trader joe’s: yay/nay/meh 2022

YAY – minty chocolate truffles dusted with cocoa. Dear lord are these things good. The serving size is four but two are plenty for me.

2 Likes

I beg to differ. The serving size of any mint choc truffle is, much like ice cream pints, 1 serving PER CONTAINER.

This holds true regardless of container size.

I may have a problem.

11 Likes

I really like the Jamaican (style) beef patties, too, even though I hardly ever eat beef. The crust is great. But I only found them once in my Somerville, MA, TJs, right at the Boston line. Same for the Spanish (style) rice). It’s discouraging!

4 Likes

I have resigned myself that the more I like something from TJ’s the less likely I will ever see it again. It reminds me of the little cafeteria we sometimes bought lunch from when I worked in the UK. They very occasionally did a wonderful shepherds pie but they never made enough so the line formed before they opened their doors on shepherds pie days. I asked why they didn’t make it more often and they said “because it sells out too fast”. :upside_down_face:

10 Likes

Burlington MA TJs had the Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Puddings back in stock!!! That’s a :yellow_heart: MEGA-YEA! :yellow_heart: Freezer case, two individual mini-bundt servings per package. Short on freezer room, when I bought them in October I had them in the fridge section, unopened, for 2 weeks and they were perfectly fine (plus, faster to warm up!). These are truly superb, not actually pumpkiny-tasting.

Didn’t buy, but noticed there were lemon-seasoned spatchcocked chickens. No panettone of any kind left. In fact, most of the slots for the various holiday cookies and candies were empty but I didn’t ask if they will be restocking.

4 Likes

Yay for the latkes they were serving as samples today. Nay for the decision to serve them cold. I picked up a box to bring home and fry up properly.

ETA: a friend reports that at their branch, the latkes were warm.

4 Likes

FYI, “ETA” means “estimated time of arrival”. :upside_down_face:

It also means “Edited to add”.

Context is a wonderful thing.

11 Likes

so how are TJ latkes? We’re feeling lazy this year, it’s just the two of us and thinking about giving them a try instead of grating our own.

Their dark chocolate peanut butter cups are way better than Reese’s, and I love Reese’s peanut butter cups

5 Likes

I tried them and wasn’t impressed. The directions didn’t say to grease the pan, so I didn’t, and guess what - they stuck! Also I thought the flavor was bland. But I guess they’re better than nothing.
I did make two batches of oven-fried latkes using frozen and thawed shredded hash browns, and everyone seemed to like them. I also used caramelized onions instead of raw which we all liked.

2 Likes

thanks, good idea on the hash browns!

1 Like

So I live about 40 miles outside NYC in Monmouth County NJ people this time of the year lose their minds & bring the rudeness to a level beyond imaginable
NOT AT Trader Joe’s in Freehold NJ I actually saw customer’s dancing to the terrible Christmas music
The staff is smiling unlike at Wegmans or ShopRite
A Christmas miracle???

10 Likes

I’ve found that to be the case with nearly all coconut-scented nonedible products. The smell just never goes away and eventually becomes annoying.

2 Likes

It’s usually the terrible Christmas music that turns me into even more of misanthrope than I already am.

6 Likes

Those are something I have to avoid buying, because I find them irresistible. Much better chocolate, and a creamy filling with the perfect amount of salt. There are milk chocolate ones at TJ’s too, but I’m not a milk chocolate person.

2 Likes

Let me know if you want the recipe. I’ll post it in a separate thread.

thanks, much appreciated!

1 Like

Totally agree on all points.

We thaw them and pan fry in a little oil Much improved. Poached egg on top and breakfast is served.

3 Likes