Why obsession with trader joes? fruits/veg by item not

amother

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 6:04 pm

weight? I've never heard of stores selling fruits and vegetables like bananas, peaches, peppers by item rather than weight. Why are people so obsessed with trader joes? Prices for fruits and veggies are very expensive because they charge per fruit or per vegetable. Even regular items, I don't understand what the big deal is?

amother

Chestnut

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 6:27 pm

Then it’s not your thing. That’s ok. I don’t get the hype around avocado or sushi.

amother

Yellow

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 6:32 pm

Not all fruits and veggies come out more expensive there. Cucumbers lettuce snap peas string beans watermelon Bananas way cheaper than my local supermarket.

writinggirl

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 6:39 pm

amother Brickred wrote:

They have great snack items

This! Also, if you don’t keep CY, they have fantastic, well-priced products. I also love their assortment of nuts.

amother

Natural

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 6:42 pm

It's just a hype. People like hype. I don't get the store either. I went once and never again.

miami85

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 6:48 pm

For some people its' about getting fresher/local produce and for some items come out "cheaper" per item than by weight--you just pick the biggest ones you see.

amother

Bluebonnet

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 6:49 pm

I don't go for the fruits and vegetables. I don't buy fruits or vegetables there, aside from bananas which are very cheap.

I go for other things which are much cheaper and usually healthier than other places. Such as: marinara sauce, spices, unique spice blends, whole wheat bread buns and wraps, cereal, snack foods, almond milk, smart dogs, pasta, lentils, etc etc....

I don't do hype, if you know me you would know I am not a hype person. I go for practicality reasons.

BH Yom Yom

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 6:51 pm

I get lots of GF stuff there, and yummy snacks! Good prices for a lot of items also.

amother

Pewter

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 6:52 pm

I admittedly am very bad at paying attention to prices, so I can't tell you what's a big saving there, a small saving there, or no saving at all there, but what I do notice is that when I shop there I walk out with a lot more bags full of food than I do elsewhere for the same money. And I am primarily buying produce at TJs.

amother

Mulberry

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 6:57 pm

I love their fruits. We just had the most delicious watermelon. It was 3.99 for a whole small watermelon- it was fresh and delicious and better priced than it would be elsewhere. Good prices on cherries and peaches as well. Each week things are priced differently.

I also love some of their snacks, frozen veggie burgers, and other random stuff. And their flowers. White hydrangeas last for 2 shabbosim! I buy on Thursday and they last for 2 shabbosim.

amother

Snapdragon

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 7:18 pm

I only go to Trader Joe's once in a while but I like certain specific items that I can get there and nowhere else (pareve chocolate chips, chili lime chips, certain spices, etc.)

icedcoffee

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 7:38 pm

amother Natural wrote:

It's just a hype. People like hype. I don't get the store either. I went once and never again.

It's not a hype for me. It's been in my hometown almost two decades and has always been my favorite grocery store. Just because you don't get it doesn't mean it's not far and away the best option for other people. It's weird to brush off everyone else's experiences because you personally didn't like it.

Edit typo

Last edited by icedcoffee on Sun, Sep 03 2023, 7:45 pm; edited 1 time in total

shaqued_almond

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 7:43 pm

Cheaper than whole foods for organic food. But I like to go there when we're traveling. We went to Kentucky and although there were no Jews in the town, they had kosher chicken and cy feta.

PinkFridge

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 7:58 pm

I got to TJ for stuff besides produce, but I invariably pick up produce I'm low on that's fairly reasonably priced.

chocolate moose

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 8:00 pm

good coffee and interesting snacks and definitely cheaper nuts, etc. Cereal.

amother

Bellflower

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 8:20 pm

I moved from the U.S. and it's one of the things I miss most. I brought back so many spices, my luggage was practically overweight. Thank God I kept them in the sealed bottles anyway because customs could have a field day if they wanted to. The snacks I brought were quickly finished and I can't source them, not even on iherb. I used to shop there regularly. I wish they would do iherb style international delivery, but I assume it's not worth it for them.

amother

Outerspace

Mon, Sep 04 2023, 12:03 am

They sell unique products that you can’t get anywhere else. I go for specific items that we like, not necessarily fruits or vegetable.

Ema of 5

Mon, Sep 04 2023, 12:07 am

amother OP wrote:

I haven’t read through yet, but I shop there because, generally, their produce is better than the other stores where I shop, and it lasts longer.

amother

Navyblue

Mon, Sep 04 2023, 12:24 am

As long as you realize most of their food is junk - enjoy!