sick. There must be something going on or that would not happen. So Sad

joe turso

Hi, re; TJoe’s. 2 summers ago, I asked Tj’s about their seedless Watermelon. How can a seed become ( non-reproductive, unless it is altered)? A TJ’s clerk was not helpful-he wanted to debate that TJ’s never sells altered products… He told me to go to their website. Yo si. Then I spoke to a PHD from corporate, who would not admit that their seedless watermelons were genetically altered. I stop buying their seedless watermelons. I now buy in season the regular (black seeded) watermelons from a farmers market and we juice the total watermelon. Rind, skin and seeds. Very healthy…

Jack (to joe turso)

Watermelon like other seedless fruits have not been genetically altered in the lab. Hybridization has selected for the seedless variety. This is another form of natural selection.

Jack (to joe turso)

Seedless watermelon like most other seedless fruits is a result if hybridization not genetic alteration. This is another form of natural selection.

KAT

We finally got a Trader Joe’s in Houston and I’ve been there 3 times. Unless there is something I specifically want (like a bottle of water)and am standing outside I probably Won’t go back. My sister and I spent 35-40 minutes there each time as everyone has said it’s so wonderful. Well, at ours other than the olive oil, some CA labeled nuts and really familiar brands we both had a problem inthat you can NOTtell where the food is from. Sure they say it’s healthy, organic or whatever but I personally want to know where the food I am getting comes from. Think about it: do you want rice that might be from Japan right after or even now with the reactors still leaking? Fish from any of the seas offshore there? Oil that you can’t tell where it’s grown? Why ARE all the vegetables packaged up? I want to choose my own. Packaging wastes $, brings more plastics in and some of those plastic wraps just make the food smell. Also, as noted they go bad sooner and you really can’t see the freshness as well. We have a ton of fresh veggies, fruit and local meats in TEXAS so’s if they are local and mostly organic I use them. I like my olive oil from Italy, Spain or even CA occasionally - I don’t want to just see a CA bulk address. Even on the Costco Kirklandbrand they usually tell you country of origin. I want clear nutrition info not just an ingredient list. We got a few items, very few and we’re not impressed with any of them. I can actually get most things now from Kroger as we have yelled so much the organic dept in 2 stores close by are almost equal to the regular veggies. We have wheat, milk, gluten, sugar and salt problems so it can be hard following diets. But when you get more than 300 mg of salt in a day makes you half blind the next day you really start to read labels. We do have a newWhole Foods less then 2 miles away and Central Market about 5 but as someone said, they cost more. So unless I want a specific product or just want to enjoy some of the specialty foods I don’t bother.

Jack

It is commonly understood due to TJ advertising that TJ branded products are non-GMO. Therefore if TJ is lying it puts itself at great risk for fraud prosecution in a court of law. Therefore, it is much more likely that TJ is like Steve Jobs Apple who protected supplier secrets. Clearly supply is major part of TJ success and it wants to protect that asset conservatively. Some may disagree like FoodBabe but then raise funds via KickStarter and test a batch for glyphosate. If fail and suppliers cannot justify failure then sue for endemic lying.

Mel

You can slyly figure out which farms or companies TJ’s uses. Example: companies that have recalls on items must make it public and make it known what products are contaminated, where they are sold & the names of the products. You can look up recalls on FDA website. Lansal, inc provides TJ’s hummus. There was a recall in 2014 for TJ’s and Archer Farms at Target. Asi que. You can figure some things out and where they came from if there was a recall.

Jenny

I can remember 10 years back wandering through TJ’s thinking “Where in the heck is everything from….Monrovia. & # 8221; I went online way back in the day and tried to dig up any info on their Origin of Product and COULD NOT find anything. So glad this conversation is happening. I think when there is such held out secrecy on a stores products something is fishy. Lots of plastic packaging, lack of transparency, to-good-to-be-true prices, the whole Nautical marketing theme to make us feel good like were on a cruise ship just makes me leery of the whole place. Man over-board Im out!

George (to Jenny)

That is the fault of loyal fans from CA. The founders were hippies from South Pasadena. When they sold to Aldo of Germany, the sea theme was going to be replaced but the sellers warned against that due to the loyalty of people like me. When I was in a Philly suburb there was a divey Aldo but I didn’t realize a link to tjs.

Susan Eng

I used to love to shop at Trader Joe’s and then I experienced two different instances that made me distrust them and now I only shop there occasionally. I purchased organic sweet potatoes and ate most of them. I had one in the cupboard for about 8 months and I decided I throw it out, because I am sure it was a moldy mess. I pulled the bag out and to my amazement and surprise the sweet potato looked like I bought it yesterday. I am a flight attendant, and I bought the all natural, no preservatives, pizza rounds in the fresh food section. They were thin bread rounds with feta cheese and spinach on them. I brought the bag with me on a trip and left my food bag in my hotel room. Lucky for me, another flight attendant was getting on the hotel room van and said he would get it and drop it off at our Denver headquarters. A month later ( I am based in San Francisco) I was able to pass through Denver and pick it up. I immediately opened the lunch bag to pull it out and again was expecting a moldy mess, but once again to my surprise it looked like I bought it yesterday.

Makes me wonder what Trader Joe’s does to their food ….

Wow, I will change the way I shop at Trader Joe’s. I don’t eat most of the foods listed on the stay away list, but I feel much more informed and appreciate you sharing this helpful information. Thank you Food Babe!

Andrea

Trader Joe’s is owned by Aldi’s. I’ve only been to one Aldi’s (in Alexandria, VA) and let me tell you, it’s gross. The food there reminds me of what would be in a food bank instead of grocery store and that’s sad. The food banks I’ve seen are full of food no one else wants. Trader Joe’s is a marketing success story. My significant other and I often wonder why people think it’s all organic simply because a few things sold there are organic. Safeway and Giant sell organic, too, but they aren’t considered organic stores (rightly so). For organic in the MD/VA/DC area, go to MOMs – Mom’s Organic Market. Período.

Pablo

First of all, I think a lot of people are wishful thinkers if they think in the 21st century food or anything else for that matter is not contaminated. I hear so much about GMO, which most plants we eat at this point are genetically modified be it by science or nature, so what. Organic food, which I do support to an extent, but face it, there is virtually no oversight in the US and if you think an organic farmer who’s crops are under attack will simply let them die rather than spray non organic pesticides on them while nobody’s looking, that’s wishful thinking. The mortgage on the farm becomes much more important than what is on the plants. If you think you are getting anything at all labeled organic originating from a third world country, in particular Latin America and you think it is actually organic, that’s wishful thinking. In Ecuador and Peru they’ll put whatever label on the package they think will help sell the product. So when I see organic quinoa I have to laugh. I travel there extensively, and see the farmers out in the fields with pesticide tanks on their backs. The worst part is, these people get no training from the manufacturer and now caner is becoming prevalent. Finally, since quinoa has become the new fad, demand has placed prices above the range of the locals who have consumed quinoa for hundreds or even thousands of years, but can no longer afford it. I also hear a lot about grass fed beef. Well I like to ask, what’s in the grass? For instance the US west coast is experiencing particulate size pollution deposits originating from Asia and their coal fired power plants. Grass being a natural filter picks these particulates up and cows eat the grass. Since these cows are afforded the opportunity to graze for long periods of time, wouldn’t it stand to reason they are more concentrated with pollutants such as heavy metals like lead and other coal fired waste? How about the milk they produce? Or cheese? Yogurt? My point is, it’s not the year 1500 so our food supply is contaminated with many chemicals as a result of industrialization. Until we stop hyperconsumption, how do we expect our own land to sustain? Remember, America is five percent of the world’s population. We consume 25% of the world’s resources.

Nathan (to Paul)

Well said and though out. It is kind of scary to think…. It seems the “sane” way to eat now is to do one’s best in buying fresh fruits and veggies that you feel are “safe,” as well as dairy, fish, chicken, and beef. Yeah, we can’t be sure about the 100% organic, pesticide free thing in our foods, but we can try to minimize their effects on us. On the bright side, I’d like to believe our bodies will filter out many of these toxins and other unnatural substances in our foods…. yes, thankfully if you have a working liver and kidneys, they will do wonders for you.

Another thing…. NO ONE LIVES forever…. Our goal should be to live healthy for as long as we can so when we get older our quality of life has not been terribly diminished. So with that said, I still intend to enjoy on a rare occasion a nice burger from Cheesecake Factory, or a cheese pizza (Brooklyn for that, oh yeah

)…. as they say, live and let live! unesdoc. unesco. org unesdoc. unesco. org

LaKiesha Hall

In other words, they’re liars. You are in the food industry and you mean to tell me you don’t know wth gmo is. So, they are probably putting in the worse food AND are paying money AGAINST food labeling/transparency. No Trader Joe’s ‘Screw’ you!

How the hell do you say you don’t know what GMO is but WHATEVER it is, we don’t have it. WTH. I’m sorry this pissed me off.

GREAT article btw. Muchas gracias.

JOSEPH CUTLER

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Kerrin

I am also skeptical of Trader Joe’s, and I really enjoyed this post. The fact that they are unwilling to disclose their practices, to me, says there is something to hide. Like so many, the first time I shopped there, I was excited to see all of the affordable organic options. BUT, then I purchased one of their organic coffees (for a great price) and was absolutely grossed out when I brewed it and smelled an overwhelming scent of petroleum within my cup. I threw that away immediately, and refuse to drink it again. There’s no way that’s organic practice. Key point here…be skeptical and use caution with these products until they start opening up about their practices and get a 3rd party verifying the organic approach.

Gary

I don’t know if many of you are aware of the New World Order and its plan to reduce the human population by 90%. The U. S. government along with NATO is committing mass murder, either directly or indirectly, throughout the world, and they will soon be doing so at home when the dollar collapses and we have a police state. Also, a U. S.-initiated preemptive war (which means “we” strike first) with Russian and or China is possible given the pathological neocons who are running the show behind the scenes. Yes, strive to eat healthy now, but within a few short years, GMOs will be the last thing on your minds. (See the corbettreport. com, globalresearch. org, activistpost. com, boiling frogs, and many other alternative news sources to learn about what’s really going on in the world and the millions of people who are being killed, maimed, or sent into exile by the global elite. On that cheery note, happy label reading!

Bojangles

Charles Shaw wine does not have “synthetic and concentrated products, like grape musk, added to manipulate the flavors from bad grapes.”

Read the New Yorker article on Bronco Wineries, the company that produces Charles Shaw. It’s cheap because it’s surplus wine from more expensive wineries.

Peppermint Twist

Exceptionally excellent piece, Food Babe. Very substantive and fair (you pointed out the good and what you would buy, as well as what to avoid, why, and your overall concerns with TJ’s lack of transparancy re their No GMOs policy).

I have been wanting a TJ’s here in my area for years and years (there used to be zero in the entire state of Florida). One was just recently (finally!) opened here in my city (St. Petersburg) just about a month ago. I LOVE it because I can find some organic items there are shockingly good prices. However, as you so rightly point out: the single most important thing you can do when shopping there or anywhere is to read the small-print ingredients list. Some of TJ’s own products contain a lot of junky ingredients. Others are very pure and free of ingredients I don’t want. So far, I’m very impressed with certain things and I’ve learned to completely walk away from others. My overall impression is that I appreciate the many organic, pure, wheat and corn free items I can get at uniquely low prices, yet I passionately agree with you that I don’t trust the non-GMO promise as far as I can throw it (not sure how far I could throw a promise, but you get my gist) and I therefore think it is crucially important to follow all the guidelines in your awesomely substantive piece, AND to keep up the pressure on TJ’s to evolve on the transparency front. So far, I like them a whale of a lot, yet there is definitely room for improvement and we need to let them now we are rooting for it to happen, asap.

Peppermint Twist (to Peppermint Twist)

PD Typo correction (sorry, my eye strain thaaaang is acting up, resulting in blurred vision, resulting in typos!): Make that, I can find some organic items there AT shockingly good prices, not ARE shockingly good prices. Oh, the humanity.

Dovly

Isn’t there a petition website that can be created to demand that Trader Joes complies with providing honest and verifiable evidence of the safety of their food to the public. I never questioned their Non - GMO policy, because I always thought the claim was backed by a third party certified organization. I blindly trusted their claims. I feel so stupid. It infuriates me when a product’s origin is not listed; and I will not purchase that product. Trader Joes what are you hiding from your customers. I am an loyal Trader Joe’s shopper; but I will not shop there anymore, not until they come clean to the public about there food practice. They are very arrogant. I think Trader Joe thinks we ( the trusting public )are fools. Thank you so much for this information. I will do my due diligence, to find out more information regarding your article. If your article is valid, maybe we can start a State Wide Petition.

Pamela Lee

Regarding Food Babe’s comment about “Charles Shaw Wine, otherwise known as ‘2 buck chuck’ – It’s so poor in quality, some experts call this stuff ‘grape-flavored soda’ and compare it to what ‘Ronald McDonald is to the cheeseburger.’ This wine is not made in a winery rather, this wine is made in a factory, with a lot of synthetic and concentrated products…”

Not only that but just recently a Denver lab tested wines and the 2 buck chuck white zin was in the top 10 wines that “may” have high arsenic levels.

Joe

Glad to see this article.

And there’s probably a lawsuit in the making. For several reasons, but this article is about food.

I’ve worked at TJ’s for 8 years now, and can tell you that most of what they say about GMO’s, no additives, flavorings, etc. is garbage. And they intentionally mislabel products to appear that they’re organic or free of things that shoppers don’t want to eat.

Yeah, they have good prices, but people think they’re getting superior food at a price cheaper than other places, and it’s not true. Trader Joe’s managers start out at $80,000/year, and can go up to $140,000. They typically put people in those positions who’re under educated and otherwise will never, ever have another chance in life to make that kind of money. So these people just put on the blinders and accept what they’re told to say to customers. And a lot really believe it, otherwise how does your conscience let you sleep?

While they say they don’t advertise, they use at least one of those companies that “protects your image on the internet.” This company has accounts on a lot of social media sites and their job is to blather on about how great Trader Joe’s is, AND TO ATTACK anyone who says otherwise.

It’s just cheap, albeit unique, food. But not a deal if you’re trying to stay away from GMO’s, chemicals, sustainably harvested, etc. For cheap food try Target and Walmart. At least they don’t lie about it.

Thanks for the forum to share my rant.

Marian Cruz

I used to shop at Trader’s Joe’s, but when I was not able to get answers to where the organic eggs, milk or other products came from, I stopped shopping there.

I spoke to the manager at the store, called the corporate office number and no one had that information.

marca

Testing DOES cost money and I’m sticking with Trader Joe’s on this one. If you trust them when they say something is gluten free, why lie about GMO. NO, refusing expensive testing or monitoring is NOT an admission of guilt..

Holly

Don’t forget the soya lecithin. If it’s not organic, you’re safe to assume it’s gmo. And that is in a LOT of their products.

GIlles

A vast majority of Trader Joe’s products are made by CONAGRA and RALCORP. Their behaviour is what is called in the EU (Which is where they are from) “Parasitic copying of Branded Products”..to benefit from the development of these products and derive a financial benefit from what is not said, mainly what is kept from the public. They want to intimate that the products are made by reputable companies by making them appearing similar the the original and there betting the public will assume or think that they are as good equal or better in value…. Biggest scam of the century. Creo. WHY DO YOU THINK THET HAVE SO MANY RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REGULAR FOOD INDUSTRY AND THE THE NATURAL FOOD INDUSTRY. Remeber the peanut butter recall…. “OH we lost our supplier hogwash…” Remember the recent HUMMUS…recall…Trader Joe’s along with Target and Costco… what does that tell you. Wake up Peeps…

Welcome to Vegetarian Trader Joe's where you'll find hundreds of ideas for enjoying healthy, tasty vegetarian and vegan foods available from Trader Joe's grocery stores.

Find our favorite products. read product reviews. learn how to make quick & easy meals. and get great tips for making the most out of shopping at Trader Joe's.

Please note that Vegetarian Trader Joe's is not affiliated with Trader Joe's grocery stores, but we are frequent shoppers and fans!

A great brunch blends breakfast favorites with savory lunch foods in a way that compliments both. Trader Joe's has many items that are ideal for a quick and easy brunch, including: French toast (fresh made or frozen) with fresh pineapple, banana or berries, … Más

Trader Joe's has foods labeled reduced-guilt or guilt-free. Guilt is an unfortunate label for food, but you get the idea. Frozen food choices include baked ziti, stuffed pasta shells, pizza and macaroni and cheese. The ziti is plain and not very filling. The pizza is downright depressing. The … Más

Nutrition advice for vegetarians and vegans is the same as for everyone else and breaks down to eating a reasonable amount and wide variety of wholesome foods. A vegetarian diet is typically, but not always, more healthful than a meat-based diet. It's not uncommon for young women to adopt a … Más

Trader Joe's par-baked organic pizza crust (frozen food case $2.49 for 2 crusts) inspired me to make … [Read More. ]

Trader Joe's cheese enchiladas and black bean & corn enchiladas over rice. Plus, a southwest … [Read More. ]

Mediterranean lunch plate made entirely of TJ's foods - falafel, dolmas, feta cheese, garlic hummus, … [Read More. ]

My favorite quick & easy meals usually start with a base from the Trader Joe's frozen case, plus … [Read More. ]

Stir frys can be a healthy, delicious and satisfying part of a vegetarian or vegan diet. However, it … [Read More. ]

Veg TJ’s Favorites!

Trader Joe's carries chocolate, almond and sometimes pumpkin croissants. The chocolate is my … [Read More. ]

I'm not a huge pie fan, but I am a sucker for bite-sized desserts. Fun and I can have more than one. … [Read More. ]

These are my favorite frozen vegetables at TJ's. The sauce is very good and the vegetables are hardy … [Read More. ]

Trader Joe's describes this as a "modern take on spanakopita". I guess the kale is what makes it … [Read More. ]

I prefer TJ's frozen French Toast over the frozen waffles, because they aren't as dry and look more … [Read More. ]

TJ's macaroni and cheese is delicious (very creamy and satisfying), but as expected high in calories … [Read More. ]

TJ's Roasted Garlic Hummus was my favorite until I discovered this Edamame Hummus. Not only is the … [Read More. ]

This is a very rich and satisfying dish. Not surprising given that more than half the calories are … [Read More. ]

Trader Joe's asparagus risotto is one of my favorite items and a go-to comfort food when I'm craving … [Read More. ]

The Southwest Salad is my favorite pre-prepared salad at Trader Joe's. 4 pineapples for this tasty, … [Read More. ]

Trader Joe’s Exec Opens Nonprofit Grocery Store As a Low-Budget, Healthy Option

The former president of Trader Joe’s has opened the nation’s first not-for-profit grocery store in Dorchester, Massachusetts to give people a low-cost option for healthy groceries–and ready-made meals.

Instead of going to McDonald’s for lunch or dinner, low-income folks or locals who are too busy to cook can now come to the Daily Table and find quick healthy meal options freshly prepared on-site. Entrees like chicken penne are priced starting at $1.49, while side dishes like soup or salad range from 50¢ to $1.

Daily Table keeps prices low, according to SuperMarket News, by sourcing its food through overstocks, donations from supermarkets or manufacturers, and by acquiring blemished produce.

But a quick look at their grapefruit (2 for $1), carrots ($.29 lb) and cucumbers (3 for $1) reveals no more imperfections than you’d find at an average farmer’s market.

The store at 450 Washington Street, which opened Thursday, is selling frozen vegetables, frozen pizzas, bread, canned goods, cereal, rice, salad greens, bananas and other produce. The store will not sell soda, snacks or candy.

Doug Rauch, the former president of Trader’Joes, says he wants to feature prices that will “make you smile”, and hopes to locate more stores in the working class neighborhoods of Boston, but also others in Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, San Francisco and Baton Rouge.

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School Lunch and a Trader Joe’s Find

I have had a couple requests for more school lunch ideas. I posted one on my Facebook page a few weeks ago, which I have also added to this post, along with another picture of a common school lunch for my boys.

I also had a blog reader email me about a pre-seasoned salmon that he found at Trader Joe’s. I usually steer away from the pre-packaged or pre-seasoned food but this one is GREAT!

Last but not least, we are planning on shooting another cooking demo this weekend so stay tuned!

Sliced left over grilled chicken

Mixed nuts and dried Fruit

Nitrate free turkey deli meat with dill pickles

Nitrate free pastrami rolls (pastrami wrapped around broccoli slaw)

Chicken salad – chopped cooked chicken, chopped pickles, chopped celery, a spoonful of paleo mayo

Repeat day 1 or day 2

I need to start taking daily pictures of the lunches that I pack so I can post these ideas more often, but hopefully this is helpful for the parents out there trying to make a paleo family lifestyle happen! My 15 year old packs his own lunch everyday and it typically consists of nitrate free pastrami deli meat or a tupperware of whatever left over meat he can find from the night before, celery sticks, an apple, a banana, and a bag of pistachios.

The salmon at Trader Joe’s is the Chimichurri Wild Pacific Salmon found in the freezer section. It’s so easy to prepare, pretty darn tasty, and the ingredients are as followed: Wild caught salmon, olive oil, parsley, garlic, salt, and red chili flakes.

One last find, here’s a link to all things gluten free at Trader Joe’s!

Related posts:

About Sarah Fragoso

Sarah Fragoso is a dedicated wife and a mother of three who has succeeded in helping her own family find true health and wellness through living a paleo lifestyle. Sarah’s passion for helping other families adopt a paleo lifestyle is apparent when visiting her extremely popular recipe and lifestyle blog, EverydayPaleo. com as well as her venture as co-owner of the online fitness and nutrition site, Everyday Paleo Lifestyle and Fitness; EPLifeFit. com. Google+

Comentarios

I love your blog! It is so incredibly helpful. Where do you get your nitrate free pastrami? ¡Gracias!

¡Hola! my five year old spent the summer gradually reducing the number of nuts she ‘likes right now’ to, well, zero. jaja. the same goes for dry coconut, so i’m thinking it’s just a textural thing that she’ll get over. any ideas for other yummy lunchbox-friendly fats in the meantime?

she will do guacamole maybe once a week, so that’s a great one for us.

Hey Liz, Does she like almond or cashew butter? Dipping carrots or apple slices in nut butter is super tasty to a lot of little people… Also, making a homemade smoothie with coconut milk might do the trick too. )

I’d like to start by saying my family LOVES your blog. We are a family of 4 and all eat paleo and all do xfit. I pack paleo lunches for my 5 and 10 yr old and take pics nearly every day to keep track of what I’ve done and make sure I’m giving them enough variety, then I ask for feedback when I pick them up. This way I ensure almost every lunch is a complete success! What’s the best way to share some of these pictures with the great parents on here who also want to pack healthy lunches for their kids?

Maybe on your fb page?

Hi Ana, Yes, I think posting your pics on my fb page is perfect, thank you so so much! I can’t wait to check them out. )

I love your blog and have made many of your recipes since discovering it a few months back! ¡Gracias! I love your lunch ideas as well, it’s always great to share ideas to keep things fresh and new for the kids’ lunch. Not sure if you are familiar with but I thought I would share something I love - Laptop Lunches. http://www. laptoplunches. com I noticed in your photo you guys use plastic baggies. Along with the Paleo life we also try and live as “green” as possible by reducing packaging and reusing. I think eating Paleo follows that concept easily since fruits and vegetables come in their own natural packaging or very little man-made packaging. For the kids lunches we use Laptop Lunches lunch boxes. They are wonderful and you can even become a fan on FB and get daily lunch ideas. They aren’t paleo but always fresh and healthy and you can make substitutions. The containers are great and present lunch beautifully! My kids love their laptop lunches. Just thought I’d share a great find!

Hey Chris, Thanks for the link, I can’t wait to order our laptop lunch boxes – so cool!!

Thought I’d add that my three year old and 5 year old love what we call “salmon rolls” which are pieces of baby spinach wrapped around a clump of low-salt Trader Joe’s canned salmon mixed with a little mayo. There’s nothing more satisfying than sitting back and watching them pop those little things in their messy, but lovely, mouths.

Brandi, I’ll have to try that with my little guys, and for me too – those sound great!

Those are a healthy lunch indeed but food stacking container should also be considered. Don’t just use plastic bags. Why not switch to stainless steel tiffin container? Stainless steel containers are safer, eco-friendly, more reusable and durable. Plus, you won’t have any difficulty on how to pack your lunch, you can also stack liquids in it, and carry it in one single carrier. Please visit the link and experience the benefits of the stainless steel tiffin carriers. I guarantee that you’ll love it for sure. unesdoc. unesco. org unesdoc. unesco. org

Further to the lunch container ideas, I just use canning jars. Cheap and very durable. I’ve also got some cloth bags that are velcroed across the top and are lined with something that provides some moisture protection.

Keep the lunch ideas coming! We’re nut free in school so that cuts out lots of options!

Trader Joe’s

I love Trader Joe's.

Great specialty store with house brand items - lots of delicious and somewhat healthy options to choose from. I love their trail mix options; the wasabi peas are also awesome.

Everyone digs the wine selection and the Two-Buck Chuck label, although that $2 price tag is a thing of the past. Produce selection is decent.

If you want to blow your calorie counting, there's plenty to splurge on at TJ's. I love the mini peanut butter cups myself - could eat an entire tub if I wanted to.

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For some reason I thought the nearest Trader Joe's to us was Ft Worth, but low and behold all it took was 2 seconds to open a map and I found this location! It's next door to Sushi Zushi in a cool area with lots of shops, a movie theater, and plenty of free parking.

If you haven't been to a TJ's before, they offer a huge selection of quality foods (some even imported) at affordable prices. Their stock changes often so there is always something new to try which I love.

The employees are helpful and gracious, handing out samples and offering a no questions asked return policy because they truly want their customers to have a great experience here.

Some of my favorites include: green goddess salad dressing, strawberry jam, fresh cheeses, dried fruits, imported extra virgin olive oil, pastas, gnocchi, organic marinara sauces, canned Cuban style black beans (they are awesome in quesadillas), guiltless frozen mac and cheese, $2 wines aka 2 buck chuck, vanilla French roast coffee, enchilada sauce, almond milk, coffee ice cream, chocolate croissants, and the tub of mini chocolate chip cookies.

The list goes on and on, especially if you check out their weekly Fearless Flyer which keeps you up to date on sales and featured products. Also see their webpage for great recipe ideas.

Pro Tip: Make sure to bring your own shopping bags when you visit. It will get you an entry into their monthly drawing to receive a TJ's gift card. Cuan genial es eso?

Very vegetarian and vegan friendly. I even saw vegan shredded mozzarella cheese

They have a staff favorites shelf

Trader Joe's is amazing and I absolutely love this grocery chain.

But Southlake does not provide the greatest clientele for this location. The workers are marvelous, friendly and helpful, but navigating the store with inconsiderate shoppers is a pain. The parking lot is even worse.

TJ'S has an excellent selection of dinners that are easy to whip up on a weeknight for those of us that actually have a life. If you don't like this place, it's you. NOT them.

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I've been to other Trader Joes before. This one is not too different. I do too agree this store is over-hyped as in other yelp reviews. The parking lot can be kind of tight, so be careful in and around. There are other competitors around, so you may want to consider those in the like such as Fresh Market, Sprouts, and Central Market

The good thing about Trader Joes: - their branded items that seem to be dirt cheap:-) and a good value. I've also used their soaps and shampoos before which smelled nice too. I liked their cookies. Staff are friendly.

Green tea mochi ice cream

Strawberry Mochi ice cream

Yes I'm a fan! Having come from So Cal where there are huge choices in regards to healthy markets, farmers markets, stores, Trader Joes is something I am familiar to but never really shopped at much since there were other choices. However, having moved here, I usually only go to Wholefoods to get what I really need in terms of organic produce and gluten free stuff. Trader Joes is a smaller, more eclectic store, with not as much variety. However, they have more reasonable prices than Wholefoods, and a good variety of organic produce and gluten free items, and also sell the cutest small organic apples that are perfect in any kid's lunch. They also have a variety of pre-made healthy options (way cheaper than Eatzis), and other random things that you may find interesting. The staff is always super friendly, and check out is relatively fast. Only con - very small parking lot. But this is in a busy part of Southlake.

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I left with a smile on my face. re

Joe's is a nice complement to other stores in the area. Go here for your day to day needs, go to the others when you want something exotic, to take a class, or for a wider selection of hot meals prepared on site.

Strengths (no particular order): Quality. Precios. Servicio al cliente. Overall Shopping Experience.

1) Feels like a neighborhood grocery store. It's not huge and it doesn't feel like the zoo that is Central Market. 2) Easy to get in, get what I wanted and get out. The smaller floor plan and layout makes for pretty efficient shopping for everyday needs. 3) Excellent quality at a much more affordable price - even for organics. 4) Exceptional customer service that is above and beyond - Oh, and be sure to tell them if it's your first time there when you check out! 5) Even the other shoppers are pleasant and very friendly. 6) I didn't get a good long look, but a glance indicates a decent selection of wine and local craft beers. 7) Get a free chance to win a gift card each time you shop. I think this is on-going and not just a limited time offer?

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I have never experienced a grocery shopping run quite like what I experienced yesterday at this Trader Joe's. The best descriptor would be, "claustrophobic."

You would think you were in the beginning hours of a zombie apocalypse because of the number of customers running around inside. Actually, running is not possible because of how tightly packed it is with people. It's more like slow trudging. Which only strengthens the zombie imagery. Actually, if a zombie apocalypse does happen, everyone in this store is going to die because of how slowly they move.

This has been mentioned already by some of the other Yelpers, but what in tarnation is happening with that parking lot? Seriamente. This is Texas. A parking lot in Texas should never look like a parking lot in NYC. Nunca. What a poorly thought out parking lot. The absurd layout, lack of space, and overall madness in that lot results in unpleasant feelings before you even walk through the doors.

However, customer service is stellar so bonus points for that. While the store itself is smaller than other Trader Joe's locations, it is still a Trader Joe's. And I like me some Trader Joe's. Two Buck Chuck, son! Well, more like Three Buck Chuck, but whatevs.

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Coming from CA Trader Joe's was always a staple for me and i love everything about them. When i moved here i heard about the one by TCU, but also wasn't going to drive 30 minutes plus just to shop for food even as much as i love it. Then i heard they built and opened this location which is only 15 mins down the road, so i couldn't be happier.

I am not sure if it was the timing or what, but Trader Joe's are known for being jammed packed to where you can barely push your cart around the store. This location i was able to move about with ease and there wasn't many shoppers inside which made the experience even more amazing.

The store is extremely clean and well stocked. They have all of the usual suspects i am used to, so that also makes me happy.

Great staff who are happy and always wanting to help.

If you're not familiar with Trader Joe's give it a shot and i promise you will become a follower.

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I'm so happy Trader Joe's opened near me. I was able to go midmorning to check it out. There was plenty of parking spaces. The location is spacious. I know it was crowded but it didn't feel like it. The staff here were so friendly and all smiles. I love the $1.99 spinach and 19 cent bananas. I really do like their medium roast coffee. Everything I've gotten here was really good. They even have chicken jerky for the doggies (mine loves these). I also like their sushi! Yum! I am definitely going to be a regular here.

Craving Chicken Tikka Masala? This one is really good

Spicy California Roll. Pretty legit

Awesome, Awesome! I love this place! It's a different shopping experience (think more up north style grocery) that will change your life for the better, if you let it! I promise, everything here ends up costing you less, whether it's short term or long term. Produce, coffee, etc. is better quality and less expensive than anywhere, with the exception of a farmers market. Things like honey, maple syrup, greek yogurt, etx. may be %15 more, but don't contain the corn starches, sugars and additives you will find in brand names. I have found this makes me use less of it, because natural has more flavor, and causes me to feel a lot better health wise. Alcohol, kind of pricey but they have it!

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This review is for the sheer excitement for having this location in my hood. Ok, I am 100% in love with MY NEW LOCAL Trader Joe's. It's the small things in life that make us happy like Darrell Lea Strawberry Licorice. It is the bomb! I was first introduced to Trader Joe's when we lived in Redondo Beach and it's been a destination shopping experience when ever I visit a city that is blessed with them. I like the uniqueness of their products. Their category managers go out of their to find and create products that you don't even know you want until you stumble across them. My favorite things: Darrell Lea Strawberry Licorice, Tangerine Natural Squeezed Juice, Cookie butter, Pizza Dough, Organic Multi-Colored Carrots, Fresh Pasta, Pasta Sauces, Coal Oven Flat Bread. I waited 2 weeks before I went to visit as I hate traffic and wanted to linger in the store. I went at 10:15am on a Saturday and it was an easy to shop and explore. I spent 30 minutes shopping and could have been there longer. The staff was friendly and helpful and even got a free recycle shopping bag since it was my first visit. Will I be back? Hell yes. So happy, you just need to be strategic as to when you shop as I can see this being a crazy place on Saturday afternoon and after work.

Fresh Pizza Dough

A few of my favorite things from trader joes.

First to Review

Just came back from their grand opening.

First, their location is super-spacious. Despite all the people in the store there was still room to groove and we weren't packed in like sardines. There is plenty of parking too.

I found the Bite Size Everything Crackers, which I have heard are not at every Trader Joe's location and I was super excited to see that they carry Revolver's Blood & Honey and Grapevine Craft's Lakefire.

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I'm teetering between three and four stars. I am from Southern California too (born and raised) and I had one of these up the street from my house AND I lived in NC where there were TWO in a 10 mile radius. I have seen a Trader Joe's opening so I knew what to expect. This store is under whelming. It's exciting to have one so much closer to us than Fort Worth but why is this store sooooooo small? Maybe good things come in small packages. Um, okay. let's go with that.

Here's what I appreciate about Trader Joe's 1. There are a lot of vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, kosher, & organic foods to choose from.

2. The above are all very affordable and I would have paid double in other stores so the price point is great.

3. The staff is very nice. I appreciate that the staff is what I expected them to be. Very kind and helpful.

4. I totally appreciate that this is closer to me and that it has MOST of the staples I am looking for. (Edamame, French Vanilla Ice Cream, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Cheese Straws, Frozen Mandarin Orange Chicken and Cheeeessssseeeeeesssss.)

Here's what lost them the stars. I guess I disagreed with the other reviews, so take it for what it is worth I guess. (I swear I'm not a hater. I REALLLLLLLYYYY wanted this to be everything I remembered and experienced recently.)

1. I don't know if it because it was FINALLY a day without snow but, the parking is/was atrocious! I know it's the opening month (I went three weeks after opening) but seriously, could the parking spots BE closer together. I swear that parking lot is a freaking accident waiting to happen. (Park downstairs and walk up the steps and save yourself the trouble. Seriously. Although I found a parking spot relatively closely I thought I was going to hit someone. Not a car but a pedestrian.)

2. The selection is lacking a lot in comparison to the other Trader Joe's I have been to. The TJ's I remember and have been to recently has a ton of fruit leathers, dried fruit, varies snacks, simmer sauces, packaged food and noodles ADDED ON to the ones above and in the freezer, fridge sections. This was the bare minimum.

3. Because everything dried is two long aisles (like one hallway of food), it bottlenecks terribly, and everything seems crammed together. I was walking up and down for like an hour in hopes of finding things I knew they should have. Of course asking employees when I just gave up. (Ugh, I felt so bad I had to stop people stocking to help me. If it wasn't one thing it was another.) I don't think it was packed like an amusement park, but it is also not FREEEEEEEEEEEEE either and everyone in TWO aisles while the wine aisles being so empty is just not awesome. It isn't great space management.

I felt like I hyped this up SO much because I JUST visited a Trader Joe's in Cali in January and expected the same thing here and it just didn't hit the mark for me. I will be back but not for my WHOLE grocery trip. Maybe this is just me, so I can't wait to elevate this star when I understand the flow better maybe? Possibly? Hopefully?

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The book is FINISHED.

Ok, so who doesn’t love Trader Joe’s. I know you can’t name a single person who doesn’t adore this natural and organic food market. Here’s an entire blog post on Why People Love Trader Joe’s. And I can humbly tell you that an awful lot of people are really loving my EasyLunchboxes .

Yummy goodness-to-go . ¡Sí! This is the book that combines fabulous food and a lunch-packing system that makes it simple to pack meals FAST .

Cooking With Trader Joe’s Cookbook – Easy Lunch Boxes will be the 7th in a popular series of cookbooks devoted to cooking with foods from this remarkable store.

Lo revisamos un gazillion veces, agitado sobre el diseño con diseñador talentoso Lilla Hangay. edited it like crazy, (kept all the good stuff), and my publishers (Brown Bag Publishers ) just sent it off to the printer! Now we WAIT…

It comes out in September

We started only a few short months ago …. It’s been a crazy whirlwind of work, a lot of late nights, and about 30 zillion emails between everyone involved. But I hope you’ll forgive me as as I gush a little here… it’s GORGEOUS! Marla Meridith. who also contributed recipes, styled and shot each mouth-watering photo. There are color pics on every page, personal stories, meal-packing ideas, and of course, a wide variety of delicious recipes that you’ll be able to prepare. Rápido. And even if you aren’t lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe’s, don’t worry; These meals can be easily adapted to ingredients found in your local market.

Finally, a beautiful guide to help you pack fresh, wholesome meals-to-go for kids and adults… FAST .

A Cast of 32

This book mirrors what I’ve been creating online since I launched EasyLunchboxes in December, 2009: a vibrant community of devoted EasyLunchbox-packers – folks who care greatly about what they’re eating, and who enthusiastically share from their kitchens and hearts. Busy people like me who’ve found time-saving ways to make good nutrition a top priority in their lives.

Thanks to social media, I’ve built an incredible band of supporters, fans, and now, friends, who wasted no time in submitting their best meal ideas to me for this book. When I contacted some of my favorite foodie pals to see if they would share a few recipes with me, I was stunned at the generous flood of crazy deliciousness that poured in. My recipe-wise assistant Lauri (who shares her gluten-free wisdom and recipes in the book) and I pored through hundreds of their family-tested dishes, and narrowed it down to the best of the best from the following 32 contributors. (The whole process made us HUNGRY, lol! When you look through this book, you’ll know what I mean.)

Here they are (in no particular order)

Cooking With Trader Joe’s Cookbook – Easy Lunch Boxes will be available in September, 2012, wherever books are sold. PRE-ORDER your copy now

Sign up for my newsletter ► I’ll send you an email announcing the launch date!

You may also enjoy reading:

I’m Signing my new Book at Vroman’s Bookstore

Cooking with Trader Joe’s Cookbook – Easy Lunchboxes

Easy and Affordable One-Dish Dinners from the $5 Dinner Mom

Most Popular Lunch Boxes for School and Work

Leftovers to Lunchbox – Dinner to Lunch Recipes from Aviva Goldfarb

7 Healthy Snack Ideas at Trader Joe’s

7 Healthy Snack Ideas at Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s has an awesome array of tasty, convenient foods — which is why I often find myself there when I’m hungry and needing something to eat 10 minutes ago. When looking for a quick snack with so many options, it can be challenging to make a healthy choice. Here are 7 healthy snack ideas to make it easier (and help you to resist filling the cart with those tempting peanut butter cups and mini carrot cakes):

1) Veggies and Hummus

Trader Joe’s offers delicious hummus in a variety of flavors. Hummus is a quick and easy source of protein. My first choice snack is hummus and veggies since it requires no prep (baby carrots and snap peas are usually my go-to). If you haven’t tried hummus before, start with the original flavor. As you feel more bold, move to the other flavors. 2-3 tablespoons of hummus is a good serving size for a snack.

2) Trader Joe’s Greek Yogurt (0%)

Trader Joe’s has joined the Greek yogurt bandwagon in many different flavors. With all of the great protein, us dietitians are hoping this fad is here to stay. One serving is around 120 calories which leaves room to throw on a little fresh fruit if you want (Trader Joe’s has an amazing variety of fresh fruit at any given time, so the possibilities are endless). 3) Trader Joe’s 9 Whole Grain Crunch Cereal

Cereal may not come to mind when looking for a snack, but this one is crunchy and sweet. A ¾ cup portion has about 8 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber to fill you up!

4) Trader Joe’s Reduced Guilt Air-Popped Popcorn

You’ll have to make sure you stick to a reasonable portion because this air-popped popcorn comes in a big bag. The good news is that a reasonable portion is 3 cups! That’s a lot of snacking. Those 3 cups weigh in at only 130 calories.

5) Trader Joe’s Embrace Your Inner Bean (black bean snack)

Next to the chips you’ll find this gem. It satisfies a craving for something salty and crunchy, but has more fiber, protein and nutrients compared to tortilla or potato chips, so will provide more satiety. Keep in mind that 20-25 pieces is a serving. 6) Omega Trek Mix

This mix of dried fruit, nuts and seeds makes a very satisfying snack with a good balance of carb, protein and healthy fat. Keep the portion at ¼ cup (I prefer to portion mine out ahead of time, so I know it’s on track).

For the ultimate in portability, bars are the way to go. These come in reasonable portions (130-140 calories) with lots of filling fiber and protein and they’re delicious.

Written by Rise Coach Kristen Bowman, Registered Dietitian. She’s a mom, eater, drinker, and runner. Learn more about Kristen and how to work with her here .

Lose weight, without dieting

Trader Joe’s

I love trader joes. When I was little I hated it because it was the healthy food store. Now that I'm grown, I take MY kids there and indulge in delicious goodies that won't hurt my conscience. Granted, it MIGHT hurt my wallet. The groceries here are pricey but they are high quality and specialty items. There is ready made and organic everything. There are tons of oils and nuts to keep your heart healthy. There is a nice selection of wines and sweets.

This location, just like every T. J. I've ever been to, has super friendly associates. They really go above and beyond to help with a cheerful and outgoing personality. They make you feel at home. This store is clean and we'll stocked. Did I already say I love it here? Well I do!

Items I would recommend: COOKIE BUTTER. In the pumpkin spice variety as well! Mediterranean hummus. Don't forget the pita chips! Ready made Ceasar salad with chicken breast Pot stickers and gyoza sauce!!- the best! Sriracha bbq sauce - in a crock pot with a roast! Virgin coconut oil - on your nails and skin, on your food, in your hair! Baby, Coconut oil does wonders for everything!

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I was confused if this store was Abercrombie and fitch or was it a Trader Joes, cause the chic's and dudes that work here are like genetically fortunate, almost model like and fit looking too probably from all that trader joes goodness. Its not just the people that are good looking, even the store is cute. If you ever look on their walls and take notice, you will notice how unique this store is from any other stores, it has the beautiful painted mural of the Fresno name all over its high 15 feet wall,

ALRIGHT! Im getting off track here, to put it simply the Trader Joe's brand is diversity on steroid, Trader Joe's is a quiet, private and savvy grocery retailer that everyone falls in love with. Their store isn't that big, but their selection, oh my god, can anyone say "amazing" everything from exotic ingredients to basic asian ingredients to even gourmet foods, they even have really good selection of non toxic cleaner and non toxic toiletries and beauty products. If you live in a big city, and there's a Trader Joe's nearby, you probably know that rush hour there is a madhouse.

Since so many urbanites like shopping for cheap, healthy (or at least healthy-looking) food in a nautical-themed atmosphere, peak hours such as weekday evenings and Sunday afternoons find the produce section packed, the aisles clogged, the refrigerated sections swarmed. Luckily in Fresno, that only happens on weekend, so most of the time, Trader joes is a grocery heaven.

Their non-conventional culturally-tailored approach and attitude is one that is deeply embedded in the roots of their business model and that makes them so unique: from their packaging, product selection, store layout and graphics, to their vendors, employees and management.

Apart from their cheap Phalaenopsis orchids, which are totally gorgeous, Here are things you should consider buying:

Organic arugula Organic chopped kale Beets Smoked salmon Nuts of any and all kinds, but especially the single-serving packages of almonds Nut butters, also of all kinds! Creamy Polenta With Spinach and Carrots Popcorn (really, any kind of it) Trader Joe's Cilantro & Chive Yogurt Dip Veggie & Flaxseed Chips Sweet Basil Pesto Sausage Young, fresh turkey at Thanksgiving Coconut oil Coconut oil spray Almond Meal Balsamic vinegar Dark chocolate -- all of them 100% Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Canned beans (no additives or other ingredients!) Brussels sprouts Balsamic glaze Hard-boiled eggs Goat cheese Spelt Risotto Frozen Brown Rice Light coconut milk Wine (all of the wine, but especially their moscato asti) Arrabbiata sauce Apple cider vinegar Pomegranate White Tea Seafood Medley Steamed Lentils Mahi Mahi Greek yogurt Almond milk Hearts of palm (in the jar) Organic Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds Frozen naan

In a nutshell, you can't go wrong with really anything from TJ's in these areas: oil, vinegars, cheese, nuts/seeds and liquor. Seriamente.

Epic grocery adventure!

Best portions for couples and small families!

Reasons why I love Trader Joes. Allow me to count the ways.

1. Always courteous and helpful staff. 2. Always free samples available for taste testing items, new and old. 3. Always a great selection of flower bouquets, starting at 3.99 for your kitchen table or the rekindling of that one night stand. 4. Cookie butter. If you didn't know, find out. 5. Amazing gluten free, organic, healthy options! 6. Best frozen food, by far. Orange Chicken, Tamales, French macaroons, etc. 7. Charles Shaw. 8. New, unique additions ALL THE TIME! 9. Trail Mix Selection in the mid double digits. 10. Best store bought Lemonade & Apple juice, bar none.

Love you Trader Joes. Never leave me.

OJ is still better at Sprouts, but the Lemonade and Apple Juice is knock-your-socks off! #realjuice

Best cookies on Earth.

Ive been going to trader joes for so many years that i take this store forgranted! Everyone is always so nice and friendly here. They have all the things I would need and cheaper than whole foods. I've always loved trader joes.

Thank you trader joes for your specialty salads, cheese Chile tamales, and cage free eggs. Its a great place to grab a quick bite for lunch or dinner. There are many vegetarian options. Gracias!

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Honestly I love trader Joe but this particular store I don't like. They employees r annoying as hell & the store is so tiny & my experience there is always bad. ive lived many different cities across the us so i know some pretty amazing trader Joe but this I won't be going back to..for now I will just stick to foodsco at least their cheaper too, for my short time in Fresno.

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Very friendly staffers. This location has a mixed clientele, and it was nice to see the staffers treating each customer, regardless of demographics, with equal courtesy and respect. Produce was fresh, and items were well stocked. I really like the selection of grab and go lunch items (sushi, salads, pasta, etc). Oh si. and you can't find cheaper grated parmesan cheese ($2.49 instead of the over $4.00 at Savemart and Vons).

And the floral section is phenomenal! Such beautiful bouquets at such reasonable prices! I know where to go the next time I want to brighten someone's day!

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I like that Trader Joe's has gourmet food and deals on wine and good quality coffee--they had cheap Sumatra 15 years ago or more, before the coffee snob thing hit American hipsters.

But their own product line is over-watered tomato sauce thickened with corn starch, salmon burgers with tons of bread almost at the price per pound of fresh salmon, etc. etc. In short, i walk through the store scrutinizing labels because I've been tricked so many times.

The availability of products is also iffy. I used to be able to get blackcurrant juice, so hard to find in America, by the quart in bottles where their cherry juice is. Pero no más.

Their store brand air freshener was great. Both of these items suddenly disappeared.

