Trader Joes?

[jobob]

Personally, I don't think their fresh fruit and veggies are as high quality as my local grocery store so I almost never get fresh produce at TJs.
....
That could vary from region to region though.

I agree! Maybe it's a Bay Area issue, but I've generally been underwhelmed with the produce at TJs.

It was our most reliable source for goat's milk when we were making chevre (which we haven't done sine the Austerity Plan kicked in, but we'll resume soon).

McCann's Steel Cut Oatmeal is significantly less pricey there than in our local supermarkets. And we do like the variety and quality of their frozen fish.

[Crankin]

No, it's not just in CA, the produce at the TJs 3.5 miles from my house, in Acton, is horrible. With a plethora of family farms, bakeries, and 2 outstanding gourmet farm markets that sell everything imaginable within 10 miles, I only go there for a few products I can't find elsewhere and a few occasional impulse buys/convenience foods.

Large dark chocolate bars that you can break into squares. We buy 5 at a time and eat 1-2 almost every night for dessert.
Machengo and Iberico cheese; it's the cheapest of any of the other local stores
Low fat provolone slices
lox
boxed soups: they have more flavors in low sodium than my local grocery store

Grocery stores in MA generally are not allowed to sell booze, although a few are grandfathered in to do so. The one I shop at is about a mile down the road from TJs and they sell beer and wine, although I buy my wine at a liquor store about half a mile from TJs.
The prices at TJs are definitely cheaper than other places; my son and his wife buy a lot of their food there.

[gnat23]

NUTS. Cheapest I've seen anywhere.

Clif/Luna bars. Sausages. Frozen fishies. And HEY it's almost Peppermint Green Tea and Salted Caramel season...!

-- gnat! (Just don't get hooked on any one food or they'll take it away from you)

[Jolt]

(Just don't get hooked on any one food or they'll take it away from you)

That is my peeve with TJ's. Just when you find something really good, they stop making it!

[Dannielle]

STAPLES-
hormone-free dairy products
organic eggs
nuts/seeds
lunch meat
unsweetened almond milk
pesticide-free frozen/chopped spinach
organic frozen berries
gluten-free rolled oats
raw almond butter
organic canned fire roasted tomatoes

I try to stick with organic for produce on the "dirty dozen" list and usually buy that stuff at TJs. I shop Aldi for most of my produce these days and buy direct from a local farm during the growing season.

[carlotta]

I use TJ's to supplement things I can't get at our co-op (or that are outrageously expensive at the co-op). I'll occasionally buy some veg there, but it's definitely not up to par with the farmer's market/co-op. Usually mushrooms/onions/pepper/etc for breakfast if I'm shopping on Friday night. I do like their fresh figs when they have them....cheaper than elsewhere and I love figs.

I also REALLY miss their wine.....apparently one in New Jersey has wine and I've been tempted to make a run up there at some point...stupid blue laws.

On the regular list:
-greek yogurt (maybe 1x/month, it makes a great starter for my own yogurt the rest of the month....)
-bacon. I like the applewood smoked bacon ends (cheaper, and we usually chop it up to put in eggs anyway)
-almond/flax butter. sometimes I'll switch it up and get peanut, but I really like the almond/flax
-nuts/trail mix to keep in my desk
-dark chocolate (also for my desk...)
-olive oil. The Spanish stuff is GOOD and cheap.
-real maple syrup, fairly cheap and darn good in my oatmeal
-frozen fruit
-chicken chili, not the best food ever, but good to keep in the cupboard for emergency dinner
-thai tuna curry (red/green). This is one of those appears/dissappears items. White box with pink or green label, chunks of tuna in fairly spicy/decent curry sauce. Falls into the emergency dinner category...

I'll occasionally buy some kind of treat also.... favorites so far: chocolate mochi, some kind of chocolate/peanut butter/wafer things (mmm!), peanut butter filled chocolate pretzles, salted carmel chocolate bars (these are new, and they tend to be messy, but worth it)

[Norse]

When DP and I left southern CA to move back to MN there were only a few things we missed: first and foremost, our friends, then the ocean, cheap produce available year-round and ... Trader Joe's. We whooped it up when they finally opened one in a nearby burb and whooped even more when they opened one mere blocks from our house.

About the only items we generally do not buy there are meat products (buy from local farmers), although we do love the burgandy/pepper marinated lamb roast. We stop at least a couple times/week as they have good stuff and are cheaper than regular grocery stores. Some of our favorites or stock purchases:
Greek yogurt
Tuscan bread
Garlic roasted hummus
oriental crackers
multi-grain crackers
salsa
bags of spinach and arugula for us
frozen spinach for making our dog's food
baby carrots that our dog eats for treats
dried chicken breasts, again for the dog
McCann's steel cut oatmeal
various frozen lunch items (love the new 4-cheese pasta)
chicken stock
roasted red pepper/tomato soup
pasta
olive oil (for all-purpose use; I buyer a nicer one from a local grocer for use where the oil is the star)
ham & gruyere tart (pizza-like item that I swoon over)
soy ice cream
biscotti
lava cakes (soooooo good!)
apple blossoms
shampoo
soap
face lotion and hand lotion
fresh-cut flowers
wine and beer
charcoal

I just stopped last night and picked up some bell peppers for use w/dinner this week, more carrots for the dog, tuscan bread, and some items for upcoming holiday baking including organic canned pumpkin and a 5 lb. bag of russet potatoes for lefse. We love TJs.