A Trader Joe’s fan blog with some NYC attitude. Mostly raves with a few rants.
22 Sep 2023 1 Comment
in Blog, DIY, General, Health & Beauty, Home Goods, New, News, Prices, Products, Staple, Trader Joes, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: healthy, no preservatives, product, Products, review, Trader Joes
Is this the cutest thing or what?
I loved the idea and the design when I saw this waiting on line at TJ’s to check out. It’s a little tote bag which is a tote bag! It tucks into itself to look like a miniature Trader Joe’s bag. Unzip it and it unfolds into a full size grocery bag made of nylon (strong). Small enough for your purse or pocket. It was $2.99.
06 Sep 2023 Leave a comment
in All Natural, DIY, Fall Season, fresh, General, Health & Beauty, Home Goods, New, News, organic, Pantry, Products, Rave, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: green, live, plants, Seen at Trader Joe's, Trader Joes
Seen: Sept 5, 2024 at NYC Trader Joe’s (72nd St & Bway)
Bromeliads in a ceramic pot. $12.99
These looked really healthy and were starting to flower
See link for care guide
04 Sep 2023 Leave a comment
in DIY, General, Home Goods, Pantry, Prices, Products, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: eco, Food, green, Products, save the planet, storage, Trader Joes
“Microwave Safe, Freezer Safe, Dishwasher Safe”
I recently saw these in my Trader Joe’s NEW ITEMS section:
“Reusable Silicone Food Storage Bags”
These looked similar to Ziplock’s silicone storage bags (“Endurables). I had just seen a commercial for those on TV. These look similar. Both are “food storage bags” made out of a sturdy thick food grade silicone that can be used over and over. Green by design. Less waste. The bags have a zipper type pressure seal and are clearly designed to be re-used over and over and over. I like the Eco concept of that.
They’re Oven/Microwave safe, and can go right from the freezer or fridge to the oven or microwave. I even grabbed a few screen shots from Ziplock’s website to show some usage ideas they have, such as a salmon steak going from the freezer to being baked in the oven right in the bag!
Being reusable, one would buy less plastic bags that just become more plastic waste which our planet and oceans don’t need any more of.
Trader Joe’s sells these for $9.99 and you get 3 bags, a small, medium and large one; the large one being a 33 oz size and the small about 8.5 oz size. I didn’t buy them yet but thought I would just point these out if you want to check them out.
These pictures are from Ziplock’s website just to give some ideas of how they are used….
30 Jul 2023 Leave a comment
in All Natural, can, DIY, General, Mexican, News, organic, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, snacks, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Cuban, Food, healthy, Mexican, product, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes, vegan gluten free, vegetarian
So what’s the best (not to mention one of the healthiest) things you can buy for less than $1 at Trader Joe’s? Probably a can of beans for 89 cents.
Just a few years ago, TJ’s used to have a number of items one could pick up for a buck or less, but these have dwindled to a mere handful, especially over the last year due to price increases at all supermarkets.
However one tasty and healthy food you can still buy at TJ’s for less than a buck at TJ’s are canned beans. Here I will focus on the ever so useful black beans. However TJ’s has lots of kinds, including chick peas (garbanzos) and red and white/canellini beans as well. All are good and I always have a mix of at least a few cans in the pantry.
I especially like having black beans around as I find black beans really useful to come up with a quick meal or side dish. For instance for some fast and easy CUBAN BLACK BEANS.
I’ve been known in the past to make black beans from scratch, meaning soaking dried black beans, etc etc. But sometimes I’m lazy or forgot to soak them the night before, so I just open up a can of beans. However I always doctor them up and you should too. Straight out of the can black beans are OK but boring.
With very little effort you can make them very tasty into Cuban Black Beans.
EASY CUBAN BLACK BEANS – For a fast and easy recipe – sauté about 4 cloves of chopped garlic and 1/2 a chopped onion in a good slug of olive oil for 5 minutes. Then add a can or two of black beans; dump them without draining into the pot. Add dried oregano and ground cumin. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Before serving I suggest you mash up about 1/3 of the beans with the back of a spoon or a potato masher, as this gives a lovely creamy texture. Voila, you have a nice dish of Quick Cuban Black Beans, a perfect match for a plate of rice or tortillas or what ever you want to serve with these.
