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To Market to Food Market - Karyn Zoldan takes us shopping at Tucson markets

Favorite Foods at Trader Joe’s

by on Dec. 22, 2009, under A Tisket, A Tasket, Grocery Stores, Life, Specialty Food Market
Trader Joe's brand recognition

Trader Joe's brand recognition

A few weeks ago Trader Joe’s asked people who get their email list to vote for their favorite products.

Well, the tally is in and here’s the list. (PDF)

I forgot to vote but don’t see cranberry walnut salad dressing on the list. It’s only seasonal and I wish they would keep it all year. The dressing works well on spinach or lettuce with very little enhancement needed and only 70 calories for 2 tablespoons.

I also love their chipotle barbecue sauce and will mix it with mayonnaise for chicken salad or slaw. Add diced apples and a handful of raisins or nuts, and you get an easy dish with a kick.

Or shred a TJ’s pot roast and cook in the barbecue sauce along with chopped onions and you’ve got some filling meat to stuff into a pita pocket or whole wheat bun.

I also frequently use the frozen garlic, basil, parsley, and cilantro cubes. They’re perfect to pop into soups or stir fries when you don’t have fresh.

My friend told me she bought four cases or their Chariot red wine blend. Her being a wine snob, I was impressed when she said bottles were only $5.99. I ran to Trader Joe’s but they were sold out. An employee said people bought cases like never before. Trader Joe’s has free wine tasting now too.

Just don’t get attached because when the products are gone, sometimes they don’t come back like the Cuban sauce.

Here’s two enterprising women who love to shop at Trader Joe’s and love to cook and have a blog and a cookbook.

What are your favorite products at Trader Joe’s?

(Photo from Pachelbel)


  • karynzoldan

    Carolyn
    Ditto.
    I think aside from my mortgage, Trader Joe’s is my next greatest expense. It’s the one and only chain store I shop in regularly.

  • azmouse

    I like the chip selection..yukon gold or veggie chips. Also the good mozzarella cheese and tomatoes with their yummy balsamic vinegarette. The soups are really good too.
    I could go on and on…lol

    • karynzoldan

      AZm
      Thanks for posting.
      I also like the yummy balsamic vinaigrette and sometimes enhance it with orange zest and a squeeze of orange.
      I’m hungry now!

      • azmouse

        LOL! Me too!

        Adding the orange sounds great. I’ll have to try that. You always have such good ideas to enhance foods. I look forward to trying the beets you were talking about in a previous article too.

  • Carolyn Classen

    Hi Karyn. Interesting list, not sure I agree with all, but obviously others did.  But I do love shopping at Trader Joe’s.