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My aunt always purchased frozen gyozas from TJ’s so the first time I went I just got multiple bags of their frozen pork and shrimp gyozas. I only discovered their gyoza sauce a few years later and that sauce makes it ten times better
I don't remember if it was from my first visit, but one of the first things I tried from TJ's were the dark chocolate edamame that my middle school teacher would hand out as treats.
2006-ish.. frozen mango coconut sticky rice (that wasn’t a delicious fever dream, was it?), chili-spiced dried mango, frozen samosa, edamame nuggets, roasted red pepper tomato soup, gorilla munch, pirate’s booty.
And a tofurkey during that one thanksgiving when teenage me declared I was vegan and my mom wanted to be supportive.
I like this thread. Normally it’s “what’s your favorite?” and most everyone always has the same top few answers. Here, everyone’s memory is a little different and it’s making me super nostalgic to remember some of these items 🙃
It was probably when they used to do the plastic wrapped white chocolate and dark chocolate. My parents didn’t have a lot of money growing up so when they would buy it u knew something good happened
My first trip into Trader Joe’s was near Seattle sometime between 2006/2009 I think. My mom took me in and we bought mini bananas, grapples (grape flavored apples) and champagne grapes. Core memory for sure.
The first time I went to Trader Joe’s was in Las Vegas around 2001 or 2002 — they had these “Hawaiian” potato chips that were cut THICK — like about a 1/8” thick chip that were so flakey and delicious. I came across a Trader Joe’s around 2014 or so again and remember asking if they still had them (I remember the packaging too!!) but they said they rotate their stock so it probably is discontinued. I cried a little inside.
My first experience was when my mom bought teenage me the peanut butter filled pretzels. It was several more years before I started shopping there myself though.
dark chocolate bar with black sea salt (rip 🥲) and broccoli slaw + kale salad with chicken in california in 2014 — sadly we don’t have trader joe’s in canada so i was a bit late
2008/2009 ish. I went with my boss in Portland and I got sparkling apple cranberry juice, mango fruit floes and Irish breakfast tea. Maybe more but I can’t remember.
the first trader joe’s in my city opened about 10 years ago. i recall grabbing chocolate covered edamame and a jar of cookie butter. wasn’t blown away by either items and took me until 2019 before i went back lol now i’m obsessed
I was obsessed with the cauliflower rice... we had to drive 2 hours then to go to a TJs and if they didnt have it out I would ask.. I never do that but I would for that rice. Now Im like meh.
Pound plus Ghirardelli chocolate back when it was plastic wrapped shards.
World largest roasted and salted almonds.
Marionberry jam. This was back in maybe 1995.
They used to have these "trail mix cookies" that were a peanut butter cookie with oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips and peanuts in them. They were soft and SO GOOD. I haven't seen them around in over 10 years, but I still think about them from time to time.
I live in Pasadena, CA (TJ's hometown) so I've been shopping at TJ's since the 80's. But what I always remember getting in the early days were the trays of Cheese Enchilada's. They were AMAZING!!!!
First visit to Trader Joes was in 2003 when we were moving to IL. I don’t remember all I bought, but I do remember black licorice. I LOVE black licorice. 😋
my go-to little haul for the LONGEST was-
-carrot juice
-yogurt stars (miss these so bad always)
-Fruity ohs
-& lemon poppyseed yogurt muffins <3
This was back before i used to actually grocery shop there and would just go for fun :)
A tub of chocolate chip cookies. It was 1999 on a business trip. A colleague took me to a store near Cambridge, Mass saying “I think you’re going to like this place.” He was right. Thanks, Pat!
I’m old enough to remember when Trader Joe’s was just a funky gourmet shop and not a grocery store. That also means I’m too old to remember the first time I went, it was probably over 40 years ago.
when i was a kid whenever i would go over to my friends’ house for co-sitting, their mom would come back from a tj’s run and would give us fruit leathers :)
About 4-5 years ago.
My first visit:
- bananas; first time I'd seen them sold individually. 🤓
-Bacon Cheese Ranch dip (gone but not forgotten)
-pineapple juice (4-pk cans)
-mango juice (4-pk cans)
-TJ ginger ale (4-pk bottles)
-whole wheat pasta
i don’t think this was my first time, but i remember having tj’s chocolate covered edamame and some pistachio chocolate in the early 2010s on a trip before my hometown had a location
2002 in northern Virginia. I was 11. I remember VIVIDLY the sorbets that were inside the pieces of fruit they were made out of. I want to say coconut, lemon, and orange? They were delicious.
2010 when I moved to Long Beach, CA from Buffalo, I don’t remember but probably avocados haha. It was just another grocery store to me when I first moved there, but I eventually discovered the fun things.
