Is Trader Joe's Overhyped and Overrated?

Parent Cafe
101

Our closest TJ is in a big public park type area with a Von’s (Safeway) at the other end so I just park halfway in between and shop both stores. But I prefer Ralph’s (Kroger) and our local independent grocery store. We’re lucky in San Diego that there are so many healthy groceries, especially catering to vegans - not that I frequent them, but they are here! DH’s sister visited and she is strict kosher with Celiac - and we could find food for her easily.

We’ve always used their California Estate olive oil - which they just stopped carrying. I love their Tuscan melons every summer, and sometimes their pineapples in the winter. DH gets most of our fruits and vegetables at the weekly farmers markets, after which he goes to WF, especially for bulk rice/nuts and fish/chicken. Also occasionally pick up TJ’s mini Maple Chicken Breakfast Sausages. We’ve had their Thanksgiving brined turkeys a couple of times. Nuts and cheeses when needed. Also jugs of maple syrup. Frozen cheese blintzes.

Daffodils for under $2/bunch every spring.

And yes, the Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Jo-Jo’s, although this year I skipped the cookie part and just went for Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Creams.

102

Is nobody else here in love with their Chicken Shwarma? (Not frozen, just marinating in the pack and ready to throw on the grill when you get home).

103

Lemon Curd
No stir crunchy peanut butter
Honey chevre
Cut flowers or pots of tulip bulbs for my table and then I plant them
bags of small pink lady apples for grandkids and greatgrandma
Butternut squash raviol
Cans of dog food w lamb
Sesame oil
TJs sourdough bread
Milton’s wheat bread is cheapest at TJs
Ezekial bread
TJ pain de lait for tiny sandwiches for great grandma
shelf stable whip cream, nice to have around as a back up
Dijon & whole seed mustard
Crackers: pita chips, everything crackers, gorgonzola crackers; little fancy fruity crackers
I avoid those peanut butter cups, too good!
Smaller size packages of cheeses and meats when the kids were not nearby
All sorts of fruity/nutty mixes
Balsamic glaze at a good price so I don’t need to smuggle the Tesco ones
Steel cut oats
Blintzes
Israeli Couscous
Corn Salsa (mixed into the couscous)
Coconut pancake mix

104

-I love the wine selection and prices at TJ.

-The frozen brown rice is great to have in the freezer for days when I want to do a quick stir fry but don’t have 45 minutes for brown rice to cook.
-Aged white cheddar and English Cotswold cheese
-Bags of avocados
-Shaved brussel sprouts
-Pork loan roast

I love chicken shawarma & will have to look when I go to TJ. However, I am careful about sodium, and I often have to pass up prepared foods for that reason.

105

I live in NYC and ride the subway to grocery shop. I love TJ’s. It’s a LOT cheaper than mst other places in the City. Moreover, maybe because of the neighborhood, they sell a lot of things individually or in small sizes. which is really nice for those of us who live alone.And the workers are the BEST!!!

I like yogurt. A few years back it was HORRIBLE but it seems to have switched vendors and it’s good. Moreover, while you have to be careful --it varies by flavor–many flavors have less added sugar than Chobani or Dannon.

Kerry Gold butter–cheaper than elsewhere.

Cheeses–agree with many other posters that the price and variety are good. They also have some “lite” versions–Havati, Jarlsberg, Feta, Mozzarella–that are good and lower calorie. I eat LOTS of cheese because I have osteoporosis but prefer the lights for calories. I agree though that the chevre is delicious.

Agree with the poster who mentioned butternut squash ravioli.

Hummus–especially the Kalamati olive version

At Christmas time,I like its “Light” egg nog. Whole Foods version is more than twice as expensive and so rich I feel like I’m drinking a heart attack.

Like the “just a handful” almonds. Helps me exercise portion control and keeps the nuts fresh.

Tea is good and cheap. Especially like the Irish Breakfast and in the fall, Pumpkin Spice. Buy others just for variety.

Organic hot chocolate mix during the winter.

I don’t use it much these days, but lots of flavors of spaghetti sauce, tasty and cheap.

I can buy one zucchini or one avocado. ( My fussy, only eats organic friend says the organic avocados are better than Whole Foods’.)I also like the peeled and ready to eat baby organic carrots and some of the “all ingredients you need” salads. Otherwise I end up having to have the same salad dressing for a year or until it expires.

Frozen risotto with mushrooms or spelt with asparagus.

Liquid hand soap and shampoo and conditioner are good and relatively cheap. I especially like the Lemon Kitchen soap, as I make a lot of fish–which I don’t buy at TJ’s --and it does a good job getting the smell off your hands. The tea tree oil shampoo is my favorite shampoo but the others are good too.

