We’re back with another installment of our grocery adventures, and this time it’s our Trader Joe’s haul. After showing you what we grabbed from Aldi’s, Sam’s Club, and Fry’s, it is only fair to include Trader Joe’s.

Quote of the day: “The most certain sign of Wisdom is cheerfulness.” Michel de Montaigne

If it’s one thing you’ll notice in all of our grocery shopping hauls, it’s that they start to look the same week after week.
Yes, we tend to eat the same things over and over, and most of the time it’s “real food” or, as I like to say, ingredients.

I wanted to share not just our selection from Trader Joe’s, but also how it has carved out a special place in our hearts and kitchen.

First, Why We Keep Coming Back to Trader Joe’s

We experienced Trader Joe’s when we lived in Denver, but we weren’t fans. In fact, we tried it twice and then never went back.
But in Arizona, Trader Joe’s has become our go-to, and in reality, the real reason is #1. It doesn’t hurt that it’s very convenient to where we live, but that’s not the only reason.

1. The People

Hands down, the friendliest employees in town. I’m convinced they go through a special kindness boot camp, because it’s not normal to have this many cheerful, helpful people in one place. Although maybe not because that wasn’t the case in Denver.

You wouldn’t think that having a nice chat while someone is ringing up your groceries would make a difference, but it does.

That’s not the only example. If you ask an employee where an item is, they will walk you to it. Not just point you in the right direction.

And then there was a time, the checkout guy gave us a bunch of flowers because it was Rob’s birthday. I mean, how special is that?

2. Pre-Cut and Prepped Produce

Yes, we’re capable of chopping our butternut squash; however, sometimes the convenience is better than sliced bread.

The items we tend to get pre-cut:
-Butternut squash (we use it in this 2 ingredient fudge)
-Jicama
-Fennel
-Kale & Spinach

3. Budget Friendly…In a Surprising Way

Many of the items we purchase in our Trader Joe’s haul are specifically because their prices are lower on a day-to-day basis. Sure, some of the bigger stores have loss leaders that are cheaper, but I’ve read many articles on how Trader Joe’s keeps their costs down.

Insider details: Trader Joe’s stores have 2 big factors that keep costs down.
1-They leave out the middleman.
2-Their stores are smaller in square footage. If you’ve ever been in the stores, you realize how they are ALWAYS restocking because the space is tight.

The items we routinely buy because of the low cost (Aldis also has low prices on many of these, but our Trader Joe’s is closer and thus we visit more often):
-nuts
-canned beans
-dog treats
-almond butter/tahini
-certain spices (but not all)

So, as with everything, there are disadvantages to every option. Sure, you don’t find 12 brands of each item, but then again, maybe that’s a good thing to reduce the mental noise of choices.
Another con is that some items are only available during certain seasons. For instance, the mashed sweet potatoes we occasionally have for breakfast are only available during the Christmas holiday time.

The Trader Joe’s Haul Breakdown

We focused mostly on produce in this Trader Joe’s haul, which is the norm for most of our grocery shopping. Let’s go over what we grabbed, along with our thoughts on how we’ll be using them.

Insider tip: While we tend to buy the same things over and over, I still use my Bobby Approved or Yuka app to scan UPC codes if I’m unsure. It saves me from having to read the ingredient list.

Produce

• Avocados – If we aren’t having avocado toast for breakfast, then we add them to salads or make guacamole to eat with relishes.
• Bananas – I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Rob is bananas about bananas. We usually eat them with our yogurt and berries in the morning, but they are also a base for our chia pudding bowls.
• Colorful bell peppers – We eat these at almost every meal as an appetizer (after reading Glucose Revolution, we try to eat veggies first).
• Broccoli/Cauliflower/Cabbage –All cruciferous veggies are wonderful for brain and gut Health. We either add these to salads or quinoa bowls or air-fry them for dinner.
• Jicama Sticks – These can be a crap shoot. Sometimes they are fabulous and sometimes not so much.
• Cucumbers/Carrots-These are a staple for our veggie appetizer as well as a snack for Piper.
• Mushrooms– We aren’t mushroom fans, but we push ourselves to add them to our cart occasionally. These brown button ones are our go-tos. (At Sprouts, they have Lion’s Mane mushrooms at times, and those are our faves.)

