Yes.
The end.
OK, I’ll elaborate ;)… Whenever I share my grocery list and prices, it is met with a chorus of comments saying I should really check out Trader Joe’s. While I have been there before, it’s probably been a year or two. Back then, I wasn’t so impressed. Maybe it had to do with the terrible parking situation at the particular location or the fact my bread went moldy the day after I bought it, but I wasn’t itching to go back.
However, the main reason I haven’t returned is that there isn’t a Trader Joe’s near where I live. The closest one is a solid 35 minute drive.
Your words stuck to me though so yesterday while Hailey and David were happily playing in the playroom, I decided to go for it.
My list was rather long and I took my time weaving through the aisles. I immediately noticed two things:
1. It was challenging to make myself stick to a list. They have a plethora of special sauces, snack mixes, spices, frozen items and other goodies that were incredibly tempting to throw in the cart.
2. The prices were lower. A lot lower. I didn’t even need to look them up to compare; I knew at first glance how they compared to Harris Teeter’s usual costs. For example…
Kalamata Olives
Trader Joes: $2.99 for 6.5 ounces drained
Harris Teeter: $3.99 for 6 ounces drained
*Harris Teeter pricing was found at time of post via their online prices for my local store
Organic Chicken & Organic Vegetable Broth
Trader Joe’s: Chicken: $1.99
Harris Teeter Chicken: $2.49
Trader Joe’s: Vegetable: $2.29
Harris Teeter: Vegetable: $2.49
Goat Cheese (4 oz log)
Trader Joes: $2.49
Harris Teeter: $5.99
Applegate Farms Deli Meat
Trader Joe’s: $3.99
Harris Teeter: $7.49
Over and over again, I saw lower prices and was surprised at the extensive selection of organic options. I forced myself to stick to my list, but still held my breath at checkout where I ended up buying a LOT of food.
My total ended up being $131.76. It’s not comparing apples to apples, but being that I easily spent over $175 two weeks ago, I feel there is a significant difference. Now, I did not buy as much meat, but I did end up buying more organic foods.
Although I am very impressed with the prices, there are a few cons.
– They didn’t have everything on my list. I couldn’t find pickled jalapenos, ground lamb or quinoa pasta (I saw they had a quinoa/rice pasta blend, but were out). They also didn’t have any dried beans, so I had to buy canned.
– I’m curious to see how long the bread items and produce last. Upon getting home, I saw the tortillas I bought expire in 3 days. I’m keeping everything in the fridge and hoping for the best.
– I need to test the quality of the produce. The organic pear yesterday was pretty flavorless and the avocados weren’t quite ripe, despite my efforts to pick the best available. Oh, and it’s not produce, but the Mediterranean dip I picked up was pretty terrible. That one is obviously my fault for picking it, but still, what a waste.
I’m not sure if I can justify over an hour round trip for grocery shopping each week, but I AM impressed with Trader Joe’s selection and pricing. I could see myself making a monthly trip there to stock up on some essentials. For those that have one down the road, I’m jealous! What a great, well-priced option to have at your disposal!
Where do you do most of your grocery shopping?
I’m looking forward to the return of my local farmers market in a few months, but until then, I’ll keep bouncing between grocery stores.
Molly @ Duchess of Fork says
I’d kill for a Trader Joe’s, simply for the specialty items that can’t be found elsewhere. I do the majority of shopping at Publix. It’s not our cheapest (that would be Walmart), but they have tons of great BOGOs on things I actually need and use (canned beans, Go Go Squeeze, loaves of bread, etc), and the quality cannot be matched. I refuse to buy produce and meat anywhere else. We do have a Fresh Market which is comparable or even better in terms of quality, but the prices are sky high.
Brittany Dixon says
I love Publix and wish we had one here!! They are slowly working their way into NC… wish they’d hurry 😉
And I agree, I love The Fresh Market, but things add up so quickly there.
katie says
I live in Northern MN so I don’t have publix or trader joes. The TJs are plentiful in Minneapolis, so when I’m down there I try to load up on their staples. Its fun to have a different shopping experience every once and a while. I don’t blame you for not wanting to drive when you have Harris Teeter closer.
