I forgot how much I don't like Trader Joe's. I don't dislike it per se, but I don't like it, either. I think the novelty has worn off. I don't think that they sell particularly high quality goods. The produce is particularly off-putting to me, with the extraneous packaging and not being able to actually examine what I'm buying most of the time. I don't think it's particularly inexpensive; prices really are on-par with Giant Eagle for the majority of items when you consider per-unit pricing. And what I really dislike is how it's almost all pre-made, heat and eat stuff. There's little available that you cook yourself-- it's pre-seasoned, pre-sauced, pre-everything. You buy the frozen channa masala, frozen pre-cooked basmati rice, frozen naan, frozen butter chicken. Heat in the oven, and there's your Indian-esque feast. But curry powder or garam masala? Nothing doing. Not to be found anywhere in that store. You can buy frozen desserts and mixes, but not enough of the staples to bake your own cake from scratch. I find that really annoying. Pre-packaged food is what kills real cooking. It stifles culinary creativity. TJ's just offers the "healthier", hipper version of blue boxed Kraft macaroni and cheese and Pepperidge Farm frozen cakes.
Rant over. I'm off to buy some groceries from a real grocery store so that I can do a little baking today. It's suddenly 30 degrees cooler than it was yesterday. Got to love Pittsburgh in the springtime.
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