OK, and this one might be my own problem. I know most people like to have friendly banter with cashiers, but standing in line, it is clear that staff have been trained to make sure they ask a question about your food, your day, and when you're the fifth in line hearing it repeated with everyone in front of you, you start to question the genuineness of it all. Plus, I am there to buy food, not make a retail cashier who wears hawaiian shirts as a new BFF.

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I have been a huge fan of Trader Joe's since it opened! I have always been a label reader, and more interested in health. I love that Trader Joe's guarantees on their website that they have no MSG or GMO's in their private label products! This is amazing to me, and eases my conscious as I shop that I can trust the ingredients on the label. The staff is great there too, always helpful! Mike in the wine shop is awesome!

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i have mixed feelings overall about trader joes. they are a massive multinational chain masquerading as a mom n pop. that in itself is not a crime imo. produce is consistently bad at all locations ive been to and this one is no different. i only come here for certain specialty items like curry chicken salad, premade veggis mixes, etc. lines are fast, workers are friendly.

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This Trader Joes has the worst parking lot ever. I'm always afraid of someone hitting my car. It's very tight and busy.

This location is always packed inside, too. It's a small store and all the people bustling around inside makes me just want to hurry up and get what I need and get out ASAP. However, even if I want to get out ASAP it's a little difficult since the lines are always astronomically long. At least the cashiers are always cheerful and entertaining. My cashier was singing the whole time today.

The TJ brand 100% cranberry juice and Dixie Peach juice are my absolute favorites. There is also a wonderful selection of cheeses, hummus, and Pita chips.

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I'm a Tj adict and live in a place that doesn't have them yet, so this review is a little biased!

Definitely on the small side, but the staff does there best with a smile and cheerful service!

Tons of salad choices, good samples, lots of meat and a decent selection of booze - which being in a hotel I'm usually limited to twist off of whatever I get!

Nice layout with enough room to get around the usual bottle neck by the salads and meats,

Parking lot is tough, I usually just park far and get my steps in!

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I love this Trader Joe's. We come here frequently now that we live nearby, and I remember when I'd come here as a kid. Everybody is incredibly helpful, and they'll grab whatever you're missing while you're being checked out. Their supply is a little lower since they're smaller than the other location in Clovis, but its hard to fault a place that couldn't expand.

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America's Healthiest Grocery Stores

Trader Joe's

300-plus stores in 23 states and Washington, D. C.

Shopping at Trader Joe’s is more like going to a specialty-foods store than a chain grocer—you’ll find healthy foods from around the world, all at surprisingly reasonable prices. What you won’t find: bad-for-you mainstream brands. The store’s impressive and delicious store-brand foods contain no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, and no MSG, trans fats or genetically modified ingredients. “My daughter loves their Omega Trek Mix With Omega-Fortified Cranberries, and now I do, too!” Palumbo says.

Pawloski is just as excited about their organic prepared meals. There are fun healthy surprises, too: instead of sugary cereals, they have good-news alternatives, like fruit-and nut-packed Triple Berry O’s. Why didn’t Trader Joe’s rank higher? The limited selection in most of its stores.

Next: Hannaford

Trader Joe’s Low Calorie Foods

Trader Joe’s has foods labeled reduced-guilt or guilt-free. Guilt is an unfortunate label for food, but you get the idea.

Frozen food choices include baked ziti, stuffed pasta shells, pizza and macaroni and cheese. The ziti is plain and not very filling. The pizza is downright depressing. The macaroni and cheese is OK, but nothing like TJ’s regular macaroni and cheese which is a delicious, starchy, fat bomb. The spinach & cheese stuffed pasta shells are one of the best reduced-guilt options and are enough for a meal if you add some sauteed greens or a fresh salad.

TJ’s also sells a reduced-guilt guacamole that has low fat yogurt in place of some of the avocado. This tastes fine, but you can accomplish a similar calorie reduction by mixing regular guacamole with salsa. Of course the key is to resist the urge to eat half a bag of tortilla chips with whatever guacamole you have.

Many of the Trader Joe’s chilled, pre-prepared salads are a reasonable amount of calories, especially the Southwest Salad which is a very satisfying 200 calories. Watch out of the salads with lots of cheese and nuts, which come in closer to 500 calories.

Trader Joe’s also carries a couple fat free salad dressings for your homemade salads. The fat-free balsamic vinegar is so tart that it’s likely to overwhelm most green salads, but works well for a grain or bean salad. The fat-free sesame soy ginger vinaigrette is flavorful and versatile as it can be used as a salad dressing, marinade and even a stir fry sauce in a pinch.

Here are some tips for enjoying delicious, healthy foods from TJ’s without going overboard on calories:

Have some protein and/or fat with each meal and snack, otherwise you’ll be hungry in an hour.

Don’t buy foods you can’t resist. If you’re likely to consume a bag of cookies or box of chips in a day, resist the temptation to put it in your basket.

Plan on 500-700 calories per meal and limit snacks to 100-200 calories each. Most people can maintain their current weight on approximately 2000 calories per day and lose weight on 1500 calories per day, but this varies depending on age, body composition and activity level.

Eat fresh fruit and vegetables. Watery fruits and vegetables like citrus, berries and salad greens are initially filling, but don’t have a lot of staying power. Dense fruits and vegetables like apples, bananas and carrots will keep hunger away longer.

Limit dried fruits and nuts, which are calorie dense. Use dried fruits and nut as a garnish on salads or oatmeal, not as a snack you eat by the handful.

Limit bread and watch the portion size on pasta and rice. Whole grains are healthy foods, but still calorie dense. Try to have more vegetables on your plate than starches.

Buy low fat milk and non-dairy milks. You’ll get used to the taste and texture difference and can use the calories for something else you enjoy.

Limit juices and other drinks with calories. You’ll be more satisfied if you eat those calories rather than drink them. Smoothies have a meals worth of calories without a meals worth of satisfaction. Wine and beer often make you crave the foods that go well with them.

Enjoy frozen fruit bars or sorbet instead of ice cream.

Make salads with low fat or non fat salad dressing, but add some beans or avocado for staying power.

Add some crunch to your meals. Whether it’s jicama in a salad or nuts on oatmeal, the texture will make your mouth and brain happy.

Season your food well. Salt, pepper, hot sauce, garlic, spices and herbs boost flavor without adding calories.

Low Calorie Foods

The Southwest Salad is my favorite pre-prepared salad at Trader Joe's. 4 pineapples for this tasty, … [Read More. ]

These are the best of TJ's low calorie entrees. Tasty and relatively filling. Serve with a side … [Read More. ]

I always have a bottle of this vinegar in my fridge and keep a spare bottle in my pantry since this … [Read More. ]

This is one of my favorite prepared salads, mostly because it goes well with the many Italian foods … [Read More. ]

Trader Joe’s Explains Why It’s Cutting Health Benefits For Part Timers

Trader Joe’s announcement last week that it would do away with health insurance options for its part-time employees drew strong reactions from some.

The Huffington Post. which originally obtained the internal memo outlining the retailer’s plans, quoted one employee who called her health coverage one of the best things about the job. “I can say that when I opened and read the letter yesterday my reaction was pure panic, followed quickly by anger,” she reportedly said.

The full impact of lost private insurance options under Obamacare is not so simple, however. In an email published (by all appearances) in full by The Washington Post Monday, Trader Joe’s responds to the concerns of someone who wrote to corporate about the coverage employees stand to lose. The retailer’s explanation offers a convenient window into how the health insurance landscape is set to change under Obamacare.

Rather than provide affordable options for purchasing health insurance to part timers (those working less than 30 hours weekly), as Trader Joe’s does now, as of January the company will simply cut them a $500 check to help cover the costs of obtaining coverage under the new exchanges forming under the rubric of the Affordable Care Act.

This, in a nutshell, is Trader Joe’s reasoning, quoted from the email:

Stated quite simply, the law is centered on providing low cost options to people who do not make a lot of money. Somewhat by definition, the law provides those people a pretty good deal for insurance … a deal that can’t be matched by us — or any company. However, an individual employee (we call them Crew Member) is only able to receive the tax credit from the exchanges under the act if we do not offer them insurance under our company plan.

The email offers the example of a single mom making $18 an hour working 25 hours a week who currently pays $166.50 per month for her Trader Joe’s coverage. With the tax credits under the ACA, the message says, she can get nearly identical insurance for roughly half that under an Obamacare health insurance exchange. Add to that the $500 she’ll get in January and the bleak picture of lost benefits starts to change rather dramatically.

The message acknowledges that for some part timers—namely those who, for whatever reason, report real income above the threshold for receiving subsidies to buy insurance (400% of the poverty line)—the benefits change will mean higher insurance costs. And, the message says, for 77% of Trader Joe’s employees — presumably those working more than 30 hours per week — there will be no change in insurance coverage options.

I work for Trader Joe's and although I love the company, the crew, and my job this change drastically affects my family. I have a family of 6 currently on the healthcare coverage. It is the best coverage out there, better than huge corporations. Come January I will lose my benefits and because I have to report my husband's income and because his job offers insurance we will lose out big time. We now have to pay double for the insurance and our deductible is 3x more. It's very unfortunate and I don't agree with many of the changes going on with the company. I don't want to work anywhere else though because I am attached to my store and my co workers.

whole foods is taking away benefits in 2015. they just have not announced it yet. they also will not allow leadership to hire full time employees starting this month.

I have friends at Trader Joe’s, so I’m always hearing about the goings on there. Of late, there has been an accelerated hiring of part timers, usually teenagers or college students, with no experience included, and the implementation of a “new” computer system which “indiscriminately” sets workers’ shift days and hours.

The long term employees are asked to submit their hours of availability and are assigned the timeframe decided upon by the computer. Funnily enough, many of them have lost hours, some being the critical margin needed to reach the 18 per week average necessary to be eligible for Trader Joe medical coverage. Their past schedules have been disrupted to accommodate the “newbies”.These are the folks who have been supporting Trader Joe’s Customer Experience for years. Interesting how the schedules they have worked for years, to manage family and life in general. are suddenly “not the hours we need from you” but are available to new hires.

I found it interesting that Mr. Bane was quoted as saying, "It is important to note. we do not create our weekly schedules with healthcare eligibility in mind," Bane wrote. "Rather, we will continue to create weekly schedules that are solely focused on supporting the customer experience." Sorry, this is hyperbole. Before the supposed ACA business, Trader Joe’s made sure that the employees they valued made their necessary minimum number of hours to maintain their health care. Now that health care can be dropped into the employees’ lap, the result is a lot of unnecessary worry and heartache for the employees and a lofty “no fault” statement by the home office. For shame .

He did, however, inform workers that corporate contributions to employee retirement accounts would be drastically scaled back, by a third for some and two-thirds for others. Bane argued that the company's "very generous" contribution rates had been too high for the industry. "Whole Foods and Costco (two public companies) make retirement plan contributions that are significantly less than Trader Joe's," he wrote. This, then, is what is happening to the “Unique Grocery Store”. Just another greedy corporate enterprise that really cares not a whit for those that make it work. No longer a mover and shaker in the food industry, but simply another user and taker.

New hire, two weeks new, enquires as to the requirements necessary for health benefits, having been told during interview that there was an eighteen hour weekly average time, but now it is thirty hours or ACA.

Veteran, single mother, was working a fixed schedule to manage her childrens’ school and evenings and weekends and being a parent who loves their child, now must worry about health care, about babysitter expense, about imposingon relatives and friends, about asking for assistance from an already reluctant spouse.

Disabled person who depended on working relative for a lift to and from work now has no lift because their hours are disrupted in the name of customer experience.

This friendly, neighborhood store, this community store, has had the members of the community as their staff for many years. They have had the community members as their customer base. But now, it seems, the corporate mentality and greed have eclipsed the worth of community. Scaling everything down to a part time organization will save those Corporate health care expenditures, but what will it do to the community? The legislation that allowed for it to be cheaper for a company to dump its’ employees health coverage than to continue to provide it is something which needs closer examination. Passing the buck to an evil computer system which is allowed to determine employees’ needs and abilities is just that, passing the buck, and oh so smart. to pass it to a nonentity who can assume no blame and suffer no consequences. What is the purpose of the managers in these stores. They are certainly not “managing” their employees. They are not looking out for the people who are a responsibility of theirs, responsibility being caring for someone or something.

Many people were, and some still are, proud to be Trader Joe employees. If TJs becomes another corporate monster then hopefully it will meet with a monsters’ deserved fate. There is yet time to be the community spirited, fun, lighthearted organization we have come to know and judged as being above the rest. Be Unique, supply and live by Everyday Values. Be a part of the Community. Be Family.

@ IMKNARFIE I work at Trader Joe's part-time and am sad that your friends who are co-workers feel this way. I have a much different perspective. I have only had but a wonderfully caring and respectful management staff the entire time I have worked for the company. They have offered me incredible flexibility in scheduling and taking time off that I have never experienced at any other job. My benefits have changed in the last few years, but I still believe they are some of the best in the industry. I would encourage you to look into benefits at similar jobs.

When this shift in Health Insurance came to be, our Management acknowledged that while schedules are based on store needs, they would do everything they could to give us the hours we wanted and that Trader Joe's has never asked them to cut hours back to keep people from benefits. I also believe your statement about hiring young college kids to push out other people is false and is a constructed idea by some crew members that are upset. Trader Joe's has always supported it's veteran staff incredibly, which is one reason why they offer such high pay to them, to keep them around. So many of our staff works over 30 hours as part-time employee's and will have no change in benefits.

I would encourage your friends to move on if they are so upset. Though I have encountered similar sentiment from other employee's, they seem to change their minds and feel a lot better when things are fully explained to them. Theres been a lot of scared and anxious employee's that have been quick to come up with things that just aren't true. It's fine to have issue's with things your employer does and offer them feedback, but at some point you either gotta support the company you work for or move on. I still support them and think it's a significantly attractive place to work.

@ Marts @ IMKNARFIE Move where to exactly? This isn't about fear OR mis information. This is about being VERY informed--and it's a BAD DEAL for parttime employees who depend on the insurance they came to rely on! A very bad deal. Corporate greed is what this is.

I'm reposting what I posted on the Washington Post. My essential point is: This move might cost TJ employees less for coverage each month, but we don't know if it will cost less for medication, co-pays and procedures. The subsidy might be less next year. TJ's is shifting their burden of payment to the taxpayers and they are being spin-doctors. Here's what I posted:

I work at TJ's 24 hrs/wk and at another retailer 16 hrs/week. I am a full-time student and I don't live at home.

TJs has continually cut our benefits, and I accept that they needed to do so in order to invest in new stores and grow. This is where I no longer grit my teeth. This is where I'm furious. They're taking advantage of the ACA. We had no heads-up and many of us can't radically alter our schedules with no notice or alter them at all. They say 77% aren't affected; yo digo

I am concerned and upset because I don't want to be a guinea pig, nor can I afford to be. In order to get the equivalent plan on the exchange, I would need gold. It's not just about the monthly payments, but also the co-pays and the amount we're responsible for. I can't afford gold. In my state, even after the ONE TIME 500 $ (I estimate 350 after tax) and subsidy, a silver plan will cost me 100/month, 30$ more than now. I have several chronic but non-life threatening conditions, and I know what my monthly medication and co-pay visits to doctors are now(20$ for med & co-pay). Will my doctors accept the new one? Will I pay a higher co-pay or a higher %? Not even counting the 30$ more a month, I may end up paying 50-200% more of costs for treatments and procedures I need, not to mention that I could have a car accident. I'm worried that next yr the costs will sky rocket or the subsidy will drop. TJ insurance starts in July; I already paid premiums and I'd have to again in Jan.

The mother seems to be quoted at bronze, not gold. How much will she pay for antibiotics? 20$, or more around $100? What if her child breaks his/her arm or has a concussion? Before she'd pay 20% of the cost, under bronze it would 40%. Maybe she won't call out when she has strep throat because she has to pay for antibiotics. Maybe people who work

36 hrs/wk will now go to work sick because our hours tend to get cut to

30 in the slow summer months and they will need to compensate for the loss of hours in summer.

Trader Joe’s Grocery List and Menu Plan (Under $50)

Hello Trader Joe’s friends! I want to welcome you to my blog, A Modern Commonplace Book. Thanks so much for finding this little menu plan I wrote up.:) Interested in menu plans, favorite products or tips for a simple life? Read more about my blog here!

Just so you know, I also co-wrote a 20 week menu plan – which keeps your weekly grocery list to fewer than 20 ingredients. The menu plan is non-scheduled – it just gives you 5 dinner recipes you can use anytime that week. If you are interested in accessing all 20 menu plans for free, just click here for the “No Plan” Menu Plan or click on one of the weeks below:

ALL THE MENU PLANS

Nuevo? Start Here.

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Low-Carb Food at Trader Joe's

Laura Dolson, About. com's Guide to Low Carb Diets, is a health and food writer, and develops low-carb and gluten-free recipes for home cooks. Lee mas

Updated February 03, 2016.

Trader Joe's is a chain which branches in most of the 50 United States. They are a "specialty" store, but with a wide range of food, and great prices on a lot of it.

Vegetables and Fruit

Fresh depending on season and price.

Peeled garlic (in the refrigerated produce section) Better than jarred, easier than regular.

Canned tomatoes

Other canned vegetables, such as artichoke hearts

Dehydrated blueberries and strawberries

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Protein Foods

Fresh chicken, grass-fed beef. pork, and really great Niman Ranch bacon

Eggs

Ham (they have great Niman Ranch ham)

Canned seafood - tuna, crab, salmon (including smoked salmon )

Sausages - best prices I've seen on "gourmet" sausages (e. g. chicken sausages with herbs)

Lunch Meats

Frozen fish. shrimp, and other

Tofu

Dairy Products

Organic cream

Organic sour cream

Kerrygold butter (organic, and from grass-fed cows)

Greek yogurt - more expensive, but very low carb

Kefir

Marcaspone cheese (soft, spoonable fresh cheese)

Cheeses - great selection

Flax seed meal - they have a high turnover, so I feel comfortable buying the meal here

Almond meal - best price I've seen

Sometimes other nut flours

Almonds, Pecans, Peanuts, and other nuts - mostly I get raw (I'm less likely to overeat), but they also have "lightly salted" roasted nuts. which I appreciate

Peanut butter - they have nice, smooth, trans-fat free peanut butter

Almond Butter

Other Canned and Bottled Foods

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Bebidas

Diet soda

Vino

Water - 30 cents for a bottle with a sports-type top that I can refill

Diet cranberry juice (mostly for other family members, but I have some once in awhile)

Unsweetened soy milk (not really a beverage - I use it in cooking mostly)

Food Supplements

They have lots of high-quality, low cost supplements. The ones I buy are:

Odorless Fish Oil

vitaminas

Time-Released Glucosamine/Chondroitin

And Also

We’re all busy, and packing a lunch bag every single weekday morning has to rate at the top of the “annoying chores” pile. Keeping track of 17 million tiny Tupperwares, washing them every day, and filling them with healthy food is hard enough. Giving the kids enough variety so that they don’t complain “Cheese sticks again?” is another. That’s where Trader Joe’s comes in. The store is light on staples like baking soda and stew meat, but a haven/heaven of excellent snack food. If you’re lucky to live close to a Trader Joe’s, consider the following items.

Best Trader Joe’s Snacks Celery with Peanut Butter: On the busiest of busy days, you still have time to fling one of these little beauties in the box and feel good about yourself. I’m not crazy about the non-recyclable plastic, but we can’t be perfect every day.

Pomegranate seeds: One of the most appealing things about junk food is the variety of flavors, colors and shapes it comes in. But junk food has nothing on nature when it comes to the pomegranate, possibly the world’s weirdest fruit (assuming you don’t eat durian), and very entertaining to eat. Getting the seeds out of the fruit is a huge pain. Unless TJ’s has done it for you. Look for pomegranate seeds by the salad greens and other refrigerated produce.

Sharp Cheddar Cheese Cracker Cuts: Oh sure, you could slice the cheese yourself. But then you’ll have to skip your morning shower. Most pre-sliced cheeses in grocery stores are yucky fake American cheese. It’s nice to find pre-sliced cheese that’s real. Lite Mild Cheddar Cheese Snack Sticks: Easy to throw into a lunchbox, relatively low in calories, and always a favorite, particularly for kids who object to sharper cheeses. This is a mild, easy-to-eat alternative that will plug any hungry-hole.

Freeze-dried fruit: Sometimes you just don’t have the time to slice a fresh apple or a peach. Dump some freeze-dried mango, strawberry, pineapple or banana in a container and your child will thank you. We’re particularly fond of the freeze-dried strawberry; it’s so sweet and foamy it almost seems like some kind of fabulous junk food.

Simply Almonds, Cashews and Cranberries Trek Mix: You have to watch it with TJ’s trail mixes, as some of them have a high proportion of chocolate to nuts. This delicious mix is just nuts and dried fruit, and it’s reasonably priced to boot.

Snapea Crisps: These bags of dried peas taste every bit as good as chips. But with less sodium and more vitamins than chips, these are a decent, convenient once-in-a-while lunchbox treat.

Just a Handful nuts: Packed in extremely convenient one-ounce servings, these little bags of almonds, trail mix or walnuts are the ideal snack to fling at the kids while driving: Not too messy, appealingly packaged and hearty enough to stop a snack attack in its tracks and keep the little yappers quiet for a while. Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip: If you have a kid who runs at the sight of green, forget it. But if your child isn’t squeamish about green vegetables, this gorgeously green dip sure goes down smooth. It’s a mere 60 calories for a quarter cup, which is a very satisfying and filling quarter cup, by the way. Pair this with TJ’s Savory Thin Mini Edamame Crackers and you have a junky looking snack that actually boast some vitamins and fiber.

Mediterranean Hummus: Most little kids eat hummus easily, any brand. It just so happens that Mediterranean Hummus is particularly smooth and delicious, with a wonderful tangy top with oil, herbs and pine nuts.

Organic Fruit Wraps: Fruit leather is a lunchbox standard. These are typical, delicious fruit leathers for about half the price of grocery store leathers. What could be easier to throw into a lunch than this slim little package? Soy & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips: They’re not so weird that (most) picky kids will reject them, but they have more protein, fiber and omega-3 than traditional tortilla chips.

Worst Trader Joe’s Snacks

Fruit Sauce Crushers: Oh, they taste fine, and kids eat them. But these glorified packs of apple sauce boast a more disturbing pedigree: They’re packaged in squeeze packs that are non-recyclable eco-enemies. Considering that apple sauce/fruit sauce also comes packaged in more environmentally friendly packages, this one’s a baddie. Speculoos Cookie Butter: Just because it’s kept near the peanut butter, don’t let Cookie Butter fool you. It is in no way healthy, or a whole food. Crushed cookies are not a great sandwich filling for growing bodies. Neither is Nutella, or TJ’s Nutella ripoff, but that’s another story.

Fat Free Spicy Black Bean Dip: If your kids take to TJ’s hummus, you might think this is a good alternative. Nay. It’s sharp and vinegary, and it will come back in a dried layer in your Tupperware that you’ll have to resentfully chip off. Breakfast Burritos: Eggs, turkey bacon, cheese and potatoes in a burrito wrapper. Sounds like a good lunchbox option, right? And fits right into a Thermos! Sorry, no. These taste wretched.

V eggie Sticks Potato Snacks: Oh, you think you’re buying something that’s almost like serving slivers of carrot and celery. But these nasty-tasting little sticks are every bit as unhealthy as Cheetos, and they taste terrible and leave your hands and mouth greasy. And they don’t fill you up.

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Eat This, Not That! From Trader Joe’s

Shopping at Trader Joe’s is a good start. Knowing exactly which foods are best is better.

There is so much to love about Trader Joe’s. The well-known supermarket chain carefully selects the products they sell and often sells items in sizes that make sense for small families or single people. Trader Joe’s also carries a wide variety of organic and GMO-free foods, which makes them a popular alternative to pricier specialty stores. Perhaps the best part about Trader Joe’s is its selection of inexpensive wine, including their famous $2 bottles. The chain is also on top of food trends and health news; be on the lookout for these 20 Weight-Loss Superfoods You’re Not Eating !

While many of the food options at Trader Joe’s are both good and good for you, it is easy to get fooled by items that initially seem healthy but are high in calories, fat, or sugar. Next time you find yourself joining the other Trader Joe’s loyalists, use this handy shopping guide to find the items that will keep you happy and healthy. And to blast fat—fast—for just pennies a day, try our proven new plan, The 7-Day Flat-Belly Tea Cleanse. Test panelists lost up to 10 pounds in one week!

Bacon

Eat This! Trader Joe’s Uncured Turkey Bacon

Nutrition per slice Calories: 30 Total Fat: 1.5 g Saturated Fat: 0 Cholesterol: 25 mg Sodium: 180 mg

Not That! Trader Joe’s Uncured Apple Smoked Bacon

Nutrition per slice Calories: 90 Total Fat: 7 g Saturated Fat: 2.5 g Cholesterol: 15 mg Sodium: 240 mg

It’s undeniable: nearly everyone loves bacon. Even thinking about bacon can get your mouth watering. But that delicious flavor comes with a high price. Bacon is full of saturated fat and sodium. A few pieces of bacon can make an otherwise healthy, low-fat breakfast one that will do major damage to your waistline. Instead of buying the Trader Joe’s Apple Smoked Bacon, reach for the Uncured Turkey Bacon. Not only does Apple Smoked Bacon contain 7 grams of fat per slice but nearly 40 percent of the fat is saturated fat. Even hamburger meat has a lower percentage of saturated fat than that! Turkey bacon has no saturated fat and fewer calories, making it the best choice for a healthier, low-calorie breakfast. Speaking of breakfast, check out these 30 Best Breakfast Habits to Drop 5 Pounds !

Vegetarian Meat Alternative

Eat This! Lightlife Smart Dogs Veggie Hot Dogs

Nutrition per 42 g Calories: 50 Fat: 2 Saturated Fat: 0 g Sodium: 330 mg Total Carbs: 2 g

Not That! Trader Joe’s Soy Chorizo

Nutrition per 71 g Calories: 160 Fat: 10 g Saturated Fat: 2 g Sodium: 730 mg Total Carbs: 9 g

Not all vegetarian meat alternatives are made the same. Manufacturers will often add salt, oils, spices, and other flavors to make not-meat foods taste like hot dogs or sausages. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to what’s in your vegetarian meats. If you’re craving vegetarian meat alternatives at Trader Joe’s, pick up Smart Dogs instead of Soy Chorizo. Trader Joe’s Soy Chorizo contains more than the double the amount of fat and carbohydrates than Smart Dogs. Eating Smart Dogs also contain fewer calories and sodium per gram, making it a much better vegetarian meat option. If you’re vegetarian, be sure to read up on these 30 Best Vegetarian Sources of Protein !

Plain Yogurt

Eat This! Trader Joe’s Greek Yogurt, Nonfat Plain

Nutrition per 1 cup Calories: 120 Total Fat: 0 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 70 mg Sugars: 6 g Protein: 22 g

Not That! Trader Joe’s Organic Cream Top Plain Whole Milk Yogurt

Nutrition per 1 cup Calories: 160 Total Fat: 9 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 40 mg Sodium: 120 mg Sugars: 11 g Protein: 8 g

When choosing between plain yogurt options, grab the Greek. Not only is Trader Joe’s Nonfat Greek yogurt completely fat free but it also contains more than double the amount of protein than the whole milk variety. You should go Greek for other reasons, too: It contains significantly less sugar, sodium, and cholesterol. By comparison, the Whole Milk Yogurt has more fat and sugar than a jelly doughnut. How does Greek yogurt taste so creamy while being so good for you? I’m not sure; it’s all Greek to me.

For 100+ creamy, delicious weight-loss drinks, click here for Zero Belly Smoothies !

Hummus

Eat This! Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Hummus Dip

Nutrition per 2 tablespoons Calories: 50 Total Fat: 2.5 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Sodium: 85 mg

10 of the Worst Frozen Items You Can Buy at Trader Joe’s

Enter Photo Gallery

Terrifying Art Made out of $8,000 Worth of Junk Food

Artist James Ostrer has put candy bars, ice cream cones, and doughnuts somewhere better than in our stomachs: in artwork.

As part of the Wotsit All About exhibit at London’s Gazelli Art House gallery, Ostrer’s photo series depicts humans covered in a sickly pile of $8,000 worth of snacks. He began by covering his subjects with tinted cream cheese and then added the sugary, fatty, and salty things we put into our bodies every day. European codes for food additives inspired the titles. (One work is called EF 125.5 .)

El punto? To bring to mind how junk food engulfs our diet—and to gross us out.

“My dad would always drive my sister and me to McDonald’s and we’d have a Happy Meal,” the photographer told NPR. He said that after his parents’ divorce, he dealt with the stress by eating. Later, Ostrer noticed how his diet made him sick. “It’s never going really to make you feel good,” he said.

The artist’s subject addresses a major crisis: One-third of the world is overweight. In the United States, where 13 percent of those people live, Americans turn to quick and unhealthy snacks several times a day instead of eating meals. Despite the alarming numbers, the food industry continues to market sugar - and fat-heavy products to kids and make it more accessible to an already at-risk population.

After working on the project, Ostrer told NPR that he didn’t crave junk foods anymore: “Now I kind of see them as sculpting materials."

Click through for a sample of Ostrer’s photo series, and see the rest here.

Quick and Healthy Breakfasts from Trader Joe’s

Quick and Healthy Breakfasts from Trader Joe’s

Are you in the habit of having breakfast?

You may be one of the 93% of Americans who think it’s a great idea to do so and yet be among the 44% who don’t quite make it happen for themselves.

Part of making it a habit may be to know why it is so important: The bottom line is that according to lots of research, those who eat a relatively healthy breakfast are healthier :

Those who eat breakfast are:

34% less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes

40% less likely to develop fat around the belly

Less hungry throughout the day and less likely to make unwise food choices later in the day

Half of breakfast skippers are obese.

Those who skip it tend to crave more carbohydrates later in the day than those who eat breakfast and may consider themselves addicted to sugar.

As a consequence they consume:

40% more sweets

54% more sodas

45% less vegetables

Does that sound like you or someone you know?

In order to make eating a healthy breakfast a habit, it may be important that it be convenient for you to get or to make, especially if you are busy in the morning and/or rushing to get somewhere.

Healthy breakfasts are considered those that contain protein and whole grains – not meals loaded with fat and calories.

They don’t have to be fancy or complicated and in fact, they don’t even have to contain typical breakfast foods. Just get some protein and some carbs in your body!

You can take Trader Joe’s hard boiled eggs, yogurt, cereal and milk, oatmeal, nut butters, whole wheat bagels, protein powder, healthy muffins, etc. to work and store in the refrigerator so that you can have breakfast after your commute.

What are some quick and healthy breakfast choices?

A veggie omelet or frittata -(see recipe below) and a piece of whole-wheat toast

A whole-wheat English muffin with low-fat cheese, a scrambled egg, and slice of tomato or lean ham

A smoothie made with fruit and low-fat yogurt

Salmon on 1/2 whole-grain bagel with light cream cheese

Whole-grain cereal with fresh fruit and low-fat milk

Oatmeal made with skim milk, raisins and nuts, with 4 ounces of orange juice

Low-fat yogurt and a piece of fresh fruit

A hard-boiled egg and a banana

A protein powder shake

A mini whole wheat bagel, spread lightly with cream cheese, a peach; and a cup of yogurt

A low-fat muffin, a wedge of cantaloupe, and a cup of latte made with skim milk

A baggie with a home-made mix of whole-grain cereal, walnuts, brazil nuts, seeds and dried fruit to eat on-the-go

Some delicious breakfast ideas from my cookbook, Livin’ Lean with Trader J oe’s, include: Yonola, Yoats, Vegetable Omelet with Toast, Veggie Frittata Muffins, Ricotta-Peanut Butter Breakfast Spread, Salmon-Caper Breakfast Pockets, Veggie Burger Breakfast Sandwiches and more. It makes a great gift too! The cookbook includes gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian recipes. Weight Watcher Points for recipes are on my site .

If you are a cereal eater in the morning, here is a healthy cereal chart. Trader Joe’s has some great, whole grain cereals too.

If you have breakfast at a fast-food restaurant, here is a good comparison of best and worst breakfasts .

If you have breakfast at a sit-down restaurant . here are some great tips from Center for Science in the Public Interest .

Many of my weight management clients rotate between two or three breakfasts, making it easy to plan and shop for them as well as to eliminate unhealthy impulse choices. They find that if they eat a breakfast containing protein, they aren’t as hungry and they eat less all day long, making their weight loss much easier, more successful and more permanent.

Que pasa contigo? Do you eat breakfast? If so, what healthy breakfast options do you like?

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“When I first began to work with Jamie, I expected expert advice on eating, exercising and motivation—how to lose weight. I got these and so much more. I found that my lack of energy had a source in the kind of food I was eating, and with more protein and exercise found that I did have more energy. As I started to lose weight, I also had more energy. But more importantly, I found that Jamie could help me with life issues that contributed, of course, to how I ate, how I felt about myself and others, and how I presented myself in the world. These life issues have been the biggest awakening for me and I have Jamie to thank for inviting me to look at them.”

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My Trader Joe’s Favorites

Other than the obvious ( fruit, arugula, rolled oats, eggs, blah, blah, blah ) I definitely have some serious favorites from Trader Joe’s.

Here’s five ways to keep these staples clean & skinny:

1.> Quinoa: instead of eating boring, old quinoa try making quinoa oatmeal. Use almond milk, a sprinkle of cinnamon, a packet of Stevia, & throw some blueberries on top! This is one of my favorite AM staples. If possible, eat your carbs early as opposed to at night!

2.> Cornichons: I love using these sexy little pickles for this egg salad recipe. They’re also the perfect GNO ( girl’s night out ) treat. Lay these on a platter with some celery sticks ( + soy nut butter ), a handful of raspberries, & a few slices of light cheese. Enjoy with chilled white wine! ¡Aclamaciones!

3.> Hot & Sweet Mustard: ummm…this is amazing for turkey roll-ups ( this way tastes delish ). Hot & amp; sweet mustard is also fab on scrambled eggs, turkey burgers, & veggies burgers.

4.> Salsa Verde: the best salsa ever! So delicious with blue corn chips & skinny street tacos. This particular kind has no preservatives & it’s all-natural.

5.> Healthy 8 Chopped Veggie Mix: the best find ever! I discovered this from my friend, Lindsay’s blog – you can mix into an arugula salad, enjoy it with chopped watermelon, &/or add to any chicken dish. It’s literally. the. most. perfect. mixture ( esp to take to the workplace ).

What’s your favorite TJ find?

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That veggie mix is so great! Use it in salads when I prep my lunches for the week Other fab finds at TJ’s:

+ Guilt Free Yogurt Kale Dip w/ carrots, cherry tomatoes, ok mok’s, you name it + Salmon fillets with citrus butter – easiest thing in the world to cook and SO yummy + the Trail Mix aisle – so many options! + Veggie & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips – the perfect partner for your Salsa Verde + Frozen Steel Cut Oats w/ Frozen Mixed Berries – by far my favorite oatmeal

I definitely I have to give quinoa oatmeal a try. I started eating it earlier this year, and have yet to get sick of it. I LOVE it! I’m always trying to find new ways to make it. So oatmeal…. yeah… gonna have to try that.

&erio; Salsa verde is my fave! I love putting it on tortilla chips, sprinkling white cheddar cheese on it and then throwing it in the microwave just long enough to melt the cheese. It’s so delicious. Connie recently posted..Want-List for May

My favorite products are their organic pea shoots (I usually use this in quinoa salad or a veggie rice-paper wrap), apples, greek yogurt kale dip (I use this as dressing), red organic quinoa. psyllium husk (I add this to baked goods, oatmeal, protein pancakes and smoothies) and dried wild blueberries. I’ve heard great things about their salsa and aloe vera juice as well. Will have to pick some up next time. Anna Marie recently posted..Motivation Monday

Mmmm I love cornichons you told me about them YEARS ago and I’ve been snacking ever since. I also love Trader Joe’s gluten free granola (my go-to sweet treat) and the organic tofu veggie burgers. They are seriously TO DIE for… and I don’t even like burgers .

I know they are burgers, but I like to throw it on a bagel and top it off with a fried egg and some sriracha. Yummmmm. Erica Stolman recently posted..Who Wants to Win a $250 Visa Gift Card??

I love so many things from TJ’s. It’s my fave store right after Westerly Natural Market (NYC). I love their soy chorizo (so does my carnivore hubby), jalapeno-cilantro hummus (best hummus ever), indian flavored veggie patties, meatless meatballs and so many more. Katness recently posted..KITCHEN TOUR PT.2

Quinoa and the salsa verde are two of my TJ’ favorites as well! Need to try the mustard asap! Ashley recently posted..Currently Loving

Right there with ya sista! LOVE LOVE the salsa verde there. I pour it on everything! Decir ah

That oatmeal sounds good, I will need to give that a try! xx, Becky cellajane. blogspot. com Becky Hillyard recently posted..Skinny Cinco de Mayo!

So funny! I literally spent half my day ranting about how much I love TJs. I like their shredded brussels sprouts and pineapple slices (not together of course) Ashley recently posted..Trader Joe’s Super Spinach Salad

The chopped veggie mix is the best.

I have a small addiction to their cookie butter. Yeah, I took it to the unhealthy side 😉

I’m absolutely addicted to their olive oil popcorn, turkey meatballs, and almond butter. Ohhh, and my recent love is the frozen chicken stir fry. Kimberly recently posted..Hello World!

Hot and sweet mustard goes into my stir fry every time. The unique flavor kick is killer!

We are Bigtime TJs fans! Amar el

Coconut Oil:magic for oh so many uses-cooking oil, moisturizer, and more!

RAW Almond Butter! Only in stock once in awhile and it flies off the shelf.

Whole Wheat pizza dough

ditto on the Baked Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Peanut Butter: the salted version has only 2 ingredients! No junk there

Another cheer for the Healthy 8 veggie mix. Just discovered it and it’ll be in my cart every time I hit TJ Other Favs… Oatmeal Complete - instant with flax, folic acid, 35% of daily calcium, and soy protein. Besides breakfast, I also put this into my lentil veggie loaf Asian Stir Fry Veggies-right by the Healthy 8 in the produce section. Perfect for a quick, healthy weeknight dinner. Just toss a protein in Small Whole Green Lentils-amazing in my veggie loaf and meatballs, also soups White Quinoa-for my morning coconut banana breakfast quinoa Light Coconut Milk(can) for my breakfast quinoa All the frozen fruits-smoothies. Reduced Guilt Fat Free Brownies-you can make these individually in the microwave. 45 seconds to chocolatey bliss! I also just discovered this blog and am glad I did!

I love that I found this! I am heading to TJ today so PERFECT! I also love their quinoa and black bean tortilla chips – SO good.

I Love TJ’s. I have a major list of must haves but my top picks are:

• Power to the Greens! - organic baby kale, baby chard and baby spinach

• Vegetable Masala Burgers - so good on a bun or by themselves!

• Coconut Oil Spray, Coconut Body Butter, and Coconut Oil in the jar - I’m obsessed.

• South African Smoke Seasoning Blend - I put this on EVERYTHING. Try it if you love smoky flavors like chipotle!

A Stunning Look at the 17 Most Popular Items at Trader Joe's

Fact: Trader Joe's isn't just a grocery store. It's a tiki-themed wonderland filled with pyramids of Cookie Butter jars and Two Buck Chuck. It's a place you enter thinking you only need to pick up milk but leave with a cart full of things you never knew existed -- PB&J chocolate bars, green tea candy mints, pumpkin macarons, roasted coconut chips, frozen tikka masala. the grub is unbelievable.

The purveyors of novelty eats garnered a cult following over the years, with lines in New York wrapping around the building and spilling onto city streets. The brand has surpassed hipster-cool and become a household name. Yet, like any good relationship, TJ knows how to keep us on our toes while still holding true to what brought us there in the first place -- their classics. This year, the company dropped a list of their most popular customer products in 2013.

We broke down the top-selling items by price and taste. Note, this year Triple Ginger Snaps dethroned Cookie Butter for the No. 1 title. Peruse below to see if you spot any of your addictions.

1. Triple Ginger Snaps

TASTE LIKE: DEEP, SAVORY GINGER ORGY

After the initial crunch, the cookie's inner chewiness melts in your mouth as you bite into the hot, tangy crystallized bits ginger. Like most of Trader Joe's dessert finger foods, this comes in their standard bucket-sized packaging -- a gentle suggestion to share, but you'll probably be tempted to devour it all solo.

Protip: dunk in Cookie Butter (below).

2. Speculoos Cookie Butter

TASTE LIKE: SNICKERDOODLE DRUG BUTTER

You've probably seen this on Instagram with the caption #omg #heaven #obsessed. Texture is creamy like peanut butter and has a nutty, cookie flavor. It's not unusual for jars of Cookie Butter to disappear the moment it hits shelves and the best/worst part is that is goes great on literally everything from apple slices, bread, shoelaces, etc.

3. Joe Joe’s Cookies (All Varieties)

TASTE LIKE: 'BETTER-FOR-YOU' OREOS

The Joe-Joe's line comes in vanilla creme, chocolate creme and the seasonal candy cane creme varieties. It's a lot less sweet than your regular Oreo fare and doesn't carry the same crack-worthy flavor. Still, like it's cookie brethren, dunk > twist. This is not an option.

4. Reduced Guilt Chunky Guacamole

TASTE LIKE: TART, LIMEY

This lighter-than-thou item claims to have 50 percent less fat and 40 percent less calories than regular guac. Think guac whipped with Greek yogurt, which lends a light taste that's surprisingly addicting (I ended up eating an entire container like pudding). Amazingly, the airy dip manages to keep it hearty with chunks of avocado, tomato, and jalapeno.

5. Charles Shaw Wine (All Varieties)

Yes, it's no longer the iconic "Two Buck Chuck ," but at just 50 cents more, it's still a boozy come up. The quality varies, so it's a bit like wine roulette. In general, however, the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot tend to be the best picks of the varieties, while the Saugvignon Blanc usually tastes like spoiled bananas. You've been warned.

6. Frozen Mac ‘n Cheese

TASTE LIKE: MILD, SAVORY, SALTY TANG

Gooey, melty and loaded with four different cheeses -- the cheddar, havarti, Swiss, and gouda help class this up. A compromise between frozen dinner and stove-top quality, this is as good as microwaved grub gets.

7. Almond Butter (All Varieties)

TASTE LIKE: SALTY POTATO CHIP BUTTER

Make sure to stir this with a knife before attempting to slather it on, as its more liquid than butter. While the saltiness can be overwhelming for some, the almond cuts through for a nice finish. Wear a bib with this one, as it gets messy fast.

8. Chili Lime Chicken Burgers

TASTE LIKE: LIME CHICKEN, MA

At 4 per box, it's a great deal and a refreshing option if you're looking for a break from beef. You'll definitely feel the citrus on this one, while the promised chile holds back. We dressed this up with the Reduced Guilt Chunky Guac, which helped amp the lime flavor, and drizzled on a healthy helping of Sriracha. Definitely recommend trying this at home.

9. Fennel Bulbs *

Fact: Trader Joe's kills the vegetable game. The fennel is no different and incredibly aromatic. Grill, sautée, or toss into a salad. You can even chop it up and sprinkle onto the mac n' cheese for a quick microwave "hack."

10. Pound Plus Chocolate Bar (Milk & Dark)

TASTE LIKE: A POUND OF GUILT

The fact that this comes in brick pounds is dangerous. While you have the option of breaking it into proper bite-sized portions, you'll definitely want to tackle this with a friend or two. The flavor is exactly like their mini versions found near the cash register -- smooth, milky and indulgent.

11. Almond Cocoa Spread

TASTE LIKE: I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT NUTELLA!

Trader Joe's shameless interpretation of everyone's beloved hazlenut spread manages to impress. While there's the obvious lack of hazelnut in their version, the Cocoa Almond Spread delivers the same cocoa richness as the original. Just what we need. Another reason to eat dessert for breakfast. We see you TJ.

12. Rosemary Marcona Almonds

TASTE LIKE: DELICATE, BUTTERY PINE

Marcona almonds seem to be the gourmet food world's not-so-secret best-kept secret. Chefs name drop marcona almonds on menus, lauding the Spanish-bred delicacy for its sweeter taste and wet texture. Personally, I think of them as upgraded bar nuts. Plumper and softer than other varieties, Trader Joe's Marcona Almonds have a great oily feel with explosions of roasted rosemary.

13. Corn & Chili Pepper Salsa

TASTE LIKE: SYRUPY SWEET WITH A SLOW HEAT

A great swoop for those who enjoy a lack of tomato guts in their salsa. The sweetness more than balances the spiciness and don't be shy if you get the urge to eat spoonfuls of this straight from the jar. I like to throw this on my taco when I'm feeling like adding a sweet, chunky change-up or on my burger to keep things interesting.

14. Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels

TASTE LIKE: WARM, COMFORTING NUTTY FLAVOR

Sometimes, walking into a Trader Joe's can be awesome dangerous for chocolate lovers, as they carry everything from chocolate-covered potato chips to chocolate-covered almonds. These caramel snacks are a favorite of that category, packing an especially sweet combo of caramel decked in dark chocolate. Expect an incredibly sticky richness and don't be surprised when you accidentally finish off an entire box. Whoops.

15. Chocolate Orange Sticks

TASTE LIKE: CITRUS CUT WITH CHOCOLATE BITTERNESS

Remember what we said about TJ covering everything in chocolate? These chocolate orange jelly sticks aren't your average orange peels. Rather than hardened orange peels like most on the market, the jelly gives way to a soft, juicy inside. The slight bitterness of the dark chocolate adds a beautiful layer of complexity to this snack.

16. Mandarin Orange Chicken

WHAT: SAVORY, GINGER TANG

TASTE LIKE: This was one of the products no one in the office had tried yet and to be honest, we expected it to be the usual frozen-to-table fare. Then, after heating it up on a skillet for a few minutes and dousing it in the microwaved sauce packet, our mouths melted. The chicken was crispy on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside. The orange tang of the sauce brought a superb punch of flavor, but didn't overwhelm the savory chicken taste.

17. Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip

TASTE LIKE: ANYTHING BUT KALE. ZESTY BLISS

Usually, when you see "reduced guilt" on something you expect it to be a lesser version of it's more indulgent self. This spinach and kale combo manages to reverse this standard and take your average picnic dip to the next level. The replacement of Greek yogurt for sour cream lends an unexpected zest that's refreshing. The spinach and kale bits bring texture, making this low-calories dip feel hearty and satisfying.

Big shout out to Chris at the Trader Joe's in Tustin, California for helping us tackle this phenomenal grocery list.

*Omitted, seasonal items: Pumpkin Coffee, Pumpkin Butter, Pumpkin Pecan Instant Oatmeal, Cranberry Goat Cheese Log, Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Mix, This Cranberry Walks Into a Bar…, Pesto Gouda

Qué hay de nuevo

What to buy at trader joes on weight watchers

Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating: Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . This is pretty much what I buy or try to keep in stock at my house. I'm sure I. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers . I have a. Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Aug 8, 2014 . Mini Fluffy Angel Food Cake (1/4 of Cake 120 Calories - 3 PointsPlus. Citris Spray (spells like fresh oranges) Apple Carrot Crushers - 60. Jan 26, 2011 . Weight Watchers Trader Joe's Points List. Chicken, chicken potstickers & Vegetable or chicken Fried Rice is an awesome Chinese food night. This list was posted on the Weight Watchers Message Boards. It is a list of Trader Joe's items that other Weight Watcher members enjoy. I have not tried all of. Sep 26, 2014 . Every Friday, I will post a review of a new food product that I've uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself.