Before there was a Trader Joe's by me, there was one near my grandmother. She always brought over her things in their paper and reusable bags, and it felt like a "grandma" store to me with all the interesting flavors and foods. This was mainly for family parties so I remember the cowboy caviar first and foremost.
Then when we got one near us I remember those chocolate brownie oat bars in the shiny teal wrapper. Yum.
I can’t remember, it was in 2013, but I do remember that if you brought your own bag you got to spin a wheel and win a prize, and I won free box of Mac n cheese. As a broke college student, I was absolutely elated!
We went before a weekend trip because we'd heard that had good snacks. I got the fruit jellies, peanut butter cups, cheese cracker sandwiches and dark russet potato chips. All still staples lol
I don't remember what I bought but it was definitely more than 30 years ago. My first post here was about how much I love the potato salad, which hasn't changed this entire time and hasn't gone up in price too much.
I don't remember very much because I was riding in the shopping cart :) My family were early adopters, my dad shopped at the first store in Pasadena when he was in school before I was born.
As a kid in the 80s/90s in Long Beach we used to get Force Primeval Bars, which were these sort of bagel-textured bread products with raisins and nuts or something like that. They were very dense, all right with butter but nothing special. But we liked them anyway because the name was cool.
Fried rice and the elevator, brilliant. The one I went to had underground parking and an elevator. It’s Minnesota, parking inside when it’s showing outside is a luxury.
Oh, it was 20+ years ago. I was visiting family in Arizona, and they had TJ's unsweetened dried pineapple. I fell in love with it and they took me to the store so I could buy some to bring home with me.
I remember the fruit floes from the 80s... there must've been at least a dozen different flavors, all with real fruit. The coconut was amazing! So was cherry 😋
I was 5! We went to the grand opening of one in/near Camarillo California. We got some free stuff. I remember apricot fruit roll ups and barrels of slabs of chocolate. Loved it ever since.
Early 1970s? I was a little kid shopping w/my grandmother in Pasadena. She bought Japanese rice crackers, peanuts, and ingredients for Manhattans. There was nothing for kids there.
TJ’s also had a Pronto in Covina My friend worked Pasadena & I at Pronto (76) I made Fresh squeezed OJ - all the TJ’s team from then happily retired now)💕
My first visit was 14 years ago. My best friend was pregnant and asked for their peanut butter cups. I didn't buy anything else that trip but ran back to the store after trying a cup and bought 3 buckets for myself.
Visiting family in Las Vegas, 1994 or 1995, I remember the odd size chunks of chocolate in plastic wrap, the canisters of coffee, the peach tea bags. And coffee mugs with some of the same labels as the coffee canisters.
It's so funny to me that every decade or so someone invents coffee cola, it bombs and then 10 years later someone invents it again. I've always liked the stuff when I've encountered it, but my taste is apparently in the minority. I got some from Pic'N'Save in Southern California in the 90s, and then I found a different one in China in the 2000s, but it tasted exactly like I remembered the first one tasting.
It was 2003 and they still had the orange AND raspberry dark chocolate covered jelly sticks in the square containers. I miss the raspberry ones so bad 😭
My dad got his snacks at the original TJ's in the 80's. I remember lots of cheese, nuts, chocolate-covered malt balls, and canned dog food (for the cat, not for Dad.)
Another '80s TJ person here (Encino store at Burbank and White Oak). I remember a lot of whey butter and dried apricots. Chocolate-covered almonds, too, when we needed to find a gift before going to a party.
Sometime in the 2000s in the summer with my mom in the next town over. They sold these butterflies shrimp in the freezer that had some seasoning and butter that we put on our salads with this amazing sesame dressing the discontinued.
The first time I went there was right when they put out the Christmas stuff one year, and I bought every single Christmas item 😂
I always think of that every time they have new sweets because I ended up throwing most of it away. It was just too many cookies and candies for me to eat, but it’s a good reminder to only get one or two now.
Early 2000s and I just remember getting $2 chuck wine and having a massive headache the next day. The $6 cocobon I got the next time was solid for a while though
i went for the first time last year when i moved to a big city and i got cookie butter icecream, port salut & the buffalo chicken dip. all still staples when i go a year later
About 3 years ago, I remember getting Scandinavian swimmers, and chocolate chip biscotti we made s’mores with. Not sure how I haven’t done that again, the s’mores were bomb
The closest TJs near where I grew up was in San Rafael. They used to always have bags of pistachios and large pieces of Ghirardelli chocolate that were cut up, wrapped in cellophane, and sold by the pound.