Chelsey says
I always feel robbed if I go anywhere but trader joes!! I have never ha a problem with their produce – in fact that’s where I get most of mine from! The rest typically comes from whole foods – I don’t like their kaleix and I never want to buy the package of 3 zucchinis. As far as their bread goes, I find I have to leave it in the fridge or freezer or else it goes and quickly!
Melissa says
I love trader joes but you def have to check the dates on items. I store the bread in thr freezer since we don’t use it quick.We go once or twice a months to get favorite items and others that makes sense to purchase there. Some regular items we buy: organic coconut oil, olive oil, applesauce packets, almonds, dried fruit, frozen fruit!
Brittany Dixon says
I love how you do it! I think it would make a lot of sense for me to go once a month and stock up on broths, coconut oil, frozen fruits, etc. Glad to hear it works for you!
Betsy says
I love Trader Joe’s, but there are a few things I won’t buy there. Other than lettuce and kale, I stay away from their produce because it always goes bad too quickly. I’ve also had their bread and bagels go moldy the next day, so I only buy Ezekiel bread since it’s easily frozen. Otherwise, they have great deals.
Regina says
Up until last week we did 95% of our shopping at Trader Joes. We don’t buy coffee, toiletries or baby stuff there (I can’t justify spending $6+ for 4 rolls of “organic” toilet paper or $6 on a small thing of coffee when the $2 huge containers at our Giant are great.
We buy all our regular, weekly groceries there EXCEPT our milk. For the past 2 months we’ve had such horrible problems with their milk. Every week within a day of opening our milk, it’s gone bad. We get fat free and whole milk and both are bad within a day of opening them. Twice my husband got horribly sick only to trace it back to the newly bought milk. We live 5 minutes from our local TJ’s so it had nothing to do with refrigeration on our end. And I should mention the expiration dates were always still over a week away when they soured. 2 weeks ago, our last time every buying their milk, we opened them up to find they were already spoiled! I emailed TJ’s via their website immediately as I’m 31 weeks pregnant and we have an 18 month old son. Neither of us, especially, need to drink spoiled milk nor does anyone else. I have yet to hear back from them but we’ve begun to shop at Target for milk. Inconveinent to go to 2 stores just to get milk but completely worth it not to pour money down the drain or take chances getting sick. It was so nice last week to have milk last the ENTIRE week without going bad and to last until it’s expiration date. Hallelujah! I’ll admit, our TJ’s experience has made me second guess every sniff of milk and scared at every sip.
Also, forewarning, their jalapenos are crazy spicy. I don’t know why but both my Texan husband with an unmatchable spicy tolerance and myself were dying when we used them for jalapeno poppers a few weeks ago. Mouths. On. Fire.
Lia says
I would talk to the manager at your local TJ’s . I’ve found they usually have excellent customer service so I’m sure they would want to make
It right and know about the issue so they can work to fix it.
Jen says
I go every other weekend to the Piper Glen location — I think their produce tends to be fresher and the parking is slightly better than uptown. Of course, that’d be even more of a hike for you! My biggest problem w/TJs is how often they’re out of everything. Mine didn’t have tomatoes, bananas, carrots, or broccoli yesterday! But their prices on some of our staples — goat cheese, hummus, pasta, dressings — cannot be beat so I’ll continue to do half of my grocery shopping there.
Caryln says
I’ve noticed if I go to TJs where I live (Winston-Salem) at the end of the week I can find ripe avocados, but if I go at the beginning like Sunday or Monday, I can’t. I’m assuming that’s when they restock. If you keep your cados in a brown paper lunch bag they will ripen faster though :). Also, during check out one time I noticed the hummus I was buying expired that very day. The guy at the check out counter actually told me they make their expiration dates sooner than the item actually expires because they donate their food that has “expired”. I was able to finish the hummus in a little over a week and never seemed to go bad.
Katie @ Pick Any Two says
When I lived near one, I shopped at Trader Joe’s religiously. I definitely think it saved us money so long as I stuck to my list, like you said!
