I’ve thought about posting something like this for awhile, instead of a review. The issue: Wasting money. Wasting food. Argh !!! I’m sure you are with me. I just hate discovering produce wasn’t used fast enough and is basically garbage now. I hate to throw out food. I’m sure you feel the same. With everything costing more and more, frankly now it seems more important than ever.
We all know all too well, the horrible feeling of looking in a bag of greens or something only to find something black and melted and looking like it’s ready for the garbage. Some things go faster than other. Pre-washed soft little greens for one.
Say washed, ready to eat Mixed Greens at Trader Joe’s. I’ve found those really don’t last long. Great for 3, 4 days. They go bad pretty fast. Faster than almost anything else I buy at Trader Joe’s as the little mixed lettuces are very delicate. After four days, I will usually find a few rotten pieces deep in the middle.
So how do you keep your veggies and stuff from going bad for as long as possible?
Every vegetable and package presents a different challenge. A lot of stuff at Trader Joe’s is packaged in plastic. Most? Way too much plastic and of course Plastic doesn’t “breathe”. Moisture is both the friend and enemy with veggies. Just enough is good to keep them as fresh as possible. But if no air, it will rot faster.
My so called hack is a mix of air (holes) and paper towels to try to regulate the moisture in the bag.
AIR FLOW. What I usually do is I make holes if there aren’t any already. Even if there are (bagged carrots for example) I may add some more holes. What I do is a combination of things to regulate the moisture. Sometimes adding a paper towel in the bag to absorb moisture (and provide it slowly). On occasion both the two together, poking lots of holes and a paper towel in the bag. It’s tricky as you don’t want stuff to dry up, but not have too much moisture either.
For example take that bag of ARUGULA – which I buy frequently. The first thing I do before I put the bag in the fridge is take a sharp pointy knife – and STAB IT all over to make a lot of holes. Seriously stab it. Not two or three holes. I stab the bag maybe 10 times on each side. A lot of little holes to make it more breathable. I might slit open the bag and put a paper towel in along the side.
Mixed greens? Air holes and paper towels in the bag. Close up with a clothes pin or similar.
GREEN ONIONS – Same thing. Air holes all over.
Once you open a bag, which I usually do with scissors, i use clips or clothes pins to seal shut.
With green onions, sometimes I will remove them all from the bag and wrap a paper towel around the bottom which is barely moistened with a few drops of water to keep those root ends moist. A wonderful Cantonese chef I watch alot of cooking videos of, recommends standing green onions upright in the fridge, in a plastic bag with the roots wrapped in barely moist paper towels. That does work but I usually have them horizontal.
What about say a package of PERSIAN CUCUMBERS? They have cardboard on the bottom which is breathable, so better. The plastic wrapping them, I pierce all over and make (more) air holes. Keep loosely covered.
What about Trader Joe’s plastic square boxes of parsley or cilantro? I stab the plastic box like crazy to make holes in them and take a paper towel and wrap up the whole bunch of parsley in the paper towel. Maybe add a few drops of water to keep it moist – barely. Freshen every few days.
Another thing I do, is when things start to look no longer perfect is I will cook the greens when they get past prime time (a bit not garbage). Lets say I have half a bag of arugula left over, It looks a little past it’s prime but not too bad. Not great for a salad but not ready to toss in the garbage. So I cook it. I remove any really bad leaves, give it a quick rinse, and toss it in a pan with oil and garlic. Sauté it for a few minutes till wilted. Arugula is great to cook with too. Or if I’m cooking something, throw it in at the end for 1 minute or so till its wilted / cooked.
I’ve never written a “review” of fruit before so this is a first for me. Why now?
I was at Trader Joe’s, looking for the new Ranch flavor rolled tortilla chips and could not find any on the shelves. So I asked one of the employees if they had any in back. He went and found what he said were the “last two bags”.