Honestly, the first solid food I ever ate was probably from tjs. My dad has worked there since before I was born, and will probably work there til he retires. The pot stickers slap tho
Edit: I’m 17 now, he’s been working there since ‘04
My first visit was about this time last year :)
I remember getting the milk chocolate pretzels and demolishing them in about a day. I don't buy them anymore because I don't trust myself 😆
It was definitely cheese back in 1988 when the first one opened in my region, because it was up the street from my high school and I worked there as a "Cheese Girl." Also peanut butter pretzels.
It was the best job ever for a cheese lover like me! We got to slice, wrap, and price all the cheese from the giant wheels of cheese. We went around the store and gave out samples on Saturdays. We had to taste every cheese ourselves so we could describe them to the customers!
My first Trader Joe's was the Eagle Rock one in Los Angeles (one of the earliest stores). A few things I remember were Alta-Dena brand yogurt for a fraction of the price anywhere else, these delicious cheddar cheese and herb scones, and a shrimp and lobster bisque that was fantastic. This was maybe 1982 or so.
Oh boy, that was a long time ago. Sometime in the 70s. I was lucky to live near one of the first stores.
Probably I bought wine and cheese, which is the main reason everyone went there, because that's mostly what they had.
The selection of both was huge! Much more than now, although their wine department is still good, but there's far less cheese.
One of the cool things was not only did they have a ton of different cheeses, they cut them into different size packages. So if you wanted a sampling of cheese that were new to you, you could get slices for just a couple of bucks.
When I moved out of the area, one of my hesitations was there was no Trader Joe's where I moved. What, no Trader Joe's? How could I survive? 😂 I'd been so used to doing double shopping every week, at a regular grocery store and Trader Joe's.
I don't remember exactly when they expanded so much to other things, like they have now, but can easily believe that's the way it was in the 80s too. Wasn't the selection of cheeses amazing? I'll bet it was a great job :)
I don’t recall what I bought the first time I went myself but I have fond memories of the chocolatey cats cookies, chocolate ganache cake, and New York cheesecake always being at my aunt’s house when I would go there growing up.
I do too, and damn I miss that New York cheesecake. The big frozen one is good, but the single slices they sold in the refrigerated section were out of this world!
The first time I went was back in 2010 and I bought onions. Then I heard a joke by Kyle Kinane about how “you only need one onion. Not 9 onions”. And this was back when they only had bagged produce.
I started working for TJ in 2021 and I tried the mandarin orange chicken for the first time and no one believed I had never had it.
It was just fine.
Now? I have my favs. And I usually purchase at least two items per day.
1997 or so. Hansen’s soda!! Double Rainbow ice cream and sorbet!! Also frozen tacos that were different than the ones they have now and actually kind of good.
How were they different from the ones they have now? My store has them in a little red pouch, hanging by clips usually with all the nuts. Sometimes near the cereal too.
Ummmm….early 2000s? I don’t remember exactly when. Could’ve been late 90s even. I honestly don’t remember what I first got back then. I remember always getting their naan and the PB cups though.
Must have been around 1997 when I was in high school, had an older friend who had gone thru culinary school and worked as a baker. He thought I might want to try some of the healthier vegetarian fare since I was living off of ramen, vegetable egg fried rice and bagels with cream cheese. I remember these sleeves of chocolate circles in a hexagon paper package that were super cheap maybe like $1.49 or $1.99? Milk, dark, or half and half, probably European-made. I don't suppose anyone knows what I am talking about and could tell me who made these?
I later worked a few minutes walk from that TJ and would run over to grocery shop during my lunch. The freeze dried mango granola was my favorite thing.
1980ish...if I am remembering right we usually went for "exotic" fruits and cheeses, then had to get crackers to go with the cheese. I lived in So Cal and the closest TJs was about 45mins away and my Mom hated driving so we didn't go often.
1994 visited my mom who had just moved to LA and she took me to a store in (I think) Santa Monica. They had these red and green frozen tortellini (sun dried tomato and spinach respectively). We got those for dinner and I was hooked When they finally opened in Northern California I bought them all the time until they were discontinued. I still miss those tortellini, as dated and 1990’s as they were they were good.
In California in a rented car in 2005, during a layover for a transpacific flight, we were hungry in a car. The TJs had pita and hummus (and the 2 buck chuck was still $2). TJs wouldn't have their first location locally until 2018.
Something like 10-12 years ago (maybe even longer?). There weren’t any in South Florida so I had to drive to Ft. Myers to get my first experience lol. I think it was around fall and I got a bunch of fall stuff, plus kimchi back when they were bagged, orange chicken, cookie butter, and I’m sure some other stuff.
Not my very first visit, but my first visit around Christmas was in 2013 my freshman year of college. I got essentially a week's worth of treats to reward myself each day of finals. I don't remember what the other treats were, but I got the chocolate covered candy cane Joe joes. So good! I look for them every year. I also used to buy their frozen multigrain blend a lot when I first started shopping at Trader Joe's. And their oat bar soap, which I still buy.
