Trader Joe's ... LC product recommendations wanted

[AmelieWannabe]

Finally, FINALLY, Austin is getting a Trader Joe's AND it is less than a mile from my house. What low carb products are a must? Thanks for your recommendations.

[Yvonnem2000]

I'll be interested to hear what others say! I buy my HWC there. It doesn't have extra ingredients. And I get my coconut oil there.

[tracymitch]

I like to get eggs, hwc, chia seeds, coconut oil, almond butter, butter, bag of frozen chicken tenders, tuna fish, canned chicken, packages of ground beef, tilapia filets, cream cheese, bags of almonds.... I know there's probably more!

Wow- that's a lot!

[ravenrose]

sorry not to be enthusiastic since this is new to you, but TJ's ain't what it used to be! the larger it gets the higher the prices, and it just seems to be a carb-o-rama too!

I like their almond meal. We get a lot of supplements there, the prices are still good. Besides that? occasionally heavy cream. mayonnaise from expeller pressed canola oil.

the BEST is their coconut oil. it's cheaper and in GLASS jars. the plastic most brands come in is not a good thing!

cheese, meats, produce are all much higher than our other stores.

[svenskamae]

I love the marcona almonds with olive oil and rosemary. I got flax crackers (don't recall the brand but it wasn't Flackers) that I liked. And the mousse style pate in the deli case was to die for.

BTW, congratulations to the OP on her impressive losses. You look pretty in both pictures in your avi, but now the lovely bone structure in your face shows up so well.

[Mrs S]

I love their sunflower seed butter! It's like crack to me. I also get their vegetarian chorizo, arugula, avocados and almond meal. Their plain (full fat) greek yogurt is lower carb than most and really thick and creamy.

[Mrs S]

They also have sugar free chocolate bars with 1 net carb per serving. I dip a piece in the sunflower seed butter. Heaven!

[Strawberry]

For me, some of the best deals at Trader Joe's are in the cheese area. I can find equal quality cheeses at Whole Foods, but the price is about double there. I love Trader Joe's honey goat cheese, New Zealand White Cheddar the best so far.

Trader Joes nuts and almond meal also tend to be lower in price than elsewhere. Again those products aren't new or revolutionary, but the price is better, so I can afford to have a more gourmet item than otherwise.

I believe their organic or grassfed type meats are less expensive.

Unfortunately, a lot of what Trader Joe's is famous for is not low carb - their speculous cookie butter, JoJos (like oreos), all sorts of chocolates and cookies, frozen mandarin orange chicken, various cool prepared dinner foods and appetizers, etc.
Since LowCarbers tend to stick with basics, like meats, produce, etc, you probably wont be overwhelmed with how great things are, but may find some better prices.

I like their frozen and refrigerated Indian meals - esp the paneer masala or butter chicken. I just dont eat the rice. But I cant give you an accurate carb count on those minus rice.
I want to try their frozen Hake in Pappilotte (white fish in parchemnt paper with some veggies) and frozen Cioppino (both happen to be low in carbs). Alot of their frozen seafood offerings are naturally low in carbs.

Basically just look around and enjoy and read your labels to see what works for your plan!

[AmelieWannabe]

Thanks, everyone! Austin is the hometown of Whole Foods so I'm interested to see how well the community embraces direct competition to the "local" store. I, for one, am not a fan of Whole Paycheck, um, er, Whole Foods.

[picklepete]

Ditto on the coconut oil and nuts, great savings there.

I also like their canned seafood and spice mixes. Meat and produce never stood out to me though.

[SadieJack]

Originally Posted by AmelieWannabe

Thanks, everyone! Austin is the hometown of Whole Foods so I'm interested to see how well the community embraces direct competition to the "local" store. I, for one, am not a fan of Whole Paycheck, um, er, Whole Foods.

whole paycheck indeed!!

[GME]

I like their frozen veggies & berries. I have a bad habit of letting fresh stuff go bad.

I buy their green organic beans, sauté some bacon and onion and when it is done, throw the green beans in until hot. Mmmmmmm.

[fiddlejen]

Originally Posted by Strawberry

I want to try their frozen Hake in Pappilotte (white fish in parchemnt paper with some veggies) and frozen Cioppino (both happen to be low in carbs). Alot of their frozen seafood offerings are naturally low in carbs.

Basically just look around and enjoy and read your labels to see what works for your plan!

Their Cioppino is wonderful! I was there one day when they were sampling it.. mmm... yumm..

[muncheechee]

I love the marinated mozzarella balls. The almond meal and coconut oil are unbeatably low priced. Three cheese marinara pretty lc. Marinated artichokes are good as well as the almond butter. The produce is great and mostly well priced for the quality and the bagged salad seems to last along time.

[fiddlejen]

I used to drive quite a distance to Trader Joe's in order to stock up on their mayonnaise. At that time, I was eating a Lot of chicken salad & tuna salad, made with mayo, so it was worth the drive.

Because, TJ's was the only mayonnaise anywhere without some sort of sweetener in the ingredients.

And check the labels on their other products. There are plenty of products that do Not need sweeteners, but almost every other brand adds them anyway, buried deep in the ingredients list. (And here's my biggest beef with Whole Foods: they have the UN-needed sweeteners in the food too, only with healthier-sounding names, like "crystallized cane juice" instead of sugar. Or Agave syrup, or etc. But why not just leave it Out of the foods that don't need it??)

Check the labels and a lot of times you'll find that, unlike most brands, if a product does not need a sweetener, TJ's often does Not add it.

For one example, they have a marinara sauce with No sweetener. And various other condiments.

Also they have some seasoning blends that actually List ALL the ingredients (unlike supermarket brands that say, "and other flavorings"), and they really are ALL just herbs & spices. (My favorite is their "21 Seasoning Salute.)

