Please explain Trader Joe's

[Anonymous]

I swear by TJs package and frozen goods (especially their fish), as well as their nuts, coffee, nut spreads, bread and eggs - all of which are better quality and less expensive than Giant, Safeway, Whole foods etc.
I have never, and will never buy their produce however. I leave that to WF.

[Anonymous]

I love Trader Joe's -- and this is sooo accurate

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2011/01/why_everyone_at_trader_joes_hates_you.php

[Anonymous]

Wegmans and farmers markets are way better than WF for fresh produce.

That's a sweet story, I'd like to thank you for sharing it.

For those of us who don't like in the sticks, Wegmans is a wildly inconvenient proposition. I could tell you the Zabar's has excellent whitefish and lox, and that also wouldn't mean anything to most readers since we don't live on the upper west side of Manhattan.

I'm not driving 28 miles from the city to buy grapes.

[Anonymous]

sorry, 'live' in the sticks. For those of us who don't live in Dulles or Upper Marlboro ...

[Anonymous]

I think MOMs Organic Market has MUCH better produce than Whole Foods does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually like the produce at TJs and lots of other products that they only sell there. The big draw over Whole Foods is that it is much cheaper. I can't afford to do regular shopping at Whole Foods.

I agree. TJs is a good source for organic produce that's priced much better than what's available at WF. There can be some hitting/missing, but it's usually possible to leave my TJs (Foggy Bottom) with a nice haul of produce. Freshness usually compares favorably to the Harris Teeter and Yes Organic Market in my neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've gone a couple times to the one in Bethesda and went to one in San Francisco before. Maybe I'm spoiled by the four Whole Foods within a mile of my house, but I can't seem to see why Trader Joe's is so popular. Their produce is always wilted and I don't think I would ever buy meat there.

Yes, yes, you are if you can afford to do all your shopping at Whole Foods are are puzzled why some people go to a discount grocery store. I'm about to shock you: Some of us actually venture to several grocery stores looking for a bargain. Sorry to have to do that, but luckily you can go to Whole Foods and console yourself with a $50 pack of blueberries.

[Anonymous]

Some of us actually venture to several grocery stores looking for a bargain. Sorry to have to do that, but luckily you can go to Whole Foods and console yourself with a $50 pack of blueberries.

[snort] [spill coffee on keyboard]

I shop at 4 different chains myself, including WF and TJ. I get misty eyed looking at the artisan, hand sliced, organic frozen cauliflower sold in the WF freezer section. It's $4 for 6 ounces. I think possibly it's made out of gold threads and rare white truffles but I can't be sure since I've never bought it.

[Anonymous]

I go to Trader Joe's for the cheap wine and the chai. The rest of the time I shop at the Giant and get discounts on gas.

[Anonymous]

There's a Wegmans in Fairfax...

[Anonymous]

Trader Joe's has several items that either you cannot get anywhere else or if you can get them elsewhere (like WF), they cost four times the price. A few Trader Joe's must-haves:

1. Chocolate covered caramels. Plainly packaged but these are better than the finest Belgian caramels you can find.
2. Dried pomegranate seeds. Are you kidding me? These healthy treats now are just $1.50 per bag.
3. Frozen Asian/mexican food. A huge selection of healthy stuff here that's quick to make. Check the labels because there are a few fat-filled outliers.
4. Frozen seafood. Try the red snapper or the shrimp.
5. Organic coffee that's about 1/2 the price of anywhere else.
6. Awesome selection of bread.
7. Nuts and trail mix - many varieties.
8. Wide variety of low fat chips and other snacks.

The worst problem with TJ is that they move stuff around constantly and sometimes discontinue your favorite item (wherefore art thou, dried strawberries?).

[Anonymous]

I go to Trader Joe's because I find it easier to shop somewhere where I have less choice. 35 different types of jam - which one to buy? TJ's will only have a few types, so I spend less time choosing and can be out of the store quicker. Plus I like the allergy labeling in TJ's, and the fact that they will call head office to give me info on products that are not labeled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a Wegmans in Fairfax...

I'm not the PP who pointed out that it doesn't pay for those of us who live in the city to haul our too-cosmopolitan asses way the hell out to Wegmanvilles. But my dear, it hardly argues against her point when you inform us of a Wegmans in Fairfax as if it would be of any use to us.

[Anonymous]

We are soon to have a new Trader Joes in our neighborhood...two blocks from a great Whole Foods.

I need both for the following reasons:

Trader Joe's:
wine/beer, cereal, granola, milk, eggs, water, pasta, bread, produce (when its fresh), chocolate, kid's snack packs, yogurt, etc...all organic and all very, very much cheaper than Whole Foods. Plus--they have all of the wonderful seasonal baking kits, advent calendars, etc. for kids.

WholeFoods:
I need fresh (not frozen) fish. I will not buy frozen fish at TJS..and the meat is also better at WFs. Certain fruits are better at WFs..but certainly bananas and other tyeps of fruit can do well at TJ.

I can honestly say that I can't get one bag of groceries at WFs for under $100. TJs-- I often have 2 or 3 full bags for the 1 bag I come out of WFs with.

The sad part is...I still hit up Safeway/GiantorTeeter and every 6 weeks Costco for other items.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've gone a couple times to the one in Bethesda and went to one in San Francisco before. Maybe I'm spoiled by the four Whole Foods within a mile of my house, but I can't seem to see why Trader Joe's is so popular. Their produce is always wilted and I don't think I would ever buy meat there.

Yes, yes, you are if you can afford to do all your shopping at Whole Foods are are puzzled why some people go to a discount grocery store. I'm about to shock you: Some of us actually venture to several grocery stores looking for a bargain. Sorry to have to do that, but luckily you can go to Whole Foods and console yourself with a $50 pack of blueberries.

Not OP. I also 'bargain shop' grocery stores near my house and (I'm about to shock you), for in season produce, WF usually meets or beats the other stores on price and always beats them on quality.