As a kid in the 90s I would mostly go with my aunt when I visited her in Mendocino county. We did actually have a TJs in my hometown but not on the poor side of town and my grandma rarely liked to drive so far. But I always got the same thing: peanut butter panda puffs or gorilla munch and these small Italian candies. They were like a hard gummy texture, individually wrapped and about the size of a pea. Haven't been able to find them as an adult.
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My aunt always purchased frozen gyozas from TJ’s so the first time I went I just got multiple bags of their frozen pork and shrimp gyozas. I only discovered their gyoza sauce a few years later and that sauce makes it ten times better
I’ve been around TJ for 40+ years. I’m sure it was a banana I bought.
I don't remember if it was from my first visit, but one of the first things I tried from TJ's were the dark chocolate edamame that my middle school teacher would hand out as treats.
chili covered mango. i’ve never looked back.
2006-ish.. frozen mango coconut sticky rice (that wasn’t a delicious fever dream, was it?), chili-spiced dried mango, frozen samosa, edamame nuggets, roasted red pepper tomato soup, gorilla munch, pirate’s booty. And a tofurkey during that one thanksgiving when teenage me declared I was vegan and my mom wanted to be supportive. I like this thread. Normally it’s “what’s your favorite?” and most everyone always has the same top few answers. Here, everyone’s memory is a little different and it’s making me super nostalgic to remember some of these items 🙃
It was probably when they used to do the plastic wrapped white chocolate and dark chocolate. My parents didn’t have a lot of money growing up so when they would buy it u knew something good happened
My first trip into Trader Joe’s was near Seattle sometime between 2006/2009 I think. My mom took me in and we bought mini bananas, grapples (grape flavored apples) and champagne grapes. Core memory for sure.
The first time I went to Trader Joe’s was in Las Vegas around 2001 or 2002 — they had these “Hawaiian” potato chips that were cut THICK — like about a 1/8” thick chip that were so flakey and delicious. I came across a Trader Joe’s around 2014 or so again and remember asking if they still had them (I remember the packaging too!!) but they said they rotate their stock so it probably is discontinued. I cried a little inside.
I remember these!! We would get them almost every time. Based on where I was living at the time, they must have been around until at least 2005.
Oh man how I wish I could have them again!!
When I was young my parents used to bring home the frozen tamales and the cheese sandwich cracker things! Loved both of them!
My first experience was when my mom bought teenage me the peanut butter filled pretzels. It was several more years before I started shopping there myself though.
It was about 15 years ago and I got those thin toffee like cookies with chocolate on one side. (I don’t remember what they were called.)
florentines?
Yes!!!!! Thank you!
Two-Buck Chuck, decades ago, when it was 2 bucks.
dark chocolate bar with black sea salt (rip 🥲) and broccoli slaw + kale salad with chicken in california in 2014 — sadly we don’t have trader joe’s in canada so i was a bit late
1983, Long Beach... venison stew! It had a gold label... I don't remember what it tasted like, but it remains the most unusual thing I've seen at TJ's
Granola for camping breakfasts. The raccoons stole most of it the first night (China Camp in Northern California).
2008/2009 ish. I went with my boss in Portland and I got sparkling apple cranberry juice, mango fruit floes and Irish breakfast tea. Maybe more but I can’t remember.
I used to go there just 20 years ago for the Dr Bonners liquid soap. Now I go for everything
the first trader joe’s in my city opened about 10 years ago. i recall grabbing chocolate covered edamame and a jar of cookie butter. wasn’t blown away by either items and took me until 2019 before i went back lol now i’m obsessed
My city only got our TJs 10 years ago. But I visited Seattle in 2005 and HAD to get *Nothing but a Banana Flattened* and some *2-buck chuck*!
2011…falafel wrap probably haha I used to get that all the time.
The dark chocolate orange jellies. Ate half the container on my way home.
I was obsessed with the cauliflower rice... we had to drive 2 hours then to go to a TJs and if they didnt have it out I would ask.. I never do that but I would for that rice. Now Im like meh.
Pound plus Ghirardelli chocolate back when it was plastic wrapped shards. World largest roasted and salted almonds. Marionberry jam. This was back in maybe 1995.
You just unlocked a childhood memory of that shrink-wrapped Ghirardelli chocolate 🤯
They used to have these "trail mix cookies" that were a peanut butter cookie with oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips and peanuts in them. They were soft and SO GOOD. I haven't seen them around in over 10 years, but I still think about them from time to time.
I live in Pasadena, CA (TJ's hometown) so I've been shopping at TJ's since the 80's. But what I always remember getting in the early days were the trays of Cheese Enchilada's. They were AMAZING!!!!
