Trader Joe's 100% Grapefruit Juice

I love grapefruits, but grapefruit juice is my personal preference. It's difficult to find quality grapefruit juice in my area, and I tend to always be disappointed when trying anything that isn't stored in the refrigerated section. I don't know what it is exactly, but the standard shelf stable grapefruit juices never really seem to satisfy my cravings for grapefruit juice.

So when I recently noticed the 100% Florida Grapefruit Juice at Trader Joe's, I decided it was time to give it a try. I tend to avoid fresh fruit at Trader Joe's (as do most people I know that shop their regularly), but I figured that this rule didn't need to apply to refrigerated juice.

The juice was fairly (if not generously, for my area) priced at $3.29 for a bottle that contains 4 (8 oz) servings. The brand I normally buy is more like $5.99 for the same size (which is admittedly, drastically overpriced).

The juice was delicious. The quality and freshness were better than expected, although I would say I like my usual brand a tiny bit more. However, the difference is truly so tiny, that the price difference would heavily sway me towards the Trader Joe's juice. It was as bitter and tart as I like my real grapefruit juice to taste, so it's definitely not a drink for those that like their juice sweet.

Trader Joe's Cornbread Stuffing Mix

Cornbread stuffing is considered essential during our family holidays, but we tend to opt for just buying it already made. After all, cornbread stuffing isn't all that common in New England. In recent years, we began to notice it showing up in a lot of stores, but none of them were really anything interesting. But this year, we stumbled on the Trader Joe's Cornbread Stuffing Mix, and decided to try making a batch.

The box cost $3.99 (which seems reasonable, though some might find it on the higher end for a boxed mix from Trader Joe's). And the instructions were easy, allowing you to add water (or stock) and butter. We used the basic butter and water, and only used three and a half cups of water (it says to use three and a half to four cups). This seemed to be a bit too much, however, and I would suggest starting with only three. We then baked it in the oven, although many may choose to avoid this step.

The stuffing is good, but not excellent, and nothing special. It has a fair amount of herbs (namely sage), and has a good flavor, but seems to be missing a bit of something. It says it has vegetables mixed in, but you can't really taste them, and they don't add anything to the texture. For those that just want a quick cornbread stuffing mix, this may be a great option. However, for those that are want to taste vegetables in their stuffing, it will need some altercations.

Trader Joe's Sushi

After trying several different Trader Joe's prepared foods, I decided to finally give in and try one of their sushi's. It was hardly an amazing deal, with a small package of shrimp rolls costing $3.99. Yes, that is cheap for sushi, but the truth is the sushi counter at the local grocery store offers a better selection, and a larger serving, for the same price range.

But the real issue, is that the grocery store sushi is also far superior in quality to the rubbish that Trader Joe's is currently selling. I don't know if this is true for all locations, but the sushi I sampled was disgusting. It had been obviously thawed from a frozen state, and had a strange aftertaste and consistency, as though it had been frozen for many months. Other than this factor, the quality was still bad. I couldn't even stomach more than one bite of the sushi, and quickly guzzled down a liter of water in a desperate attempt to try to rid my mouth of the taste.

For the first time in my life, I actually felt it was necessary to get a refund. Normally, I can just have someone else finish off whatever I don't care for. But this sushi actually insulted me. The manager was nice about the whole thing, and I did receive a refund, but this left a bad taste in my mouth (and not just literally). Since I did not even take the sushi home, and did return it, I do not have a photo available  Maybe the sushi changes from store to store, but I highly suggest everyone is EXTREMELY cautious when it comes to sushi at Trader Joe's. After this experience, I'll also be more cautious about any non-frozen fish products as well.