Blurry photo of the Actual Trader Joe's in my neighborhood
Yesterday, in “I Dare You To Stay Awake Reading This,” I mentioned my plans to go grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s. I was trying to be boring. But instead of thinking it was boring, some of you expressed an interest in knowing what I bought there.
Maybe I’ve been doing this blog thing all wrong. Maybe I should try out a period of being like George Costanza in that one episode, where he decided to do the opposite of everything his instincts told him to do. I always try to blog about something interesting; maybe instead I should blog about boring stuff.
Cool! This should be easy.
Well, then, here’s what I brought at Trader Joe’s yesterday:
jar o’ organic peanut butter
organic french roast coffee (which I ground in their machine there)
bag of dried mangoes
bag of grilled eggplant and zucchini (frozen)
square of Israeli feta cheese
two frozen “Handcrafted Cheese & Green Chile Tamales”
tub of hummus
pita bread
slice of “Old Amsterdam” gouda cheese
two bags of “Southern Blend” greens (that we steam and eat with yams and fish)
four cubes organic unsalted butter
bottle of organic olive oil (you know, I didn’t realize I buy so much organic stuff)
two little boxes of organic blueberries
three jars of three-cheese Italian pasta sauce
bag of frozen organic spinach
four tubs of organic lowfat yogurt
box of frozen channa masala
two large Hass avocados
two things of organic strawberries
bag of Basmati rice
two bags organic fusilli pasta
two bags fresh brussels sprouts
bag of premium walnut halves
two “Cannelloni Tre Formaggio” (frozen entree thing)
two bags organic baby lettuce
a hothouse cucumber
one bag egg pappardelle pasta (big flat long noodles)
one box organic rolled oats
five beefsteak tomatoes
two boxes peaches (best fruit EVER; the peaches are unbelievable this year)
honeydew melon
frozen organic French green beans
slice of triple-cream brie
tub o’ lowfat cottage cheese
two orange bell peppers
bag of assorted baby potatoes
bottle of Chandon champagne
So. Bored yet?!
I wasn’t going off a shopping list or anything; I rarely do. I just cruise through the store real fast, snagging stuff off the shelves. And this what I came home with yesterday.
So. If nothing else, Cat and I aren’t likely to starve to death this week.
For about a year before we moved to San Diego some thirteen years ago, I worked at the Trader Joe’s in Bakersfield. Not a pleasant job, by a very long shot.
But that’s stuff I can bore you with later! Or not! I can’t tell!
****
Related post (apparently): Top 10 Signs I Might Be Gay.
Just out: UNFAIR: Why the “Christian” View of Gays Doesn’t Work (softcover edition; Kindle edition; NookBook edition). Like/join my Facebook page. Join Unfundamentalist Christians.
![John Shore on The Huffington Post](http://johnshore.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/huffpost.jpg?w=120 "John Shore on The Huffington Post\")
{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }
First of all, I was super excited to read a shopping list from Trader Joe’s. We don’t have them here, so I live vicariously through food bloggers telling me about their Trader Joe’s goodies. Yeah, I’m kind of lame like that. I also live vicariously through Californians bragging about the perfect weather (ie today’s post) they enjoy year around as I’m sweating inside b/c I’m afraid of the electricity bill I’ll get if I really try to cool down my home in these over 100 temps. Second of all, you could totally shop for me! All of that food sounds delicious. So glad you and Cat won’t be starving or smoldering this week. That’s it, I’m moving to Cali.
Happy Anniversary, John and Cat!
wow. Put's my Trader Joe's list to shame. Everytime I go in, I forget to bring my recyclable bags, so I always wind up buying a couple more. I think I now own about a dozen.
Agreed on the olives!! I always have those in my fridge…along with a bag of sugar snap peas, and their bleu cheese pecan dip. Yum.
37 comments. On your shopping list.
Some things are too mysterious for the mere mortal mind to comprehend.
And it's worth telling that my last sentence would have been more funny if I'd left it as spellcheck auto-corrected, that being "some thongs are too mysterious…."
Israeli feta? That just took the term "international cuisine" to a whole new level.
Wow you guys eat so healthy! So I'm thinking if you ever write that cookbook and you need taste testers for your recipes… one blog post and you'll have a pile of us at your door. Whatever comes from a grocery list like that must be noms.
I LOVE to grocery shop so reading your post was quite interesting to me, like peeking in someone else's basket while in the checkout line. I'm nosy that way.
Oof. Just reading that list makes me crave a bacon cheeseburger.
