547 Comments / By Lisa Leake / September 27, 2012 / Food Shopping
Readers have been asking more and more what real food products to buy at Trader Joe’s, so I thought I’d just turn the discussion into a blog post! First of all, I don’t do all my shopping at Trader Joe’s (I get produce, dairy, and other items atEarth Fare and the farmers’ market), but I do go there every couple weeks for some staples that in some cases I can’t get anywhere else.
Secondly, I know Trader Joe’s is touted as a health food store, but just like the rest of them they still sell a whole lot of (organic, gluten-free, vegan, multigrain, etc.) junk food! A reader asked me once if there was anywhere she could shop for food without having to scrutinize labels and just buy anything that’s available (while still avoiding processed food).
To be honest, the closest you are going to get to a place like that is the farmers’ market, and even then I still like to ask if they spray chemical pesticides or use syntheticfertilizers on their produce. So long story short, you pretty much always have to have your guard up…and that even includes shopping at Trader Joe’s!
Before I dive right into the products though I want to be sure to tell you about two of our sponsors. Our sponsors are what keep this site going for free so we really appreciate it when you send them some love. :)
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What I buyregularlyat Trader Joe’s…
Trader Joe’s Whole-Wheat Pitas Finding decent bread products at the grocery store is no easy task. Most people have to go to a bakery or make it themselves in order to have 100% whole-grain bread made with only 5 or 6 ingredients, which is why I was so excited when I figured out that these Trader Joe’s pitas fit the bill. It’s so great to have an alternative to regular sandwich bread…because I like to switch things up every now and then! –
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Trader Joe’s Sliced Havarti Cheese I like theconvenienceof pre-grated cheese, but not the powdery additive that’s used as an anti-caking agent to keep it from sticking together (cellulose – made from wood pulp), which is why I thinkpre-slicedcheese is the perfect middle-ground. It’s super quick and easy without anyunwantedadditives…because no matter how hard I try I cannot get my cheese slices this perfect and uniform. Plus I am learning that havarti is good on just about everything (including those pitas that I just mentioned above!). :) – –
Trader Joe’s Organic Hummus It would appear that I am creating a delicious pita sandwich here with these first three items! Sure, I like to make homemade hummus, but I don’t always have time and this is the only organic version that I can easily find. They no longer carry organic hummus (to my knowledge) at Earth Fare, which is again where I do my main shopping. – –
Coconut Oil I can find organic coconut oil elsewhere, but not at the TJs price of only $5.99! Now that’s a deal compared to around $10 at other stores. – –
Yogurt Sometimes it can be a challenge to find yogurt that meets all my criteria…organic, whole-milk, plain, and reasonably priced! Now if yogurt is on sale at the other stores it’s the same price as the Trader Joe’s stuff, but when comparing regular prices this one is a little bit cheaper. – –
Honey It may not be local honey, but once again it’s reasonably priced! I normally buy big glass jars of local honey from Earth Fare or the Farmers’ Market, but forconvenienceI do like to have one squeeze bottle around for when we need just a little (onoatmealfor example). – –
Nuts and Seeds Speaking of cheaper…you cannot beat the price of nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, pine nuts, pecans, etc.) and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, etc.) at Trader Joe’s. BUT I will say that price sometimes comes at the cost of quality. Earlier this year I noticed a few bags of our Trader Joe’s cashews smelled and tasted funky. I tried using them anyway and they pretty much ruined our whole batch of granola. Nuts may be more expensive out of the bulk bins at Earth Fare, but at least I can do a quick quality check. I do know that Trader Joe’s does accept returns so you could still roll the dice and try to save money on their nuts and seeds…and just return them if they don’t work out. – –
Coffee/Espresso I save lots of money stocking up on coffee and espresso from Trader Joe’s whenever I am there! Organic coffee can be a big ticket item elsewhere. – –
Three Buck Chuck Yes, guilty as charged. We put a great deal of effort into selecting the highest quality food available and then we wash it down with cheap wine. What can I say…we are definitely not perfect! It’s not that we don’t enjoy (or want) more expensive wine it just doesn’t help the budget if you know what I mean. [UPDATE: Since writing this post I’ve switched to the organic wines that Trader Joe’s offers instead of “3 Buck Chuck.”] –
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What I buyoccasionallyat Trader Joe’s…
Whole-Grain Pretzels There are not many 100% whole-wheat pretzel options out there. These contain corn syrup (although not much), which is definitely less than ideal, but sometimes beggars can’t be choosers. So every couple of months we’ll pick up a bag of these just to keep our school lunches interesting! – –
Lara Bars These are available at quite a few places now…Target, mainstream grocery stores, all the health food stores, etc, but once again it’s hard to beat the price at Trader Joe’s. So if I am there and happen to think about it I pick some up. ––
Ak Mak Crackers These are one of our favorite brands of crackers because they are both whole-grain and organic! I can buy these elsewhere, but I do sometimes get these from Trader Joe’s as well. – –
Cheese It all comes back to price. Trader Joe’s has some of the best prices on cheese (which can get pretty expensive elsewhere), but to be honest their selection isn’t my first choice when it comes to taste. So depending on how the budget is stacking up at the end of the week I sometimes go for their cheese as a cheaper alternative. –
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What non-processed foods do you like to buy at Trader Joe’s?