I was thankful, of course, and we started talking a little bit and he asked if I had every tried “Dekopan”. He said you have to try it. I drew a blank. I had no idea what that was. He walked me over to where oranges were. He pointed out a large weird looking bumpy skin, giant mandarin orange with a bumpy top knot. He said they’re expensive but actually worth it. It’s a “premium” fruit. Very seasonal, only available for around 3 months. A TJ employee cult favorite which they wait for all year.
So I had to get one to try. How is it? Well it perhaps actually is The best orange/mandarin I ever ate.
It is Huge. A pound each? So juicy and sweet. So easy to peel, it just slipped out of its skin. Smells fantastic. No seeds! I can see what a Trader Joe’s Cult Favorite.
Also probably at $2.49 each, the most expensive orange I ever bought. Yikes. Still, at other stores they might be even more expensive than that.
But its huge and really really good and a rare treat.
So even if just once, I would also say, “you’ve got to try this” while you can as it’s seasonal (around Jan-April) only available for about 3 months.
When my wife and I tried it after dinner we were both so impressed with the taste and while expensive, very special indeed. Just so delicious and a treat for a dessert. A way healthier dessert than the cake we had. By the way, its so huge it was shared by us both.
I got one for $2.49 weeks ago. Just saw them now weeks later I saw them bagged (about 5?) for maybe $6, way less per orange. Probably end of season and they need to get rid of them.
GOOGLE: Trader Joe’s Sumo Citrus (Dekopon) is a highly anticipated seasonal fruit available roughly January through April. Known for being very large, seedless, incredibly sweet, and easy to peel, these premium mandarins feature a distinct top-knot bump.
Key Details About Trader Joe’s Sumo Citrus:
Seasonality: Typically available in the winter and early spring, specifically January to April.
Taste & Texture: Extremely sweet (high Brix count) and juicy, with a texture closer to a tangerine than a standard orange.
Appearance: Distinctive, bumpy, thick rind with a “top knot” bump, making them easy to peel.
Price: Known to be expensive, with individual fruit priced around $2.49 and bags sold for roughly $5.49–$5.99, but still cheaper than at many other retailers.
Origins: Originally developed in Japan in the 1970s, now grown in California’s Central Valley.
If you had to pick out the single “healthiest” item you could buy at Trader Joe’s, here’s one item I might choose: ORGANIC STEEL CUT OATS.
“Ingredients: Organic Steel Cut Oats“
That’s it. Classic. Whole grain. Super food. Minimally processed (less than rolled oats).
They cook up to a distinctively chewy texture with a nutty flavor, hearty flavor. OK. These do take a bit longer to cook than rolled oats but its worth it for the better taste and texture.
Steel cut oats are a natural food that has minimal processing.
Steel cut oats are whole grains of oats, dried and cut with very sharp steel blades into smaller pieces. This makes them cook a little faster (25 mins) than if they were left whole. To make rolled oats, they partially cook the grains, then press them between steel rollers to flatten them. Doing this makes them cook quicker (15 mins) So called “quick oats” are rolled even thinner (I don’t bother with those)
As far as oatmeal goes, steel cut oats are my favorite. They have a lovely chewy texture and a lovely nutty flavor (which you can increase even more with some toasting them before cooking in your pot before you cook them).
Steel Cut Oats take a bit longer to cook than rolled oats but I think the effort is worth it, as they taste better. These take about 25-30 minutes. To save time, in the morning do what I do. I generally make a batch the night before so they are all ready in the morning.
I usually will make a big enough batch to last us about 3 or 4 days. I do like rolled oats however steel cut oats have better texture (chewy) and taste (nutty).
You can even double the recipe (8 c water / 2 c oats) and even freeze some.
How to cook STEEL CUT OATS:
The basic ratio is 1:4 – Ie, 1 cup oats to 4 cups water. If you cook it and find it’s too thick, you can just add a little more water. As it cools, it will thicken. Be sure to use a nice big heavy pot with a thick bottom to avoid burning. Boil 4 cups of water. Then stir in 1 cup of oats. I suggest adding a pinch of salt (optional but it tastes better)
When the oats start to boil, lower the heat till they are just simmering. I cover the pot loosely (watch it, as oats can easily boil over and make a mess of your stove). Or just leave it uncovered, adding a little water if it looks too thick. Use a pot big enough so that there is a few inches at the top to avoid boil overs.
