Actually there are a number of items that cost only 99 cents or $1, and we’re talking good things at that, nothing junky.
These are a few of my favorite items that Trader Joe’s sells for a buck or less, that I almost always just toss in my basket at TJ’s. IMHO these are some of Trader Joe’s best bangs for the buck (literally!)
PANE ITALIANO – This is a wonderful Italian bread that TJ’s sells for just 99 cents for an 8 oz. loaf. Says “Artisan Bread”. It’s a very tasty bread, airy and light, makes great toast, great for sandwiches…everything. I even cut it in quarters and use this with hamburgers as the bun (matches great too). Perfect for a panino. Like almost any bread, its going to be improved popped into the oven for 5-10 minutes. I buy a package of this bread and can’t tell you how fast it goes. So buy 2 (freeze one). This is a steal at a buck.
2. DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS – Do I need to add anything more? Just using the words chocolate and peanut butter in the same sentence ought to do it for you, as it does for me. Think “Reese’s for Adults”. I’d say inspired by but far better than Reese’s. Chez moi these should be marked “Dangerous” or just “Crack”. TJ’s usually places these near/next to the checkout line, so that you CAN NOT RESIST BUYING THEM. And I can’t. Every. Time. I. Go. There. A bag goes for 99 cents (10 pieces).
3. BANANAS – Pickup either 5 Bananas for 95 cents (19 cents each for “Regular”) OR 4 bananas for $1 (25 cents each for Organic one). Your Choice. I generally buy whichever looks bigger/better that day.
4. FROZEN BRUSSELL SPROUTS – I find it’s really handy to have a package of these in the freezer. Are they fresh? No, they’re frozen but at 99 cents for a pound that are all prepped (no need to clean) they’re very handy and a steal.
I can think of a few more items that fit into the “TJ $1 LIST” but will leave it to you readers to come up with some suggestions via a COMMENT….
I saw this package of Trader Joe’s “BAVARIAN BRATWURST” sausages the other day, and they looked worth trying for review. They were indeed worth it. These are just terrific, an excellent product that I would gladly buy again. The sausages come fully cooked so they only need browning about 4 minutes per side. It’s labeled PRODUCT OF GERMANY as well as NO NITRATES OR NITRITES (ie, uncured) – two big pluses obviously. Originally for Oktoberfest and though they look a bit like “Weisswurst” (sausages made from veal) these delicious TJ “Bavarian Bratwurst” are made from only pork, water and spices… and we are talking an impressive variety of spices blended perfectly for a unique, great flavor. It’s these well-balanced spices and perfect texture which make these sausages quite different from say, the flavor of your typical American “Brats” or other sausages. The spices include: black pepper, marjoram, nutmeg, mace, ginger, coriander, and cardamon. Reading this spice list sounded to me like typical Christmas spices…. so I thought this could be a nice meal around Xmas time (or Oktoberfest for that matter!) But of course these are great any time of the year if you see them.
What I did with these was grill them up in a little butter with sautéed potatoes and onions. I served this classic combination with some really nice red cabbage in a jar (from Poland) I had just happened to find in a 99 cents store (!) Bratwurst and Potatoes are of course perfect together and and this actually became a Christmas Eve dinner along with the red cabbage and some nice German beers plus bread and veggies. Everything matched up perfectly for a small German-style mini feast (recipe below). But if you want easy peasy simple these also great just grilled and put on a hot dog bun, brioche bun, crusty roll or baguette with some good mustard and sauerkraut. Classic! These sausages make an easy meal. A 12 oz package with 4 good size sausages goe for $3.99 (ie, $1 each). So another pretty good deal from TJ’s and more than worth your trying. When I first saw these it was Xmas season and was not sure if they are available all year or if they’ seasonal (Update: TJ’s seems to carry these sausages all year!)
If you cooked these on a grill in summertime, it would be a huge hit I would think. You could try them with potatoes as I did or go the Easy Route, just brown them and serve them with mustard, kraut and some good bread or buns.
A NO-RECIPE RECIPE: Cut up some Yukon Gold potatoes into cubes and par-boil them for 5-10 minutes in salted water till almost tender but not completely cooked. Drain them and sauté them with some onions in oil (with a little butter for extra flavor). Cook on medium heat, toss occasionally until golden brown on all sides. Make room in the center and grill the Bavarian Bratwurst 4 mins per side until browned. I slash them slightly before grilling. When done serve with good mustard. Cold beer would of course not be amiss with these Bavarian Bratwursts!
I truly love a good, crispy authentic French Baguette and am always on the look out for a good one. In my search around NYC, I’ve bought and tried many a baguette from many bakeries around town, especially those I’ve seen listed as “Best in NYC”. While some are better than others, really almost none I thought lived up to the “Best Baguette” title (and lets face it compared to what you might buy at almost any bakery in Paris, we’re at a severe disadvantage).