Yes! That big one used to be a movie theater. I think I saw Star Wars there.
Yep me too 1980s. Mostly wine and cheese back then and nuts. Lots of nuts. 😂
Strawberry mochi and grated Romano cheese. Around 2001-02
The soft and juicy dried mangoes!
First visit to Trader Joes was in 2003 when we were moving to IL. I don’t remember all I bought, but I do remember black licorice. I LOVE black licorice. 😋
my go-to little haul for the LONGEST was- -carrot juice -yogurt stars (miss these so bad always) -Fruity ohs -& lemon poppyseed yogurt muffins <3 This was back before i used to actually grocery shop there and would just go for fun :)
A bag of "The World's Biggest Cashews". Sometime in the 70's...
A tub of chocolate chip cookies. It was 1999 on a business trip. A colleague took me to a store near Cambridge, Mass saying “I think you’re going to like this place.” He was right. Thanks, Pat!
dark roast coffee!!
Thai Chili & Lime Almonds
clearly canadian and rice cracker and wasabi pea mix in the 80’s.
2 buck chuck…when it actually was $2.
It was about five years ago. We thought all those wonderful snacks would be good to eat but nooo
20 years ago … sushi lol
Around 2000 or so, maybe earlier. My favorites were the green curry tuna in a pouch, and the frozen pad Thai with tofu.
I’m old enough to remember when Trader Joe’s was just a funky gourmet shop and not a grocery store. That also means I’m too old to remember the first time I went, it was probably over 40 years ago.
About a decade ago, I bought a ton of pretzel bread and cliff bars. Lol
when i was a kid whenever i would go over to my friends’ house for co-sitting, their mom would come back from a tj’s run and would give us fruit leathers :)
sesame seaweed. I still dream of it.
About 4-5 years ago. My first visit: - bananas; first time I'd seen them sold individually. 🤓 -Bacon Cheese Ranch dip (gone but not forgotten) -pineapple juice (4-pk cans) -mango juice (4-pk cans) -TJ ginger ale (4-pk bottles) -whole wheat pasta
i don’t think this was my first time, but i remember having tj’s chocolate covered edamame and some pistachio chocolate in the early 2010s on a trip before my hometown had a location
Tom’s deodorant
I don’t remember what I bought or my first visit to tjs. My mom started going in the nineties.
Cookie butter
This. Everyone was raving about it at the time.
Chocolate. I always heard how amazing TJ chocolate was.
2002 in northern Virginia. I was 11. I remember VIVIDLY the sorbets that were inside the pieces of fruit they were made out of. I want to say coconut, lemon, and orange? They were delicious.
I buy something like this at Costco now. So yummy
Probably around 2006 and it was a jug of fresh OJ
2010 when I moved to Long Beach, CA from Buffalo, I don’t remember but probably avocados haha. It was just another grocery store to me when I first moved there, but I eventually discovered the fun things.
Peanut butter filled pretzels! In the early 2000s
Before there was a Trader Joe's by me, there was one near my grandmother. She always brought over her things in their paper and reusable bags, and it felt like a "grandma" store to me with all the interesting flavors and foods. This was mainly for family parties so I remember the cowboy caviar first and foremost. Then when we got one near us I remember those chocolate brownie oat bars in the shiny teal wrapper. Yum.
2010 maybe? Artichoke pesto
The year was 2004 and I'd have to get those chocolate covered almonds.
1980? Sherman Oaks? Bulk nuts? Very fuzzy now and as the cliche goes if you remember those times, you didn’t live them to the fullest…
I remember the first time I went to TJ's was in 03 and we bought a case of 2 buck chuck for a party.
The mango shave cream and the (now discontinued) jalapeño refried black beans
2006, Frozen fruit popsicles with chunks of real fruit and coconut. They were delicious.
I can’t remember, it was in 2013, but I do remember that if you brought your own bag you got to spin a wheel and win a prize, and I won free box of Mac n cheese. As a broke college student, I was absolutely elated!
Sesame sticks, candied pecans. Pound plus milk chocolate with almonds. My location opened in 2008.
It was fall, probably 2012 ish, so I got allll the pumpkin spice stuff. I also was obsessed with the coconut chips (RIP)
We went before a weekend trip because we'd heard that had good snacks. I got the fruit jellies, peanut butter cups, cheese cracker sandwiches and dark russet potato chips. All still staples lol
My first few trips I only bought orange chicken and fried rice because I had no idea what else to get.
I don't remember what I bought but it was definitely more than 30 years ago. My first post here was about how much I love the potato salad, which hasn't changed this entire time and hasn't gone up in price too much.