STIRRING: Every 5-8 minutes or so you should stir the oats occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t stick or burn. If you feel oats stuck on the bottom, just scrape the bottom to loosen them with the (wooden) spoon.
Let them cook slowly for about 25-30 minutes total.
ADDITIONS: The list of stuff you can add is almost endless. We like to add a good sprinkle of cinnamon as they are cooking. Apples: to a batch (1 cup oats) we dice up a whole apple and throw that in too and let it cook in the oats. I leave the peel on. My wife removes the peel (peel has flavor) Dried fruits: Add, Raisins. Dried cranberries. Most any dried fruit. I add those at the very end so they don’t over cook.
To Serve: again, optional additions are endless – A little butter or cream, brown sugar, raisins, bananas, frozen blueberries or other fruit. Whatever strikes your fancy. You can change them up easily so you can make it different every time. Sure some of that stuff makes them a bit less healthy but I feel I balance it all out. If you are a purist, just eat them plain (boring)
By the way, as the author mentions here, if you order them at a restaurant or diner, especially in New York, the price for a bowl of steel cut oats can be outrageous! ($11-13? No thanks, we will make them ourselves for 50 cents!)
“Oats are considered an exceptionally healthy, nutrient-dense whole grain, packed with fiber (especially beta-glucan), protein, vitamins, and minerals. Regular consumption supports heart health by reducing cholesterol, aids in weight management by promoting fullness, and helps stabilize blood sugar levels.
Key Health Benefits of Oats:
Nutrient-Dense: Rich in magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, and antioxidants. There’s a reason horses are fed oats. Frankly these are practically the same as oats horses eat, the real difference being the grains here have been cut smaller. STEEL CUT as the name implies has the oats cut with steel blades, with a grain cut into about 2 or 3 pieces just to make it cook faster. That’s it. Minimally processed.
Trader Joe’s latest dip is called ROASTED TOMATO LABNEH DIP. Its thick and creamy, tangy, cheesy, and herby from dill and parsley.
It has roasted tomatoes on top. Labneh is made from very thick strained yogurt. Trader Joe’s dip incorporates ingredients like balsamic vinegar, herbs and garlic as well. You can use this as a spread or a dip. This would be great on top of chicken or fish. Try it with Pita chips or your favorite crackers. It worked great when I put this out as a dip along with veggie sticks (celery, carrot, yellow pepper….) T
“Try dunking Trader Joe’s Roasted Tomato Labneh Dip with pita chips, fresh Lavash, or really anything tasty and dunkable…. carrot sticks, pitted olives, French fries, you name it. Try spreading it on a sandwich, a Falafel wrap, or even just a slice of sourdough toast. Try dropping it by the spoonful over salads, hearty grain bowls, or tomato-based soups. Whatever you do, just be sure you try it! It’s a tart, cheesy, herby, phenomenally full-flavored eating experience, and it’s now available at your neighborhood Trader Joe’s.” – Trader Joe’s
I liked this quite a bit. The Labneh dip is good with most anything: vegetables, chicken, meat or fish like grilled salmon, as a dip, as a shmeer on a bagel or sandwich, with falafel, mixed with hummus, or chickpeas. Spread some on TJ’s Lavash. Labneh is especially good with eggs, Turkish style. Try putting an egg, fried or poached egg on top of a spread or bed of the labneh. It’s a little tangy/sour. I liked that taste, however my wife found it a little too tangy. After I finished half of it as-is, I decided to see how it would be mixed with a mashed avocado. It was very good mixed with the avocado. After doing that my wife loved the Avo-Labneh mixture, so you may want to try this hack too. Speaking of which, this would be great as the base of AVOCADO TOAST.
Trader Joe’s Roasted Tomato Labneh Dip $3.49 (8.5 oz) I would buy this again.
