Roundup

This is my weekly compilation of news and other links about Trader Joe's.


The best and worst high-protein pastas

Trader Joe's vs. Aldi price comparison


Best tweets of the week:

If I weren’t already married, I would marry these dark chocolate peppermint cookies from @TraderJoesBest @TraderJoesList #TraderJoes pic.twitter.com/7w2rNRJYOF

— Erin Entrada Kelly (@erinkellytweets) December 24, 2017

#TraderJoes employees in the #holidayspirit in #AlisoViejo, images by Andy Schmidt #OCPhoto2017 #SoCal #OrangeCounty #Orange #oclife #californialiving #happyholidays pic.twitter.com/uLW8EUjCXP

— Andrew Schmidt, mgr (@OCPhoto2017) December 24, 2017

I pulled into a parking lot just as a security officer tackled a suspected shoplifter trying to make his getaway on a bike #TraderJoes in #WoodlandHills. He came inches from slamming into the side of my car. Although I think the shopping basket hindered his escape. 😉 pic.twitter.com/pCWJGMYfZC

— Stanley Roberts (@SRobertsKRON4) December 29, 2017

We have 2 #TraderJoes and neither one have the Lip Therapy kits pic.twitter.com/iZBLXx0a9I

— Nesha (@ItzNeshaJ) December 29, 2017

And finally, here's this week's cute cat in a Trader Joe's grocery bag:

#Winston loves #traderjoes #bags #catsinbags #bagpawty #kitties #cats #mainecoonmix

A post shared by Winston, Oskar, Tyrone (@the_oravecats) on Oct 19, 2017 at 4:41pm PDT

Trader Joe's Servilleta Goat's Milk Cheese

This is the latest in my occasion ventures to try unfamiliar cheeses.

I didn't care for it. It wasn't horrible, and I ate it all, but I kept wishing it were one of my favorites instead of what it is. There's a little bitterness to it, and a lot of earthiness. Maybe it was just my imagination acting on the knowledge that it was goat cheese, but I could have sworn it tasted something like how goats smell. That is not a compliment.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Ginger

My experience is that there's a wide range of "kick" in ginger. Sometimes you get your hair blown back, and sometimes there's just a tiny tingle.

The ginger used here seems to be of the latter variety--so mild that it's actually bland and boring. Coating it in mediocre chocolate does not help it.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Trader Joe's Authentic Italian Penne Arrabbiata

This is very ordinary frozen pasta. Arrabbiata (i.e., "angry") sauce is supposed to be extra spicy. This was not. It doesn't deserve the label. It's just regular ol' pasta sauce.


Will I buy it again? 

No. I don't think it's any easier to warm this up than to cook some pasta, and I like the results better when I do it myself.

Trader Joe's Romano Caesar Dressing

I would never have bought this for myself, but Nina had it at her house, so I tried it.

I suppose the most salient fact is that I used it several times, and still couldn't remember anything about it. Each time, I would make a mental note to pay attention to it, then get lost in conversation and finish the salad without registering any particular like or dislike. This means that it's good enough that it doesn't trigger a "yuck" alert for me, as most salad dressings do. (It's one of the food categories about which I'm still a very picky eater.) But it wasn't good enough to trigger a "yum" hit in my brain's pleasure center, either. It just kind of slid by with little notice.

Tasting it on a fingertip, it's strongly cheesy, but that seems to kind of fade away in a salad.


Will I buy it again? 

No, not good enough for that. But I find it at least acceptable.

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels

These turned out to be much better than I had expected. The chocolate is good. The caramel is rich and just the right texture--soft enough not to stick your teeth together, without being runny and messy.


Will I buy it again? 

Yep. It has earned a place in my regular rotation of chocolates.

Roundup

This is my weekly compilation of news and other links about Trader Joe's.


Grocery store price comparison

What to buy and skip at Trader Joe's this Christmas

The best and worst Trader Joe's yogurts

Holiday Trader Joe's items you need to try

13 holiday products from Trader Joe's



Best tweets of the week:

Santa shops at Trader Joe’s 🎅 #santa #traderjoes pic.twitter.com/if9GM6zXCc

— kathleencodes 🎄 (@kathleencodes) December 16, 2017

If you ever find yourself in #TraderJoes and you’re so hungry that you think that maybe some prepackaged sushi can’t be that bad... do yourself a favor and chew off your big toe instead. It will be tastier and less painful.

— Ben Ford (@binford2k) December 17, 2017

When #TraderJoes suddenly stops making one of your favorite products with no explanation 😱😱😱

— andrea hanstein (@amhanstein) December 17, 2017

At least the entrance is clear. #entrance #typo #spelling #etype #traderjoes pic.twitter.com/T3G0WkUKdC

— eType_com (@eType_com) December 14, 2017

Me at the Jewel today:

Fuck it. I’m going to #TraderJoes! pic.twitter.com/L8yJ8JEx25

— Adam I. Hasegawa (@adamihasegawa) December 21, 2017

My thought process when looking at a new home. "OMG I can see #TraderJoes from the living room. Sold <3 Just over here embracing my basicness into 2018.

— crystal williams (@CrystalHopeW) December 22, 2017

#DaliPizza #Dali #pizza #frozen #TraderJoes pic.twitter.com/Xe6cbzx1Bm

— Tiffani (@TiffaniNoel27) December 22, 2017

If the cupcakes didn't give me diabetes, then #TraderJoes Guess That Caramel box certainly did pic.twitter.com/i6taE7yzdI

— gina (@ginamc) December 23, 2017

Me shopping at #traderjoes at #Christmas: “Ah what the hell, it’s Christmas! Oooo haven’t tried that before... or this... TOSS IT ALL IN THE CART MAN” #shopping #food #christmasshopping $200 GROCERY BILL FTW pic.twitter.com/5kkxMblNLO

— Daniel Gansle (@danielgansle) December 23, 2017

And finally, here's this week's cute cat in a Trader Joe's grocery bag:

The random audio captured at the end works surprisingly well. #cat #traderjoes #squirrelthecat #wearemakers #catinabag #catstuff #tabbycat #catsofinstagram

A post shared by We Are Makers (@wearemakersband) on Oct 4, 2017 at 9:42pm PDT