Fall/Autumn/Halloween seasonal stuff appears at Trader Joe’s. Make your own Caramel Dipped Apples with this kit : “Just bring your own apples to this cute little kit filled with all the fixings to make these Autumn treats”. Fun for the kids. ($6.99)
Seen at Trader Joe’s: CARAMEL APPLE KIT
02 Oct 2023 Leave a comment
in dairy, DIY, Fall Season, General, News, Pantry, recipe, Recipes, seasonal, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update Tags: fall, halloween, Products, season, Seen at Trader Joe's, Trader Joes
Seen at Trader Joe’s : VANILLA PUMPKIN HAND SOAP & LOTION SET
27 Sep 2023 Leave a comment
in Fall Season, General, Health & Beauty, Home Goods, New, News, Prices, Products, seasonal, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, Xmas season Tags: beauty, body, fall, Gift, ideas, lotion, Products, Seen at Trader Joe's, Trader Joes, women
NEW ITEMS section – “A soap and lotion duo sure to keep you clean and hydrated. For fans of our pumpkin and vanilla scented candles” $7.99
(Gift idea….for Xmas-time…?)
Trader Joe’s ORGANIC MAYONNAISE
22 Sep 2023 1 Comment
in All Natural, organic, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, Staple, Trader Joes, update Tags: Food, gluten free, no preservatives, product, Products, review, Trader Joes
“Organic soybean oil, water, organic eggs, organic white vinegar, salt, organic lemon juice concentrate, organic mustard seeds….”
Trader Joe’s used to carry both a regular (non-organic) mayo and an organic version. At some point they discontinued the non-organic version and now carry just this “Organic Mayonnaise.”
I used to buy the regular one, which came in a big 32 oz jar, double this one. Both are very good. I remember the non-organic 32 oz mayo went for $2.99.
This 16 oz organic mayonnaise is $3.49, or more than double the price. Oh well! A remember asking the Captain at the Front Desk what happened to the non-organic mayo, and he said he thought Trader Joe’s seems to be gearing towards selling only Organic if possible. They were slowly discontinuing non-organic versions of some products (for instance my beloved tomato paste in a tube. Gone!). He said he thought TJ’s plan was to only carry Organic Products in the future. Which to me sounds kind of like Whole Foods…
Honestly I thought the regular mayo was fine and half the price of this organic mayo. I was unhappy they just Discontinued it and gave customers less choice. Sure I like Organic stuff but I like options too. Don’t get me wrong, this organic version is very good and of course I’ve switched to it, unless I see Hellman’s on sale somewhere (that too has gone way up)
Commercially made mayonnaise like this one is good and fine, however if you never tasted “real French mayonnaise” — the kind you make fresh — you are missing out. You should try to make it at last once. Watch this video below to get ideas how to make your own real French mayonnaise from scratch.
Seriously this is the real McCoy. A real fresh mayo is so good you won’t believe it. Mayo is not hard to make. It will only take you maybe 5-10 minutes . You could impress some guests! Compare this to any mayonnaise you have probably had, the best commercial brand and you will not believe the difference. All you need is vegetable oil, an egg, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, beaten together… its actually easy and fun and kind of magical when it all emulsifies. Ah food science!
Seen at Trader Joe’s: MICRO TOTE
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.
Trader Joe’s Dominican Republic JARABACOA Small Lot Coffee
21 Sep 2023 1 Comment
in All Natural, coffee, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: beans, coffee, Dominican Republic, Food, no preservatives, product, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes, vegetarian, whole
Dominican Republic JARABACOA Coffee
NEW ITEM: This is the latest “small lot” coffee on offer at Trader Joe’s (Sept 2023).
Many of these Trader Joe’s Small Lot coffees are really good, some times even terrific, with yes an occasional dud. Many times these coffees are Single Origin, Single Estate coffee beans. The good stuff, like those you would find at some trendy Williamsburg roaster / shop, you know where small hand lettered bags of single estate beans can go for perhaps $30? If are the kind of person who would like to try lots of interesting and unique coffees but doesn’t want to break the bank, many times these Trader Joe’s Small Lot coffees can be a great way to explore the World of Coffee. I found this latest Trader Joe’s Small Lot coffee offering to be a terrific robust tasting coffee.
This one is is from the mountains of the Dominican Republic and is called “Jarabacoa” with 100% Arabica beans in a Medium Dark Roast. Trader Joe’s description on the bag of this coffee has this to say….
