HOWDY FRIENDS I hope you enjoyed watching this as much as I enjoyed making it! I tried SO MANY NEW DAMN THINGS. What's the next Trader Joes (or any other) ranking you'd like to see!

Merle, a video idea - all the leftovers from the ranking videos, challenge yourself to make a dish out of them. Something like Chopped! ❤

@-zer8086

Жыл бұрын

you do it

@windowmaker8479

Жыл бұрын

@@-zer8086 loool

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

I can just see the carnage now

@RooHue

Жыл бұрын

@@MerleONeal and we’ll live for it

Eating ***Thai*** green curry "I love Indian food..." 😂 I love you Merle. That had me cackling and I've been sick and feeling like a sack of turds, so thank you ❤

@jbeeee42

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha I was like “did I hear that right, what did I miss” when she said Indian food

@tangimeme

Жыл бұрын

@@jbeeee42 I'm still sick and your comment making this come up in my notifications once again sparked joy, so thanks haha. Idk why it tickled me so much. I giggled even more when she was talking about loving Pad Thai and eating it in Thailand, like, bruuuuuuhhhhh 😂😂😂 She's got me wondering if she's playing 4D chess and it was on purpose 'cause the extra stuff later makes the original comment even sillier. I'll never tire of the intentional or not Easter eggs in Merle's vids ❤️

@NZKiwi87

Жыл бұрын

Came to the comments section just for this! 😂

Try sauteeing the mandarin chicken morsels in a pan with olive oil until golden and crispy on both sides, then pour the sauce in and cook it down until it's a bit more thick and caramelized!! That's the only way I've ever made them and they're my fav!!

@wilsonamyc

Жыл бұрын

Yes! This is how I like to cook them too!

@bumbley.umbley

Жыл бұрын

Yes! I like them a lot and that is how a cook them too (tho I use veggie oil instead of olive oil but I’m sure olive oil is good too)

@milaqk2006

Жыл бұрын

yes thats how i make them and I LOVE them. Merle you HAVE to retry them this way

I WANT MORE OF THAT BULGOGI! I love your ranking videos! Especially because I get to eat on those days hehe

@strawberrysoymilkshake

Жыл бұрын

You don't get to eat on other days? 😂

Unrelated to the video itself but Merle has helped me sorta understand how to have an almost entirely plant based diet-- which has inadvertently also helped my mother who's in early stage pancreatic failure (she is okay-- she has to take special enzymes with meals to supplement what her pancreas cant do). And since I've learned so much from this channel and before when she was on Buzzfeed I've really been able to help my mom with her diet. Just wanted to say thank you 💜💜

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

OOh my goodness

@kirstybrown1185

Жыл бұрын

Not even vegan myself but she actually makes me want to try more vegan foods. She’s not aggressive with it, feels like a really chill cousin who genuinely wants the best for you but isn’t going to pretend she’s better than you at the same time. 🤷‍♀️🥰

I like Aria popping in and giving his opinion. Please include him mooooar! :)

Hope to see your thoughts on their Japanese Styled Fried Rice. We eat it by the bag full.

@strawberrysoymilkshake

Жыл бұрын

I think that is the one Vegan Bodega Cat loves

I work at Trader Joe’s and we just tried the vegan fried fish fillets the other day while we were closing the store. My manager made fish tacos with them with our mango slaw and yuzu hot sauce 😋 it was super yummy!!! Edit: I see you hated it 🤣 but if you air fry them and put them in corn tortillas with crunchy salsa it definitely works better and I too loveeee the Thai green curry

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

oh that actually sounds so good

@LiveAlcheme

Жыл бұрын

I dip ‘em in the vegan tzatziki 🤌🏻

@jamesm47766

Жыл бұрын

I liked the vegan fish fillets I didn't even dip them into anything and I liked it

@lizpimentel2566

5 ай бұрын

​@jamesm47766 me too. I had mine with roasted potatoes and peas. I did add ketchup because I eat everything with ketchup but I loved them plain too

@goeticfolklore

3 ай бұрын

so many vegan things just don't crisp if you aren't using a pan or airfryer

Merle, you are simply delightful. I’m a big Trader Joe’s fan but mainly cook all my own foods homemade. I’ve been vegan all my life and it’s wonderful to see young people embracing keeping our animals safe and eating healthier. Thank you for giving us the humor and delightful view points on the Vegan lifestyle.

