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Message |
    
wendy
Supporter
Username: Wendy
Post Number: 1907
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, December 24, 2005 - 4:55 pm: |     |
I'm often late to the party and here is a great example. Today was my second time at this wonderful store (first time was to pick up a quick snack while my son was occupied in Westfield). After I worked out at the Westfield Y (my favorite Y but that's for another thread) I had to pick up dessert to bring to our friends' house tonight. Walking into the store (after having no problem finding parking) at about 2:00 pm I wasn't sure what would be there or how the lines would be. So, while there was nothing Fresh Baked, I bought two frozen apple strudels (made in Germany) made with quite simple ingredients and which just came out of the oven - looks great. I also bought a raspberry lemon tart which is defrosting in the frig. I picked up some blueberry ice-cream and some vanilla gelatto. For 2.99 I picked up a flowering plant (never heard of it before) and for 7.99 some hopefully decent Chianti. Wouldn't have found all this at Shoprite and/or Whole Foods and would have had a much longer wait to check out at the former and paid much more at the latter. Long live Trader Joe's. Plus the staff are sooooooo nice. Oh and they had Darling Clementines, my favorite brand. Now I see why my mom who lives outside of Philly, always waxes ecstatic over this place. And I didn't even buy any two buck Chuck! |
Jamaine Cripe
Citizen
Username: Jamaine
Post Number: 27
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, December 24, 2005 - 11:14 pm: | |
I share your love for TJ's! My West Coast friends used to brag about it constantly and now that I'm 20 minutes away from one, I'm in heaven. |
Sherri De Rose
Citizen
Username: Honeydo
Post Number: 21
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 11:13 am: | |
Don't know if you are aware but there is also a T.J. on Columbia Tpke in Florham Park. It's hard to see. It's behind and around the Kings. |
SOSully
Citizen
Username: Sullymw
Post Number: 1050
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 7:25 pm: | |
that's good to know |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 11580
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 11:08 pm: | |
I can stop at Trader Joe's in Westfield on my way home if I take a slow route. So I've done it a couple of times. I was expecting a place like Whole Foods. Uh uh. It's a bit weird to me, but it's good, now that I know what I can and can't get there. The produce section is a joke. But when packaged food will do, it's very good.
I love to look at the clientele at various places, so TJ's is another interesting take.
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Zoesky1
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 1309
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 10:02 am: | |
The Trader Joes in Florham Park does not sell wine, which is a major attraction for many TJ shoppers. I prefer the one in Westfield by far. However, I think the FP one is closer (to me in Livingston, it definitely is). |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 2960
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 10:37 am: | |
I've never been to the Westfield one, but wine is not a big issue for me. Are there other differences?
There are certain items that I love from TJs and can't find anywhere else, but I don't do most of my list there.
Re produce - When TJ's has avocados, they are always good and usually much less expensive than anyplace else I've ever found. (Whole Foods and Kings usually have good avocados - for a price - but I often end up throwing away the ones I buy from other stores, so I've given up on them.) |
Robert Little
Citizen
Username: Boblittle
Post Number: 267
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 11:01 am: | |
It's not for perishables. They have private-label boxed stuff now but in the old days in California it was hit-or-miss with exotic stuff they got cheap somewhere, including odd wines from Hungary. It's a nice supplement to Whole Foods for boxed and bottled items. |
GSP142
Citizen
Username: Gsp142
Post Number: 45
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 5:18 pm: | |
I've had good experiences buying whatever fruits and vegetables Trader Joe's has available, usually for much less than some of the other supermarkets in the area. It's definitely not a destination for produce, and the selection is limited, but if they have what you need, and you're there with your Trader Joe's-specific shopping list anyway, the quality is good.
The one frustration with Trader Joe's is that sometimes, you discover a product you really like, and then discover some months later that they no longer carry it. But I guess this can happen at other supermarkets, too, because of shelf space limitations.
I find the parking a bit easier in Florham Park, as the lot is bigger than the one in Westfield, though there's an adjacent lot with metered parking available in Westfield. |
Pippi
Supporter
Username: Pippi
Post Number: 1560
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 6:36 pm: | |
what are some of your favorite items?
I am planning a trip this week and would love to hear some good tips.... |
not again...