If you are fan of “tinned” or canned fish, you probably know that Trader Joe’s has gotten into this popular food trend more and more the last few years.
They now carry quite a few varieties of tinned fish and keep adding new items like this new one: SKIPJACK TUNA FILLETS in olive oil.
Of course Trader Joe’s sells plenty of kinds of cans of tuna. They probably have about 4 or 5 different cans of tuna which include 3 varieties of ALBACORE TUNA (packed in oil, water, 1/2 salted…) YELLOWFIN in olive oil, plus two kinds of SKIPJACK (not like this though)
They came out with a tin of CALAMARI in olive oil (Squid), which is quite good if perhaps not for a #tinnedfish newbie. So let’s consider a far easier entry for most people, like a can of salmon. They have the regular stuff then they have what may be the best canned salmon you ever tasted. The level up salmon in the pink square can they call “Lightly Smoked Salmon”.
Now, they’ve introduced this gourmet level tuna SKIPJACK TUNA FILLETS in olive oil. Just glancing at it, you can tell this one is fancy. Its in a lovely looking rectangular can which indicates much more “gourmet” compared to the other cans of tuna. For a good reason. This is totally Gourmet level tuna. A Must Try product. Isn’t the design gorgeous?
Trader Joe’s says: ‘”Has there ever been a better time to be a tinned fish enthusiast? It seems like all sorts of prepossessing piscine proteins are popping up on shelves, and we here at Trader Joe’s are proud to do our part with options like Trader Joe’s Skipjack Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil. They’re made for us by a supplier in Tunisia, who sources their Skipjack Tuna in the Mediterranean, which is caught via sustainable pole-and-line fishing methods to reduce by-catch. The loin of the Tuna is cut into long, flat fillets, then lightly salted and cooked to perfection, then packed in Olive Oil so that they’re ready to be used in all sorts of culinary contexts right out of the tin.”
Here’s my honest review of Trader Joe’s new Skipjack Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil. This may be the best can of tuna you ever tasted. This is one of those Must Try new items. This tuna is so freakin’ good!
Ingredients are simple: Skipjack tuna, olive oil, salt.
And by the way, check out that this has a whopping THIRTY FOUR GRAMSPROTEIN per can! Sweet.
You may know Skipjack Tuna as “light tuna”. This can is the highest gourmet level of it.
Open the can up and you will see some nice meaty fillets of pure tuna, flaky, and moist looking all covered in tasty olive oil. The tuna is so delicious. Skipjack Tuna is slightly darker with a more intense flavor than albacore tuna. Yes, you may think that this is a bit on the pricey side at $3.99 for a “can of tuna”. But trust me, this tuna is truly Level Up Gourmet. A bit like those very pricey super deluxe imported gourmet jars or cans of tuna (like Ortiz) which go for 3-4x the price of this one, albeit those are generally Albacore tuna (white) while this is Skipjack Tuna which looks a little bit darker than albacore but is delicious.
“So, how best to enjoy these Skipjack Tuna Fillets? That’s the real beauty of them—you can use them in all the same situations you would with everyday canned tuna, like tuna salads, melts, and casseroles, and in more elevated instances like charcuterie boards, on pasta primavera, or in a Nicoise salad. We find that their firm, flakeable texture and mild flavor make them a great choice for simply snacking on while served on a cracker or crostini. ” – Trader Joe’s
How does this compare to the $1.79 pouch of Skipjack? I guess you could easily say that this gourmet version kind of makes that pouch seem like cat food compared to this one.
HOW TO USE SKIPJACK TUNA: Is this gourmet four dollar can of tuna “Too Good” just to make a tuna sandwich? Maybe, but then again maybe no, as it just may make you the best tuna sandwich you ever had in your life.
Seriously. I made a fantastic tuna salad with this tuna which I used to make a Tuna Melt (on TJ’s Rustico Bread). This tuna melt was so amazing and delicious. It was yes, perhaps the best tuna sandwich I ever had.