They will go great with Carnitas. These will match well with TJ’s CORN TORTILLAS too and of course some Thai Jasmine Rice.
Spend a little more time and you can really make a decent Cuban or Mexican bean dish with a few more ingredients so follow the links below for some recipe suggestions. BTW for a little more you can buy Organic beans, now $1.09.
20 Jun 2023 Leave a comment
in All Natural, Asian, condiments, DIY, General, Home Goods, hot sauce, jar, New, News, organic, Pantry, Prices, Rave, snacks, spices, Staple, sweets, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, healthy, honey, no preservatives, organic, product, Products, Rave, review, spicy, Trader Joes, vegan gluten free, vegetarian
Trader Joe’s SPICY HONEY; it’s honey with chili, so obviously sweet and spicy. Make that Quite Spicy!
Now back in 2010, I had first heard of something called “Mike’s Hot Honey” . It created a bit of a buzz in the NYC food scene when it came out. I actually first tasted Mike’s Hot Honey on a delicious pizza from Paulie Gee’s in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that Mike had come up working there doing pizzas. His Arugula Pizza with Honey was Mike’s hot honey drizzled over fresh arugula on the pizza after it came out of the oven. The whole thing was just terrific. Also the place (if you can, go try a Paulie Gee’s pizza). Mike was marketing his hot honey (his was made with a Brazilian birdseye chili). Hot Honey began to catch on with chefs. Hot honey became a thing. Other vendors came out with similar products. Trader Joe’s jumped on the hot honey bandwagon too a few years ago. They came up with what they call “Spicy Honey”. TJ’s spicy honey is quite good. It’s quite spicy as I said so you use it sparingly, just drizzles of it at the end on something. Interestingly I just realized as I had a bottle Trader Joe’s first sold it in an 8 oz container and the sold it for I think $3. Recently they increased both the price and the size. Its now 12 oz for $5. It’s Organic too I think. This is really Terrific if you’re into Sweet and Savory. I drizzled some on my Japanese Curry Rice last night, perfect addition.
“From something as simple as a baked sweet potato to something as rich as a slice of New York Cheesecake, a drizzling of Organic Spicy Honey Sauce instantly gives anything it’s added to an extra element of complexity. Try it on sandwiches, pizza, or shrimp tacos for an elevated everyday eating experience. Give it a go over pan-fried Gnocchi, roasted carrots, or barbecued meat skewers for a bit of gourmet experimentation…”
-Trader Joe’s description
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/organic-spicy-honey-sauce-069094
11 Jun 2023 1 Comment
in All Natural, baked, bread, cheese, DIY, fresh, General, Italian, jar, organic, Pantry, Products, Rave, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, healthy, no preservatives, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes, vegan gluten free, vegetarian
One of my go-to items for an inexpensive and easy dinner is Trader Joe’s Organic Polenta, which I’ve mentioned before. Still it’s worth mentioning again as this is one of their inexpensive items, even one of the few products that is the same price as it has been in the past for years (shh.. I’m afraid if TJ’s see this they may raise the price)
A package of the Organic Polenta ($1.99) can make a meal for two, say with some sauce plus maybe some salad and bread. It’s easy to prepare too. You just slice up the polenta and then bake, broil or sauté it until it’s a little crispy and browned (do NOT microwave it thought they say that’s one way).
When it’s nice and crispy, just top it with your favorite sauce and grate a little cheese on top. If you want a change from a tomato sauce, a good thing to match the polenta with would be TJ’s frozen Mushroom Medley ($4) or sauté some mushrooms ($2.29).
Trader Joe’s Organic Polenta is shelf stable and can safely stay for a couple of months in your pantry, just like pasta. I always have a package of the polenta on hand and suggest you do too!
Want to spend less than $1.99? Well fortunately you can still buy some bags of pasta at Trader Joe’s for just 99 cents! Plus they have some sauces for $1.99.
