Butter Up & Bag It: A Trader Joe’s Tell-All

We dive into the world of Trader Joe's, revealing employee secrets, customer hacks, and our personal favorite products while debating the merits of black sesame mochi and testing professional boundaries with "toe tips."

• Discussing the concept of using "toe tips" to test the waters before dropping a "khaki" in professional settings
• Exploring Trader Joe's cult following, from their European-style butter to rice nuggets and limited-edition shopping bags
• Revealing employee secrets including the code word "unicorn" for products that are being discontinued
• Discovering the little-known "try before you buy" policy that lets customers sample any product
• Debating the divisive black sesame mochi - a love-it-or-hate-it frozen dessert
• Analyzing Walter Goggins' 70s-inspired Doritos commercial with its deliberately slow pacing and innuendo
• Sharing our latest "Slip It In" recommendations, from Frame TVs to using "nutritious" to describe meaningful friendships

Call or text us at 313-444-9004 with your hot topics and slip into our DMs on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok at Slip It In Podcast.

Transcript

Cocky, Stiffies, and Work Settings

Megan 0:33

Welcome, welcome, welcome, slippers. We are back slipping it in with you. You laugh, you cringe, you cry Because right before we started recording.

Megan 0:43

I was talking about hit makers. I've talked about them before. I love the show on Netflix and how there's so many different songs that these songwriters wrote that were like hits out of the box in my opinion. And one of them they wanted to write a new birthday song to like kind of steal the thunder away from 50 Cent, who has the current hit birthday song. Is that where your hood is up? Yeah, I'm getting a little hood now. Yeah, and so they wrote this song.

Megan 1:13

It's a great song. It's called Happy Birthday to Me. And then JJ said to me well, what about the birthday song by Matejlo? And I'm like I don't know.

JJ 1:22

No, I didn't say Matejlo.

JJ 1:23

Well, it by Mateo, and I'm like I don't know. No, I didn't say Mateo. Well, it sounded like Mateo with that accent, and so I'm like I don't know Mateo.

JJ 1:28

Everybody loves my accent.

JJ 1:29

And then he's like it's J-Lo, not Mateo. I was here and I'm still laughing and I think it's your fault. You thought you knew he said J-Lo, I heard him say J-Lo, yes, and you're like.

Megan 1:42

I don't know who this is.

JJ 1:42

I don't know Matelo I thought you said Telo not even a Matelo. Well, it sounded like Matelo Maddie. It's the summer and roses are flowing.

JJ 1:51

Yep, exactly. Well, I know everyone's wondering if I've used khaki in a work setting.

Matty 1:58

And have you.

JJ 1:59

Well, I did.

Matty 2:00

Are you employed?

JJ 2:01

I'm employed and I did do a toe tip about it.

Matty 2:05

Oh, you do like a toe tip Hold on.

Megan 2:08

You can't just throw out toe tip without telling the audience what your toe tip.

Megan 2:14

Yeah, so I told you about a pool. Well, yeah, but the toe tip is also just like, kind of like tipping your toe. Well like putting, out putting out a line on a topic or putting out a line on something to see. Can I go further with it?

Megan 2:30

Yeah testing the waters Exactly. It's a test. Yeah, 100%, perfect way to say it, thank you. So, anyway, I was at a work dinner which was being sponsored by this amazing female founder, sheila Stafford, of TeamSense, which is a great company for anyone in manufacturing. Check it out. But anyway, teamsense is a company that has VC funding and I learned it's a rarity for a female founded business to actually be funded by VCs.

Megan 3:02

So I was at this dinner Everyone's talking you mean venture capitalists, yes, so anyway was at this dinner Everyone's talking, you mean venture capitalists yes, so anyway, look at me.

JJ 3:09

Yeah, so I assume we have a very intelligent listener.

Megan 3:14

Well, I wouldn't assume.

Megan 3:16

So anyway, Okay, fine. Anyway, I'm at this female founding business dinner. It's a great dinner, and I'm like, oh, we're talking about other things besides work and whatever. So I did a toe tip of like oh well, you know, does anyone like like reality TV or Bravo?

Matty 3:34

Oh, you asked for it first.

JJ 3:35

Well, that's my toe tip.

Matty 3:36

Yeah, oh, like a, really like positive feedback, like Michelle Obama.

JJ 3:41

Oh my God, I love, love, bravo. Then I knew I could probably go another step further.

Megan 3:47

I was going to do a secondary toe tip before actually throwing out a cock like a big toe tip yeah like your big toe it was a pink.

JJ 3:53

I did a pinky toe tip and then I was trying to see can. I do a big toe, and then can I go on can you go full foot? Well, it didn't really get a good reaction, so I did not cocky it up oh, so nobody was like no crickets.

JJ 4:09

Yeah, I think there's a button for that it wasn't 100 crickets, but it wasn't really uh like, oh yeah, whatever like yeah, there were not. They seemed a little more serious okay then maybe I would be so. Anyway, we did have a listener, jordan from Napa, and she says she loves a stiff khaki, so I support it.

Matty 4:30

Yeah, and Marisol told us that she's really encouraging you. She commented on the post. She said do it, do it, do it, Drop a khaki in a work setting.

JJ 4:42

Yep, drop a khaki in a work setting, so people are loving the stiffies.

Matty 4:48

I love me a cocky Well.

Megan 4:50

I recommend a toe tip because you really can test the waters Well, I'm also a fan of flaccid.

JJ 4:56

Oh well, I'll let you handle that.

Megan 4:59

I can't Wow, sorry. Sorry, sister, I know you listen Mondays at 2.

JJ 5:07

This is not a cocky, but JJ gave me a dream bottle of rosé that I had with some of my family members.

Megan 5:19

Is that what I'm seeing here? Is this a result?

JJ 5:23

No, no, rosé, it's not today. Not today, what's?

Megan 5:25

in these two glasses.

JJ 5:27

Water.

Trader Joe's Love and Cult Following

Megan 5:29

Pink water. I love pink water yeah.

JJ 5:31

So, anyway, there is this dream rosé. It's a Brut rosé. It's called Opaline Pinot Noir Brut Rosé. You can get it at Trader Joe's, hopefully in your area, for $7.99. And it's so light and fresh and nice. It's amazing. You will love it.

