Ode to Trader Joe's

Yeah, Trader Joe's. I went there one time and man what bargains. I am going back when I get a chance.

Bravo Uraniumfish ! I absolutely love Trader Joe's and do battle the crowds to get there to do my weekly grocery shopping. I had no idea it was an offshoot of the Aldi stores which I do frequent when I am in London. When I move overseas I am definitely going to miss all my essentials which I get there like their huge bar of 72% dark chocolate which has luscious thick pieces which truly satisfy all your dark chocolate cravings with just one piece. I even take it with me overseas as it has found fans in my parents and my aunt in Singapore. BTW the trick is to go to TJ's as one clerk told me that's the only time when the Union Square store is relatively quiet though me thinks the store will become more accessible when the new Manhattan TJ's opens on 72nd Street on the UWS sometime in 2010.

Hey Uraniumfish just came across this new book called Cooking with all things Trader Joe's-http://www.cookingwithtraderjoes.com/

The more I hear comments about Trader Joe, the more I want to go to it and do my shopping. With such great bargains, you can't miss.

Another TJ's location is LONG overdue. There's one in Boerum Hill on Court Street which is much more reasonable in terms of crowds, though a bit of a trek, of course.

Oh, uptowngirl, I have you beat on dark chocolate. Mine was 99% pure cocoa. So strong I can only handle one of those little squares every few days.

oh god Uraniumfish I just have to try it will look for it on my Wednesday TJ's run!

Lindt makes it...

Chicken cilantro dumplings...I love this place. And have you noticed how the employees at TJ's are so much more friendly and helpful, as compared to the bad attitude you get in any old supermarket...?

Trader Joes is great, to be true, but my vote always goes to Whole Foods or Gourmet Garage, particularly the latter. Whole Foods has a great lunch bar, but can be pretentious and expensive, whereas Gourmet Garage (my local is the 96th St and Park ranch) tends to have amazing selections of meat, cheese, etc., along with specialty produce (best butternut squash I've had for a while) and interesting spices/sauces/etc. Plus, tons of free samples -sometimes when I want a snack I go in to try their cheese with fig confit!

I know Whole Foods. I went there at one time. I liked the atmosphere and the prices were not too bad. It is between Trader Joe and Whole Foods. What competition. It beats paying high prices for food items at Gristedes. They are horribly expensive. A box of cereal can cost up to $7.00.

I am a fan of Trader Joe's, don't get me wrong, but I feel like the selection of fresh foods is always better at other groceries. Trader Joe's is great for inexpensive frozen food, but I feel like they are always missing something particular I came in for, like my brand of cereal or something.

That being said, I must admit to frequenting the place since my more bereft college days. I love love love their wine shop.

And here's a tip that I've heard from many people who work at Trader Joe's - get there when they open and miss the crowd. I also met a girl on the train recently who had just come from there and she said she only goes around closing time because there is hardly anyone there.

When I was living in LA there was literally a Trader Joe's within a few miles in any direction from my house, and none of them were ever crowded. Those were the days....

@ajadedidealist I really like Eli's on the UES. Ever been?

@BroadwayBK: Good idea to get there early or before the store closes. The question is what are their hours. Once I know that I can go there at the right time.

@hhusted TJs at Union Square is open from 9am -10pm everyday.

@Uraniumfish most of their staff are NYU students so its no wonder that they are chatty and friendly ..

@BroawdwayBK The fresh foods section is a bit of a hit and miss at TJ...

Yeah, I like Trader Joe's, but sometimes I just want what I want.... and they don't always have that.

@Everyone the TJ's on the UWS now has an opening date- 20th September 2010
http://www.dnainfo.com/20100830/upper-west-side/trader-joes-open-upper-west-side-location-sept-20

I am obsessed with the Trader Joe's Wine shop!

TJ's wine shop is cool, but I feel like boutique wine places put a lot more thought into which bottles they put on sale, and offer just as decent prices. And why is 2 buck chuck $3 in NYC!? It's so scandalous.

@BroadwayBK Simply because its NYC :)

Haha - fair point, @uptowngirl. I love NYC to bits - but it can get insanely expensive! Especially when it comes to housing prices...