My first thought when I tasted this tuna was how perfect this would be for making a TUNA NIÇOISE salad. This tuna would be outstanding for the classic French salad with tuna (Salade Niçoise) A recipe link follows…
You can eat the tuna right out of the can. Maybe add a sprinkle of lemon. You can do things to it, such as make a great tuna melt, tuna salad, put it on top of rice, a Japanese style rice bowl with some nori (seaweed snacks)…. Oh and the oil that comes with this is excellent. I say use it, don’t toss it. Use at least a bit of it on the tuna, or save some for a dressing. Its just natural juices and olive oil and its yummy, filled with umami.
IS SKIPJACK TUNA A HEALTHY AND ETHICAL TUNA CHOICE VS ALBACORE TUNA? Yes.
“Choosing pole-and-line-caught light skipjack tuna is your best choice for a low mercury and sustainable option“. Skipjack are smaller fish with lower levels of mercury than yellowfin or bluefin. And Sustainable and Wild.
Trader Joe’s SKIPJACK TUNA FILLETS in Olive Oil $3.99 (6 oz net weight, drained 4.2 oz) I would buy this again.
PRODUCT OF TUNISIA
SKIPJACK TUNA: In Japan its a prized fish known as Katsuo
Katsuo Fish with Cherry Buds, print by Hiroshige, 1830
#tinnedfish #tinnedfishlovers rejoice!
update: june/july 2025 – Now these are MIA. I can’t find these on the shelves! Argh! Perhaps too popular!
“A soft rustic sandwich bread with rolled oats, molasses, flax seeds and sunflower seeds”
WHY TRADER JOE’S MULTIGRAIN RUSTICO SANDWICH BREAD IS A MUST TRY
Trader Joe’s Multigrain RUSTICO BREAD – This is a very tasty bread you may have seen at Trader Joe’s at some point. Its a little soft with an oblong shape, kind of like a long skinny rye bread. The slices are roundish, again like a rye bread. The outside is coated with rolled oats and seeds.
I tried it and liked it. I found it good for making all kinds of sandwiches and seems especially good when toasted or grilled. RUSTICO BREAD is both a little “rustic” as well as seeming a bit on the healthier side from some of the ingredients such as whole wheat, rolled oats, molasses, flax, sesame, and sunflower seeds. While its soft it’s not too soft, this has a little hearty body to it.
Each slice has 4 grams of fiber. At 80 calories per slice, its a bit on the lower calorie side as some Trader Joe’s sliced breads come in at 120-150 calories per slice. The roundish slices are probably a tad smaller than regular square shaped sliced bread. While the bread is soft it still has a little rustic nature from the seeds and oats hence the “Rustico” name. And while it has seeds I would also say its not “too seedy” for those picky eaters who might object to seeds, like some kids I think might. This is a good compromise all around.
Both of us really liked this bread trying it out for the first time. We found TJ’s RUSTICO BREAD to be another good addition to all the many breads we would gladly pick up again at Trader Joe’s, which is a list which seems to keep getting longer and longer all the time, as they have so many good breads.
The RUSTICO BREAD makes excellent toast and sandwiches. For example, say Avocado Toast or a Tuna Melt. Heres what it looked like all grilled up for a Tuna Melt I made on RUSTICO Bread. It looks good and tasted even better.
1 slice = 120 Calories, 4 gr Protein, and 10 gr of whole grains
Trader Joe’s EUROPEAN GRAINS & SEEDS BREAD is a European / Scandinavian style bread that Trader Joe’s introduced not too long ago. Here’s what they have to say about it :
“Our Danish bakery partner starts with a hearty sourdough rye Bread base, bolstering it with flax seed, sunflower seeds, rye flakes, and wheat bran before baking it to a deep brown hue. The resulting loaves are classically European—moist, toothsome, and somewhat dense, with a slightly sweet, delightfully nutty quality in each thin slice.”
I’m a big fan of these types of dense, hearty loaves of bread, seen all over Europe plus every Scandinavian country. I love these kinds of breads that have lots of whole grains. These type of breads are usually square loaves, sliced on the thin side as they are dense. Hearty, and delicious.