Matty 5:53

I don't remember being $7.99 when I got it.

JJ 5:55

It seems awfully cheap for how good of a wine it is.

Matty 5:58

I don't think it was $7.

Megan 6:00

I think you're going to want to check your hangover in the morning $7.99 is a payoff.

Matty 6:06

Yeah, I wouldn't go for $7.99.

JJ 6:07

Well, I found it because it was in an article on the internet by the website the Kitchen. They wrote an article of the 12 best Trader Joe's wines, according to the store's former wine buyer.

Megan 6:27

So that's where the $7.99 came from. That seems very ambiguous.

JJ 6:31

Well, I'm just telling you.

Megan 6:32

it's a dream Is a Trader Joe in every state.

JJ 6:37

No, and let me tell you this I'm a Trader Joe's fan. I have been a Trader Joe's fan since I got out of college and I lived in california. That's where trader joe's was started, that's where? Yep, that's where I discovered it okay and I worked for a producer directors uh, for him and his family and his wife would give me things to go shopping for and pick up and this is producer director, when you're in your acting career.

JJ 7:12

Well, I was in my entertainment life after I graduated college, michigan State University go Spartans before I went to law school Go away, go orange. So go orange. Well, a Syracuse orange man. So I'm green and orange.

Megan 7:26

I believe, both.

JJ 7:27

Oh all right so anyway, anyway. So Trader Joe's was starting California. That's when I first started going to Trader Joe's and fell in love and I said I can't live anywhere without a Trader. Joe's. I can't live without it, and that has been like a big thing, especially when I was graduating law school and figuring out where I was going to live. I'm adamant about making sure they have Trader Joe's there because it's not an option.

Megan 7:56

Spoiler alert we're going to break some Trader Joe's shit down today. Wow Right.

Matty 8:02

I'm happy about it because I am, we're, all we are yeah, we don't have a distract, a detractor here well, we can't guarantee that it might happen.

Megan 8:14

We might have a yeah. Well, yeah, in terms of like specifics, but we're all fans oh, oh, 100%.

Matty 8:24

And, like Megan, I would say that I fell in love with Trader Joe's because neither in Spain or in Puerto Rico we have something like Trader Joe's. It's very unique and I, as soon as I found it, I am I mean, I've kind of created a community there in Trader Joe's.

JJ 8:45

Oh really.

Matty 8:46

Oh, JJ's here. And there is a new product JJ Maddie loves when that happens.

Megan 8:53

And, like you got, we're not on video, but I'm rolling my eyes.

JJ 8:56

Well, and I'll say, the one thing I'm not a fan about with Trader Joe's is the small talk they like to do at the checkout.

Megan 9:02

Oh, I thought you were going to say small parking lot but we'll get to that.

JJ 9:07

Well, small parking lot is secondary and they all have them.

Megan 9:09

Megan, tell me you know that when they're trained, they are, I'm told to speak into the microphone.

JJ 9:15

Yes please.

Megan 9:16

When they are trained, they are encouraged to flirt. Oh, I know, oh, but without crossing the line like engage, compliment, flirt.

Matty 9:30

Yeah, there are two. There are two zaddies on the local trader, joe's, that I've been wanting to have them on the register. Okay, they're not there yet and I'm like I just want and I think what?

JJ 9:39

we're up against in this particular recording is we're trying to talk about trader joe's in general and I think what we're gonna find is jg's gonna bring it back to how loved he is at his local well, and I bet you're gonna slip a slip it in sticker to these trader joe's workers, so they'll start listening.

Matty 10:00

Yeah, that's why I've gotten. Some of my favorite bags are from that specific location.

Megan 10:07

Oh, ok, well, we look forward to hearing more For any of you that don't know.

Employee Secrets and Shopping Strategies

JJ 10:12

Trader Joe's has kind of created this cult following with their like Trader Joe's bags that they have. They have like city specific bags that only you can buy in certain states they also have certain limited edition bags that they dropped and in Japan these Trader Joe's bags are like fashion statements and highly coveted items. So lots of times Americans that go to Japan it's like customary that you give people gifts that help you out, etc. So people will like load up with Trader Joe's bags to give out to people as gifts in Japan.

Megan 10:54

Didn't know. Yeah, but to your point about different states having different bags.

JJ 11:01

Yeah.

Megan 11:02

At my local Trader Joe's you can blind purchase. I don't know they do it. I don't know when, but I spontaneously will see, like you. There's a brown hanging paper bag right and inside they say there's three trader joe's like little shopping bags. You don't know what you'll get. It's like three bucks, I think, or something like that, and then you buy it, and then you open it up and I didn't know about that.

Matty 11:33

I didn't know about that until I have three of them, right?

JJ 11:35

yeah, yeah well, I will say I'm a big fan of their cooler bags and they come out with different colors at different points in time, but they they're like $7.99. You can fit a ton of stuff in them and they're super easy to pack. If you're going away for the weekend or wanting to bring food somewhere, you can pack them up in these cooler bags. They're light, they're easy and they're a dream.

Matty 11:58

I got to say. Now that we're talking about the bags, may I say you may Say whatever you want, I don't know.

Matty 12:04

Maddie gave me this bag oh, the tiny bag no oh, this is a kind of a um, um, hey, type of material bag bag I want of trade. A joke, the bag I'm looking. No, I didn't know. I it's a, it's a nice bag and everything. It's a good size. I didn't know how great of attention I would get to this bag until I went to my local Trader Joe's and the girls immediately was like oh my God, we have not seen this bag in years.

Megan 12:40

I don't know why I gave this bag away.

JJ 12:43

Well, I don't think you're losing much period.

Matty 12:45

Well, she said, this is vintage, like 2000s.

Megan 12:48

Well, okay, but like, like 2000 is vintage, but Well, it is 20-some years ago, I guess.

Matty 12:56

I guess I mean ever since then, like when I carried that bag. They're like oh, there's JJ with that bag.

Megan 13:01

I also did give you a tiny yeah. I love that yeah to put your little nickels in well, it's a double.

Matty 13:08

No, it's a kind of a double bag because it's like it's a small bag that has a bigger bag inside and that small bag.

Megan 13:16

I love a reveal.

