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I have heard people declaring stuff like this many times on the internet, and it makes me wonder how much time they're actually spent in a Trader Joe's. If you go to a TJ's and decide to buy a bunch of fancy frozen prepared stuff and candy, then yeah, I guess one could "spend more than one should." But if you compare the cost of regular groceries (cooking oil, pasta, bread, coffee and tea, cheese, cereal, condiments and so on) to regular chains like Safeway and QFC/Kroger, Trader Joe's is actually substantially cheaper for equivalent items. (Their produce, at least here, isn't very good, unfortunately) But for other basic stuff I save a lot of money shopping there.
Produce at our TJ's isn't too great, and most supermarket produce in NJ is hard, tasteless crap trucked from California. I get produce from local farm stands in season or from a good produce store that sells better quality stuff in the winter..
I like their:
pita chips
Mediterranean hummus
coconut cookies
pink lady apples
raw almond butter
seltzer water
dark chocolate
frozen indian food
salmon
Their produce is hit and miss. I notice some of it goes bad kinda fast like the spinach I bought but i bought some raspberries that lasted pretty long. I don't get everything from there but their prices are cheap. I've never seen anyone sell bananas for 19 cents each like they do.
Location: where you sip the tea of the breasts of the spinsters of Utica
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Did the raspberries taste good, Hershey? They've tasted disgustingly mild and watery around here for the last few years, but I haven't tried them at TJs.
Trader Joe is just good at marketing their products like free samples but overall it's overrated imo. I can go to Wegman's and pick out many similar products and pay for less. Many of their asian foods are just rebranded products.
For most Americans that have never been to an Asian supermarket like H-mart, Trader Joe just neatly re-labels some of the frozen Asian foods that are made by Asian companies and stick a TJ label over it.
Overall TJ just another niche place that sells many popular fad foods.
Trader Joe is just good at marketing their products like free samples but overall it's overrated imo. I can go to Wegman's and pick out many similar products and pay for less. Many of their asian foods are just rebranded products.
For most Americans that have never been to an Asian supermarket like H-mart, Trader Joe just neatly re-labels some of the frozen Asian foods that are made by Asian companies and stick a TJ label over it.
Overall TJ just another niche place that sells many popular fad foods.
What's funny is that a lot of the Asian food is cheaper at TJ's than at my local Asian market. The same brand of mochi ice cream balls is $2 more at Super H Mart. You've gotta shop around! Also, while I love Super H, my local pre-bundles veggies. I'm one person - I do NOT need 2 pounds of bok choy! They're my go-to for fruits, condiments, seasonings, and seafood (if I can avoid the frozen aisle with all the dim sum!).
My latest TJ's craze is summer slaw. I grew up hating cole slaw - it must be the dressing. It hit me when it TJ's the other day that I actually like the veggies in the slaw and they have a "Super Slaw" blend of shredded cabbage, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. Could I shred them myself? Probably - but I have very little kitchen space and no box grater or mandolin. So, precut I go! And for $3.50, I have at least 4 very healthy meal-sized salads (since I eat them as my meal and not as a side).
The latest meal du jour (with * to denote TJ's items):
super slaw mix *
avocado (wherever it's cheapest, sometimes TJ's)
salsa verde*
grape tomatoes*
lime juice
frozen roasted corn*
salmon burger*
pea shoots*
torn up kale*
superfood blend (given to me by a friend - Whole Foods salad addition with lots of sprouted stuff in it, spirolina, and chia seeds)
Delicious, filling, and yet surprisingly low calorie, low fat, and healthy. It takes me 5 minutes to throw everything together in a big container at night and then I dole it out during the week. I've also changed it up by removing the avocado, lime, corn, and salsa and instead making a dressing of TJ's goddess dressing whisked with lemon juice and topped with their frozen falafel. You can change the protein up by using black beans, chickpeas, shredded chicken, tofu, etc. I feel like the energizer bunny afterward. And I'll be 100% honest, for the few extra $$s I might spend on convenience, I know without a doubt that it goes miles further into me eating healthier.
