Trader Joe's

[Max Power]

Originally posted by epski
I'm disappointed by TJ's produce. We buy Whole Foods' expensive organic produce instead.
Yeah you would... ;)

I lurrrrrrve Whole Foods. I'd shop there all the time if it was closer (1 hour - Downtown Philly) and if I had a job.

[Herself]

Max.....are those other Nature's Path granolas vegan? I'm hoping to open my own vegan grocery and health store in the future and would totally get those if they are.

Oh man, when I worked at the health food store, there were so many customers making a big deal about Hemp Plus as though it were a drug. So I typed out a little piece of paper with FACTS about hemp seed and how good it is for you AND compared it to poppy seeds.....basically poppy seeds will show up as opiates on a drug test and hemp seeds won't show up as anything at all. I can see why some people would fear eating it though....if they've never....well, anyway. ;)

As for the bags, I at least tell people that they can bring them back because we recycle them....BUT...the store doesn't encourage us to do this at all and, that is pretty lame.

You guys got jipped on the produce big time! :( Freshness counts on how well the employees are doing their job though...so maybe they'll crack down on that. T.J.'s is really big on customer service, so you should definately let them know how you feel about the produce.

P.S. Max...please tell me you got the mix-tape! LOL...it's the only C.D. I've ever burned in my life so it's bound to be a bit strange, but it's my baby. If you don't have it by now, it's surely lost in the abyss of the mail system. :(

[DirtDiva]

Max: I was thinking of commenting to my TJ's of the selection in the produce as the one I go to has only a small selection as well. I go a short distance from home to a roadside produce shop that has great prices for whatever I can't find at TJ's so I don't mind but I would shop there more often if they had more to choose from.

Herself: thanks for all the insider info!

[punkmommy]

Herself-That's cool you work at TJ's. I was actually just looking for a P/T job and applied there-but I am too specific about my hours and no weekends. I like the people who work at my TJ's, they know me by name and are very friendly-that makes soooo much of a difference.

[Herself]

punkmommy,

It's such a cool job too...and if you ever move, you can easily transfer to the T.J.'s nearest you. If there is another T.J.'s in your area, you can try there...some of them are really open about your availablilty. I can think of 3 near me.....perhaps I'm just extremely lucky....:D. Yes, my coworkers are so cool....it has to be the most fun job I've ever had because the people I work with are always joking around and just having a good time.

Soooo...based on your description of T.J. employees, that must mean that I'm cool too....oh yes. ;) LOL.

[kraftykraft]

I had never heard of trader joes until I moved here. My best friend kept telling me that she couldn't wait to take me there and she finally did. I am so hooked that I go there every other day. It is located right down the street from my apartment. It is such a cool place and the prices are pretty reasonable. :)

[vegankittykat]

Originally posted by vegankittykat
They have a new product in their frozen section called "flowering bird's nests" which are really good. They're made of shredded onions, kale and carrots I think. They kind of taste like onion rings. They're high in fat, but of course that's why they're good ;).

I'm sorry, I screwed this up...I went there last night and noticed they're actually called "vegetable bird's nests". Anyway, another thing they have that I forget I liked is "The World According To G.O.R.P.", which stands for Good Ol' Raisins & Peanuts. It's kind of a version of trail mix. Instead of dried fruit it has chocolate chunks, and also raisins, sunflower seeds, and peanuts. I feel less guilty eating that than candy when I crave something sweet.

[vanitydies]

I work for Trader Joe's too, been there about a month and a half it is a great place to work, all the employees are friendly. We treat our customers so much better than any other place i've worked at. The customers are actually nice too. I get a few rude ones, but no-where near as bad as other places i've worked.

The produce selection is pretty bad, not enough organic, it's all overpackaged and none of it's local. I used to shop at one of the stores in Portland, OR which had a local fruit & veggie store right next door, so it was great, I could get all my stuff at those 2 places

[Quizeen]

I haven't much bad produce from TJ's but it is overpackaged. I hate having to buy things like peaches and pears in a plastic tub (so I usually don't).

I highly recommend their soy chorizo and potato taquitos. They are stupidly good.

The only real bummer about Trader Joe's is that they keep cycling out products. The moment I discover that I love something and can't live without it, they stop carrying it. They used to have vegan Indian style veggie burgers that were the standard by which all veggie burgers should be measured. Alas, they are gone, gone, gone :(

[punkmommy]

I want them to carry Vegenaise. I have to ask, I keep forgetting. I buy it so often that it would be great if they carried Vegenaise.

[eggplant]

I just moved to Tucson and have both a Trader Joes's and a Wild Oats in my neighborhood. It's like being in heaven! Except for the 110 degree heat and wildfires, that is... Oh, and also my apartment complex doesn't recycle! What's up with that!? Now I'll have to bring it all to a recycling center myself. Sorry, got a bit off topic there...