@Everyone Trader Joe's Upper West Side is now open.. Yay

http://ny.racked.com/archives/2010/09/20/fairways_worst_nightmare_is_here_trader_joes_uws_is_open.php

@uptowngirl The headline is funny. I don't really see how Fairway and Trader Joe's are comparable. TJ is rather limited in its offerings. It has wasabi mayonnaise, which is great, but what if you want just plain old mayonnaise?

@Uraniumfish TJ's doesn't have regular mayonnaise? remember seeing some in the Union Square store ..

TJ's doesn't have every item at all times - they only have it when they are getting some kind of deal. I really prefer shopping at Fairway. And there are times when Fairway is actually not that busy, unlike at TJ's.

@BroadwayBK I used to regularly shop at the Fairway on the UWS until TJ's opened in the city. Now I stick to the east side and take the express train down to TJ's on 14th street though now with a new Fairway opening on 86th and Lexington I may just switch back.

@Everyone do you carry your own bags to the grocery store or do you ask for store issue paper/plastic bags? Here in HK I have to carry my own bags as the grocery stores charge 50 cents for each plastic bag issued .. In NYC I used to sometimes remember to carry my bags but more often than not I used to use TJ's paper bags. I sometimes used to wish I had one of those old lady trolleys to help me lug my stuff , a British friend who lives in Hobboken and comes into Manhattan regularly to do grocery shopping has no qualms lugging around her trolley but I havent got around to getting one though I bet it would be easier than carrying the stuff however uncool it looks.

@Everyone do you carry your own bags to the grocery store or do you ask for store issue paper/plastic bags? Here in HK I have to carry my own bags as the grocery stores charge 50 cents for each plastic bag issued .. In NYC I used to sometimes remember to carry my bags but more often than not I used to use TJ's paper bags. I sometimes used to wish I had one of those old lady trolleys to help me lug my stuff , a British friend who lives in Hobboken and comes into Manhattan regularly to do grocery shopping has no qualms lugging around her trolley but I havent got around to getting one though I bet it would be easier than carrying the stuff however uncool it looks.

@Everyone do you carry your own bags to the grocery store or do you ask for store issue paper/plastic bags? Here in HK I have to carry my own bags as the grocery stores charge 50 cents for each plastic bag issued .. In NYC I used to sometimes remember to carry my bags but more often than not I used to use TJ's paper bags. I sometimes used to wish I had one of those old lady trolleys to help me lug my stuff , a British friend who lives in Hobboken and comes into Manhattan regularly to do grocery shopping has no qualms lugging around her trolley but I havent got around to getting one though I bet it would be easier than carrying the stuff however uncool it looks.

@Everyone do you carry your own bags to the grocery store or do you ask for store issue paper/plastic bags? Here in HK I have to carry my own bags as the grocery stores charge 50 cents for each plastic bag issued .. In NYC I used to sometimes remember to carry my bags but more often than not I used to use TJ's paper bags. I sometimes used to wish I had one of those old lady trolleys to help me lug my stuff , a British friend who lives in Hobboken and comes into Manhattan regularly to do grocery shopping has no qualms lugging around her trolley but I havent got around to getting one though I bet it would be easier than carrying the stuff however uncool it looks.

@Everyone do you carry your own bags to the grocery store or do you ask for store issue paper/plastic bags? Here in HK I have to carry my own bags as the grocery stores charge 50 cents for each plastic bag issued .. In NYC I used to sometimes remember to carry my bags but more often than not I used to use TJ's paper bags. I sometimes used to wish I had one of those old lady trolleys to help me lug my stuff , a British friend who lives in Hobboken and comes into Manhattan regularly to do grocery shopping has no qualms lugging around her trolley but I havent got around to getting one though I bet it would be easier than carrying the stuff however uncool it looks.