Citizen
Username: Notagain
Post Number: 22
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 6:39 pm: | |
I love Trader Joes' too - just got turned onto it about a month ago. My husband and I are already addicted to the Thai green curry sauce. Anyone have any favorites there that are not to be missed? |
GSP142
Citizen
Username: Gsp142
Post Number: 48
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 6:51 pm: | |
I have a number of favorites. One is the Plats du Chef frozen French Onion soups, two to a package. The blue corn tortilla chips and the refrigerated fresh salsa are also very good. |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 998
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 7:31 pm: | |
We've been shopping at TJ's in Florham Park for about a year now. Mr. Lizziecat's favoite is the biscotti in little sacks. We love their Orchid Island Orange juice--the same brand we get in Florida. Some of their frozen entrees are very good, especially the pasta and the oriental chicken. Their cheeses are good, and the fresh produce is also good, although you have to examine it carefully to make sure it's not blemished. I also like their soaps and shampoos, and they have a good vitamin section. I don't buy meat there, and the frozen fish is generally tasteless. The cakes and cookies look great, although we don't buy them. We've tried a few of the canned soups, with mixed results. We love their three-cheese pasta sauce. |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 2962
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 7:43 pm: | |
I only have three "regular" items on my current TJ's list, now that other favorites are no longer available there. I tend to "stock up" whenever I get a haircut, because my stylist is in the beauty salon next door to the Florham Park TJ's store.
Trader Jose's frozen tamales (just about the only tamales I've found anywhere in this area)
Trader Giotto's frozen Fettucini Alfredo
TJ's Raisin Bran Clusters cereal (sort of a mix of Raisin Bran and granola)
In addition to the tamales, I also used to purchase great quantities of the TJ's frozen enchiladas, but they discontinued the ones I liked. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, this happens rather often and no amount of customer feedback seems to sway the central office to reconsider product discontinuations. |
Eire
Citizen
Username: Eire
Post Number: 87
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 27, 2005 - 6:36 am: | |
The "Avocado's Number One" Guacamole is surprisingly good - comes in 2 pouches and can be frozen until you're ready to use it. Had it at a friend's house, and couldn't believe it wasn't home made. |
Amateur Night
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 1717
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 27, 2005 - 7:31 am: | |
I do most of my non-produce shopping at TJs -- I like the Trader Giotto's marinara, good supplement to fresh sauce. The Kona coffee is delicious; the cheeses (I am partial to St. Andre), bags of avocados, frozen corn (very sweet, and organic), salsa-flavored tortilla chips, macintosh apple juice, cornbread or banana bread mixes, graham crackers...yum! |
Spare_o
Supporter
Username: Spare_o
Post Number: 333
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 27, 2005 - 8:57 am: | |
I love the jar simmer sauces, dried fruits and nuts, cheeses, lotion, fresh OJ, peanut butter cups, sun dried tomatoes, fat-free carmel corn, chips, Cuban black beans, chili, frozen enchiladas, 3-cheese pasta sauce, oriental rice crackers, jams...OK, just about everything.
At Trader Joes, the prices are good and the quality is high. We used to go to the Westfield store but parking can be hard to come by. Now I go to the Florham Park store about every 2 weeks, where there is always parking, and stock up.
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Hamandeggs
Citizen
Username: Hamandeggs
Post Number: 149
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 27, 2005 - 9:20 am: | |
The cacciatore and marsala sauces are very good. The Seattle Blend coffee is the exact same as Starbucks, just cheaper. other coffees are good too. We love the granola and cereals. All the frozen veggies are good, and I use lots of them. |
cmontyburns
Citizen
Username: Cmontyburns
Post Number: 1623
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 27, 2005 - 10:42 am: | |
We manage to do pretty much all of our food shopping between Costco and Trader Joe's. I love TJ's (though I do wish they had better soups -- the ones that come in the "kegs" are all pretty bland.)
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ASR
Citizen
Username: Asr
Post Number: 10
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 27, 2005 - 6:12 pm: | |
Tjs has the best Snickers bars I have ever had. |
Amie Brockway-Metcalf
Citizen
Username: Amie
Post Number: 468
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 6:44 pm: | |
My 2 1/2 year old lives off the cereal bars and fruit leather. We find their canned tomatoes to be the best out there. My husband loves the house brand beer too. The staff is always friendly and happy to help, generous with balloown and flirty with babies. We also do most of our shopping at Costco or Trader Joes, except for the odd trip to Kings for Goya beans and Glass Magic for the %^$#* water in SO. |
kriss
Citizen
Username: Kriss
Post Number: 231
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 8:55 pm: | |
I really like their frozen salmon. They have a few different varieties but my favorite is the rondolets - they come stuffed with spinach and crusted with black pepper. Yum! Their crab cakes are pretty good too. My kids like the breaded cod filets (fish sticks). The one thing I didn't care for was the garlic/basil crusted cod filets.
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Miss L Toe
Citizen
Username: Miss_l_toe
Post Number: 420
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 29, 2005 - 8:53 pm: | |
I've just discovered their 'Millionaire's Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Slices' (made in Scotland) and they are wonderful!