So glad the ranking videos are back! They’re my favorite!

Love all of your videos!! I'm still not a vegan, but you give me vegan options to throw into my diet to try it out every once in a while 😊

This was fun. I shop at TJ's a lot and enjoy the occasional vegan option in my week so this was super helpful. Thanks!

I agree on your ranking for the ravioli. I don't think I've ever cooked them without at least one coming apart. They're good served in a simple veggie broth (instead of a sauce) with some grated vegan parmesan. Thanks for all your KZread content.

Running for the Beef bulgogi .. and agreed on the grease on those bird nests! Wegmans has a hummus and veggie puff that tastes just as good but not as greasy. And those Chicken less Mandarin nuggets aren’t good. I like the Quorn ones but I can’t find them anywhere! Love the Grease references!

Oh yay!! Finally a new ranking video!! I've been rewatching old ones lately to satisfy my cravings haha. So good to finally have a new one and to add to my arsenal! 🤣💖💖💖🥰 Love as always, can't wait for the next video! ❤️❤️❤️

The veggie birds nest look like kakiage! I used to work at a macrobiotic retreat center and the food was Japanese-influenced. We had a chef who made THE BEST kakiage! We didn't get it often (its fried and this was at a "health" center lol), but it was by far the most popular dish!! Oh I wish I could taste Chef Alfred's kakiage again!!

Very helpful video!!! I go to trader joes for myself and family and some members are vegan and I try to look for tasty food for them to try out so this was a great help.

What a great video! Trader Joe's is really stepping it up with the vegan food. The Penne Arrabbiata is my favorite!! Have you tried the Trader Joe’s Roasted Vegetable Tamale Pie? It is so delicious. :))

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

THANK YOU the Penne Arrabbiata was SENSATIONAL I kinda regret not giving it an S

@SheriLynNut

Жыл бұрын

@@MerleONealit’s okay- we know it was an S in your heart 😍😂

An sir fryer is so handy with the oven foods. Have you tried the vegan tiki masala? So good! I agree with your assessment of the things i have tried.

i watch a lot of vegan vids like most folks here and Merle always keeps it real and i love her 4 that not trying to pander n says it like it is ❤❤❤

This is the first video I've seen on your channel and I pretty much agree with all the final rankings so I feel like I can trust your opinion. Also I enjoy your sense of humor. Easy subscription!

Aaaaa ty I'm so happy for this video!! I've been wanting to try Trader Joes foods and I wasn't sure where to start, there's so many lol. I haven't had beef in years so I really wanted to try that vegan beef bulgogi.

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

you MUST

Love this video Merle!! The Penne Arrabbiata, the pizza, and the raviolis are my fav!! And now I really want to try the green curry bowl!!

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

I'm so glad you enjoyed!! You musssst try

Definitely going to try the curry and beef bulgogi! The mandarin chicken is great when the sauce is warmed up! I throw them in the air fryer to cook and then transfer to a sauce pan and let the sauce get all thick and bubbly! My whole family loves them.

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

yes you MUST try the curry and bulgogi

Love your channel - What makes it even better is watching someone who is genuine 🥂

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the love

Thank you for your rankings! I honestly have yet to try half of these products... but I'll be sure to try the curry because I am sold! My #1 vegan Trader Joe's product is the Walnut Banana Bread... OH MY GOSH, it is divine! Please tell me you've tried it... if you haven't, I urge you to buy a loaf next time because I promise you Merle, your taste-buds will not regret it!