Split it with me?
Ummmmm … okay.
Maybe I do have time to fit blogging back into my schedule, if this is a legitimate post.
Wow … And, no, your groceries don't prove that you're a liberal elitist. Weirdo, maybe, but not liberal elitist.
Then again, you live in Southern California. We all knew something had to be off.
Well, you've inspired me. I just tossed a post up about today's little shopping excursion.
I read it! It was very zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Indeed it was. I fell asleep while writing it, I think.
Should have said "ANOTHER best-seller".
Would that you should have! (Thank you, though. You're very kind.)
I'm so impressed! All that nutrition, practically all of the "super foods", and not much of it qualifies as fast food. Even the orange bell peppers are packed with more vitamins than any of the other colors. And that was just off-the-cuff, snag-it shopping? Someone has taught you well. You don't happen to live next door to Dr. Oz, do you? And the best part is that most of these items are ingredients of the bigger picture; like salads, pasta dishes, and down and dirty vegetables. Things that have to be PREPARED and that's the part that you say YOU do. Amazing! Would you consider authoring a cookbook in your signature style?
Now THAT would be a best-seller!
You have no idea how much I want to write a cookbook. I want to write one that's for … well, guys, basically. Who shop at normal, chain grocery stores. And basically aren't into cooking.
I tried writing a recipe once. Then I realized that I don't measure when cooking most things.
I make a darned good baked ziti, chili, beef stew, etc.. But I can't really tell you in detail how to make it. The best suggestion I had for one person once is to watch me and try to pick it up along the way.
i make a yummy stroganoff, lasagna, enchilada pie, chili, beef stew, eggs Benedict and tacos
we should all write a cookbook…..
Swami John Shore and his followers….cook!
Sounds like me and my wok – throw stuff in, something tasty comes out at the end, magically.
They now have pimento cheese – try a spoonful of it on top of a hot steak or hot baked potato…mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
You forgot the jars of giant olives. THEY ARE THE BEST OLIVES IN THE WORLD. I think they are called "queen olives" or something. I don't even like olives and I can eat my way through a whole jar of those in a week (and pickle my insides with all the salt as a bonus).
Also the chicken vindaloo in the freezer section. It's vindalooicious.
I brought the olives you're talking about last week. I don't think I've been without those in my house for fifteen years.
Vindalooicious! Love it!
Oh I want those now, I'm fresh out.
Wow. This, more than any other post, proves it: You really are a liberal elitist.
LOFLMAO!
Hey, man. I'm not your typical liberal elitist. I'm a liberal elitist from Southern California.
Yeah, baby!
But, a pretty broke one. One of the mondo-key reasons I shop at TJ's is for their low prices.
Great… now you're using the word "mondo". I've gotta back to the "real" America (where, by the way, things are a lot less expensive than in Southern California; I'd bet your "broke"-ness would make you (upper?-)middle-class in little ol' Marion, IN).
*gotta get
Well, here's a little bit about my bed stand: http://johnshore.com/2009/01/16/the-books-on-my-b…
Books, schmooks. We want to know if there’s a [delete] [delete] or pair of [delete] in those drawers.
And by “we” I mean “I.” Probably. Maybe.
Well, if you can’t commit to wanting to know, how can I commit to telling you?
Now, if you'd be willing to blog about the contents of your medicine cabinet or nightstand drawer (assuming you have one; not everyone does) I'd see more potential excitement. Everyone wants to know if someone keeps laxatives or Fleet's hidden away somewhere, just so they can get a giggle – and be reminded they're not the only ones whose real life isn't like a magazine cover or movie hero's
This could lead to recipes which would take you in yet another direction.
Yeah, that is the fun part. I go shopping, see what's good there, come home, and … start winging it. Fun!
Just out of curiosity, are you two vegetarian? I didn't notice any meat products, but I could have overlooked something.
This is such a huge story; I should tell it sometime. Because, really, I don't think I've bored you guys QUITE ENOUGH!!!
No, you haven't. Do tell!
Champagne is NEVER boring…
Tomorrow is my/our 29th wedding anniversary, so … champagne!
Good for you! Congratulations!
PS
the Hollandaise is really good.
you forgot to get taffy.
and
New Belgian fat tire ale.
and
was the peanut butter smooth or crunchy?
details!!!
Hah! The taffy is wonderful, but I'm intensely enamored of my fillings; I'm afraid I don't much care for the Fat Tire ale; and smooth.
thanks i can sleep now. lol