“In Jarabacoa, third generation farmers have dedicated themselves to the production of coffee beans. ‘Honey processed’ and sun dried to impart a subtle sweetness, the beans are given a medium dark roast for a robust cup when brewed, brimming with notes of chocolate, brown sugar and blackberries”
I found this description to be right on. This coffee was as listed “medium-dark” (actually the picture may make it look darker). The beans are a shade past “medium” with just a little bit shiny in places, however I would not call this overly roasted, such as Starbucks is famous for doing to their beans. In fact this medium dark roast seems just right to me. A little bit under say a French Roast with a bit of that robust flavor those have if you like that sort of thing. Personally I love and really enjoy medium dark roasts, in addition to lighter roasts.
The beans smelled wonderful when I first opened up the bag, releasing the most heavenly aroma, and when I ground it up of course it smelled even better, perfuming the whole kitchen. I brewed up those freshly ground coffee trying it in both a Moka pot and another one as a pour over. The resulting brews were really tasty. I found the coffee rich and dark and oh so good. As they said it had a subtle sweetness to it with yes, hints of chocolate and blackberries. It tasted better with each sip. I finished my cup, then I actually debated making another cup immediately. Yes I found it that good.
The Jarabacoa Dominican coffee has become my new favorite Trader Joe’s coffee at the moment. I’m really enjoying it. TJ’s is selling a 12 oz bag for $9.99. This is not bad as some recent small lot coffees that had were more, about $12 each.
Would I buy this again? Well I actually ran back the next day and got 2 more bags to have in the pantry “just in case” …. these small lot New Items coffees frequently go bye-bye pretty fast. I’ve lost out on some coffees by waiting too long only to find they ran out.
“Normally, the sticky-sweet outer layer of the coffee fruit is washed off, but these beans are “honey processed,” so that layer is left intact. Because they spend less time in water, the sun-dried beans ferment less and retain more natural sweetness. Trader Joe’s Dominican Republic Jarabacoa Small Lot Coffee wears its honey process on its sip. Immediately, a taster can detect a subtle sweetness, accompanied by notes of chocolate and hints of blackberry.”
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/dominican-republic-jarabacoa-small-lot-coffee-075146
Seen at Trader Joe’s: BROMELIAD PLANTS
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
Seen at Trader Joe’s: SILICONE FOOD STORAGE BAGS
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….
Trader Joe’s THAI CURRY SAUCE
29 Aug 2023 2 Comments
in Asian, can, fresh, General, jar, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, spices, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: curry, dinner, ideas, review, sauce, style, Thai, tofu, Trader Joes
Want to make a Thai Style Yellow Curry yourself? This makes it quite easy.
TJ’s says: “We’ve honored the modern recipe of a zesty, ginger-forward sauce packed full of onion, garlic, red chilies, and of course garlic! All of this is blended together with creamy coconut milk making for the rich, velvety sauce we all know and love. With this sauce you can make a traditional yellow curry dish in no time! Cook up some meat, poultry, tofu, or veggies until done, stir in our Thai Style Yellow Curry Sauce, simmer until heated through, and serve on a bed of rice.”
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/thai-style-yellow-curry-sauce-078557
I made curry recently and used this yellow version, however there is a red version of this curry sauce too. Both are decent. Overall I find the yellow one is slightly better myself but maybe you need to try both and settle on your preference of which you like better.
I usually sauté my protein and vegetables for 5-10 minutes in a little oil, then add this sauce. I rinse the jar out with a few ounces of water to get every drop. Then just let everything simmer for 20-30 minutes.
A trick I’ve learned is I usually also will add about a 1/2 can of TJ’s coconut milk. This helps two ways. It gives me more sauce, enough for a big pot of curry, as when I make this I want to get at least two meals. The other way is additional coconut milk will also tame the heat down a bit, as my wife’s preference is for not too spicy.
This sauce has a good Thai flavor profile. They list lemongrass and galangal for example, both which give authentic Thai flavor. This sauce is moderately spicy. It’s not blow your head off spicy. Again if you had more coconut milk that will mellow things more.
An 11 oz jar is $3.49. Now for that price I wish they gave you at least 16 ounces because honestly 11 ounces is barely enough sauce. Ah well.
