This weekend my husband and I are driving up to Chicago for a friend's wedding. I looked up Trader Joe's in the area and found one about 15 miles from the wedding! (We don't have any in the St Louis area!) So, I've convinced my husband that we need to stop on our way back home. We'll have a refrigerated cooler (it plugs into the lighter) so I can buy anything -- even frozen items!

So, I thought I'd pose this question to all you Trader Joe shoppers: What should I look for? This will be my only trip to a Trader Joe area for months, so I want to make sure I get all the "good" stuff!

Thanks for all your help!

Kim

268.75/246.25/140?

My favorites are:

Pirate B o o t y - the best snack ever!! (its like chips - well like cheese doodles really)
Vruit juice - this comes in a box that looks like a big juice box - 3 different flavors - they are all good

And that is about it. They have lots of other good stuff too - but those 2 are my staples!

Tara

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Failure is not falling down, failure is staying down!

Some of the regular stuff you buy will be cheeper at trader joe's.(kashi, go lean bars) But the dried fruit is excellent as well as the mango sauce, Much like apple sauce. There are great salsas and frozen foods. We like the salmon cakes ( fresh and frozen) and other chineese frozen items. The prices are good and the food if it apeals to you is also very good. They also have some good rice mixes. Take your time and your calculator. One of the things I do is mark pts right on the package, after I buy it so i don't have to spend a whole lot of time later. It takes a few extra Min. but well worth it when you need to put together dinner or a snack and the pts matter. Have a good time at the wedding and at Trader Joe's. Take your time, shop well!

Kim, here's a list of my TJ's Must-Haves:

1. Their frozen gyoza (potstickers)---quick and easy (and authentic-tasting) Chinese dumplings.

2. Their Plats du Chef frozen French onion soup gratinee...5 points per serving and a real treat.

3. Their chai latte mix---sweet, spicy, milky tea that takes the edge off of even the worst sweet tooth (and that would be mine ).

4. Their frozen salmon patties---just plain fish, in a nice bun-size shape...3 points per serving. Good for getting those omega-3s in!

5. Cafe Twists---puff-pastry-like cookies that are simply delicious.

6. Kashi GoLEAN bars (peanut butter-chocolate)

7. Smoked salmon---good protein source, great on bagels...though high in sodium. Theirs is among the best I've had, and certainly the least expensive.

8. Frozen multi-colored pepper strips---very handy for tossing into a tortilla with a little chicken or portobello and salsa.

9. Frozen mango chunks---for smoothies.

10. Soy powder---also for smoothies. Cheaper than anyplace else I've seen it.

11. Pirate's Booty---though I usually order this from robscape.com since they don't charge shipping.

12. Meringues---5 for 2 points...very sweet, so a little go a long way.

13. Cheese enchiladas "To feed four (or more)"

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Betsy
Walking is also ambulation of the mind
Gretel Ehrlich

Thanks for your lists! I'm so excited about going--my husband thinks I'm nuts, but I know he'll find a few things he'll like, too. We have Wild Oats here and he enjoyed going there (although I think he got a little bored by the time we finally pulled out of there!).

Thanks again for all your help.

Kim
268.75/246.25/140

[This message has been edited by pdx2mo (edited 02-20-2001).]

I would also add the No Pudge Brownie Mix (but you must promise to eat them with Cool Whip Lite -- makes ALL the difference)

Breton's low fat crackers (3 for 1 pt)

Red pepper/eggplant/garlic spread (mix with plain no/low fat yogurt for a GREAT free dip with a little kick)

Pasta Fagioli soup

Barbara's Puffins cereal (I like to snack on it)

Their frozen chicken breasts are very good, too.

Good luck and have a great time -- and congratulations on having a husband who would go to TJ's with you!