Find the best Weight Watchers coupons and. Trader Joes Coupons. Peso. All of the frozen foods that you can buy with your Weight Watchers have their point. that's the one to buy . 6 Replies. Weight Watchers Foodies. Read the Spiral Cut Ham: Trader Joes . Trader Joe’s Weight Watchers Shopping List. many of which I would buy . Here are some of my favorite Weight Watchers friendly Trader Joe’s finds that are. Average rating: 4 Stars, PointsPlus® value: 2. WEIGHT WATCHERS and PointsPlus are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. Trademarks used. just read your Trader Joes . Tweets that mention Trader Joe’s Grocery List. She believes in and follows the Weight Watchers principle of. Bean Burrito Soup. Weight Watchers Recipe Winner's Circle, from Weight Watchers Publishing Group Ratings (138) 5 PointsPlus Value. Prep. 12 thoughts on “ Trader Joe’s and Weight Watchers ”. Mike was a happy camper when I came home I did buy a jar of crunchy and regular. Trader Joes is great. Trader Joe’s shopping list for Weight Watchers . November 20. Trader Joe’s . I am a weight watchers member since 2005 and a lifetime member since 2007. Best Weight Watchers Travel Snacks. (with Weight Watchers PointsPlus) >>. As a habitual Trader Joes shopper. Weight Watchers Foodies. Read the Best Cheeses from Trader Joes . I used to buy it at a local Cheese shop which went out of business,. Patricia14 June 18, 2015, 01:28

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Jan 26, 2011 . Weight Watchers Trader Joe's Points List. Chicken, chicken potstickers & Vegetable or chicken Fried Rice is an awesome Chinese food night. This list was posted on the Weight Watchers Message Boards. It is a list of Trader Joe's items that other Weight Watcher members enjoy. I have not tried all of. Sep 26, 2014 . Every Friday, I will post a review of a new food product that I've uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating: Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . This is pretty much what I buy or try to keep in stock at my house. I'm sure I. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers . I have a. Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Aug 8, 2014 . Mini Fluffy Angel Food Cake (1/4 of Cake 120 Calories - 3 PointsPlus. Citris Spray (spells like fresh oranges) Apple Carrot Crushers - 60.

Trader Joe’s shopping list for Weight Watchers . November 20. Trader Joe’s . I am a weight watchers member since 2005 and a lifetime member since 2007. Trader Joe’s Weight Watchers Shopping List. many of which I would buy . Here are some of my favorite Weight Watchers friendly Trader Joe’s finds that are. Bean Burrito Soup. Weight Watchers Recipe Winner's Circle, from Weight Watchers Publishing Group Ratings (138) 5 PointsPlus Value. Prep. Best Weight Watchers Travel Snacks. (with Weight Watchers PointsPlus) >>. As a habitual Trader Joes shopper. Weight Watchers Foodies. Read the Best Cheeses from Trader Joes . I used to buy it at a local Cheese shop which went out of business. Find the best Weight Watchers coupons and. Trader Joes Coupons. Peso. All of the frozen foods that you can buy with your Weight Watchers have their point. that's the one to buy . 6 Replies. Weight Watchers Foodies. Read the Spiral Cut Ham: Trader Joes . just read your Trader Joes . Tweets that mention Trader Joe’s Grocery List. She believes in and follows the Weight Watchers principle of. Average rating: 4 Stars, PointsPlus® value: 2. WEIGHT WATCHERS and PointsPlus are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. Trademarks used. 12 thoughts on “ Trader Joe’s and Weight Watchers ”. Mike was a happy camper when I came home I did buy a jar of crunchy and regular. Trader Joes is great.

What to buy at trader joes on

Bean Burrito Soup. Weight Watchers Recipe Winner's Circle, from Weight Watchers Publishing Group Ratings (138) 5 PointsPlus Value. Prep. just read your Trader Joes . Tweets that mention Trader Joe’s Grocery List. She believes in and follows the Weight Watchers principle of. Weight Watchers Foodies. Read the Best Cheeses from Trader Joes . I used to buy it at a local Cheese shop which went out of business. that's the one to buy . 6 Replies. Weight Watchers Foodies. Read the Spiral Cut Ham: Trader Joes . Find the best Weight Watchers coupons and. Trader Joes Coupons. Peso. All of the frozen foods that you can buy with your Weight Watchers have their point. Average rating: 4 Stars, PointsPlus® value: 2. WEIGHT WATCHERS and PointsPlus are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. Trademarks used. Trader Joe’s shopping list for Weight Watchers . November 20. Trader Joe’s . I am a weight watchers member since 2005 and a lifetime member since 2007. 12 thoughts on “ Trader Joe’s and Weight Watchers ”. Mike was a happy camper when I came home I did buy a jar of crunchy and regular. Trader Joes is great. Trader Joe’s Weight Watchers Shopping List. many of which I would buy . Here are some of my favorite Weight Watchers friendly Trader Joe’s finds that are. Best Weight Watchers Travel Snacks. (with Weight Watchers PointsPlus) >>. As a habitual Trader Joes shopper.

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What to buy at trader joes on weight watchers

Weight watcher friendly foods at trader joes

Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Trader Joes with # weightwatchers Power Foods #PointsPlus and meal ideas. See Best Weight Watchers Travel Snacks >>, TEEN Friendly Organic Travel. Y. Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Weight Watchers Points Plus & Low Calorie Food Haul - Shopping List. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One!

Delicious Clean and Healthy Recipes From My Family To Yours. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Points. Delicious Clean and Healthy Recipes From My Family To Yours. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Points. Bubble Up Enchiladas Weight Watcher Recipes 5 points 1 pound ground turkey 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 can reduced fat. weight watcher recipes. I think it’s ok to re-visit your favorite recipes. I’ve had this recipe on my blog once before. I made this using my favorite Enchilada.

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At trader joes

Trader Joe's brand, Wonderful Pistachios linked to salmonella outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating a multistate outbreak of salmonella linked to Wonderful Pistachios.

Eleven people from nine states were infected with Salmonella Montevideo, according to the CDC. Two of the ill were hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.

Wonderful Pistachios issued a voluntarily recall on Wednesday of 46 lots of in-shell and shelled pistachios, which were sold under the brand names Wonderful, Paramount Farms and Trader Joe’s nationwide and in Canada.

The affected products can be identified with the lot code, printed on the back or bottom panel of the package, 1510123305901.

Symptoms and signs of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps that last four to seven days. Most people recover without treatment.

More on this.

Trader Joe's issues cashew recall over possible salmonella

Why are foodborne illnesses on the rise?

Cleanup of Massachusetts Chipotle complete after norovirus scare

Top 7 Trader Joes Salads

Have you ever stood in front of ALL THOSE SALADS at TJ’s and then left without even getting one . (Yup, I have! But I’m a libra, so I don’t do well with too many options.)

If you find the choices a tad overwhelming… I’m here to help!

All Salads are Not Created Equal

People mistakenly think that having a salad means they’re eating healthy, but in fact some salads can pack way more fat and calories than a sandwich—or even a burger!

My Top 7 Healthy Trader Joe’s Salads

Trader Joe’s Citrus Chicken Salad (My fav!) $3.99

Tastes just like Thai Green Papaya Salad. If you’ve never tried one at a Thai Restaurant I highly recommend it. The shredded green papaya (i. e. unripe) and daikon radish give it that same delicious crunch, and the wonderfully light citrus dressing only has 2.5 grams of fat for the whole packet. (I only use half.) I personally could do with a little more chicken, but then I’m a hi-protein kind of girl. You could always add a little extra chicken breast if it’s not filling enough. It has cilantro in it, so if you’re not a fan this one’s not for you.

All Weight Watchers Power Foods. except for the dressing Only 2 PointsPlus (for all the dressing) if you’re doing Weight Watchers Simple Start or Simply Filling 7 Weight Watchers PointsPlus for the whole container (if you’re counting points)

Carrot & Cilantro Bulgar Grain Salad NEW $3.49

LOVE the turmeric garbanzo beans on top, and I usually pick garbanzos out of salads!

Very fresh, light and “carrot-y”.

6 Weight Watchers PointsPlus for the whole container

Shrimp & Surimi Salad with Louie Dressing $3.99

FAVORITE Simple Start to-go lunch! Lots of lettuce, so very filling. The only thing that isn’t a Weight Watchers Power Food is the dressing—which surprisingly only adds 2g fat and ONE Point!

All Weight Watchers Power Foods. except for the dressing Only 1 Weight Watchers Point (for the dressing) if you’re following Simple Start or Simply Filling 6 Weight Watchers PointsPlus for the whole container, with dressing (if you’re counting points)

Trader Joe’s Chicken & Roasted Beet Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Fabulous salad. The lovely feta add richness, so just a little of the dressing and a sprinkle of salt takes it to extreme deliciousness!

8 Weight Watchers PointsPlus for the whole container with all the dressing (5 points without dressing)

Crisp Pasadena Salad with Chicken (Best for sharing) $3.99

The package claims that the dressing is to die for—and it is! I love that there’s no onion (a lot of their salads are too onion-y for me.) Super-yummy and big enough to share. Mr. Picky’s fav!

6 WW PP for 1/2 the salad, with dressing 4 WW PP for 1/2 the salad without dressing

Trader Joe’s Lemon Chicken and Arugula Salad

Tasty, moist white chicken, with Moroccan Style couscous (pearl couscous), red quinoa, and a lovely, fresh pimiento dressing. Just a slight kick, but not too spicy. I could do with a little more chicken and greens (protein and veggies), and a little less couscous (carbs), though I’m a huge fan of pearl couscous—with its pasta-like chew—and this one does not disappoint.

8 Weight Watchers PointsPlus for the whole container with dressing

Trader Joe’s Egg White Salad with Chives $2.99

Spicy Ranchero Egg White Salad $2.99

I’ve been known to purchase these at the store and sit in my car and polish off the whole container with a spoon! (Emergency Feeding)

But you could wait to get home and spread it on a RealFoods Corn Thin—only 1 WW PP for 2. (Whole Foods)

What’s Your Favorite TJ’s Salad?

Click here for my Trader Joe’s Shopping List (with Weight Watchers Power Foods and PointsPlus) >>

Orna Purkin is the creator of OrnaBakes—where healthy meets yummy. As a former Weight Watchers Leader and Ambassador, her passion is to inspire others with her healthy recipes, favorite food finds, and weight-loss tips — with the odd confession here and there!

In my opinion, Orna will impact and change your life, if you let her. She has practical solutions to weight loss issues and above all, she really cares about your success. She is honest, genuine and caring. She has been there and understands your weight challenges and struggles. I am grateful to have had her as a coach and as I continue my journey to a healthier and happier me, I will cherish the coaching and time we spent together

I love Orna. If you follow her suggestions, you’ll have a life-changing experience. She’s the first food guru whose ideas make any sense to me, and they work. I can follow them in the house, at work, or in social situations without anyone noticing. If I eat, feel and look better, what else can I do better?

Barbara Guggenheim author/art consultant www. guggenheimasher. com

Orna Purkin lived her younger life overweight and very unhappy not being sure how to win over the scale. When she finally saw what could lead her to the results she was looking for, she went after it wholeheartedly and she won…She proves that anyone can not only lose weight but gain health as well.

I started working with Orna because I had reached a place where I had lost my motivation. I had left a 12 step program for food after 9 years. I felt defeated and discouraged. I was trying to accept the fact that maybe this was as good as it gets, and that I would have to find a way to live with these extra 20 pounds and never feel good about my body again. After searching the internet and coming across Orna’s page I thought that motivation from someone who could understand my struggles, was e…

Through her own personal struggles with weight, and self-awareness, Orna has learned not only how to positively and healthily manage her own body weight, cravings, and thoughts surrounding eating, food, and worthiness, she understands how to share and teach others to take control of their daily struggle as well.

Maegan Tintari lifestyle blogger www. lovemaegan. com

I met Orna in 2006 at Weight Watchers. She was such a different leader than any one I had been to. Very real, inspiring, compassionate, motivating and really gets it from her own experience of the weight loss and body issues that can cause much suffering for many people—myself being one. Orna truly has a calling and expertise to help people on their own journey; not a battle, but bringing kindness and self compassion to one’s self. This is not always an easy task for me when it comes to navigati…

This fall I was extremely discouraged with weight gain after about 15 years of dieting on and off, and fighting what I was beginning to feel was an inevitable extra 20 pounds. I happened to find a recipe that lead me to Orna’s blog, and decided to pay for a four pack of coaching sessions with her. In just a month and a half Orna has helped me start to change my negative relationship with food and get off the diet rollercoaster. Instead of restricting foods, starving myself, falling off the …

I just can’t thank you enough for all your support and kindness. Even during our darkest moments it is so refreshing to work with someone that is as caring and supportive as you.

Trader Joe’s Organic Quinoa

Quinoa is an ancient crop that has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value. It contains a very high protein content compared to wheat or rice. Like oats, quinoa contains essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source among plant foods and a very good source of dietary fiber.

I recently bought this organic quinoa from Trader Joes and had the opportunity to use this product on my recent recipe post for curried chicken quinoa with peas. It turned out to be a great delicious recipe. This product was actually reasonable in price under $4 for a box compared to $5 and up.

Scope out the nutrition facts:

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Trader Joe's To Drop Health Coverage For Part-Time Workers Under Obamacare: Memo

After extending health care coverage to many of its part-time employees for years, Trader Joe's has told workers who log fewer than 30 hours a week that they will need to find insurance on the Obamacare exchanges next year, according to a confidential memo from the grocer's chief executive.

In the memo to staff dated Aug. 30, Trader Joe's CEO Dan Bane said the company will cut part-timers a check for $500 in January and help guide them toward finding a new plan under the Affordable Care Act. The company will continue to offer health coverage to workers who carry 30 hours or more on average.

The law mandates that companies with 50 employees or more offer coverage to such full-time employees, though the Obama administration has chosen to delay that rule for a year.

Trader Joe's has won kudos for offering its health care, dental and vision plans to part-time workers at a reasonable price -- a rarity in an industry known for low pay and scant benefits. But with low-wage workers eligible for tax subsidies to buy health insurance next year, the company has apparently calculated that offering medical coverage to part-timers who work 18 hours or more is no longer worth the cost.

"Depending on income you may earn outside of Trader Joe's" -- i. e. another job -- "we believe that with the $500 from Trader Joe's and the tax credits available under the ACA, many of you should be able to obtain health care coverage at very little if any net cost to you," Bane wrote in the memo.

The company told HuffPost it would not confirm or deny the existence of the memo. In a statement, a spokeswoman said, "We have made some changes to our healthcare coverage that we believe will be a benefit to all Crew Members working in our stores. We are committed to providing all our Crew Members with benefits that are among the best in our industry."

HuffPost readers: Are you an hourly worker who's been told by your company to expect changes next year with Obamacare? Tell us about it .

Many retailers do offer part-time employees health care coverage, but at prohibitively expensive rates that swallow much of a worker's paycheck. Trader Joe's wouldn't comment on how high the premiums are for its part-time employees or how much of its part-time workforce opts for the plan.

A current Trader Joe's worker described the coverage she'll likely lose as "one of the best parts about the job." (The employee requested anonymity since she isn't authorized to speak to the media.) She said she pays only $35 per paycheck, or $70 per month, for a plan that generally covers 80 percent of her medical costs, carries a reasonable $500 deductible and includes prescription drug coverage.

"There are several folks I work with who are there for the insurance as much as anything, mostly folks with young families," she said. "I can say that when I opened and read the letter yesterday my reaction was pure panic, followed quickly by anger."

The employee said she averages about 28 hours per week and worries she won't make the cutoff for company-based coverage. Whether workers hit the 30-hour threshold and become eligible for the company plan will be determined by their work schedules over the course of the next three months, the memo explains. For those who may be on the cusp, the memo left little hope that they can pack in extra hours to meet the requirement.

"It is important to note. we do not create our weekly schedules with healthcare eligibility in mind," Bane wrote. "Rather, we will continue to create weekly schedules that are solely focused on supporting the customer experience."

The worker, who took home less than $20,000 last year, might be able to find a similar plan at a comparable cost under Obamacare, judging from a subsidy calculator. But there's no guarantee, other than uncertainty.

"I still have so much anxiety over this, worrying will I have coverage, will it be equivalent, and how do I factor this into my budget," she said. "I'm a full-time student living alone. Everything in my budget is extremely tight. This is something that's throwing a wrench into everything."

While the stakes for workers aren't clear, the benefits to Trader Joe's under the new arrangement are obvious. The implementation of Obamacare provides an opportune moment for the company to get in line with less generous competitors, and the savings the company finds in dropping coverage for part-timers will almost certainly outstrip the $500 it will give employees to defray what they end up paying on the exchanges.

An earlier memo to staff in May sounded a rosier note on health coverage. Bane said the company had "made a decision to make minimal and only necessary changes to your costs" for health care until Obamacare regulations were finalized next year. He also noted that the company would give workers a 10 percent discount on their monthly coverage for the second half of the year.

He did, however, inform workers that corporate contributions to employee retirement accounts would be drastically scaled back, by a third for some and two-thirds for others. Bane argued that the company's "very generous" contribution rates had been too high for the industry.

"Whole Foods and Costco (two public companies) make retirement plan contributions that are significantly less than Trader Joe's," he wrote.

Also on HuffPost:

Obamacare Haters

Trader Joe’s announces Germantown store

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GERMANTOWN, Tenn. -- What was once a Kroger store will soon house a Trader Joe's location.

"I've been to the one in Chicago. Everywhere I travel we try to go in there and get some goodies," said Lori Mullen.

Come late summer of 2016 Mullen won't have to make the eight hour drive to Chicago--Trader Joes will be right here practically in her backyard at 2130 Exeter Road in Germantown.

Trader Joe's has always been known for its inexpensive wine, and unique foods has been on Mid-Southerners wish list for years--even a "bring Trader Joe's to Memphis" Facebook page was created garnering nearly 11,000 "likes".

Trader Joes would be just the latest of the grocery store "boom" that has hit Germantown.

In summer of 2015 alone a Kroger, Whole Foods and Sprouts opened, but Mullen said while there's competition, they promote healthy living.

"We all eat healthier and they have lots of different options at each of those places so I think here in Memphis we can support all of them,"she told WREG.

City Administrator Patrick Lawton agreed.

"Having a Trader Joe's in our market is just another opportunity to provide choice not only for Germantown residents but anybody else visiting our community," he said.

Shopper Nancy Deaton had some concerns about what the new supermarket will bring.

"That's the main thing I'm a little worried about is the traffic," she admitted.

But she said there would be other benefits to look forward to as well.

"It does open up that opportunity for jobs."

The Best Drinks at Trader Joe's

Consider the topic: Trader Joe's and drinks. More often than not, for fans and deal-seekers, thoughts immediately turn to good wines and great prices. And with good reason, too. But look around the main store and you'll find a multitude of other beverages — health drinks, coffees, teas, juices, even beers — hoping to find their way into your shopping cart.

But which ones are the most deserving? Naturally, for the answer to such a question, we turned to the experts: the good folks behind the popular review website, What's Good at Trader Joe's? For the uninitiated, the young site is run by Nathan Rodgers, his wife Sonia, and their friend Russ Shelly, and his wife Sandy. The dedicated crew have reviewed about 200 TJ's products to date (click here and here for two previous in-depth product roundups), rating sampled items on a one to 10 scale, 10 being the best.

Recently, we asked the team to share with us which drinks have impressed them the most (disregarding wine, that is, which is its own separate topic for another day). Below they have evaluated an approximate 30 beverages, ranking the top four across five categories — including one for those drinks better left on the store shelf.

Top 4 Healthy Beverages All four of us on the What's Good at Trader Joe's? team are health conscious. sort of. We like to try fresh, vitamin-rich beverages, but we'll rarely stick with a "health drink" unless it tastes good, too.

1. Organic Low-Fat Probiotic Smoothies (8.5 points) These tasty, creamy fruit smoothies meet or beat the quality of national brands. Loaded with healthful probiotics, these smoothies are not only a treat, but they're good for your digestion. Only problem is, they're gone after a couple of sips.

2. Omega Orange Carrot Juice (7.5 points) A pleasant surprise for Russ and Sandy. Sweet, citrusy, and delicious, this good-for-you beverage tastes less like its many healthy ingredients (including omega fish oils and tilapia gelatin) and more like a smooth, complex fruit-juice blend.

3. Dynamo (6 points) Don't be mistaken by this product's bold name and color. Its flavor is surprisingly subtle. I'm not saying this drink tastes bad by any means, but I will say that it's probably more useful as a daily multivitamin source than as the sweet, tangy taste-adventure that I thought might have been.

4. Green Plant Beverage (6 points) Although it looks like a bottle of algae, Russ and Sandy were brave enough to try the Green Plant Beverage. They were pleasantly surprised by its taste. And as one might guess, it's chock-full of good-for-you green plant nutrients and minerals.

Top 4 Tasty Juice Blends Although the drinks in this category are almost exclusively made with natural fruit juices and are, therefore, good choices for the health-conscious, these are our top picks based solely on flavor, texture, and chuggability.

1. Strawberry Kiwi Juice (10 points) It's smooth and natural — you can really taste strawberry and kiwi. The taste is complex enough for an adult to enjoy, but it's sweet enough for a Kool-Aid-craving kid. We highly recommend it.

2. Pomegranate Limeade (10 points) The bottle proclaims that this beverage is sweet and tart. Truer words have never been spoken. or written on a juice label.

3. Blackberry Crush (9 points) This is what I wanted Trader Joe's Blackberry Preserves to taste like: full and rich with an almost earthy flavor, but still sweet and almost dessert-like. Apple, white grape, and blackberry juices come together to make this one delicious drink.

4. Pear Cinnamon Cider (9 points) Move over, apples! There's a new fruit dominating the world of cider. In my opinion, pears have never received their due recognition as nature's candy. This drink mixes pear juice and cinnamon with some other natural flavors, and it'll wow your taste buds whether you have it hot or cold.

Healthy Grocery Shopping List at Trader Joe’s

My Favorite Items When Grocery Shopping at Trader Joe’s

While some people don’t enjoy doing their weekly grocery shopping, I look forward to it for some strange reason. I guess a big reason is that I have found a grocery store that I can get 95% of my healthy groceries from at a very good price. I’ve become slightly obsessed with shopping for my weekly groceries at Trader Joe’s. I go every weekend, usually on Saturday morning, to gather all of my food for meal prepping and the week ahead. Planning on what I want to eat has helped me to avoid snacking and falling off of the wagon with my healthy meals. This post will list out my favorite items that I buy every week when I go to Trader Joe’s. This list will help to guide you if you do plan to visit one of their stores, or if you need some ideas for your trip to the store this week. Enjoy reading my Trader Joe’s Healthy Grocery Shopping List

Smaller Size Means Less Temptations

Every time I shop at Trader Joe’s I have a pleasant experience. The store is not overwhelming in size, the one by me on Route 3 in Clifton, New Jersey is my go-to store. It has two shopping aisles and the perimeter of the store, that’s it. You can get everything done in less than a half hour and that to me makes the experience more pleasant. I don’t like to really shop at huge grocery stores, because to me I feel like that is when I am more likely to make impulse buys of stuff I really don’t want or need. When you are a bit more limited to the amount of products you will stick to your list because there is less temptation to throw something in your cart you don’t need or really want.

Fresh Produce & Organic Options

Before shopping at Trader Joe’s the only place I could buy organic items, especially fruits and vegetables, was Fairway Market and Whole Foods. Shop Rite was completely overpriced for organic items, sometimes charging triple the price for an organic item vs. a regular item. (example: red peppers were $5.99 organic and $1.99 regular) I can’t imagine why the price increase was so dramatic, but that would turn many customers off. At Fairway Market and Whole Foods I still felt like the prices were very steep. At Trader Joe’s I can buy almost everything in the fruits and vegetables section for a very reasonable price. There is usually a regular item next to an organic item and the prices are so close you always reach for the organic. (example: regular lemon bag of 4 was $1.99 vs. organic $2.99 – for one dollar more you should grab the organic bag). I have move to buy all my produce organic if there is the option. At Trader Joe’s I get about 85-90% of my entire cart organic, and the cart you see above only cost me $140 total. That includes eggs, milk, 4 packages of uncooked meat, 3 packages of cooked chicken and much more. I think their prices are amazing, fair and with organic being my option when shopping this doesn’t make me cry when I pay at the register.

Trader Joe’s Doesn’t Break The Bank

As many times as I got to Trader Joe’s and fill up my cart to the brim, I am always surprised at the total at the register once everything has been scanned. I have yet to spend over $150 on a shopping trip there, and that includes meats, nuts, snacks and everything in between. I am not able to buy everything there (minus seafood which I still like to get either fresh from Fairway Market or my local grocery store that has a seafood department) – since most of the Trader Joe’s fish is packaged. I like my seafood to come fresh from a display case, it’s just personal preference. But all the prices are really fair and really great. I also love that they don’t have “sales” or use coupons, which means you know that every time you go in there the prices are going to be consistent. I hate having to “Price Shop” and I surely have no time or patience to clip coupons, so that is a big plus in my book. I buy my protein sources from Trader Joe’s now: including cage free eggs, heat & serve chicken, lean ground beef, lean ground turkey and chicken breasts which are all natural and really great quality.

Fresh & Flavorful Items – Fruits & Vegetales

When I shop for my produce now I like to buy organic but I also don’t want to go broke doing it. That’s where Trader Joe’s seems to beat out the competition. Don’t get me wrong, if I could afford going on a supermarket sweep at Whole Foods, I would. But I shop every weekend and we eat a lot of healthy food so I can’t afford dropping $200 a week on groceries. We also tend to eat out 1-2 nights a week so for us, the quality and the price for organic items is awesome! I get all of my produce there and it’s always very fresh and tastes great. Most of it is organic, only a few items I have found they don’t have organic but for the most part 85-90% of the fresh fruits and vegetables have an organic option next to it. Everything also stays for quite a few days and I never have the experience of bringing something home that spoils quickly.

My Favorite Trader Joe’s Grocery Shopping List Items:

So without further delay below is a list of the items I buy every time I go to their store. The shopping trip you see below cost me $140 and that included a ton of meat, nuts and other higher priced items. Every shopping trip is a bit different because I might not need everything that week, but on average it is between $90-$125 for a week’s worth of our groceries for breakfast, snacks, meal prep, lunches, dinner, etc.

Meats & Protein: Heat & Serve grilled chicken breast strips, Heat & Serve Just Chicken White Meat, 94% Lean Ground Beef Patties or Ground Beef, Lean Ground Turkey Breast All Natural, Natural Chicken Breasts and Natural Chicken Breast Tenderloins,

Fruits & Vegetables: (Mostly all organic when the option is available) yellow onions, green peppers, red bell peppers, carrot sticks, sugar snap peas, celery hearts, asian stir fry vegetables, brocolli, strawberries, blackberries, avocados, bananas, edamame, asparagus spears, mixed green lettuce, lemons

Dairy Items: Organic Fat Free Milk (my fiance doesn’t like almond milk, but I only drink Almond Milk), unsweetened almond milk, fage 0% fat free plain yogurt, cottage cheese, low fat string cheese snacks

Miscellaneous Items: No salt crunchy natural peanut butter, raw whole almonds, low sodium chicken broth, organic creamy tomato soup (for winter its great to use for soups!), organic ketchup, seasonings

Not pictured but additional favorites of mine:

Brown rice pasta, whole wheat pita pockets, bran flakes cereal, low fat mozzarella shredded cheese, dog treats and snacks for my puppy.

If you want to find a Trader Joe’s near you check out their website here: click here for store locator information.

We buy direct from suppliers whenever possible, we bargain hard to get the best price, and then pass the savings on to you.

If an item doesn’t pull its weight in our stores, it goes away to gangway for something else.

We buy in volume and contract early to get the best prices.

Most grocers charge their suppliers fees for putting an item on the shelf. This results in higher prices… so we don’t do it.

We keep our costs low — because every penny we save is a penny you save.

It’s not complicated. We just focus on what matters — great food + great prices = Value.

on 03/31/14 at 11:50 AM

We at Epicurious love Easter chocolate just as much as the next peep, but we also know that moderation is the name of the game when it comes to raising healthy kids .

So, we're not suggesting that you should skip the sweet and chocolatey stuff entirely; we're just saying that it may help to be more judicious with what you stuff into those plastic eggs and Easter baskets. Here, 5 better-for-you alternatives to fat - and sugar-filled, artificially flavored Easter candy--all from Trader Joe's .

(Trader Joe's Easter treats after the jump.)

( Note: Not recommended for children under 5, as some of these are potential choking hazards. )

1. Chocolate-Covered Sunflower Seeds. These little guys--loaded with selenium, fiber, protein, and healthy fats--can fit nicely into those plastic eggs, and the pastel colors are Easter-perfect.

2. Dark Chocolate-Covered Pomegranate Seeds. The dark chocolate and tangy pomegranates--packed with antioxidants--make these nutritional powerhouses seriously addictive to kids and adults.

4. Candy-Coated Licorice. Pretty colors, no artificial flavors or preservatives, and totally satisfying. Everybody wins!

5. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. We will not lie: We love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (especially frozen), but Trader Joe's version delivers that salty-sweet chocolate satisfaction without any fake flavors, colors, or preservatives.

6. Bunny Gummy Tummies. Soft gummy candy with a tart fruity center, in natural orange, lemon, strawberry, and blackberry flavors. Oh, and they come in Easter-y shapes: chicks, bunnies, lambs, and eggs. Adorbs!

7. Gourmet Jelly Beans. These guys performed really well in our recent jelly bean taste test. delivering huge flavor without that tooth-tingling sugariness. Made with natural flavors, sans preservatives, of course. ¡Hurra!

(Photo: David Cicconi)

By Course

By Main Ingredient

By Special Diet

This recipe uses the cute idea of making mini meatloaves using muffin or cupcake tins. I've tried it a few times and it's been a great hit with all of us. I've been making them with lean turkey, and they are not only very tasty but very moist. If you're thinking that meatloaf sounds boring, these are a fun twist on an old classic. The second time I made them, my kids cheered, "Yay! Meat cupcakes!" I haven't come up with the perfect name for this recipe, but I don't think that's it. The recipe is very easy; the only lengthy part is boiling the potatoes. If you want to skip the potatoes, use 2 lbs of turkey and only 1 egg.

A mango lassi is basically a smoothie made with primarily yogurt and mango. We added a little orange juice and agave nectar to kick up the tart and sweet flavors. The flaxseed oil is optional if you want to add some healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids to your morning.

This is the recipe that appears on the back of Trader Joe's fried onions. A classic holiday side got even better, now that TJ carries mushroom soup in addition to fried onions. Trader Joe's fried onions appear seasonally during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Eggplant has great texture and give a nice heartiness in vegetarian sandwiches. In this sandwich, the rich eggplant and zucchini slices contrast nicely with some fresh, peppery arugula and tangy feta. Don't skip the lemon garlic sauce - it adds so much flavor and brings it all together. If you're not crazy about garlic, start with a little less and see how you like it.

All aboard! Shrimp, mango, and jalapeños set sail on endive boats. No utensils needed for this seafood adventure. The sweet flavors in the fruit salsa offset the slightly bitter taste of crunchy endive. Be prepared for the salsa’s spicy kick!

I make lots of different salads, but they often follow my golden formula: salad = greens + nuts + cheese + fruit (usually topped off by a variation of a balsamic vinaigrette, my favorite). This salad uses herb greens + walnuts + gorgonzola + fresh strawberries. The greens are washed and ready to use. The sweetness of the fresh strawberries contrasts nicely against the creamy tang of Gorgonzola and the crunch of sweetened nuts.

Pumpkin hummus is a twist on the classic party appetizer, perfect for holiday gatherings. Serve with pita chips. For a fun party idea, use cookie cutters to cut tortilla chips into fun shapes, spray with oil, sprinkle with 21 Seasoning Salute, and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. If the idea of making homemade hummus makes you run the other way, just grab a container of pre-made hummus at Trader Joe's and mix with half a can of pumpkin puree, adding seasonings such as cinnamon, cumin, and salt to taste.

This simple sandwich is reminiscent of the kinds you'll find in cafes in Europe. Use fresh bread and minimally accessorize to let the flavors of the ham and Brie really shine.

Panettone is a traditional Italian sweet bread that is served during Christmas and New Year. It's a fluffy sweet bread studded with candied fruit, and it makes for fabulous bread pudding. Eggnog adds to the festive holiday flavors.

Not affiliated with or sponsored by the Trader Joe's Company

Copyright © 2016 - Todos los derechos reservados.

Trader Joe's

From Our Editors

Buzz in Trader Joe's in Shrewsbury to pick up some basic grocery items and leave with extra time to spare. Canned goods are a kitchen staple. Don't be caught without them. Stock up your home bar with an assortment of liquors from Trader Joe's and become your own personal bartender. Every chef needs a break from the heat, so enjoy a frozen dinner without lifting a finger. Health-conscious eaters will love the wide selection of fish on hand. Meat lovers rejoice! From chicken to beef to pork, the meat selection here is sure to please. Whether you prefer wheat or white bread, Trader Joe's serves up a large selection of freshly-baked breads. H20: The essential element for every human being. Stay hydrated everywhere you go with a bottle from Trader Joe's. You'll love the selection of coffee and teas at Trader Joe's, decaffeinated options available, too! Everyone loves cereal in the morning. Stop in to get your family's favorites. Enjoy a small, bite-sized snack from Trader Joe's and cure your hunger pains. Eating healthy isn't always easy, but with produce on hand like this it just got easier. Health nuts will go crazy for the refreshing beverages available here, a great way to stay happy and hydrated. Embrace your inner chef and try out a new recipe with some bold and fun spices and seasonings from here. Here you can find a large number of high-quality staples, such as tasty and healthy oil and vinegar options. This store has all the supplies you need to make a scrumptious dessert when your tastebuds are calling. If you're a lover of all things dairy, help yourself to some great products at Trader Joe's for all your protein and calcium needs. When you have a long and hard day at work, a frozen meal from here makes for a perfect dinner solution. Pick up some noodles from Trader Joe's and create a tasty pasta dish for lunch or dinner.

Skip the hassle of circling the block for parking and park in one of the great options near Trader Joe's. After learning about Trader Joe's' store in Shrewsbury, you're ready to pick up some groceries there now!

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Discover huge discounts and fun activities in your city with Groupon. Check out daily deals for restaurants. spas. things to do. massages. hair salons. hotels - and now you can find local pizza deals on our pizza near me page.

For those of you who are on low-carb, Paleo, or ketogenic diets, either because you're diabetic, or are just wanting to lose some weight using the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle eating plan or another diet, one of the common questions I hear all the time is, "I'm going to Trader Joe's. What do you recommend that I buy while I'm there?"

I've compiled a list of items over the last year that are great to shop for at Trader Joe's. Some items may not be in your own personal eating plan due to food allergies or food preferences; a few items may not be in your specific diet plan at all depending on which plan you are doing (dairy products in Paleo, for example).

Even though I've checked the labels of these items to make sure they are low-carb or no-sugar friendly, sometimes ingredients change. so please double-check them to make certain they are free of wheat (except for sprouted grain breads), corn, soy, canola oil, any form of sugar, and other un natural additives that spike blood sugar levels, like maltodextrin, dextrose, etc.

I hope this will be very helpful for those of you who need a free printable shopping list form you can print off for yourself and take with you to Trader Joe's!

If you notice that I've left off something that's really important (ha!), please leave me a comment below and let me know. I'll add it to future updates of this Trader Joe's grocery shopping list.

¡Gracias! And feel free to share/pin this with others so they also have it available for their own personal use.

To download and print out your own copy, click on the image below. Please remember that this is for your own personal use only - and not for distribution on the internet or in any other form, without consent from Joy In Our Journey. com. ¡Gracias!

If this opens up in a PDF format that isn't viewable, open it up in Adobe Reader. The top of your screen may notify you that this document may not be displayed correctly. If it looks odd, click the top right box (Open with Different Viewer), which is Adobe Reader.

Other FREE printables for those living a healthy, trim lifestyle and other low-carb eating plans:

What Trader Joe’s teaches us about Obamacare

By Sarah Kliff September 13, 2013

Welcome to Health Reform Watch, Sarah Kliff’s regular look at how the Affordable Care Act is changing the American health-care system — and being changed by it. You can reach Sarah with questions, comments and suggestions here. Check back every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon for the latest edition, and read previous columns here .

Days until marketplaces launch: 18.

Trader Joe's made a very big announcement this week, one that had nothing to do with Two-Buck Chuck.

The grocery chain, in a memo obtained by the Huffington Post, told part-time employees that it would end their health insurance benefits for employees who work less than 30 hours a week, sending them instead to the new public insurance marketplaces with an extra $500 to help purchase coverage.

“Depending on income earned outside of Trader Joe’s, we believe that with the $500 from Trader Joe’s and the tax credits available under the ACA, many crew members should be able to obtain health-care coverage at very little, if any, net cost,” the company said Thursday in a statement to Bloomberg.

So what does this decision by Trader Joe's tell us about the Affordable Care Act? A few things.

Before we get to that, though, its worth thinking about why Trader Joe's – or any employer – offers health insurance right now.

While health benefits are expensive, companies typically offer them to stay competitive. A robust health plan can go a long way in wooing potential employees – especially when most of the market doesn't offer part-time workers the opportunity to buy coverage.

A healthier workforce can also have a benefit to a company, if they have fewer workers taking sick days and increasing productivity. The tax code gives companies yet another reason to offer benefits: Companies can pay for health insurance with pre-tax dollars, making compensation in the form of these benefits a better deal than the post-tax salaries they pay.

These incentives pre-dated the Affordable Care Act and they will outlast the law, too. The health-care law does add in a whole bunch of other incentives, which could change how employers think about the benefits they offer workers. It requires employers to provide health insurance to all full-time workers if they employ more than 50 people. That increases the incentive to provide coverage.

There are forces working in the opposite direction, too, that decrease employers' incentives to provide health coverage. The health law will eliminate pre-existing conditions, meaning that anyone who does lose coverage will have an option elsewhere, which is not the case today. It also provides subsidies for purchasing private insurance or, for lower-income workers, the opportunity to enroll in Medicaid.

The insurance market under Obamacare, in other words, is supposed to be a friendlier one than what exists right now. And that's what Trader Joe's seems to be betting on with its move: that its workers will see similar options without the grocery store footing the full bill.

Whether this will be true is hard to game out at this point. The Huffington Post did talk to one Trader Joe's worker who estimated that she earned about $20,000 and currently pays $70 a month for a pretty robust health plan. Trader Joe's plans to kick in $500 for each employee, or about $40 per month. So we're looking at a total of $110 to spend on the marketplace each month, if spending holds to the same level as what Trader Joe's workers pay right now.

The rate data we have so far (largely from the Kaiser Family Foundation) suggest that comparable premiums will be available for someone earning $20,000. Using a calculator that Kaiser helped build, it shows that a 25-year-old who makes that much here in the District would pay $85 for a middle-of-the-road plan and $26 for the bare-bones option. Premiums are a bit higher for those who are older, and a little lower for younger subscribers.

As for what Trader Joe's decision means for the health-care law, that's not totally clear either. On the one hand, it likely makes the health law more expensive: Trader Joe's is essentially shifting the costs it used to pay for health insurance onto the federal government. On the other, bigger marketplaces are good for the health law. More subscribers make it more likely that insurers will want to sell and, if Trader Joes' employees tend to be younger, they'll likely help hold down the cost of premiums there.

KLIFF NOTES: Top health policy reads from around the Web.

Texas is still in the dark on Obamacare. "Randy Osban’s job selling ribs and brisket from a yellow trailer on Texas’s State Road 71 offers a sweeping view of the hill country beyond Austin. One benefit his business doesn’t provide is health insurance. Osban, 55, could use it now, as his wife Kathy, 59, has a heart condition and the money he makes barely covers current expenses, much less a hospital bill. While he’s heard of Obamacare, he doesn’t know if it can help him or how to enroll." Alex Wayne for Bloomberg.

Breaking down unions' Obamacare demands. "Often, industries that use these multiemployer plans don’t employ a long-term, full-time workforce. A roofer, for instance, can go from job to job, without any interruption in coverage. With a traditional health plan, he’d change insurance each time he changes jobs — if he even got insurance. Smaller employers who now pay into these multiemployer plans may look at the deal their employees can get on the new Obamacare health insurance exchanges and decide they would be better off there. The unions are also worried about rising costs." Brett Norman in Politico.

Programs to treat the uninsured are facing an uncertain future. "HealthShare, geared to employees of small businesses in the Duluth, Minn. area, just announced that it will shut its doors at the end of December despite concerns that some of its 850 enrollees will have to pay much more in the new marketplaces. In the Houston area, the TexHealth Harris County 3-Share Plan is trying to determine if it complies with the law, said Daisy Morales, vice president of marketing. That program, which splits premiums between small employers, employees and a subsidy fund, has about 500 enrollees." Phil Galewitz in Kaiser Health News.

Trader Joe’s: Real Fast Food

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Our family just made a road trip South to Santa Barbara for a wedding. I have been so deep in filming the Rocking Body Raw Foods diet & raw foods course that I nearly forget the absolute crap that passes for food on this nation’s highways and byways. I packed dehydrated crackers. veggies, fruits and even some cashew cheese to make sure we had healthy eats on our journey. But, but with an energetic 18 month old, a husband who has been jonesing for In and Out Burger. and a teen who could live on pizza, meals stops were definitely part of the road trip adventure.

I am lucky in that my family is appreciative of, and enjoys the healthy foods I create for them. To repay their easy going eating style at home, I focus on being flexible with my diet when we eat out. But eating the way we do, little diversions from our healthy ways are quickly felt in our bodies and we end up looking for healthy foods. By far the easiest healthy meal options we found while road tripin’ were at TRADER JOE’S. I am a fan of Traders anyway, but I rarely buy pre-made meals there since I love to cook. Their selection of fruits and fresh organic juices (my faves: organic carrot, organic tangerine, and their green juice) made breakfasts easy while their choices in salads and wraps served as healthy options for lunch or dinner. Best of all we tossed whatever we wanted later in the cooler so we didn’t have to eat crappy, over priced hotel food.

The route from Portland to Santa Barbra has quite a few Trader Joe’s locations. I used the iPhone to Google locations and checked Google Maps to see which cites had a location near the freeway. I was surprised to see how many locations had tables outside, which made it even easier to use Trader Joe’s as a fast food options. On the journey my husband got his Double Double and Evie (my daughter) ordered an organic pizza from Pizza Guru (love their slogan; “one with everything”). But the majority of our meal were provided by the Trader and I know we enjoyed the trip much more on their real fast food options than we would have if we fueled our bodies with the easy junk foods that litter every exit off the 5.

THANKS Trader Joe’s!

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Cookbooks featuring Trader Joe’s products to help you feed yourself and those you love nutritiously, easily and conveniently.

“Livin’ Lean with Trader Joe’s”

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( Shipping and handling: $4.00)

Written by Jamie Davidson, M. S.

“This new book is AMAZING!! So many recipes with so much flavor and nutritional value – plus easy to follow, sustainable tips for healthy weight loss and management! We all know what it takes to lose weight, but this book takes all the things we already know, explains it directly and concisely, and puts that knowledge alongside fantastic recipes that you can do all the shopping for in one place. That makes Livin’ Lean literally one-stop shopping for weight loss, weight management and generally healthy living for people on-the-go!” –Emily Callahan

“The Livin’ Lean cookbook is a revelation – cooking can be fun, healthy, and convenient if done the Jamie Davidson way. I love the recipes in this book because Jamie is a very creative chef; her ideas are unusual, delicious, and guilt-free. I also appreciate how Jamie shares her expertise in weight management with the reader in a warm, approachable way, giving us the feeling that we have a supportive coach on our side as we learn healthier habits. This cookbook is a must if you are pressed for time but want to prepare eclectic, healthy dishes for yourself and your family – it’ll revolutionize your approach to cooking and eating!” Amazon reviewer

“As a personal trainer I am always looking for a good healthy way for my clients to eat…I have finally found it in Livin’ Lean . Por qué? Because we all shop at Trader Joe’s, and shopping in one place that not only makes this way of eating do-able, but also convenient and delicious! I love the variety of food and menu ideas along with the calorie count for the day. I will be recommending this book to my clients not only as a way to lose weight but as a life-style book that enables you to enjoy life and food and still keep the weight off! What a great discovery Livin’ Lean has been to help us all eat better, feel better and save time by not going to a zillion stores trying to find everything on our grocery lists! I love this book!” MC

“Livin’ Lean with Trader Joe’s” reflects Jamie Davidson’s enthusiastic high regard for readers and cooks interested in flavorful and healthy meals. In the first three chapters she outlines methods and practical advice for succeessful weight loss. Subsequent chapters list recipes, side dishes, and nutritional information. A bonus is a very thorough and user-friendly index. There are additional indexes for vegetarian, dairy-free, vegan and gluten-free recipes.” Amazon reviewer

“This is a great easy to use cookbook. Having some dietary restrictions, the book makes it easy to adhere to these. The step by step instructions, including when to start each separate dish, are extremely helpful. Every dish we have made has been great. We look forward to trying more.” RV

Want to know what you can pick up at Trader Joe’s that can help you lose weight, making the process practical, doable and delicious? Need some new ideas to get out of a menu rut? This book offers over 150 easy, delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, appetizers, entrées, slow-cooker and desserts, as well as lists of suggested Trader Joe’s products that are “heat and eat” or super-convenient to put together quickly for those on the go. This book doesn’t promote a “diet” that will leave you hungry and feeling deprived; it offers lower-calorie, tasty ideas that will make meal preparation easy. These recipes and serving suggestions for Trader Joe’s products are designed for maximum satiety, variety and convenience for the Trader Joe’s shopper. “Healthy” and “convenient” are two words that describe Jamie’s approach perfectly.

Practical . doable and specific assistance with weight loss . including the nine secrets of successful weight managers

Weight management tips and tools for those with busy lifestyles

The answers to “how many calories and how much protein do I need each day?”

Over 150 healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch, appetizers, dinner, slow-cooker, side dishes and desserts

A 100-Calorie Snack List that contains snacks available at Trader Joe’s (including gluten-free options) that are good sources of protein

Lists of ready-to-eat and light-prep vegetables, including frozen options

Grab-and-go lunches available at Trader Joe’s

Convenient prepared sides dishes to save you time

Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan recipe designations and recipe indexes

Options following many recipes to inspire variety

Nutritional analysis of all recipes and products listed

Quick and super-quick a ccompaniment suggestions for all entrées

Two weeks of 1400-calories menus and accompanying shopping lists using Trader Joe’s products

Your satisfaction guaranteed!

Also available for order through Amazon and Barnes and Noble

IF YOU HAVE ONE OR BOTH OF THESE COOKBOOKS AND LOVE THEM, PLEASE CONSIDER WRITING A REVIEW ON AMAZON. IT’S EASY TO DO. ¡GRACIAS!

Quick and Healthy Meals from Trader Joe’s – $12.95

“Simmering Solutions Healthy Slow-Cooker Recipes” e-book - $7.99

Best Healthy Buys at Trader Joe’s

When starting to eat healthy I found making absolutely everything by hand is just unrealistic, but buying healthy pre-made food is sooo expensive! Trader Joe’s has some great options of healthy food that is reasonably priced.

