Community Chat

[panda1234]

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@lovesrecess wrote:

One of my daughters loves Trader Joe’s....she rarely shops anywhere else. There is one about two miles from me that opened last year; I made one trip and walked through the store, determined to buy something. Very small store so they didn't have that many products. It seemed like almost everything was a convenience product like instant stir fry or instant this or that...or their famous cookie butter but things I don’t ever buy. Nothing peaked my interest enough to buy it. We house-sat for my daughter last year and there was almost nothing in the house but Trader Joe’s products. I sent DH for takeout.😬 the prices didn't seem very high but they seemed to pkg things in smaller quantities than what I see at the grocery store, so that may explain that. 

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@lovesrecess  you are exactly right about the smaller packaging. That is how their prices are kept lower. I do love to shop there and go once a month. They have some unusual products that are imported that I like to buy. 

[50Mickey]

I shop Trader Joe's for certain items but not regular grocery items.  Great flowers, frozen desserts, great prices on produce. Their pepper jelly has a cult following. Certain times of the year they carry items like the precut frozen hasselback potatoes. This year I bought an olive wood cutting board, small wreaths and Christmas greenery.  Would NOT recommend the 2 buck chuck. Their wine prices are high for a decent bottle of wine.

Only a certain # of people are permitted in the store at a time. You wait in a line outside until an employee waves you in. All carts wiped down outside before you are given a cart. Check out lines are marked for social distancing.  Trader Joe's is one of the few stores that I have noticed where no one goes in without a mask and people respect the idea of social distancing. You also remove your receipt form the register. 

[Cakers3]

We have 2 but one is smaller, so sometimes it can be a hit or a miss for special items during holidays.

I do not buy much produce there but I've found prices can be cheaper for their organics.

I think you will not find any grocery store offering lower prices in all products. 

There is always competition and special deals which can make a store seem less expensive but overall if you compare all the time you will find one store just doesn't save you more than any other.

Whole Foods actually has some items that are cheaper than TJ's on a regular basis.

Other stores sell more variety of brands so that factors in, too.  Anytime you have a store brand you usually pay less.

[Teddixat]

My favorite store. Been shopping at Traders for 40 years here in CA. I think the poster named Tupe is just a negative poster. Trader Joe’s doesn’t sell rancid or stale food.

[proudlyfromNJ]

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@SANNA wrote:

We are lucky here in NJ, we have every possible store. I have 2 of TJs in my vicinity.

But I never shop there. Maybe very very occasionally for particular items. Many of my friends love it. I find this chain very limited in choices ,especially top quality foods. Also it is always looks somewhat disheveled, messy. People who work there are super nice but they all look like potheads or recovering alcoholics ( same thing in California, my brother loves this store).

My favorite stores are Wegmans,Costco and my local Shoprite.

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@SANNA  I go to Trader Joe's in NJ. Potheads and alcoholics? I've never seen that. Stores are also neat. We probably go to different stores.

[Cakers3]

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@SANNA wrote:

We are lucky here in NJ, we have every possible store. I have 2 of TJs in my vicinity.

But I never shop there. Maybe very very occasionally for particular items. Many of my friends love it. I find this chain very limited in choices ,especially top quality foods. Also it is always looks somewhat disheveled, messy. People who work there are super nice but they all look like potheads or recovering alcoholics ( same thing in California, my brother loves this store).

My favorite stores are Wegmans,Costco and my local Shoprite.

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@SANNAPlease enlighten us as to what a "recovering alcoholic" looks like.

Same with "potheads". 

Or do you just make assumptions based on your own distorted view of how people "look".

Just wondering.

[kaydee50]

I like TJ's and find the prices reasonable.  They also don't indulge in coupons, specials, etc.  The price is what the price is.  They don't have the selection that a regular supermarket has but I've had no problems with what I've bought there and we go there once a week.

BTW, DH and I are from NYC and we have found TJ's cinammon raisin bagels the best bagels we've had outside of NYC!!!!

[Karie2022]

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@lovesrecess wrote:

One of my daughters loves Trader Joe’s....she rarely shops anywhere else. There is one about two miles from me that opened last year; I made one trip and walked through the store, determined to buy something. Very small store so they didn't have that many products. It seemed like almost everything was a convenience product like instant stir fry or instant this or that...or their famous cookie butter but things I don’t ever buy. Nothing peaked my interest enough to buy it. We house-sat for my daughter last year and there was almost nothing in the house but Trader Joe’s products. I sent DH for takeout.😬 the prices didn't seem very high but they seemed to pkg things in smaller quantities than what I see at the grocery store, so that may explain that. 

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I have to agree with this...we have one near us and I rarely go..it's always crowded and I find it's mostly packaged food, ours is also quite small....mostly younger people in there-25-40 ish crowd, but that could be just ours. Everything I bought that day was below average, but again..jmo.

[Cakers3]

*waving to @Noel7 because a thread about TJ's was always one you would start for us so I am hoping you can read this and I am sending to my fellow traveler on the road to a better Earth all the best for health, happiness, and peace*

[4kitties]

I have only been to one Trader Joe's.  The one in St Louis, MO.  I LOVE it,💕

We stock up on certain items when we get there.  The store is very clean and the staff is wonderful.  I love the Cookie Butter and the Kalamata Olive Oil.  There are some frozen items I would love to try but they do not transport well!🤣

Wish we had one here in my town.  It is not a store where I would shop for everything, but I would certainly shop there often for their specialty items!