Matty 13:17

I love that small bag I use for my quarters when we play cards, but then I use the bigger bag when I'm at the shop just doing my groceries.

Megan 13:29

Last week when I was at the Trader Joe's. So this girl, I'm going to give her a name Judy Okay. Call her Judy. I was walking through like the area where there's whipped cream, cause I do like their whipped cream.

JJ 13:44

The coconut milk one.

Megan 13:46

Nope, nope, I've tried that.

JJ 13:47

Oh, I like it, you do.

Matty 13:49

It's my favorite. It is the coconut milk one. Yeah, it's a vegan one.

Megan 13:53

I like the one that's pink next to the Coke.

JJ 13:56

Yeah, I know which one you're talking about.

Megan 13:58

Okay. Anyway, she's like she came up to her coworker and she's like how are you? And the girl's like I'm fine. She's like, oh, she's like how are you back, you know? And she's like, oh, I'm open, I have to be up at five in the morning. And I'm like, oh, this girl's annoyed.

Matty 14:13

Well, she was complaining about it.

Megan 14:15

I go over and I'm over in the selective lettuce area and another coworker walks up and she does the same thing.

Matty 14:26

Same story.

Megan 14:28

Same story and literally 10 minutes later I'm in like the frozen food section. And I hear her do it again. I'm like this woman What'd? I call her. What'd I give her name? Judy yeah.

Matty 14:41

Judy oh.

Megan 14:42

God, no one wants Trader Joe's Judy Judge. Everyone is like get Judy the fuck away from me.

JJ 14:51

Yeah, I'm sure. No one cares that you have to work at 5 in the morning. I'm trying to get someone else to cover her shift or something I could have been, but like listen, no one likes you.

Matty 15:01

It's interesting because usually a Trader Joe's employee is very happy and enjoyable, not when they're stopping, not when they have to be up at 5 am apparently.

Megan 15:10

Not when Judy's got to get up on a Tuesday, yeah at 5.

JJ 15:18

She's done. She don't want that. No, I don't like. I just I can't. That's the one thing about Trader Joe's that I do not like.

Megan 15:23

It's what.

JJ 15:24

The commentary from the checkout people.

Megan 15:28

I think they're really nice. Do you when you go through the line? I know you're in there, I know you don't grab a bag and start helping them put your shit in the bag.

JJ 15:38

No, no one does that. Oh, 100%, I never see that.

Matty 15:43

I do it in my vintage bag.

JJ 15:45

They seem to have their own method. I don't get in the mix.

Matty 15:48

I'm trying not to have any eye contact with me. They really appreciate when you do that.

JJ 15:53

Because they're always like, oh, this is so good, if you had it. Oh, new item I haven't had this yet and you don't make I.

Megan 16:01

What do you say to?

JJ 16:02

it. I kind of like, oh yeah, I haven't had it, I'm excited to try it and that's and try to like mess with my wallet and stuff like I just don't want to get into it like I just want to check out and go not me yeah.

Megan 16:15

It's an experience I know and I'm all about bagging they love it when you bag.

Matty 16:20

Well.

JJ 16:21

I didn't know, maybe I'll try it.

Megan 16:22

Try it.

JJ 16:22

You should try it, but sometimes they seem to pull things aside.

Megan 16:26

Well, because they're a bagger. They're trying to put their freezer goods with the lettuce goods and the vegetable goods.

JJ 16:32

I don't want to mess up their process.

Matty 16:35

Well, I think goods, I don't want to mess up their process. Well, they know I don't. I think that they would appreciate it.

JJ 16:38

I think they think you're well I will say, and we kind of hinted on it and it's notorious literally for every trader joe's I've been to and I've been to them in multiple, multiple states. They all have small parking lots.

Megan 16:51

Yeah, like well, that's the thing.

JJ 16:53

They do it at intention they'll say no, that they aren't, but it's weird that they all have way too small parking lots. They say that they have like such people coming and going. It's a small marketplace, that they have a great turnover so they don't need large parking lots like you might need at a larger market. But it's not the case.

Megan 17:13

They know that they're very popular and they specifically look out for real estate properties when they're opening a new one with limited parking, because they want the perception to be that they're always really, really busy. Well, they kind of are. Well, they are, but like, even if you can't find a spot, you know, like, even then you're like, oh, wow, wow, I need to be shopping here more.

Matty 17:39

Especially when there's a holiday like the flower section. Oh yeah, For sure it's gone in a second.

Megan 17:45

The flowers. Do we need even educator viewers Like if you don't, if you like flowers, like there's no other better place.

JJ 17:53

There is no other place. Best value, best flowers and they last really long. And succulent. Yeah, absolutely.

The Try Before You Buy Policy

Megan 18:00

They do have a little. They're succulent.

Matty 18:04

The succ-fam their sucks are. They are. They do have a great selection and tiny plants.

JJ 18:12

I like a tiny plant.

Megan 18:14

I love a tiny plant. I got a lot of little purple faces.

Matty 18:18

I don't know. Can you narrow it down? If I were to ask you, what's your? Favorite right now? What is one of your favorite items? I know?

JJ 18:28

I know right now too.

Megan 18:29

It's a ginger fucking chew. Oh what ginger chew.

JJ 18:32

Really those ginger chews, are you?

Matty 18:35

serious, amazingly my favorite, not a fan at all spoiler alert product review.

Megan 18:42

It's going to be a TJ item, okay, well it's not a ginger chew, thank god zip it.

Matty 18:49

What is your favorite right now? My?

JJ 18:51

favorite is the European style butter. It is a must in my house, oh butter shocking.

Megan 18:56

shocking that it's a butter, but it's the European style butter. It is a must in my house. Oh, butter, always Shocking. Shocking that it's a butter, but it's the.

JJ 19:00

European style butter Trader. Joe's Is it shaped as a phoenix, or a lamb.

Matty 19:05

No, is it flavored?

JJ 19:07

No, it's European style butter.

Megan 19:09

What do you do with all this butter? I don't even eat butter. You don't. I don't eat butter.

Matty 19:13

You don't spray.

Megan 19:14

I have a spray butter, so you eat butter.

JJ 19:16

The spray butter is all chemicals.

Megan 19:18

I used to be a big spray butter girl years ago. But what do you do with butter nowadays? I feel like it's a vestigial organ.