Annemarie (Real Food Real Deals) says
Great post! I love Trader Joe’s, and you really can save money there. But they’re so dangerous for impulse purchases with all the chocolate-covered goodies. My Trader Joe’s is only about 10 minutes away, but I go just once a month in order to save money. Here’s a post I wrote about how I do it: http://realfoodrealdeals.com/2013/11/01/once-a-month-shopping-at-trader-joes/
Lori says
I struggle with the shelf life of the items at our Trader joes too, but they have an awesome return policy that essentially states you can return anything for a refund or exchange no questions asked. I think it is to encourage you to try the new products that are always popping up in the store. Take the Greek dip back next time you go and the tortillas too if they end up in edible. 🙂
Ellen says
We purchase most of our groceries at Trader Joe’s, and I do love shopping there. My consistent gripe is all of the packaging on their produce. I hate that everything comes in a plastic bag(kale, chard, spinach). I makes me feel extremely wasteful.
Otherwise, I love Trader Joe’s 🙂
Emily says
I absolutely love Trader Joe’s, for all the reasons you mentioned. I love getting some quick convenience foods like their Frozen “Mildly Spiced Veggie Burritos” which are really good and nice for a quick lunch.
Also THEIR SPICES are sooooo well-priced.
But you really can’t go in with a list and expect to get everything you need all the time – which kind of bums me out a bit, but like you I’m willing to overlook it!
Erin says
I go to the University one every other week or so, they open at 8 and since my baby is always up we go around then and it makes a huge difference. The cheese and nut prices alone make it worth it! I also always buy their frozen fruit and veg, dry grains (like basmati rice) and Ezekiel bread. oh and chocolate 🙂
Heather @ What Does She Do All Day? says
Our TJ’s is about 20 minutes away, so I usually only go once a month or so and stock up on a few pantry/freezer staples like Salsa Verde, dried mango, nuts, broth, frozen fruit, etc. And my daughters love the Cat Cookies for People as a treat. I do my regular shopping at Kroger.
Karen says
We shop at Traders Joes & Target or Aldi & Whole Foods. My target is just to get “snacky” items for Keely, mainly pouches then any other essentials that Trader Joes does not have and Aldi is the same with essentials then Whole Foods for the rest. I love Trader Joes and if I didn’t have such a picky toddler, that’s the only place I’d shop at for groceries.
Emily says
Did you also know they pay their employees really well comparatively? I remember when I was in DC, an average store manager made something like close to $60K!
According to Wikipedia: “As of 2010, supervisory crew members (“Merchants” and “Mates”) can start at $45–75,000 per year and store managers (“Captain”) can earn in the “low six figures”. The company contributes to an employee’s standard 401(k) plan. As of 2013, pay for entry-level Crew Members is $10 to $20 an hour.”
Now wonder they are so nice!
Kate @ Coffee with Kate says
Trader Joe’s is GREAT But like you said I can’t do allll of my shopping there. They have a great selection but still miss some things. I especially think their baking aisle is weak. I normally shop between TJ’s and Wegmans (which has absolutely everything).
Emily says
*average assistant manager
Kate @ Coffee with Kate says
Trader Joe’s is GREAT But like you said I can’t do allll of my shopping there. They have a great selection but still miss some things. I especially think their baking aisle is weak. I normally shop between TJ’s and Wegmans (which has absolutely everything). Some of my favorite TJ’s products are the Salsa Verde, Cookie Butter (dangerous) and Low-carb tortillas. Oh, and their chocolate chunks for baking … just wish they had them in dark chocolate too!
John J. says
And their wine isn’t bad either! But not for you for now.
Lee says
I love tjs but their fruit is awful. Their veggies are fine usually but the fruit is Bleh.
Danielle @ LMYR says
I read an article a couple years back cautioning buyers of TJ’s organic and free range meat and dairy, that it’s not legitimately organic or humane. Might be something to look into.