Wonder Bread this ain’t!
Here in the U.S., we don’t see these kinds of breads often enough, so over the years whenever I’ve seen this type of bread somewhere I will generally buy it. Especially pumpernickel breads which I really like.
I was so happy to find Trader Joe’s came out with this style of European bread, which are of course super healthy, compared to most any other breads. Is it any good?
Yes, this bread is good. Trader Joe’s new “European Grains And Seeds Bread” is deliciously nutty, tasty and full of seeds. It is baked for for them in Denmark by a Danish bakery, with the thin slices have a nice, nutty taste from sourdoughwholegrain rye and whole wheat floursplus a lot of seeds.
So healthy. I am going to guess this is probably the healthiest bread you can buy at Trader Joe’s.
How to enjoy European Grains and Seeds Bread: What this kind of bread is great for, is making things like open face sandwiches. Probably not so great for your average (thick) sandwich. It may not hold up. You could try thin sandwiches with two slices but really, think I would think about doing Scandinavian style open face sandwiches.
Of course you can just simply spread a slice with (softened) butter, cream cheese, cottage cheese, any cheese you love, jam, ham, or whatever you like. One way I love to enjoy this bread is to spread a slice with butter and top it with thin slices of cucumber or radish and a few grains of sea salt.
You can eat as is, or warm or toast it a bit. As usual with breads, warming it up even a little bit always improves the flavor. But you don’t have to, its fine at room temp.
While I love how this bread tastes there is one area I think they could improve it. The slices tend to break apart if you are not careful with it, as there are so many seeds in it which make it less solid. Which just means you have to be a little gentle with it. So if using butter for example, I let the butter get a bit softened enough to spread easily, least you rip your slice. Sometimes I cut the slices into half or quarters as its easier to handle. Toasting it makes it a bit more firm so try toasting this too. I do really like it just a little toasted.
I made an simple open faced sardine sandwich on this bread and enjoyed it a lot ; it matched great with the fish. SO GOOD!. Try it with your favorite cheese too.
TJ’s says: “When it comes to toppings and fillings, the thin-yet-sturdy slices of European Grains & Seeds Bread are ready for near-infinite riffing: try topping a slice with a pat of Cultured Salted Butter and a swoosh of berry preserves; sliced Cave Aged Le Gruyère and Rosemary Ham, or ripe avocado and a spoonful of Crunchy Chili Onion. Enjoy a slice as the base of an open-faced sandwich topped with Whipped Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon Pieces, and plenty of fresh dill. If it’s soft & chewy you’re seeking, use un-toasted slices of European Grains & Seeds Bread to scaffold scoops of tuna salad—and don’t forget the pickle on the side!”
Will this last as a TJ’s product? I hope so. Like all new products, if they see it is selling well they will keep it. However if not enough people buy this, then it may go bye-bye unfortunately. So if you try and like this, keep buying it. I sure will.
I think it’s even gotten a little popular. A few times I have found this sold out, but it seemed to get restocked after a few days.
Mid-November 2024 – Twice this week I went to two different Trader Joe’s in my area (NYC UWS) and found eggs to be completely sold out. The egg case was completely empty.
An employee told me, “Sorry. All Sold out. Eggs are done for the day. “
Has the same thing has happened to you recently? Here’s why.
It’s directly related to another uptick in the H5N1 Avian Flu situation. Again.
Trader Joe’s is getting a limited supply of eggs delivered to them daily. The same employee told me, “We get a delivery in the morning. We put what we have out then and they’re first come first served. So come earlier. By the afternoon, they’re usually sold out.” (Early bird gets the worm?)
“What to know about the avian flu and the risk to humans. The number of confirmed bird flu cases has risen in the U.S. to 31, federal health officials said on Thursday. Washington health officials reported four presumptive positive bird flu cases over the weekend. Oct 24, 2024 “
Related to this of course is the real reason the price of eggs have increased is the Avian Flu and not so much inflation. Supply and demand.