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About The Author
Lisa Leake
Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.
Love Trader joe ‘s organic crunchy no salt peanut butter, Tj’s organic tomato sauce.
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Lydia
November 22, 2017 at 7:34 am
I buy mini avocados, delicata squash, gouda, nitrate free turkey bacon, raw almonds, raw cashews orangic coconut milk, coconut aminos, sunflower oil, haberno hot sauce, smoked salmon bacon, raw organic honey, bourbon vanilla, vegan marshmallow, organic porcorn kernels, coffee, tea.
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Cara
August 3, 2017 at 10:06 pm
I lovvvvve the frozen grilled asparagus (nothing weird added) and the diced peppers (frozen) are inexpensive and can liven up a morning breakfast in a hurry
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Melissa
August 3, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Could you please do an updated “What I Buy at Trader Joe’s” post? It’s so helpful, and there are a lot of new items at TJs since 2012. Thanks!
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Kim
April 29, 2017 at 9:28 am
I always buy canned coconut milk there because it doesn’t have a ton of additives. Peanut butter: the one with peanuts and salt and nothing else. Frozen fruits and veggies are cheaper here than elsewhere that I shop. Ancient grain blend for baking and on my oatmeal. Their dried fruit is the only brand I can find without added sugar and preservatives- mangoes and apples are my favorite!
Kim. I love their dried fruit as well. Target, Harris teeter and publix all sell made in nature brand and they are all straight up fruit. No preservatives or added sugar! I love their dried cranberries
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Kimberly Beasley
June 9, 2017 at 1:57 pm
I don’t think I’ve found that brand yet! I’ll have to look – thanks!
Katy Watters
April 29, 2017 at 3:01 am
I love the crociferous crunch salad there! I make my own dressing of ACV, olive oil, and fresh squeezed orange juice, along with cranberries to make the most perfect salad!
Plantains!! I always stock up on plantains at TJ’s.
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Neal
April 28, 2017 at 2:24 pm
I love the frozen artichoke hearts. There’s nothing better than not having to whittle down 10 artichokes to make dinner. They go for $3.69 here which is fantastic for 12oz. We also like the washed bagged salad selection. Not the pre-mixed ones with dressing and all, just the greens like arugula and baby spinach. They’re very convenient. I’d love to just grow some myself but I have a huge walnut tree that takes all my sun.
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Annette
December 7, 2016 at 12:59 am
I love that TJs has pretty much a no questions asked return policy. We’ve gotten some things that weren’t quite up to snuff, replaced, no problem. We’ve gotten some things that we just didn’t like– money back. We’ve inquired about new things– they’d open one up to try, right then!
I tried finding a good bread at TJ’s but the closest thing to healthy contained either soy or canola oil. But I am going to indulge myself in their whipped topping. It is the most nutritional on the market outside of making your own nut toppings.
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Lara
November 6, 2016 at 12:44 pm
Hi! I’m wondering what you guys think of Food For Life’s Ezekiel 4:9 pocket bread? Not sure about all of the different flours. Thanks!
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Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
November 13, 2016 at 8:27 pm
Ezekial bread is a good choice. :)
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Gina
September 25, 2016 at 11:03 am
I buy their organic peanut butter and Ezeikel 4:9 Whole Gtain Sprouted bread. Do you think that this bread is a “real food”? I know it has more than 5 ingredients, but they are all organic grains. Curious as to your opinion on this.
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Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
September 30, 2016 at 9:49 pm
Hi. Just be sure the peanut butter has only peanuts and maybe salt in the ingredient list and, yes, Ezekial Bread is a great choice!
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Rene
September 21, 2016 at 11:27 am
You can put your nuts in the freezer and they will last longer.
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Kendra
July 29, 2016 at 11:29 pm
Their goat cheese has the best price anywhere.