With that being said, I really miss TJ- the closest one to us is over 45 minutes (on toll roads) each way. I have some coworkers that live down that way though, so every couple of months I ask them to help me stock up on essential TJ items (like the Charles Shaw wine) 😉
Cheryl says
Whenever I’m in the university area I stock up on some staples. I love to freeze their wraps and they have a few packaged items that are super cheap and equally yummy (granola bars, noodle soups, edamame hummus). It’s not a one stop shop though, like you said. Also, did you know that Publix is coming to exit 23 in November?
LMN says
TJ’s our favorite place! We stick to the special sauces, a couple of the dips, some of the specialty (frozen) items, and chips. Everything else we get from Publix. I’m not sure what the deal is with the bread and produce…But for “cool” inexpensive items, we always go to TJ’s. We’re 30 minutes from the nearest one, but it makes a fun monthly trip to stock up on nonperishables.
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says
I appreciate your honest thoughts on this! I LOVE Trader Joe’s, but like you, our closest one is a 40ish minute drive. It’s certainly not worth it for me to drive down there every week. And, I definitely get tempted with all of their “extras”. I’ve always had a pretty good experience with their produce, so maybe it just depends which store you shop?
Domi @ Eat, Pray, Lift says
There’s a TJ’s only 5 minutes from me, so I stop in a couple times a month. There are only a few things I consistently get there (definitely NOT the spot for all my groceries!), like canned coconut milk that can’t be beat at $0.99/can. They have some impressive wine and champagne for under $10, too! Well, impressive to me…with your brewmaster at home, it might be different. 😛
Lisa says
I always do a trader joe’s/whole foods run (they are right across the street from each other in two locations near me) and then add target once in a while for the name brand stuff i can’t get/can’t afford at the other two. I still like Whole Foods for any deli meat and bulk bins.
I have talked to cashiers at TJs on a couple of occasions, who say that even when their produce is not organic, they try to buy from farms that employ good practices. Don’t know if it is true or not. The other draw back is that they have a LOT of pre-packaged/frozen food, which seems healthy, but of course isn’t. But if you can resist, or choose a healthy few, TJs offers good quality at reasonable prices. I’m glad the experiment was worth it!
Jodi says
Thanks for the tj investigation shopping!! I used to hit up the uptown location when I was pregnant bc my prenatal visits were right down the road. The parking is insane and I found myself buying random things. If it was closer i might go for staples, but can’t justify it now! So, my request to you is do you next shopping investigation at Aldi on 150!! I need to know if it’s worth checking out again!! I don’t think I gave it an honest chance….
Amanda Perry @ Sistas of Strength says
Agree – the produce sucks. I do get it there sometimes and it’s fine for things like lettuce, carrots, brussels and tomatoes usually. A lot of the veggies and fruit does stink, but usually you can find a few things that will work. 🙂
I have had good luck with the brown rice wraps (I keep in the fridge) and I get a bunch of the frozen stuff that CJ likes. He (and my husband) love the meatballs.
Love the chicken there and CJ loves the turkey for lunch.
Also awesome for things like coconut oil, almond butter, almond milk, etc. Big savings on those types of things!
Marjorie says
I usually shop at Publix, mostly due to the proximity to my house. They have decent organic options, and they have great sales and specials. I do a Costco run about once per month, and I am more and more impressed at their organic options. I get our ground beef and chicken there usually. We also have a Whole Foods about 15 minutes away. I usually get a few specialty items there, although if money were no object, I would shop there every time. We do not have a Trader Joe’s, but I sure wish we did! We do have Fresh Market, but I just would rather pass it on by and go to Whole Foods.
Heather says
Most of our shopping I split between Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Target. Glad to see the price difference for TJ’s Applegate products! I think that’s even cheaper than Target! I agree, though… while Trader Joe’s is great for some things, it definitely isn’t one-stop shopping for our family. I find I can get better produce at Whole Foods as well as a much higher selection of organic foods, but I do buy what I can at TJ since their prices are so good.
JoAnn says
I go to the University location every once in a while and stock up on staples (I love their taco mix- good & spicy), but it is a trap for impulse purchases!
Great review.
