Anything new I need to try from Trader Joe's?

We're getting a Trader Joes in our town but it's still a ways off so I plan on heading to our closest local one about 20 minutes away this weekend. They are across the street from Shake Shack so I'll make a stop there too and will be watching this thread for ideas.

Something new I picked up yesterday - Kimbap from the frozen section. I had it for lunch today and I loved it. I’ll be going back for more!

I like buying the pussy willow stems to display in a large vase. To my knowledge they don't grow around us. I still have mine from last year.

Costco sold a 6-pk of Kimbap (for $18.99?).  To me, it had a little more flavor than the TJ kimbap.  But I like them both.

I bought the Costco one several months ago.  Not sure if they are still selling it.  If not, hopefully it'll come back soon.

I live 45 min away… between my kids and I they don’t make it home. 😂

Vegetable fried rice, frozen
Mini cilantro wontons
I love their pickle, flavored mustard, and a lot of their other spices are really, really good too like the chili lime. Towards Christmas their kringles are absolutely delicious

My oldest eats vegetarian, and I bought him a bag of meatless meatballs and put them in the air fryer today. They were actually pretty good! I would eat them.

I love the frozen potatoes, onions and peppers. I fry them up and add kale, bacon or chicken sausages, and top with cheese. Sooo good, easy, and cheap for b-fast, dinner, or lunch!

There’s a snack mix in a canister called something like Step Up to the Bar Mix. It’s only available for a few days (because it gets snapped up FAST) in early December-ish. Last year I checked the week after Thanksgiving and it wasn’t in yet, but maybe the next week it was? I bought four. When I went back the following week, it was all gone. Honestly, I don’t know why they don’t make it more widely available. They could make millions selling it year-round. Anyway, it’s usually in a display near the cash registers.

Sugar Kiss cantaloupe melons this time of year. So sweet and so perfectly ripe. I got some a couple of weeks ago. Not sure if they’re still in stock.

Teeny-tiny tomatoes, again, only at this time of year and I don’t know if they’re gone already. The smallest I’ve ever seen anywhere. I love them and I’m not a huge tomato fan. They come in a small plastic tub near the regular fresh tomatoes.

Peeled/diced butternut squash in the fall. Life-changing for me.

Potato salad, sold in/near the deli section in kind of a flat plastic container. I take it home and doctor it up the way I like it, but it’s a great base.

I love the salt and pepper selection. Different types/flavors and colors available, all with their own grinder included, and they can be refilled which I do from Penzey’s bags. I always get DD a pair for her Christmas stocking.

Tomato and red pepper soup in a carton, but I suppose everyone already knows about that. Also various broths in cartons. These are my go-to chicken and beef broths. There’s also veggie and low-sodium.

I just tried the truffle brownie mix and it was fantastic. Every bit as good as the Ghirardelli brownie mix that I usually buy at Costco.

There’s a small lemon cake in the bakery section that’s delish.

We have good-quality challah year-round, but it’s from a local bakery so I don’t know if that applies everywhere. I don’t love most of the TJ’s label breads, though.

The basic cage-free extra-large eggs are $3-$4 a dozen now, which is a great price compared to what I pay at Raley’s or Whole Foods.

I think the TJ’s biscuit and crescent roll refrigerated dough is far superior to the the Pillsbury ones at the regular grocery store.

Dark chocolate peanut butter cups. That’s my “emergency chocolate” … I store it in the fruit drawer where no one but me ever looks. And honestly, I hardly ever get into it, but it’s comforting to know it’s there.

The regular graham crackers in a box, IF they have them. Taste like homemade.

There’s bottled lemonade, limeade, etc. that is just lovely. I rarely buy it so I can’t remember the details, but it has some French-sounding name and comes in a bottle that looks like French-bistro style. Lightly carbonated, sweet but not TOO sweet. In with the canned/bottled sodas, juices, etc. Highly recommend.

Carolina Gold BBQ chips. A little spicy! Again, only sold this time of year and I don’t know if they're still in stock.
 
I’ll come back if I remember more. Now I need to make a TJ’s run!

I forgot to say Don’t bother with the dark chocolate dipped butter cookies. Super dry. Nothing great.


My kids like the everything bagel seasoning.

Also the bourbon vanilla for baking.