I have always loved shopping at Trader Joe’s. but once I started eating healthy I wasn’t sure what to buy. I usually stuck with yummy frozen meals and chocolate candy before and I had to learn what was healthy and what was a good deal. Most of the produce is not that good of a deal at Trader Joe’s since you can get that on sale at your grocery store, so skip that section, except for the bananas :)

So what are the best healthy buys at Trader Joe’s? Here is what I like to buy when I go:

I love the whole wheat pizza dough found in the refrigerated section. It has a short expiration date so I freeze them. They cost just over a dollar.

Sprouted grains are best so I get sprouted wheat bread and Ezekiel sprouted grain tortillas .

Ak-mak crackers are some of the healthiest you can get. I’ve also found these at Sprouts.

Non-fat Greek yogurt doesn’t have the same nutrients as low-fat yogurt, but it’s hard to find so I get this 2% Greek Yogurt at Trader Joe’s.

Low fat plain Kefir is a popular yogurt drink in Eastern Europe. I like to use it in smoothies. Lots of probiotics, calcium, and protein!

You can use farro in salads, and use cashew meal in baked goods.

They sell multigrain baking & pancake mix . like Bisquick for $1.99.

Cashew meal is a great gluten-free alternative flour. Can be used for baking or dredging.

Coconut oil spray is great for cooking since it can be heated to higher temperatures than olive oil.

You can make risotto with barley .

We love Himalayan pink salt . It’s

Cashew butter is pretty expensive $7.99, but really good. A sliced apple with cashew butter is a nice afternoon treat.

It’s hard to find fat-free re-fried bean s so I was excited to find this can. Just beans!

A lot of seasoning mixes have a bunch of added preservatives, but this taco seasoning mix is just seasonings. I bought a bunch :) You can make your own taco mix, but when I’ve done it, it never tasted as good. Plus I like to save time :)

Bananas are $.19 each, which ends up being a really good deal.

The Inca Corn is corn nuts and only have three ingredients (corn, oil, and salt). Careful because they are really addictive!

I was excited to see multi-grain pita chips so I can eat them with my hummus.

I like peanuts . but have a hard time finding them without salt

Quentin asked for the banana chips – easier to bring on the go than an actual banana.

Popcorn with olive oil is a good snack for the boys, and me.

We all love the dehydrated mangoes . We usually eat the whole bag in one sitting. They also have them in bananas, strawberries, and blueberries.

Always look for chocolate with at least 70% cacao. You can get these three small bars of 72% dark chocolate for $1.99.

These 73% dark chocolate covered almonds are super addictive. It took a lot of self-control to stop after I ate half the container!

I saw a rather fit woman in her workout clothes pick up these chocolate chip brownie & oat bars so I figured I’d check them out. They aren’t healthy per se, but they don’t have any artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and they are made with whole grains so they aren’t as bad as most treat bars.

Other items to put on your Trader Joe’s shopping list:

Frozen food (healthy & quick!):

Frozen brown rice or quinoa

Frozen turkey meatballs

Very Cherry Berry Blend frozen fruit (great for smoothies)

Frozen kale (great for smoothies)

Chile Lime Burgers

Multi-grain waffles

Whole wheat pita (put these in the fridge, they go bad quickly)

Whole wheat pretzels (great for kids’ snacks)

Whole wheat cous cous

Whole wheat pasta

Roasted seaweed

Trader Joe’s everyday seasoning

Organic vegetable broth

Organic Creamy Tomato Soup (gluten-free)

Organic Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup (gluten-free)

Basil plant

Broccoli slaw (can also find at Wal-Mart)

hummus

Did I leave any thing off the list? What’s your favorite thing to buy at Trader Joe’s?

You may also enjoy:

Mensaje de navegación

Trader Joe’s Haul Highlights

I finally made it to Trader Joe’s yesterday after not being there for over a month! How I missed it and missed some of my favorite things I buy there! I was happy to get there yesterday, brought Rocco along with me and he slept the whole time, as always, haha! I stay away from Trader Joe’s on the weekend because it is too crazy, so I am happy to get there on a weekday in the day!

I got lots of my usual favorites like this hummus and guacamole! They were out of my tomato basil hummus, boo!

A power salad mix in a bag!

Some of my favorite cereal, and I love how cheap it is!

Wild pacific salmon, so delicious and great fro throwing in a salad or wrap!

My favorite almond butter besides maranatha, this is the best!

Lunch for today, I love this salad and decided to treat myself to it! I can’t wait to eat it today!

Coconut chips, I am excited to top these on oats or on a smoothie! Everyone raves about them, I decided it was time to buy them!

Dark chocolate, all that needs said! <3

I missed my TJ’s! So great to be getting back to a normal routine over here! Things are so much easier, it does take time to adjust but we all have done great over here! Rocco is just the sweetest and such a good baby, so that makes it easier for sure!

Happy Thursday friends! I might pop back in later, if not then I will see you in the morning!

Healthy Diva Asks…

What is your latest Trader Joe’s must have or favorite?

Anyone go to Trader Joe’s weekly or do most of their grocery shopping there?

I do about 85% of my weekly grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s. The food, the prices and the friendly staff keep me coming back! Their organic hummus is my favorite – and I must say I am very particular when it comes to hummus! I also love that they offer a lot of quick-cooking options for those who are restricted with time, but still want to eat healthy. Trader Joe’s holds a special place in my heart <3

Healthy Diva says

It is the best! I love that you said it holds a special place in your heart! So true 😉

That goat cheese and guac are like my favorite EVER.

I’m really into their gluten-free brownie mix and gluten-free version of the Joe-Joe’s cookies.

I love that wheatberry salad! And I just tried that tomato basil hummis for the first time, omg it’s amazing!

You’re definitely all stocked up! But the fact they were out of your favorite hummus just means you’ll HAVE to go back to check for more VERY soon.

Healthy Diva says

I will have to! Oh and the hummus I bought, so mad, it expired August 10th! What the heck. I didn’t even have many days to use it up!

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Hello friends! ¡Bienvenido! I'm Katie, a blogger, mom, online fit coach, 200 hour yoga teacher, and a fashionista. Healthy Diva Life, a blog that shares a little bit of everything from food, fitness, family, style and positive inspiration. Spreading the message of owning your healthy life! Check out my about page for more info. Thanks for stopping by! See more →

Weight watcher friendly foods at trader joes

Foods at trader

Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Trader Joes with # weightwatchers Power Foods #PointsPlus and meal ideas. See Best Weight Watchers Travel Snacks >>, TEEN Friendly Organic Travel. Y. Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Mini Fluffy Angel Food Cake (1/4 of Cake 120 Calories - 3 PointsPlus. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One!

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Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Trader Joes with # weightwatchers Power Foods #PointsPlus and meal ideas. See Best Weight Watchers Travel Snacks >>, TEEN Friendly Organic Travel. Y. Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Mini Fluffy Angel Food Cake (1/4 of Cake 120 Calories - 3 PointsPlus. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One!

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October 31, 2015, 06:59

Free Downloadable Healthy Grocery List

This free healthy grocery list is full of everything you need for wholesome eating.

My downloadable grocery list will tell you which foods are good to eat.

and which name brands get my dietitian stamp of approval!

(My free grocery shopping list may contain natural and/or organic brand names you've never heard of, so I've also provided links to the brand names you may be less familiar with. This way you can get an idea of what the packaging looks like so you'll recognize them in the store!)

Peruse the healthy shopping list below or print and carry the downloadable healthy grocery list (here ) with you.

Use this free grocery shopping list to stock your fridge weekly with the proper healthy foods. After all, you can't eat right if you don't have the right foods on hand. And you won't have the right foods on hand if you don't shop.

Seafood

Frozen Salmon Burgers (Trader Joes)

Canned Tuna (choose low sodium and "light" vs. "white" tuna)

Canned salmon (choose low sodium and wild caught)

Crown Prince Natural Brand. canned sardines, kipper snacks, and crab meat

Cheese

Fat free or reduced fat cheese: slices, shredded cheese, block cheese, string cheese, or cheese snacks (Alpine Lace, Horizon, Organic Valley, Galaxy Veggie, Kraft, Sargento, Laughing Cow, MiniBaybel Lite)

Fat free or reduced fat crumbled feta cheese

Fat free or lowfat cottage cheese

Egg Products

Whole eggs

Pre-prepared hard boiled eggs (Trader Joes, conventional grocery stores)

Liquid egg whites (All Whites, Egg Beaters Whites)

Fat free liquid egg substitute (Egg Beaters, Better'n Eggs, ReddiEgg)

yogurt

Fat free or lowfat yogurt (Stonyfield Farms, Horizon, Brown Cow, Yoplait Light, Dannon Light and Fit, Weight Watchers, YoPlus Light)

Fat free (0%) plain Greek yogurt (Fage, Stonyfield Farms Oikos, Trader Joes) Fat free or lowfat soy yogurt Organic goat yogurt

Milk and Milk Substitutes

Nonfat, skim or ВЅ % milk

Lite Soymilk (Silk, Edensoy, 8th Continent)

Lite Almond Milk (Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, Pacific)

Rice Milk (Rice Dream)

Meat Substitutes

Tofu (Nasoya, Tree of Life, White Wave Baked Tofu, Pete's Tofu 2 Go, Morinu)

Tempeh (Whitewave, Lightlife, Nasoya, Tree of Life)

Veggie Burers (Amy's, Dr. Praeger's. Cascadian Farms, Boca, Gardenburger, Morningstar Farms)

Ground Beef Style Soy Crumbles (Boca, Morningstar Farms)

Canned Beans

Fat free refried beans

Low sodium canned garbanzo, kidney, black beans, pinto beans, etc. (Eden Foods, Shari Ann's, Westbrae Natural, Bearitos, or store brand)

Canned vegetarian chili (Healthy Valley, Trader Joes, Safeway)

Protein Powders and Drinks Whey Protein Powder

Jay Robb

Solgar Whey To Go

Optimum Nutrition Natural 100% Whey

BSN Lean Dessert Protein

Soy Protein Powder

Genisoy

Spirutein

Ready to Drink (RTD) Canned Protein Shake

Worldwide Pure Protein Shake

Myoplex Lite

Healthy Grocery List: Fruit Tips--->Buy 2-4 different fruits/week. Buy in varying stages of ripeness (ex: buy green bananas as well as yellow bananas).

Fresco

Easy to eat "grabby fruits:" apples, grapes, small bananas, berries, pears

Any fresh fruit you'll eat.

Frozen No sugar added frozen strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, mango chunks, and pineapple chunks (keep on hand for smoothies!)

Canned No sugar added applesauce, pearsauce, fruit cocktail, pineapple, peaches, mandarin orange cups, etc.

Healthy Grocery List: Vegetables Tip--->Buy 2-4 different vegetables/week. Avoid buying more than you'll eat.

Fresco

"Finger Picking Good" Veggies: baby carrots, snap peas, cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, edamame, radishes, bell peppers

Any veggie you love

Salad greens, baby spinach leaves

Broccoli slaw

Large romaine leafs for making "wrapper" sandwiches

Canned/Jarred Low sodium (or rinse and drain well):

Roasted red bell peppers

Hongos

Baby corn

Artichoke hearts

Hearts of palm

Water chestnuts

Green chilis

Congelado

Steam-in-the-bag veggies

Frozen veggies you love: onions, bell peppers, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc.

Veggies in lowfat sauce

Healthy Grocery List: Healthy Fats

Nuts and Seeds (almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.) Tip: Purchase in 100 calorie packs or "Just a Handful" packs

Nut butters: peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter, cashew butter, tahini (Arrowhead Mills, Maranatha, Smucker's Natural, Trader Joes, Whole Foods 365 Brand, Barney Butter, Justin's)

100 Calorie Peanut Butter or Almond Butter Packs (Justin's, Barney Butter)

Oils: extra virgin olive oil, organic canola oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, avocado oil (Spectrum, Barleans, Hain Expeller Pressed Oils, Trader Joes)

Ground Flaxseeds/Flaxseed Meal (Arrowhead Mills, Bob's Red Mill, FiProFlax, Spectrum)

Avocado/Guacamole

Bread/Tortillas/English Muffins

Whole wheat, high fiber bread (Ezekiel, French Meadow Bakery, Trader Joes, Pepperidge Farm 100% Whole Wheat Lite Style, or Thin Slice )

Low cal, high fiber, light bread (Weight Watchers, Pepperidge Farm Small Slice, Fiber One, )

Lowfat, whole wheat, and/or high fiber tortillas (no more than 150 calories): La Tortilla Factory, Ezekiel, Garden of Eatin, Trader Joes)

Corn tortillas

Whole wheat English muffins (Trader Joes, Matthew's)

High fiber pita bread (Weight Watchers)

Crackers

High fiber, lowfat crackers (Ak Mak, Trader Joes Woven Wheats, Mary's Gone Crackers, Adrienne's Hawaiian Lavosh, Finn Krisp (rye or multigrain), Ryvita (rye), Healthy Valley, Kavli, Nejaimes, Wasa (hearty, lite or organic rye), Hain brown rice crackers,

Rice cakes (Lundberg Farms, Quaker)

Soy Crisps (Genisoy, Glenny's)

Cereal

Hot Cereal

Unflavored instant oatmeal packets (Quaker, Uncle Sam's)

Old fashioned oats/ steel cut oats (Quaker, Arrowhead Mills, Silver Palate, McCann's)

Hot multigrain cereal (Arrowhead Mills 7 Grain, Bob's Red Mill 8 Grain, Kashi 7 Whole Grain and Sesame Blend)

Oat Bran (Mother's)

Quinoa Flakes (Ancient Harvest)

Hot brown rice cereal (Lundberg Farms, Arrowhead Mills, Erewhon)

Frozen Hot Cereal

Amy's hot cereal bowls

Trader Joes Old Fashioned Oatmeal

Cold Cereal

Puffed (puffed wheat, rice, or corn, or Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs)

Flakes and O's: Bran flakes, spelt flakes, kamut flakes, Kashi cereals, Cheerios (Arrowhead Mills, Kashi, Life Stream, Nature's Path Heritage, Post, Uncle Sam's)

Shredded Wheat (Barbaras, Kashi, Kellogg's, Post)

Granola 'use sparingly (Bear Naked, Nature's Path, Health Valley, Zoe's, Trader Joes lowfat)

Healthy Grocery List: Soups

Low sodium canned or boxed soups (Trader Joes, Amy's Light in Sodium)

Low sodium instant bean soups (Dr. McDougall's, Fantastic Foods, Nile Spice, Safeway)

Low sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable broth/boullion cubes

Low sodium miso soup

Healthy Grocery List: Sauces/Dressings/Condiments

All Fruit Preserves (American Spoon Fruit, Cascadian Farms, Polaner, Sorrel Ridge, Trader Joe's All Fruit Jams)

Barbecue Sauce (Muir Glen, Annie's Naturals)

Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids (this is non-fermented, wheat free, soy sauce)

Ketchup (Heinz organic, Muir Glen)

Lowfat marinara or pizza sauce (Enrico's, Newman's Own, Classico)

Low sodium soy sauce and teriyaki sauce

Mayonnaise - reduced fat (Spectrum, Nasoya's Nayonnaise, Trader Joes, Vegannaise)

Mustard: yellow, Dijon, honey, spicy

Salad Dressing (Annies, Newman's Own, Spectrum, Seeds of Change, Nasoya, Newman's Own Lighten Up)

Salsa (Muir Glen, Newman's Own, Trader Joes)

Vinegar (balsamic, flavored balsamic, red wine, rice wine)

Healthy Grocery List: Bars

Cereal Bars and Chewy Granola Bars (Cascadian Farms, Cliff Jr. Fiber One, Kashi)

Crunchy Granola Bars (Kashi, Nature Valley)

Meal Replacement Bars (Boulder, Boomi, Cliff, Lara, Luna, Odwalla)

Healthy Grocery List: Beverages

Coffee (decaf preferably….)

Hot Cocoa 25 calorie packets (Swiss Miss Diet, Nestle fat free)

Sugar Free Powdered Drink Mixes (Crystal Light, Lipton Ice Tea to Go, etc.)

Tea (Celestial Seasonings, Eden, Numi, Tazo, Republic of Tea, Yogi Teas)

Water (Aquafina Flavorsplash, Dasani Essence, MetroMint Water, SoBe Lifewater, Trader Joes Lime or Mint Water, Vitamin Water 10)

Healthy Grocery List: Snacks

Fruit and Vegetable Snacks

Freeze Dried Fruits and Vegetables (Just Fruit and Just Vegetable munchies by Just Tomatoes, Funky Monkey, Trader Joe's)

Packaged Snacks

Fig Bars (Barbara's, Newman's Own)

Graham Crackers

Popcorn (Newman's Trans Fat Free, Bearitos, Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop, Jolly Time Healthy Pop, Pop Secret 94% Fat Free Snack Size)

VitaTops, Vita Muffins, VitaBrownies

100 Calorie Snack Packs

Ice cream

Fat free or lowfat ice cream (Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned Light Ice Creams)

Lowfat ice cream sandwiches (Skinny Cow, Weight Watchers)

Fruit Bars (Dryer's/Edy's)

Lowfat fudge bars (Healthy Choice, Weight Watchers)

Look for the following criteria:

No partially hydrogenated oils.

No more than 1 gram of saturated fat per 100 calories.

No more than 3 grams of total fat per 100 calories.

No more than 200 milligrams of sodium per 100 calories.

(Amy's, Cascadian Farms, Dr. Praegers, Kashi, Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, Weight Watchers)

Burritos/Wraps:

Amy's

Cedarlane

Kashi Pocketbread Sandwiches

Lean Cuisine Flatbread Melts

Healthy Choice Low Cal Panini

Lean Pockets

When You're Jones'n for Pizza but Don't Want To Go Overboard:

Amy's Spinach Pizza in a Pocket Sandwich

Amy's Spinach Feta in a Pocket Sandwich

Amy's Cheese Pizza Toaster pops

Healthy Choice French Bread Pizza

Lean Cuisine Wood Fire Style Pizza

I hope my free grocery shopping list helps you.

More of My Professional Advice You May Find Useful

Clean Shopping At Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s is one of my absolute favorite places to shop. I’m there once per week, at least . And while I don’t claim to know all of their clean eating items, I think I’ve got most of them pretty nailed down by this point. I tried to give examples of both organic and non-organic foods.

Please note that the prices listed are current for my Trader Joe’s here in Sonoma County at the time of this writing. Prices will vary greatly by region and with time. Also, this is not an all-inclusive list. This is based on what I have purchased in my own shopping.

OTHER CLEAN EATING SHOPPING LISTS

ORGANIC PRODUCE

NON-ORGANIC PRODUCE

Tip: When choosing non-organic, fresh produce, opt for thicker skinned produce so that you peel off most of the pesticides with the peel or skin.

DAIRY

Tip: Dairy is always better purchased organic. But not everyone can afford it. Buy the best you can afford.

YOGURT , organic, store brand ($1.99 – 16 oz.)

MILK , full fat, store brand ($3.99 gal – conventional / 5.99 gal organic)

COTTAGE CHEESE . low fat, store brand ($3.49 organic – 16 oz. / 1.99 conventional – 16 oz.) – I haven’t been able to find full fat yet.

BUTTERMILK , full fat ($1.49 – 1 quart)

POULTRY

Tip: Again, organic is best. But buy the best you can afford.

CHICKEN BREASTS . boneless, skinless ($6.99 per pound, organic / $2.49 per pound conventional)

TURKEY . conventional , ground, lean ($2.99 per pound conventional / $5.49 per pound kosher)

EGGS . organic ($4.49 per dozen)

EGGS . conventional ($1.99 + per dozen)

PORK

SEAFOOD

SALMON . wild caught (prices vary)

TROUT . wild caught (prices vary)

DOVER SOLE . wild caught (prices vary)

SHRIMP . large, pre-cooked, frozen ($7.99 per pound – prices vary for other sizes and can go up to $14.99 per pound)

TUNA . canned in water ($1.69 per can – red label)

NUTS AND NUT BUTTERS

GRAINS

PANTRY ITEMS

CHICKEN BROTH ($1.99 per carton – 32 oz.)

COCONUT MILK, light, ($0.99 – 14 fl oz. can)

REFRIED BEANS, fat free (blue label – $0.99 can – 15 oz.)

CANNED BEANS ($1.19 – $1.99 depending on beans – 15 oz.)

TOMATO SAUCE ($1.49 – 15 oz. can)

TOMATOES, diced ($1.00 – 15 oz. can)

COCONUT OIL – ($5.99 – 16 fl. oz. jar)

OLIVE OIL ($3.49 – 16.9 fl. oz. bottle)

SNACKS

PURE BARS . chocolate brownie bar ($1.49 per bar)

LARA BARS . apple, peanut butter or cherry (other flavors there are not clean – $1.29 per bar)

AK MAK CRACKERS, whole wheat ($1.69 per box )

tina hudgins says:

Hi Tiffany, Thank you for your blog! I always have a battle with weight. I have hypothyroid. not excuse. Will i use so much sweetners ant artifical foods and too much sugar. In with the bad I eat the good too. I have a niece that eats clean now so thats what I am doing now. Veremos. She says corn tortillas are really bad for you. Corn period. I always use the good seasons salad dressing in packett and make my own with the canola oil and water with packett. Not anymore. But I made up a while ago the Dr Oz alternative. It was 1/3 cup olive oil 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 2 tsp dijon mustard did not like so trying yours. The other thing is i feel i should only get non gmo? Im glad I found you when was looking for salad dressing:) Thanks Tina

Tina – My pleasure! Corn is tough. At it’s best and purist, it’s technically clean. But corn is used to fatten cattle. So if you are trying to lose weight… Aside from that, it’s very difficult in many places to find non-gmo corn. So depending on the stores you have available to you, it may be best to avoid it all together.

I just started to eat clean (which means I am finally learning to cook!) and my friend has been raving about your site! I actually went to TJ’s today for the first time since “going clean” and only now just found this amazing list! I have to say it was a bit daunting to look at the ingredients (even at TJ’s) and see so many “alkali added” or other “processing” condiciones. I must have looked ridiculous to those around me as I read every ingredient on every item I picked up… Next time, I will know what to get. Thank you so much!!

Stacey – Don’t worry about other people. The first few months, you will be reading a LOT of labels. That’s just the reality. And even when you automatically know what to buy, you still want to check those labels on occasion because companies tend to change ingredients every so often. So it’s something you need to get comfortable with. And yes, they have a lot of processed foods. But they also have a lot of clean stuff. You’re doing great! Welcome to my site! unesdoc. unesco. org unesdoc. unesco. org

This is AWESOME! I’ve spent the better part on an hour checking out all of your grocery lists. A “pricebook” is something I’ve always wanted to put together, both for my readers and for my own sanity, but I kept trying to make to more complicated than it needs to be! Your simple lists are fantastic, and I’m very happy to have come across them!

Katie @ My Daily Crumbs

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Sep 26, 2014 . Checkout these fantastic diet friendly foods I've found that are tasty uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself. Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Weight Watchers Points Plus & Low Calorie Food Haul - Shopping List. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One!

Weight watcher friendly foods at trader joes

Bubble Up Enchiladas Weight Watcher Recipes 5 points 1 pound ground turkey 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 can reduced fat. Delicious Clean and Healthy Recipes From My Family To Yours. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Points.

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Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Weight Watchers Points Plus & Low Calorie Food Haul - Shopping List. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One! Sep 26, 2014 . Checkout these fantastic diet friendly foods I've found that are tasty uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself.

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Is It Better to Live Near Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods?

If you live near either a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods—score!—you’ve got great options that make healthy cooking and eating a snap. But could that convenient locale drive up the value of your home? New research analysis from RealtyTrac found that indeed, living near a health haven may make your crib more desirable.

The analysis looked at home values, appreciation, and property taxes in U. S. in neighborhoods that had either a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe’s in that zip code. Surprisingly, home values near Trader Joe’s have increased by an average of 40 percent since purchase, while properties near Whole Foods have only increased by 34 percent (on par for the appreciation of homes nationwide). Digs near Trader Joe’s are also valued five percent higher than ones near Whole Foods. While that's great news if one of these cult-favorite grocery stores have popped up in your 'hood since move-in, homeowners who are looking to buy in the vicinity are going to be paying over 50 percent more than the national average. (Whoa! It's even more important, then, to save some dough. Follow these 6 Ways to Save Money On (and Stop Wasting!) Groceries .)

So if you’re looking to sell your house any time soon, you’re in luck if you live near Trader Joe’s! The budget-conscious grocery store is most likely a big attraction point for homebuyers who want to save on some cash and eat well. We’ll be interested to see how Whole Foods' upcoming lower-cost chain for Millennials compares to prices at Trader Joe’s—and how it effects real estate. Check out the rest of the research results below.

Top 10 Trader Joe’s Favorites for Kids

One thing that Trader Joe’s is really good at is catering to kids. I have two of my own growing boys that are 8 and 9 years old (15 months apart!) and are very hungry all the time right now. We’ve tried lots of stuff at Trader Joe’s over the years, especially for the kids. I’m not going to include obvious things like milk, apples and bread since they vary from state to state and to be honest are pretty boring compared to this list! Also, as we all know Trader Joe’s makes all their foods without High Fructose Corn Syrup and whole ingredients. Most ingredient tables on the side of the box are easy to read so you know exactly what is going in your body! On to the list:

1. Pizza – What kid doesn’t love pizza, there is no doubt that this is one of the most popular products at Trader Joe’s. Not only do they have cheese pizza, but they have about 10 different types of pizza. They have several in the frozen section, then a few in the fridge section. They also carry fresh pizza dough that isn’t half bad! I really like the three cheese Organic pizza. The kids want me to throw a few pieces of pepperoni on top to dress it up a bit. As pizzas go these are OK, are all organic. The crust is a little too crunchy for me but the kids don’t seem to mind. Some of the pizzas in the fridge section aren’t too bad and the crust is a little chewier.

2. Chicken Drummettes. This is Trader Joe’s take on a chicken nugget. My kids eat pounds of these things and I feel pretty good about it. They are mostly chicken with little filler and the breading isn’t too thick. I mainly bake then in the oven, but sometimes heat them up on the stove top. I always keep a box or two handy for a quick meal that I know they will eat! Dip them in Ketchup or Soy Sauce or nothing at all, they are very tasty!

3. Applesauce Crushers – If you’ve not seen these before they come in a variety of flavors, but we mainly eat the Applesauce ones. I use these mainly for the lunch box, but they are a good snack anytime if a little expensive. The reason I like them is that they are a lot less messy than the plastic sauce cups that most applesauce comes in for kids. I know there is a lot of packaging here, but have you had to clean out applesauce out of a lunch box? These also come in apple/banana and apple/carrot if just plain apple wasn’t good enough for you!

4. Juice boxes – My kids prefer apple juice, but there are a myriad of juice boxes at Trader Joe’s from apple to grape. They have white grape and red grape and so on and on. They have organic and non organic. My kids love juice and if I let them, they would drink these all day!

5. Fruit Bars – Where to start on the bars. Trader Joe’s has gone from having a few bars 10 years ago, to a whole section dedicated to bars. My kids favorite right now is the This Blueberry Walks Into a Bar fruit bar. These fruit bars are all organic. They have outer cereal covering and blueberry jam in the middle. They are great to throw in the lunch box too. They come in several different flavors like Strawberry and Fig (my favorite). But that is just the start of the bar crazy Trader Joe’s. They carry a array of protein bars and of those my favorite for kids are the Z-bars (not a Trader Joe’s product) and we eat a ton of those too.

6. Cheese Sticks – I have two sons, as I mentioned above, one eats a ton of cheese and drinks milk every day. The other one is cheese adverse and hates milk. The only time he eats cheese is on pizza! It’s probably a good thing since we’d go through a bag of cheese sticks a day! The Trader Joe’s Mild Cheddar Cheese sticks are the current favorite with my younger son. I really like these because they really taste like real good cheddar cheese! Trader Joe’s has a wide variety of cheese sticks if cheddar isn’t your kids thing, they have mozzarella and white cheddar and jeez you name it. I think I counted about 15 different cheese sticks last time I was in the store. If you can’t find cheese in stick form that you like then go over the regular cheese section!

7. Chips – Trader Joe’s has a ton of chips from potato to lentil to bean to you name it! If it’s made of starch, Trader Joe’s will try and make a chip out of it! My kids favorite chip right now is the Trader Joe’s Organic Corn Chip Dippers. My one son eats them by the bowl with salsa. They both love them and I like that they are organic corn. These are an obvious Fritos knockoff. They are a little larger than Fritos and they don’t seem to have as much oil in them and less salt. I really don’t feel bad letting the kids eat these for a snack or take to school lunch. Also, they are gluten free if that is your thing!

8. Mini Tacos – Not sure if these were meant as a kid friendly product or not, but my kids love these things. They are basically ground up chicken stuffed in a little taco. It’s up to you to dress them up taco stuff, but my kids eat them plain and I make vegetables separately. Super simple to make, just pop them in the oven for 10 minutes or so until they are heated through. They also come in beef!

9. Trader Joe’s O’s Cereal – This is a complete Cheerios knock off, and Trader Joe’s has done such a good job of replicating Cheerios now there is no reason to go to the big box grocery store to buy them! As a good I would go through boxes of Cheerios and we didn’t have Trader Joe’s back then. I’m sure my mother would’ve shopped Trader Joe’s when we were growing up if they had them in my area (She lives in Arizona now and shops there every week!). My kids eat pounds of this cereal for breakfast and what could be simpler than this a bowl of milk and some Joe’s O’s!

10. Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter – When I was growing up it was Jif and Skippy peanut butter and that was it. Now when I walk through the grocery store the peanut butter section takes up half the aisle! Trader Joe’s is obviously echoing that expansion in Peanut Butter choices with several different ones. My older son eats Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches every day for lunch since 1st grade. He likes a routine and it’s the same thing every day. I was the same way, I ate peanut butter and jelly for 10 years straight until I got to high school and it wasn’t cool to bring a lunch but that’s another story! Trader Joe’s has a wide variety of peanut butter. They have crunchy, chunky, organic, mixed with flaxseeds you name it! The one I am feeding my son now is the Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter with Sea Salt. He doesn’t know how good he has it!

11. Trader Joe’s Yogurt Squishers – Did I say 10 things? Darn, I just couldn’t fit this list into 10 items! I kept coming up with more things the kids loved and wanted to include in this list. This is an essential for anyone that has kids and they will eat yogurt. These yogurt in a tube thing started showing up a couple of years ago in the mainstream grocery stores and my kids loved them but of course they were loaded with sugar and fake fruit. Trader Joe’s Squishers seem to be just yogurt and some fruit flavoring as best I can tell and they actually taste like yogurt. My younger son eats these like crazy and they are great to pack in their lunch box.

Bonus items! Trader Joe’s does two things that fun for kids that are not food related. Stickers – Trader Joe’s is notorious for giving away little round stickers to kids when they are waiting in line. You can tell the parents that shop at Trader Joe’s by the number of Trader Joe’s stickers stuck to the inside of their car windows! The stickers change seasonally and they change from year to year. Always something different!

Finding the animal – At our store it’s finding Freddy the Frog. Every store is a little different. When the kids are really small it’s a fun game to find the stuffed animal somewhere in the store. When they do, they go to the kitchen area and tell the person manning the station there and they kids get a free lollipop or something. Someone in the store moves the stuffed animal every day so it’s always somewhere different to keep the kids engaged.

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Welcome to Club Trader Joe’s!

Club Trader Joe's is a blog that provides independent reviews of all products carried by the Trader Joe's store. We are not affiliated with Trader Joe's in anyway, but we are generally love their products! Please join us on this gastronomical journey as we review as many Trader Joe's products as we can!

What's Good At Trader Joe's?

What's Good at Trader Joe's . Devotees of the popular chain might respond with, "Everything!" Since last August, one blog has taken the question as its name and mission . to systematically review every product. It isn't the only Trader Joe's review site. As Nathan explained, "We noticed there were some other webpages rating Trader Joe's products, but many hadn't been updated in a long time. Most of them weren't very in-depth, and they were boring to read. The most popular site that rates Trader Joe's foods is Trader Joe's Fan . but they focus more on recipes and cooking."

Since starting What's Good At Trader Joe's in August Nathan Rodgers, his wife Sonia, and their friend Russ Shelly, have reviewed about 75 products in more than 60 blog entries. While the reviewers are fans of Trader Joe's, they take reviewing seriously — their first review was even negative. They rate products on a scale of one to 10, 10 being the best. For any post, two people rate the product, giving their overall impression and up to five points each.

So, after six months of reviewing Trader Joe's products, what is good? "My all-time favorite product is probably the strawberry kiwi juice," Nathan said. "I am a sweet beverage fiend. And Russ, the snack expert, likes the peanut brittle best of all." As for their least favorite products, Nathan noted that "Russ was most disappointed with the whole grain hard pretzel sticks. My least favorite product was the no-tomato chicken lasagna."

Here are the site's the top five picks for Trader Joe's products in five categories — beverages, desserts, sauces and soups, international entrées, and snacks — with explanations for their top picks.

1. Trader Joe's Strawberry Kiwi Juice (10 points): "This beverage lets the natural flavors of both the kiwi and the strawberry through. The taste is complex enough for an adult to enjoy, but it's sweet enough for a Kool-Aid-craving kid."

2. Trader Joe's Pomegranate Limeade (10 points)

3. Trader Joe's Pear Cinnamon Cider (9 points)

4. Trader Joe's Pomegranate Green Tea (8.5 points)

5. Trader Joe's Organic Strawberry Lemonade (8.5 points)

1. Trader Joe's Peach and Blueberry Panna Cotta (9 points): "Trader Joe's managed to mass-produce a frozen version of a classic Italian dessert that's served in five-star restaurants, and very little is lost in their adapted version."

2. Trader Joe's Old-Fashioned Donut O's (9 points)

3. Trader Joe's Caribbean Fruit Floes (9 points)

4. Trader Joe's Mini Eclairs (8 points)

5. Joe-Joe's n' Cream Flavored Ice Cream (8 points)

1. Trader Joe's Organic Tomato Bisque (10 points): "Most of Trader Joe's sauces and soups do a good job of meeting or exceeding the quality of comparable products from other brands, but the flavor and consistency of their tomato bisque beats that of any tomato soup I've ever had, hands down."

2. Trader Ming's General Tsao Stir Fry Sauce (9.5 points)

3. Trader Jose's Chunky Salsa (9.5 points)

4. Trader Joe's Vegetarian Chili (8.5 points)

5. Trader Joe's Jalapeño Pepper Hot Sauce (8 points)

1. Trader Ming's Mandarin Orange Chicken (9.5 points): "Orange chicken is the quintessential Chinese dish. Trader Ming's version not only beats other frozen varieties, but it rivals what they serve in many sit-down Asian restaurants."

2. Trader Joe's Chicken Tikka Masala (9.5 points)

3. Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo (9.5 points)

4. Trader Joe's Chicken Cilantro Mini Wontons (9 points)

5. Trader Ming's Chicken Shu Mai (8.5 points)

1. Trader Joe's Peanut Brittle (10 points): "Again, Trader Joe's not only met expectations by offering their own version of a product, but they gave us a natural peanut brittle at a reasonable price, with a texture and taste that's actually an improvement over other brands."

2. Trader Joe's Baked Jalapeño Cheese Crunchies (8 points)

3. Trader Joe's Roasted Seaweed Snack (8 points)

4. Trader Joe's Honey Wheat Pretzel Sticks (8 points)

5. Trader Jose's Super Seeded Tortilla Chips (8 points)

I am a daily tea drinker. My favorite is green tea, but occasionally Trader Joe’s Chocolate Tea is my choice of the day. Not many people are aware that chocolate tea is even available on the market, so I think a review is in order. But before I discuss Trader Joe’s Chocolate Tea, let’s talk about the health benefits of tea in general.

Tea has gotten a lot of positive reviews in the past few years. Whether it’s green, black, white, or chocolate, the average tea bag packs a nutritional punch without adding calories to your daily diet. Folate, potassium, m anganese, and magnesium are among the vitamins and minerals found.

But what really gets people a-buzzing about tea is the antioxidants this warm drink contains. Antioxidants are known to detoxify our body’s cells. This detoxification helps prevent dangerous free radicals from overpopulating within the cell. Free radicals wreak havoc by encouraging blood clot development, atherosclerosis, and even cancer.

Okay, enough about the health benefits of tea—let’s move on to Trader Joe’s Chocolate Tea. This tea is basically a decaffeinated black tea with natural flavoring from cocoa beans. This tea also contains a hint of vanilla and coconut, giving it a unique flavor that compliments the chocolate taste.

Overall, I’d say that Trader Joe’s Chocolate Tea has a pretty decent flavor to it. Honestly, it doesn’t help me when I have strong cravings for real chocolate. It does hit the spot for those times I want a little taste of something chocolate, but don’t want to rack up extra calories.

On occasion, I’ll add a few drops of the calorie-free sweetener Stevia and a splash of nonfat milk to Trader Joe’s Chocolate Tea for a richer flavor. Don’t expect this concoction to give your Aunt Emma’s award-winning, bazillion-calorie cocoa drink a run for its money, but it is tastier than those 25-calorie cocoa packets at the store.

I'm sadden to announce that Trader Joe's Chocolate Tea is no longer in production. When my supply runs out, I think I'm going to try Celestial's Chocolate Caramel Tea next. Crossing my fingers.

Trader Joe’s cut health benefits last week. Here’s its side of the story.

By Sarah Kliff September 16, 2013

Last week I wrote about Trader Joe's decision to cut health insurance benefits for employees who work fewer than 30 hours a week. After that, one reader forwarded along a response received from Trader Joe's after inquiring about the matter. It's one of the more thorough explanations I've seen from a company cutting in benefits, so I've posted it here. It acknowledges, surprisingly bluntly, that some employees will be worse off for the decision and that others might benefit. Here is the full response:

Thank you for writing to us. It's possible you have been misled, at least to some degree, by the headlines in some articles regarding our reasons for implementing the [Affordable Care Act] in January. We'd like to take this opportunity to clarify some facts.

For over 77% of our Crew Members there is absolutely no change to their healthcare coverage provided by Trader Joe's.

The ACA brings a new potential player into the arena for the acquisition of health care. Stated quite simply, the law is centered on providing low cost options to people who do not make a lot of money. Somewhat by definition, the law provides those people a pretty good deal for insurance. a deal that can't be matched by us -- or any company. However, an individual employee (we call them Crew Member) is only able to receive the tax credit from the exchanges under the act if we do not offer them insurance under our company plan.

Perhaps an example will help. A Crew Member called in the other day and was quite unhappy that she was being dropped from our coverage unless she worked more hours. She is a single mom with one child who makes $18 per hour and works about 25 hours per week. We ran the numbers for her. She currently pays $166.50 per month for her coverage with Trader Joe's. Because of the tax credits under the ACA she can go to an exchange and purchase insurance that is almost identical to our plan for $69.59 per month. Accordingly, by going to the exchange she will save $1,175 each year. and that is before counting the $500 we will give her in January.

While we understand her fear of change, at her income level this is a big benefit that we will help her achieve.

Clearly, there are others who will go to the exchanges and will be required to pay more. That is usually because they have other income and typically a spouse who had a job with no benefits and they do not qualify for the subsidies under the ACA.

One example of that we had yesterday was the male Crew Member who worked an average of 20 hours per week but had a spouse who is a contract consultant who makes more than $200,000 per year. The Crew Member worked for the medical benefits and unfortunately for them they are likely to have to pay more because of their real income. We understand how important healthcare coverage is to our Crew Members and we are pleased to be able to provide and support this program.

We do hope this information helps, and we appreciate your interest in Trader Joe's.

4 Things Not to Buy at Trader Joe's

This article is part of a package on shopping at Trader Joe's. Read the other article, on 6 things to buy at Trader Joe's .

In addition to cheap prices and friendly staff, one of the strengths of Trader Joe’s is its carefully curated shelves. No, it doesn’t have nearly the selection of a supermarket, but the items it does stock are so well-chosen you feel as if you are in a food boutique — a boutique where everything is on sale. The items are collected by Trader Joe’s buyers, who travel the globe in search of well-priced, often organic, goodies. And when it comes to packaged goods, the quality is remarkably consistent. But not everything on the well-stocked shelves is worth taking home. Below are four items to cross off your Trader Joe’s shopping list.

1. Produce

Trader Joe’s takes a lot of hits from environmentalists for its over-use of plastic wrap on produce, but the freshness factor is a problem as well. “Sell by” dates, observe some sadder-but-wiser shoppers, can be overly optimistic. On one recent afternoon in a West Los Angeles store, the apples were soft and picked over, one lonely eggplant sat in a bin, and a pair of peppers were so over-wrapped in plastic and a clamshell case that they were barely visible. To its credit, Trader Joe’s doesn’t use rinses and sprays to keep its organic produce fresh, possibly accounting for the faster spoilage. What to do? Use any produce you buy the same day — or simply go elsewhere. Glaring exception: bananas, which are usually fantastic and super cheap at 19 cents apiece.

2. Premade Wraps and Sandwiches

For a store that tries to convey a “good-for-you” vibe, the premade wraps and sandwiches are not such a healthy choice — nor a very tasty one. A recent turkey BLT wrap at a Trader Joe’s in Los Angeles was mostly “L,” containing one slice of stringy processed turkey, the edge of which twanged in your teeth like a rubber band. And a Trader Joe’s turkey pesto sandwich contains almost a Big Mac’s worth of calories plus 1,900 mg of salt, nearly meeting the recommended USDA daily sodium intake limit in a single sandwich. Better to stick to the store’s lunch meats and make the sandwiches yourself.

More on MoneyWatch:

3. Sushi

Take a look at the list of ingredients on the back of the Trader Joe’s 16-piece “Sushi Sensations” package and wait for your appetite to fade: “imitation crab, fish protein from Pollack, cod and whitefish, potato starch, etc.” True, all this can be yours for $5.99, but why would you want it? Online complaints about slimy rice, “krab,” and mystery fillings indicate that even folks who love Trader Joe’s swim clear of its sushi.

4. Two-Buck Chuck

Trader Joe's Taste Test

Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw wines are better known as “Two Buck Chuck” for their $1.99 and $2.99 price tags. Though some people seem perfectly content with these bargain wines, most wine lovers would rather drink the beer. Keith Wallace, executive director of The Wine School of Philadelphia. puts it bluntly: “A lot of people are saying that this stuff is as good as anything else. It’s not. It’s just crap.” Michael Steinberger, wine columnist for Slate. managed to dub the varieties of Two Buck Chunk “plonk,” “swill,” and “undrinkable” in a single column. What its drinkers may not know, says Wallace, is that there is no actual Charles Shaw winery and that the Two Buck Chuck production process more closely resembles that of soda than wine. “This wine is made in a factory, with a lot of synthetic and concentrated products, like grape musk, added to manipulate the flavors from bad grapes,” él dice. Yes, it is $2 a bottle, but you get what you pay for.

Though some people seem perfectly content with these bargain wines — see our taste test in the video above — most wine lovers would rather drink the beer.

&dupdo; 2011 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Recomendado

Trader Joe’s Queso Cheese Dip

If you are in the mood for Nachos, look no further. Try Trader Joe’s awesome Queso cheese dip. This cheese dip definitely in my opinion far better then a lot of the cheese dips when it comes to flavor and a reasonable price of $2.49 per jar. It’s packing with bold cheesy flavor and a spicy kick as well.

Trader Joe’s queso cheese dip compliments very well with your favorite tortilla chips.

Scope out the nutrition facts:

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2 Responses to “Trader Joe’s Queso Cheese Dip”

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Gawd, I love Trader Joe’s. Seriously, what did we do before this store existed? unesdoc. unesco. org unesdoc. unesco. org

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Carolyn, Sometimes I look back and think the same thing especially during the times of before Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Jerry Ko recently posted..Korean pork bulgogi bún noodle salad

The 7 Best Things to Buy at Trader Joe's

With its array of affordably priced, yuppie-approved, vaguely gourmet foods, Trader Joe’s is fast becoming an American institution.

Showcasing both cultural variety and genuine value with its quirky lineup of staples and indulgences, the specialty grocer has more than 400 stores—about half of them in California, where Trader Joe’s started.

The chain’s format dates back to 1967, as detailed in Fortune magazine. though it wasn’t until 1996 that the first Trader Joe’s opened on the east coast. Following four decades of measured growth, the grocer is now rapidly expanding, particularly in Texas and Florida.

Trader Joe's is more or less designed to encourage wanton snacking. View Larger

Over time, Trader Joe’s has developed a cult following—Jessica Alba is a regular, as is Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor. But it also has its share of detractors.

“It has a very passionate following,” explained Nathan M. Rodgers, co-creator of review blog What’s Good at Trader Joe’s. “But it’s one of those things that polarizes people—they either love it or hate it.”

I’ve been shopping at Trader Joe’s for a long time—long enough to be able to tell you that you can’t do all your shopping there.

But there are some products so good that I always keep them in stock at home—Thai Green Curry Sauce, frozen tilapia fillets, and Lemon-Verbena Triple Milled Soap are just a few. For newcomers, though, it might be more helpful to highlight the general categories where variety, value and quality coalesce.

1. Nuts and Seeds

From basics to exotics, Trader Joe’s has nut fans (nut nuts?) covered with some of the best pricing I’ve found on cashews, pecans, macadamias, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Pine nuts are a steal, and there’s a terrific variety of trail mixes to keep you full of energy on long hikes. The Old-Fashioned Blister Peanuts are savory and delicious, while luxurious Marcona Almonds from Spain are lathered in olive oil and rosemary—an irresistible splurge at $6.49 for six ounces.

Don’t overlook the peanut butter, along with sunflower seed and almond butter options. Almond meal for gluten-free baking is another great buy at just $3.99 a pound.

2. Olive Oil

While shopping at a grocer for just one product is a bit silly, Trader Joe’s affordable selection of high-quality olive oils is impressive enough for me to make an emergency run to the nearest branch when EVOO supplies run low.

Extra virgin olive oils stocked by Trader Joe’s are sourced from Italy, Spain, and California, but it’s the Greek Kalamata Olive Oil that experts say is best.

Having purchased many bottles, I can’t disagree, except to say that my latest find is Tunisian Organic Chetoui Olive Oil (which even the U. S. Embassy promotes ). It comes in a handsome can (good for keeping taste-degrading light away) and it’s an excellent buy at $9.99 for 34 ounces.

Of course, oils at TJ’s aren’t limited to olive. The chain also stocks organic Coconut Oil—16 ounces for the bargain price of $5.99—and there are also sesame seed, grapeseed, and pumpkin seed oils.

3. Cheese and Dairy Products

The array of cheeses at Trader Joe’s puts most grocers to shame.

From simple shredded or sandwich-grade Swiss, cheddar, and jack varieties to more esoteric specimens—like Gouda with Wasabi, Red Leicester with Chili and Red Bell Pepper, or English Cheddar with Truffles—the chain seems to have everything I ever could need.

Products like real grated Parmesan that count as luxury items at most major supermarkets are standard-issue at Trader Joe’s, while crumbled feta and bleu cheeses are priced well below competitors.