Matty 19:24

We don't eat it anymore. Megan makes the best toast.

JJ 19:26

I am a great toast maker, so you mean I put it on toast.

Matty 19:31

No, it's a, Is it?

Megan 19:32

like you mean through a toaster.

Matty 19:35

No, yes, can you explain?

JJ 19:37

I put it in a toaster, okay? Well, I don't. That doesn't qualify.

Matty 19:42

But she makes it well.

JJ 19:44

No, I'm very particular of getting very very, very thin, thin, thin slice of butter that then I spread on the toast and I make sure the whole toast is covered, you guys, can't see this, but she's acting like her computer right now is a piece of toast Because, listen, I do not like toast where half of it's dry and then you got a big clump of butter that doesn't melt in the corner. That's a no-go for me, period, no.

Matty 20:13

Do you use a specific type of bread?

Megan 20:17

I have multiple different breads I use yeah I'm particular about the breads I use I mean particular is the takeaway, yeah well, so the european butter is your favorite in your life, what is yours?

JJ 20:28

the european style butter at trader joe's. I'm not going to dive into it. It's a whole thing too late, but no, there's a whole thing.

Megan 20:34

Too late, but no, there's a whole thing about butter wars.

JJ 20:37

There's articles written about it, about butter, about butter Europe.

Megan 20:43

I got her a butter knife.

JJ 20:46

Yes, maddie got me a butter knife Before we go there. Let me just make one quick comment. Like you know, when people say they go to Europe and it's like, oh my God, the bread was so amazing, it's so great, well, part of what they do have good bread, but the other aspect of it is their butter is made different. The reason this butter I like at Trader Joe's is called the European style. It's a particular way of doing butter. That's traditional American butters that you buy your land of lakes, whatever. It's not made the same way.

JJ 21:17

I got it. So partly why that bread tastes so amazing in Europe is the European style butter.

Megan 21:22

You're saying the bread should be thanking the butter.

JJ 21:27

And vice versa, it's a collab. It's a collab like no other collab in the world.

Megan 21:32

JJ. What is your one go-to product?

Matty 21:36

I love me Trader Joe's rice nuggets.

JJ 21:41

Oh God, I know.

Megan 21:44

You just wanted him to respect you butter.

JJ 21:47

I know I'm shocked, though.

Matty 21:49

You both have weird. What did you say? The rice mucky nugget, the rice nuggets that we eat.

Megan 21:54

Oh, you really.

Matty 21:55

Yeah.

Megan 21:57

No, no, I didn't know. You're surprised too.

JJ 22:00

Well no, I knew he loved them no.

Megan 22:02

Mia. No, you're misreading my reaction. I love them as well. They are fantastic. I didn't know. I knew he liked them.

Matty 22:10

Right now they're my favorite. I didn't know he changed.

Megan 22:13

I didn't know. He put him at the top of the list.

Matty 22:15

This week yeah.

JJ 22:18

I'm shocked, Manny, because you always see me, they change every week. You love those patio chips.

Megan 22:22

I kind of would have thought that was your top product, but I don't want to get too attached to a seasonal item.

JJ 22:27

Well, I think they were discontinued last year and not back, and now they're back. I think they might become a permanent item.

Matty 22:34

That's the thing with Trader Joe's. I would say I love Trader Joe's, but when it comes to a seasonal product or sometimes they would just discontinue without letting us know that that's going to happen, that just that is a moment that just devastates me. My heart breaks.

Megan 22:51

I'm like, oh, I'm looking for this particular item and it's not there anymore and you can't go and find it somewhere else because it's like their brand. Yeah.

JJ 23:00

Not always their brand, but sometimes they're importing it, etc.

Matty 23:04

Most of the time it's like probably like Aldi, like it's just like one of those.

JJ 23:08

Well, aldi is owned by Trader Joe's, yeah.

Matty 23:10

But I do have to say something that I found interesting about Trader Joe's is that I thought, based on the friendships that I created on my local Trader Joe's, that I could actually one of the girls there told me hey, jj, if the item is $4 or less, you can actually ask anybody to open it for you so that you can taste it before you buy it.

JJ 23:41

Wait a second Wait, a second Wait, a second Wait, a second Wait, a second Wait, a second.

Matty 23:45

Wait a second, but researching a little bit further, trader Joe's has a try before you buy policy. So it doesn't have to have the $4 minimum. You can if there is an item that you're interested in and you want to try it before you buy it. Talking about Amazon, but try before you buy that you love, that. You missed it. Well yeah, well, you can actually ask them. It's really just depending on how it's how. That's why I'm friends with their opinion on this.

JJ 24:19

Whenever I go to that customer service desk, they're very helpful.

Matty 24:22

They are, and I do even ask for any returns or anything like that.

JJ 24:27

I appreciate it 100%.

Megan 24:28

I do have an opinion on try it before you buy it. Food products, Cause I'm like I don't know, I have a conscience right. So it's like, oh, let me try this. And I have a little scoop of ice cream. I'm like not for me, and then they're not going to eat anything. They open a bag of chips, crackers.

Matty 24:47

They put it in the back room.

JJ 24:51

I think the workers are probably loving it because they always have it in the back room.

Megan 24:54

Yeah, so they're promoting it. They want. They always have it in the back room. I think it's a win-win for everyone.

JJ 25:01

They want us to do it. I wish they would put a sign up or two about it because it might make me more comfortable.

Matty 25:04

I don't think they want everybody to know that.

JJ 25:07

This is the first time.

Matty 25:08

They do have samples at.

Megan 25:09

Costco Hard to get a word.

Matty 25:11

We're very excited about it. The floor is yours.

Megan 25:16

I was just saying one time I asked for a product because they couldn't find it and they're like oh, here, it is over here, and if, sir, if you want to try it, you know that you yeah, so that we can open it up and I just I don't feel.

Matty 25:30

Try before you buy.

JJ 25:32

I think that was them. They wanted to try it and they were trying to get, probably you wanted it because, then they could try it too.

Matty 25:38

Could be yeah.

JJ 25:39

It's a win-win for everyone.

Matty 25:40

There's been many times that they're like, hey, we've had it on the lunchroom for a long time, you should try it. I'm like, okay, I'll try it.