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Beth
July 29, 2016 at 6:03 pm
TJ’s almond butter is awesome as is the Hatch Valley Salsa
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Stephanie M
May 4, 2016 at 1:46 pm
You have got to try their 99 cents corn tortillas. They are delicious and only have healthy 3 ingredients.
Trader Joe’s has the ONLY corn oil I will buy because it is GMO Free. Their Olive Oil won a national taste test and we do love it even though that we can’t verify that it’s GMO Free.
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Stacy
May 4, 2016 at 12:33 pm
Trader Joe’s products with their own label are all gmo free (according to them).
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Laura
April 21, 2016 at 8:08 pm
TJ’s version of Lara Bars: apple strawberry; apple mango; apple coconut; apple banana. Just those two ingredients in each bar.
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Amy
April 21, 2016 at 9:56 am
Since the closest one to me is three hours away & it just opened, I’ve only been one time, but what I got was great! Grilled cauliflower from the frozen section, roasted brussel sprouts, and pork belly.
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Jenni
April 21, 2016 at 8:13 am
If you are looking for a great winery… Benzinger wines is better than organic…its biodynamic! I know my Costco carries their merlot and Cabernet.
Chili and Lime Flavored Rolled Tortilla Chips. Whether it's their satisfying crunch, the just-hot-enough seasoning blend, or the fact that they're $2.99 per bag — or a combination of all of the above — these rolled chips bested everything else on Trader Joe's shelves and in its freezers to come out on top.
Informal Tone:- I love Trader Joe's products and I think it would be really fun to work for a company that I'm so passionate about. I also think it would be a great opportunity to learn more about the food industry and to meet a lot of new and interesting people. Good luck with your Interview at Trader Joes.
Trader Joe's employees put new products on the sales floor daily to ensure customers receive the highest quality groceries possible. However, if you hope to get your hands on the freshest possible produce and perishables, you may consider visiting Trader Joe's early in the day.
"Trader Joe's con continuously gets the highest customer satisfaction scores from all grocery chains." They talk about what makes Trader Joe's so unique and popular, including their focus on community, curated selection, transparency around pricing, and exceptional customer service.
Between the positive work environment and the unspoken expectations to work to the best of their abilities, these employees are notorious for the friendly manner they treat all their customers with.
When asked in an Indeed survey about the difficulty of their interview at Trader Joe's, most respondents said it was easy. Indeed's survey asked over 907 respondents whether they felt that their interview at Trader Joe's was a fair assessment of their skills. 85% said yes.
I would recommend dressing business casual. I wore a flats with a blouse and skirt and I can tell they appreciated how I took it seriously and dressed up for it. Jeans, work boots, and possibly layered clothing. I dressed business casual for the interview.
For the uninitiated, Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, or simply “Tony's” as it's more fondly called, is a seasoning mix featuring salt, red pepper, black pepper, chili powder, and dehydrated garlic.
Perfect for roasts, steaks, hamburgers, seafood and chicken and can add a savory touch when sprinkled on steamed vegetables, rice, and pasta, cottage cheese, baked potatoes, French fries, and eggs. Salt, sugar, paprika, garlic, spices, microcrystalline cellulose (anti-caking).
From burgers to steaks, chops, chicken, and more, just sprinkle on a generous dash of our Chop House Seasoning before hitting the heat and you'll be the King of the Grill, leaving your guests begging for more. Ingredients: salt, black pepper, red pepper, garlic, rice flour, paprika, olive oil and spices.
Weekends are a busy time. So plan to go early in the week on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. In addition to being the best days to go, the hours between 8-10 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are usually the most leisurely times to shop.
But it also requires a minimum 10-cent charge for bags made of recycled paper, which Trader Joe's is now giving to shoppers for free. Other Southern California supermarkets are allowing reusable bags if the customer does their own bagging and are continuing to charge 10 cents for reusable plastic bags.
Mid-week trips are your best bet for prime shopping
According to one Reddit user that offered their Trader Joe's knowledge as a long-time employee, the best times to shop at TJ's are early in the morning on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Most locations averaged between 10,000 and 15,000 sq ft (1,400 m2). California has the largest number of stores with 193 open in the state. The chain's busiest location is its 72nd & Broadway store on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
She mentioned the outgoing, charismatic employees who are encouraged to strike up conversations, its quirky hand-drawn signs, its low prices, its unique seasonal products, and its fun, laid-back atmosphere that helps it to stand out from the hustle and bustle of other popular supermarket chains.
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