19 May 2023 2 Comments
in All Natural, cereal, dairy, DIY, Dried Fruits and Nuts, fresh, General, New, News, organic, Pantry, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, snacks, Staple, sweets, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: ingredients, kid friendly, kids, product, Products, Rave, review, snacks, three, Trader Joes
You may have heard of this super popular “recipe” if you can call it that, which is all over the internet. It makes a healthy snack or dessert. Basically there are actually two ingredients: chia seeds and almond milk (or whatever “milk” you want). Here ya go.
RECIPE: CHIA SEED PUDDING
In a glass or small jar, put about 2 tablespoon of TJ’s chia seeds. Next add about 1/2 cup of any kind of milk beverage (like almond milk). Give it a little stir. There are no rules that you must use almond milk, just use whatever you like best. Me, I alternate all the time between OAT, ALMOND or SOY MILK depending on my mood. Option: Add a bit of honey or any of your preferred sweetener (agave, maple syrup) and stir that in. While optional it does add some flavor and if you have kids you must use something like that. All you do now is wait for it to thicken so put it in the fridge and let the mixture sit in the fridge for at least about 30-60 minutes but it sets up best if you let it sit for 8-12 hours or overnight. When ready to serve put some fruit on top, or even something crunchy like Granola.
Chia seed pudding is super easy to make and of course very healthy. Now there is no rule that you can’t have use more ingredients and include a few other things. I usually mix in some yogurt or kefir too with the oat milk and sometimes add a few dried fruits like dried cranberries in. Basically figure about 1/2 cup of liquid to about 2 tablespoon of the chia seeds. If that is too thick (or not thick enough) adjust with more or less chia seeds until you get the consistency you, or your kids, prefer. This is a great snack.
24 Apr 2023 1 Comment
in bread, cheese, condiments, DIY, Dried Fruits and Nuts, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, snacks, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes
Trader Joe’s UNEXPECTED CHEDDAR CHEESE SPREAD
You will find this stuff mentioned all over Instagram, TikTok and Reddit. Its quite good, maybe one of Trader Joe’s best New Items.
They took TJ’s incredibly popular Unexpected Cheddar cheese and made it into a spread like a pub cheese by adding things like butter and whey to make that hard cheese now spreadable. What a great idea, no?
Trader Joe’s says: “Our supplier combines our crumbly Unexpected Cheddar with salted butter and whey to create a superbly savory, creamy Cheese Spread that’s ready to enhance sandwiches and glorify grazing boards with the simple flick of a knife. Spread this pub-style cheese on a Raisin Rosemary Crisp, and you’ve got one classy snack on your hands. You might also add it to an appetizer of puff pastry topped with chopped figs to bring out its subtle fruity notes. No matter how you use it, it’s guaranteed to be a real crowd-cheeser.” (ok a groan for the bad pun)
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/unexpected-cheddar-cheese-spread-074802
$4.99 for a 9 oz tub.
I would buy this again.
Search around you you’ll find pictures using this spread to make the trendy fancy “cheese boards” which are all the rage on Instagram. Here’s TJ’s idea to make one with this spread, nuts and honey
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/recipes/unexpected-cheddar-cheese-board
24 Apr 2023 Leave a comment
in baked, bread, cheese, dairy, DIY, fresh, General, Italian, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: cheese, grilled, pizza, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes
This flavor is the one I’m now seeing of TJ’s yummy “bread cheese“. This “pizza seasoned bread cheese” is quite good, perhaps dangerously good!
Just grilling it with some halved cherry tomatoes basically I came up with kind of a “deconstructed pizza” when I served the soft warm cheese with grilled cherry tomatoes and toasted bread. A drizzle of EVOO and a sprig of fresh basil completed the picture. What’s not to like? All the flavor and fun of pizza in five minutes. Eat it while it’s still gooey and melt-y. I would say a package made roughly two portions. I’d go with “sauté” and not microwave as grilling it will brown it more and so be better that way. This Pizza Bread cheese version is now $1.99 (!) Used to be over $4.
16 Feb 2023 3 Comments
in All Natural, DIY, fresh, General, New, News, Products, recipe, Recipes, Trader Joes, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Cooking, dinner, gluten free, How To Cook, idea, ideas, Products, review, serving, Trader Joes
(Note: Since I wrote this, Trader Joe’s came out with a new flavor of these: Pineapple Teriyaki Meatballs).