JJ 25:48

Well, this is news to me, and week coming up. I'm probably going to. I literally am in Trader Joe's at least once a week, sometimes more, and now that I know because lots of times I see things and I'm like this is on the edge for me.

Matty 26:09

That's it. Yeah, I'm going to say can I do a try? Yeah, I'm going to tell you like my result. Do it? Try it? Yeah, no, why not?

Megan 26:17

Have you ever heard an employee say the word unicorn?

Matty 26:20

At Trader Joe's.

Megan 26:21

Never.

Matty 26:22

No.

Megan 26:23

Do you know?

Matty 26:24

Is there a meaning for that?

Black Sesame Mochi Product Review

Megan 26:25

Yeah, do you know? They have a secret code language. No, the employees do no. If you hear like oh, that customer's asking for something like oh, unicorn oh, is that like a rare thing? It means that they already know that that product is going away and it. Oh wow, yeah, so like it. They know the unicorn products that are out there that like you. If you get attached to them, good luck. So they have there's other words apparently.

Matty 26:58

Wow.

Megan 26:58

But they have like a secret code. Unicorn language Well, unicorn's one of the words.

JJ 27:05

Well, I wish the Ube products would all become unicorns, Because I can't stand them.

Megan 27:11

You know who buys the seaweed chips.

JJ 27:15

Some people love those.

Megan 27:19

Well, I read a lot of articles about Trader Joe's, about seaweed chips, those, some people, that's people love those.

JJ 27:22

Well, I read a lot of articles about trader joe's, because if you say trader joe's in the headline, I'm usually clicking on it for you. Yeah, it is and there's lots of talk about the seaweed business. Yeah, people love it. People love it. I can't it's disgust it's not going away. I don't think.

Megan 27:36

What's your least favorite?

Matty 27:38

My least favorite Trader Joe's item.

Megan 27:41

Is it coming up in my it?

JJ 27:42

might be coming up in your. Maybe we should just jump to a product review now. We can product review now and then jump to a hot topic. You really want to, I think so.

Megan 27:54

Here's the thing, though we are transitioning to product review but here's the thing when I tasted this product, I also went through a similar like I don't think I like this. And then metamorphosis happened. It's kind of like the Jeep ducks, like I hated him and then I came around to him.

JJ 28:14

So here's my. Well, you're not driving a Jeep and getting duck on you all the time.

Megan 28:18

Once again, I got to get my notes out. I don't even know where they are.

Matty 28:23

I thought your notes are in a notebook Because that's your system, but now you're in your phone, so I'm trying to understand.

JJ 28:31

I think it's pretty simple. You know the product. It's a black sesame.

Matty 28:37

Oh, you found it.

Megan 28:40

Black sesame mochi. Yeah, is it mochi or mochi?

JJ 28:45

I think it's mochi, I don't know. I don't eat it, I don't like it.

Megan 28:50

Okay, so I don't follow through with it. I do want to know if it's mochi or mochi. I think it's mochi, is it mochi?

JJ 28:55

No, I think it's mochi, I agree.

Matty 28:58

All right, you just pronounce it in the my way look at you, the only reason here.

Megan 29:05

Let me give a little setup oh, there we go.

Matty 29:08

Story time.

Megan 29:09

Buckle up slippers so jj and I typically will try to hang out one night a week through the week around, usually around a competition reality show yeah like survivor, but not survivor is not always on, no. So then it's like rupaul, but there's always brother sometimes, or real housewives, american.

JJ 29:32

No, we're out, don't, don't oh, I love american idol and I always like chatting with you about the contestants we watch that in the video and then when, when.

Megan 29:43

So we rotate houses and then usually the person. I don't think we've ever made this a rule, but it just has turned out it kind of became a rule. Yeah, like one. The person who's at their house will cook something or order something, and then the person comes, I'm the better cook, though. Okay, there we go.

JJ 30:04

Well, Maddie makes a mean baked spaghetti and a mean tuna noodle casserole that is true.

Matty 30:09

That is true, one of my favorite dishes. Sorry, go ahead.

Megan 30:14

Sorry, you had a story, go ahead no, make sure they know you're a better cook, so the better cook. If he's hosting, then I will bring over a dessert, but by dessert we're not talking, we're talking. We really want something under 100 calories for the most part we aim for that. That doesn't mean that always happens, so I'm at Trader Joe's and I'm attracted to signage that says new product, right. Aren't we all we're like new product alert. Yes, love it, Do you?

Matty 30:47

get the flyer with you when you're purchasing.

JJ 30:49

Love the Trader Joe's flyers.

Matty 30:51

I don't like flyers, oh, but.

JJ 30:53

I don't either. Well, they're amazing, the Trader Joe's ones, the write-ups about all the products I can't get enough they look like a journal from the. And I love it. I'm here for it Like a pilgrim Reddit. Yeah Well, do you read it and look at it? No, I don't. Too many words on a page. I think if you picked it up you'd fall in love.

Megan 31:11

No, not when I can go around and look for signs.

JJ 31:13

You seem to love journaling these two.

Megan 31:18

these two are you two are fucking killing me. I can't even get my product out because you two are killing me. You two are a piece of work. All right, go with your mochi. I've lost my thought, so anyway, sesame mochi, yes. In the frozen section.

Matty 31:41

It's ice cream surrounded by sweet rice dough and let me tell you, one of them is 80 cals. I didn't know about that. You're welcome.

JJ 31:50

That's a lot of calories for something that's not that tasty.

Megan 31:54

Liza Minnelli, liza Minnelli, it is not a lot, liza Minnelli, it is not a lot of calories. And here's the thing. Here's, oh god damn it this microphone.

JJ 32:04

And here's the thing. Here's, oh God damn it this microphone. Matty struggles sometimes to talk into his microphone and he doesn't like it.

Megan 32:13

We remind him to speak into the mic clearly, I don't think I do. I don't think you, as an audience, actually realize the difference. They do All right.

JJ 32:20

Slippers report back Okay.

Megan 32:23

Anyway, this is black packaging. I like black on white and it's like what it wouldn't be packaging you would normally use to entice somebody to eat food. But it was really interesting. I do I will still say when I put it in my mouth- oh the squishiness and it gives me some chalk fucking vibe like the. You hate chalk, I know jj. So the texture of the outside, you know the powder and the grittiness, but once I get into that inside, is it like powdered sugar?

