Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
Stew Leonard's is a local and expanding grocery chain where the locations are based out of New York and Connecticut. They are best known for their quality items and samples that can sometimes be found in various corners of the stores if you hit is just right.
From the donuts to the popular lobster rolls to their bagels that are on trend as is their edible raw cookie dough. They even sell Rainbow Roses at an affordable price. You'll find reviews of their products here.
The pros: Stew Leonard’s Stuffed Lobster is a super convenient dinner for one without the stress or guilt of doing the hard work of preparing a dish like this. This was available at a reasonable price compared with dining out.
The cons: No list of ingredients on the package nor any cooking times listed on the package, however I took a picture of the store’s sign and the information is posted below.
The verdict: …
I was in the store just the other day and a sign greeted me. That sign that let me know what is new in the Yonkers location of Stew Leonard’s. One of the newest items happened to be Stew Leonard’s Chocolate Crumb Cake. While I went in there for a handful of items, I always tend to leave there with a few extra items in my cart. Sorry not sorry.
Now, my mom makes a phenomenal crumb cake. I felt like grabbing the regular crumb cake, but that wasn’t going to be a fair review. So I grabbed the new chocolate variety. I had no reference point and have an affinity for chocolate, so I figured why not. The price was reasonable and I have a Grandma who has no problem sharing any dessert item. …
The pros: Stew Leonard’s Mac and Cheese Balls are a time saver, delicious and complete comfort food.
The cons: A bit pricey for four mac and cheese balls, but eating one was quite filling. I’m sure there were quite a few calories in this. It also did not have heating instructions so I was left guessing.
The verdict: …
One of my favorite dishes is Potatoes Au Gratin. Usually, I buy it around Thanksgiving as it’s more of a family dish and not something that you would make for just one person. The greatest sin in anything Au Gratin is having it sit in a watery or milky liquid. I love it when it’s rich and cheesy. When I came across Stew Leonard’s Potatoes Au Gratin I was intrigued. I noticed no extra liquid floating around. That can only mean one of two things: it’s cheesy or dry….
My husband adores Totino’s Pizza Rolls. However, my freezer is filled to capacity. I don’t always enjoy living out of the freezer either. I do enjoy fresh homemade food. This was a product that is a happy medium. It’s fresh, but will remind you of a classic frozen appetizer. Fortunately, on my last trip to Stew Leonard’s I grabbed something I hadn’t picked up previously: Stew Leonard’s Pizza Logs. Now, to be fair, the name leaves something to be desired. The term “pizza log” reminds me of what happens after you eat this item. Goofy name aside, these are really good product.
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The hottest thing on social media is rainbow everything. It started with food. Now it’s moved into a place where it belongs: flowers. Rainbow roses aren’t new, but they are new to Stew Leonard’s. I found myself stuck staring at the options. Stew Leonard’s Rainbow Roses took my breath away without taking my wallet away. I brought them home to see how long they would last. Truth is, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a bunch of flower so much before. I can’t help but stare at them. All the time. I know they don’t occur naturally like that. But is doesn’t matter. I love them and they are worth every penny of the $19.99 I paid for them. Here is how they held up:…
Sometimes we just have appetizers for dinner. The last time I walked out of Stew Leonard’s, I had an odd assortment of items. This assortment should serve as reminder as to why grocery lists are essential. I walked out of there with essentials like milk. Everything else in my cart was an appetizer. Clearly, I have no interest in dinner or putting together a meal. My husband and I don’t get a chance to eat together often as we don’t work the same shift nor do we have the same days off. So cooking a big dinner is a pointless. So sometimes it’s just easier to have appetizers in the refrigerator for when either one of us are home. So one of the appetizers that ended up in my cart was Stew Leonard’s Mini Chicken Cordon Bleu. It was a hit with both of us….
The pros: Stew Leonard’s Garlic Bread is super convenient, has the nutritional information, bread was very fresh
The cons: Under buttered (margarine) and not quite enough garlic
The verdict: …
The pros: Stew Leonard’s Eggplant Parmesan Sub has lots of thinly sliced eggplant that is breaded and fried to perfection. Huge shreds of cheese here.
The cons: None come to mind
The verdict: …
I am part of a generation that is dying off. We played outside, our knees were always scuffed up, and sat close too close to the TV. We would fight over who got to lick the beater from the mixer whether it was cake batter or cookie dough. Had my mother raised me in current days, her judgement would be questioned. I’m forever grateful she let me lick the beater (and the bowl if I was lucky). Now an overwhelming fear of illness surrounds eating raw batter. That glorious taste is strongly discouraged in it’s raw form. Which has led to various forms of cake batter and cookie dough ice cream. I’m completely guilty of eating the dough out of the ice cream. It’s a taste that isn’t always improved with baking. For right now, we have Stew Leonard’s Edible Cookie Dough….