Lindsay says
For awhile we got in the habit of shopping at Trader Joe’s due to the lower prices than our Whole Foods and other shops but over time I have found that the quality for a lot of the produce just isn’t always great or consistent. I find that although I buy things when they look fresh and good that they often go bad faster than other produce that we buy. In the end I don’t find that I save much money by shopping at TJ’s because I find I waste more. I also find that I buy way more packaged items when I shop there because they are eye catching and sound interesting.
We do have a few items that I buy their regularly which include: trail mix and nuts, dried and freeze dried fruit and there are a few frozen items that I like. We tend to do one trip per month and that’s about it nowadays.
Kris says
Knowing Harris Teeter, not at all surprised you saved going to TJs. I love HT, but I think it’s expensive and would never use it for regular grocery shopping. I get everything from Walmart, Target, and fill in items or BOGOS from Publix (which I also think is expensive and I don’t understand the hype, even though I’ve lived in FL for ten years now). I would like to get more from Aldi, but it’s not very convenient. I think they have excellent inhouse brand products. We didn’t have TJs until a year ago, and while I’m happy it’s here where I live in FL (we got the second TJs in FL), I find I buy too much snacks, cheese, chocolate so I generally stay away from it since I also don’t use a lot of convenience foods. I also buy my veggies and fruit at the flea market. Yesterday my $12.00 bought four local Ruskin tomatoes, a quart of grape tomatoes, 1 cuke, 8 tangerines, 2 heads of cauliflower, 1 lb. of brussels sprouts, a bag of radishes, and two pints of fresh, local strawberries! Gotta love fresh Florida produce in the heart of winter!!
Tracy says
I love TJ’s!! I’m lucky and mine is about a 2 minute drive. They do recommend refrigerating their bread!
Ali says
I’m torn with Trader Joes. I used to go there a lot because it was close to me, but I bought snacks and wine there. They had random things that I couldn’t find other places. I’ve never really bought produce or meats there, but based on your prices, maybe I should look. They just opened a few up in Denver on Friday, so I’ll have to check it out again. I never remember them being so much cheaper!
Lia says
I’ve never had an issue with the produce at tjs. The only thing I’ve run into is avocados not being ripe but if I just leave them on the counter they are good within a few days. The bread items do go fast but I always attributed that to them not having any preservatives. I just freeze bread since we don’t use it much and microwave/toast when we need it. Try their cilantro jalapeño hummus. It won’t disappoint.
Tiff @ Love Sweat & Beers says
I have a love/hate relationship with TJ’s. I go frequently, so theifun products aren’t really impulse purchases for me anymore. However, I rarely go to just TJ’s for the week. Like you said, they just don’t have all the stuff I often need. I love the prices, but I can’t stand the quality. The produce and bread go bad very fast, and I’ve brought things home only to realize there’s a hole in the packaging or their already expired. If I had a long drive (15+ min), I wouldn’t go regularly.
char eats greens says
I think what I’m most jealous if is the organic sweet\\ potatoes; I judt spent $5.99 for a similar sized bag! I totally do wish Trader Joe’s was in Canada, but if it were, I wouldn’t live close to one anyways (seeing as they always get put in bigger cities and we don’t live in one), so it wouldn’t help me out. Oh well, at least I can enjoy it when we go on vacations 🙂
Parita @ myinnershakti says
I split my shopping between Publix and TJs. TJs is most definitely cheaper, but I definitely overspent on my last shopping trip there because I picked up one too many non-essentials! Those will get you!
Stephanie says
We have a Trader Joes close by. We shop there every week and we’d feel lost without it!
Meagan says
I drive about 35 minutes weekly to shop at Harris Teeter. Our local grocery has gross produce, but great prices on meats. I believe the nearest Trader Joe’s to my house is about an hour away (without traffic). Harris Teeter is pricey, but I don’t think it’s any worse than some Food Lion products. Having the VIC card and coupons definitely makes a difference, and my husband and I like to make an afternoon of shopping there.
Kelli H (Made in Sonoma) says
When David and I first moved in together I tried shopping at both TJ’s and Safeway (a regular grocery store) and I think I ended up spending more money and driving to two stores. I also never liked that they didn’t have normal items. I love TJ’s but I love it for those unique items, not for every day shopping. I think that’s why I love Whole Foods so much. They have unique items but they also carry pretty much every regular item, too. 🙂 I am always jealous of TJ’s cheap cheese prices though!