JJ 32:57

I don't, I don't think it is sure it's. It is a weird thing, that's on it probably is like tapioca it might be I mean, try it.

Megan 33:03

I try it. I'm just going to tell you guys, just try it. It's an experience I think you'll like it. I'm sure they're going to fucking rip it away. I'll tell you If Megan has anything to do with it my perspective is I'm not a mochi fan.

JJ 33:16

Never have been. I do love black sesame. I love black sesame seeds on products. I tried it. It was a no-go for me, so maybe, if you're not a mochi- fan, you'll love it, but it's a no for me period.

Matty 33:33

I have to say that I tried it, um, when maddie brought it for our time together, and my immediate reaction is like, like I always, always do, it's like, no, I'm never going to try that. This is, this is not a product that I will even taste, but he insisted, so I tried it and the taste is so good. Right, it's, but Maddie loves a frozen dessert or a frozen sweet that he would put it on the freezer.

Megan 34:06

Yeah, I like to take an item that is not necessarily meant to be frozen and freeze it. I don't like a little tiny snickers.

JJ 34:14

I was telling no snickers are the best frozen oh really it is the hundred. I don't like a regular snickers.

Matty 34:21

I only like it if it's frozen really I'm not a big fan of that. I do have to say that with this black sesame mochi I left it really not planned on the counter and you liked it better. And when I was about to go to bed, I'm like I just need a little snack of this mochi. It was delicious, it was so good, it was chewy, it was tasty, well, tasty, I don't know.

Megan 34:51

I'm imagining that product. What is your face about? I'm imagining that product not being frozen. It was too cold it would seem slimy maybe it was like a little slimy.

Matty 35:03

We've had worse things in our mouths. Here we go here we go.

Megan 35:06

Oh, it was like a little slimy and I mean we've had worse things in our mouths. Here we go, here we go.

JJ 35:09

Here we go. I can't with the two of you. It was great Wow.

Matty 35:13

It was great. So I would, maddie, I would give it a 3.5 out of five stars. Really, rigi, rigi, rigi, real.

Megan 35:22

Well, I don't Rigi, rigi real Well I don't. Well, I know I don't need you, I know you're 1.0.

JJ 35:30

I was going to say should we move on to?

Matty 35:33

a hot topic. Yeah, we can, yeah, okay.

JJ 35:35

All right, I think it's been a while since we drew from the cup.

Matty 35:38

Oh yeah.

JJ 35:39

So I think let's draw from the cup.

Megan 35:43

Shake. Draw from the cup, shake it up, shake it Shake it.

Matty 35:45

Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it. And.

Walter Goggins' Doritos Commercial

Megan 35:47

Megan, you want me to draw? Yeah, do it. Okay, pull it out, pull it out. It's a pull out Pull out.

JJ 35:52

It's a pull out. Oh, the Doritos 70s porn short starring Walter Goggins. I don't know if everyone's seen it or heard about it.

Megan 36:04

I have heard this topic.

JJ 36:08

Yes. So for anyone who doesn't know, walter Goggins is an amazing actor, most recently in the last season of White Lotus. Yeah, new advertising campaign has created sort of this 70s porn vibed commercial short film whatever you want to talk about it. Oh, I saw it.

Megan 36:34

It's like a short, it's like three minutes.

JJ 36:36

It moves very slow.

Matty 36:38

I was going to say Well, I think that's because it's 70s.

Megan 36:41

So when?

Matty 36:42

you showed us the video, I thought it was just I mean, because nowadays it's 70s. So when you showed us the video, I thought it was just I mean, because nowadays it's just 30 seconds and you're yeah, no, it's long and I'm like are we watching like a short film, like is this going to be nominated at the oscars?

Megan 36:54

I kind of like, though I kind of like, though, that it challenges this idea that we all have such short attention spans and we are only going to listen, watch something for 15 seconds. But I think they did a good job of like I don't know that I wanted to just move on to the next piece of content. You know, like it was like I guess, love it or hate it, I want it, you get.

JJ 37:17

I wanted to finish watching it it's basically walter goggins coming as a plumber to a woman's house who's very seductively dressed. There's lots of chatter between the two. That's like filled with innuendo, double entendres. Love a double entendre. It's funny, it's cute and it's all to advertise this new Doritos flavor Like what's it called?

Megan 37:46

Sriracha honey or something like that, something like that, yeah.

JJ 37:49

Yeah, that's supposed to be sweet and spicy, but not too spicy, so it's cute. I love the whole idea. It just moved a little slow. And it makes me wonder like does 70s porn move that slow?

Matty 38:03

Well, I mean, it's been a while.

JJ 38:05

Well, since the 70s a while.

Matty 38:06

Since the 70s, since we watched the 70s. I never watched the 70s porn, so speak for yourself. I love a vintage.

JJ 38:13

Well, we have a man friend who loves 70s porn. And that's what he consistently watches, oh really.

Matty 38:20

I don't know, always up to date.

Megan 38:22

Are you talking about the friend that I think you're talking, oh?

JJ 38:25

get into the microphone.

Megan 38:26

Do you think the guy that you're talking about is the one like? He's not into Brazilians, he's more into like full-fledged Amazon.

JJ 38:35

Yes, 100% Amazon. He wants an Amazon.

Megan 38:42

Like no landing strip here. Like give me the jungle.

JJ 38:45

Yep, that's the same man, friend, I'm out.

Megan 38:46

Yeah.

Matty 38:47

I'm out why.

JJ 38:49

Well, you like 70s porn? You just said, I think that's a different.

Matty 38:51

I do like the porn. I like the nostalgia of the you know vintage porn. I'm not a fan of that much.

Megan 38:58

When do you guys think like so? When did somebody say why don't we clip it?

JJ 39:06

Why don't?

Megan 39:06

we trim it.

JJ 39:06

I just think who wants that hair? But?

Megan 39:09

they did for years and years.

JJ 39:11

I think they just didn't have the tools. Well, actually, you know what happened Playboy came out and Playboy started doing all this trimming. So that's where it happened. Like Playboy was a revolution in the world yeah, it was Playboy, and they started trimming bushes.