The entire dairy section is worth careful perusal. Milk and butter are good values, with the usual assortment of organics also on offer, and the selection of yogurts will keep your lunch box happy. If you're dodging lactose or allergic to soy, the Non-Dairy Almond Beverage (almond milk) is another great buy.

Whole Foods does offer much greater variety, with some fine boutique cheeses on offer. But Whole Foods’ prices are also—well, you know.

4. Finger Foods

From assemble-yourself gourmet goodies to pre-made, heat-and-serve appetizers like Chinese Style Pork Buns, Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms, or the new Lamb Koftas with Masala Sauce, the enticing roster of party-ready options at Trader Joe's can seem endless.

I tend to prefer the DIY combos. They can be as simple as hummus and pita chips, or as complex as French chevre cheese on top of the savory Fig and Olive Crisps, garnished with a sliver of marinated Fire Roasted Red and Yellow Peppers. (Thanks for that one, mom.)

There are still more nut options that are also great for parties, like the Thai Lime and Chili Almonds or the Honey Roasted Macadamia Nuts.

5. Sweet Treats

One of the dangers of wandering into Trader Joe’s is the temptation to fill the shopping basket with all manner of chocolates, cookies and candies. I’d guess that about a quarter of the overall store is devoted to snacks, about half of which are sweets.

I’d guess that about a quarter of the overall store is devoted to snacks, about half of which are sweets.

My default order of operations is to ignore desserts until I’ve got a couple dinners in the basket, then top things off with (let's be honest here) what I really came for.

Cookies in various permutations (Triple Ginger Snaps are a top seller); chocolate-covered blueberries, coconut, cherries, espresso beans, and so on; and Apple Blossoms—perfect for two—are among the items I’ve succumbed to on multiple occasions.

Related Video

6. Wine, Beer, & Spirits

Since regulations vary from one state or town to the next, not all Trader Joe’s locations stock liquor. But where they do, their prices almost always beat those at conventional grocers and liquor stores. (Only at Costco do I regularly find prices lower than Trader Joe’s, though large bottles and cases are all that’s available.)

While TJ's range of spirits isn't extensive, all the major categories are covered. House-brand liquors like Vodka of the Gods, Kentucky Bourbon, and the Premium Silver Tequila are great for mixers or unfussy sippers at well under $20 a bottle.

The beer selection is also less than impressive, but continually expanding. For those who like hoppier brews, I recommend the Mission St. IPA, bottled for Trader Joe’s by the estimable Firestone Walker Brewing. It's a great value at little more than a buck a pour. The annual Trappist-style Vintage Ale, brewed by Quebec's Unibroue, is another great buy at just $5 for a 750mL bottle.

Trader Joe’s is famous for its “Two-Buck Chuck,” but there are much better wines to be had, some of them under $10.

On the wine front, Trader Joe’s is famous for its Charles Shaw wines. aka “Two-Buck Chuck.” But there are much better wines to be had, some of them under $10.

You won’t find many boutique wineries represented (the chain moves too much volume), and there will be many unfamiliar labels sold only at Trader Joe’s, but head-to-head comparisons reveal wines at conventional supermarkets selling for $2 to $3 more.

Top shelf bottles such as Grgich Hills Chardonnay, Veuve Clicquot Champagne, and Stag’s Leap Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon yield even bigger savings.

7. Re-branded Products

Okay, I have to be a little vague here because I just don’t know for sure what I’m talking about. Still, it's well-known that most supermarket chains take established name-brand products and re-brand them under a hush-hush licensing deal.

Trader Joe’s is no different. but the goods tend to be a little more upmarket and lean to the healthier side of the aisle.

Need a few examples? Trader Joe’s tahini-spiked Goddess Salad Dressing tastes remarkably similar to Annie’s Natural Goddess Salad Dressing—but costs about 40 percent less. Trader Joe’s Fennel-Propolis-Myrrh Toothpaste is either a slick knockoff or, more likely, the very same toothpaste sold under the Tom’s of Maine brand. Trader Joe San’s Soyaki marinade not only tastes like Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki but has virtually identical packaging—again, for little more than half the price.

Trader Joe’s keeps its business partners out of the spotlight; both sides have incentives for keeping mum about re-branded products. But if you try things around the store, you’ll probably find a few that, um. strongly remind you of big-name favorites.

Pero.

There are some aisles in Trader Joe’s where I fear to tread. Through years of trial and error, I've identified several broad categories of products that are simply bad bets. Check them out, and don't say you weren't warned:

RELATED: The 4 Worst Things to Buy at Trader Joe's

Trader Joe’s Sends Part-Timers to Obama Health Exchanges

Trader Joe’s Co. the closely held grocery store chain, will end health benefits for part-time workers next year, directing them instead to new insurance marketplaces as companies revamp medical coverage to fit the U. S. Affordable Care Act .

Employees with fewer than 30 hours a week will no longer be given health coverage as of Jan. 1, and will receive $500 to help them buy insurance elsewhere, the Monrovia, California-based company said in a statement.

The move makes Trader Joe’s the latest U. S. employer to cut benefits or reduce hours in response to the 2010 act, which requires companies to offer affordable coverage to full-time workers starting in 2014. Trader Joe’s, the owner of about 400 stores, said most of the affected employees will find a better deal on the health-law exchanges, where buyers may be eligible for federal subsidies.

“Depending on income earned outside of Trader Joe’s, we believe that with the $500 from Trader Joe’s and the tax credits available under the ACA, many crew members should be able to obtain health care coverage at very little, if any, net cost,” the company said yesterday in its statement.

The health-care law mandates that companies provide coverage for those who work more than 30 hours a week or pay a $2,000-per-person penalty. Some large U. S. employers have pulled back on health benefits citing the law’s expenses and new insurance options among their reasons.

UPS, IBM

United Parcel Service Inc. said last month it would end benefits for 15,000 employee spouses who can get health coverage through their own job. International Business Machines Corp. said last week it would end a company-sponsored health plan for 110,000 retirees. They’ll be sent to private exchanges that work similar to the new public marketplaces.

“This is a move to enhance Trader Joe’s bottom line and what’s unfortunate is they are using some of the loopholes in the Affordable Care Act,” said Tim Schlittner, a spokesman for the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union, which represents unionized grocery store employees.

The cutbacks are “a source of increasing frustration for us,” Schlittner said. Trader Joe’s workers aren’t unionized, he said.

Trader Joe’s said more than 77 percent of its employees would see no change to their medical coverage. For those who are affected, the company estimated more than 70 percent will pay less for comparable health insurance on the exchanges, according to the statement.

“We believe the new program will provide those who work at Trader Joe’s with affordable options,” the grocer said.

Better Deal

The company cited the example of an employee who worked 25 hours a week and now pays $166.50 per month for insurance through Trader Joe’s plan. On the exchange, she could find “comparable coverage” for $69.59 a month, the company said. That, combined with Trader Joe’s $500 contribution, would translate to a savings for the employee of $1,675 next year, the company said.

Some workers may end up paying more, Trader Joe’s said because tax credits on the exchange will be based on a buyer’s household income, which could be driven up if other family members are working.

Trader Joe’s may end up a rarity in dropping benefits, as it’s “relatively uncommon” for employers to offer coverage to part-timers in the first place, said Larry Levitt, a senior vice-president at the Kaiser Family Foundation. The Menlo Park, California-based nonprofit group studies health policy.

‘Healthy Bunch’

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised that low-wage, part-time workers would generally be better off with the tax credits in exchanges,” Levitt said in an e-mail. “These workers may be a young, healthy bunch who would help the risk pool. At least they seem to be at my local Trader Joe’s.”

The Affordable Care Act exchanges are due to open Oct. 1, to sell policies that take effect Jan. 1.

At Kroger Co. the largest U. S. supermarket chain, health coverage for employees who work fewer than 30 hours a week differs by market based on local union contracts, Keith Dailey, a spokesman, said in an e-mail. The Cincinnati-based grocer employs 343,000 people, of which about two-thirds are part of local collective bargaining agreements.

“Most of our labor contracts provide for health-care benefits of some kind for part-time workers,” he said.

Whole Foods Market Inc. has no plan to change its health benefits, said Kate Lowery, a spokeswoman for the Austin, Texas-based chain, in an e-mail. The company provides coverage for employees who work more than 20 hours a week, she said. Those who work fewer than 30 hours pay their own premiums.

Company Policies

At Safeway Inc. the Pleasanton, California-based grocery company, employees who work fewer than 30 hours a week get coverage, Brian Dowling, a spokesman, said in an e-mail. He didn’t respond to questions about whether the company plans any changes in its benefits.

Supervalu Inc. the owner of Save-A-Lot and Shoppers that’s based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, provides part-time workers with health-care benefits, Jeff Swanson, a company spokesman, said in an interview. He declined say whether the company planned to change any health-care policies or plans.

Mumps at USM

With the recent opening in Portland of the new Trader Joe’s less than a mile away from both Hannaford and Whole Foods, The Free Press decided to see how the three stores compare. We purchased several similar items — generic to the individual store when possible — at each location and saw how they matched up in terms of price and quality.

At each store, we purchased a few common items: bag of apples, generic cereal, uncooked chicken breast and lettuce.

Hannaford

Pizza — “Flatbread Pepperoni Pizza” $4.29

Chicken — “Boneless Chicken Breast” $5.33 at $3.29/pound

Apples — “Empire Apples” $4.43 at $0.99/pound

Highlight: Hannaford took the prize for best produce at the best prices. Many items are local or organic. The fruit section is extensive, and there is a wide variety of vegetables to choose from.

Low point: Overall, Hannaford is pretty average. They carry what most grocery stores carry but don’t have the specialty items that you might find at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s.

Trader Joe’s

Cereal — “Trader Joe’s Raisin Bran Cereal” $2.69

Pizza — “Pizza 4 Formaggi” $3.99

Chicken — “All Natural Boneless Chicken Thighs” $5.91 at $3.99/pound

Apples — “Organic Fuji Apples” $2.49 at $1.25/pound

Lettuce — “Trader Joe’s Sorrento Salad” $1.99

Highlight: Trader Joe’s has a large selection of very cheap wine and beer. Think $2.99 for a six pack of beer and $2.59 for a bottle of wine. But don’t let those prices fool you. They manage to stock quality brews as well, which are still sometimes priced below other stores.

Low point: Good luck getting in and out of Trader Joe’s quickly on a weekend or weekday evening. If you think it’s a good time to go grocery shopping, then it’s a bad time to go to Trader Joe’s. The parking lot fills up quick and lines for checkout sometimes stretch back into the aisles.

Whole Foods

Cereal — “ Peanut Butter Pows” $3.39

Pizza — “Barbecue Chicken Pizza” $4.99

Chicken — “Boneless Chicken Breast” $7.58 at $6.59/pound

Apples — “Organic Gala Apples” $5.09 at $1.99/pound

Highlight: Whole Foods’ bakery section is far and away the best out of the three stores. With dozens of miniature treats and full cakes — as well as a gelato counter — this pricey bakery is a great place to feed a sweet tooth that demands quality.

Low point: No secret here: Whole Foods is expensive. On average, the products cost more than at the other two stores, and it adds up.

Winners:

If you are looking for a wide variety of relatively cheap snack food, frozen items and booze, head to Trader Joe’s.

Quality: Whole Foods

Whole Foods has the best quality of products out of the three store by far. It has excellent meat, produce and bakery sections, along with the best variety and quantity of vegan and healthy options.

If you’re on a limited budget when it comes to groceries, Hannaford is the best grocery store in terms of quality for the price. While shopping at Trader Joe’s can be cheaper for some items like alcohol, the quality and quantity of products at Hannaford trumps its Marginal Way counterpart. And Whole Foods is too pricey to be the regular grocery store for most students.

Weight watcher friendly foods at trader joes

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Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Trader Joes with # weightwatchers Power Foods #PointsPlus and meal ideas. See Best Weight Watchers Travel Snacks >>, TEEN Friendly Organic Travel. Y. I finally live not far from a Trader Joe's and would love to know what your. The TJ's jalapeno chicken sausage is point friendly and very good. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Mini Fluffy Angel Food Cake (1/4 of Cake 120 Calories - 3 PointsPlus. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One! Sep 26, 2014 . Checkout these fantastic diet friendly foods I've found that are tasty uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself.

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Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Trader Joes with # weightwatchers Power Foods #PointsPlus and meal ideas. See Best Weight Watchers Travel Snacks >>, TEEN Friendly Organic Travel. Y. I finally live not far from a Trader Joe's and would love to know what your. The TJ's jalapeno chicken sausage is point friendly and very good. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Mini Fluffy Angel Food Cake (1/4 of Cake 120 Calories - 3 PointsPlus. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One! Sep 26, 2014 . Checkout these fantastic diet friendly foods I've found that are tasty uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself.

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Delicious Clean and Healthy Recipes From My Family To Yours. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Points. weight watcher recipes. I think it’s ok to re-visit your favorite recipes. I’ve had this recipe on my blog once before. I made this using my favorite Enchilada. Bubble Up Enchiladas Weight Watcher Recipes 5 points 1 pound ground turkey 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 can reduced fat. Delicious Clean and Healthy Recipes From My Family To Yours. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Points.

Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Weight Watchers Points Plus & Low Calorie Food Haul - Shopping List. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One! Sep 26, 2014 . Checkout these fantastic diet friendly foods I've found that are tasty uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself.

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Weight watcher friendly foods at trader joes

Sep 26, 2014 . Checkout these fantastic diet friendly foods I've found that are tasty uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself. Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Weight Watchers Points Plus & Low Calorie Food Haul - Shopping List. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One!

I Shopped Here: Trader Joe’s

I occasionally share “I Ate Here” posts of restaurants where I have dined. By request, I am adding more to this series, as well as “I Shopped Here” and “I Drank here” posts to help y’all have an even more fabulous time living a healthy, gluten-free life!

When I am teaching cooking classes, my students often say, “Trader Joe’s should sponsor you!” in response to my frequent mentions of their products. I do buy quite a few items from Trader Joe’s and was a customer before there were stores in Kansas City. I would pack an extra suitcase if I was traveling to a city with Trader Joe’s and on a few occasions, made trips to St. Louis to re-stock the pantry. Once I even saw Elvis shopping at Trader Joe’s in Las Vegas.

Folks who haven’t shopped at Trader Joe’s ask me why, what’s the big deal? For me, the big deal is primarily cost. I can buy dried fruit and nuts for a fraction of the price at the supermarket. Organic produce is often priced similarly to conventional produce elsewhere. Ingredients are a big deal to me, I never have to worry about artificial colors or HFCS in products at Trader Joe’s.

There are a fair number of gluten-free products in the store and many products are labeled g+, which means no gluten ingredients used. As with any store, please read the labels carefully! Although many of these products do not contain gluten ingredients, they are manufactured in a shared facility that does use wheat. You know your body well, buy only those products you feel safe consuming.

Below is a list of the products I most frequently buy at Trader Joe’s. I’ve created the list aisle-by-aisle to help you easily locate the items. If you have a healthy, gluten-free product you buy at Trader Joe’s that isn’t on the list, please leave a comment below. Let’s help each other shop!

One quick tip before I dive into the list . Take your own shopping bags to Trader Joe’s. I’m not suggesting this just because it’s environmentally friendly. Trader Joe’s has a gift certificate drawing for customers with reusable bags. Bring your own bags and get an entry into the drawing to win a store gift card. I like that incentive! (These are my favorite shopping bags. And these are the reusable produce bags I use.)

Organic Romaine Hearts

Organic Carrots

Butternut Squash, cut into cubes

Organic Blueberries

Medjool Dates (almost hidden on the top shelf, half the price of most stores!)

Super Firm Organic Tofu

Organic Fruit is often very affordable, take a look to see what looks good!

Organic Brown Rice Packets (I can cook rice quickly, but sometimes don’t plan well. Lifesaver for me!)

Gluten-Free Pizza (read my review here )

Gluten-Free Toaster Waffles (I don’t eat these often, but they are the best I have tried. And only $2!)

Organic Frozen Veggies, offerings vary. In the Winter, I buy frozen Brussels sprouts here.

Canned Foods Aisles

Organic Diced Tomatoes

Organic Crushed Tomatoes

Organic Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Chiles

Organic Black Beans

Organic Tomato Paste

Crushed Garlic in a jar (works great in a pinch if out of fresh garlic!)

Roasted Red Peppers in a jar

Pickle Relish (no HFCS!)

Organic Marinara Sauce (only a few cents more than conventional, great price!)

Pizza Sauce in a jar

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt in a grinder

Cold Pressed Olive Oil

Coconut Oil (To me, the Trader Joe’s brand has a distinct coconut flavor. If you don’t like coconut, buy a different brand.)

Balsamic Vinegar

Organic Coffee, many varieties!

Raw Almond Butter

Vegetable Broth in a box (regular and low-sodium varieties available)

Applesauce Cups, unsweetened (each cup is 1/2 cup, which is great when a recipe calls for a small quantity.)

Organic Pumpkin Puree (seasonal, stock up when you spot it!)

Gluten-Free Oats

Almond Milk (Almond Breeze, same as supermarket, just a great price!)

Chia Seeds (little purple bag, around $5)

Raw Agave Nectar (I only recommend buying raw agave)

Coarse Almond Meal (I don’t recommend this for fine crumb baking, like cakes, but this is wonderful for a rustic pizza crust.)

Maple Syrup, Grade A and B are priced similarly and there is a Vermont-only bottle available.

Dried Fruits and Nuts

Raw Sunflower Seeds

Raw Pepitas/Pumpkin Seeds

Pine Nuts (amazing price!)

Raw Almonds

Raw Cashews

Raw Walnuts

Macadamias

Just Mango (dried, unsweetened mango slices)

Nothing But Banana (I call this Flat Banana, dried banana leather)

Dried Cherries, unsweetened (two varieties, Montmorency and Dark Sweet)

Dried Peaches, unsweetened

Dried Apple Rings, unsweetened

Dried Apricots, (two varieties, standard and Turkish)

Raisin medley (three pretty colors of plump raisins)

Dried Baby Pineapple, unsweetened

Sundried Tomatoes, NOT in oil, in a baggie (these are sometimes with dried fruit, sometimes with canned tomatoes)

Sweet Treats and Cookies

I wrote an additional post all about the gluten-free cookie options at Trader Joe’s. Click here to read it. There are many options, my favorite being the Gluten-Free JoeJoe’s, an oreo-like cookie.

Trader Joe’s has a No Gluten Ingredients Used list on their website. My list is not intended to provide a comprehensive list of all gluten-free products in the store, just the ones I use most. I hope this is a good resource for those of you cooking the recipes I share here on my blog and also those who attend my classes. When I first made dietary modifications, knowing where to get the goods was really helpful to me and I hope this helps you! Shop on, happy eaters…

Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase, I may make a small commission. I use affiliate links to offset the cost of maintaining this website. I’m grateful for your support.

Ohh, Trader Joe’s. You never cease to amaze.

I’ve been wanting to write this post for quite a while, sharing my current favorites from my beloved store. The problem is, there are so many great choices and they come out with new items so often, it was difficult for me to choose! One of the great things about Trader Joe’s is the community of shoppers who swap tips and share favorites. My beautiful friend Natali is one of those people — any time she and her husband host a party or get together, she has some new discovery from TJ’s for us to try. It’s no secret we both love the place and even run into each other there from time to time, so we decided to join together on this and each share our own favorite picks. Pop on over to The Thinking Blonde and check out her post, Trader Joe’s Treats: A compilation of grocery guilty pleasures.

It’s easy to indulge at TJ’s — If I make eye contact with the awesome cheese section, it’s all over. Don’t even get me started on all the chocolate and the frozen Mac and Cheese. At this point, I’m making an effort to keep a balanced lifestyle and lose the rest of the weight I put on during my last pregnancy, so I’m doing my best to make healthy choices. So that leads me to my current healthy-ish picks from Trader Joe’s:

10. Coconut Oil

I am fully riding on the coconut oil train, letting my freak flag fly. It has a million uses. I cook with it and slather it on my body. It needs no further explanation!

9. Just Chicken

This stuff is just precooked and sliced chicken breast and it’s perfect when you need to just throw together a quick healthy meal and don’t have the time to grill some chicken. It can be bland on it’s own so I season it up and put it on salads, sandwiches and also use it as a topping on pizza (CPK Thai Chicken Pizza. yasssss).

8. Frozen Rice/Quinoa

Another quick option for a busy night are these frozen bags of rice and quinoa. I almost always have a box of the Organic Jasmine Rice on hand for throwing together a stir fry or to add into soups.

7. Organic Carrots of Many Colors

These rainbow carrots are a good way to trick your kids into eating vegetables. HAHAHA oh I make myself laugh. But you can sure try. That’s why I first bought these guys, for the kids, but I’ve personally grown to love them more than regular carrots. They ARE still just carrots I suppose, but isn’t it just so much more fun to eat the rainbow?

6. Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar

Bueno. If I could only buy one thing from Trader Joe’s I would most DEFINITELY be buying the peanut butter cups, but this would be a close second. It is the tastiest vinegar, perfect for lightly dressing a salad or you know, just guzzling straight from the bottle. Es tan malo? IT’S SO YUM.

5. Roasted Coconut Chips

These might seem weird, as they did to me a few years ago, but just give them a try if you haven’t yet! It’s so good to have something like this on hand if you just want a little sweet something but don’t want to go full-bore rainbow chip cupcake binge. Not that I’ve ever done that.

4. Honey

If you’re into maple syrup, agave and honey, check out their selection. The Organic Raw Honey is by far my favorite. At night before bed, Justin and I have a cup of tea with a little bit of this honey and it’s just a lovely way to end the day with my boo cakes. Much better than downing a whole bag of Takis, which again, I know nothing about.

3. Sweet and Spicy Pecans

“Great for salad or snacking”, most definitely I agree. A little bit goes a long way with these bad boys. I put them on salads usually, and a whole bag will last me quite a while. They’re really tasty though! As a matter of fact, the entire nuts and seeds selection is awesome. I’m not eating vegan anymore, but it was always nice to be able to find bags of raw cashews so easily. Vegans love them some raw cashews.

2. Sun-Dried Tomatoes

“Ehhh, sun-dried tomatoes are nothing special” & # 8212;

THESE ARE THE BEST. Unless your grandma runs a sun-dried tomato farm and you are forced to eat them as a sign of family loyalty, do not ever buy any other brand of sun-dried tomatoes. They are the softest, best tasting sun-dried tomatoes on the planet. Yes, I just dared to make that claim. Sometimes you’ll buy them and they’re these little nasty dried hard beef jerky weirdness, but ohhh not these. Try them. You’ll understand. I don’t want to say the dreaded “M” word on my blog, but you get my drift.

1. ALL THE SALSA

I haven’t tried every single flavor they offer, but the Hatch Valley Salsa (green chile) is so yummy. I’m all about easy chicken-crockpot recipes and these are really great for that — throw in a jar with a few chicken breasts and BAM, dinner. It’s also great on the frozen tamales with a little avocado on top — oh me, oh my. My sister in law introduced me to the Spicy, Smoky Peach Salsa and as funny as it sounds, it’s delicious as well!

Bonus: Flowers!

They carry such a beautiful and inexpensive selection of flowers, I don’t feel bad picking out a bunch for my kitchen table nearly every time I’m in the store. Now that I’m thinking about it, the very first time I realized TJ’s carries such pretty flowers was about 7 years ago when my new friend Natali gave some pretty purple ones to me as a ‘just because’ gift! Yeah, Nat, we definitely have Trader Joe’s weaved into our friendship from the very beginning, ha!

I could really go on and on about my love of Trader Joe’s, but I’m sure you already feel the same. One step in that place and you can’t help but fall in love!

I’d love to hear your favorite products from TJ’s in the comments! And don’t forget to check out Natali’s post to see some of her favorite guilty pleasures!

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Mama to three sweet babes. Wife to handsomest geek in all the land. Finding our groove in this crazy life. Keeping it real, keeping it fun and ALWAYS keeping it crafty.

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FAVORITE TRADER JOE’S PICKS

we do a ton of recipes on this blog, but how about something a little bit more practical and informative today? we are big trader joe’s fans in this office. i’m constantly making very simple meals at home with my staple ingredients, and joanie is always bringing a healthy lunch with her most recent favorite trader joe’s sauces. we keep our smeg fridge stocked with snacks and find that we spend the least amount of money when we shop for our essentials at trader joe’s. (and no, they aren’t sponsoring this, so you gotta trust us!)

we thought you could save these photos on your phone and use them as a shopping list on your next visit…and please tell us your favorites too.

roasted coconut chips, fresh mozzarella cheese sticks, crunchy almond butter (on brown rice cakes) . organic pomegranate seeds, we keep lots of sparkling mineral water in the fridge, fig & olive crisps with that goat cheese, edamame is quick and healthy, and we love roasted seaweed snacks ( especially the wasabi ones! ).

i love to get the vegetables that are conveniently cut up and packaged for me. i just notice that i always eat those more when i buy them and they don’t just go bad in my fridge. the brussels sprouts, brocollini, and fingerling potatoes are my favorite. i love trader joe’s frozen brown rice because it’s so easy to make, and joanie introduced me to that cauliflower rice which is my new jam. canned beans and corn are always in my cart. joanie loves the taco mix for the meats she makes, and erika puts it in a slow cooker with chicken stock and chicken for tacos. the asian stir fry makes a healthy meal happen very quickly.

the quinoa is a great side dish – cook it in veggie stock and add a bay leaf for more flavor. their coconut oil is very reasonably priced and joanie adds a tablespoon to her smoothies in the morning. you can also cook your chicken in it on the frying pan and throw it on top of a salad for work lunches, their red curry sauce is the bomb ( we’ll get to that below ), light coconut milk - use this to make ice cubes for your smoothies, pink Himalayan salt makes it okay to salt your food, you can use their flaxseed meal to make protein bites. cage free eggs – always eggs ( on everything! ), and we love their irish butter you can use the unsalted version to make bulletproof coffee!

i love very simple foods for lunch. nothing too saucy or filling. i end up making this bowl with either cauliflower rice (healthier option) or one of the packets of frozen brown rice (just 3 mins in the microwave) and i’m happy every time. a lot of the times i’ll add hot sauce on top. my friends tease me for how often i eat this meal!

• half a packet of trader joe’s cauliflower rice • 1/4 cup of black beans (no salt) • 1/4 cup of canned corn • 1 over medium egg on top • malden salt • hot sauce optional

this is almost a weekly meal at my house. (bri is currently screaming in the background “it’s SOOO GOOOD. ”) you can easily add any veggies you have laying around, or just make it with chicken. and the best part is, it’s even better as leftovers. i almost don’t want to tell you how easy this is to make because it feels like my little hostess secret.

joanie’s lunch bowl makes 6 servings

• 1 can lite coconut milk • 1 package organic chicken, i like to use the small cutlets but the breast work well, too. • 1 bottle thai red curry sauce • 2 bags of trader joe’s frozen brown rice • optional: add sweet potatoes, onions, bell peppers, potatoes…

i pour the coconut milk and curry sauce in a pan and add in the raw chicken, i like to cook it over a very low heat for about an hour. if you’re adding veggies throw them in about 20 minutes before it’s done. pull out the chicken and shred it with a fork and knife, return to the pan and serve over brown rice.

and then there’s the guilty pleasures. bri’s favorite is the vegetarian japanese style fried rice (it’s amazing!) or the frozen mandarin orange chicken. joanie loves the mochi ice cream and her favorite under $10 bottle of red wine is the pinot noir by black mountain ( it’s actually $6.99 which is almost too good to be true! ). if you are feeling especially splurgy, try the almond croissants, you let them rise over night and bake them in the morning, they are truly amazing. and the sea salt almonds are seriously addicting. for less indulgent evenings, try the ginger chews.

you can’t miss trader joe’s during peony season. an unusually low price of $5 will get you these beauties that are normally wayyy more expensive!

now tell us, what are the items you always buy at trader joe’s?

photos by designlovefest

My three quick go-to meals using TJs

-FLATBREAD PIZZAS - middle eastern flatbread / a spoonful of the original marinara / ova link mozzarella and ricotta //// put on hot pizza stone with the oven at 450 // bake for about 6 minutes // sprinkle on some chopped basil.

-GNOCCHI IN EASY TOMATO SAUCE - 1 package of gnocchi / half a yellow onion, chopped / 4 cloves of garlic diced / half a can of cento san marzano tomatoes, chopped //// begin bringing med saucepan with water and salt for gnocchi to a boil // sauté some onions, add garlic after about 3 min, cook until onions are translucent // add tomatoes and a pinch of sugar // simmer for about 5 min // add 2 tablespoons of balsamic and simmer for another 5 min. // when salted water begins to boil add gnocchi and cook according to package instructions. Drain and mix into tomato sauce. // garnish with basil and shaved Parmesan.

-couscous, sliced spinach fontina chicken sausage, sautéed kale with salt and lemon, and cashew/parsley pesto (follow a pesto recipe, replacing cheese with cashews soaked overnight and parsley for basil)

Sorry, got a little tired of typing recipes on my phone!

Some additional staple ingredients not listed above are ghee, jar of crushed garlic, the savory sesame crackers, New Zealand cheddar, and shaved Brussel sprouts. I think that’s all. Love this topic.

Lately there’s been a rumor circulating about Trader Joe’s that I’d like to dispel: no, ConAgra has not bought Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s is still owned by Germany’s uber-private Albrecht family, ever since TJ’s founder Joe Coulumbe sold it to them back in 1979.

But ConAgra did buy Ralcorp. and Ralcorp is one of the primary manufacturers behind the majority of Trader Joe’s privately labeled, organic, and GMO-free products.

So what does ConAgra’s purchase of Ralcorp mean to the millions of loyal Trader Joe’s fans? Let’s connect the dots…

1) What does Trader Joe’s do best? Make organic produce and products available to the average consumer at affordable prices.

Strangely however, Trader Joe’s refuses to disclose the sources of these organics. Even their standard vendor agreement states (the) “Vendor shall not publicize its business relationship with TJ’s in any manner.”

In an age of food accountability—in which more and more consumers want to understand where their food comes from and how it’s produced—why is Trader Joe’s insisting on secrecy?

2) How are Trader Joe’s products made? Over 80% are manufactured under their own store label, which they tout as GMO-free.

But TJ’s doesn’t make these products. All of Trader Joe’s store labeled products are made by outside vendors—large corporations who are in business to make store-branded products for a wide variety of grocery and large retail chain stores.

Sometimes vendors will tweak the ingredients of a given product for each grocery store’s particular audience. Most of the time however, the food inside that store-labeled package is the same from store to store—with nothing more than a change in the price and the label; see a few examples here .

Since Trader Joe’s claims that all of the products under their store label are GMO-free, we’ve got to trust that the vendor they’re using is changing more than just the package label—especially since Trader Joe’s is unwilling to release their sources or disclose vendor relationships.

3) So who’s making Trader Joe’s store branded products? All signs point to Ralcorp.

Despite those “keep it secret” vendor agreements, basic financial information was publicly disclosed during ConAgra’s purchase of Ralcorp, including this important fact: two of Ralcorp’s key customers are Costco and Trader Joe’s .

4) What does ConAgra’s purchase of Ralcorp mean to us as consumers?

With a projected $18 billion in annual sales, the ConAgra/Ralcorp combination will create a “packaged food behemoth “—second only to Kraft Foods (who currently boasts $19 billion in annual sales).

That much dominance in food manufacturing wields significant market clout. Combine that with ConAgra’s stance on GMOs, and you’ve got…

5) What can corporations do with that much clout?

When a corporation doesn’t want to stop manufacturing food with genetically modified ingredients, doesn’t want to tell you that those ingredients are in your food, and has $18 billion in annual sales at their disposal, they can afford to wield some pretty powerful political influence.

Just a few months ago, Ralcorp’s new owner ConAgra donated $1,176,700 to fight California’s GMO labeling Proposition 37—right alongside the “Big Six” GMO crop producers and other major processed food corporations, as itemized in the above chart. (To see the complete list of corporations that donated to oppose GMO labeling, click here .)

To summarize the great Trader Joe’s debate:

Pro: affordable organics Con: organic sources are not disclosed

Pro: private label products are GMO-free Con: private label products are manufactured by Ralcorp, whose parent corporation ConAgra donated $1.17 million to oppose GMO labeling

It’s your turn to decide…

If Trader Joe’s is your best option for buying organic food on a limited food budget, I will never discourage that kind of logic. Your health (and the health of your family) is your #1 priority; choosing organics in whatever way is most affordable for you is the right thing to do.

But if you’re scratching your head about a company that lets a “behemoth” vendor make their GMO-free products under the ownership of a corporation that opposes GMO labeling, all while maintaining a strict policy of “don’t disclose,” then maybe it’s time to explore some alternatives, at least now and then.

Whether it’s a farmer’s market, aco-op like PCC Natural Market in Seattle, or an independent organic grocer that’s more transparent about disclosing sources—like The Big Carrot in Toronto, Ontario, Nature’s Food Patch in Clearwater, Florida, Good Earth Natural Foods in Utah and California, or Down to Earth Organic and Natural in Hawaii—at least you’ll know your hard-won consumer dollars aren’t “trickling upstream” to a corporation that wants to keep you in the dark about GMOs.

As No GMO Man said last month, “I believe ConAgra now controls what Dan Bane (Trader Joe’s CEO) will do. I would be singing a different tune if Mr. Bane went to the Non-GMO Project to get (his store-labeled products) verified.”

As of February 2014, a blog reader reported seeing more and more Trader Joe’s Organic branded products with a USDA Organic label on the packaging. Sure enough, we visited our local TJs today and noticed the same thing. This gives us hope that Trader Joes is at last getting third party certification for their organic brand, which is a positive step forward from their previous “don’t ask / don’t tell” enfoque.

& # 8212; © GMO-Awareness. com, February 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to GMO-Awareness. com with appropriate and specific links back to the original content.

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Straight from TJ’s web site:

Trader Joe’s Products are Sourced from Non-GMO Ingredients

December 12, 2012 (updated)

Our approach to Genetically Modified Organisms is simple: we do not allow GMO ingredients in our private label products (anything with Trader Joe’s, Trader Jose’s, Trader Ming’s, etc. on the label).

Our efforts began in 2001, when we determined that, given a choice, our customers would prefer to eat foods and beverages made without the use of genetically engineered ingredients.

When developing products containing ingredients likely to come from genetically modified sources, we have the supplier of the product perform the necessary research to provide documentation that the suspect ingredients are from non-GMO sources. This documentation is in the form of affidavits, identity-preserved certification of seed stock, and third-party lab results from testing of the ingredients in question.

In addition to this work done in developing a given item, we conduct random audits of items with potentially suspect ingredients, using an outside, third-party lab to perform the testing.

Given our position on GMO ingredients in Trader Joe’s label products and the work done in support of that position, it is our expectation that our products test as non-GMO.

We have yet to take the approach of labeling products as non-GMO because there are no clear guidelines from the US governmental agencies covering food and beverage labeling. Instead of waiting for such guidelines to be put into effect and based upon customer feedback, we took a more holistic approach and made the no GMO ingredients position part of what the Trader Joe’s label encompasses.

We’re unable to make the same claims for branded products (products not in the Trader Joe’s label).

Organic products, regardless of brand, are by definition non-GMO.

I find it extremely unbelievable that TJ is not labeling their Trader Joe’s labels with “NON-GMO” as big as the box because there are “no clear guidelines from the US governmental agencies covering food and beverage labeling”. What BS! If it were really non gmo they would label it, guidelines or no guidelines. Simply because it would sell even more. I suspect TJ is not labeling it because they are lying and if one day somebody proves beyond a doubt that the TJ brands ARE MODIFIED Trader Joe will say: Hey, we never put it in writing on any of our boxes, and as we all know only the written word is what counts!

I am wondering, is all of this affecting the food that they have made? Or the produce? Or both? Thank u

The first issue is that this article claims that Trader Joe’s claims all of their house brand products are organic, which is not true. They do claim, however, that all of their house brand products are GMO free. Only the products with organic on the label are supposed to be organic. Secondly, all organic products have to be certified by an outside source; most of Trader Joe’s products are certified by Quality Assurance International or Oregon Tilth. You can have products that are GMO free, but not organic… But not products that are organic and include GMO’s. So there are some fundamental claims in the article that aren’t true… Though that does not mean they don’t raise valid concerns about the acquisition.

Thanks for your comment but I’m not sure how you read these conclusions into this article… Trader Joes’ brand is indeed validated by the company as GMO free, but only about 80% of their branded products are organic (and I’m not certain of that percentage as Trader Joes does not disclose it on their website, so the sources I’ve found are all based on guesstimates). I absolutely agree about products being GMO-free but not organic (as I’ve written about on my “Is Organic Always GMO Free” blog post)… so I think we’re on the same side of the fence. unesdoc. unesco. org unesdoc. unesco. org

I have read and reread the above article and can’t see anywhere that TJ is claiming that all of their house name products are organic. Just GMO free.

Clay, this article does not make that claim. Trader Joe’s offers a variety of organic products, labeled “Trader Joe’s Organic _____” (garbanzo beans, bread crumbs, marinara sauce, chili, etc. etc.), but their in-house label does not state or imply organic, it only asserts non-GMO. This article attempts to point out that Ralcorp is the primary manufacturer of Trader Joe’s products (whether or not they’re also labeled as organic), and to disclose TJ’s reluctance to offer more transparency about their sources to the consumer.

I just finished shopping at a Trader Joe’s a few hours ago and I’ve been wondering the same thing for a while now so I asked an employee for the third time if all their brand name products were indeed GMO free and he reassured me that we were…. I say BS. Almost all of their products have some form of Soy, Corn or Oils and nowhere on the label does it say “Non-GMO”

Jack, there *is* such thing as organic soy and corn, their website attests that all of their “Trader Joe’s” branded products are GMO-free, and it sounds like they do a pretty thorough job of testing: http://www. traderjoes. com/about/customer-updates-responses. asp? i=4 However to your point, it might help consumer confidence if they included “GMO Free” on their privately labeled products…

I have a problem with the first link (occupy Monsanto) they are stating that Trader Joes is claiming Organic on some of their private labels without certification from the USDA. However, they have been certified by QAI and Oregon Tilth…which means if it bears one of these marks, it IS certified. So I don’t think that these posts are very accurate. I do know they use to have some of their products labled non GMO (if it was) but I do wonder if really is ALL non GMO. I worked for TJ’s for 8 years until 2008 and I know that they do have the public interest and health in mind for their customers not share holders.

I would also like to point out in the Huffington Post article it is saying they have blind taste tested product “RUMORED” to be the supplier of some of the Trader Joe’s labels. “Therefore since Trader Joe’s claims their products to be non GMO then the “RUMORED” manufactures product should be as well.” Well just as an example it says rumored and I know for a fact the Nabisco does not supply the mentioned comparable products, such as the Tj’s Woven Wheats and the Wheat Crisps….if you actually compare the ingredients they are different.

I don’t mean to be negative here because I too questioned it, but I feel like soem people feel the need to beat a dead horse…so for those people I feel the need to say this. I keep reading over and over not only on this site but others, that many of you have read the following and post the following

“Trader Joe’s website says…. “Our approach to Genetically Modified Organisms is simple: we do not allow GMO ingredients in our private label products (anything with Trader Joe’s, Trader Jose’s, Trader Ming’s, etc. on the label).

Our efforts began in 2001, when we determined that, given a choice, our customers would prefer to eat foods and beverages made without the use of genetically engineered ingredients.

When developing products containing ingredients likely to come from genetically modified sources, we have the supplier of the product perform the necessary research to provide documentation that the suspect ingredients are from non-GMO sources. This documentation is in the form of affidavits, identity-preserved certification of seed stock, and third-party lab results from testing of the ingredients in question.

In addition to this work done in developing a given item, we conduct random audits of items with potentially suspect ingredients, using an outside, third-party lab to perform the testing.” When you keep asking the same question over and over again and wonder WHY Trader Joes’ wont answer…well people, they already answered the question, so no matter how many times you ask them the answer is still going to be the same.

I AGREE that they should go back to putting that NON GMO label on their, but lets face it we want cheep food and a dumb little stamp from that certification co. cost more money. I really just have to have faith that Trader Joe’s is not going to LYE on their website that they really do not want GMO’s in their store and do everything to keep them out. Thank you…sorry I had to write a book about it.

I did the same thing today when I shopped there. They assured me all of their produce is GMO free and truthfully I question it. How do I know if they won’t disclose?

Same thing yesterday @ TJ”s. Asked specifically about the Tj”s labeled non organic chicken. Was told by one fellow that it was definitely non GMO and when he had no answer for some of my questions directed me to another fellow. I asked wether or not the chickens were fed genetically modified corn and he just kept on repeating that all TJ labeled products are non GMO, antibiotic free. and,”natural” (which means nothing ((MSG is natural). Replied that it’s the vendors choice wether or not to use the non GMO certification on the label when I questioned that. So i’m assuming that if TJ”s can’t even dictate the labeling to their vendors they surely can’t dictate the ingredients.. So I’ll no longer be buying the TJ labeled chicken that I really like (especially love the taste and convenience of the fully cooked roasted chicken patties) Should’ve realized sooner that @ $2.49 for 8oz of chicken patties with no fillers that those chickens were not being fed a non GMO diet. Will gladly pay more for these and if they were certified non GMO

So glad someone is writing about this… I DID contact TJs via email and asked them… ok, so your cornstarch, your baking soda, your salad dressings… all GMO free? De Verdad? I am still waiting for a response and it’s been about two months now. Truth be known, I LOVE to shop at TJs because I think the store is fun but I don’t trust their non-GMO claims either. This is what their website says: “When developing products containing ingredients likely to come from genetically modified sources, we have the supplier of the product perform the necessary research to provide documentation that the suspect ingredients are from non-GMO sources. This documentation is in the form of affidavits, identity-preserved certification of seed stock, and third-party lab results from testing of the ingredients in question.

In addition to this work done in developing a given item, we conduct random audits of items with potentially suspect ingredients, using an outside, third-party lab to perform the testing.

Given our position on GMO ingredients in Trader Joe’s label products and the work done in support of that position, it is our expectation that our products test as non-GMO.”

I hear ya! It’s so hard to decide. I want to support companies that provide affordable organic options to the average consumer, I want to believe they are doing everything in their power to keep their brand GMO-free, I want to believe their unwillingness to divulge their sources is just a corporate privacy thing, I want to believe RalCorp can manufacture products for two different grocery store chains and truly separate the non-GMO from the GMO… but… I keep having this deep “hmm” feeling in my gut…

¡Yo también! That “hmm” feeling in my gut is something akin to… if their food is truly non-GMO, how can they keep their prices so low? The obvious answer is “no way”. And why haven’t they responded to my email? My gut instinct here is that TJs is in over their trader-heads on this one and it’s a good bet that their top decision makers are unaware of the true scope of GMOs in American food. Although I know they are owned by Albrecht, a German company… it’s just such a mystery. I told them flat in my email that unless they can be more transparent about their so-called non-GMO status, I would only buy certain products from them.

I also found another few sites such as the food inc. website talked about Trader Joes being a good place for non GMO products. I have to say that I did wonder but in doing some more research I am convinced they must be doing all they can to keep GMO foods out or their store. Also, I just wanted to show that Trader joes shouldn’t be the only store to point the finger at. Whole foods is a very expensive “Organic store that I would walk into and think everything in here is “safe” comida. But they are shelving GMO products without telling people as well as selling products with msg and so forth.

Speaking of Whole Food (WF), over 2 months ago we bought some organic red grapes that were left in the fridge for 2 weeks. When we returned, the grapes were as good as new. I asked the customer service representative and the produce manager in our WF store in Friendship Heights-DC, they did not have a clear explanation, then I tried several times to find and talk to the store manager, he was never available. We decided to keep the grapes and see how long it takes for them to decompose, and become rotten. They are still there, and without exaggeration they are only a bit softer, nonetheless they look pretty good and edible. We lived in Europe; we know that even non-organic grapes do not last more than one week or 10 days at most, after that they become moldy.

Although conveniently located just a few minutes from us, we started to shop at TJs store in Georgetown, which is inconveniently far from us. We also noticed that we are saving money too. However, because of polycystic kidney disease in our family, we have to be supper careful about the kind of food we consume. TJs customer service personnel have reassured us that their own entire brand is GMO free, but now this article has made me concerned.

Two questions: Can TJs take such a risk lying about their brands? Because it can be detrimental to them if it is found out! Second, can some consumer organization randomly test these products and inform the public about their qualities?

Several thoughts that occur to me are: 1) The big issue seems to be distrust because TJ’s won’t disclose who makes their products. While the “I won’t dignify that with a answer!” response does breed suspicions, I wonder if it is based on a) honoring a proprietary brand not wanting it known that you can get their same product for, say 20-40% less by getting a store brand or, b) the supplier they use may change as market prices do in order to keep their costs down.

2) As far as TJ’s not labeling their products as being GMO free, I wonder if that is a stance their legal department suggests they take based on the fact that, based on my understanding, a non-GMO source can at any time become tainted with GMO’s as they cross-pollinate. By the time it comes to be known, how much product did they sell labeled as GMO-free that wasn’t, risking lawsuits?

3) As to ConAgra/Ralcorp, my understanding is that even Whole Foods has given in to the Big Business/GMO behemoth as the Way of The World and acquiescing to just holding to their corner of the market; I presume with the hope that people’s choice will end up guiding market practices.

4) Their prices being lower could come from them not having the research and development costs that a proprietary brand shoulders, and, unlike the proprietary brand, they may not need the same profit margin per item since their margin is spread over a larger inventory.

Not being a farmer, producer or supplier, I don’t know; any/all of these make sense to me from my limited perspective. But if any are true, why don’t they say so?

thank you Jennifer very valid points with insightful info!

I’m in sacramento and shop at the TJs on Marconi Ave. My family were getting stomach aches so I traced the lot # of their milk to Clover in Sonoma County. I called and spoke to the head director to ask her if they fed their cows non gmo she said only if it is organic. I said why does Trader Joe’s claim that anything with their label is non gmo sourced? She said that they have to use GMO feed for their non organic milk it’s too too expensive. So I talked to Trader Joe’s; they called headquarters and they said that they can’t find any farmer that is non-gmo non-organic for the price. So for sure the milk is gmo fed cows with the Traders label, and that goes for the cheese and eggs in any store, even co-op stores, so anything with milk cheese or eggs that is not organic is gmo fed animals, unless it says 100% grass fed or non gmo verified it’s gmo. So that frozen cheese pizza with the Traders label is gmo fed too.

Only the organic cheese, eggs, and grass cheese is safe so even if prop 37 would have passed that non organic fed cow or chicken is not included. If it’s not organic or grass fed cheese milk or eggs don’t eat it. This issue escapes the rules no matter what. If you have to shop there buy only organic.

Strauss was selling organic milk that was gmo fed for awhile before they found out, then they posted a letter of apology on the milk shelves.

The organic corn chips gives stomach aches to many people I know so I sent in for a quality check on those. My answer was that they noted it at headquarters, but they need more people to complain first. Also their roast beef hash from Brazil had roaches in it; they sent someone to Brazil to investigate and found that the meat was tainted with lack of refrigeration, so that company shut down and rebuilt a new one. Then the hash had a better color to it but now it no longer is being sold.

I know all the people who work there and I’ve spent a lot of time sending emails and calls to headquarters through them about a lot of tricky labeled ingredients for 7 years.

