We asked our Facebook followers . . . What are your must-buy products at Trader Joe’s?
After years of wishful thinking — and countless road trips to stock up — Columbians finally have their own Trader Joe’s. The store opened October 30 to plenty of buzz and a long line of eager customers. To celebrate the long-awaited arrival, we asked our Facebook followers whether they’ve braved the crowds yet — and, more importantly, which products they say are worth the hype.
Frozen broccoli. Seriously. It’s the best. Pair that with the pot stickers? Dinner.
— Ellen Duncan
Chunky guacamole made with Greek yogurt. Also, my pantry has a minimum of two bottles of Everyday Seasoning (not to be confused with everything bagel) at all times. So happy to finally have one within minutes, not hours, from home.
— Karlan Massey Seville
Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers, Squiggly Knife Cut Noodles (the spicy ones), and Organic Maple Butter (ridiculously good). It is a fun, and crowded, grocery adventure.
— Stephanie Browning
Chocolate croissant ???? that rises over night to bake in the morning.
— Suzanne Claus Rothwell
Unexpected Cheddar Cheese!
— Stacy Snow
Cottage cheese ranch dip with chili lime rolled corn chips. Delish.
— Ashley Minor
I buy the Taiwanese green onion pancakes from the frozen aisle in bulk. My favorite way to enjoy them is to use them like a tortilla and add in some scrambled eggs, top with chili oil and cilantro – or the spicy and herby Zhoug sauce, another favorite of mine. As for seasonal items, I patiently wait every year for the return of their blue cheese and roasted pecan dip. It pairs perfectly with any of their crackers, but I especially love it with the pumpkin cranberry crisps.
— Jordan Watts
Gluten free chocolate muffins.
— Renee Feitelberg
Yes! I have been hauling the dark chocolate frozen strawberries ???? and dark chocolate frozen bananas ???? from the KC Trader Joe’s for too long! So excited I can buy them locally. Also all the dark chocolate they sell is amazing! I was disappointed there wasn’t a feature painted mural of what Columbia is known for on a wall inside. All the Trader Joe’s I’ve been to have one.
— Denise McGonigle
Ketchup, Kansas style bbq sauce, pork pot stickers, olive oil, coconut oil, chocolate chip chunks, and unsalted caramel squares. Now that we live closer, I’ll pick up more everyday items and snacks.
— Nora Drown
The PB&J snack duos are a fun twist on a beloved classic. When I took a trip to Seattle, I bought a pack, loved them, then went back and purchased several to take home … It’s nice to have a TJ’s in town where I can grab them now!
— Kelsey Winkeljohn
By design, parking is horrible, perhaps not fatal, but so annoying you will feel a brief moment of safety once you enter the curated experience. As with other purveyors, stick to the outside perimeter. You may find some fresh things, perhaps a step away from any “club” but not as good as your local farmers market or family-owned grocer. The flowers are good. It is somewhat fun in the frozen aisle, especially dumplings and curry. Some inexpensive and forgettable wines. Go forth and find your joy.
— Ann Ryan Solomon
The gluten free baguette is amazing!
— Erin Jones
The Apple + (strawberry, banana, mango, coconut) fruit bars are a total dupe for That’s It! bars and 1/2 the price! So tasty!
— Emily Severeid Geiss
I’ve gone back multiple times for the S’mores Bars, Mushroom Tartlets, and Paneer Tikka Masala.
— Serena Davis
Coffee, chicken breasts ($3.99/lb!), the cheese selection!, frozen Indian food, five cheese Greek spiral, ruby port, this seasoning, and the everything but the bagel seasoning.
— Andrea Waner
The flowers are always phenomenal but I’m such a sucker for the dark chocolate-covered pistachios!
— Ashley Lasiter
Dark chocolate-covered cherries. Stocked up when I visited my daughter in MN. Will be looking into all other favorites listed here.
— Kim Green Cain
Mini Chocolate Chip Croissants and Kung Pao Chicken … both great!
— Karen Consalus Price
21 Seasonings Salute has been in my cabinet for 10+ years. It has all the following spices EXCEPT salt! The 21+ spices are onion, garlic, carrot, orange peel, tomato granules, lemon juice powder, oil of lemon, and citric acid, plus a blend of 13 spices: black pepper, celery seed, cayenne pepper, parsley, basil, marjoram, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, savory, rosemary, cumin, mustard, and coriander.
— Muriel Jean Browder
Everything is great there. Flowers are beautiful. My favorite is chocolate covered pistachios.
— Anna McDaniel
Butter chicken, the beer bread mix, and Everything Bagel dip are MUSTS! But pretty much everything is worth it.
— Carrie Lynn
Cranberry clementine whole milk yogurt!
— Margrace Ewing Buckler
Joe Joe’s peanut butter and chocolate sandwich cookies. I also bought the beef and broccoli for a fast meal and even my husband (who doesn’t typically like that dish) enjoyed it!
— Francine Samuel Roling
These are so great! I pan seared in avocado oil and it fed two adults with leftovers. $8.99 for the pack. The flavor was great, and I didn’t need to add any extra seasoning. So tender and cooked nicely in 10 minutes. Will be purchasing weekly!
— Jade Poe
Dark chocolate peanut butter cups and sparkling lemonade!
— Toni White
The lasagna was scrumptious.
— Lindsay Rose James
Dark chocolate-covered pretzels, frozen roasted olive ball, Thanksgiving stuffing flavored
kettle chips.
— Elaine Hassemer
Ok … more than two, but these are so good! Chicken Soup Dumplings, Mushroom Raviolis, Orange Chicken, frozen green beans, Raisin Rosemary Crisps and Ginger Snaps!
— Ada Gallup
Mushroom tartlets and dark chocolate peanut butter cups!
— Janet Davis
I’ve been twice and I’m not telling ‘cause I don’t want them to sell out. ????????????
— Wende Wagner