Megan 39:33

Playboy was trimming the bush.

JJ 39:35

For their centerfolds Okay. So they kept getting shorter and shorter and less and less.

Megan 39:41

And that's where it changed our society. I just feel like it was tidier as well.

Matty 39:45

Well, there you go. How did we?

JJ 39:46

go from.

Matty 39:46

Doritos to like just Well anyway Doritos is doing.

JJ 39:49

They did a big event at the Slipper Room in New York to premiere.

Matty 39:53

And we were not invited.

JJ 39:55

We weren't invited.

Megan 39:56

I mean, did they ask for permission?

Matty 39:58

A Slipper Room without the slippers.

JJ 40:00

No yeah, the Slipper Room in New York. They did a whole like extravaganza to premiere this new commercial or short film, however you want to call it, about this new Doritos flavor. So look for it on your shelves coming soon.

Matty 40:16

I'll try it. I think I've said this before. When it comes to Doritos, that is one of those products that I want to stick to the original.

JJ 40:29

You know I say that.

Megan 40:31

but then a Cool Ranch is pretty good and we are a friend Melissa, she loves that like spicy chili flavor, which you think wouldn't be good, but it actually is good I have like I don't know where the line is, because there are like a few branch outs are good, but I do think nowadays it seems like every time you turn around there's like another flavor, I don't know. It's like there's not enough shelf space for it, or well, you know me, my taste.

Matty 41:02

That new product gets me every time it does another thing that I would say that I think it. The short film is good. I think a way that they could have elevated that short film was if they would have added amy lu in it, who?

JJ 41:18

amy, amy lu would. Who's amy lu she?

Matty 41:20

was the partner with him at the white lotus oh. Oh.

JJ 41:25

Yeah, I love her so much.

Megan 41:27

How about this? I don't think that. No, it's not meant to be a.

JJ 41:30

White Lotus knockoff.

Matty 41:32

I know but they were such a great couple For those of you who have not watched it.

Megan 41:37

there is the woman whose drain is leaking, but there's also she has a she also. Her pipe was a mess. There was a gay lounging in the bed yeah, and there was a pipe leaking and there was. She's like banging. Did somebody need some help with the banging? But my favorite part was when the milf walked in with her little kitty cat. She walks in and. I don't know what her first line was, and she's like thank you, I just shampooed my kitty.

JJ 42:19

I love it.

Megan 42:20

I thought she said my pussy.

Matty 42:22

No, it was a kitty it was a kitty. I thought she said something else, so it was a kitty, it was a kitty, it was a kitty. I thought she said something else. Oh God so like.

Megan 42:28

If that doesn't get you to click on the Doritos link and Google it, I don't know what will. But there's, yeah, there's a MILF. There's NSFW Borderline. There's Cringe, like us. There's pussy no. Kitty Kitty, borderline there's cringe, like us, there's pussy no kitty, kitty, kitty.

Matty 42:52

There is kitty and a cute mustache gay in the bed.

Slip It In and Pull It Out Segment

JJ 42:54

Yeah I don't know, the mustache is cute, but he's yeah, no, mustache is cute in my book, oh okay well with that, I think it's time, are we ready for some? Slip it in, and pull it out, so I think I'll kick it off with my slip. It in is a frame TV. If none of you know what a frame TV is, look it up.

Megan 43:13

Check out our link.

Megan 43:15

Well, it's a Sam's.

Megan 43:17

So it's a specific TV made by Samsung called the frame TV, and it's mounted flat against your wall like a photograph, or like a picture on your wall would be hung, and all the mechanicals are in a little box.

Megan 43:30

So it has this little teeny, teeny wire that you can either bury in the wall or hide along your TV or down your wall so you don't no one can see it, and then it connects to this box that you can hide in a console or a basket of wood or whatever you want to do.

Megan 43:47

A basket of wood well, that's what I know some people have done is they take the little wire, they hang their tv over a fireplace, they take this little wire and like hide it in a basket of wood. The wire is hidden along the fireplace and then they put like things on the mantle to hide where the wire is, and then they put the box in like a basket of wood next to the fireplace, and then they put like things on the mantle to hide where the wire is, and then they put the box in like a basket of wood next to the fireplace. Yeah, so, anyway, it allows you to have a tv on your wall, but it will display artwork, and when I say it displays artwork, it literally will display display like mo monets van goes, uh, kearing's, andy Warhol's, whatever you want Like, and you can constantly change it.

Megan 44:30

You can put different colored mats on it. It's amazing.

Megan 44:34

Can I just tell you one thing I don't like about it.

JJ 44:36

What.

Megan 44:37

Is that every time you get a new one? Yeah, the boxes have to be taken over to my house because your recycling company won't pick them up. So I have to put your shit on my curb.

JJ 44:52

And the doctor and I are kind of obsessed with frame TVs and the other thing I love about them is you can buy frames literal frames that like stick onto it, that you can buy thin frames, thick frames, ornate frames, non-orbit frames, gold frames, silver, flame frames, black frames, whatever any type of picture frame that you love. You can buy that type of frame that like fits right on magnetically magnetic, I can't say it you said stick on, and now you're saying it sticks on via a magnet.

JJ 45:23

So it like kind of just clips on to your outside of your frame tv so when you put these frames, on, it looks more like a picture so anyway I love the frame tv. You can check it out. We put some in our link tree and some different frames in the link tree. Go ahead, check it out. My pull it out is mooki.

Matty 45:45

Are you kidding me?

Megan 45:47

Well, you brought it to my attention.

Matty 45:49

That is not very.

Megan 45:50

That's me, mochi. I said it wrong. That isn't very kind.

JJ 45:54

I'm sorry, I never liked it and then you've made me realize again today. I really don't like it. It's a pull it out for me. All right, not necessarily black sesame, but just in general.

Matty 46:05

As a food group.

JJ 46:06

I'm out as a food group.

Megan 46:08

Do you want to go? You can go. My slip it in is I recently heard somebody in I don't know. I listen to a lot of podcasts and I heard somebody refer to their friendship with another person. They used the word. I feel like our friendship is very nutritious.

JJ 46:33

Wow Interesting.

Matty 46:35

I know right. Can you explain I?

Megan 46:37

don't even understand. They didn't explain it, but I gravitated towards it and I loved it because I feel like nutrition is a positive word, correct.