@Everyone do you carry your own bags to the grocery store or do you ask for store issue paper/plastic bags? Here in HK I have to carry my own bags as the grocery stores charge 50 cents for each plastic bag issued .. In NYC I used to sometimes remember to carry my bags but more often than not I used to use TJ's paper bags. I sometimes used to wish I had one of those old lady trolleys to help me lug my stuff , a British friend who lives in Hobboken and comes into Manhattan regularly to do grocery shopping has no qualms lugging around her trolley but I havent got around to getting one though I bet it would be easier than carrying the stuff however uncool it looks.

@Everyone do you carry your own bags to the grocery store or do you ask for store issue paper/plastic bags? Here in HK I have to carry my own bags as the grocery stores charge 50 cents for each plastic bag issued .. In NYC I used to sometimes remember to carry my bags but more often than not I used to use TJ's paper bags. I sometimes used to wish I had one of those old lady trolleys to help me lug my stuff , a British friend who lives in Hobboken and comes into Manhattan regularly to do grocery shopping has no qualms lugging around her trolley but I havent got around to getting one though I bet it would be easier than carrying the stuff however uncool it looks.

@Everyone do you carry your own bags to the grocery store or do you ask for store issue paper/plastic bags? Here in HK I have to carry my own bags as the grocery stores charge 50 cents for each plastic bag issued .. In NYC I used to sometimes remember to carry my bags but more often than not I used to use TJ's paper bags. I sometimes used to wish I had one of those old lady trolleys to help me lug my stuff , a British friend who lives in Hobboken and comes into Manhattan regularly to do grocery shopping has no qualms lugging around her trolley but I havent got around to getting one though I bet it would be easier than carrying the stuff however uncool it looks.

@Everyone do you carry your own bags to the grocery store or do you ask for store issue paper/plastic bags? Here in HK I have to carry my own bags as the grocery stores charge 50 cents for each plastic bag issued .. In NYC I used to sometimes remember to carry my bags but more often than not I used to use TJ's paper bags. I sometimes used to wish I had one of those old lady trolleys to help me lug my stuff , a British friend who lives in Hobboken and comes into Manhattan regularly to do grocery shopping has no qualms lugging around her trolley but I havent got around to getting one though I bet it would be easier than carrying the stuff however uncool it looks.

@Everyone do you carry your own bags to the grocery store or do you ask for store issue paper/plastic bags? Here in HK I have to carry my own bags as the grocery stores charge 50 cents for each plastic bag issued .. In NYC I used to sometimes remember to carry my bags but more often than not I used to use TJ's paper bags. I sometimes used to wish I had one of those old lady trolleys to help me lug my stuff , a British friend who lives in Hobboken and comes into Manhattan regularly to do grocery shopping has no qualms lugging around her trolley but I havent got around to getting one though I bet it would be easier than carrying the stuff however uncool it looks.

@Everyone do you carry your own bags to the grocery store or do you ask for store issue paper/plastic bags? Here in HK I have to carry my own bags as the grocery stores charge 50 cents for each plastic bag issued .. In NYC I used to sometimes remember to carry my bags but more often than not I used to use TJ's paper bags. I sometimes used to wish I had one of those old lady trolleys to help me lug my stuff , a British friend who lives in Hobboken and comes into Manhattan regularly to do grocery shopping has no qualms lugging around her trolley but I havent got around to getting one though I bet it would be easier than carrying the stuff however uncool it looks.

uptowngirl! You're stuttering!

@Uraniumfish something's gone wrong with my account have informed the guys who operate the site. Hope they can get it fixed soon as I can't delete these posts on my own.

@BroadwayBK do you go to the Fairway in Red Hook? the Fairway on the Upper West Side which is the closest to me is always packed unfortunately. Hopefully the opening of the East Side Fairway will ease some of the traffic.

@uptowngirl I do go to the one in Red Hook - it's just a quick ride down the BQE from where I live. It's never not busy, but it's not as packed as TJ's or Whole Foods during the week. Not even close. I love sampling the expensive bottles of olive oil - sometimes this is the main draw for me.

I have a bunch of cloth grocery bags, but I usually forget to bring them to the store! Which is why I have so many - once I realize I've forgotten to bring one, I buy another one thinking I'm being really economical or something. I promise myself I'll remember to bring it with me next time, and then I don't.