Trader Joe's...What's the deal? (buying, price, groceries)

[JWhiskey]

Yeah Aldi owns TJ's. I am a big fan of Aldi. I will be less than a mile away from one when i move next week! The only thing is, I think Aldi is more kitchen staples (flour, sugar, meats, veggies, etc) and TJs appears to have more "fancy" stuffs. Aldi is pretty bare minimum aside from their random special items that chagne week to week. I thinking I may try to get a part time job over at TJs. They are hiring holiday temp staff, and the pay isn't terrible (well for a part time job anyway) plus 10% off woohoo! Think that may be a way to try out some TJ's items without having to pay full price'

Yes I've heard it's a zoo on weekends! I've also heard that the way to shop there is to hoard like your life depends on it! Because things disappear off the shelves and sometimes never come back!

mmmm All the food you guys are mentioning is making me hungry. But I am totally making a TJs "to-try" list. Thanks!

[Alex07860]

Originally Posted by JWhiskey

I know this is technically not a New Jersey specific question....but I trust you guys and you've offered up some good advice before so I figure what the hell.....

So I was perusing the local shopping chains in my soon-to-be-home area (Roselle) since I don't know the area very well, and I noticed that I am only a few miles away from a Trader Joe's. I've never lived close to one before, and I keep hearing how much people love it. But when I read a bit about it on the web, I noticed that people mostly rave about their packaged foods, and I'm a more make-my-grub-from-scratch kinda gal. So is this place as good/cheap/awesome as people say? Or should I just stick to the local Shop Rite and such?

You lucky person!!!! I'd kill to have Joes nearby. Just try it!!!

Furniture Queen aka Mrs.Alex07860

[DowntownJerseyCity]

I LOVE TJ's. Funky foods that are very affordable, but look elsewhere for produce and meats.

[Bklyn4Life]

What is Trader Joes without the "3 Buck Chuck"??? Not worth the trip, as far as I'm concerned. I hit the one in NYC with liquor sales.

[RYNBYD14]

EVERYTHING ABOUT TJ'S IS AMAZING! I spend a lot of time there and its great. The people that work there are GREAT. Since they are a small time private company they can frequently run out of products but its no biggie, the crew members really truly care if your product is there or not, even though some customers seem to get really mad at them, its not their fault in the least bit. Parking stinks, but thats thanks to the town sucking and not letting them have more parking. I noticed that the employees pay for their parking so customers can have more chances to park. YES the weekends are INSANLEY busy there, but its nothing new and nothing that can be done about it. On Sundays the state does not allow them to sell wine/beer untill 12 p.m. so that is something to keep in mind, nothing can be done about this.

To the person that commented on the break/baked goods, I get all that stuff all the time and have never had one stale item. They get all that stuff shipped in fresh every morning. I know for a fact that each morning they throw out all of the "day" bread and put up all new bread.

Oh and TJ's is yes owned by German billionaire Theo Albrecht, one of the two brothers behind Aldi, but TJ's has no other relationship with them they are ran completely separate by completely separate people.

[Diane Giam]

I love TJ's also. Even their cake mixes taste like scratch. Their Cornbread mix is amazing, and I know good cornbread from living in the south now.
I like their frozen cakes and their cheeses are good. Try the Goat Cheese with Honey. They also have fresh meat, and some roasts with seasoning.
No Wine here because of the Liquor laws, but they do sell beer here which is allowed in the Supermarkets.
We have Aldi here, and its nothing like Trader Joes's.


Diane G

[clevedark]

The only reason I will go to Trader Joe's is for the coffee. They carry a bunch of salty frozen stuff and a bunch of candy and chips. Marginal produce. Uneven canned and jarred items. The meat is treated with salts and flavorings, it's not to my taste at all. If you come to depend on a certain item, just wait a year or two, they will discontinue it and you will have to find a substitute elsewhere. I depended on their refried beans for years, it kept me coming back, but then poof, my store carried them no more. I found a better product in Amy's and am much happier.

If you know how to cook, there is no reason to go to that store--you'll only leave frustrated and empty-handed.

[nutleynut]

TJ's is employee owned that is why service is so good. Everyperson gets trained for all positions and starts at bottom and can go as high as they want/can as long as there is an opening. There "thing" is to go all over the world and bring in products that are high quality and low cost. The mainstays are Cheese, produce, wine, meats (Kosher too). I like to get the fish, they have fresh frozen wild caught Halibut, Salmon, Alaskan Cod (rock cod) Swordfish, Mahi mahi, etc.. as well as farmed Tilapia and catfish. At pretty good prices. I'm only an hour from a port by road out here and the fresh stuff is usually a couple bucks more per pound.

[shannybannany]

Originally Posted by Bklyn4Life

What is Trader Joes without the "3 Buck Chuck"??? Not worth the trip, as far as I'm concerned. I hit the one in NYC with liquor sales.

$3 bucks now?

It used to be $2 buck chuck and here is the thing about that.

Way back when....TJ's used to buy out small, vineyard's stock in No. California. This was some mighty tasty wine that was great. This was also the same wine where they won awards and this $2 buck chuck phenomenon started.

Now....they bottle up any swill and live off the days when it was the small vineyard stuff.

I wouldn't drink $2 buck chuck if my life depended on it. I would ALWAYS get an immediate headache after a few sips.

I had a very nice TJs in my town in Cali. It was ok but I have to agree with a PP (I think Clevedark) that if you know how to cook, all the pkg'd stuff at TJs isn't that great (at all).

I would go there for bread and flowers and that was it.

~just my 2c

Shanny

[Lusitan]

I find the 3-buck chuck about the same in quality as any other inexpensive table wine. It doesn't leave me with headaches, and I'm just fine with drinking it when we pick up a case.

That said, it's not the fine wine I'd break out when the in-laws come over for dinner! :-)