On a related note I recall only a year or two ago, Trader Joe’s were selling Jumbo regular eggs for only 99 cents/dozen! Ah, those were the days. Those are now $2.99. Now $4.29 !! (Dec. 5 2024)
“Trader Joe’s Wheat Crisp Crackers will tantalize your taste buds with an addictive crunchy wheat flavor. They will hold up to your favorite cheese, dips, or peanut butter. But most folks don’t wait for the topping, they’re great for snacking right from the box.”
RAVE
I am a huge fan of WHEAT THINS, a well known cracker made by NABISCO which has been around forever. Well make that since 1947. Since I was a little kid we almost always had Nabisco Wheat Thins in the house as they were Dad’s Numero Uno favorite cracker. They became one of my favorites too. So when I saw these I said to myself, these look like Wheat Thins! I have to try them.
Trader Joe’s WHEAT CRISP CRACKERS to me seem to be TJ’s version of the classic cracker. All I can say is these new crackers taste really good to me. They have a lovely wheat-y taste from whole wheat, which is listed as the second ingredient.
Even if you never had the original, these are well worth trying. These are just good all around crackers. Since I grew up eating the original and just love them I could not resist wanting to try TJ’s version of them. Walking back home from the store, I stopped and decided I had to try them RIGHT NOW. I put my stuff I was carrying on a park bench and opened up the box. I could not wait to taste these.
So are what I think of as Trader Joe’s version of Wheat Thins good? A big yes! I found them really good. I meanI pretty much could not stop eating them right out the box on the street. After about a half dozen, I had to stop myself and put the box away.
When I got home, I’d say things got even better of course when I tested them out with something on top of them.
For instance, how about cheese? These were especially terrific with cheese. They were of course yummy with TJ’s excellent, and very properly British, English Coastal Cheddar which I recently gave a big thumbs up. The crackers were good even with just plain old cottage cheese, as well as good with peanut butter, and honestly whatever else I found that I could put on them.
These are as the name say thin. Crunchy, with a nice whole wheat flavor. Small, one bite sized. Just made to be devoured. Well baked. The edges are a bit darker then the middle. Perfectly baked.The ingredient list doesn’t look terrible either.
All I can tell you is that first box I bought went fast. Way too fast. Even pacing myself, I saw it was almost empty after a few days. So I need to go now and get another box!
I am probably going to want to have these around all the time now. A dangerous but yummy temptation. As 15 crackers have only 120 calories probably better than other crackers.
These are a great Anytime Snack. I would buy them again. $2.49 (9 oz)
All Natural. WHOLE GRAIN. GLUTEN FREE. Loaded with fiber. What’s not to like?
Trader Joe’s ROLLED OATS are good. Among other uses, I use these to make OVERNIGHT OATS which make a terrific breakfast. Need a no-recipe recipe? Here you go: Put some rolled oats into a container and cover them with your favorite ‘milk’ (I use TJ’s Oat Milk) and add some Kefir or yogurt. Stir, cover and leave the the container in the fridge overnight. Options? Maybe add a hint of a little natural sugar, some dried fruits: raisins or cranberries. The next morning you will have yummy but not mushy Overnight Oats ready and waiting for breakfast. These DIY ones are better (and way cheaper) than the prepared overnight oats TJ sells already made in the refrigerator, which for me are way too mushy from having sit “overnight” for a few weeks (!) To Serve: top your Overnight Oats with some fruit, sliced bananas perhaps, and maybe something crunchy, like cereal or Granola. Maybe some chia seeds too! I tried TJ’s “toasted rolled oats” but I didn’t taste any toasted notes any different from these oats (those say organic and cost more of course. So I stick with buying the bag of these rolled oats. This large bag of Trader Joe’s Rolled Oats is $3.99 (for 2 lbs, or $2 per pound). Of course you can cook these oats up for hot oatmeal. Personally I do prefer the texture of TJ’s Steel Cut oats for oatmeal and buy those as well. Use these oats for baking, and cooking too. I mix these into meatloaf for the binder.
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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