2010ish and I would only go for the pumpkin goodies every fall. Pumpkin butter was an addiction! Now it’s the only store we shop for the most part.
I don't remember very much because I was riding in the shopping cart :) My family were early adopters, my dad shopped at the first store in Pasadena when he was in school before I was born. As a kid in the 80s/90s in Long Beach we used to get Force Primeval Bars, which were these sort of bagel-textured bread products with raisins and nuts or something like that. They were very dense, all right with butter but nothing special. But we liked them anyway because the name was cool.
I remember those!
My brother intoning "Activate the Force Primeval Bars!" and whatnot. Good times.
Early 2000s in grad school in Ann Arbor. They had this lamb roast that was marinated and tied with butchers twine, it was so good
Ooh. Yah that was really good.
Fried rice and the elevator, brilliant. The one I went to had underground parking and an elevator. It’s Minnesota, parking inside when it’s showing outside is a luxury.
Oh, it was 20+ years ago. I was visiting family in Arizona, and they had TJ's unsweetened dried pineapple. I fell in love with it and they took me to the store so I could buy some to bring home with me.
Fruit floes back in the early 80s, and Jarlsberg cheese (so fancy and cheap!)
I remember the fruit floes from the 80s... there must've been at least a dozen different flavors, all with real fruit. The coconut was amazing! So was cherry 😋
I was a toddler and I’m now 37. Apparently I stole a massive chocolate bar and started eating it
I was 5! We went to the grand opening of one in/near Camarillo California. We got some free stuff. I remember apricot fruit roll ups and barrels of slabs of chocolate. Loved it ever since.
Early 1970s? I was a little kid shopping w/my grandmother in Pasadena. She bought Japanese rice crackers, peanuts, and ingredients for Manhattans. There was nothing for kids there.
TJ’s also had a Pronto in Covina My friend worked Pasadena & I at Pronto (76) I made Fresh squeezed OJ - all the TJ’s team from then happily retired now)💕
Late 1990’s: a flourless chocolate ganache cake. The whole thing was like. $8. And it was amazing. 🥰
Oh. Yah. The big one right??? That thing was amazing.
10 years ago when I was in California. My roommate always have a bag of frozen dumplings or nan in fridge.
My first visit was 14 years ago. My best friend was pregnant and asked for their peanut butter cups. I didn't buy anything else that trip but ran back to the store after trying a cup and bought 3 buckets for myself.
Visiting family in Las Vegas, 1994 or 1995, I remember the odd size chunks of chocolate in plastic wrap, the canisters of coffee, the peach tea bags. And coffee mugs with some of the same labels as the coffee canisters.
I remember cherry vanilla hansens soda, tofuti cuties and for some reason I MOST VIVIDLY remember mini bagels and cookies and cream promax bars.
Late 90’s it was a coffee soda. It was not good.
It's so funny to me that every decade or so someone invents coffee cola, it bombs and then 10 years later someone invents it again. I've always liked the stuff when I've encountered it, but my taste is apparently in the minority. I got some from Pic'N'Save in Southern California in the 90s, and then I found a different one in China in the 2000s, but it tasted exactly like I remembered the first one tasting.
I was born and raised Southern Californian. My first trip was as a child in the late 80s? Now I feel old.
It was 2003 and they still had the orange AND raspberry dark chocolate covered jelly sticks in the square containers. I miss the raspberry ones so bad 😭
Mine was a two buck chuck about 12 years ago
My dad got his snacks at the original TJ's in the 80's. I remember lots of cheese, nuts, chocolate-covered malt balls, and canned dog food (for the cat, not for Dad.)
Another '80s TJ person here (Encino store at Burbank and White Oak). I remember a lot of whey butter and dried apricots. Chocolate-covered almonds, too, when we needed to find a gift before going to a party.
Oh yes! You've reminded me that dried apricots and chocolate-covered almonds were in my dad's rotation too.
Sometime in the 2000s in the summer with my mom in the next town over. They sold these butterflies shrimp in the freezer that had some seasoning and butter that we put on our salads with this amazing sesame dressing the discontinued.
Early 1980s, cans of chicken soup
I think it was the roasted red pepper spread and the jarred pesto. Made sandwiches outta those for weeks! I think that was 2010 or 11?
The first time I went there was right when they put out the Christmas stuff one year, and I bought every single Christmas item 😂 I always think of that every time they have new sweets because I ended up throwing most of it away. It was just too many cookies and candies for me to eat, but it’s a good reminder to only get one or two now.
Early 2000s and I just remember getting $2 chuck wine and having a massive headache the next day. The $6 cocobon I got the next time was solid for a while though
i went for the first time last year when i moved to a big city and i got cookie butter icecream, port salut & the buffalo chicken dip. all still staples when i go a year later
Hobo Bread!!! Back around 2012-ish.
