Trader Joes Food Recommendations

jenjenl

Since finishing active
treatment I've been trying to turn the corner for my families eating
habits. My DH and I have disagreed for the last 6 months on food. We
finally had a big talk today and I convinced him to come with me to
trader joes. I told him this was something important to me and I needed
his support. In the end we agreed that I would go on Saturday to
trader joes and then he would do the rest of the shopping on sunday. I
HATE grocery shopping but if this is something I want looks like I am
going to start. His main concern is that the food is going to taste
like crap, the kids won't transition well and we will waste a lot of
money in trial and error. So we agreed to do a 90 day trial period and
incorporate new foods as we finish the old food.

So
(sorry for my rambling) but do you have any recommendations for Trader
Joe's foods for the following areas: bread, chocolate, pasta/sauce, snacks and
kid snacks?

**note - cross posting**

momof2doxies

I have a stronger recommendation for a store called Earth Fare. There are 2 in the Charlotte area. All of their products are free of hormones, artificial dyes, and such. They have a great hot food bar and deli where you can try dishes. Look them up on their website www.earthfare.com . Thursday is family night and kids eat free. I have shopped a little at trader joes, but I feel fortunate to have an EarthFare in town!

ziggypop

I just went to Trader Joes and got three loaves of kalamata olive bread (I use one loaf at a time and store the rest in the freezer). It is my favorite kind of bread. Now, if your kids are used to soft white bread, then you might want to try a loaf of cibiatta (sp?) - put the oven on about 350, slice some fairly thick pieces & warm it up in a casserole pan & have it with butter or cheese. If the bread gets a little hard before you use it, flick some drops of water on it in the casserole & that will soften it up.

Organic fruit is a good snack for anyone kids or adults & some lightly salted nuts & a few pieces of good chocolate rounds it out nicely. 

Your husband and kids might actually be surprised at how good 'good' food tastes. Sometimes getting the kids involved in menu planning and cooking helps a lot too.   

You should be able to find a good sandwich bread also - for the kids you might want to try something with a little sweetness like a honey oatmeal bread. Trader Joes is a pretty nice store to shop in - maybe make it a 'date' with your husband so that it is more fun for both of you. 

mdg

I shop TJ's all the time for my family.  

Kids:  Joe Joe's (TJ's oreos), fruit strips, brownie bars, granola bars with fiber, organic lowfat cheese sticks, ), mini bagels, whole wheat pizza dough (and pizza fixing's.....my son loves to make pizza), Joe's O's (like Cheerios), corn bread mix, pretzel slims, honey wheat pretzels, frozen mac and cheese, boxed mac and cheese, organic hot dogs and whole wheat buns, popcorn, sliced cheeses, gogurt, cinnamon grahams (so good), mint chocolate chip ice cream, lemonade

I really don't buy cooked food items so I can't recommend prepared meals.  I mostly buy fresh foods and cook every night.  The thing I like is that anything with the Trader Joe's label on it is non GMO and has no hormones in it.  I get most of my organic meats from and organic meat farm and Costco because it is cheaper. 

They have a lot of regular foods that you would normally buy but they are just healthier.  My family has never thought the food wasn't good.  It's not all granola or anything...you can even buy brownies!

Meggy

I am a firm believer in the low fat diet for triple negatives and I shop at Trader Joes regularly.  I like their no salt spaghetti sauce (zero fat I believe) and lentil chips with pepper that are super low in fat.  Also, cat cookies are really low in fat and it you dip it in tea, I swear it tastes like an orea cookie!  Also, their top serlion is very lean...I chop it up and roll it into a corn tortilla that I believe is really close to fat free. 

jenjenl

Appreciate all the recommendations!   I've been collecting and adding them to the list.