Maria says
If Trader Joe’s had organic, free range DELI sliced turkey (i.e meat counter like Whole Foods), then I’d never have to shop anywhere else again. I find that their meats are good, but I prefer ordering from the butcher and having my sandwich meat sliced super thin.
I think produce varies by region. Here in CA, I’ve actually always found TJ’s produce to be much better than the chain grocery stores (mostly Safeways and Nob Hills out here), surpassed only by the almighty Whole Foods. I think it definitely comes from the fact that we do grow a lot produce all year round here in CA.
Once, our bread was bad and I took it back (not so easy for you to do) and they graciously refunded it gave me a new one one. Their customer service is fantastic.
ErikaMC says
To me 35 minutes would be down the road – our closest one is 1-1/2 away! So whenever we are in the area I make sure to make a stop to get things that my regular store doesn’t carry but it doesn’t seem like a store that I would shop for most of my groceries anyways – more “specialty” stuff.
Sarah says
One giant, kudos to TJ’s is that their organic chicken and vegetable broth is truly MSG free!!! That is literally IMPOSSIBLE to find. (Even the ones labeled “MSG free” are NOT. They lie.) If they ever stop carrying it, I am totally screwed. No soup for me!
Also, I never buy TJ’s bakery items and I rarely buy produce. Maybe shredded carrots and bagged arugula or spinach.
Danica @ It's Progression says
I buy 95% of our groceries from our local Co-op and TraderJoe’s. I get a lot of bulk bins items, local produce, and on-sale things at the co-op, and then hop over to TJ’s for the rest (organic produce – fresh and frozen, always the best prices in our town – plus marinara sauce, applesauce, cereal for my husband, tortilla chips and salsa, some organic meats and cheeses, and their almond milk.
Amanda @ All Day Activewear says
Thank you SO much for breaking down your findings. We have a TJs near us, but I have never been super open to it because it’s always a zoo….no joke :). I think we will venture in and take a peek though after seeing how much cheaper they really are.
Elizabeth @ My Neon Running Shoes says
I think if gas prices were lower it might be worth it! Not sure exactly but you could calculate the cost differences plus time, effort, etc. If nothing else it’s a fun place to go when you have some extra time and are in search of unique stuff to spice up your menus 🙂
Jen@PregnantDiabetic says
We go there sometimes, for “fun” items like the specialty sauces and you can’t beat the prices on their spices and seasonings, but for regular, weekly shopping…nope.
Lauren B. says
I shop at TJs every week for most of my produce and other staple items, but I go to whole foods for my fish, meats (although I do get organic chicken at TJs), bread, milk, yogurt, and some other items. I hardly ever buy produce at whole foods because it’s way more expensive! I really haven’t had a problem with my TJs produce going bad too quickly, but maybe it has to do with living in Ca where things are grown more locally??? I don’t know, but I LOVE how TJs saves us beaucoup de money every week! 🙂
Hannah says
Love this post!
I shop at Whole Foods for almost everything, even though TJs is next door. In the end, I don’t feel like I spend a bunch more at WF v TJ or Publix. I use to love TJs, but I had bad luck with the produce and meat, which is all I really buy.
WF produce is usually much better and the prices (organic) are better than publix for me. I also find I am more likely to stick to my list at WF rather than TJ.
There are a few items I love from TJ: hot cocoa, teas, crackers. If I bought lots of packaged items, it might be cheaper. But comparing produce, bread, and meats, it really isn’t for me!
Matt @ Runner Savvy says
I’ll check out my local TJ’s this weekend!
Amanda says
Before we moved, I lived a mile away from Trader Joes and loved it! Great produce and dairy. Lots of fun specialty items. Now the closest TJ is a 45 minute drive and I too haven’t been impressed with the produce. Same with the milk. We have a co-op in town but prices are through the roof. 10.99 for applegate hotdogs! I love to support local options but for now we stick to natural and organic options at a regular grocery store.