You will definitely want some Thai Jasmine rice to go with your lovely curry. As far as your Main, Protein, etc. almost anything will work, like chicken (breast or thigh), Fish, Shrimp, Tofu, Hard Boiled Eggs….
Another way to make an easy Thai curry was taught to me by a Thai friend. This is how many Thais make a fast easy curry at home, by using a good real Thai curry paste. You sauté the curry paste a bit in oil for a few minutes then add your ingredients and then coconut milk. One good brand of Thai curry paste is Mae Ploy. They sell green, red and yellow versions. These pastes are very concentrated. Honestly that tub could last a year.
Thai curries are delicious and worth making. This sauce makes it super easy. The Mae Ploy paste plus coconut milk is going to make a better dish will than this Trader Joe’s “thai style” sauce however just opening this jar is a bit easier and will still turn out something like a Thai curry.
Seen (again) at Trader Joe’s: Fresh HATCH CHILE PEPPERS from New Mexico
21 Aug 2023 Leave a comment
in All Natural, New, News, seasonal, Trader Joes, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, healthy, no preservatives, Products, Trader Joes, vegetarian
Kind of a rare find for NYC. Frieda brand Hatch Chiles direct from New Mexico. They are back in stock right now at Trader Joe’s (Aug ’23 – NYC) usually just for a week or two, so if you are interested grab some asap. You can learn how to cook them and some recipes at Frieda’s website (link below)
https://wordpress.com/post/traderjoesrants.com/11916
Trader Joe’s BANANA PUDDING ICE CREAM (it’s a hit)
16 Aug 2023 Leave a comment
in dairy, frozen, General, ice cream, New, News, Prices, Products, Rave, snacks, sweets, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: ice cream, product, Products, Rave, review, reviewed, Trader Joes
Trader Joe’s ‘BANANA PUDDING ICE CREAM with salted caramel swirl & vanilla wafer cookie pieces” (LIMITED EDITION)
A reader told me I had to try out this new flavor ice cream Trader Joe’s came out with recently, so I did. All I can say is boy were they right. I thought it was SO good. In fact I believe via social media, the word has gotten out about it and it’s become so popular, it seems to be flying off the shelves. Also it was a Flyer Item. When I recently went to my TJ’s to buy some I was crushed to see just an empty row where it should be.
Fortunately though that might have been my Lucky Day. An employee just happened to be restocking the case with it just at that time, and he saw my crest fallen face looking at the empty shelf. He put a pint in my hand and told me to enjoy it. O frabjous day!
After I tasted some I understood why it’s flying off the shelf. It’s quite good, with a fairly unique flavor concoction that reminds me of something Ben & Jerry would come up with. If you love bananas (raises hand) you may love this. Yes it has some kind of really good banana flavor, and they list actual puréed bananas as the third ingredient listed. The taste does kind of remind you of banana pudding. In addition to some salted caramel swirls it even has tiny bits of vanilla cookie bits (‘Nilla wafers) like banana pudding has. It all blends up very well for a unique, subtle flavor combo.
As good as it was by itself I couldn’t help wonder how it might taste if I added some bananas on top! I cut up 1/2 a banana and added that and yes, super Yum with them. Like a banana, banana split. Trust me and try it with a banana! So good.
Still I did have one problem with this ice cream; It was so good the tiny little pint magically vanished so quickly. I put this ice cream into “dangerously good” category. If it’s in the freezer, I’m going to have a hard time staying away. It’s $3.79 pint (well it is a premium custom seasonal ice cream)
I would buy this again. If I can find it, that is. It was sold out when I went back a few days later. And a few days later again I could not find any in the freezer. So consider yourself lucky if you see this, and grab one. You won’t be sorry. Oh and it’s a “Limited Edition” flavor. So don’t expect to see this forever. Maybe it will be seasonal?
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/banana-pudding-flavored-ice-cream-074560
TJ’s says: “Made for us by the same supplier as some of our other (widely celebrated, if we do say so ourselves) seasonal ice cream pints, each bite of Trader Joe’s Banana Pudding Flavored Ice Cream expertly evokes the taste of a classically sweet and creamy banana pudding…We’re not just saying you’ll love it—we’re saying you’ll love it a whole bunch”
Now just in case you can’t find this flavor and want some recommendations for other flavors at Trader Joe’s I’d say you can’t go wrong with the COFFEE BEAN BLAST or MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ice creams.
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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