I don’t remember my first visit but I remember the mango peach salsa being my first ever favorite TJ item
Ooh, I loved that salsa too! They demo'ed it with fish tacos and I made those regularly for a good run.
I think in 1990, I remember getting dried papaya from the bulk bins they used to have.
Huh. I don’t remember my first visit to TJs. I think it opened in my town in my teen years.
About 3 years ago, I remember getting Scandinavian swimmers, and chocolate chip biscotti we made s’mores with. Not sure how I haven’t done that again, the s’mores were bomb
Early 2000s in Massachusetts. I remember the oyster crackers, chocolate advent calendar, and the glee gum.
Tiny store, 27 years ago in California. They had Maui onions and Tofutti cuties and so much more. I was hooked!
Tofuttis the ice cream bars?! Omggg a blast from the past, I remember those circa early 2000’s
My mom was with me and she can’t eat ice cream. She bought them and they were so good!
The closest TJs near where I grew up was in San Rafael. They used to always have bags of pistachios and large pieces of Ghirardelli chocolate that were cut up, wrapped in cellophane, and sold by the pound.
Ugh. Those chocolate chunks were the best
Yes! Those pistachios were good.
Oh my goodness, I had forgotten about those chunks of chocolate in saran wrap!
Honestly, the first solid food I ever ate was probably from tjs. My dad has worked there since before I was born, and will probably work there til he retires. The pot stickers slap tho Edit: I’m 17 now, he’s been working there since ‘04
Mmmmmmmm…inside out carrot cake cookies…..
Around 2000 or 2001, San Francisco. Judy's Lovesticks bread. I think about that bread often.
[Still Around](https://lovesticks.com/love/store/). Still yum.
Oh wow. I'm so tempted to have these shipped to Ohio!
I won't tell anyone. But in case you don't, when I get back there next month I'll enjoy some on your behalf😉.
I got a pack of pretzels and garlic hummus. It was 2004.
My first visit was about this time last year :) I remember getting the milk chocolate pretzels and demolishing them in about a day. I don't buy them anymore because I don't trust myself 😆
It was definitely cheese back in 1988 when the first one opened in my region, because it was up the street from my high school and I worked there as a "Cheese Girl." Also peanut butter pretzels.
What was it like being a Cheese Girl there?
It was the best job ever for a cheese lover like me! We got to slice, wrap, and price all the cheese from the giant wheels of cheese. We went around the store and gave out samples on Saturdays. We had to taste every cheese ourselves so we could describe them to the customers!
That's awesome. :)
My first Trader Joe's was the Eagle Rock one in Los Angeles (one of the earliest stores). A few things I remember were Alta-Dena brand yogurt for a fraction of the price anywhere else, these delicious cheddar cheese and herb scones, and a shrimp and lobster bisque that was fantastic. This was maybe 1982 or so.
I had forgotten about those herb cheddar scones! Thank you for remembering... now I want some 😅
I miss them so much! Nice to find someone else who remembers, sometimes I thought I was imagining it :)
Oh boy, that was a long time ago. Sometime in the 70s. I was lucky to live near one of the first stores. Probably I bought wine and cheese, which is the main reason everyone went there, because that's mostly what they had. The selection of both was huge! Much more than now, although their wine department is still good, but there's far less cheese. One of the cool things was not only did they have a ton of different cheeses, they cut them into different size packages. So if you wanted a sampling of cheese that were new to you, you could get slices for just a couple of bucks.
It was still that way in the late 80s - I worked in the cheese shop at our local TJs in high school. Best job ever!
When I moved out of the area, one of my hesitations was there was no Trader Joe's where I moved. What, no Trader Joe's? How could I survive? 😂 I'd been so used to doing double shopping every week, at a regular grocery store and Trader Joe's.
I don't remember exactly when they expanded so much to other things, like they have now, but can easily believe that's the way it was in the 80s too. Wasn't the selection of cheeses amazing? I'll bet it was a great job :)
Pineapple juice in the big jug now in a cartoon. Best pineapple juice ever
Peppercorn lol
I don’t recall what I bought the first time I went myself but I have fond memories of the chocolatey cats cookies, chocolate ganache cake, and New York cheesecake always being at my aunt’s house when I would go there growing up.
For a short while they sold individual slices of New York cheesecake, and it was the best cheesecake I've ever had.
I often wish they would sell more single servings of things!
I do too, and damn I miss that New York cheesecake. The big frozen one is good, but the single slices they sold in the refrigerated section were out of this world!