Jen says
Love love love Trader Joe’s! Lucky to have one 5 minutes away though. I did discover early in my TJ’s shopping carreer that you must refrigerate or freeze the baked goods, including breads. I found this out through a check-out person, after complaining that my bread and muffins got moldy after two days. He told me that it is because no preservatives are used in their baked goods. Makes sense! They do hold up well in the fridge, and I usually just let them sit out or microwave for 10 seconds to get the chill off.
I do admit that produce is hit or miss. Most take a while to ripen. The organic bags of apples are a terrific deal (not in season now), bagged greens are good if you use them in a few days, but I usually end up going to a farm stand or traditional supermarket for big produce purchases.
The salespeople on the floor and checkout are a great source of info if you have any questions, even about how things tastse, and they are super friendly!
Jen
Elizabeth Evans says
I live in Roswell GA & have several different grocery stores 5 minutes from our house: publix, Kroger, aldi, trader joe’s, Harry’s farmers market (whole foods), super target, wal-mart neighborhood market & Costco. Wow!! That’s a lot of options!! My favorite place for quality & price is Costco for sure but sometimes the quantities are just too large. Aldi has excellent pricing but their quality & selection aren’t always fantastic. I like publix but find that Kroger is basically the same & has better pricing. Harry’s is everything a grocery store should be, but it’s so much more expensive. I’m not impressed with trader joe’s selection/quality, I think of it as a specialty market. I don’t shop at super target or wal mart neighborhood market often because they do not have a deli. Overall, Costco does it for me…but I have to incorporate a trip to the grocery store too & so we go get what we can at aldi & then go to Kroger for everything else.
Julia G says
If you make it to Trader Joe’s during the autumn season, definitely check out their pumpkin butter! It is delicious in a pb&j!
Karlee says
I love Trader Joes!!!! I love their wine, cheese, frozen fruits/vegetables, brown rice, chocolate and other specialty foods. I don’t buy a whole lot of their produce because I think our Kroger has a nicer/cheaper selection, and these stores are basically right next to each other for me. I’m kind of spoiled in the grocery selection, but I would love to have a whole foods closer!
Danielle says
Just as an FYI, Trader Joes is owned by Aldi. Aldi is the German equivalent and is essentially the same, except the inside of the store isn’t as jazzy. TJs is able to keep prices low by using only their own private label products (i.e., everything in the store is “Trader Joes” brand). This is great, but does make it hard to trace your food back to its source.
It will be interesting to see how Kroger’s recent acquisition of Harris Teeter will affect those stores, if at all.
Brittany Dixon says
I’ve wondered about the ability to trace food back to it’s source from Trader Joe’s too! Some of the prices have me curious if they can truly be legit! I did not know they were owned by Aldi though- so interesting- thank you!
I’m waiting to see what changes (if any) will happen at Harris Teeter too… I guess we’ll see!
Laura @ FitMamaLove says
Just butting in to say that a lot of the Trader Joe’s label products are really brand name products in disguise. They don’t advertise it because obviously, the big brands wouldn’t want you to know that you can buy their same product at TJ’s under a different label. I’ve read articles about this before, so you can do a Google search to find out more.
Laura @ FitMamaLove says
One of the best things about Trader Joe’s is the specialty items. They have things there that you can’t get anywhere else. I guess they work their way onto my usual list, so it’s not like extra since I know I’m going there for specialty items. I say if you stuck to your list, you’re missing out!
I mix up my grocery shopping between Whole Foods, TJ’s, Target and Safeway/Lucky. It all depends on what I need because some places have things that others don’t. So I go wherever the bulk of my list is. The kids love TJ’s for the samples and stickers, though, so that guides me there a lot.
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables says
Best thing about Trader Joes… if you don’t like it- you can take it back and get your money back! 🙂
Sara says
After reading this post, I went to a TJs in NYC. My closest grocery store is Whole Foods, which I love, but is obviously pricy. This is not as nice as WF, but wow, the savings are so obvious and substantial that I’ve determined it is worth the trip. I will say that my produce was underripe as well, so maybe we just need to buy ahead of time?
