Why go to Trader Joe's? (beer, appetizers, healthier, cookies)

[eureka1]

Guess I should count my blessings. We have THREE natural foods stores with reasonable prices plus some discount stores. I will never "have" to shop at Trader Joe's.

[Debsi]

Nuts and dried fruit - cheaper, more varieties/flavors than anywhere else, and about 100 times better quality than the grocery store.

Cheap gourmet cheese is my other fave.

[sskink]

TJs is not our primary market and never will be. But, it does have certain things we appreciate having nearby.

- grape tomatoes are less expensive than our local markets
- avocados typically far less expensive
- TJs mayo beats Hellmans
- coffee. We like medium roasts. Almost all the locally owned supermarkets sell primarily dark/french and the lighter selections are limited to 8 O'Clock and DD. TJs selection of lighter roasts is much better
- hummus/salsas much less expensive
- ethnic frozen foods
- nuts
- sourdough baguettes
- a corn/wheat hybrid tortilla that's unavailable anywhere else
- useful packaging of "ends" that save a ton of money - e.g. cod chunks ($4.99/lb, great for stir frys/fish stews), bacon ends ($2.99/lb)

[Clark Park]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

You cannot get "most everything they (Trader Joe's) sell" at Super Target or local grocery stores. For one thing, to those of us for whom it matters, high fructose corn syrup, the sweetener that will be in all the treats and juices sold at Target, Safeway, Fred Meyer and Thriftway, is not a good thing. When you consider that all the products sold at TJ's are made naturally or close to it, the fact that the price between TJ's and LOCAL stores is not all that different becomes rather amazing.

People will hate on anyone and anything that is trying to do the right thing for people. H8ters gonna h8. I think the fact that in 10 posts only 2 are h8ters says a lot. If it were me I'd be checking my math again and trying to see where maybe I messed up.

H

Missing those 'dolphin safe' tuna in Thai curry meals that TJ's used to sell. Anyone else ever try them??

I loved the Tuna in Thai curry ... it's been gone for a long time.

Quite frankly, Trader Joe's no longer impresses me. When the first one opened on Market Street here in Philly nearly ten years ago I thought it was terrific. Now, not so much so.

The selection of imported cheeses are good, and that is one of the reasons I still shop there. They have 1000 Day Aged Gouda, and Balerico cheeses. However there was a time I would shop at TJ's once a week, now it's once a month. Their products are inconsistent. I used to buy the cooked edamame in the shell but much too often it was either spoiled or had worms in it!

The soups are uniformly bad. Ever try the soups in the box? They are lousy.

They are not so competitive price-wise ... try shopping at Aldi's (which happens to be the parent company that owns Trader Joe's!) which is much cheaper but emphasizes more basic stuff and less "exotic" or "gourmet" fare, although I have picked up some unusual and European products in Aldi's as well.

[R_Cowgirl]

Great List! Thanks! Makes me wanna toddle on down there now!

I only shop at TJ's and the Farmer's markets now. There are things the farmer's markets don't carry, so I stop off at TJ's on the way home every Saturday.

Funny, a friend added me to their Costco account so I could shop there. I wandered through their store and looked at all the things I normally buy in the above two places. I think I spent about $30 at Costco. I just kept saying, "Cheaper at Trader Joes, fresher at Farmer's Market, not organic enough, too big a container." So I gave back the Costco card.

Yes - the mom & pop's have struggled. More because of Costco, Sam's Club and Walmart than Trader Joes. Trader Joes buys local when they can, they contribute to the community, and they employ a lot of people for their size. And, BTW, most of the mom & pops these days buy from Costco Wholesale... so it's a mixed bag when you want to criticize current trends.

[Bulldogdad]

Easier to find unique food items for a lower cost all in one place. That being stated over the last three years their food prices have not impressed me and I rarely shop there anymore. Maybe once a month I'll stop by because something from their Fearless Flyer Ad interested me.

[Pedal Wench]

No one has mentioned the TJ Goddess salad dressing. I buy it by the case and it's the only dressing I have on salads at home. Yeah, it's that good.

[SoCalSun]

Originally Posted by Woof

Here are 17 reasons, some of their top-selling foods: A Stunning Look at the 17 Top Selling Items at Trader Joe's*|*Foodbeast

I sure wish I still lived near one ...... the closest is 50 miles away down a gas-sucking long hill.

I miss Pound Plus Chocolate - a good huge hunk of Belgian chocolate you can settle down with and form a long term relationship.

I have like three within a few miles.

Trader Joe's is okay; it is healthy and not too expensive; but Costco is far cheaper.

[Woof]

Originally Posted by SoCalSun

I have like three within a few miles.

Trader Joe's is okay; it is healthy and not too expensive; but Costco is far cheaper.

Costco CAN be cheaper, but not always - you have to check the unit prices. Often meat and fish used to be cheaper at supermarkets (it's been a few years since I shopped there, so I don't know if that's still true.)

[jerseygal4u]

They have a great frozen meals section,esp Indian fare.