And then there’s the wine store–there’s only one in the City. A bottle of my favorite New Zealand white is $14 vs. $20 at the “Buy Rite.”

106

Another New Yorker who lives alone, in Brooklyn. I schlep my stuff home from Trader Joe’s on the bus. I love the teeny-tiny avocados–6 little avocados for 2.99 to 4.99 (price varies, usually $3-4). No more halves turning black in the refrigerator.

Plain, frozen brussels sprouts, $.99 for a one-pound bag.

One-pound bag of trimmed string beans for $2.99.

Cocktail tomatoes (Campari equivalent), 14 oz. for $2.29.

Frozen Korean scallion pancakes. I heat them up at 400 in the toaster oven for 10 minutes, mash a teeny tiny avocado, a little lemon juice, a squirt of tomato paste in the tube (less than $1.50), topped with a flat scrambled egg.

Bananas $.19 each.

Mirepoix (shredded carrots, onion, green pepper) in a 1-lb container, for when I cook something like soup, $2.99.

Persian cucumbers, a 1-lb package for $2.29.

The “plastic” bags on a roll for individual fruits and veggies are biodegradable.

107

Do neither of you New Yorkers shop at Fairway?

108

@oldmom4896 - Agree that the frozen brussel sprouts are a real find at $.99.

109

@mathmom I used to shop at Fairway in Red Hook (Brooklyn) but it’s no longer convenient. I went to one in Manhattan about a year ago and I was not impressed.

The original Trader Joe’s in Brooklyn was so crazy busy that sometimes on weekends there was a line to get INTO the store. No thank you! But they opened another one about 5 blocks away and I manage to do during the day/during the week when there is rarely a substantial line.

110

@mathmom
I shop at both - Fairway & Trader Joe’s. I buy only certain items at each. I’ve been surprised to see long lines for the cashier at the store a couple blocks from the original Fairway.

PSA: Fairway’s prices vary, depending on location. this was a shock … only learned because I shop so regularly at the Harlem location where I know the price (or weekly sale price) for an item. I was surprised when the same item at the Chelsea location cost more.

As for Trader Joe’s, for me, having “grown up” with them in California, I missed them when I moved. TJ, California Cuisine in the 1970s, and an adventurous palate were the perfect match. When the stores expanded to the east coast, I would explain to friends that they’re a connection to my past. There’s no reason to think you have to shop there. In particular I thought it crazy to have a line of people waiting to get into the store at Union Square when it first opened.

I have shopped at locations in NJ, NYC, Westchester County, and Boston-Cambridge. Some try to have the historically friendly Trader Joe’s spirit. They all generously & graciously accept returns.

111

I usually stay on the UWS when in NYC, Fairway and TJs are quite close to one another. I run into fairway for quick things, as they are the closest market, but I don’t get all the Fairway hype – TJs has much better prices and Citarella has much better quality seafood, meats, and prepared foods at similar pricing to Fairway.

112

My favorite Trader Joe’s item is their chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. When I feel like I deserve a treat I’ll buy myself a box but that ends up only being once or twice a year.

113

We like TJ for selected items: chocolate, nuts, eggs, olive oil, salami, cheeses, wine, tea tree oil facial wash, sometimes packaged salad and milk products. TJ is less expensive then other stores we have in the area and has better products.

114

I’m adding in a +1 to the Lemon Hand Soap and the variety of tea. Every time I go to TJ’s a pick up a box of a flavored tea to share at work.

All of my kids and in law kids love the TJ’s Moisturizing Cream Shave Honey Mango and the only soap I use in the shower is the Trader Joe’s Ginger Almond Oatmeal Exfoliant Soap - $2-3 (can’t remember for sure!) and it lasts months.

115

Trader Joe’s is amazing, better alternative to Whole Foods or Sprouts. The best thing there are the Quadratini wafers.

116

Another +1 for the lemon hand soap, which I discovered after Soft Soap changed their formula a couple of years ago.

117

Love soap as well. Favorites are gluten free bagels and bread. Also GF waffles best and cheapest I’ve found

118

There is a good Freakonomics podcast at http://freakonomics.com/podcast/season-8-episode-24/ that explains more about the hype, why some people are so loyal to Trader Joe’s, and how/why they are so successful. Personally, I prefer other supermarkets. I find that I can get a better selection of the products I like at better prices elsewhere.

119

I understand where you’re coming from, OP. One opened up in Tampa just a few years ago, far from us. Worth going to for some frozen stuff (lasagna-meat and veggie, falafel, pizza) and some wines every so often. In general we do not rely on that store, it isn’t worth frequent trips. Prefer it to Whole Foods, btw. I’ll stick with regular stores.

120

Too bad we can’t do polls on here. I’d like to see a WF vs. TJ’s one. :slight_smile: