posted on September 7, 2008 07:58:56 PM new
For some reason, Trader Joe's frozen products seem to deteriorate faster in my freezer than other frozen products. When used immediately, TJ's frozen edamame are delicious, after 3 weeks in the freezer, they are dried out with freezer burn and have to be thrown out. The same with other veggies, potstickers and frozen fish (the frozen lamb gets defrosted and eaten immediately- I have never risked freezer burn). Has anyone else seen this problem?
[ edited by pixiamom on Sep 7, 2008 08:01 PM ]
posted on September 7, 2008 08:56:01 PM new
I don't eat a lot of TJ's food so haven't experienced this directly but am wondering if this might be due to the ingredients. Over processed foods tend to store better for longer than those that are minimally processed and contain fewer chemical "enhancements". This could be a good thing....maybe eat more, or buy less is the solution.
posted on September 8, 2008 06:06:10 PM new
Did you read the expiration date?
The same product costs more at Kroger but they are fresher.
Once I have a carton of milk which is still good 30 days after expiration!
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Gulag-a Soviet era concentration camp is now reincarnated as EBAY with 13,000 rules.
posted on September 8, 2008 06:25:18 PM new
I think Prof is probably right. TJ uses less preservatives than most. Guess I'll just have to use their frozen stuff right away.
posted on September 9, 2008 02:29:42 AM new
Hwahwa: Krogers is the giant I'm trying to avoid. For years, they dominated my neighborhood, buying up Fred Meyers and the locally-owned Kienows (now QFC). I have truly cut my grocery bill in half since Grocery Outlet and Trader Joe's reclaimed neighborhood grocery stores who could not compete with Kroger's.
Edited to add, to those interested in neighborhood dynamics - for 50 years, Fred Meyers, a local one-stop shopping store, was the center of the neighborhood commerce. The 2nd smallest store in the chain, they wanted to build a super store 30 blocks away. The neighborhood revolted, finally agreeing to the new location if they kept the old store in place. Fred Meyer complied, then stopped stocking the old store. At one point, they were out of both bread and milk. Stating that few customers patronized the old store, they closed it down. Those in nearby senior citizen complexes who previously had 3 grocery stores suddenly had none. The closest grocery store was 20 blocks away, locally owned and later purchased by Kroger, shortly after the Fred Meyer purchase. How happy I am that Trader Joe's, and Grocery Outlet's (near the heart of the neighborhood) large parking lots are almost always near-full.
[ edited by pixiamom on Sep 9, 2008 09:01 PM ]
posted on September 11, 2008 02:45:48 PM new
we dont have much choice,before Kroeger there is this general store rundown and rusty,owned by some Mexican American who live in a cluster of houses behind the store.
They dont stock coke,I guess they are paid to stock Pepsi.
A few cans here and there and a few packs of cigarettes which they bought from Sam.
But they bake their own cake,make BBQ beef sandwiches and tortilla and enchiladas and serve breakfast to the hispanic construction workers.
They also have fresh eggs one yolk,two yolk and sometimes 3 yolks.
But then the contruction boom turns to bust and the lunch crowd disappear and a few handful left all went to Kroger which just open.
Then the owner comes up with a clever idea ,there is a sign leading to one of the houses behind the store which said Tea Room where customers can bring their 'girlfriend' to have tea and sandwiches for a few hours !
Now the store and the sign are both gone !
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Gulag-a Soviet era concentration camp is now reincarnated as EBAY with 13,000 rules.
posted on September 11, 2008 02:47:06 PM new
We have a large supermarket called Fiesta,prices are always cheaper but their produce do not stay fresh long,I heard they shut down the air conditioner at night when the store closes,is it possible?
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Gulag-a Soviet era concentration camp is now reincarnated as EBAY with 13,000 rules.
posted on September 11, 2008 04:33:01 PM new
I doubt they shut it down, but those open door coolers aren't very effective, and a lot of the big budget grocers have pretty poorly maintained cooling systems.
I certainly wouldn't shop for produce at one in any regions that are especially warm.
edited to add: farmers markets! find one near you and visit it as often as possible. a lot of the time they are cheaper, not to mention fresher.
nice folks to.
posted on September 11, 2008 04:39:54 PM new
We have small farmer market in the city and the prices are high.
Once in Galveston they have a fresh produce market and I saw a farmer unloading a box of Asian vegetables ,since I can read Chinese, I read that it came from California.
I could have bought them in an Asian Supermarket.
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Gulag-a Soviet era concentration camp is now reincarnated as EBAY with 13,000 rules.
posted on September 11, 2008 05:26:21 PM new
I'm lucky because my Grocery Outlet (which has yucky produce) donates a large portion of their parking lot to the neighborhood Farmer's Market on Saturdays. You're right, a lot of the city farmer's markets have shipped-in produce. I went to a small town flea/farmer's market last weekend and the tomatoes were MARVELOUS! I've heard that frozen vegetables are more nutritious than not-locally grown fresh vegetables which often are not allowed to fully ripen before harvesting.
Edited to add: Bird's Eye (and other) microwavable steam in the bag veggies (especially green beans) are durn near indistinguishable or better (more fool-proof) than fresh veggies.
[ edited by pixiamom on Sep 11, 2008 08:28 PM ]
posted on September 11, 2008 08:59:35 PM new
We go to a farmer's market near hear once every two weeks. It just started up this summer and we decided to try and do our part to support it. We take fresh goat cheese, eggs and tomatoes and come back with greens, vegetables and what have you. I trade the eggs and tomatoes mostly but get good money for the cheese. Pays for the trip and a little and gets us out and in touch with the neighbors, so that they get a chance to see that I'm not really the cranky old cuss they've heard about. SWMBO does most of the schmoozing, I'm not so good with small talk but she's a master at it. Ours is small and rural enough that it's a real local market, but we have recently started getting folks who are driving a good distance to buy local food. Locally produced food is a growth market and interest in it is booming. Buy local whenever you can. Avoid chain restaurants and big box groceries whenever possible. Spend more to get better food. What else could possibly be more important that the food you feed your family? Subvert the dominant paradigm every chance you get, just because you can; they deserve it.