So only buy organic and avoid soy and corn. Organic chickens are being fed organic corn and soy which gets contaminated off and on, so to be really safe buy grass fed cheese and meat, and non soy and corn fed chicken eggs. That is the level I have learned from years of researching the food store.

I have to wonder about the Trader Joe’s pizza because most of them come from Italy. According to what I have been reading, aren’t GMO’s banned from many of European countries? I started think about this after my posts. Trader Joes has alot of their products made in Europe, also they are a smaller chain which means they are not “mass producing” their labels, which to me means it is easier to source non GMO products for their private label. Again when I worked their many things were labeled when they were non GMO, but such labeling is no where in sight these days.

My god it’s so much work just to stay away from this stuff, thanks so much for the info.

Everybody needs to the see “The Symphony of the Soil” film which demonstrates an important reason to oppose GMOs, which is the destructive effect the herbicide RoundUp has on the soil. It’s long-term guaranteed dependence on chemically-addicted ag practices. The same producer made “The Future of Food” about GMOs in general and I think it’s on YouTube. But “Symphony” needs to get on PBS in a hurry and if it doesn’t it’s a terrible indication that big business controls PBS. The film is not just informative but a quite beautiful work of art.

Mark thanks so much for bringing this to our attention. We’ll do some research and see if we can make a Facebook post about it to raise awareness!

Trader Joes is my best option for good health on my budget.

When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several e-mails with the same comment.

Is there any way you can remove me from that service? ¡Gracias!

Jenny, I’ve not had any other commenters experience this problem (and sadly I’m unable to modify your settings), so I’m afraid I can’t help… very sorry!

Trader Joes uses 3rd party verification to ensure their store brand is GMO free. Suspect crops are independently verified. Trader Joes dejará de hacer negocios con productores y proveedores que cortan las esquinas y no cumplen con sus especificaciones. This is why items can get discontinued, even if they were popular

I will not purchase a product that does not have a Non-Gmo certificate. I do not understand why a large, well off, company like Trader Joes wouldn’t choose to be certified. I used to spend my hard earned money buying groceries there. Trader Joes you will not see one penny from me unless you certify. It is taking every ounce of my love and compassion to not be very angry with the brands I purchased thinking I was buying good wholesome food for my family and loved ones only to find out they contained GMO. Shame on them, Shame on the corporations that have a problem with labeling their products.

Well, all I can say is I have a built-in food tester – my gut. I haven’t had any Irritable bowel symptoms with any of the tJ label products. I have when I partake of food that is not organic or preservative free. Yes, be inquisitive and not believe everything told you, but at the same time, let’s not be so hasty to assume the opposite extreme. “Well, since I can’t prove it’s good they must be lying.” What kind of critical thinking skill is that based on. Where else can you buy grass-fed beef from New Zealand for $5.99 a pound. I again, I just have this “gut feeling” literally. speaking feeling

Interestingly, every time I eat the “organic corn chips” from Trader Joe’s, lately, my allergies flare up, so I am suspecting, that there is something not 100% organic. I have no “research” to back this up, only my own body’s reaction. I suggest all of you reading this, also ask yourself if you are feeling any food sensitivities from supposedly “organic, non GMO” foods that TJ’s sells.

Hi, I am just wondering if TJ’s branding is not trust worthy, then how about that of Costco? On your non-GMO brands list, Kirkland is listed and I was happy to see that. But, if Costco and TJ’s are both the key customers of the same manufacturer, how is it that TJ’s branding cannot be trusted but Costco’s brand can be trusted? I am not trying to oppose or defend anyone, just being inquisitive…and yes partially hoping that I could trust TJ’s brands because if I couldn’t then I couldn’t trust Costco’s brand either and these are the key grocers for my home. Before I start going out to different stores, I would like to have your advice. Gracias.

Midori, you raise an excellent point that has occurred to us too. We have not had the time to do a thorough investigation of Costco’s “Kirkland” brand, but hope to in early 2014. Our personal shopping list skews towards “family owned” organic brands, but we recognize that the cost of organic food at TJs and Costco may be the best affordable option for some families… and as we said above, if that’s the case, we’d rather see families buying corporate organic than no organic at all. Thanks for an insightful comment!

If TJ’s will ot alow the NON-GMO Project test their product then they are lying to everyone about their stance and in fact are poisoning their customers, plain and simple. If you get cancer or diabetes and have been using them for your families food supply, sue them because they have falsely led you to believe they were serving healthy foods when in fact they have been knowingly lying to you, which is in fact the case.

I am so sad that this is more likely than not TRUTH, I spend so much of my hard earned $’s at trader joes, simply trying to make certain my kids are eating food that will give them a chance at life and not take them out of here with some sort of food enduced cancer. This site is opening my eyes but leaves me in such a dismal place. I live in the Nations Capital and have to travel to MD now for sure to get good food at a much higher cost. This world is a mess theyd rather the people eat empty calorie trash filled with chemicals and killer diseases verses keeping people alive and in a position to self heal from the benefits of safe, pesticide free, clean food!

This unique blog post, “Is Trader Joes Organic and GMO-free? | GMO Awareness” ended up being terrific. I’m printing out a replicate to show my associates. Thank you, Wilbur

Trader Joe’s is affordable. I tend to buy fruits and veges fr local farm – apples are not shiny, veges are sold as is its true coloring! TJ’s apples are labeled organic, tastes organic, but they have a perfect shine to them! Makes you wonder! EDEN products are certified organic, very expensive.

Taste the taste of the foods that you buy and those that you feed your families with. Be an informed consumer Be inquisitive Be knowledgeable of the hoopla that the media presents BECOME AN INFORMED AND AN EDUCATED CONSUMER

All most excellent advice, Marian!

I have just recently read your article and have a couple of questions if you wouldn’t mind.

Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite places to shop – Me encanta. Partly due to the affordability of their items but also due to the quality and variety of their products – due to health issues, I cannot have refined sugar or caffeine – I also prefer not to have a lot of excess salt. Trader Joe’s has many products that meet those criteria and I prefer the quality to that of what I find at Whole Foods – I am not a large fan of the 365 Everyday Brand.

My question is this: Most of what I purchase are Organic products. Is your concern with Trader Joe’s regarding the Organic Products they sell or with the non-Organic products that are part of the “Trader Joe’s” brand label? All of the Organic Products I have purchased there have the USDA Organic certification on the label – if their products have been inspected/certified by the USDA, why would there be a reason to doubt the authenticity of what they are selling? Might be that I am missing something but just wanted to understand.

In your case, it sounds like most of what you’re finding bears the USDA Organic label, which gives us far more confidence than an in-house label without such third-party verification. Our concern comes with any national chain that 1) uses a manufacturer who is focused on processed, non-organic production with no transparency about the separation between organic and non-organic; 2) makes claims about organic and/or GMO-free on a label without 3rd party testing / certification; and 3) does not disclose the sources of their organic products (with TJ’s organic milk being one of the more obvious examples). Again, if what you’re buying at TJs has the USDA Organic insignia, here’s hoping that’s a positive sign that TJs is having more of their in-house organic labeled products tested and certified in that way.

Thank you very much – Entiendo ahora. I just went and checked the items that I purchased there yesterday and all of the Organic Products have two certifications on the label – the “Quality Assurance” certified Organic (not really sure what this reflects) as well as the USDA Organic certification. Therefore, as you suggest, looks like they might be moving in a positive direction in that respect. I agree that it is difficult to trust the non-Organic Trader Joe’s brand products that say they are non-GMO but do not have any type of outside testing – I prefer the “Non-GMO Project Verified” logo that is found on products at Whole Foods as well as some larger chain grocery stores – gives a greater sense of confidence. With respect to the Trader Joe’s brand, it is so difficult at this time to eliminate all GMOs from our diet as they are so pervasive – my feeling has been that if Trader Joe’s brand at least has less GMOs than I might find in other products that is at least a positive step. However, given the choice, I would always prefer something with the Non-GMO Project label. Gracias de nuevo.

I was able to visit my local TJs this week and found that a great number of their Trader Joe’s Organic-branded products are now bearing the USDA Organic label. Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention… we’ve added an “Important Update” at the end of this post!

Being a die hard TJ’s shopper I hope they will continue to be Non-GMO and use a third party to corroborate what they advertise. Also, Sprouts Family Market is located in California and also offers an alternative to TJ’s with similar if not better pricing and a different selection from TJ’s.

I want to see all non gmo products labeled.

It’s been a while since I’ve been in a Chemistry lab, but it would seem to be fairly straight forward to test these food products for Glyphosate (Monsanto’s Roundup), 2,4-D (Dow’s Agent Orange), the GMO Corn toxin, and whatever is Du Ponts equivalent version. I suspect the residual pesticides and herbicides are as least as harmful as the GMO content itself. I for one would like to see all the packaged foods undergo a lab test. Why don’t organizations such as Consumer Reports do such testing??

The Environmental Working Group does indeed test pesticide residues; meanwhile the USDA also tests for “allowed levels” of pesticides, but remember too that the EPA keeps increasing what the allowable levels are.

If the various non-organic food products are tested for herbicides and pesticides – then why don’t the numbers get published? Are the toxic residues too small to be interesting. Would certainly seem to be of interest to fellow consumers if and how the herbicide and pesticide levels compare to the corporate donations for fighting GMO labeling. Also if how does Traders Joe’s stack up in the lab on their “non-GMO” reclamaciones.

I’ve worked at Trader Joe’s for 8 years and they mis label food all the time. The food is full of preservatives, artificial color/flavoring, and GMO’s. There have been a couple of lawsuits about the labeling, but with the pro-corporate atmosphere in the country they got squashed. Basically, “you get what you pay for.” Trader Joe’s has cheap food, and they don’t care about lying to you to sell it.

Trader Joe’s also hires those companies that go on social media and the press to “protect their reputation” by false advertising and attacking anyone who criticizes them.

And think about the Managers who glowingly praise the company. Trader Joe’s goes out of their way to hire High School drop outs and people with little opportunities in life for management positions. They throw salaries of $80,000 to $140,000 a year at them. That’s designed to get them to say anything the company wants. But since the economy collapse of 2008, many TJ’s hourly employees are college educated and come from industry backgrounds. We just shake our heads at the level of deception and brain washing that goes on.

So if it’s labeled organic whether fruit vegetables or others can we assume it is non gmo and ok at trader joes

If you see the USDA Organic and/or Non-GMO Project Certified sticker on the product package or label, yes. unesdoc. unesco. org unesdoc. unesco. org

Please see the attached link from the USDA Website with respect to Standards for USDA Organic Certification – it requires that Farmers and Processors not use any GMO Seeds or other GMO products in order to obtain this certification. Why would the Non-GMO Project Certification be Required?

It’s not required. Some manufacturers choose the USDA Organic certification, some choose Non-GMO Project certification, some do both. We prefer USDA organic because it addresses much more than GMO detection.

The safe choice is to avoid any publicly traded corporation. When a beloved organic brand sells out, I immediately stop buying that brand. Often changes to the ingredients will be made before the labeling gets updated. Either start growing your own food locally, or start supporting those who do. I do both. Do it now so they can ramp up to meet growing demand.

Friday Five: Trader Joe’s and Weight Watchers

Friday Five: Trader Joe’s and Weight Watchers

So today’s Friday Five is going to be a little different. Instead of sharing a list of five favorites, I wanted to share a new page that I just added to the website – Weight Watchers Trader Joes Points List. This page has a long, and growing, list of Trader Joe’s foods and their Weight Watchers points plus.

For me, Trader Joe’s is a lifesaver for quick meals that are low in points. They have tons of options for healthy meals that just need to be reheated or can be thrown together in minutes. Not to mention the great wine selection. Also, according to a Facebook reader, Trader Joe’s is currently training their staff about WW and will soon be offering free WW tours to customers. I can’t wait. In the meantime, use the new list on the site to plan your shopping trip and please email, comment, or send me a Facebook message about foods that should be added.

One more quick tip about Trader Joe’s – if you are a regular shopper there I really recommend buying a Trader Joe’s cookbook. It will help you combine all sorts of delicious TJ’ foods into delicious recipes and inspire lots of ideas. I have The I Love Trader Joe’s Cookbook: 150 Delicious Recipes Using Only Foods from the World’s Greatest Grocery Store and Cooking with Trader Joe’s Skinny Dish. I love them both!

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Dave Jensen Sedona, Arizona, United States For 25 years, I have been a consultant (CTI Executive Search), author (Street Savvy Science), and business owner (ProActive BioProducts ) in the biotech, pharmaceutical, and dietary supplements industries. I am a monthly columnist for publications of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (publishers of SCIENCE ) and a major pharmaceutical industry trade magazine Contract Pharma. I am also on the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh program "Survival Skills and Ethics Training," a leading workshop for young scientists. I enjoy being a speaker and workshop leader, and have presented in scientific and business gatherings all over the world, including functions for the National Cancer Institute, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, Yale, Princeton, UC San Francisco, the Karolinska Institute (Stockholm), Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (Portugal) and others. mira mi perfil completo

Weight watcher friendly foods at trader joes

Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Trader Joes with # weightwatchers Power Foods #PointsPlus and meal ideas. See Best Weight Watchers Travel Snacks >>, TEEN Friendly Organic Travel. Y. Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Mini Fluffy Angel Food Cake (1/4 of Cake 120 Calories - 3 PointsPlus. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One!

Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Trader Joes with # weightwatchers Power Foods #PointsPlus and meal ideas. See Best Weight Watchers Travel Snacks >>, TEEN Friendly Organic Travel. Y. Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Mini Fluffy Angel Food Cake (1/4 of Cake 120 Calories - 3 PointsPlus. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One!

Peso

Trader Joe's Strip Part-Time Employees of Health Benefits

11 Sep, 2013 11 Sep, 2013

Because ObamaCare is nothing more than a wealth redistribution policy that forces the productive to pay for the non-productives’ Cadillac health plans (which include birth control), costs are about to explode. As a result, employers are desperate to cut the burden of their health care costs, which is why our economy is hardly creating any full-time jobs, and the part-time employees at Trader Joe’s just lost their health insurance benefits :

After extending health care coverage to many of its part-time employees for years, Trader Joe’s has told workers who log fewer than 30 hours a week that they will need to find insurance on the Obamacare exchanges next year, according to a confidential memo from the grocer’s chief executive.

In the memo to staff dated Aug. 30, Trader Joe’s CEO Dan Bane said the company will cut part-timers a check for $500 in January and help guide them toward finding a new plan under the Affordable Care Act. The company will continue to offer health coverage to workers who carry 30 hours or more on average. & # 8230;

A current Trader Joe’s worker described the coverage she’ll likely lose as “one of the best parts about the job.” (The employee requested anonymity since she isn’t authorized to speak to the media.) She said she pays only $35 per paycheck, or $70 per month, for a plan that generally covers 80 percent of her medical costs, carries a reasonable $500 deductible and includes prescription drug coverage.

“There are several folks I work with who are there for the insurance as much as anything, mostly folks with young families,” ella dijo. “I can say that when I opened and read the letter yesterday my reaction was pure panic, followed quickly by anger.”

Meanwhile, the American media treats those in the GOP attempting to defund the ruination of ObamaCare as extremist freaks.

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How to Make a Week’s Worth of Vegan Meals for Under $30 From Trader Joe’s

Cooking under time constraints is hard. That’s why competitors get so sweaty and frazzled during cooking competition shows. In real life, when you’re a student or busy working adult, or just not feelin’ up to spending hours in the kitchen, assembling a healthy meal in a short amount of time can be a challenge.

Luckily, shortcuts exist. Like pre-cut, pre-bagged vegetables and squash, quick-cooking grains, and frozen pre-cooked grains (thanks, Trader Joe’s ).

Here are 7 healthy, plant-based meals, all of which take less than 15 minutes start to finish, are budget-friendly (less than $30 total), and most importantly, delicious! You can customize these to your liking (such as by picking your favorite vegetables and beans).

Make one trip to the grocery store, and for the price of 2 cocktails in Manhattan, you can have an entire week’s worth of fast, nourishing meals at your fingertips (assuming you have cooking oil and salt and pepper at home already). But if you’re not vegan, you can make a week’s worth of dinners from Trader Joe’s for under $25 like this .

#SpoonTip: All of these meals are gluten free friendly if you use corn tortillas and swap quinoa for farro.

Grocery List:

1 package cut and cubed butternut squash or sweet potatoes, can substitute 3 large sweet potatoes ($2.29)

1 package kale or romaine ($1.99; $2.29 for organic)

1 package arugula or spinach ($1.99; $2.29 for organic)

1 tomato ($0.29)

1 apple ($0.69-$0.79; $0.99 for organic)

1 avocado ($0.99)

1 lemon ($0.49)

1 lime, optional ($0.29)

1 bag Vegetable Medley with broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, can substitute broccoli-cauliflower blend, Healthy 8 Chopped Veggie Mix, or Stir-Fry Vegetables ($2.29)

1 large cucumber ($1.49)

1 package firm tofu ($1.69)

1 package Organic 3 Grain Tempeh ($1.99)

1 box frozen Microwaveable Brown Rice, can substitute frozen quinoa, Rice Blend, jasmine rice, or frozen Organic Cauliflower Rice ($2.99; $3.49 organic)

1 can black beans ($0.89; $0.99 for organic)

1 can chickpeas ($0.89; $0.99 for organic)

1 jar salsa of choice ($1.99-2.29)

1 package 10-Minute Farro, barley, or quinoa ($1.79)

1 package Taco Seasoning ($0.79)

1 package seaweed snacks ($0.99)

1 package corn tortillas can substitute whole wheat or white flour ($0.99)

1 bag cilantro, optional ($1.79)

1 bag frozen edamame, optional ($1.79)

Day 1: Black Bean and Butternut Squash (or Sweet Potato) Tacos

Photo by Katherine Baker

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How healthy are the products at Trader Joe’s?

I stopped in at my local Trader Joe’s customer service booth to ask about their policy regarding GMOs in their foods as well as other nutrition information and updates before my “Quick and Healthy Meals from Trader Joe’s” class last week. How healthy is Trader Joe’s? A gal in a Hawaiian shirt gave me the Frequently Asked Questions handout. It contains almost everything you want to know about the nutrition status of their products.

For instance, I wanted to know if the plastic jar of almond butter I purchase there is BPO free. (It is.)

This is the list of questions the handout/article addresses regarding the health of their products:

• What can I expect from Trader Joe’s private label products (anything with Trader Joe’s, Trader Jose’s, Trader Ming’s, etc. on the label)?

• Do Trader Joe’s Products Contain Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)*?

• Why doesn’t Trader Joe’s label its products as “Non-GMO”?

• What are the Allergen Labeling Standards for Trader Joe’s Private Label Products?

• What does “Gluten Free” media?

• How is your Organic Virgin Coconut Oil processed?

• Are your canned goods and plastic bottles BPA free?

That is quite a list of questions – and answers!

Most of the participants in my cooking classes and presentations are surprised and happy to learn that Trader Joe’s states that their private label foods have no synthetic colors, flavors, artificial preservatives, irridation, trans fats, GMO ingredients or MSG. In addition, they state that they don’t carry products imported from China as finished goods.

Much of their stance on healthy choices came about by listening to what Trader Joe’s customers wanted, so it is important to let them know what healthy choices you want that are not yet available.

For healthy recipes to feed yourself and your family that are also quick and delicious, check out my healthy Trader Joe’s cookbooks: Quick and Healthy Meals from Trader Joe’s (recently updated) and Livin’ Lean with Trader Joe’s.

Both books are available on my Jamie Davidson Cooks! website, Amazon as well as at Barnes & Noble.

Gluten-free . dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian recipes are included and indexed in both cookbooks. Weight Watcher Points for the recipes are available on Jamie Davidson Cooks! You can find a link with the points next to each book.

For an updated list of healthy products from Costco and Trader Joe’s, join my newsletter on either of my sites: Jamie Davidson Cooks! and WhatWorksWeightLoss. com

For recipes and updates, like my Facebook page .

What is your favorite healthy product at Trader Joe’s?

Trader Joe’s

¡Hurra! Lychees are in season! Having grown up on them in South Africa, they’re one of my faves. But they have an interesting flavor and texture that you might find different. (Hubby’s not a fan.) You get the same kind of experience as peeling and snacking on nuts, but without the high calorie count. I say give them a try!

Red & White Belgian Endives

Kid Friendly Organic Travel

Soybeans in Pod (edamame)

Kid Friendly Travel

Trader Joe's and the Organic Carrots of Many Colors

Gold Baking Potatoes

Creamy texture and wonderful, buttery flavor.

Great bang for your buck! One of my fav veggies and fab when you need something to keep your hands occupied so they don’t reach for something else!

Cruciferous Crunch Collection NEW

Kale, Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli, Green & Red Cabbage. Definitely verrrrrry crunchy! A little too crunchy raw for my taste - I preferred it sautéed in olive oil spray. Yumm. And an easy way to feel like you’re doing something good for yourself!

WW Simple Start

Great car snack. (I usually polish off half the container in the store and on the ride home!) The skin is the sweet part, so the bigger you buy them the more tart they will be! (You should wash them)

WW Simple Start

Roast with olive oil spray at 425 degrees F for the best flavor. Or microwave in a covered casserole dish with a little water for about 3 minutes.

Baby Beets - Steamed & Peeled

Great 5pm before-dinner-snack, or in a salad with Fat Free Feta Cheese, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Baby Broccoli (a/k/a Broccolini)

Sauté over medium-high heat in a little extra virgin olive oil. Set the oil over the heat and when hot add one smashed garlic clove and cook until fragrant, stirring occasionally, 30 – 60 seconds. Remove garlic and discard. Add broccoli, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and sauté for 5 – 10 minutes, stirring often so they don’t burn. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons water to the pan, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 – 5 minutes until tender; depending on how crispy or soft you like them.

Sauté in a non-stick pan in olive oil spray with salt and pepper.

Microwave, spray with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray—or rub with a little butter—and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Great price. Not sure if they’re the best quality though. I eat a banana almost every day for a mid-morning snack.

Trader Joe’s Roasted Chicken Patties

One of my favorite items. I always have these on hand for emergencies.

Cut into cubes and sauté in Canola Oil spray for extra flavor. Or just pop in the microwave. I put Sam’s on a tortilla wrap with Cilantro Dressing, or on a toasted English Muffin with avocado, and I eat mine straight—with tomato slices or salad and a fried egg. Yumm!

3 WW PP per patty

Trader Joe’s Simply Sliced Roast Turkey Breast

Heat and serve with TJ's delicious Turkey Gravy. (seasonal)

Trader Joe's Brown Rice Quinoa Fusilli Pasta

Tasty, healthy pasta alternative. Nice texture and I like the flavor too. I make the whole bag and then toss with olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet to cool so it doesn't get mushy. Freeze single portions in ziplock bags and serve with Parmesan cheese. Yumm.

NEW! 5 WW PP for 1 cup (cooked) Gluten Free Kid Friendly

Trader Joe’s Organic Polenta

Satisfies that carb craving without breaking the points bank! Slice and sauté in olive oil spray and cover with tomato sauce or sautéed mushrooms and parmesan cheese. Las posibilidades son infinitas.

Rice, Orzo Pilaf Mix

Compare to Near East Rice Pilaf. I make it with Olive Oil instead of butter and it’s still delish.

My favs: Frozen: - cod with brown rice and ratatouille - salmon with spinach and orzo in yogurt mint sauce Pasta/Grains: - Rainbow quinoa Fruits/Veggies: - Bananas! They are so cheap here! - Celery hearts (no leaves and very clean…just perfect to cut up and dip in humus!) Fridge: - Precooked artichoke hears…my bf and I put them on pizza! - Wholewheat pizza dough - Fresh pesto - Lox - Mini goat cheese rounds - Mediterranean humus Breads: - Half baked mini baguettes

Thanks Becca! Can’t wait to try the cod with brown rice and ratatouille! I wasn’t crazy about the artichoke hearts – they tasted odd to me. Maybe I’ll try it again. I bought the wholewheat pizza dough and kept trying to convince Aja to make pizzas with me, but she wasn’t interested! I’ll try it again sometime.

If you haven’t tried the TJ’s chioppino, you will be impressed. It’s a small package, so I buy their frozen shrimp, scallop and mussel mix, a can of TJ’s lowfat marinara (which you also didn’t list), add about 1/2 of the package of frozen fish, the entire can of marinara, some spices (garlic, cayenne pepper, thyme, parsley, and fresh basil) and it’s enough for 4 meals. Very filling and delicious. Thanks for the shopping list. There are about 6 items I’m going to try.

Peggy—I’m salivating as I read this! I can’t wait to try it. I’m sure I’ll be adding it to my list! Unfortunately, my hubby (aka Mr. Picky) and my toddler (aka Miss Picky) don’t eat any kind of fish or shellfish, which happen to be my absolute fave—and we all know how good they are for you! I’m going to ignore their protests of stinky fish smells and make it anyway! Gracias por compartir.

KJ – eTools it’s listed as 6 points for the whole container plus the dressing. Let your leader know that at the bottom of the label it says “dressing adds 7.5 g total fat” & # 8211; I actually had it on my to-do-list to discuss it with a manager at TJ’s – because it doesn’t make sense! And I think it’s misleading to say 2.5 g total fat up top and then in the small print – oh BTW it’s actually 7.5 g! But it’s one of those things I still haven’t gotten to! Along with ALL the other new products I’ve been meaning to add to my lists, but just not enough hours in the day. Anyway, hope that helps. LMK what your leader says. Keep in mind that all of the ingredients, except for the dressing, are power foods, so if you’re doing Simply Filling I would just count a few points for the dressing. Great idea adding extra shredded cabbage – I’ll have to do that next time!

¡Gracias por todo lo que hacen! Your book, blog, emails and tips are so helpful, inspiring and encouraging.

Delicious Clean and Healthy Recipes From My Family To Yours. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Points. Delicious Clean and Healthy Recipes From My Family To Yours. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Points. weight watcher recipes. I think it’s ok to re-visit your favorite recipes. I’ve had this recipe on my blog once before. I made this using my favorite Enchilada. Bubble Up Enchiladas Weight Watcher Recipes 5 points 1 pound ground turkey 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 can reduced fat.

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Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Weight Watchers Points Plus & Low Calorie Food Haul - Shopping List. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One! Sep 26, 2014 . Checkout these fantastic diet friendly foods I've found that are tasty uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself.

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Weight watcher friendly foods at trader joes

Sep 26, 2014 . Checkout these fantastic diet friendly foods I've found that are tasty uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself. Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Weight Watchers Points Plus & Low Calorie Food Haul - Shopping List. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One!

Trader Joe's Reviews

I have been working at Trader Joe's part-time (More than a year)

Trader Joe's really does go out of their way to ensure employees are well-compensated, both in terms of competitive pay and solid health benefits - medical, dental, and vision are all provided, so long as you work at least 30 hours a week on average, and you can still get dental and vision so long as you work at least 15 hours a week. Management at each store is usually very dedicated and positive, and they prioritize making sure each employee feels like they're really contributing to the function of the store. Also, there's always something tasty to munch on.

The holiday season can be grueling. There's really no other way to put it. Even the most well-run store is going to be horribly overloaded with demanding customers, night shifts are going to run long, and tempers will be frayed. It can also be very physically grueling. I recently injured my back at work, and while my crew and captain at my store have been very supportive, the worker's comp insurance company is a little difficult to deal with.

Advice to Management

Get a new worker's comp provider. Put additional resources into employee development. Other than that, just keep being the flexible and supportive management team that you already are!

I have been working at Trader Joe's part-time (More than a year)

-Diversity among crew members. Very gay friendly. Employees from all different backgrounds and age groups. Lots of fun and talented people. - Customer base. Although sometimes needy, most customers are very knowledgeable about TJs products and share an enthusiasm with the crew when new products come out. TJs customers go out of their way to shop here a lot of the time, which creates a more positive environment than say having customers who just see grocery shopping as a chore. -10% discount on all products is more than fair. It's kind of fun asking for a three bell when visiting a store out of the area or state. Usually stirs up a fun conversation. - You get out what you put in. Many employers run their business strictly on seniority or on who you know. Sure there is favoritism here like anywhere else. But if you're willing to give complete open availability, push yourself to accept new challenges like being a section leader even though it doesn't come with a raise and is much more responsibility, and you're patient and willing to do whatever is needed, opportunities to advance will arise. - Starting pay and availability of hours weekly is significantly better than what is the norm in the retail and service industry today. While most jobs will want to start you around $9 an hour, and you'd be lucky to average 20-25 hours a week, the opportunity at TJs far exceeds that.

-Very little, if any training for new hires. I came in with over a decade of experience in the grocery business, but for those who it is their first job or are new to the business, I could see things being very overwhelming. - Safety training and culture, including food safety. Stores and back rooms are VERY cramped, sometimes to a dangerous level. I understand maximizing square footage to profit levels, but when stores that were built to handle $100k in sales a WEEK, and are now pushing $700k a week, something has to give. Lots of heavy lifting and little or no training on proper techniques. Back room coolers are often stuffed to the brim, and most of the crew finds it acceptable to just push a table of perishable product out into a room temperature warehouse for longer than is safe or recommended. Even when breaking down deliveries, stacks of fresh, highly perishable salads and dips can often sit untouched on racks on the sales floor for several hours. - Management styles. Starting off new at Trader Joe's often feels more like joining a fraternity rather than a job. Full timers will often heckle and have inappropriate comments. I wouldn't go so far as to call it harassment, because it's not, but not always the most professional. Some times this can lighten up the mood, other times it leaves one puzzled as to where they really stand. - Supply chain. TOS. TOS. TOS. Discontinued. Product ordering caps. Most customers and employees are used to this song and dance, but it's tough disappointing customers on the daily due to product supply issues. - There's a clear divide between externally hired management, and those that are promoted from within. Eventually it's all a wash, and I do not envy those hired as mates from outside the company. You are walking into an emotionally charged, intense situation. Crew members are passionate for the most part about what they do, and it is not easy being the stranger walking in the door. I do envy though the starting pay of most externally hired mates.

Advice to Management

A complete overhaul of the new hire training process would be beneficial to everyone involved across the board. Expedite the process of moving high volume operations out of old, cramped, and in some cases crumbling buildings, and see crew morale and customer satisfaction increase exponentially. Create more incentive for promotion from within. 10-12 extra hours a week, maybe a dollar hourly raise, and a little bit of overtime is not enough for I would say a majority of long time crew members to make the jump in responsibility and decrease in life/work balance that becoming a mate entails. I could imagine just sweetening the pot somewhat for internal promotions would still be a long term savings over hiring externally. Making the mate and captain positions a 40 hour a week salaried job could be beneficial, and help decrease turnover and self demotions. I see a lot of these issues as just growing pains with a company hitting marks once never even thought possible. I hope for the best and am still excited to see where things are headed for Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's

I've been a customer of Trader Joe's downtown Berkeley location for more than 4 years. I try not to purchase products with canola in it. But today I was followed around the store by the security guard and when I went to make my selection of products, they were standing next to me, watching. When I went to pay for my goods, they whispered something to the cashier and stood a few feet from where I was. I noticed being followed before but today was just over the top strangeness, so I made a complaint to their customer service dept.

I also read of a woman in a wheelchair having a severe problem with this security guard of company and her postings on Yelp. She notified corporate and they did not transfer the guard. I'm not sure if this is the same one but I believe this location has a few rotten employees and engage in that sort of behavior with the guard. Well today I thought I would post it on every forum I can find since this is not the first time I've encountered this odd behavior. Corporate stores have issues because they degrade their environment's energy integrity with low quality toxic, outdated UV lights.

Nancy of Raleigh, NC on Dec. 26, 2015

Healthy food and affordable. Customer service unparalleled and I've shopped their stores in 3 states. They have an array of interesting foods. Cannot find anything to dislike about Trader Joe's!

M. of Albuquerque, NM on Dec. 21, 2015

Have shopped at Trader Joe's ever since I priced out their raw nuts a few years ago and found out that they were half the price of Sprouts. and ever since Sprouts bought out Sunflower, their service and prices have gone up, and handicap accessibility in the store has disappeared, impossible, too many barriers that they refuse to alter.

Am vegetarian. I make my own bread, have looked at their breads but was unimpressed. The tortillas' expiration date was the next day! Breads are so easy to make at home anyway. I don't buy their frozen stuff, either, so I cannot comment except that they look expensive for very little inside. I mostly depend on TJ for super-firm tofu, vegetarian chicken, beef and chorizo, and soy coffee creamer. Also cottage cheese, was not impressed with their fat-reduced, but love the 4% in the pink container. I once got their brown jasmine rice and it was coarse with unhulled grains, green grains and chaff in the bag. I had never had to pick over rice before, I returned it and never bought their rices again. Their produce. well, it's too expensive, and doesn't look that good. I got a delicata squash this year that had no sweetness, that I had to throw out.

Their cauliflower wasn't spoiled, snowy white and firm; organic carrots only a penny more than WM conventional carrots. Their romaine hearts were wilty. Have tried their french vanilla and chocolate ice creams, dangerously good. They also have a tasty little savory multi seed rice cracker. I get their plain and vegetarian refried canned beans based on the fact that they promised me that any canned beans sold under their name wouldn't have BPA in the can lining, but after reading entries here, I feel a little shaky about this but still buy them. Not impressed with their bottled curry sauces, insipid flavored sugar water. But their sriracha is wonderful and has no anchovy in it, which I like.

And their eggs: I just get the impression they aren't fresh and they often have cracked eggs in every container I checked, so I still get brown eggs from Costco, where turnover and refrigeration are optimal. Have inquired a few times about the temp in the cold cases at TJ because things just don't feel cold enough to my touch, but they showed me the thermometer and it said they were cold enough. So who knows. I was surprised to read here that some foods may be made by ConAgra. I sure hope that doesn't include their vegetarian chicken or beef strips, or soyrizo, or ground beef. They once told me which Canadian company makes it and I recognized the name and it wasn't ConAgra. They're very good. Their super-firm tofu is, on rare occasion, spoiled but they do take it back. And tofu can spoil no matter where you get it. We are dealing with a fresh food.

Even WhiteWave can spoil, and I have watched WhiteWave raise their price and drop the weight of their tofu from 16 oz to 12 since Celestial Seasonings bought them out. TJ's super-firm tofu makes killer baked tofu without even needing to be pressed, and for a few pennies more, it has much more protein than regular tofu. I look for freshness and value, and their super-firm tofu has both. Only once did I get home and find an embedded red thread in the tofu and stuck in the package seal. Hey, stuff happens on assembly lines, TJ took it back with a smile.

The one thing upsetting me, that happens constantly at one of their two stores, is that they don't have adequate training in how to deal with the disabled. I have seen other comments here about same. They keep their scooters outside at one store, no charging outlets, in the rain, snow and heat. Never plugged in. If you have never sat on a hot seat and literally burned your fanny, or almost lost control of your bladder when the seat is wet or freezing in winter, you can't empathize. When I explained this to the manager, he said I was cussing!

Last week I had to send for the manager because the scooter seat was filled with a puddle of melted snow. They did wipe it off but I had to finish it. They left water behind. They also have nowhere to sit and wait, when the scooters are both in use. And because they are stored outside, kids play on them while their parents chat. It's not a toy, and these laissez-faire mothers need to keep a better eye on their kids. That's not TJ's responsibility. And the parking lot at that TJ is tiny, always traffic jams, not enough handicap parking. I usually travel twice as far, just to go to their store that has better parking, with nice warm scooters stored inside.

I have to park the scooter outside the bathroom hallways because it's too narrow to drive in or park it in the halls outside the loo, and once, an employee saw fit to drag it out of the way. I saw him dragging it away while I waited for a bathroom to vacate. I had to yell "what do you think you're doing!?" because I thought he was going to take it away and leave me stranded, and my personal possessions were in the basket. And he was very rude and sullen about it, tried to speak for me when the manager arrived, called me "she" as if I weren't right there or competent, very inappropriate. You never touch the assistive devices of a disabled person without their request or permission. It's legally considered to be assault. If anything, you offer the able-bodied customer assistance to reach around the scooter and get what they need, if the scooter blocks access, but you never touch the scooters, canes, etc.

Last week, when I saw the ice-cold puddle on the scooter seat, I asked for paper towels, and once inside, the manager walked away stating I had cussed. He used that as an excuse, because I most certainly had not. So this handicap ADA training issue is a long-term problem, is chain-wide and still not addressed. Inside the store, there aren't usually physical barriers except for the boxes that staff temporarily stack on the floor while stocking, and that is just unavoidable.

But at the same problem store, at the checkout stand, the pullout shelves are in the wrong place, so when you are in the scooter, you cannot unload your own groceries and also move forward to watch the prices, because the pullout shelf is near them, not the customer. Human beings can make mistakes and I have caught them double-charging me in the past (but because I catch it at the time, they apologize and take the charge off), and prefer to ask them to wait until I can unload and move up to watch them check out the items. For a standing customer it isn't a problem. The cashier unloads their basket while the customer moves forward. But if you are stuck in a scooter and the basket is a part of that scooter, you cannot be in two places at the same time and don't get to watch the checkout process, unless you ask (and I do) them not to start until you have unloaded and moved forward.

Now that I've read many of these entries, I will continue to be careful about their raw nuts, dairy, and so on. But the raw nuts and dried fruits at other stores look the same, sometimes discolored, sometimes small, sometimes big and beautiful. I get my dried Montmorency cherries, blueberries at Costco anyway because theirs are better and cheaper. We are dealing with live foods, guys. Just be an informed consumer. As for TJ's convenience foods - the frozen dinners, cookies, wines, meats and so on - I don't buy those and cannot comment. I make all my own slow vegetarian foods. It takes no time at all to make tortillas or pizza dough. I don't know why people are so helpless.

Last week I got their 1-oz pure stevia powder. It's a good price, much less than the brand I had previously used. No bitterness. So that's a good deal, and I did call their 800 number this morning to get assurances that it has no excipients and they assured me it was pure. That's best I can do, ask and make a decision. I do wish they would get on the ball regarding ADA training. I have offered to train them but they didn't respond.

When that employee dragged my scooter last year, several other customers heard us and came over to advocate for me, were angry on my behalf. I'd guess that employees there still haven't been trained adequately. I parked it where I did, in front of the produce rack at the entrance to the bathroom hallway, because they don't give us a better choice and I need to keep an eye on my bag in the basket, from where I wait down the hallway, afraid that if I take the bag in with me they might suspect shoplifting. I only take my wallet into the loo.

On the whole, I like TJ. I always shop carefully, never just grab and go, I read labels, ask questions. And they take returns. Their cheese is too expensive. I get mine at Costco. The food poisoning issue scares me, but for instance, the peanut butter food poisoning wasn't their fault. They bought the stuff in good faith and pulled it once they knew. Other chains had the same peanut butter incident, too. I did get some TJ peanut butter last week to make wild bird cakes, but it's oily and runny so I will be returning it next trip, and I got Kroger instead, at Smith's. One last thing: I wish they had a reverse osmosis water dispenser, 25 cents a gallon. For that, I have to go to Sprouts or Natural Grocers. Bummer.

Jill of Beverly Hills, CA on Dec. 20, 2015

Phil, Hawaii shirt employee, store refusal to return item. Arguing with me he won't give me store refund, physically writes STORE CREDIT ONLY on return slip, little white piece of paper. After arguing with him at the register because he said I could go pick out other stuff, and to keep coming back to the store every time I wanted to buy something at the podium, he says "well just this time" at the cashier desk, and reneges and retreats saying "well just this time". Then while waiting in line with very slow cashier and waiting for replacement female cashier, approached by shorter guy who says, "well this says STORE CREDIT ONLY" while the cashier is puzzled why it says STORE CREDIT ONLY. Phil wrote "store credit only" on white slip.

Was then asked to go outside by same short male employee and one very tall like 6 ft 4 male staff member, who tells me while outside that their store policy has changed and they are only giving store credit, and how he's a really nice guy. And told it was store credit only, to be used anytime I want just keep bringing the slip back. to make a fool out of the customer. So he refused to give me the slip that had the STORE CREDIT ONLY on it after grabbing it out of my hand at the register, and I couldn't get it out of his fist not realizing I took back the return at the desk from Phil but nobody asked for the slip. I wanted it as evidence, so I said "I have a copy of the handbook that states no hassle return policy." So he said "oh thats not good. where did you get it. " I said "someone left it in the bathroom." So he started back into the store.

I don't live in the area and do not shop in this particular store but this behavior when I have been in the store is a constant attitude and at all the stores. Example in Westwood, I bought something which was bananas at the Westwood store and still had a refund coming but that wasn't good enough for the manager on duty who hemmed and hawed at the cashier desk during the transaction, telling me I had to buy more than bananas and I said that is all I want, so he storms away and I have his picture. Also since again I don't shop at this store regularly and again the same nasty attitude that he's not doing this again. there is a set policy that no store manager wants to follow.

At the second store (3212 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405 310-581-0253) I visited, it was the same attitude where I was also followed out by five guys and a leader with a mustache--where after making change and putting it in my purse and going to wash my hands in the bathroom, which used to be in the stock room since remodeled, I was followed out by five guys and asked by the ring leader to open my shopping bag/tote to see what was in it. which there was nothing in it just my jacket, that's why I use it for stuff like my hat or jacket or my electronics that become burdensome when it is too warm. Constant harassment at this particular store (10850 National Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90064 310-470-1917 Palms) no matter who it is, same treatment for my mother over an item but they had no clue we were are related and she never shops there. Same treatment. credit only.

So my mom said "I want cash not a credit slip," another harasser at this store named Larry **, backed down after telling me I could not have a refund or anything for that matter, just a flat "I'm not returning it", made surly comment "where was my camera", I had no camera with me so don't know what this was in reference to, and he ran away after telling him I would report him to corporate. not policy of store. Was helped by another guy who said nothing, at that time. Went to second store today (3212 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405 310-581-0253) and treated same way. The actual manager was not there but would be back at 12 noon tomorrow.

Also note an employee manager named Chris ** would not return an item in the valley store on Mason near Porter Ranch, where we used to live, and after returning to this store after a one year absence, I went to return the item and he would exchange it but not give me a refund. So I shop at Super King Market whenever I'm there and do not go there anymore. Every time I do go there the store is empty but have not been there in a long while. Super King took over the failing high-priced Gelson's, and does whopping business because the prices are 50 cents a pound. At this time I am going to a new store called Superior market, where tomatoes are 50 cents a pound and am buying my produce there. My bread that is organic at Ralphs, and at this time disowning your store.

Approached by Clemente, asked "where did I buy it how long ago.." I said "it's current merchandise," wants the receipt. "what store did I get it at. " he kept repeating "what store did I get it at," "why are you returning it. " "Well I'm returning it for my mother." After arguing, "well we can't give you the money back we don't know how you paid for it. " "well we are at a stalemate here. " I said "it was cash and you have a no hassle return policy." "Well we don't know that. I can give you store credit. We can put it back on your credit card" (and is trying to force me to do other shopping). So I said "you don't do that. I've tried that. It costs you 40 cents every time so it's always cash." "Oh that's not true. We always put it back on the credit card." "In the past I have brought the receipt and the manager is so disinterested he does not even want to take it or look at it." "Well our policy is you tried it and you didn't like it." I said "ok I bought five and didn't like it."

I said "can I video tape you refusing the return. " So I left and came back and took his picture. He saw me and I went to talk to him, but he ran into the bathroom to hide. I went to the bathroom to go to the bathroom literally, and he disappeared. There was just a lady there at the desk. I have the Trader Joe's handbook and it says "no hassle return policy" and also is stated on the Trader Joe's website. He told me to take it back to another store, so I said "what you are doing is fraud because that is not the policy of the store." I said "well Ralphs has no problem with returns." "Well," he said, "we're not Ralphs." When I asked an employee who the manager of the store was he said Justin ** and he would be back at 12 noon tomorrow (Sunday). So when I looked up Justin **, he is the general manager for the Portland Oregon store according to this website:**.

At a store in the valley near Valley College, I went to return tomatoes with the receipt but not the container, so the disinterested, on the phone employee said "how do I know these are our tomatoes" and I said "this is the receipt." So I said "well I'll go get the box in the car if you really need it." So he went back to his conversation and with sour face gave me the return slip. At the Manhattan Beach store on a return, was approached by a mean faced manager wannabe who told me to go somewhere else to return my item, which was an eggplant wrap that had little eggplant in it for 4 dollars. So in front of other managers I told him I wanted a return and I wanted it NOW. I got the return.

I have been a regular customer of Trader Joe's but must confess that the amount of recalls lately has me wondering. I recently also just purchased a bottle of Spiced Apple Cider. I opened the bottle for the first time last night and it tastes very funny. Just finished another bottle and that was fine. This is troubling and leaves me wondering in light of these recalls. Now with my own experience, I am more concerned. With all the recalls and now my own experience with bad apple cider, I have switched to shopping at our local coop.

I continue to shop at TJ's for a few items but am concerned about those few items. TJ needs to rethink how they do business with distributor's, providers, etc. They need to quit being so secretive about where they get their food and refusing to disclose to watch groups like Cornucopia. I'm not against TJ's -- I'm really not but I am growing concerned when a grocer has this many recalls and won't disclose where they get their food from. I'm on a limited income but I'd rather pay a little more for food that is safe and healthy than cut corners and end up sick, possibly very sick which could cost me more in the end. They are only hurting themselves with this not to mention their "loyal" customers.

Rosemary of Tucsoned, AZ on Dec. 10, 2015

This discovery of gluten free cornbread mix at our local Trader Joe's was very exciting for me. Indeed it was quite good. The only reservation both my husband and I have about it is that there are random kernels of corn included in the powder. These do not improve the flavor and detract significantly from the texture of the baked product. We had to spit them out. Please, Trader Joe's, leave them out. Then you will have a good product.

Arlon of San Francisco, CA on Dec. 8, 2015

This is the second time I have found hundreds of little brown bugs in TJ's psyllium. Be careful, they blend right in with the product! The first time they gave me 2 free ones after I requested it. This time not sure what can be done. I need fiber because of the medication I take!?

Vic of Bradenton, FL on Dec. 7, 2015

Trader Joe's needs to stop making/labeling cookies "ginger snaps". The cookies they make, neither ginger nor snaps. The regular flour ginger snaps are soft and have a very dull ginger taste. The gluten-free ginger snaps taste like lemon cookies and have NO ginger taste. Awful. Do not buy either if you love and are looking for ginger snaps.

Susan of Circleville, OH on Dec. 5, 2015

I purchased one of the frozen meatloaf dishes thinking it would be a nice comfort food but it turned out to be the opposite. There was very little ground meat and it consisted of a solid piece of gristle. They cheerfully refunded my money but I think there is something very wrong with the quality of food at Trader Joe's. A lot of it is manufactured in 3rd world countries and I would advise everyone to be very careful about what they purchase there. I will never set foot in a Trader Joe's ever again. It's just too weird in there, like Soylent Green or something.

Jay of Citrus Heights, CA on Nov. 26, 2015

So it's the night before Thanksgiving and we open the romaine lettuce we just purchased from Trader Joe's. Most of the time this lettuce is good, but not this time, both bags are filthy dirty and had something that looked like white mold on it. At the risk of making everyone sick, we threw it out. As a matter of fact, we threw out frozen Salmon a week ago that we bought there. It had a really odd smell, like rotten dog food. Again, most the time the Salmon is good, but it's not consistent and it cost good money. Had to take back muffins once that were moldy. Starting to think their sort of reasonable prices on a few things, aren't worth throwing away so much food and money.

