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I shop at both TJ and WF and where I am they are not hippy at all more like Yuppy /hipsters / fashionistahs.
I like both stores but most of TJ food is private label and lets say there pop corn tortillas and chips are Doritos with a TJ package, your basically buying designer food. They do not support local farmers and a lot of there merch is made in other contries and majority of the fruit and veggies are also from other countries. I like to support local if not AMERICAN. I also do not know what goes on in other ****ires when it comes to spraying fruits and veggies there is a LOT we do not know. Speaking of which how llong has pink smile been in our meat an we are just learning about this .
I like to support America as well, but I think you might have some of your information wrong. Check where the produce comes from, much of it is not from ohter countries. Just because a store is owned by a family from another country doesn't mean the products are not American.
As I mentioned I wish we could all support America only, but that has become somewhat difficult: produce? What would we be eating in mid winter and at what price if we did not get some of it from Mexico, Chili or So America? We grow as much as we can, ourselves in the summer and depend on Farmers Markets as well, but this isn't always possible.
You talk about much of TJoes being their own labels; you are right and much of it is cheaper by using their own labels, this goes for Aldi's also, which is owned by the same family that owns T.Joes, just a different part of the family.
I would never buy rolled oats at a specialty store.
me neither, but to me its an indicator of how bad the price raping will be in that store. if they are charging me so much for rolled oats, how ridiculous is the price for everything else? i walked through trader joes recently because i had time to kill. i really couldnt find anything reasonably priced. but i am someone who looks at sales every week for all the area stores and uses coupons. so price is very important to me and i need to see real value if im going to pay more.
Peanut butter at Trader Joe's is cheaper than peanut butter at any other store in my area right now (outside of club stores where I would a. need a membership, and b. would have to drive twice as far to use). Good cheese is lower, too. But overall, the savings are hit and miss.
me neither, but to me its an indicator of how bad the price raping will be in that store. if they are charging me so much for rolled oats, how ridiculous is the price for everything else? i walked through trader joes recently because i had time to kill. i really couldnt find anything reasonably priced. but i am someone who looks at sales every week for all the area stores and uses coupons. so price is very important to me and i need to see real value if im going to pay more.
The interesting thing: I too shop only sales unless I have no choice, I am a huge coupon user but I still find things, like I said that are as cheap or cheaper. The blue cheese/pecan spead, I have never sseen it anywhere else. No, this isn't something I keep on hand, but when we are having company I buy it , or did when we had one near us. Bread is something we just do not compromise on, if I am going to eat the calories, I want really good stuff and the cheap stuff doesn't do it. The hollandaise sause, I think it is about $3 for a jar that will last us 3 months or more. How often does someone use hollandaise sause? The package stuff in the super market is awful and the sause in jars is way out of our price range. I can make it from scratch, but it is tricky, so I buy it at TJs. The TJs in Albuquerque used to, from time to time, carry baby artichokes. A package was about $2 and there were enough to feed 6 people or more. Baby artichokes are so much tastier than the regular ones. These are the things I am talking about. Eggs used to be $1 a dozen at TJs when they were 1.29 to 159 in the stores. There chesses are real cheese, not cheese products like we normally get in the super market unless we pay close attention.
So. let me make it clear, I am not talking about doing the bulk of my shopping at trader Joes but they do have many items that are cheaper or as cheap as super markets and worth the money.
The interesting thing: I too shop only sales unless I have no choice, I am a huge coupon user but I still find things, like I said that are as cheap or cheaper. The blue cheese/pecan spead, I have never sseen it anywhere else. No, this isn't something I keep on hand, but when we are having company I buy it , or did when we had one near us. Bread is something we just do not compromise on, if I am going to eat the calories, I want really good stuff and the cheap stuff doesn't do it. The hollandaise sause, I think it is about $3 for a jar that will last us 3 months or more. How often does someone use hollandaise sause? The package stuff in the super market is awful and the sause in jars is way out of our price range. I can make it from scratch, but it is tricky, so I buy it at TJs. The TJs in Albuquerque used to, from time to time, carry baby artichokes. A package was about $2 and there were enough to feed 6 people or more. Baby artichokes are so much tastier than the regular ones. These are the things I am talking about. Eggs used to be $1 a dozen at TJs when they were 1.29 to 159 in the stores. There chesses are real cheese, not cheese products like we normally get in the super market unless we pay close attention.
So. let me make it clear, I am not talking about doing the bulk of my shopping at trader Joes but they do have many items that are cheaper or as cheap as super markets and worth the money.
Nita
Can't wait for the new TJ's in my city to open! Probably be late summer or fall.