Even my boyfriend will eat it without complaint! And yes, I could absolutely do it on my own from a normal grocery store, but who can beat the convenience? I also do not often see pea shoots in my normal grocery store and we're hit or miss with brussels sprouts at this time of the year.
Its all about being a good shopper and knowing your habits and what the convenience cost is worth to you. My home is much more harmonious when I'm not battling out for kitchen space with my 2 roommates or eating dinner at 9PM because I don't get home from work until close to 8.
What's funny is that a lot of the Asian food is cheaper at TJ's than at my local Asian market. The same brand of mochi ice cream balls is $2 more at Super H Mart. You've gotta shop around! Also, while I love Super H, my local pre-bundles veggies. I'm one person - I do NOT need 2 pounds of bok choy! They're my go-to for fruits, condiments, seasonings, and seafood (if I can avoid the frozen aisle with all the dim sum!).
My latest TJ's craze is summer slaw. I grew up hating cole slaw - it must be the dressing. It hit me when it TJ's the other day that I actually like the veggies in the slaw and they have a "Super Slaw" blend of shredded cabbage, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. Could I shred them myself? Probably - but I have very little kitchen space and no box grater or mandolin. So, precut I go! And for $3.50, I have at least 4 very healthy meal-sized salads (since I eat them as my meal and not as a side).
The latest meal du jour (with * to denote TJ's items):
super slaw mix *
avocado (wherever it's cheapest, sometimes TJ's)
salsa verde*
grape tomatoes*
lime juice
frozen roasted corn*
salmon burger*
pea shoots*
torn up kale*
superfood blend (given to me by a friend - Whole Foods salad addition with lots of sprouted stuff in it, spirolina, and chia seeds)
Delicious, filling, and yet surprisingly low calorie, low fat, and healthy. It takes me 5 minutes to throw everything together in a big container at night and then I dole it out during the week. I've also changed it up by removing the avocado, lime, corn, and salsa and instead making a dressing of TJ's goddess dressing whisked with lemon juice and topped with their frozen falafel. You can change the protein up by using black beans, chickpeas, shredded chicken, tofu, etc. I feel like the energizer bunny afterward. And I'll be 100% honest, for the few extra $$s I might spend on convenience, I know without a doubt that it goes miles further into me eating healthier.
Even my boyfriend will eat it without complaint! And yes, I could absolutely do it on my own from a normal grocery store, but who can beat the convenience? I also do not often see pea shoots in my normal grocery store and we're hit or miss with brussels sprouts at this time of the year.
Its all about being a good shopper and knowing your habits and what the convenience cost is worth to you. My home is much more harmonious when I'm not battling out for kitchen space with my 2 roommates or eating dinner at 9PM because I don't get home from work until close to 8.
you hit it being a good shopper and knowing your products is the secret. We would do almost anything for a Trader Joe's here, but certainly it would not be our main shopping place. There are some things you can not get the same, for the same price in grocery stores, no matter which stores. Anyone who thinks they can needs to rethink or do some true research.
For us, until TJoe's decides we are worthy of them: we depend on Aldi's, Sam's and yes, our small, independent grocery store her in town. I know prices and quality, I shop wisely I think and I would love to add T.Js to my list.
Did the raspberries taste good, Hershey? They've tasted disgustingly mild and watery around here for the last few years, but I haven't tried them at TJs.
Yes they taste good to me. They always tasted a little sour, not as sweet as other berries but I like them.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BATCAT
Um, I thought basically everything (packaged) at TJ's is a re-branded product.
Well, it's obvious they use outside vendors but they seem to put their own touch on things. I was told their Kung Pao Chicken was sent back to the vendor for changes 3 times before it was accepted as a TJs product. I can't prove that to be true or not but it's really good stuff in any case.
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