JJ 46:47

Don't you think?

Megan 46:48

Yes, nutrition is- 100% and it's good for you. Yes, so if you have a friendship that is nutritious, I feel like it's saying to me that the people I'm friends with are giving me something that is healthy for my body Absolutely, and I'm like I love that and I oh well, all, all right, I love the two of you.

JJ 47:14

I love you were we the nutritious friends?

Megan 47:16

well, yes, oh, I love it yay, I mean, there's a couple more well, as long as I'm in that basket of nutrition. But I do feel like. I feel like I like, I like moving forward to say like the people that are most important to me, my best friends, you be, you two. Being one of two of them is like I have a nutritious friendship, like I'm like. I haven't ever in my whole existence used that as a term to describe a friendship, but I will moving forward and I love that nice thank you.

JJ 47:53

I'll accept that as a compliment.

Matty 47:56

It is a compliment. I might use it in the future. I've never thought about that word as combined with friendships, but doesn't it make you think it makes sense?

Megan 48:09

What do you like about your friendship? I love them as friend. They make me laugh, they're, we have great conversation. It's nutritious, it's fulfilling. Like it just can flow.

Matty 48:25

It can just be in there. It fills me up, yeah.

Megan 48:27

All right, my pull it out is I am I, I am on the dating apps and I my pull it out is I am I, I am on the dating apps and I my pull it out is wow.

JJ 48:35

first, first picture cue second, third, fourth goes down. Do I?

Matty 48:44

need to keep going fourth picture.

Megan 48:46

I'm like yeah, why, why are you put?

JJ 48:49

wait, hold on. Well, the fourth is more accurate.

Megan 48:53

The first is like Listen, I know Megan.

Matty 48:57

Yeah.

Megan 48:57

But it's like first picture cute and you know what you're putting up there. Yeah, why are you putting a picture of there up there when you were in your prime? And then this is what, 10 years later and 40 pounds later, I'm like I'm not body shaming anybody, but like your pictures four or five should be consistent, because it should be representative of your current state. I am like, oh, this one's close, very handsome, thumb, thumb, what, what happened?

Matty 49:35

to you what yeah?

Megan 49:38

yeah, like it bugs the fuck out of me.

JJ 49:41

well, let me tell you, I fell for that a few times when I was dating, where like, literally like they only had a few pic. This is where I learned. Also one or two photos. It's dicey, but like I saw they're like oh cute Little blurry, whatever he seems cute.

JJ 49:58

No, the blurry photo also.

JJ 50:00

But I'm like you know what, fine. Like he seems like a cool guy, I show up Someone's walking towards me. Hi, megan, Because we hadn't talked on the phone. And I'm like oh it's. Megan Like and Megan, because we hadn't talked on the phone and I'm like oh, it's Megan like. And then I'm like who the fuck?

Megan 50:16

is this. I won't let it go. They don't even look like their. Well, I don't want to deal with.

Matty 50:21

I think that this is, I think that this is a full episode exactly.

Megan 50:25

We can go on it's borderline catfish it is catfishing in another format because I think some of them think that you will thumb it up or swipe it, whatever after one or two. Hold on, let me fit After one or two picks and they're like oh, I got them at one or two picks.

Matty 50:46

Yeah.

Megan 50:47

Had they scrolled to four.

Matty 50:48

I'll tell you that.

Megan 50:49

They can't tell me I was lying, go ahead.

Matty 50:51

I'll tell you that they can't tell me I was lying. Go ahead. I'll tell you this your dad will deserve a block for sure.

JJ 50:55

Well, we know, you block everyone for anything.

Matty 50:58

Picture number two or three. I'm like oh block.

JJ 51:00

All right.

Matty 51:02

My slip it in is I don't know if any of you know this, but AC2 Live is back.

JJ 51:10

Oh, I know and I'm excited and I'm saying come to Detroit, Anderson.

Matty 51:14

Cooper and Andy Cohen are back in their tour live and this is what Andy said. Andy said that he convinced Anderson to do one night, november 1st in Boston. The presale just happened this week, so if you haven't gotten your tickets, please get in. Um. So he's hoping that by this being successful, anderson cooper will be open for 2026 a full-on tour. Megan, if this happens, I need it where I have to go we are, I come.

JJ 51:50

Yes, 100%, we want you there.

Matty 51:53

Yes.

JJ 51:54

AC2, jj, and I have not seen it. We kept thinking they were coming to Detroit. They never did Andy Anderson come to Detroit with AC2.

Matty 52:06

We need you. Andy says Chicago is one of the options, but when they're doing, please come to Detroit.

JJ 52:12

Come to Detroit AC too, yeah.

Matty 52:14

So that's my, slip it in, my pull it out, and Mighty might know this for about a week and a half I have a cricket in my living room. Oh that sounds awful, this is true. I have moved my couch. I have moved my furniture around. I have moved my furniture around. I cannot find the cricket. He didn't even tell me.

Megan 52:39

He didn't tell me about it. We were over there, I was over at his house and I'm like is that cricket in your house, do you think? And he's like yeah.

JJ 52:50

It's the worst. No, it's not just outside a window.

Megan 52:53

I'm trying to find it. No, outside his window. Is it's the worst? No, it's not just outside a window.

Matty 52:59

I'm trying to find it, no, outside his window is the neighbor's basketballs yeah, but that's a different thought but right now I'm just dealing with the cricket, so that's my pull out. Well, just so you know a cricket.

Megan 53:09

Lifespan is short.

Matty 53:11

I'm hoping that is done.

JJ 53:12

Oh, that's good. Yeah, hopefully he's done.

Megan 53:15

Otherwise Megan can run over. Oh don't.

JJ 53:19

I'm still crying over that.

Matty 53:20

Oh my god yeah, I don't like hurting animals Murdering Tyler.

JJ 53:26

Oh god Well. I think that is an end to this episode. So until next time, we want to hear from you and your friends, especially your hot topics. Slip into our DMs on Instagram and Facebook and TikTok at Slip it In Podcast. Email us at slipitinpodcast at gmailcom or call and text us at 313-444-9004. But remember leave your name and where you are from. Finally, follow us wherever you get your pods. Until next time, see you, slippers.