The other thing I like to get from TJ's is their oatmeal & honey bar soap. Excellent for sensitive skin, better than most of the expensive soaps elsewhere, and a 2-bar package is still Under $2.

[That Girl]

Their roped mozzarella is delish, the greek yogurt is cheap and good...

[biancasteeplechase]

I used to love their Greek yogurt - and you can get the full-fat kind. (Right now it's too high on the carb ladder for me, but I'm hoping to find a place for it in my WOE someday.)

[zgirl]

I'm lucky enough to live six blocks from Trader Joe's, so I go at least once a week! As so many have already mentioned, the coconut oil is a great deal. My other staples are vanilla unsweetened almond milk, mini goat cheese rounds, pork carnitas from the refrigerated section, cage-free eggs, tuna and sardines packed in olive oil, and Applegate Farms uncured nitrate-free beef hot dogs. I also pick a new cheese to try every week.

The store is lots of fun to explore - enjoy and get some good eats!

[Missouri_Librarian]

They have wonderful sf, nitrate free smoked bacon...it's actually ends and pieces, but mine has always had nice pieces mostly...it cooks nicely an d the flavor is wonderful...I also get almonds and almond meal as I think the price cannot be beat. Like someone else mentioned, they have a low carb, sugar free chocolate bar...with or without almonds...it is a great choc emergency fix...

[Kismet311]

Originally Posted by AmelieWannabe

Finally, FINALLY, Austin is getting a Trader Joe's AND it is less than a mile from my house. What low carb products are a must? Thanks for your recommendations.

You are so lucky!! I keep checking the TJ website but they are not coming to my town If it was a mile away from my house I'd walk there in a blizzard even LOL

There is one about 50 miles away so I do go there sometimes. I will look for their coconut oil. Do they have coconut flour too?

[watcher513]

TJ's own olive oil.

[mamasooze]

Originally Posted by watcher513

TJ's own olive oil.

Word! It's the best

[Mrs S]

Originally Posted by zgirl

I'm lucky enough to live six blocks from Trader Joe's, so I go at least once a week! As so many have already mentioned, the coconut oil is a great deal. My other staples are vanilla unsweetened almond milk, mini goat cheese rounds, pork carnitas from the refrigerated section, cage-free eggs, tuna and sardines packed in olive oil, and Applegate Farms uncured nitrate-free beef hot dogs. I also pick a new cheese to try every week.

The store is lots of fun to explore - enjoy and get some good eats!

How have I never seen these? I goat cheese!

[juliekaboolie]

I'm a big fan of TJ's!! Their prices are way better than the regular store in our 'hood! We buy coconut oil, kerrygold butter, veggies, fruit, eggs, chicken, beef (they sell grass-fed, too), fish, dark chocolate, almond flour, almond butter, spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, string cheese, nuts, Lara bars/Kind bars (for the kids), and Udi's gluten-free bread (for the kids). We LOVE that store!!!

[tttmom]

coconut oil
coconut milk
frozen organic berries
frozen organic veggies
grass fed ground beef (in the frozen section 1 lb bricks, NOT the fresh section) is alot cheaper than any of our local stores grass fed beef
my favorite is their chili lime chicken burgers
always a good selection of organic fresh produce
almond meal
nuts
gluten free flour for when i bake for the kids (TJ's brand is much cheaper than elsewhere)
grass fed butter
organic eggs
Udi's bread for my sons lunches

I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff, but we LOVE TJ's. I'm sure you'll find lots of good stuff there!

[Strawberry]

Thanks for the info about Trader Joes expellier pressed canola oil mayo! My understanding is that is one of the "Good" oils (lots of omega 3s, as long as its expellier pressed, not commerically refined). I've been dreaming of an acutal mayo that is ok to eat!

[rubidoux]

Originally Posted by Strawberry

Thanks for the info about Trader Joes expellier pressed canola oil mayo! My understanding is that is one of the "Good" oils (lots of omega 3s, as long as its expellier pressed, not commerically refined). I've been dreaming of an acutal mayo that is ok to eat!

I don't think this is right. I think it's supposed to be very high in PUFA's. somebody correct me if I'm wrong. I have an unopened jar in my cabinet that I bought before I paid so much attention to fats. I have been using a non-extra virgin OO from TJ's to make my own mayo instead.

I love TJ's and the prices can't be beat around here. The cheeses are great. Lately I've been loving the mascarpone. Great fresh salsa, kerrygold, huge selection of nuts and seeds, kerrygold butter, avocado's number quac, pesto. They also have a lot of stuff I wouldn't eat but I feel good about feeding to my kids.

ETA: okay, I'm wrong about the PUFA's, but there was some reason that I decided not to eat canola. Am I just being nutty? lol

[Nikki2777]

I get Trader Joe's canned boneless salmon. It is the best... taste and money-wise.

Also, it comes from Alaska!

Nikki

[MissBoop]

I love Trader Joe's! Wish I didn't have to drive 2 hrs to go there.

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by rubidoux

I don't think this is right. I think it's supposed to be very high in PUFA's. somebody correct me if I'm wrong. I have an unopened jar in my cabinet that I bought before I paid so much attention to fats. I have been using a non-extra virgin OO from TJ's to make my own mayo instead.

ETA: okay, I'm wrong about the PUFA's, but there was some reason that I decided not to eat canola. Am I just being nutty? lol

I don't eat canola oil. The plant is not a naturally oily food that can yield oil by cold pressing (like olives or avocados yield oil through cold pressing). It has to be heated to high temperatures to expel the oil, which can lead to rancidity and free radicals. I trust Sally Fallon and Mary Enig on oils, and canola oil is not on their healthy oil list. I threw out my opened bottle of canola oil and gave away my unopened bottle of canola oil by leaving it out with a "free" sign at work.