Wanda of Hughson. CA on Nov. 19, 2015

I opened the package and starting eating it when I came across a huge piece of mango about 2 inches in diameter. This was my first visit to your Modesto store and I found the employees very nice and helpful but did open the package until I got home. I live at a retirement facility; and the bus only goes over there periodically so ordinarily I would take such product or products back to the store but am unable to do such. I have not eaten anything from this product package since discovering this. I am very unhappy about this situation!

Marion of Rancho Mirage, CA on Nov. 3, 2015

Tomato roasted pepper soup no longer has any flavor & is watery. Peanut butter is now peanut syrup and watery. They are very good about returns but it's still disappointing to have to deal with these issues. Prices go up and product shrunk.

Chuck of Washington, DC on Oct. 29, 2015

We know Trader Joe's sells gnarly crap fruit and veggies. I know this. So why did I buy the packaged salad kit? Because usually I don't expect to find a g-d STICK in the salad. I mean, an actual, tree stick. Like a squirrel got in there and buried a stick. How did the squirrel get in the factory? Lesson learned for the 57th time. Trader Joe's is an ** selling garbage and calling it food!!

Lyle of Oakland, CA on Oct. 28, 2015

I am a psychologically disabled person and I have a dog to help me handle my panic attacks. Training a service dog is a challenge and sometimes there are misunderstandings. Last month we had an incident where I was partly at fault. Yet the manager thought fit to yell at me across the store rather than come and see if I was alright. (Somebody had shoved me and my dog was barking at him.) Everybody has a bad day and I have been shopping at the Berkeley store for years. So I didn't think anything of it, got myself and my dog back under control and checked out as soon as possible. It was still a few weeks before my stress levels dropped so I could come back.

But today, I'm wondering if I'm not being deliberately discriminated against. I was back at the store and had my service dog in the child's seat. Which many of us do. I was approached by another manager who practically accused me of sneaking a pet into the store. My dog's halter clearly says "service dog" in plain letters. So what was that about? She also informed me that under no circumstances could my dog be in the cart. That makes absolutely no sense. A toddler is much more likely to urinate in a shopping cart than my dog.

Trying to push a cart while leading a dog is an exercise in fear. I was a wreck by the time I cashed out. The checkout person was very helpful and asked to help resolve the matter. I was fighting a panic attack and it's just a good thing my dog was with me. Otherwise they would probably have had to call an ambulance. I checked online and discovered that Trader Joe's just finished arbitration with a disability advocacy group for discriminating against the visually impaired. Am I getting the backlash again? I'm checking with friends who also have service dogs and shop at Trader Joe's. And should there be another incident, it could only be from deliberate discrimination and I'm going to the authorities.

carolyn of Clearwater, Other on Oct. 17, 2015

As I was leaning in my car to gather my shopping bags a car kept honking. I see a guy halfway in the same spot as I although the lot was half full. As he leaves the car he hurls verbal insults. When I return to my car he is standing there and had moved his car into an actual spot. "Watch your tires", he mumbles with swear words. Yes, he had slashed my tire. Upon complaining to store they have a liability person call and say he doesn't feel they have any responsibility. I am a woman alone in a parking lot, theirs, and they could not even check to see if I was alright? Complete lack of ethics and chivalry. Have nothing good to say about this company.

Philip of Bellevue, WA on Oct. 15, 2015

I regularly purchase candied walnut from Trader Joe's, one particular bag has a long piece of hair stuck to the candied walnut! It was pretty disgusting experience pulling a long piece of hair out of your mouth. I did file a complaint on Trader Joe's website under product feedback. More than a week later, I have not received any response from Trader Joe's.

LAURA of Santa Cruz. CA on Oct. 10, 2015

Purchased a bag of Trader Joe's Parmesan shredded cheese. The expiration date was in Nov. Found maggots in the cheese upon opening the bag. Los noté después de cocinar porque son del mismo color. It was so disgusting. I would rather shop somewhere else, after reading these reviews and experiencing that.

Marion of Fort Collins, CO on Sept. 27, 2015

I have shopped at Trader Joe's in Fort Collins about 5 times now since they haven't been open very long. On two of those occasions I purchased food items that were out of date and moldy. Twice I have purchased their English Crumpets and twice they only lasted one day. On day two they were starting to go moldy so I had to throw them away. The second week in September 2015 I not just purchased the English Crumpets but also bought a nice piece of English cheese which I opened on September 25, 2015. The cheese tasted horrible. When I took a closer look at it the cheese had mold spots on it. I looked at the date and the sell by date was 8/2715. I didn't go back and complain because I'm fed up with dealing with this kind of thing.

Aryu of Crystal Lake, IL on Sept. 26, 2015

I went from a 5 star fan to a 2 star fan. I greatly preferred the quality and price of TJ's Breaded Chicken Tenderloin Breasts (28 oz) but two weeks ago I was quite ill, diarrhea and feverish. I was sure it couldn't be the TJ's chicken because it is packaged and frozen fully cooked. Being unsure, I tossed out everything I had eaten the previous day (various stores and products). Four days ago, I went to Trader Joe's, hoping it wasn't the Chicken I liked so much. Today, I had diarrhea again. The only thing I ate yesterday was Wendy's for lunch (no breakfast) and the last 3 pieces of the TJ's Tenderloin breasts.

A few months ago I bought the Cinnamon Rolls, and they were hard and tasteless. It was until 3 days after I threw them out was I told I could have brought them back. I was a huge fan of TJ's, now I'm not so sure, especially after the other comments here. For me, they don't have anything special anymore. My town still has a stand alone butcher and there's a bakery one town over, as well as tons of fresh produce from the nearby farmers.

In summary, I didn't think anyone could make WalMart's grocery look good. For fresh stuff, buy local, it's worth the price, flavor and helps your local economy.

For canned goods, go cheap such as WalMart. For frozen, stay with the major brands (I prefer Purdue chicken. Tyson is the maker of chicken at many cafeteria and fast food places; cheap, poor quality and tasteless). People rave about Woodman's, but they're much farther away and the store is cavernous like a Costco. although they are the only ones to stock an excellent selection of Twining Tea.

Bill of Los Angeles, CA on Sept. 26, 2015

I have opened a package of Trader Joe's Organic Chicken to be pelted in the face with foul spoiled meat odors for the very last time. If this only happened once or twice, I wouldn't mention it but THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THEM. I do not allow groceries to linger in the car and my refrigerator works perfectly. Sometimes the chicken is bad a full week before the expiration date. Tonight I will go without dinner. I am going to stop buying chicken there. I don't want to get sick.

Stephanie of San Francisco, CA on Sept. 19, 2015

My fiance and I both also had food poisoning from the mushroom lasagna. In fact, I am only writing this review because I looked it up online and saw that another customer had the same problem.

E of San Mateo, CA on Sept. 14, 2015

I bought some sunflower nuts some time ago, expecting fresh ones. But when I tasted the nuts at home, I found it tasting expired, nasty and making me feeling nauseous. I brought it back and talked to the store manager. I suggested that the batch should be taken off the shelf. Well, I got my refund but the nuts were still on the shelf. Then later, I bought a bag of mix raw nuts, expecting fresh ones. You know what? The nuts taste expired, terrible and making me nauseous. From now on, I will never buy nuts from Trader Joe's and when I buy other items, I will need to check carefully. Trader Joe's reputation as the one that only sells fresh food is gone from my mind forever.

Melissa of Rock And Roll, CA on Sept. 13, 2015

I have been shopping at Trader Joe's for a very long time, even before it was bought out and was truly a local chain with no perishable items. Since they were purchased by Aldi, it seems like every single year, it gets worse. Even stuff that I never had a problem with before is becoming risky, to name a few:

1. Corn Flakes - I used to love these and they're really expensive elsewhere. However, the last boxes were stale and hard right out of the box.

2. Longboard Chips - Usually, a standby and go-to item, and the last time I got them a month or so ago, there was an unexpected surprise at the bottom of the bag --- a black mass of chips. Huh? What happened there?

3. Milk - It used to be okay. Now it seems it doesn't matter what kind you get, it all tastes bad.

4. Various varieties of Chicken Sausages - Again, used to be a go-to item for me. Now, it's always a risk. Sometimes okay, sometimes just smell really bad right out of the package. Heeby-jeeby time.

5. Turkey franks - see #4. Eek. Last time, they were so gross, I just tossed them straight into the garbage.

6. Bacon - I can't seem to find any that cooks up well and does not smell disgusting. I can buy bacon elsewhere. I really don't know what this is. I do notice that I've never seen bacon on the free sample plate. Hmm.

7. Frozen stuff - mostly terrible, save some of the desserts and untouched fruits and vegetables. Everything else is salty, tasteless and greasy. Quite a feat.

8. Macaroni and cheese - I just had this experience last night. I opened the box and the entire thing is covered in cheese (the envelope exploded, I guess), so guess who ordered pizza? Gross. Cómo es eso posible? Still don't know.

9. Generally, all of the box sizes have shrunk exponentially, while the prices continue to rise across the board, a dime at a time. What you can expect is, less for more. Something you get used to paying $3.59 is suddenly $3.69, then $3.79, then $3.99. You watch and you'll notice.

That said, I'll still buy basics there (butter, sugar, eggs, olive oil, spices, flour, etc.) since it's the cheapest in town.

Had the same experience with TJ's Parmesan & Roman Blend "sprinkle" cheese in the green canister. Made this beautiful dish and meal, popped it open and started shaking it over the "final creation." OMG: this weird stuff started coming out, looking kind of like old bread, and when you looked closer. GREEN. I peered inside the hole, chopped around, and it was a disgusting mess "in there." Needless to say, the entire meal I prepared was ruined due to this "stuff" with its microscopic poison all over everything else. So I put the entire thing in the food garbage. Painful to see it all go to waste, thanks to TJ's negligence, and especially considering how much money we spend there, but certainly not worth our health.

I returned it, along with all the others green canisters I had purchased -- well within the shelf life of the product. The manager told me they'd had a recall, and I got my money back but looking around on the internet, I only see one poster's comment here for August 2015 (also) regarding their poisoned cheese. I do not see any internet public information about this product being recalled. And, as I shopped some more, there it was, still on the shelves. I kind of wondered, how do they know that the rest of these canisters are ok?

On top of that, there is all the money we spent on other food products, because who normally checks inside these canisters before they sprinkle it on their food? Imagine if we had eaten this stuff or it had been served to children or elderly people. And I only recognized that it was weird because I've bought and used the product in the past. It didn't look *that* unusual as it was first sprinkling out over the dish I'd worked on preparing… and had paid for other ingredients.

I was not offered any other compensation in terms of products or groceries, and no one asked if anyone was ill as a result of what they put on the shelf. And we spend thousands on groceries at TJs every year. Although the dates were fine on this product, I've found that you also have to be careful with other Trader Joe's dates and products. For example, I've bought milk there within the deadline, but it has gone bad in advance of the final date. (Although I haven't made a trip across town to demand my money back.) But I do not buy their milk if it is close to the "due date." I otherwise like their milk better than other stores, but on some trips, I don't buy it at all, if it's due to expire within the week. I've had their milk do bad early more than two or three times, so I buy the milk only if the date is well in the future.

As far as their bread is concerned, I also like their bread better than other brands, but I've had it go bad very quickly, even in the refrigerator. So I check their dates carefully, and I always freeze their bread immediately, unless we're eating it that day. That's how often it's happened to me with their bread. I've seen tomatoes and zucchinis on their shelves with mold growing, and I've also had bad apples from their store, after paying these prices.

Plus, check the dates carefully on those so-called great deals you think you're getting on their vitamins and supplements. Sometimes you are paying for 1-3 months supply with an expiration date for that very month. I've noticed that some of their seafood products look like good deals, but they are manufactured in countries now known to be producing cheap seafood products with workers who are virtually slaves. So be careful what seafood products you buy from TJs and what countries the products are coming from.

To end on a positive note, I do like TJs and they have really nice people working there. But I think the company should have taken more responsibility on this cheese, and I should have received, at the very least, a gift card for a good amount of groceries or something more than *just* my money back for this poison they were shelving out. I also think there should be an easily accessible webpage informing people of recalls for their products. I was simply horrified at what this was, inside.

Oh, before I forget - once I purchased a can of seafood, that was poisoned with Botulism. It looked normal when I bought it. But when I went to get it out of my cupboard within that same month (and the date was fine), it had swelled out like a balloon. It was some kind of canned shellfish. Well, it was so obvious, I didn't hold them accountable for what I and my loved ones might have eaten. But this green canister stuff goes way too far.

Mitra of Indianapolis, IN on Aug. 4, 2015

I have had prior troubles with Trader's in the past but their unique selection & breadth of product has always kept me coming back. Years ago it was bad stuffed bell peppers in the frozen section and I was up all night vomiting & down for 3 days as a result. There have been other close calls and many returned items. Some of the more memorable recent ones: Bags of jasmine rice that the scent of fertilizer more than anything and in one of those bags a plastic bag zipper part (not from that bag) that cooked through & almost broke a tooth.

Tonight, I opened a brand new can of grated Parm/Romano (the green one that mimics another national brand) and sprinkled all over my plate. The first bite with just a little was enough. Upon looking inside the can & taking one whiff the entire can was orange-ish and smelled like blue cheese. It's becoming more and more difficult to trust them as even dry unrefrigerated goods are also risky. About to leave them even for pricier options. To fully disclose, purchased the can on 7/5/15 and it sat (unopened) in my pantry until tonight, 8/3/15. It is the type where you have to punch the plastic tab inward to open. The BB date on bottom of can reads 11/02/15.

susan of Seattle, WA on July 26, 2015

I routinely buy large quantities (dozens each) of goat cheese, yogurt by the qt, bacon, cauliflower, bananas, haricots vert, peppers, maple syrup, ground turkey, etc. from TJ. I also shop at Metro Market and Whole Foods. I find that every store has their share of sub-par product and every store has staff who put food from the floor back on the shelf, or crush groceries while packing, or are rude. Although TJ's food is usually older - and therefore closer to expiry date, in general, it's great. Especially the fruits and vegetables. Because I buy so much, I am well acquainted with the fact the food sometimes has odd objects in it, or is smelly, or goes bad too quickly, or whatever.

But, I don't find that TJ is more prone to it than anyone else. My chief gripe is that when I find something I love there, sooner or later it disappears - but it makes sense. To keep prices down, they have to negotiate deals and once something achieves national popularity, the makers don't need TJ anymore. I don't think you can depend on your store to make you a savvy shopper. Look at the food, sniff it, handle it with care. And take back anything that's bad, and let the manager know your concerns.

Chris of Paso Robles. CA on July 19, 2015

Why does most of the products Trader Joe's now carry have canola oil in it? I now shop elsewhere when I can and only get the basics at Trader Joe's. As far as I'm concerned canola oil is a very bad product and should be banned from consumption as was the case with margarine many years ago.

Trader Joe's 10 best products

Combined comments & shares on social media

Most people we know are very loyal when it comes to their market of choice, and one blogger is so dedicated that he has made it his mission to review every product at Trader Joe's. Nathan Rodgers, of the review site "What's Good at Trader Joe's," has reviewed 75 products in more than 60 blogs since August. He gave Editor Arthur Bovino of TheDailyMeal his top-five product picks in five categories. But we got to thinking that Trader Joe's has so much more to offer… so we threw our SheKnows Trader Joe's favorites too!

Here are Rodgers' top Trader Joe's products along with SheKnows' own Trader Joe's picks.

1. Trader Joe's Strawberry Kiwi Juice

In the category of beverages, Rodgers selects Trader Joe's Strawberry Kiwi Juice . saying it "lets the natural flavors of both the kiwi and the strawberry through. The taste is complex enough for an adult to enjoy, but it's sweet enough for a Kool-Aid-craving kid."

2. Trader Joe's Organic Rice Drink

As for our SheKnows pick, we can't get enough of the silky, creamy Trader Joe's Organic Rice Drink . It's unsweetened and unflavored, but the organic brown rice from which it's made gives it a naturally sweet taste. Delish.

3. Trader Joe's Peach and Blueberry Panna Cotta

Rodgers names Trader Joe's Peach and Blueberry Panna Cotta his top pick in the dessert category, saying: "Trader Joe's managed to mass-produce a frozen version of a classic Italian dessert that's served in five-star restaurants, and very little is lost in their adapted version."

4. Trader Joe's Dairy Free Mochi

We at SheKnows happen to love the Trader Joe's Dairy Free Mochi. This ice cream treat is not only dairy free, but soy free, too. Coconut milk makes this dairy free dessert as creamy and dreamy as the richest ice cream you can imagine.

5. Slurp it to the last sip

Rodgers has a hard time picking just one favorite in the sauces and soups category, saying: "Most of Trader Joe's sauces and soups do a good job of meeting or exceeding the quality of comparable products from other brands…" But he says that Trader Joe's Tomato Bisque' s "flavor and consistency… beats that of any tomato soup I've ever had, hands down."

6. Trader Joe's Chicken, Barley and Vegetable Soup

Good choice, Rodgers. We also find Trader Joe's Chicken, Barley and Vegetable Soup to be as satisfying as Mom's. It's like a warm and healthy hug from home. Ahhh.

7. Trader Joe's Peanut Brittle

In the snacks category, Rodgers chooses Trader Joe's Peanut Brittle as his fave. He says of this sweet treat: "Again, Trader Joe's not only met expectations by offering their own version of a product, but they gave us a natural peanut brittle at a reasonable price, with a texture and taste that's actually an improvement over other brands."

8. Trader Joe's Vanilla Meringue Cookies

It's hard to argue with Rodgers on this one, but we have to say… in addition to Trader Joe's Peanut Brittle, we just love the melt-in-your mouth Trader Joe's Vanilla Meringue Cookies . They are light as air, and we love that these treats are fat free, giving us a little guilt-free go-light to indulge.

9. Trader Ming's Mandarin Orange Chicken

Finally Rodgers names Trader Ming's Mandarin Orange Chicken his number 1 pick in the International Entrees category. Of this savory dish, he says: "Orange chicken is the quintessential Chinese dish. Trader Ming's version not only beats other frozen varieties, but it rivals what they serve in many sit-down Asian restaurants."

10. Trader Joe's Fully Cooked Carnitas

Speaking of International favorites, we love to take a little trip South of the Border with Trader Joe's Fully Cooked Carnitas. These slow-roasted carnitas could not be easier to prepare (hello microwave!) and simply scrumptious tucked inside Trader Joe's Whole Grain Tortillas . which are packed with 23 grams of whole grain and 4 grams of fiber.

Check out the complete list of rankings here .

What's your favorite Trader Joe's product? Leave your picks in the comments section below!

More Tader Joe's

Best Frozen Meals at Trader Joe’s

on February 27, 2014

A lot of us live very busy lives, and when things get crazy sometimes convenience foods really save the day. I just crawled out of the miserable cave known as the bar exam (it’s over now! I wouldn’t recommend trying it for fun), and during my last couple weeks of studying I could not find the time to meal plan and cook from scratch. We decided ahead of time that we would be stocking up on frozen food at Trader Joe’s to help us survive through those weeks. You regular readers out there know that I am a HUGE fan of Trader Joe’s, and have been since I was a wee child living in California where the goods of the Trader flow like honey. I even worked there as a crew member during law school! So as you can imagine, I’ve tried the vast majority of their products. I’m a particularly huge fan of their frozen entrées because 1)they are crazy cheap 2)they taste just as good (and sometimes better!) than homemade food 3)less sodium and cleaner ingredients than frozen meals from conventional grocery stores 4)there’s lots of variety and meatless options.

These are my top five frozen entrées (all meatless), in order of supreme tastiness!

#1- Fusilli with Vegetables & Basil Pesto

This was my go-to for my lunch break when I worked at TJ’s. This is just an incredibly well balanced and delicious entrée. The pasta comes out perfectly cooked when you microwave this, and there’s just enough pesto sauce to coat the pasta and the vegetables. Somehow it just tastes so FRESH and you really don’t feel like you’re eating a frozen food.

#2- Japanese Style Fried Rice

I CANNOT get enough of this one! It’s my favorite frozen rice in the store, and that’s mostly because it has such an awesome and unique Asian flavor. I don’t know if it’s the seaweed or some other seasoning or what, but the flavor is ON POINT. The rice has edamame, tofu, carrots, and seaweed in it which give really nice texture to the rice. There’s very little tofu in it (I think this rice is meant to be a side dish), so to make a meal out of this I marinate some firm tofu in Soyaki sauce (also from TJ’s) and brown it to have alongside the rice.

This is pretty much a staple for me and I am always amazed/almost confused at how perfectly the rice cooks in the microwave. Also, it’s vegan!

My guilty pleasure. This is a very popular item so many of you probably know about it already. This mac and cheese will send you to a heavenly place that you will not want to snap out of. It’s SO rich, creamy, and full of a flavorful mix of cheeses. And to be perfectly honest, it’s better than my homemade mac and cheese. Yes, I am admitting that. In the taste department this beats out almost every other mac and cheese I’ve had in my life. It’s certainly not the healthiest choice, but there is also a ‘reduced guilt’ version that has less calories and fat and is also really good. But sometimes you just gotta do as the kids say and treat yo’ self .

#4- Paneer Tikka Masala with Spinach Basmati Rice

This is one of the first frozen foods I remember buying at TJ’s. You really can’t go wrong with this one, and I think you’d be hard pressed to find a person who doesn’t like it. The spinach rice is the perfect base for the soft cubes of paneer that are swimming in a delightful savory indian sauce. Bear in mind though that the portion size is pretty small, more of a lunch size than a dinner one. Sometimes I go the extra mile and buy some of their frozen naan to go alongside this.

#5- Mushroom Ravioli with Mushroom Truffle Sauce

This is one that I didn’t try up until recently, but I’m so glad that I did. If you blindfolded someone and gave them a bowl of this, they would believe that it was a restaurant dish. Such great flavor! I’m tempted to serve it to company. I love the chunks of mushroom, and there’s just enough truffle oil in the sauce to enhance the flavor but not overpower you. It tastes classy. And I like that. Would be a perfect dinner with a nice green salad on the side and a glass of wine.

And that’s all folks! Would you like to see more of these posts? Like maybe best frozen vegan meals? Gluten-free? Meat meals? Or maybe even my list of their best desserts or best wines? Best deals in the store? The selection at TJ’s is huge and I know sometimes hearing reviews of products can be helpful in deciding what to buy. Let me know in the comments below, I’m happy to oblige!

P. S.- I’m just a regular Trader Joe’s fan like all of you! While I am a former employee, I am not affiliated with the company in any way nor do they have any idea who I am or that I’m writing this. I do not represent them in any way, but I DO represent my taste buds. K thanks. The lawyer in me had to include this.

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Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Weight Watchers Points Plus & Low Calorie Food Haul - Shopping List. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One! Sep 26, 2014 . Checkout these fantastic diet friendly foods I've found that are tasty uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself.

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Weight watcher friendly foods at trader joes

Oct 13, 2014 . A list of the best Weight Watchers friendly products at Trader Joe's. Jun 21, 2012 . They have tons of Weight Watchers friendly foods and healthy options. Here is a list of Weight Watchers Trader Joe's foods with points plus. Jan 28, 2013 . Ever since I went to Trader Joe's back in November, I've wanted to go back. couple lists of Trader Joe's popular items and their WW points plus values. I made out pretty well and can't wait to make many yummy meals with. Healthy food finds, Weight Watchers low point and power food finds, low-carb, clean eating . Trader Joe's . Kroger, Gelsons, target, Costco, Von's, Whole Foods . Oct 29, 2014 . Here's a running list - I'll also post this over in Grocery Thangs, too. 0% Fat Pumpkin Greek Yogurt - 1 container - 5pp 99% Fat Free Bean and. Favorite Trader Joe's products, food finds, recipes. Trader Joe's love. # weightwatchers #pointsplus #simplestart | See more about Trader Joe's . Shopping Lists. Weight Watcher Blog, Weightwatchers Points, Food Weight Watchers . … Top 10 Weight Watchers Power Foods - OrnaBakes #favfoodfinds #Costco # TraderJoes #. Weight Watchers Travel Snacks, Weight Watcher Friendly Snacks, Healthy. For light food ideas click here to check out my food blog, GreenLiteBites. I just tried Trader Joe's “Egg White Salad with Chives”, and it is sooooo good! Only 2 points for the. I dont have the money or time to be able to go to Weight watchers. Aug 8, 2014 . Trader's Joe's Mini Grocery Haul. Weight Watchers Points Plus & Low Calorie Food Haul - Shopping List. WW Friendly Dinner Idea for One! Sep 26, 2014 . Checkout these fantastic diet friendly foods I've found that are tasty uncovered and tried out — either in a Weight Watchers Recipe or by itself.

We recently posed this question to the community and received a multitude of replies from all directions. The general gist was that Whole Foods Market (WFM) has better quality food and that Trader Joe’s (TJ) has better prices. These are, of course, generalizations.

WFM has over 350 locations across the US, compared to just over 400 for TJ. Over half of Trader Joe’s stores are in California though. Both chains had about 12 Billion dollars in revenue last year. TJ’s is owned by Aldi, a German based global discount supermarket chain.

Ingredients Whole Foods publishes a list of unacceptable ingredients that is very much in line with the Fooducate’s philosophy. You won’t find foods with artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, or artificial dyes at WFM.

Trader Joe’s claims the following for all products under the “Trader Joe’s” brand name (which is a large percentage of food sold there): “The finest quality, natural ingredients.” NO artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, NO MSG, NO added Trans Fats.

GMOs All Trader Joe’s branded foods are non-GMO. The same is true for Whole Foods Market’s 365 brand. But both retailer still sell food with genetically modified ingredients. Last year, WFM announced that, by 2018, all products sold in its stores would need to be labeled for GMO content .

Organic When it comes to organic food, both TJ and WFM have a large selection of items. WFM has a larger selection of organic produce, but sometimes the prices do seem extremely high.

Prices At Whole Foods Market, items are typically priced higher than similar products at Trader Joe’s. Here is a comparison from earlier this year.

Conclusión Esperemos que la información anterior le proporciona más munición para tomar una decisión. There are of course other options. On one end, you have farmers markets, their produce has a much better taste than anything that has been sitting on a shelf, even at Whole Foods Market. Way on the other end of the size spectrum, did you know that Walmart is the biggest organic player in the US today? With the predictable low prices.

Slight correction to the ownership of Trader Joe’s. There are two different Aldi companies, Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd, both of which are owned by different branches of the Albrecht family. The company split in two back in 1960 over the sale of cigarettes in their stores and split along geographic lines within Germany. Aldi Nord (Via the Theo Albrecht family trust) owns Trader Joe’s while Aldi Süd has presence in the US under the Aldi name (They have over 1300 stores in the US.).

Thanks, Steven. These details always helps us to remain reassured.

Trader Joes is being sued in a class action suit for lying about some contents of their organics, the fact that they weren’t, also included is that they claim there’s no gmos in their private label items but offer no proof or third party verification to back it up.

Felita Viruet Delikat

So is wfm for 365 brand sugar content in Greek yogurt says 4 g really 12 g sugar

How am I supposed to know? Call whole foods and ask corp. oficina

Felita Viruet Delikat

It was on news I replied to your post saying So is wholefoods Not a Asking you

GMO is not a bad thing. When will you people stop spreading misinformation. 25% of the world is starving! Look at the science.

I think YOU need to look at the science, open your eyes and mind and do the research, GMO doesn’t address hunger or starvation, that’s the biotech political machine at work, they created an “iron clad” excuse/lie that people believe, it’s just about money, just to let you know GMO crops are banned in 63 other countries except us and Canada, the GMO crops and food doesn’t go to the poop and needy, it goes into cheap animal feed and processed food, right to your plate! It’s feeding America. Thus one of the main components in our 20-year long health crisis! Do the research before blindly posting nonsense, you make the rest of us look bad.

GMOs are still not a bad thing. That the system that predominantly uses them isn’t that great, doesn’t mean GMOs are bad.

Based on what? Provide facts, please.

Whole Foods Market here! At the end of the day…. Buyer beware, anyone can take your money, but only a few will give you an equal exchange for it!

I don’t think they noticed you! Jajaja I appreciate that u are listening to us! That’s awesome….we are getting a new wjm I’m looking forward to it BC I don’t live in sunny ca. With a lemon tree in my yard. I’m jealous. I live in cold Dayton Ohio?

I’m not from whole foods market, I was just saying “whole foods market here” as in that’s where I shop because everybody was saying they shop at Trader Joe’s, I’m not an employee of whole foods market, I’m just like the rest of you, a commenter.

Target has a pretty good selection of organics as well. I used to shop there quite a bit in college. Not too bad of prices. - And Amazon has organics too; although they don’t have fresh produce, it is a good resource for your processed food needs. Because, let’s face it, most families do need mac & cheese on hand for those occasional nights you don’t want to cook… and it is slightly better than fast food (depending on where you go & what you order of course). Also, I was excited to find white tea on Amazon, since I can’t find it anywhere local

I recommend Harney and Sons’ websitr for teas. It is a bit pricey, but they are very good.

Target is a part of the GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association) that donated against consumers’ right to GMO labels on food products. I don’t know about you, but I will not be giving my money to some scumwanker who doesn’t want me to know what the fuck it is I am eating. Download the Buycott app (if you have a smartphone) to start boycotting assholes who don’t want you to know what you are eating.

I live too far from either of these companies. And The Fresh Market is too expensive and not much is organic at those prices. The farmers market is full of BigAg produce not any local farmers….So I have a garden :0)

1. Grow your own organic food 2. Buy organic from local, trusted sources 3. Buy organic from food stores 4. Buy non-GMO always 5. Buy anti-biotic and hormone-free natural products.

QUÉ? Your local farmers market carries BigAg toxic produce? What state are you living in? That’s unfortunate. Here in Portland Oregon we are blessed with the highest quality produce at our markets. No GMOs allowed and no big guys.

“Organic” Every living thing on this planet is “Organic.” “Organic Spinach” is not better than conventionally grown Spinach! They’re both the same.

The word “Organic” was hijacked by the USDA. Don’t fall for the B. S. Don’t be a tool! Look at the Science.

No one said spinach is not organic, the reason it isn’t organic is because it contains chemical pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, which are not found in nature. Which aren’t as bad as most people think but you will be healthier if you avoid them, and they are bad for the environment…. and there’s many things on this earth that is organic and i’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want in unsafe doses in your food like mercury, lead, arsenic…

Whether or not it contains “chemical pesticides” is irrelevant … Spinach is ORGANIC. It’s living / was alive therefore it is ORGANIC.

The word “Organic” was patented by the USDA.

Also, many “organic pesticides” are more dangerous than conventional pesticides. Anthrax is organic and all natural … you want to put that on your Spinach salad?

The entire Organic industry is a joke and for fools. A sucker is born every minute.

The cost of using so many unnatural chemicals has consequences, long term effects to the soil for example and crops dependent upon chemicals to produce and sprayed for weeds. Yes, I would prefer wasps as a natural pesticide to having crops dusted with chemicals to be considered organic. The US wastes tons of food (and not just by throwing it away, but by eating what we don’t need). Corn is not a natural food for cows to eat, but it’s cheap. Still can’t get away from chemicals because they’re in our water, but most of us would prefer less. Call it organic or call it more natural. It’s a word, and you, CosmoApe, seem to be arguing rhetoric, which misses the entire point.

But that said, yes I agree. There is a sucker born every minute.

I would love a Trader Joe’s closer to West Michigan area. & # 8230; Say Grand Rapids, Grandville, Holland.

Obamacare means people like me, who had no hope of affordable insurance, can now go to the doctor when I’m sick.

Melinda Carragher Vickrey

As to the comment about affordable insurance: I had affordable health insurance. It was $182/month. I lost my insurance thanks to Oamacare, and the “new” cost for my insurance is MORE THAN DOUBLE what I was paying before my policy was cancelled. (Even though I was “promised” that “if I like ny insurance, then I can keep my insurance ” over 30 times by the POTUS.) Every family I know is paying more than double for their healthcare. Struggling families! So I’m glad you have health insurance, because as a single, self-employed mother of a chronically ill child, I AM NOW NOT INSURED. WFM’s CEO’s position is totally justifiable when you realize that most American families are now worse off. I believe in healthcare reform, but Obamacare “ain’t it,” As to shopping: I shop only organics at both WFM and Trader Joe’s in an attempt to provide a long-term sick child with healthful nutrition. WFM is expensive, but in dealing with a chronic, life-threatning illness there’s no other option.

Melinda, im sorry your insurance increased. It did for many as the system is far from perfect. I am also a single mom, self-employed, my child is chronically ill, and I am cancer survivor with many left over side effects from radiation, chemo and surgery. For 5 years I had to guess if my cancer had returned or if my childs illness was worse because in living california rents are crazy high so it was rent and food or health insurance. Because of Obamacare I finally have my cancer screen after 5 years and my daughter is finally getting treatment for her illness and that may save her fertility so she may have kids of her own one day. So not perfect for all….a life saver for some and there are definitely other options than “whole paycheck” I too eat only organic non-gmo but I break up my grocery shopping between costco, grocery outlet, and farmers markets and I save a TON over “whole paycheck”. Shopping there is more convenient and time saving but if you don’t have the money for insurance then perhaps you need to be more clever with your grocery bill than shopping at WFM exclusively

You know, even if I did save money on groceries, it still wouldn’t be enough to cover my health insurance costs. It would be over $1,000/ month to insure my family of four and that’s with a large deductible that would typically not be met in one year.

Your circumstances, finances or county requirements may differ from mine because my share of cost medi-cal was not possible before Obamacare. It changed the financial requirements and made it possible for me. Although I do know people who are having a hard time with the raise in costs. As I said the system is far from perfect. My point of the post was there are other ways to eat organic, non-gmo, grass fed ect without paying the pumped up prices at WF. At WF your basically paying for the convenience of not having to shop for better prices

You sound like a government shill, spouting Obamacare propaganda. “The system is far from perfect.” You don’t work for the government? Really, with those kinds of lines. Obamacare has royally F***ED this beautiful nation’s citizens. Please take your $10,000 govt. stapler, and staple your hand to your face. Por favor.

Im far from a govt employee DUDE …I have very little trust in our government. Its corrupt from mr pres himself right down to your trigger happy street cops. I simply stated that I was one who able to get medical help. I also stated that I had friends who where on the flip side of that coin. Never did I say I loved or agreed with obamacare, just stated my experience as a cancer survivor with a chronically ill child. Please promptly take your medication as you seem to be having severe reactions to small situations…Please.

I agree with everything Queen B says and I do not work for the government either. Dude you sound awful bitter. Be happy for those of us it has helped. Queen B you sound like a remarkable women. God Bless you and your child. Dude you need to relax.

QueenB, contact me too. I may have something to help you and Melinda re chronic illness. felybayona@yahoo. com. I’ll provide the information, then you decide what to do.

I am reaching 76 years old. Have been to a doctor only to have children. Eat organic foods. Trust in Jesus for healing g. I am test proven. Melinda

Obamacare is just a way to make the working class pay for everything. I was quoted 500 dollars a month for obamacare. how is that affordable..just another joke to give the government more power over it’s people and put more money in the bank for obamas wife’s vacations

Republi-con or Demo-con: It’s all the same con in the District of Corruption. I’m an equal opportunity hater.

That may be true for you (it’s not for everyone) and that’s great! however to force people to buy into something in a free market economy means, well, it’s no longer free at all.

If you thought you ever lived in a free market economy you have fallen for the biggest lie of all and the corporations that own this country are laughing all the way to the bank.

What happened to your hope? Who took it from you? Are your paralyzed, blind, disabled in some way?

Lisa - unfortunately, for every success story with Obama care, there are many, many more who are now completely forced out of affordable healthcare. It is not a solution for most Americans. We do need a solution, but NOT Obamacare. Please don’t give up on the rest of us because it worked for you. Now the middle class will be forced to be uninsured because of the high premiums while it pays a fine for doing so and also pays for your insurance!

I have health insurance through my employer and pay $450/month which is a huge part of my check. So I don’t feel bad you have to pay 500 for obamacare. At least you have insurance and thank all of ththose who don’t and force us to pick up the tab. De nada.

You’re an ignorant idiot

Whole Foods is correct in their stance on obamacare. Obamacare is one of the biggest frauds put upon the people of this country. While it may seem like a good thing for the ignorant masses, those that understand this train wreck know what will eventually happen. It has already started to happen. Prices are going up and insurance is being canceled. It is the businesses that support this “affordable healthcare” that should be boycotted!

Our Sprouts has a surprisingly small organic produce section, but great in other departments and I like the prices. The best part is that, at least in our area (CA, Bay Area), they also sell raw milk. My only problem with Sprouts is that they also seem to have no policy on GMO’s and also carry foods that do have artificial colorings/food dyes and probably chemical preservatives, as well. So, when I do go, I still have to read labels, whereas, at least with regard to the chemical dyes, I can relax.

Their policy is to make healthy food affordable, so they do include conventional products, when an affordable healthier or more natural product is not available. This helps them keep the prices lower on the “good stuff.” They never claimed to be a Whole Foods copy, but I do love their selection.

I like Sprout’s too. They have fabulous meats and a good selection of products, and often, some awesome sales! My husband works for them, but I shopped there way before I met him, and well before they opened a Sprout’s in my town. TJ’s is an hour and 20 minutes away by car for us, so we go once a month and generally buy some staples, like frozen entrees (good stuff for less than $2.50 for days we are running late), some times coffee, and often snacks, as well.

I don’t care for WF, because I don’t particularly care for how often I have read their name in the news for doing something crummy, like firing an employee because they couldn’t leave their kids at home alone on a snow day, type stuff. I am sorry, it’s a freaking grocery store, no there could have really died with out her, but her kids could have.

that would be the individual store’s managers that are pulling the stunt, not the whole foods company itself, blame the person, not the group, if applicable.

I love trader joes. The are the best by far!!

The walmart sentence at the end throws me for a loop. If you are going to throw a statement in like that a little more detail would help make this statement more understandable. I loathe Walmart and find them to have aisles and aisles of processed, chemical laden crap. The produce is god awful and not that I shop there but I didn’t know they had anything organic. If they are one of the biggest players, I’d say it’s because they’re like a grocery hooker trying to be on every street corner in every town. When you have hundreds of thousands of stores you can put very little organics into each store but cummatively it’s adds up to be a lot of product. It would have to be the last store on the planet for me to shop there, especially for produce. Yuck, big business, money hungry, corporate government aid succubus, low wage paying, killer of local businesses is the only way I see that store! Boycott Walmart.

Coleen Gosnell Wheeler

Amén. I wholeheartedly agree with you!

This is something I’ve known for 10yrs. ….I got the benefits of both on lock…..make a weekly trip to both to cover all of clean eating needs…

I always shop at walmart for the pharmacy and they do not have ANY organic produce. The produce they do have is horrible and worse than supermarket quality. TJs has a wonderful selection of fresh fruit at the Princeton, NJ location and is my preferred market for produce if im in the area. If not i just go to shoprite and their produce is just fine. Whole foods ive found is just too expensive but the quality of their produce just cant be matched. We are on a budget since im out of work and pregnant so TJs and shoprite will have to do until i go back to work. I do still buy some items from whole foods but i have to be very careful what i put in my cart bc i will walk out of there having spent $100 easy on pretty much nothing… Also why didnt anyone mention Wegmans? They have a huge organic section but are even more over priced than Whole foods which is hard to beat!

I always shop at walmart for the pharmacy and they do not have ANY organic produce. The produce they do have is horrible and worse than supermarket quality. TJs has a wonderful selection of fresh fruit at the Princeton, NJ location and is my preferred market for produce if im in the area. If not i just go to shoprite and their produce is just fine. Whole foods ive found is just too expensive but the quality of their produce just cant be matched. We are on a budget since im out of work and pregnant so TJs and shoprite will have to do until i go back to work. I do still buy some items from whole foods but i have to be very careful what i put in my cart bc i will walk out of there having spent $100 easy on pretty much nothing… Also why didnt anyone mention Wegmans? They have a huge organic section but are even more over priced than Whole foods which is hard to beat!

Marcos A Salazar

Hmmm so it’s up to us to chose the best organic store, in my opinion it depends how much money you have for spending on food. But since I’m low class Trader Joe’s meets me needs more then half the time. Oh Sunfoods is awesome too, they have a lot of exotic products.

So wish there was more emphasis on people taking responsibility to grow their own and not pick on suppliers who don’t share the exact same ideal. Just because, there is such a power and fulfillment in sourcing, planting, tending and harvesting even the smallest of vegetables etc in comparison to driving into town to wage the “who sells the best, freshest, most ethically etc grown” whatever…and talk about a great way to get veggie hating kids to eat veggies that they’ve grown! Not to mention being at the mercy of whatever crisis may happen to keep healthy food attainable consistently. It’s just an amazing thing folks. I don’t have any of those stores in my town, but grew up in Phoenix with Tjs, that was 15 years ago. They were a pioneer in that arena back then. But mom says whole foods is awesome too. So…to each his own…for me…iit’s my garden

Coleen Gosnell Wheeler

Some of us live in apartments or otherwise cannot grow our own. I grow herbs and get my produce at a CSA during the summer, but I don’t have land I can plant. I wish I did.

Walmart is well known for exploiting it’s workers and much more. I don’t shop there based on moral grounds

Judy, when they organize company’s the union bosses get a lot of the money they are forced to pay and the unions give it to the democratic party? What if you’re a republican.

Uhm, Walmart has been sued numerous times for exploiting and excluding handicapped workers from their labor force! They also exploit all of their labor by failing to provide enough hours to their employees to actually afford to live without welfare. Where do you get your news, Walmart employee newsletters? Do some research in actual news journals!

EEOC v. Wal-Mart Case No. 2:11-CV-00834 (Dist. New Mexico, 2012) settled for $50,000 and agreed to conduct annual live management training on the ADA at its Carlsbad, New Mexico store. Wal-Mart fired a part-time store clerk, a twenty-two year employee with cerebral palsy, rather than allow her, after return from a medical leave, a temporary accommodation of periodic breaks off her feet. The manager instead required a medical release with no restrictions.

EEOC v. Wal-Mart Stores East, LP, Civil Action No. 1:14-cv-00862-JKB. Wal-Mart’s Cockeysville, Maryland store refused an applicant with end-stage renal disease an alternative means for providing a urine sample for a drug test, and then denied the applicant employment. Brown v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. CASE NO. 5:09-CV-03339 EJD. A federal judge certified a class of over 20,000 Wal-Mart workers alleging violated the ADA and California Industrial Welfare Wage Order 7 violations when Wal-Mart refused to provide suitable seating for cashiers requesting it. Fines for violation of the California statute are $100 per day per person first violations and $200 per person fines for subsequent violations. Wal-Mart appealed the class-certification to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and proceedings have been stayed (i. e. “frozen”) pending the appeal.

EEOC v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Civil Action No. 14-cv-50145. Wal-Mart’s Rockford, Illinois store rescinded an accommodation it had previously provided an intellectually disabled employee of 18 years, of giving him written assignments. Wal-Mart then disciplined and ultimately fired him for unsatisfactory performance. A similar case, involving a janitor at Wal-Mart’s Eugene, Oregon store settled for $50,000 late last year.

The U. S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Huber v. Wal-Mart Case No. 07-480, to decide whether an employer must provide a disabled employee an equivalent job, giving preference to other qualified candidates as an accommodation under the ADA once s/he is no longer able to perform his or her own job. The parties entered into a confidential settlement before the Court heard the case. (The circuit courts of appeals remain split on this issue.)

EEOC v. Wal-Mart No. 2:10-cv-00222, settled for $275,000 in December 2012. A forklift operator at one of Wal-Mart’s distribution centers in eastern Tennessee after cancer surgery could not do manual lifting. Although in practice his job did not require manual lifting, and he had successfully performed his essential job functions for three years after the surgery, Wal-Mart placed him on unpaid leave. Two months after the employee filed an EEOC charge, Wal-Mart fired him, giving rise to both a disability discrimination and retaliation claim. Wal-Mart also agreed to train its store managers on disability accommodation and prevention of retaliation.

Brady v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. No. 06-5486-cv (2d Cir. July 2, 2008). The second circuit affirmed a multimillion dollar verdict for an employee in the pharmacy department of Wal-Mart’s Centerreach, N. Y. store Mr. Brady had cerebral palsy. Although Mr. Brady did not request accommodations, obvious speech, visual and walking impediments put Wal-Mart on notice of disabilities for which it should have provided reasonable accommodations. Also, in the hiring stage, Wal-Mart asked questions about his disability, his medications and his medical history and was subjected to a hostile work environment after he was hired, again showing that Wal-Mart knew he was disabled. He quit shortly thereafter. Wal-Mart’s actions also violated a 2001 nationwide consent order, which required providing sensitivity training to employees and excluding questions about an applicant’s ability to perform jobs without reasonable accommodations.

I don’t shop at Amazon for the exact same reason. In fact Amazon has hired old Walmart executives. I feel they are one of the worst companies.

Whole Foods is the biggest rip off ever IMHO. And health care trolls aside, the CEO’s comments on that subject confirm my instinct to stay very far away.

Wal-Mart is only the largest seller of organic produce because of their sheer size. This should have been recognized.

The Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are a block away from each other in my town, I work on an organic farm so I rarely buy produce besides fruits that don’t grow in New England, I probably buy 90% from Whole Foods just because the employees there are so friendly and always offer their suggestions and free samples. I still go to TJ for their Chipotle Salsa and beer and wine selection though!

I have both stores available to me, but I refuse to shop at Whole Foods…the persona of the store is one of snobbery, I feel as if I must dress up to shop there(and the feeling seems to be spread through most of the store). Trader Joe’s is fun and friendly…and I do have a garden which supplements in the summer–I always know where THAT food has been!

I shop Trader Joe’s regularly and always observe the ingredients and can *definitively* say that they indeed DO have MSG in many of their products. It just goes masquerading by other names on the ingredients list (modified corn starch, etc http://www. truthinlabeling. org/hiddensources. html ). Maddening as it makes many items forbidden – unless you don’t mind destroying your Brain and nervous system.

WFM is the “Emperor’s New Clothes” people shop their because its a status symbol. You can get all of the foods you need a TJs and as anyone been in Costco lately, they carry new brands everyday that are organic, nonGmo and heathy produce that is organic and fresh for a good price. My son in college is Vegan and he finding other stores to shop at other then WFM. $200 hundred dollars for a couple bags of groceries is not OK and WFM knows exactly what they are doing! Marketing with a Capital M!

sorry to see the post getting so side tracked by Obama care…to those of you on both sides…the sad truth is the no matter which side you are on, the insurance companies wins big…(sorta like lawyers)…the system was less than perfect the old way and still less than perfect the new way…to think otherwise is just buying into your own political party or not so educated way of viewing the world. I now have insurance, which I would have been denied because of pre-existing conditions. Is it cheap - no…and it wasn’t cheap when I used to be on my husbands plan before he retired. Get smart and get real on both the health food issues and the insurance issues. If you think big business is looking after your best interest…sad. Big business agriculture and big business health insurance are not looking to do you any favors. That is why it is your job to not error on the side of “big anything” and do your homework and demand better from all companies. Your dollars really do talk. Companies make claims about their food that are incorrect. I am always thankful for the folks who do research on the facts to help keep us informed.

The produce at farmer’s markets may be freshest, but that does not make them organic. I’m surprised that was not mentioned.