Can't wait for the new TJ's in my city to open! Probably be late summer or fall.
That's not fair, I want one. We are going to Vegas in May: I am taking one suitcase that will be almost empty. We will go to TJoes just before we come home so we can stock up on all those things I love so much. Again, as I have said before, it isn't a place where most would do their weekly shopping, but what they have we like can't be beat. I feel the same about Aldi's . Do I shop there all the time? Of course not. Is everything they have top quality or great deals? No, but what the do well they do very well. An example: spiral ham, this week, and I am sure next, for Easter, $1.59 and everywhere else around here anyway Spiril is higher. Personally I don't care if it iw spiral or regular, but the family loves spiral.
The interesting thing: I too shop only sales unless I have no choice, I am a huge coupon user but I still find things, like I said that are as cheap or cheaper. The blue cheese/pecan spead, I have never sseen it anywhere else. No, this isn't something I keep on hand, but when we are having company I buy it , or did when we had one near us. Bread is something we just do not compromise on, if I am going to eat the calories, I want really good stuff and the cheap stuff doesn't do it. The hollandaise sause, I think it is about $3 for a jar that will last us 3 months or more. How often does someone use hollandaise sause? The package stuff in the super market is awful and the sause in jars is way out of our price range. I can make it from scratch, but it is tricky, so I buy it at TJs. The TJs in Albuquerque used to, from time to time, carry baby artichokes. A package was about $2 and there were enough to feed 6 people or more. Baby artichokes are so much tastier than the regular ones. These are the things I am talking about. Eggs used to be $1 a dozen at TJs when they were 1.29 to 159 in the stores. There chesses are real cheese, not cheese products like we normally get in the super market unless we pay close attention.
So. let me make it clear, I am not talking about doing the bulk of my shopping at trader Joes but they do have many items that are cheaper or as cheap as super markets and worth the money.
Nita
its really not my business to judge someones shopping choices. im pretty sure its people who overpay for items that allow me to get the great deals that i do get. i would need a circular to check before going to the store and TJ's doesnt provide that. though i see they are now mailing me this little storybook circular and i noticed that this pre-made salad was a decent price of 3.99 and seemed tasty. but its about a 20 minute drive away and i have so many choices within minutes of me that i dont see myself heading back there any time soon. i think people get some kind of mental benefit from shopping there that i dont get.
its really not my business to judge someones shopping choices. im pretty sure its people who overpay for items that allow me to get the great deals that i do get. i would need a circular to check before going to the store and TJ's doesnt provide that. though i see they are now mailing me this little storybook circular and i noticed that this pre-made salad was a decent price of 3.99 and seemed tasty. but its about a 20 minute drive away and i have so many choices within minutes of me that i dont see myself heading back there any time soon. i think people get some kind of mental benefit from shopping there that i dont get.
This is why we have choices, what one person can't be bothered with, another can't live without. As I have said, they are not my main source of shopping, would never be, there are just some items I can't get anywhere else or are cheaper there. It is, like Aldi's. For us, Aldi's is too far to go on a regular basis. But when we are near there, we do pick up their specials. Oh, they do have flyers in the newspaper. I have never seen a Trader Js flyer.
We all have to shop the way that is best for us. For some it is quality and they can afford the prices, that is fine, for others it is shop based on price, regardless of the quality, that is also fine and for others it is a combination. Much also has to do with eating habits, food budget and family size I think.
This is why we have choices, what one person can't be bothered with, another can't live without. As I have said, they are not my main source of shopping, would never be, there are just some items I can't get anywhere else or are cheaper there. It is, like Aldi's. For us, Aldi's is too far to go on a regular basis. But when we are near there, we do pick up their specials. Oh, they do have flyers in the newspaper. I have never seen a Trader Js flyer.
We all have to shop the way that is best for us. For some it is quality and they can afford the prices, that is fine, for others it is shop based on price, regardless of the quality, that is also fine and for others it is a combination. Much also has to do with eating habits, food budget and family size I think.
Nita
yeah, the trader joes flyer gives a little story about a handful of things they are offering. i guess it is fascinating for people who want to know history of the food and nice descriptions of the ingredients. i like a circular with lots of products and their prices. i stopped by aldi today, got 18oz of vanilla oreos (bentons) for 1.69 i believe. i think i saw oreos today on sale at pathmark for 3.49, not sure the weight. i love aldi, the customers at trader joes have more teeth in their mouths than aldi customers do though.
i like to consider myself a value shopper. i also eat pretty simple during the week, and get my variety by going out a lot on the weekend. so im not looking for anything too fancy in the supermarket.
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Probably be late summer or fall.