Extras

These are the non-produce items in this Trader Joe’s haul.

• Yogurt– This thick and creamy yogurt is one of our faves. It’s clean and tastes delicious.
• Bone Broth – We have been buying this more and more. After Rob’s functional nutritionist suggested it for Rob’s gut health, I’ve been using it to make rice, quinoa, and any grains we cook. (I use half bone broth and half water.) I do get the chicken bone broth occasionally, too, but the beef bone broth is less expensive.
• Chia Seeds – It’s part of our healthy Lifestyle. Usually used to make Chia Pudding Bowls for breakfast, but sometimes we just sprinkle it on salads.
• Black Garlic – We’ve been buying this for some time, just as a different spice for our cooking. Yet we recently learned it’s also fermented, which is great for our guts.
• Chocolate Chips– This is our go-to brand for chocolate chips because there is no soy in them. We use them for a healthy fudge recipe and sometimes just have a couple as dessert.

Other things that are on our Trader Joe’s list occasionally, but not this time:
–Saukerkraut– Rob’s functional nutritionist suggested fermented foods to help with his gut. Trader Joe’s Saukerkraut is clean and delicious. I use the leftover juice to mix with yogurt for a salad dressing.
-Salmon- In the frozen section, they have wild-caught salmon.
-Prosciutto- In the refrigerated section, they have prosciutto that is nitrate-free. Rob loves to add this to our morning eggs for an extra bit of protein.
-Raisins-We don’t eat a lot of dried fruit, but these are always a good deal. No added sugar either.
-Sweet Potatoes- I will prebake these in the Instapot so we have them as part of breakfast or as a side at dinner.
-Sardines/Anchovies- These are brain-healthy foods that we will add to pasta dishes or salads.

Greeting Cards & The Nos

If you’re one who sends out greeting cards, then it’s no surprise how expensive they’ve gotten.

Trader Joe’s always has a fun selection for only $1. I like to stock up and have them ready to go.

At this time, there are some things that we NEVER purchase at Trader Joe’s:
–Cottage Cheese– they still don’t have a clean version (by clean, I mean without gums and thickeners)
–Beef-we haven’t found grass-fed and grass-finished.
–Flowers-I know everyone LOVES these, but we just don’t buy them.
–Energy Bars– Their selection doesn’t fit our bill for clean ingredients.

Update: We did find a pre-cooked grass-fed (but doesn’t specify grass-finished, although it is “Bobby Approved”) that is fabulous.

How Does Trader Joe’s Compare to the Others?

Since we’ve also shared our hauls from Aldi, Sam’s, and Fry’s, here’s a little comparison:

• Aldi is great for pantry staples and super-low prices, but the produce selection can be hit or miss. They do have that middle section of the store where you can find some great deals on miscellaneous items. For instance, we bought the BEST rug runners and a cat cave in the past.
• Sam’s Club is our go-to for bulk buys like paper towels and freezer meats. While we do buy produce, we have to be ultra-aware that we will use it because it can spoil.
• Fry’s (our local Kroger brand) is convenient, has a big selection, and decent digital coupons, but the prices can creep up if you’re not careful.

Trader Joe’s strikes a lovely middle ground—good prices, fun finds, and consistently fresh produce. And while we can’t do all our shopping here, it’s become our favorite stop.

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Final Thoughts: If You’ve Never Been

At first, Trader Joe’s was weird to us. The brands weren’t the ones we were familiar with, and even the prices of bananas were different (per each instead of per pound).
However, once we started going regularly, we discovered nutritious and budget-friendly options that fit our needs, as you can see in this Trader Joe’s haul.

The friendliness of the employees keeps us coming back often, and the prices are good for our wallets.

Insider tip: You can tell a lot by what is in people’s grocery carts, eh? It’s no different than showcasing your personality with what you’re wearing.

People Watching Challenge:
Here’s a fun game if you enjoy people-watching. Sit back and analyze the people and what they buy at the grocery stores. You tend to start seeing trends.

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The post Trader Joe’s Haul: What Makes This Store Special appeared first on Jodie’s Touch of Style.

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