Trader Joe’s CHICKEN MEATBALLS “Seasoned, Fully Cooked, Gluten Free” (now there are 3 kinds!)
INGREDIENTS: All Natural Chicken, Sea Salt, Oregano, Basil, Vinegar Powder, Garlic powder, Onion powder, Rosemary, Black Pepper, Parsley
These meatballs looked interesting enough to me to try out and review. They’re sold fresh packed in a vacuum package. Fully cooked, just “heat and eat”.
‘Made from “all natural, minimally processed chicken, no antibiotics”. These are Gluten Free, simply made from chicken with a few simple seasonings. Vacuum packed, they can easily keep at least a week or more in the fridge unopened. For longer storage just freeze them (to defrost I just leave them in the fridge overnight).
I’ve found with these meatballs to be very convenient for a super fast easy protein to use to come up with an quick easy meal. I find them pretty tasty if just the tiniest bit rubbery (if I compared to my own homemade chicken meatballs). I think they would be even better if they had a little bit of binder (bread crumbs eggs, veggies or the like). If you’ve ever made meatballs you know they will come out softer with a little bit of some kind of “binder” in them. Meatballs generally have bread crumbs, eggs, and milk.
I suggest you be sure to brown them, as I think the flavor will be improved by browning. So I suggest don’t just nuke these, Brown them up in a nonstick or well seasoned pan in a little butter or oil.
I cook them via the “Stove Top” method, browning with some butter and/or olive oil. I sometime cut them in half, or quartered or sliced up as that increases the surface area for browning. If you want them whole that’s fine too just turn them to get all sides brown before serving. When they are golden brown, turn off the heat, toss a tablespoon of water or stock, or lemon juice in and cover the pan immediately to let them steam a bit which will soften them. A sprinkle of lemon juice perked them up nicely. Before cooking them I like to sprinkle them with either Smoked Paprika or AJIKA blend which helps browning even more, plus adds nice flavors.
These will be good with some sauce of your choosing… Sriracha Mayo or Garlic Dip mixed with lemon juice… Or even just some ketchup and/or mayo….Magnifique Sauce. Your favorite BBQ sauce. Sweet Chili sauce… Basically any sauce you like will work and improve these.
Here is a one way I’ve served them. Cut into halves, browned up and put on top of a bed of lentils that I had made a few days before. Another way was in a Wrap on a flour tortilla.
These can easily become dinner along with some sides, say rice or potatoes, or pasta and a veggie. I think these might match well with any one of TJ’s simmer sauces (Thai or Indian). You could brown them, add sauce, simmer a few minutes and serve. Maybe toss in some frozen green beans or peas in the sauce as well? Serve on top of rice or noodles or pasta. Or just with pita or Naan? What about making these Italian style? Brown and add your favorite jar of tomato sauce. Toss them with pasta and you have an easy dinner. Or maybe brown them, slice up, and put them into a pita with some lettuce and some sauce? Or just serve them sliced up on top of a salad? So you might find these a handy thing to have in your fridge. TJ’s Chicken Meatballs are $3.99 (12 oz, about 16 meatballs in the package). Figure maybe 4 per person/portion? 4 meatballs have 16 gr of protein with 150 calories!
Now on the other hand with just a little effort you can make your own chicken meatballs! No really, it’s pretty easy. While these are very convenient of course, your own homemade ones will be way better.
RECIPE – HOMEMADE CHICKEN MEATBALLS: Take a package of Trader Joe’s fresh ground chicken ($3.99 $4.49 a pound). Put in a bowl. Mix in one egg, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs or Panko., 1/4 tsp Salt & Pepper (Optional add more seasonings, and even better with some chopped scallions, parsley, garlic, cilantro? Add a tablespoon of AJIJKA spice or Smoked Paprika. Mix ingredients thoroughly. Put in fridge for 1/2 hr to firm up. Form (using wet hands) into small meatballs. Flatten them in the pan into patties (more surface area to brown). Cook in a nonstick pan/cast iron with butter and/or olive oil. Sprinkle on Smoked Paprika. Cook about 4 minutes per side, till well browned. Deglaze pan with 2 tbl water, lemon juice, add butter and pour pan sauce over chicken.
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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