Liz says
Like you, the closest Trader Joe’s to me is about 30 minutes away. I go about once a month and stock up on favorites. Like another reader, I freeze bread and tortillas I buy. Also like to get oatmeal, salsa (they have some really good ones!), sardines, cheese, frozen fruit and veggies, coconut oil, olive oil, etc. I buy produce when I go but haven’t had the best results. Things definitely go bad quicker than some of the other stores I shop. Also, I don’t like how so much of the produce is in a bunch of packaging.
Elle says
I alternate between Trader Joes and Natural Grocers. NG is my favorite for the selection, but TJs has better prices on the things that they do have in stock. They are both a 20+ minute drive for me, but totally worth it.
Kelly @ Cupcake Kelly's says
I hear you on the life of stuff. The amount of fruit or veggies I’ve gotten that basically turned the next day, not impressed. I do like their prices for things like stock and sauce and they don’t go bad before I use them.
andie says
We just got a TJ’s back in October, but it is in Baton Rouge, so it’s an hour drive for us to go. But there are some convenience items that I love that I go once a month to stock up on- Turkey Meatballs, frozen fried rice, frozen organic produce, etc. We also always get our olive oil, coconut oil, stock, brownie mix (their truffle brownie mix is really good) dried fruit & nuts, almond butter, peanut butter, etc. We also like their puffed corn snack (it’s low fat and better than chips!) and their prices on fancy cheese can’t be beat. I usually stock up on those things once a month or so. Coincidentally, we are planning on making our monthly pilgrimage to TJ’s this weekend since we have to go to Baton Rouge!
We do most of our regular shopping at Sam’s Club, Rouses (a local chain) and WInn Dixie. It is actually hard to find decent produce at any of the local stores (it is often a crapshoot no matter where you go). When we get to the local farmer’s market early enough, we go there and stock up. I have been doing research on grocery prices for a post I’m working on for the New Orleans Moms Blog, and groceries in the south/southeast are WAY MORE than groceries in the northeast! It’s crazy!
Lauren @ Fun, Fit and Fabulous! says
I mainly shop at HEB, which is a Texas store, and supplement what I can’t find there with Central Market and Whole Foods. I’ve only been to Trader Joe’s once, but you’ve convinced me to go back and give it a second try!!
Katie says
Try checking out whatsgoodattraderjoes.com to (hopefully!) avoid more unwelcome surprises like that Med. dip. The writers (a husband and wife team, I believe) are hilarious, too. Also, if you haven’t tried it already, you have to try their cookie butter- I made a trip to TJ’s this weekend just to buy a jar after trying it while babysitting!
Sonal Singh says
I never did a price breakdown but mentally I always knew TJ was cheaper. I can’t wait to show my disbelieving friends! Fresh Market has great deals on meat every Tuesdays and that is the only other place I make across town trips to get groceries.
DeAnna says
Thanks for your post. I love Trader Joes simply for the specific items I can get there. I have regular things I like and buy all the time and find I only have to go there about 1x/mo and stock up. My family loves the smoked trout in a can. It’s a little pricey, $3.49 ea, but so good. My 10 yr old will eat that for an after school snack. I also like to get freezer, quick meals for the days that I don’t have anything planned for dinner…. the orange chicken and frozen rice and edamame are a hit in our family. Another favorite in our home is fish and they have a good frozen selection. And lastly, I go for the wine!! Good and super inexpensive!
Susan says
There were 4 of us and now only two. So my shopping has moved to Trader Joe’s and boy is it nice. The portion sizes of items makes more sense for just two of us, their organic peanut butters are wonderful, nuts, wines, goat milk, goat cheeses, salad mix sizes, wine, dark chocolate bars, apples, pears, grapefruit, organic coconut milk are all great. I don’t buy much meat there, only in a pinch. I tend to go to Costco and buy organic chicken and buffalo in bulk and freeze it. I tend to get all my berries at Costco as well, since we love the large amounts of Organic Driscoll’s We don’t each much bread so I always freeze my bread anyway. They have great pumpernickel at TJoe’s. I love Trader Joe’s. Love the flowers and prices of them too.