The Penne Arrabiata is one of my favorites!! I grab a bag almost every time I’m at TJ’s :) Great video, super enjoyable and informative :)

so glad you came to your senses on the mandarin chicken. i was shocked by that initial B ranking! my expectations had been high for that one when i tried it, but what a letdown. looking forward to trying the beefless bulgogi and the curry! thank you for eating all the things so i don’t have to 😅

Love the ranking videos. I've tried all TJ vegan and so agree with your ratings. So much more for you to try - TJ's Vegan Tikka Masala is a favorite.

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

II keep hearing about this one!!!! I'm sad they didn't have it

Awesome video idea Merle!! I really enjoyed this 😊 thank you for sitting in your kitchen for at least 10 hours and editing probably the same amount of time. I see you!!

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

Aw thanks for the love

I appreciate that you show the ingredients/the back. That's exciting that their "fish" is gluten free as I found I have a gluten sensitivity so I'll still give it a try. Would love another one of these with other vegan trader joes items

Merle, as she's discussing Thai curry: "I love Indian food"😄

Hopefully you can get your hands on the Thai Veggie Gyosa. They’re really good! This was fun!💚🌱😋

This is really helpful, because I am a terrible cook but I want to stop getting as much takeout! I will have to make a TJs trip soon. 😄

I always grab multiple of the green curry and penne arrabbiata when I am at TJs. They are my favorite. I haven't had the beefless bulgogi or the ravioli but now I think I have to try them bc I think we have similar flavor tasters

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

OK thank you the Arrabbiata is about to be a staple of mine along with the pretty much everything else you mentioned

Merle, please do more of these! The vegan tikka masala is my absolute favorite. It’s super saucy too, I add cauliflower and have it with naan 😋

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

I was sO SADDD they didn't have the tikka masala when I went

@crazynugirl3

Жыл бұрын

@@MerleONeal Next time for sure :)

The mandarin morsels are super good! Love those!

Never doubt the Trader Joe's frozen pastas in a bag! I have tried so many of them and they always turn out good. I love the frozen mushroom ravioli.

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

omg i want thatttt

@embersparks13

Жыл бұрын

@@MerleONeal It's "eat the whole bag yourself" good lol

@denlea5

Жыл бұрын

Their frozen mushroom ravioli is not vegan. Their frozen mushroom medley however is incredible with pasta or as a pizza topping!

With the dishes that I have tried from Trader Joe’s, I was pretty much spot on with your scores! I just want to say that I use the beef strips to make pepper steak & it was absolutely awesome!

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

omg those beef strips are next level, that sounds amazing

Thanks for the great content ❤

I love those ravioli! Definitely going to try the arrabiatta pasta next.

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

DO IT

Thank you for this! I've tried Trader Joe's plant-based food before and gotten burned. It's always helpful to hear what's worth my $.

I loved the final thoughts and the pasta drama xD

Hi Merle, fun video! I cook the orange “chicken” in a sautée pan with either some oil, water, or veg stock, and the pieces stay moist. Ovens are way too drying. Trust yourself. Move the pasta arrabiata up to S! The Italians are famous for doing things simply, but fabulously!

Yay yay YAYYYYYYY!!!! Your videos make my day better Merle!!!!🥰💫

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

I'M SO GLAD

These are also so helpful. I thank you for your service. These videos should be like reimbursed as a volunteer project for Vegans United.

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

LMAO

That pizza is on eof my favorite things at TJ's. I haven't tried that Bulgogi yet but now that I've seen it on multiple channels I'm gonna have to give it a try!

If you do this again please please PLEASE try the vegetable panang curry (it’s in the frozen section). It’s SO good

Great video, thank you. 💚 Italian food is frequently simple, it’s all about the quality of the ingredients. 🇮🇹

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

this penne was amazing - a testament to the ingredients

The 'Don't be a Libra! Don't be a Libra!' really got me bc I am also a Libra and super indecisive and always second guessing myself haha Oct 5th in the house! 💖 I've been considering trying the beefless bulgogi but wasn't sure if it was any good so tysm for the stellar review!

keep your awesome videos going merle !!