FWIW Whole Foods sells single slices and they’re really good! They also do single servings of tiramisu which is my favorite dessert 🥰
Really? I'm going to have to give theirs a try :)
The first time I went was back in 2010 and I bought onions. Then I heard a joke by Kyle Kinane about how “you only need one onion. Not 9 onions”. And this was back when they only had bagged produce. I started working for TJ in 2021 and I tried the mandarin orange chicken for the first time and no one believed I had never had it. It was just fine. Now? I have my favs. And I usually purchase at least two items per day.
Around 2004. I used to get the southwest chicken salad back when I ate meat.
Those Italian mint candies. They were really small and kind of like a hard jelly candy.
Ohhh I forgot about those
1997 or so. Hansen’s soda!! Double Rainbow ice cream and sorbet!! Also frozen tacos that were different than the ones they have now and actually kind of good.
Anyone remember the dried strawberries that they used to sell back in 97?
How were they different from the ones they have now? My store has them in a little red pouch, hanging by clips usually with all the nuts. Sometimes near the cereal too.
These were chewy. Not freeze dried.
I remember them from more recent times, maybe 10-15 years ago? They were one of my favorite things to eat.
I've loved their pizza dough since 2002
Ummmm….early 2000s? I don’t remember exactly when. Could’ve been late 90s even. I honestly don’t remember what I first got back then. I remember always getting their naan and the PB cups though.
A panic attack and a big fight with my husband because he got one, too
Must have been around 1997 when I was in high school, had an older friend who had gone thru culinary school and worked as a baker. He thought I might want to try some of the healthier vegetarian fare since I was living off of ramen, vegetable egg fried rice and bagels with cream cheese. I remember these sleeves of chocolate circles in a hexagon paper package that were super cheap maybe like $1.49 or $1.99? Milk, dark, or half and half, probably European-made. I don't suppose anyone knows what I am talking about and could tell me who made these? I later worked a few minutes walk from that TJ and would run over to grocery shop during my lunch. The freeze dried mango granola was my favorite thing.
Those are chocolate “pastilles” made by the Dutch company Droste! So good!
1980ish...if I am remembering right we usually went for "exotic" fruits and cheeses, then had to get crackers to go with the cheese. I lived in So Cal and the closest TJs was about 45mins away and my Mom hated driving so we didn't go often.
~2004, when the first TJ’s opened in my town, I remember getting the Tropical Fruit Floes popsicles. So delish, I miss them!
1994 visited my mom who had just moved to LA and she took me to a store in (I think) Santa Monica. They had these red and green frozen tortellini (sun dried tomato and spinach respectively). We got those for dinner and I was hooked When they finally opened in Northern California I bought them all the time until they were discontinued. I still miss those tortellini, as dated and 1990’s as they were they were good.
They opened in Norcal in 1988. I worked at the first store then - it was in the Bay Area.
I’m in Sacramento. Not sure when the first store opened here.
Good food is never dated. Good food is just good food :)
Gorgonzola crackers and sesame honey cashews. I don’t think I have had either in a decade!
Wish they hadn't discontinued them, especially those gorgonzola crackers....
Pot stickers in the late 90s from a Santa Barbara TJs
Around 2005, a friend took me to TJs to get sushi for lunch (my first time ever having sushi). I didn't eat sushi again for 4 years!
CHEESE ALL THE CHEESE
All the time. This is the way.
In California in a rented car in 2005, during a layover for a transpacific flight, we were hungry in a car. The TJs had pita and hummus (and the 2 buck chuck was still $2). TJs wouldn't have their first location locally until 2018.
Trader Joe’s in the 90s/early 2000s was the first place I saw selling Pirate’s Booty.
The first time I remember going I was a child around 1997/1998 and loving the fruit leather!
Something like 10-12 years ago (maybe even longer?). There weren’t any in South Florida so I had to drive to Ft. Myers to get my first experience lol. I think it was around fall and I got a bunch of fall stuff, plus kimchi back when they were bagged, orange chicken, cookie butter, and I’m sure some other stuff.
Low fat vegetarian minestrone in a can, whole wheat pasta. whole wheat hot dog and hamburger buns.
Not my very first visit, but my first visit around Christmas was in 2013 my freshman year of college. I got essentially a week's worth of treats to reward myself each day of finals. I don't remember what the other treats were, but I got the chocolate covered candy cane Joe joes. So good! I look for them every year. I also used to buy their frozen multigrain blend a lot when I first started shopping at Trader Joe's. And their oat bar soap, which I still buy.
As a kid in the 90s I would mostly go with my aunt when I visited her in Mendocino county. We did actually have a TJs in my hometown but not on the poor side of town and my grandma rarely liked to drive so far. But I always got the same thing: peanut butter panda puffs or gorilla munch and these small Italian candies. They were like a hard gummy texture, individually wrapped and about the size of a pea. Haven't been able to find them as an adult.
Are those the glitterati candy?