The KAYSER baguette is actually “Best in NYC” IMO. THIS is what a baguette should taste like! I’m always amazed at how fantastic MAISON KAYSER’S breads are. Watch the video below with Maitre Eric. If you make bread you will understand one reason is they use a very long ferment time and special traditional “levain” which produces a far superior taste and structure. Not sure if they import flour from France or not… But if you are able to, if they have a bakery where you like, try a MAISON KAYSER baguette. You too may have an “Aha!” moment, and learn that a really good Baguette is possible to make in the U.S. after all (link to Master Baker Eric Kayser in action on Youtube)
That said, as good as the bread is there, it does have a small drawback. Not only do you have to make a special trip there, MAISON KAYSER stuff, due to the quality, does not come cheap. A baguette from KAYSER commands a premium price, and I’ve seen many prices hikes. A baguette now sells for about 3.50 for a baguette and $3.50 for an “Epi” baguette. (EDIT: cost of a baguette there has creeped up every few months; a baguette is now a pretty steep $3.75 – AUG 2019)
All of this leads me to so when I saw a “FRENCH BAGUETTE” at Trader Joe’s for $1.69 (in a brown/green bag) I thought let’s give this a try, frankly not expecting too much. This bread was pretty good, crispy, well baked. I’d even say it was on a par with many bakeries I’ve tried around NYC, albeit paying about double the price. I give the regular TJ French Baguette a “very good for the price”. But they have a better baguette there. Its the one in a WHITE BAG. Seek it out. So the day I tried the “OK baguette” from TJ, by coincidence the next day I happened to be there again and that day the Sample Station was serving samples of another baguette they sell: ORGANIC FRENCH BAGUETTE (come in a white bag). The sample they were giving out was a hunk of the organic baguette baked with cheese to super crispy (Wow, do they know how to feature a product! The store smelled amazing)
Now this baguette was another level higher. I confess I went back for seconds. The two bread packages look different : WHITE for the ORGANIC one (sealed in a heavy white paper bag). This one sells for $1.99. The other is in a BROWN & GREEN bag, and that is 30 cents less ($1.69). So why is the WHITE BAG baguette so much superior? Well it does say ORGANIC and as well as “ARTISAN STYLE“. The organic version is an improved version of the “normal” (non-organic) Baguette and is only 30 cents more.
The slightly more pricey ORGANIC BAGUETTE has a much more profound flavor plus a better, chewier interior texture or crumb (“la mie”, the interior of a bread). One reason is the bag states they use a 3-hour rise (fermentation) which I am guessing is probably twice or more as long as the regular baguette? Plus I’m betting the organic flour in this one is a better quality flour? In short, the extra 30 cents you will spend for the upgraded Baguette is well worth it. Buy the white packaged one. The only “downside” to it is this. ARTISAN ORGANIC FRENCH BAGUETTE is sold a bit under baked. The package states that you should bake this bread in a 400 degree oven for ten minutes for its full effect. If you don’t, its still not bad, but you won’t really taste it at its prime and the way its intended to taste. It’s worth the time and effort.
In a hurry? In an pinch, at least toast some slices up under the broiler (or in a toaster oven). I’ve even toasted it up on the stovetop in a black cast iron pan. Its worth the trouble. If you take the time to bake this you will get an excellent baguette! While I can’t say the TJ Organic French Baguette is exactly the equal to one from Maison Keyser, its not terribly far away either. Its one of the better commercial baguettes I’ve bought, period. This especially tastes great if you eat it with some really good butter like TJ’s “CULTURED FRENCH BUTTER” or Kerrygold Irish butter Good butter on this baguette still warm just out of the oven is amazing! Try it. Or do as TJ’s sample guy did and bake in some cheese. Ditto, amazing.
In summary, this baguette is another excellent product from Trader Joes. For $1.99 it’s an excellent value, and worth buying if you can find it. It seems to sell out quickly. I guess word has gotten out what how good and what a good value this baguette is.
When I pick up smoked salmon from TJ’s this is usually the one that I get. Its got a little extra flavor from the spice rub and herbs like dill, but these are not overpowering to the taste of the smoked salmon, the balance is very good as well as the texture of this smoked salmon. For us, this smoked salmon is a pretty affordably priced special treat, at around five and a half bucks. I find this is better than the slightly cheaper plain smoked salmon ($5?).
A SUNDAY BREAKFAST: this is what I might do with it …. some smoked salmon on a fresh TJ Artisan Bagel with a shmear of cream cheese, a squeeze of fresh lemon and topped with a little arugula and a grind of fresh pepper. This combo is quite yummy, and makes for a special Sunday breakfast chez nous.
A 4 oz package of this smoked salmon costs $5.49 (Dec. 2018). Will give this a mild Rave.
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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