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

Aw thank you soo much

Bulgogi and fish are really good. I put fish in a roll with a little vegan tartar. It is only 2nd to the bulgogi

ahh my favorite vegan frozen item at trader joe's is their veggie gyoza! i wonder why your store didn't have it. i also love the ravioli and the masala burgers. i like that the burgers are trying to taste like veggies and not like fake meat, sometimes that's what i really want out of a veggie burger and restaurants are ALL about the impossible meat haha

i really like the vegan orange chikn, but you definitely gotta cook the morsels with the sauce in a pan for a little bit to get it all fully integrated. also, it's better with rice and scallions

Thank you! I’m excited to try the S Tier items 😊

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

DO IT!

I love the bottle of sliquid causally next to ari lol

I feel the same about the pasta bolognese - I feel vindicated because my friends love it and I thought I was crazy for thinking it was bad

The Arrabiata has been my go to for the last 3-4 years I add Garlic, Onion powder, and a big bowl of fresh spinach and pop on the microwave and stir as I go.....IT'S AMAZING......A WHOLE MEAL IN 4-5 MIN. 🤗🤗😍😍°

great review video merle!

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much

The vegan tika masala is so good thoooo

I will definitely try your S ratings out! Thanks!

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

YES you must! try the Penne Arrabiata too!!

There's at least 6 or 7 vegan desserts, including 4 or so ice cream things. That would be a good ranking.

I just tried that pizza for the first time last week and really liked it! I thought the same about the cheese and then looked at the box and realized its not melted there either so at least it wasnt false advertising. Ps. love seeing aria enjoying the food too

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

JARED - you're so true about the picture! TJ keepin it real. I just wish they put the arrabbiata sauce on the damn pizza

@safyre1704

Жыл бұрын

@@MerleONeal they used to sell the sauce on its own and I literally would eat it with grilled cheese the way one might have tomato soup but unfortunately it's been discontinued. I'm glad they at least still have it as a frozen item. :') In my heart it is definitely an S-rank item.

TJ’s had a kale gnocchi that we loved…but we love kale in this house. I pan fried it with a sage browned “butter”. Sooooo gooood! I think it’s been discontinued & they kept the cauliflower gnocchi. Too bad we don’t like cauliflower. 😂

my theory is that the birds nest and the masala burger were heavily inspired by pakoras and samosas respectively, hence the similar taste. Love the reviews merle!!

Grease lighting got to me. I'm with you on all the ones that drip and drip oil.

Surprised the vegan Tikka Masala wasn't on your list - that's the best one IMO. Great for sauce-lovers!

@stephenlurie821

Жыл бұрын

Yes, this is the BEST!

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

They didn't have it at my TJS :(

Merle ~ I get several packages of the ravioli and layer it in a deep pan with sauce and vegan mozzarella. I call it ‘rasagne’ just need to add a smidge of water to your sauce and be sure those layers touch the ravioli layers. It’s bomb AF

@camilledemars6488

Жыл бұрын

Brb, immediately adding this to next week's meal plan! 😍

U should do a collab with Kitchen and Jorn trying vegan stuff from Aldi’s or Target or some other big store

I’ve tried one of the Ss and none of the As so this is exciting

That is what I love about you. When you find a good sauce you would drink it. Same here. I found a new Tomato Sun Dried salad dressing and actually drank some of it.

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

you are a REAL ONE where oh where is this magical sauce

@GoddessLadyRei

Жыл бұрын

@@MerleONeal The dressing is from Meijer. The first bottle was super yummy. The second was not so tasty so there quality control is hit and miss. It is Sun Dried Tomato from Kraft.

Jackfruit curry is my favorite at TJs!

the green curry is soooooo good. I'm gonna have to hit up TJ's tonight!