Both are fine if you are shopping for gluten free or organic, but if you have other allergies both are bad. I have an allergy to corn and everything has some sort of corn product. Like soy yogurt has cornstarch but stonyfield farm soy yogurt does not, and I have to go out of my way to get it. Neither store carries daiya soy cheeses, van’s gluten free waffles has pear juice (allergic to pears). Rice dream makes many kinds of frozen “ice cream” desserts. Only can get vanilla at another store. You do not have enough dairy free products at either store.

Are they healthy, yes, gluten free, yes but if you have other allergies, bad….try to find yeast free products. Only one bread…brown rice by Ener G….can’t find at either store…nice stores but….

The other major issue to consider is how these companies treat their employees. Trader Joe’s pays more than a fair wage and they are not out fighting against insurance for everyone, fair wages, and other employee rights issues.

The CEO of Whole Foods and their management have been in an out of the media for statements against employee rights and the ill treatment of employees.

So, at Whole Foods it is okay to sell Fair Trade products, but not mirror that sentiment with your own labor forces? For me, it’s TJ’s all the way, and I supplement my shopping with smaller, more affordable stores such as Sprout’s and Natural Grocer. I can read labels and I don’t need to pay the luxury fees of WF to know which products to avoid.

The other major issue to consider is how these companies treat their employees. Trader Joe’s pays more than a fair wage and they are not out fighting against insurance for everyone, fair wages, and other employee rights issues.

The CEO of Whole Foods and their management have been in an out of the media for statements against employee rights and the ill treatment of employees.

So, at Whole Foods it is okay to sell Fair Trade products, but not mirror that sentiment with your own labor forces? For me, it’s TJ’s all the way, and I supplement my shopping with smaller, more affordable stores such as Sprout’s and Natural Grocer. I can read labels and I don’t need to pay the luxury fees of WF to know which products to avoid.

Mom’s Organic Market is hands down, without a doubt, the best food store found on the east coast – dare I say, the continental US. I’d like to see a comparison of Mom’s Organic Market to the others.

Submitted by erin on Thu, 2011-06-16 21:00

I enjoy a monster size salad for dinner each night. As our media expert commented, it's more like a casserole--layers of veggies, protein, and greens. My 3 to 4 pound garden wouldn't come together without awesome dressings. And because my salad "flavors" vary, I require dressing variety.

Unfortunately most dressings are either calorie and sodium bombs or just don't taste good. I've discovered 7 that are excellent in taste and are super sensible in nutrition. I thought I'd share the salad dressing knowledge wealth!

Taste is paramount. And there is NO reason why a wonderfully flavorful dressing can't also be sensible. All 7 dressings have under 70 calories per 2 Tablespoons and less than 210mg sodium (9% DV). Four of the dressings are dairy-free!

NOTE . Yes, many of the dressings are from Trader Joe's. It just works out that way. We also shop at Henry's, Whole Foods, Vons, Albertsons. So we have tasted dressings from many stores. Also, we ALWAYS use red wine vinegar on our salads (or a mix of red wine and balsamic). We use a sprayer. The vinegar adds moisture, tangy flavor and freshness. It also means you need less dressing.

This is my dressing "workhorse". I pretty much use it on every salad I create. Mixed with a tangy mustard, you can create the perfect dip for artichokes and other veggies.

In terms of flavor, it is NOT a typical ranch dressing. In fact, until I tasted this dressing, I didn't like ANY ranch dressings.

Nutrition: 2 T = 30 cal, 2 g sugar, 130mg sodium.

Walden Farms makes a number of No calorie dressings. We also tried the honey mustard and didn't like it at all. We were surprised we liked this one! It's tangy versus sweet. It pairs well with any of the other dressings.

We have only found the dressing at Henry's Markets. But check the website.

Salad idea: spinach, bacon bits, sliced almonds, strawberries (or dried cranberries), red pepper and/or red onion, and this dressing along with the TJs Parmesan Ranch

We're not sure how it can be Zero Calorie. but that's the billing. It does have 190 mg sodium for a 2 T serving.

Dairy Free

The cilantro flavor is not overpowering. This dressing is on the sweeter side so it nicely balances the vinegar in your salad or the above two dressings.

Salad idea: Mexican. Salad greens, steamed/nuked broccoli with corn salsa, feta, healthy jalapeno flavored sausage or another protein, chopped carrot, red pepper, red onion and another hearty veggie such as zucchini.

Bonus salad idea: Curry. Sí. Sounds odd, but it really works. TJs sells a curry sauce and we'll often warm our broccoli with this sauce and then use the Cilantro dressing for the greens. Try roasted curried cauliflower too.

Nutrition: 2 T = 45 calories, 1 g sugar, 120 mg sodium

Forget any other mustard flavored dressing and try this one. It is an absolute team favorite. We also use it as a dip for shumai and other Asian eats and we drizzle on our crab cakes. It pairs very well with seafood.

Whole Foods sells this dressing and it's one of our 5 products that we can ONLY get at Whole Foods. We don't mind. It's that good. Galeos makes a few other dressings. We've tried others and have not liked them. It's more expensive than the other dressings -- $5

Nutrition: 2T 40 calories, 1 g sugar, 170 mg sodium

Dairy Free

This is by far the sweetest of the dressings we recommend. It is also (along with the Miso Dijonnaise above) good on its own. The sweetness is flavorful. The dressing does have gorgonzola mixed in which adds a savory balance. For those who eschew the stinky cheese, you don't really taste it.

This dressing pairs really well with almonds, fruit and crisp veggies. We often use this dressing as the last "topper" to our salad casserole.

Nutrition: 2T 45 calories, 4 g sugar, 200 mg sodium

This is AMAZING. As you likely know, peanut sauces are typically calorie BOMBS. Not this one; and it is BETTER than the peanut sauces we've tried. Use it as a dip or to create an Asian flavored salad. We'll also use it in stir-fries. We have yet to find another Asian flavored dressing that comes close to this one.

Salad Idea: Asian! Greens, rice vinegar, tempeh or tofu, warmed broccoli topped with Asian style spice, sesame seeds, seaweed, red pepper, red onion. We also will add another previously roasted vegetable and of course this dressing. Like to mix? Use the Parmesan Ranch too. I know it sounds strange, but it works!

Nutrition: 2T 70 calories, 7 g sugar, 210 mg sodium. This is our least healthy dressing. You don't need much.

Dairy Free

Okay, technically not a "dressing" it can be used as a salad topper. We often thin our store-bought BBQ sauces with apple cider vinegar. When we nuke our broccoli, we top it with the sauce for extra flavor. YUM.

We like the "sassy" flavor. It has some nice spice and isn't too sweet--more tangy. We purchased ours at Whole Foods.

There are a number of "fake proteins" with BBQ flavor, so this dressing/sauce is a nice add-on. It pairs really well with the Parmesan Ranch Dressing, the Champagne Pear Vinaigrette and the Thousand Island dressing. You can create a BBQ salad meal.

Nutrition: 2 T 35 calories, 8 g sugar, 150 mg sodium.

Dairy Free

Okay, that's it! If you have a dressing that you think deserves to be on the list, let us know and we'll check it out. It must be under 70 calories for 2 T and under 170 mg sodium.

Don't forget that a big part of making an entree salad is the vinegar and a BIG bowl.

Pantry Pick-Up: My Trader Joe’s Shopping List

by Susan on October 21, 2011

Today’s post is based on a long-standing request from one of my dad friends. He follows the site, and with refreshing honesty lets me know he’s much more about being told what to buy than what to cook! He makes an interesting point, as my objective is two-fold: to encourage healthy family eating by both providing good recipes food prep ideas, but also how to figure out the best choices to bring into your kitchen in the first place.

Those of you without a Trader Joe’s handy, please forgive being left out! We are lucky enough to live in decent proximity of more than one of their stores, as I have been for my whole adult life on the east coast. I would hate to go without, as it truly is not only a fun place to shop, but a good one to score great deals on healthy food. I obviously do not have one Trader Joe’s shopping list that’s carved in stone. As mentioned before. I used my MealBoard app to plan menus and compile my shopping list; what makes the cut is what I need for the week’s menu, along with kids’ school lunches and a few fun snacks here and there.

I conveniently cut off the part of the receipt containing the chocolate

My aim here, then, is to pimp the products that are my Trader Joe’s must-haves, based on their value and ingredients.

Trader Joe’s has amazing prices on some healthy pantry staples. You can sometimes find similar deals when Whole Foods or other specialty stores run weekly specials; ironically, I find it *very* difficult to beat the pricing at any mass-market stores like Target and Stop & Shop. In general you can be guaranteed great pricing on raw nuts, frozen seafood, frozen fruit, pastas, raisins and other dried fruits, canned beans, nut butters, basic condiments like organic ketchup and mustard, boxed cereals, eggs, canned tomato products, cheeses and dairy and non-dairy milk products.

If the above list is a little too broad, here’s a more exact summary of some of our family’s most beloved TJ’s products:

TJ’s house label Greek yogurt … available in a vanilla and plain, and with varying fat content. Much cheaper than Fage or Chobani but just as creamy and good.

House label brown rice pasta (available in penne, spaghetti & fusilli)… organic and cheaper than anywhere else, cooks well without getting mushy.

Ezekiel bread … again, cheapest price by far I’ve found… sprouted grain bread that is easier to digest, flourless (though not gluten-free) and low-glycemic.

Bags of organic D’anjou pears & Granny Smith apples … cheaper to buy in bulk, plus they are smaller in size so perfect for kids’ lunches and snacks.

Pumpkin pie spice … I stock up when it’s available in the fall, as frankly I’m too lazy to mix up my own for seasonal baking!

Kerrygold Irish butter … grass-fed butter is the way to go! Cheaper price than anywhere else I’ve ever seen.

& # 8230; made from raw milk & cows not treated with rBST hormones. Easier on my stomach that doesn’t do well with dairy and amazing strong flavor!

House label unsweetened vanilla almond milk … a must-have for cereal, coffee and baking.

Organic sprouted extra firm tofu … great price on a soy product you can feel good about eating!

Applegate Naturals uncured turkey bologna … the only sandwich meat I feed my kids, which is nitrite-free, humanely raised and contains no antibiotics

Organic canned pumpkin … another seasonal must-have. Organic makes a difference! Upon a can of this & a can of Libby’s and look at which looks more natural and appealing.

House label Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips … these taste like healthier Doritos! Kids love them.

Fresh pomegranate seeds … these are still a bit pricey at $4.99/package, but a wonderful, healthy add-in to salads and quinoa.

House label Green Plant Green Food Beverage … I’m not a big fan of buying juice, but I love that this one is 100% juice and has lots of good stuff like wheatgrass and spirulina in it. I can also make smoothies with it and sneak ANYTHING in as the stuff is a little bit swamp-like in consistency

Now that I’ve shared some of our household faves, I’ll balance it out with one caveat. It’s tempting to believe that everything in Trader Joe’s is healthy, and they certainly do a great job with their fun packaging and tempting flavors. Don’t be fooled into thinking, though, that a Joe Joe (their house label sandwich cookie) is any less a treat than a standard Oreo. Sure, it’s free from all the scary preservatives, trans fats, etc. but it’s still a cookie!

The good news, though, is that anything that bears the store’s own name is guaranteed to have no GMOs, MSG, added trans fats, or artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Trader Joes pledges this on their company website. They also have a great guide on the website that designates which of their products are gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, fat-free, kosher and low in sodium. It makes a nifty resource and saves a little effort in the label-reading department.

Finally, I wanted to share that I’m not the only obsessive Trader Joe’s shopper. The Trader Joes Fan website is not affiliated with the company, but rather run by enthusiasts who like to swap recipes, reviews and advice about TJ’s goods. I also stumbled upon the fun What’s Good at Trader Joe’s blog, whose author Nathan gives very thorough and fun-to-read reviews about all of the various things he and his wife have sampled from the store.

Seven things that make Trader Joe’s different

The specialty grocery store is 12,000 square feet, plus an adjacent 2,200-square-foot wine shop. Each store will be open from 8 a. m. to 9 p. m. each day, except Sundays, when the wine shop will open at 1 p. m.

To commemorate the official opening, store general manager Brian Hunter. regional vice president Rich Millis. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and the store’s crew are scheduled to have a ceremonial lei cutting Friday at 8 a. m. to welcome new customers.

In anticipation of the opening, Business First has put together a list of seven things that makes the California-based chain’s Louisville store unusual.

1. National chain with local flair

“We wanted to do something local” for the Shelbyville Road location, Hunter said. So the national grocery chain has created a store that feels more like a neighborhood shop, even though the only locally produced items in the store are Bluegrass Brewing Co. beers and Kentucky Orchard wines.

Several large murals painted by Trader Joe’s artists fill the walls, each featuring a different Louisville neighborhood — such as Old Louisville or the Highlands — or landmark, such as the Belle of Louisville, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory and the Louisville skyline.

The posts of the checkout counter are made with Louisville Slugger bats, which have been engraved with the Trader Joe’s name and date of the opening. Former bourbon barrels from Kentucky sit atop the produce shelves.

2. No sales, coupons

Unlike many grocery stores, which promote double coupon days and sales on everyday items, Trader Joe’s never has specials, spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said. And if an item doesn’t sell, instead of lowering the price to encourage shoppers to buy it, the item is quietly taken away.

Trader Joe’s will accept manufacturers’ coupons, Mochizuki said, but good luck finding coupons for Trader Joe’s products. About 80 percent of the store’s items are under the Trader Joe’s private label, and coupons are not common for the rest of the store’s eclectic offerings, which are brought in from around the world.

3. Stock changes frequently

Mochizuki said the Louisville Trader Joe’s typically offers about 2,000 different items at any given time. About 12 new products are introduced each week, and to make room to accommodate those products, about the same number of products are phased out.

Each potential new product first must pass through a tasting panel before it can make the shelves of a Trader Joe’s store, she said.

“The products on our shelf have to earn a space on our shelf,” Mochizuki said.

So if you find something you love at Trader Joe’s, it might be wise to stock up.

4. Taste testings on everything

At the back of the store, a demonstration booth is set up during all hours the store is open for shoppers to try store offerings. But that’s not what makes Trader Joe’s different.

Tastings are not limited to items that are featured at the demonstration booth. Instead, customers can try any item sold in the store by asking a store employee. Customers who are hesitant to buy an entire package of, say, Turkish figs without knowing whether they will like them can give them a try first, Hunter said.

5. Handwritten signs

All signs in Trader Joe’s are handwritten, which gives the store an old-fashioned atmosphere.

This includes the price signs on each item. Price signs are decorated not only with the name of the item and its price but with little drawings of flowers — not unlike the Hawaiian shirts each store employee wears.

And chalk boards advertising new or featured items often include artwork as well. (It’s become clear that someone needs to be creative to work at Trader Joe’s. With my art skills, I likely wouldn’t last a week.)

6. Options for the health conscious

Health-conscious shoppers and shoppers with specific dietary needs need not worry when shopping at Trader Joe’s. Mochizuki said the company strives to provide healthy options to its patrons.

All items under the Trader Joe’s label contain no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. They also contain no genetically modified ingredients, no MSG and no added trans fats.

The store offers organic produce alongside non-organic produce, and in the back of the store, next to the demonstration booth, there are paper lists of all products carried in the store that are gluten free, fat free and low sodium.

Hunter said more lists, such as vegan and kosher offerings, are available online.

7. Two-buck Chuck

The last unusual thing about Trader Joe’s might not sound very unusual, but it needs to be mentioned in any piece about what makes Trader Joe’s distinctive: “Two-Buck Chuck.”

Charles Shaw wine, a Trader Joe’s brand that is better known as “Two-Buck Chuck,” likely is Trader Joe’s most recognized item.

Two-Buck Chuck, which actually costs about $3, comes in seven varieties. The first bottles of Charles Shaw were sold in 2002.

Although the offerings at Trader Joe’s locations frequently change, it is unlikely that the store will ever discontinue the popular line.

For a look inside the new Louisville Trader Joe’s, click on the Photo Gallery attached to this article.

Stephanie Clouser covers these beats: Distribution/logistics (UPS), manufacturing (GE), restaurants, retail, environment, K-12 education, arts and entertainment, small business, travel, minority/women’s affairs, Oldham County, Shelby County.

10 Must Have Dessert Items From Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s opening weekend in Colorado was marked by chaotic parking lots, long lines, and barren shelves, but that hasn’t deterred Denver’s hungry citizens from embracing the chain one bit. Since then, the lines have calmed down, and the shelves are stocked with a ton of awesome TJ’s products still waiting to be discovered. Here are some of the must-buys to satisfy your sweet tooth.

1. Trader Joe’s Chocolate Lava Cake

Photo Courtesy of frolic-through-life. com

This frozen-section treat can easily pass as homemade after just a few minutes in the oven. The only way to make this warm, chocolatey dessert any better? Top it with a big scoop of Trader Joe’s vanilla ice cream.

2. Kouigns Amann

This trendy pastry, which is akin to a sweetened croissant, is hot stuff right now. Skip the high prices at specialty pâtisseries and the hours of work this would take you to recreate at home and go for TJ’s version. This buttery, flaky delight makes a classy addition to a brunch spread or a great dessert.

3. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate and peanut butter lovers take note–these addicting little candies beat Reese’s any day. The chocolate coating isn’t too sweet and the the peanut butter is salty and perfectly creamy. Oh, and as an added bonus, these are gluten free, unlike Reese’s. Just try not to eat the whole package in one sitting.

4. Trader Joe’s Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Icing

Photo courtesy of whatsgoodattraderjoes. com

For those out there lacking the time or patience to slave over scratch-baked cinnamon rolls, Trader Joe’s to the rescue. These can be found in the refrigerator section, and they come in one of those awesome exploding tubes that pretty much forces you to make all of the cinnamon rolls at once. But with fluffy, soft, vanilla-icing slathered cinnamon rolls in just fifteen minutes, you really can’t go wrong.

5. Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel Butter Cookies

Photo courtesy of www. brandeating. com

The ever-popular salted caramel makes a lovely appearance in these French cookies made just for Trader Joe’s. With a crunchy butter cookie on the bottom and a milk chocolate coating, these are a no-brainer.

6. Coffee á Cocoa

Okay, so this isn’t technically a dessert, but I think this would be the perfect thing to serve with dessert. This coffee is great for regular drip brewers, and produces a full bodied cup with hints of chocolate flavor from the unsweetened cocoa and chocolate fudge. This is not a mocha mix, more like a subtly chocolatey dark roast coffee, perfect for a night-cap or equally good at breakfast.

7. Mini Mint Ice Cream Mouthfuls

Photo courtesy of whatsgoodattraderjoes. com

Just in case you’ve gotten tired of Trader Joe’s classic ice cream sandwiches, these minty ones are here to help you mix up your ice cream sandwich game. They’re a bit on the smaller side, with mint chip ice cream sandwiched between two Oreo-like cookies.

8. Pound Plus Chocolate Bars

A little excessive? De ninguna manera. The price alone ($4.99) justifies the purchase of one of these embarrassingly gigantic chocolate bars. TJ’s pound plus bars are made in Belgium and come in everything from milk chocolate to 72% dark chocolate. I always tell myself I’ll use them for baking, but they’re great for chocolate cravings anytime.

9. Trader Joe’s Roasted Coconut Chips

Photo Courtesy of whatsgoodattraderjoes. com

For something a little healthier, these chips are a great option. Crisp, light, and perfect for coconut lovers. If you can avoid eating them straight out of the bag, they also make a great garnish for cakes, or a welcome crunchy addition to a bowl of granola or trail mix.

10. Sea Salt Brownie Petites

They’re petite, so they’re kind of healthy, right? I love a nice hit of salt with my sweets, and these definitely deliver. Watch out, because these are all too easy to keep popping before you realize you’ve eaten the whole box. These are also great mixed into vanilla ice cream.

Healthy Sloppy Joes [Recipe]

by Maryann Tomovich Jacobsen, MS, RD on July 28, 2010

Thanks for visiting Raise Healthy Eaters. If you subscribe to my blog via email updates or RSS feed. you'll get expert tips, my FREE 12-Page Report "5 Things Parents are Never Taught About Feeding Kids" and family-friendly recipes sent to you, for free!

I’ve never been a huge sloppy joe fan but wanted to try it out with the family. It went over very well and even though my daughter didn’t try the sloppy Joe sandwich, she loved the baked fries and fruit that I put on the table.

Another thing I liked about this one was it was even better the next day. I love leftovers.

I got this recipe of The 6 O’Clock Scramble Newsletter. I like how they list out vegetarian options, suggested sides and nutrition information. I’m always at a loss for sides so this helps immensely.

Anyone enjoy sloppy joes growing up?

Ingredients: 1 lb. ground turkey, beef or vegetarian ground meat, or 28 – 30 oz. pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced 1 red or yellow bell pepper, finely diced 1 large carrot, finely diced 15 oz. tomato sauce 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp. ketchup 8 whole wheat buns, (or use taco shells)

Directions In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the meat in its own juices until it is almost cooked through. (If you are using vegetarian ground “meat” or the beans, add them after the tomato sauce instead). (Meanwhile, start the potato chips, if you are serving them.)

Drain off the excess liquid, if necessary, and add the diced vegetables to the skillet (if you are making a meatless version, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in the skillet before adding the vegetables).

Sauté the mixture for 2 minutes and add all the remaining ingredients, except the buns. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the skillet, and simmer it for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. At this point you can refrigerate or freeze the mixture, or proceed to the next step.

To serve the sandwiches, lightly toast the buns and fill each one with a large spoonful of the meat mixture.

Scramble Flavor Booster: Sprinkle the sandwich filling with hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco.

Tip: To avoid soggy bread, serve the Sloppy Joes with a slotted spoon so the excess juices stay behind. They’re a little less sloppy that way! (Some people like to eat Sloppy Joes in a taco shell instead of a bun.)

SERVE WITH BAKED POTATO CHIPS & FRESH CHERRIES To make baked potato chips, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Thinly slice 2 unpeeled russet potatoes and toss the slices in a bowl with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, adding 1/2 tsp. rosemary, oregano or other dried herbs, if desired. Lay the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray, and spray the tops of the potatoes with the spray, too. Bake them for about 20 minutes until they are lightly browned and crispy, flipping them once. Serve them with ketchup, if desired.

Serve with fresh cherries.

Nutritional Information per serving (% based upon daily values) (with turkey) Calories: 261; Total Fat: 10g, 15%; Saturated Fat: 2g, 5%; Cholesterol: 40mg, 15%; Sodium: 550mg, 22%; Total Carbohydrate: 30g, 10%; Dietary Fiber: 4g, 16%; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 17g Nutritional Information per serving with sidedish (% based upon daily values) (1/2 cup baked potato chips & 1 cup cherries) Calories: 425; Total Fat: 14g, 20%; Saturated Fat: 2g, 5%; Cholesterol: 40mg, 15%; Sodium: 790mg, 32%; Total Carbohydrate: 62g, 20%; Dietary Fiber: 9g, 34%; Sugar: 21g; Protein: 20g

Do You Love Trader Joe’s? Let’s Make A Shopping List!

Pío

SumoMe

Pío

Trader Joe’s is an amazing place. Hecho.

But before you start telling us the greatest items that we have to buy, you need to understand why I am writing about it and how Tony could only now have been going to his first one…

Our Trader Joe’s Story

As you are well aware, Tony and I are big foodies and much of our RTW this past year was dictated by our bellies.

But what, how, and where did we eat prior to our RTW trip?

Tony and I have always been health nuts and ever since we got married, one of our most cherished activities is cooking together. We would occasionally enjoy a nice meal out, but when we lived in Miami for two years together before our trip around the world, most of our meals were cooked from scratch over a glass of wine in our apartment’s tiny kitchen.

But to dig a little deeper into our pre-RTW eating habits, we both held solid jobs as a banker (Tony) and business consultant (me) and for us DINKs (you know, Double Income, No Kid folks), we never once worried about our food budget when stocking the fridge.

In Miami, our only grocery options within a 15 mile radius of our apartment included Publix and Whole Foods… And being health nuts, we focused our bellies on the latter – Whole Foods.

But our shopping habits have changed (and needed to change) DRASTICALLY when we returned from our trip around the world… and became NINKs (No Income, No Kids… Obvi)!

Now that we are back in the states, we are trying to start up our own businesses so we can fulfill our dreams to become entrepreneurs and digital nomads. I recently started up a social media marketing company, Sticky Marketing. with my business partner (and travel bud), Caroline, of Traveling9to5. while Tony is working on starting up a premium petsitting business.

But as we are trying to start up our own business ventures, money is tighter than usual. We are trying everything we can and getting creative to slow down the burn rate on our savings account.

As a way to save money, we took a petsitting job in beautiful Taylorsville, CA where we will be on a 20 acre farm looking after 4 dogs, 2 cats, and 2 wild horses in the Sierra Nevadas for the next 6 months.

Caroline and her husband, Josh, connected us with the homeowners to secure this amazing petsitting job. They have spent the past three months as the petsitters In Taylorsville, but need to be back in Indiana for the summer… And that’s why we’re taking over!

But what does this all have to do with Trader Joes?

Well, before we take over the pet sitting job, we wanted to spend some time at the property in Taylorsville to learn all the duties on the farm and to bond with the pets. Caroline and Josh graciously invited us to come stay with them for a couple weeks so they could show us the ropes. We had an amazing time with Josh and Caroline at the farm…

Once again, what does this all have to do with Trader Joes?

Well, seeing as how the farm is out in the middle of nowhere and Josh and Caroline have also been on a tight budget trying to start up their own location-independent lifestyle (check out Josh’s web development biz at josheaton. org ), every meal we had with them was cooked family-style in the home’s charming country kitchen. Every meal was healthy, economical, and almost every meal had one secret ingredient:

Growing up in a family of only Whole Foods-eaters (and after our lavish grocery trips in Miami), Tony has NEVER experienced Trader Joes… And I have only been several times in my post-college years.

As such, Caroline and Josh had a blast introducing us to all their favorite foods from TJ’s … In fact, most of our family meals spent together over countless glasses of wine involved heated conversations on all things wonderful and tasty about Trader Joe’s.

As you can imagine, when Tony and I first stepped into a Trader Joe’s store, our expectations were HIGH! But within the first 5 minutes of browsing the aisles, these great expectations were exceeded.

Not only did all of their tasty and prepared organic foods look healthy and scrumptious, but they were all brands/labels unique to Trader Joe’s… and, most importantly, everything was DIRT CHEAP.

Trader Joe’s is Whole Foods for the poor!

$2 bottles of wine? We penny pinchers were in heaven.

With a Trader Joe’s in Reno being only 2 hours from our housesitting gig in Taylorsville, I have no doubt in my mind that we will make several trips to this fabulous store to stock up on goodies.

But this is where we need your help. Josh and Caroline provided us with an initial roadmap of their favorite Trader Joe’s foods, but from the looks of the store, we have A LOT more to discover!

In fact, just this past week I tried their dark chocolate pretzel thins for the first time… my lord, these are sinfully good…

But back on topic, we need your advice on what else we should try from this incredibly marvelous store. We will making some BIG grocery runs to Traders over the next few months and us TJ virgins need the help from you to make each trip to the store EPIC.

So, I now ask you: Ever been to Trader Joe’s? What are your favorite foods/drinks/items at Trader Joe’s? Please share your picks below in the Comments section… Your help is greatly appreciated!

About Meg Exhausted from traveling every week as a Business Management Consultant, I took a year off to travel at my own pace. I am a high-energy girl that loves being active, eating food, drinking wine, and exploring the world with my partner-in-crime (and husband), Tony!

I LOVE YOU TRADER JOE’S. I used to shop at the tiny one in Back Bay — as soon as I started saving my money and realized I couldn’t afford to keep shopping at Whole Foods (or even Shaw’s!).

I love their horseradish hummus — buy lots, as you will go through a ton of it. My mom recently bought their edamame hummus, though, and it is the single most addictive substance I’ve tried in the past few months….except for the most addicting substance of all: Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter. It’s like peanut butter, but super-thick and tastes like gingersnaps.

I actually ate half a jar of cookie butter when I stayed at my sister’s apartment in New York. I spread it on tortillas and just wrapped it up. I apologized and told her I’d buy her a new jar — her eyes got wide and she said, “You went through half a jar of cookie butter in three days? It takes me months to get through a jar!”

Your petsitting gig sounds awesome. Can’t wait to hear more about life in the country with all those animals!

TJ’s is the perfect grocery store for anyone on a travelers budget!

WOW I didn’t know they had horseradish hummus. We just bought the Mediterranean hummus yesterday and we are almost finished with the tub. We love horseradish though, so we will have to give it a try next time we stock up. We also are addicted to edamame… It looks like we will have to do an entire TJ’s hummus sampler!

Oh my LORD did you say Cookie Butter. I am getting my car keys (and stretchy pants) now. SERIOUSLY though, that sounds amazing! Your story at your sister’s apartment in priceless

We’re doing great out in Cali – thanks for thinking of us! You should totally come visit us in Tahoe/the Sierra Nevadas…. The photography opps alone are worth the trip. Plus we will be sure to stock the fridge with plenty of TJ’s and Tony can watch us polish off the Cookie Butter in one sitting 😉

1. Vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt - you can see the specks of vanilla! (Mango is also good) only 99cents. See my blog for a muesli recipe, cheap and healthy breakfast option and all the ingredients from TJs! 2. Frozen hash browns - I make my own version of tortilla espanola or a frittata with potatoes by browning the hash browns, sauteeing whatever veggies and adding beaten and seasoned eggs. Another cheap and easy meal idea! 3. IMPORTANT: during christmastime they have candy cane JOJOs. Think Oreos with the filling mixed with crushed candy canes. I get 4 boxes once they come out (I think in November..) I know it’s early but it’s very important for you to know.

¡Sí! Send me the link to your muesli recipe. I am dying to try out some new dishes and I love me some mus!

OMG so funny you mention the hash browns – A friend of ours just had us try them last night and they tasted just like the ones from McDonalds, which I was a HUGE fan of as a kid… And I am sure the TJ ones are MUCH healthier. Your recipe sounds amaze!

I feel like I had JoJo’s at your holiday party last year and LOVED them – This is definitely an important food to know.

Thanks for all your great insights Joscelyn… We are true food soul mates!

Here’s a link to the post!

TJ’s is one of my favorite places to shop! As a travel nurse, I secretly hope there is one in each location I travel to for work.

A few of my favorite items: canned coconut milk, dried mango no sugar added, Ends & Pieces (cutoffs of their whole fruit strip bars in a bag), plantain chips, thin crust pizza/tart with arugula, prosciutto & cheese, guacamole kit, and sunflower butter. I follow a paleo lifestyle, so most of the items I listed are paleo-friendly, except for the pizza tart, from my former life.

I hope you enjoy TJ’s as much as I do!

Hi Jen! My husband and I eat mostly Paleo too so these are great suggestions we will have to try out – the thin crust arugula pizza with prosciutto will definitely have to be one of our splurges. When we were browsing Trader Joe’s this past week, I saw the plantain chips and they look wonderful – I will have to grab ’em next time!

I second the plantain chips!

This is my favorite super easy recipe from the best nutritioist around She has all gluten and sugar free recipes. She just released a new crockpot cookbook last week.

Sorry…did this from my phone…guess it didn’t come thru so I will try this way! Tim even ate it….said…just don’t tell me what’s in it…a guy who does not eat veggis:) His favorite Trader Joe’s item is the peanut butter pretzels. I love their peanut butter!!

Wow I am officially hooked on this blog. The pizza casserole alone looks phenom. Thanks so much for sharing Cyndi!

When I make the hotdish I use a kitchen scissors and cut the artichokes in half or more…it fools those not liking veggis:)

Mmm, TJs! Seriously the BEST grocery store on earth. In no particular order, here are a few TJ favorites in our household: freeze-dried mango, any of their nut and dried fruit blends (great for yogurt toppings!), TJs beer, their proscuitto-stuffed sacchettini pasta (OMG), their vodka sauce, everything-but-the fig bars, and their sun-dried totatoes (which are perfectly julienne-sliced and tender right out of the bag). I also second Joscelyn’s comments on candy cane jojo’s… they’re heavenly. Jojo ice cream is also amazing. Have fun Rullis!

Seriously! All you suggestions sound amazing… you had me at proscuitto-stuffed. And what are the everything but the fig bars.

I will HAVE to try the jojo’s out. Nomers!

As a dedicated WF shopper you have me convinced. I need to try TJ’s. I will be on the hunt this weekend.

Do it JR! you would LOVE the dark chocolate covered pretzel thins in the purple bag… I hear their ice cream is pretty epic too!!

Oh how I miss The Joe!

I second the Greek Yogurt comments, I love the goat cheese that comes in little individual servings, the galic naan in the freezer section always I repeat always goes in my cart, if feeling decadent the gnocchi with Gorgonzola also in the freezer section is superb, I stretch it out by adding sautéed zucchini or other veggies into it, there are these peanut butter filled pretzel snacks (can you send me a bag in India?) that I have a feeling Meg will love, peppered turkey (oh how I would love a turkey and avo sandwich) slices, there is a really thin crust pizza type thing with onions and some sort of ham that is quite tasty, try all the cheap wines you can, strawberry field cereal, there is an artichoke dip that is by the hummus which you should also try, there is a trail mix with chocolate and dried cranberries that I love as well, I could go on and on basically always throw a new item in the cart each visit 😉

It sounds like I got my shopping list cut out for me! All these foods sound delicious. some things that caught my eye in particular are the Gorgonzola gnocchi with sauteed veggies added annnnnd the peanut butter filled pretzels. I recently became obsessed with their dark chocolate covered pretzel thins, but I will also have to add these to the mix – I can only imagine how much you miss them travelling. I was dying to get my hands on PB any chance I could abroad – Whats your address in India. jaja.

I like your challenge also of putting something new in the cart each time… We’re ON it!

But do they have someone playing a piano behind the registers?

bahhhhaha absolutely not. #shame You and Lydia have it made in Chicago!

In all seriousness I am a TJ’s fan. As a trail mixamagician, I got there for peanuts and cashews because it’s tough to find unsalted ones anywhere else (there’s a salty nuts joke in there somewhere). Also if you think their dried chile spiced mango doesn’t make an appearance in my trail mix you’re crazy (along with all the other dried fruits they offer).

Wine is a food right? All of them are good but they distribute a Rioja named Darien and since I’m from Darien I always stop off before I go home for Thanksgiving and pick up at least a few bottles. It’s always a conversation starter/crowd pleaser. It would be like if you crashed a wedding rehearsal dinner and brought a gift card for the bride and groom to their favorite restaurant. Man that would be cool.

There’s always room for a salty nuts joke… But in all seriousness, we also like out nuts sans-salt… And the dried chile spiced mango sounds stupid good.

We will definitely have to try out the Darien wine! As far as your wedding rehearsal crashing goes, way to upstage the actual guests of the wedding 😉

I welled up with serious waves of emotion when I stepped back into Trader Joe’s for the first time after getting home. Oh my word. Love their stores.

Two of our closest couple friends moved shortly before we left on our RTW – one family to Denver and one to Chicago. Denver = TJ’s. Chicago = nope. I can’t imagine living without one… 😉 Thankfully, the Chicago friends are returning to Portland in a few weeks, and we’ll all be one happy Trader Joe’s supporting family again.

My favorite on the TJ shopping list: cheese. Cheese, cheese, and more cheese. In fact, we took a Kiwi/Canadian friend to Trader Joe’s one year when she visited, and she filled three bags with beer and cheese to take back over the border. She was like a kid in a candy shop…

Well after travelling with us on and off for 2012, you know what tony and I LOVE our cheese – You will have to let us know your favorite kinds! We just bought there Toscano with Black Pepper but haven’t tried it yet… stay tuned! Anyways, hope all is well and we miss ya!

Hi Meg and Tony!

I haven’t been following you as dedicated as I should but I shop at Trader Joes and as a RGWNCE (Recent Grad With No Cooking Experience) I might have a different shopping list than you (namely snacks/ frozen) but I figured I’d share my normal shopping list.

They did a taste test twice with some of their favorite brands.

I have to say some of my favorite stuff is on those lists.

SNACKS: – White Cheddar Popcorn Puffs – I can’t buy them because I’ll eat the entire bag in one sitting. & # 8211; Snap pea Crisps – They used to have the main brand and then they had a TJ Brand but I haven’t seen it at my local TJ recently so I’m not sure what happened to it. & # 8211; Chocolate Soy Milk – I actually love their chocolate soy milk (in the boxes)

FROZEN FOOD: – Orange Chicken – I was told this is their top selling item. I’ve had it and also think it’s pretty delicious. It’s not super healthy but it’s easy which I like. For you guys it might be good to stash with some rice so in case you find yourselves without food you can just throw it in. – Little Pizzas – It’s like TJ’s bagel bites.

OTHER: – They actually also have really good pre-made pizza dough. They even have one with like garlic and herbs that’s really good. I sometimes get that with their sauce/ cheese for a make your own pizza night. & # 8211; Their wine. The TJ near here has tastings all the time. It’s super cheap and amazing. & # 8211; Their challah bread. I also can’t buy it because I’ll eat the entire loaf. It is amazing and fantastic for french toast.

I skimmed through the other posts so I hope nothing here was a re-post. As you know, I’m a picky eater so I don’t have too much of adventurous stuff but I hope this helps!

Love you both and it sounds like you guys are doing awesome.

Maggie – This is an AWESOME post. Thanks so much for sharing your insider tips!

I didn’t know TJ’s has the same food as the big-brand manufacturers. After watching the slideshow comparing the products, I MUST try the TJ’s frozen Mac. And you’re right, some of the stuff (like the orange chicken and mac) probably isn’t the healthiest but we are an hour away from the nearest grocery, so its nice to have some freezer staples if we are ever in a pinch!

Okay some highlights from your grocery list that I think Tony and I will love:

White cheddar puffs. I will try my BEST not to finish the whole bag in one sitting… But I can’t speak for Tony! We love our popcorn.

Pizza dough. I saw this the other day at the store and the herb infused doughs looked awesome. We have so much fun doing pizza nights, so we will definitely have to get these next time!

Their CHALLAH BREAD for french toast. OMG that would be so good! SÍ.

Chocolate Soymilk – Not a huge soy person, but I’m curious. Have you tried their regular chocolate milk? Now that I am running more, I hear chocolate milk is a good sports recovery drink… and any excuse to drink chocolate milk, right.

I also like their Chicken sausage…use it in the pizza casserole I told you about or on Pizza or just like a brat too…many varieties to choose from.

We just bought a TON of the chicken sausage and since they come in so many flavors, we did a little sampling of different packages. So far we have only tried the Jalapeno, but love it!

I loved this place when I lived in San Fran. Have to find one nearby our new place as we just moved back to the US.

Seriamente. Having a Trader Joe’s around is now a requirement for wherever we move!

Oh my how I miss Trader Joe’s. My all time favourite super market. Kalyra and I would shop every Saturday together and it was one of our favourite outings. They had baby trolleys that she loved to push around. She’d fill it with lots of things and then get a balloon at the end. You have no idea how this trolley saved me from going insane shopping with a toddler. Now I’m back Down Under I detest shopping with the girls as they run muck. We’d love the tasting counter and always stop for a coffee, a food test and a chat.

We loved the vegetarian buffalo wings and meatballs - I am always craving for them. You cannot beat their $2 bottle of wine and their beer was always cheap and good too.

That is such an adorable story about Kalyra. TJ’s really is such a great place. I love there tasting tables…. We haven’t tried their coffee in store yet, but bought some bags of it the other day to brew up this week. But next time we go, we will have to make more of a day/experience out of it.

We just bought their turkey meatballs but I we will try their veg ones next! And yes, we are ALWAYS fans of $2 wine!

I LOVE Trader Joe’s and miss it like crazy! I suppose the next best thing to going is to vicariously enjoy shelled edamame, sea salt chocolate bars, and the Joe’s pizza dough through you two…

You had me at sea salt chocolate bars… yum! I currently am obsessed with their HUGE 1 lb 70% dark chocolate bricks. I obviously don’t eat them all in one sitting but one square of chocolate a day curbs my chocolate craving and is the perfect night cap treat! I will have to give the sea salt chocolate a try next though!

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Top Ten at Trader Joe’s

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If you happen to live near a Trader Joe’s (if you don’t know, you can find out ), you are one lucky ducky. If you already shop there, then you already know that. But maybe you are not quite as familiar with this quirky grocery store and are perhaps even put off by the smallish size (when compared to today’s giant grocery stores), unfamiliar packaging, and lack of brand names.

When I first married and moved to this town, one thing disappointed me: the serious lack of grocery stores! In our town itself, Giant and Safeway have a major monopoly and most stores seem to consider it pointless to even try to overcome it. I came from a town that had every grocery store known to mankind, at least on the East Coast, so it was a big switch for me. I learned to go farther and wider for my grocery shopping, which turned out to be actually a good thing!

However, I was thrilled beyond belief when I learned that one of my favorite grocery stores ever – Trader Joes – was coming to the next town over, which was really just the same as being in my own town, as close as it was. In no other grocery store can you find as many high-quality, minimally processed, healthy foods for such a great price as at Trader Joe’s. I shared my enthusiasm with everyone I knew, but was often met with blank stares. This was the first Trader Joes anywhere in the area and most people were not familiar with it. & # 8220; What’s it like? “, they would ask. & # 8220; Why do you like it so much? & # 8221; And the big one I got most often: “ What do you buy there? & # 8221;

This last one came even more often after Trader Joes arrived and people had paid a visit out of curiosity. More than one person was confused and distracted by the store itself and not really sure what the whole deal was. I can understand: there are very few brand name packages, as Trader Joes sells most of their food under their own private label; plus, it’s rather a small store as groceries go. On top of that, it’s laid out a little differently, and doesn’t have your typical “Deli”, “Seafood”, “Bakery” and other departments.

If you’ve never been to a Trader Joe’s, but you have one within 10-20 minutes, then GO! If you’ve been, but you walked away confused and disappointed, Read ON . I’ll help you sort through the confusion by listing my personal top ten favorite things to buy at Trader Joe’s. These items I almost always purchase there, unless I find them significantly cheaper elsewhere for the same quality (usually not likely). These are, of course, only the items I personally find useful for me and my family – if you spend some quality time there like I do, you’ll have your own list of things you love!

*As far as I know, the prices are accurate. They do occasionally fluctuate, but this is what I usually pay.

Trader Joe’s trademark humor shines through in all their advertising, even on their bags.

1. White Whole Wheat Flour, $2.99 This is a relatively new item to hit the grocery scene, I think even within the past decade, and I usually only see the King Arthur brand available in typical grocery stores. While I like King Arthur flours, they cost a lot more than I like to pay, so either I buy them on sale (doesn’t happen very often, usually around Christmas time)… or I buy the same flour at Trader Joe’s! Why do I like white whole wheat flour so much? It has all the same nutrients as regular whole wheat flour, but it’s softer and considerably less whole-wheaty. I still mix it most of the time with unbleached AP flour, for my DH’s sake, but a lot of people use it on its own in all their baking.

2. Organic Carrots, 1 lb. $0.89 Carrots are on the “Dirty Dozen” list, the ones you should buy organic when possible. Trader Joe’s makes it easy because their organic carrots are the same price as other stores’ conventional carrots. I only ever buy carrots there anymore.

3. Organic Celery Hearts, 1 lb. $2.29 Ditto for the celery: it’s one of the dirty dozen, and Trader Joe’s has the organic version available for the same price as a sale price of conventional at other stores. Once again, I only buy celery at TJ’s.

4. Organic Raw Honey, 16oz, $5.99 I used to buy raw honey at Giant, the same size for $6.99. Recently Trader Joe’s started carrying the organic kind, which thrilled me to no end: I could get organic for cheaper than conventional! It’s important to use raw honey when you’re not cooking or baking it because it has a lot more nutritional value than pasteurized or heated honey. Also, if you use it medicinally (for sore throats, on bug bites, etc.), it’s almost pointless to use pasteurized honey because the healing properties simply don’t exist in as much a quantity as in raw honey.

5. Organic Turbinado Sugar, 24oz, $2.99 I could get a 2lb bag of turbinado sugar at Walmart for the same price, but I figure the organic is worth it for half a pound less. I prefer turbinado sugar because it is less processed than regular table sugar and retains more nutrients. (My research indicates that sucanat is even better, but right now, that’s out of my price range!)

Edited to Add (as of June 2013) – Trader Joe’s now carries even more healthy sweetener options at great prices, including maple sugar, maple syrup, and others. I don’t buy the raw sugar anymore, because I’ve switched to palm sugar or sucanat, but Trader Joe’s is still a great deal.

6. Rice Noodles, 16oz, $1.99 If you don’t have celiac disease or wheat allergies, then you probably don’t care as much, but it’s hard to find such a good price on rice noodles. I almost exclusively buy them at Trader Joe’s now, and make them for my Certain Little Someone, who is allergic to wheat and other things. If you want to try them out, either because you’re looking to cut down gluten or you just want a little variety, TJ’s is the place to go! 7. Raisins, 16oz, $1.99 I didn’t used to buy raisins nearly as much before I had my Certain Little Someone, but like most moms I quickly learned that as a go-to snack, it can’t be beat! I also throw it into his homemade granola and other baked goods, like muffins and cookies. I can sometimes find just as good a price or better at a conventional grocery store, but Trader Joe’s is consistent (at least with the raisins) so I pretty much always get them there unless I happen across a really stunning deal elsewhere.

8. Dried Cranberries, $1.99, 8oz It’s a great deal for dried cranberries which are harder to find at a good price than raisins. I like to use them as a substitute for raisins (as a snack or in baking) because raisins can get really old after a while, and cranberries have such a lovely sweet-tart taste that’s hard to resist.

9. Fruit Leather, 2 strips, $0.55 Fruit leather is a much healthier alternative to fruit roll-ups, which are more sugar than fruit. Fruit leather is entirely made of fruit, so it’s a great healthy snack. Whenever we go to Trader Joe’s, I always buy one as a special treat for my Certain Little Someone and he LOVES them! They have a variety of flavors to choose from.

10.Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, 12oz, $2.29 I’m not so sure that Trader Joe’s’ chocolate chips are any healthier than anyone else’s, but they are cheaper. Unless I can get them on sale somewhere (which, coming up on Christmas and baking season, will be super easy), I buy them at TJ’s. An added benefit for me is that they are safe for my Certain Little Someone – no milk – and it’s a huge triumph to find a safe product for him that doesn’t cost more than its unsafe counterpart.

Edited to Add (as of June 2013) – Since I wrote this post, Costco has started carrying a 6lb bag of chocolate chips for $7.99, made with all natural ingredients and responsibly sourced cacao. Both TJ’s and Costco’s chocolate chips do have soy lecithin in them. The only readily available brand I’ve found that doesn’t is Enjoy Life, and theirs cost easily twice as much.

There are lots of foods and other products I could mention – like the watermelon that was consistently the cheapest or within $0.10 of the cheapest grocery store price all summer long – but check it out for yourself and find out why I love it so much! If you already go to Trader Joe’s regularly, tell me what you like to buy there – I always love to find new, exciting things when I shop there.

Oh, and one more thing – if you really depend on convenience foods, then hands down, Trader Joe’s is the best place to find them! They have the largest selection I’ve ever seen of pre-made or prepped foods that are free of preservatives, chemicals and other additives.

Find other ideas on how to build your pantry frugally at: