I'm convinced that substandard parking lots (and difficulty getting in and out from certain directions) is what keeps their prices low.

I found some of those Kind-like bars the last time I was there - 5 for $4.99 vs $1.49 each for the actual Kind bars. We will be traveling next week, so will take a box along for "travel emergencies". I've only had one Kind bar. It was tasty and I had no apparent blood sugar swing. Just enough nuts to satisfy, not enough to set off a nut binge. And extra fiber (inulin) is always a good thing for me.

Maybe we have some secret building codes in MN. But all three of the TJs that I frequent have decent parking.

Two are in strip malls, with their neighbors not using a whole lot of spaces.

One is on a busy street, and if all they had was their surface lot, we'd all die before we found a spot. BUT, there's more! An underground area with room for at least another 50-60 cars.

A short Paleo Trader Joe's shopping list, products beyond the basics.
http://paleoleap.com/trader-joes-paleo-shopping-trip/

Another new unique product is "parsnip chips", a good chip substitute. But more often I buy the cheese "Whisps" at Costco.
Both the fresh and frozen riced cauliflower is now in good supply at my store.

New product at a MA Trader Joe's, or not yet in NC. A Whole Grain Crispbread...it does contain wheat. 7 g carbs, 3 fiber. Ingredients Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, Wholemeal Rye Flour, Oat Bran, Oatmeal, Flaxseed, spelt, then finally some wheat bran (so unlikely to be much). made in Norway. DietDoctor has a seed Crispbread on his recipes, but if want something crispy to buy, yummy with cheese.

And this 100% grass fed beef stick, single stick. http://www.gochomps.com/collections...l-flavor-chomps

That link was hilarious because the last time I went to Trader Joes I went in circles for a good while before I gave up and left. And mind you, I have an SUV and am use to driving off road which would have been an option if need be but I couldn't even find those type of options.

One thing I noticed is that this TJ is on some Very expensive real estate in so they couldn't waste a lot of land on parking

Anyway, I left that day after circling for an ungodly amount of time and doing the sit and wait game but that didn't work either. :agree:

On new product shelf this morning, a Triple Filtered Organic coconut oil. Same size glass jar, label, and price...but no odor or taste at all. The one have been using never bothered me before, but if you want a totally tasteless oil for baking, TJs now carries both.

Parking at TJ's can be a nightmare unless you go at non-peak hours! I try to go during the early morning. Definitely before noon on the weekends.

I mentioned this before, but I'm very lucky that the closest TJ's in my area is in a big sprawling shopping center. It shares parking with about 5 other businesses, and there's always a place to park. Sometimes over by 5 Guys, but walking is good, right?

I miss having a convenient TJ's. While passing one last spring, I was excited to stop in. Turns out the David's Bridal next door was having HUGE sale- hell hath no fury like the lunch hour at TJs stormed by 800 pushy brides to be, their mothers, and bridesmaids.....i ended up just walking out :lol: .

here is an email from yesterday from hungry girl (not all low carb, but still some good ideas!):
http://www.hungry-girl.com/go-to-gu...-at-trader-joes

I love the riced cauli and the mahi burgers- salmon burgers are great, too.
the cruciferous mix looks awesome.

That is a good list, the type of products that as a household of two, make it worthwhile to do most of our shopping there.

Now that we have a Costco, they have similar cruciferous slaw mix. Large bag with separate bags of dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds and two dressing bags. Not bad as designed, but can also use the slaw mix as stir fry, pasta sub, whatever..all the prep chopping done. It is awesome!

The fresh riced cauliflower has proven so popular, TJ's has added Riced Broccoli. Also in fresh produce, the two bags are side by side. A Pale green, a good use of the stalks, another nutritious pasta or rice base substitute. 6 g carbs per cup.

Whoa- riced broccoli is a great idea! I bet it would be especially good under Asian dishes.
Is it basically just broccoli slaw but sliced finer?

The size of pieces, like a grain of rice, is identical to the Riced Cauliflower, the bags the same size and of similar design. So new, not on the Trader Joe's "What's New" website page.

This is the magical time of year that TJs is bringing in LC time savers, great gift packs, and wildly NOT LC goodies.
Butternut squash all peeled and cut in chunks is in (I make a spicy soup, prepped squash is also at Costco) the organic fresh cranberries, fresh green beans trimmed, etc. Last year they had fresh turkey, this year new is "organic fresh" turkey.
Gift packs we use ourselves are flavored olive oils, flavored mustards, fancy salts, teas, etc. Body butters, hand creams, soaps also in gift packs. Every visit has some new treasure to consider ;)

I shy away from TJ's turkeys since the only year I bought one. Prepping the turkey for the oven took an extra hour, as it had been cleaned so badly that there were not only the random pinfeather to pull out, but actual feathers all over it.

Truth be told, I was a little nauseated after finishing!

I get my turkeys from coop where I'm a member. Have a bag of Costco organic cranberries in the freezer, and two rather small butternut squashes still in the garden, but big enough to serve the handful of squash fans around the Thanksgiving table. I clean them, put them in the microwave steamer and cook them there. Once done, I've never been one for adding sweet to squash, so I just use S & P and plenty of butter.

MickiSue, I used to have a long list of things that I'd buy at Trader Joe's and it's been whittled down to just a handful of things, because I started having the same experience you did with the turkey. A lot of stuff that just had to be thrown out.