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

dude honestly same hahaha I already finished almost all of these

sooo excited u uploaded wooooo

The green curry is indeed awesome - random bites are spicy because of the teeny tiny slivers of hot pepper

I've grown to love Merle 🥺

the bulgogi in the air fryer is amazinf

i've tried so many of the trader joe's frozen pastas and all of them are bomb and take like 6 minutes to make

Yes! I would love to see a ranking on vegan cream cheese. They can be pricey and then so disappointing. I am very much into the healthfulness of the food I eat. Just because it's vegan doesn't make it health food. At TJ's I mostly stick to the green curry bowl (almost 1x/week), the pad thai, and one other veggie & rice Indian bowl I didn't see in your video. Some cities offer different foods. Also a note about the pad thai; the last time I had this, it barely gave 2 tiny pieces of tofu in the entire meal! I'm vegan, gimme some tofu, damnit! I do like that these dishes are made in Thailand.

I bought those fish fillets before I saw your ranking and thought they were interesting . I have not tried them yet but maybe it was a mistake to buy them

you convinced me to buy the pizza and bulgogi, 2 things I normally wouldn't gravitate towards.

I haven't looked for it in awhile, but my favorite freezer meal from TJ's is the jackfruit curry. I wonder if it is still available? TJ's likes to discontinue things

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

I knowww i'm sad that I couldn't find a lot of things people requested but i'll keep my eyes peeled for that one!

Lol we did Grease as a middle school play and changed to "the chicks'll scream". Didnt know what it was originally

I always cook the vegan orange chicken in a pan and then when you add the sauce it thickens and everything tastes better! I promise it's a lot better that way. You should also try the vegan Indian food.

i love the orange morsels. must try the beefless bulgogi!

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

you TRULY must

The cashew spinach ravioli I boil for 3 mins the most. and prefer it with a white wine garlic sauce

I really like the Masala Burger. I blot the excess oil after I microwave it.

they used to have these awesome quinoa burritos but they dont have them anymore i don’t think

omg agreeee on final thoughts!!!!! veggie spring rolls not A

The Japanese fried rice!! The tteokbokki!! The green onion pancakes!

Merle, do you have an airfryer? If not you neeeeeeeed to get one, they’re absolutely my favorite kitchen appliance! The mandarin chik’n is yummy cooked like 4 minutes without the sauce, then another 2-3 with. Great video!

Yaaasss!!! Ravioli, Ravioli GIVE ME THE FORMUOLI!!! (I am so addicted to TJ's vegan Ravioli) The Vegetable Biryani is AMAZING as well (another Indian dish) I always heat up a Naan bread seasoned with vegan butter and garlic to go with it!

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

we love a spongebob reference - I'll have to keep my eye out for the biryani

Not American, never had access to Trader Joe, but have not anticipated a video as much as this one. Can't wait to watch.

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

I hope you enjoy!

@coloureve9433

Жыл бұрын

​@@MerleONeal absolutely loved this content, went by so much faster than I would ever want to. You were an absolute blast to listen to. Hope you do add bukbang type content into your rotation! Sort of like how your older videos had you driving to try the KFC vegan nuggets, or in the more recent ones like the lab grown meat. I always find it so interesting to see what's out there for vegans, and how you as a vegan yourself likes said options.

Baby pilea! I love your plants

Glad you ranked up bulgogi and thai green curry. I never want to go into TJs and have them say "sorry, thats been discontinued. It wasn't popular enough"😢😢

I work at Trader joes and I’m also vegan, hear me out. You have to buy the morsels again. You have to pan fry it until golden, add the sauce and reduce it down until it becomes sticky. Then I add sesame seeds, its SO different and not dry at all.

@Peachbutts26

Жыл бұрын

Also for the ravioli, I dont even boil it. I just add it to my warmed up sauce and heat it through for a few minutes and none of it falls apart.

@milaqk2006

Жыл бұрын

yes you've gotta! and then over a little rice.. SO GOOD

Air frying the cauliflower gnocchi and using their vegan kale pesto is one of my fav meals

@MerleONeal

Жыл бұрын

okay that sounds bomb

Cauliflower gnocchi go well with the Trader Joe's vegan kale cashew pesto sauce.

Wish there was a Trader Joe’s in Canada. I watch all these TJ videos and can’t ever try any of jt 😢