If you are from New York, you probably know good bagels. If you don’t enjoy waiting in line for your bagel and happen to be in the area of Stew Leonard’s, then you should try their bagels. They have a lot to choose from. They have the expected flavors: plain, sesame, poppy, salt and everything. They also offer the unexpected flavors: rainbow and Cheetos Flaming Hot bagels. Thus, there is something for everyone, so don’t wait until closing because like any good bagel store, the selection dwindles as it nears closing time. While Stew Leonard’s Bagels range from the mundane to social media knock offs, you’ll have to go some where else for a variety of cream cheese flavors….
I remember the first time I brought these home. I remember the kind words of my father: Chocolate covered diet food, seriously? I implored him to try one. I implored my mom to try one. After scoffing at the offer, I quickly found my container to have been consumed by someone other than myself. If you’ve stuck your nose up at rice cakes before, you’ll stop doing it. What are rice cakes missing? Obviously, it must be good chocolate and turns into Stew Leonard’s Chocolate Covered Rice Cakes.
The pros: Great tasting and do come in a variety of flavors that are not always available. I’ve seen white chocolate, dark chocolate, the black and whites pictured below, drizzled, coconut topped, M&M topped, Peanut butter candy topped, and seasonally you’ll see white chocolate and peppermint. Chocolate used tastes of good quality.
The cons: You mind find yourself being judged for consuming chocolate covered rice cakes. Depending on the topping and how much chocolate is used will dictate how large of a container you get for the price. I think these used to have the calorie count on them.
The verdict: …
There is something magical about well made donuts. In fact, Homer Simpsons famous line comes to mind, “Mmmmm…Donuts.” There is a simple truth in that statement. One bite into a really well made donut and any other thoughts vanish, leaving you with only Homer Simpsons words (possibly his voice playing in your head as well). My all time favorite donuts were Krispy Kreme, but they are near impossible to find fresh with the “hot” light on. With all their locations being distant I had been on the search for a good substitute. I found it in Stew Leonard’s Glazed Donuts.
The pros: Light, airy, and delicately glazed donuts.
The cons: So easy to sit down and eat the entire contents of the box.
The verdict: …
Whether it’s a family get together or watching the game there are certain items that are almost universally loved. Pigs in a blanket is one of the perfect party foods which most people reach for. Stew Leonard’s Pigs in a Blanket is a perfect choice if you don’t want the hassle of making them for yourself.
The pros: Easy, ready in about 5 minutes, tasty, lots of flaky layers
The cons: Slightly messier to eat than pigs in a blanket made from crescent rolls.
The verdict: …
Sometimes you go to the store to just pick up milk. That’s all I went in Stew Leonards for, I swear. After mildly filling my cart and almost checking out I was greeted by a sample just before exiting. What was the sample? Stew Leonard’s Mac and Cheese and in one bite and I knew I couldn’t get to the checkout counter without picking up one. It was that good. It was that cheesy. It was just that easy. This Betty didn’t have to cook dinner last night.
The pros: Dreamy mac and cheese that doesn’t skimp on the strings when it comes out of the pan. It’s not the cheap bottled stuff. It’s real cheese. Pasta is tender without being mushy.
The cons: Package should have recommendation on how to prepare. I improvised, assumed 350F for 20 minutes and then broil the top until bubbly. It was warm enough to eat out of the toaster oven. Time will vary depending on the weight of your product.
The verdict: …
On my first trip to Stew Leonard’s about ten years ago, Stew Leonard’s Lobster Roll was one of the items that caught my eyes. One bite and I was hooked. If you love the taste of fresh lobster, this will be right up your alley. They don’t skimp out on the lobster meat. If you are looking to just buy fresh lobster meat or lobster salad, they sell that as well. If you are looking for a taste of summer regardless of the season this is a great item to pick up.
The pros: Fresh and generous lobster quantity for the price. Not overwhelming with mayo, nice crunch from red onions and celery.
The cons: Short shelf life, but don’t worry, it won’t be sitting around for too long. Lobster isn’t cheap. Wish it had the calorie count.
The verdict: …
The pros: Stew Leonard’s Seafood Pot Pie has a super flaky pie crust, delicious and rich filling that doesn’t skimp on the seafood.
The cons: No nutritional values (I probably don’t want to really know. Anything that tastes this good, I’m strangely ok with not looking how not good it might be for me) or how to prepare/reheat. I really wanted to make sure I didn’t microwave this, nor did I want to burn this. I had it in the oven for 20 minutes and still hit cold middle. Cold delicious middle.
The verdict: …
I have a confession to make. My husband knows about the other men in my life. That’s right, I said men. There is more than one other man in my life beyond my husband. They make my life easier. They even cook for me on nights when I’m not up for it. One is named Joe, Trader Joe. The other is Stew, as in Stew Leonard’s. I have yet to meet either man in person. All I want to do is shake their hand and say, “thank you.” I know I won’t get to the chance to say thank you in person so Stew Leonard’s Food Reviews and Blog Posts will have to be the next best thing….