Today I had a small meal comprising of their Blue Castello (Danish) cheese with crackers and the TJ's Mixed Olive Bruschetta plus some dried figs for dessert .... it was sublime. Also much, much cheaper than what I would have paid in King's. |
Miss L Toe
Citizen
Username: Miss_l_toe
Post Number: 421
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 29, 2005 - 8:54 pm: | |
PS; their website is
http://www.traderjoes.com |
Amateur Night
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 1725
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 29, 2005 - 9:47 pm: | |
Not to trash TJ's, but the chicken nuggets there suck. If they had good nuggets, I would never need to go elsewhere.... |
papayagirl
Citizen
Username: Papayagirl
Post Number: 482
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 10:19 am: | |
Trader Joe's to Open in New York
January 18, 2006
By FLORENCE FABRICANT
THE specialty grocer Trader Joe's will open a store near Union Square in about three months, a spokeswoman said yesterday, confirming a year's worth of reports that the national chain would join a growing list of food stores along 14th Street.
Trader Joe's, based in Monrovia, Calif., is best known for low-priced groceries and prepared and frozen foods. About 80 percent of what it sells carries the Trader Joe's label. A little more than a third of its merchandise is fresh, but also packaged.
It is also known for selling cheap Charles Shaw wine, known as Two-Buck Chuck because it sold for $2 a bottle when it was first offered.
The company, which has 250 stores in 19 states, will open at 142 East 14th Street, with a separate wine shop next door at 138 East 14th Street. It has 19 stores in the New York area, but none in New York City.
The spokeswoman, Alison Mochizuki, said there were no plans for other stores in the city.
At 15,000 square feet, including the wine shop, the new Trader Joe's will be less than a third the size of the Whole Foods that opened last year at 4 Union Square South. Balducci's recently opened a 10,000-square-foot store at Eighth Avenue and 14th Street, Garden of Eden has a store at 14th Street and Fifth Avenue, and four days a week, the city's flagship Greenmarket is in Union Square.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/18/dining/18joes.html?ex=1137733200&en=42dfee9b29 a68b78&ei=5070 |
Pippi
Supporter
Username: Pippi
Post Number: 1659
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 11:55 am: | |
Yippee!! I work near Union Square!!
 |
Eats Shoots & Leaves
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 2882
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 9:35 am: | |
I once comparison shopped Whole Paycheck and TJ's--we bought almost the same two grocery bags of packaged foods; some frozen, many jarred or boxed. The Whole Paycheck bags came in about $100; TJ's about $75. Quality was equal.
Can't touch WF for fresh produce or special meats or artisanal cheeses, but for the other stuff, gimme TJs anyday. And I find the Florham Park store to be a relatively easy drive, easier than Westfield even if you use the back roads and stay off 22. |
BGS
Citizen
Username: Bgs
Post Number: 526
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 10:28 am: | |
But Westfield has Two Buck Chuck!!!!!!! |
Eats Shoots & Leaves
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 2884
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 11:10 am: | |
Yah, I am not a fan of Chuck's, actually. Sorry. Give me a good 2001 Clos du Val anyday--I may drink less and it may cost more, but I enjoy it a whole lot better. If I am looking simply for alcohol content, perhaps Chuck is cheap in a clinch, but I tend to drink for complex flavor and not alcohol, and Chuck is, well, Chuck compared to real flavors. |
papayagirl
Citizen
Username: Papayagirl
Post Number: 483
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 12:22 pm: | |
I guess the convenience of access to the two stores depends on where in M/SO you live. I basically go straight down Springfield Ave most of the way, make two right turns, and i'm at the parking lot in Westfield. |
AlleyGater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 1091
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 8:35 pm: | |
I think it WAS 2 buck chuck in CA, but in Westfield it's 3 buck chuck. |
papayagirl
Citizen
Username: Papayagirl
Post Number: 486
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 9:16 pm: | |
I think it's west coast 2 bucks, east coast 3 bucks. |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3043
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 10:49 pm: | |
I think it also has to do with familiarity ... I live closer to Springfield Avenue than South Orange Avenue, but I almost never go past Route 22 and I get to Florham Park quite frequently (albeit via Rt 24 almost as often as via SO Ave/Columbia Tpk.) That may be because I used to work in Florham Park.
Also, the wine isn't an issue for me in the choice of TJ locations as it is for many people.
I suspect that actual door-to-door time depends more on how many lights are red than anything else, though. |
wendy
Supporter
Username: Wendy
Post Number: 1969
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 6:51 am: | |
Two buck chuck is of course not the only wine sold at Trader Joe's. They have a lot of variety. I just bought an Italian Chianti which is quite tasty for 7.99; couldn't find that quality at that price point elsewhere. |
Virtual It Girl
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 3825
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 7:03 am: | |
Wendy, I think I bought the big version of the Chianti...the old fashioned basket, for 9.99. My husband made me swear off Chuck. I found the Chianti to be a good, light red...perfect for the 5pm crunch time.
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