In , Fortune suggested that Trader Joe's pita chips were made by Stacy's, and that Stonyfield Farm supplied much of the yogurt on the east coast. Eater took things one step further and used the Freedom of Information Act to request recall information that mentioned Trader Joe's by name. Of course, big brands wouldn't want you to know that you can pick up their food for less at Trader Joe's, so it's unlikely any of these comparisons will ever be confirmed.
Even the former VP of marketing, Mark Gardiner, told Eater that he was in the dark about who made the brand's most popular products. It's a secret agreement, and no one is allowed to talk about the product's suppliers. Trader Joe's doesn't market themselves as a Whole Foods or a gourmet market, but it kind of is.
The low-key grocery store has been selling wine since the 's, and their successful low-cost formula has allowed them to offer affordable versions of gourmet cheeses, specialty nuts, and exotic frozen meals.
Many of these products would have been considered gourmet at the time they arrived, and Trader Joe's continues to stay a step ahead of food trends by offering innovative new products each year. According to the FAQs on their website, their private label brands contain high-quality ingredients, too. Their labels may not say "GMO-free" on the product because U.
They also claim to sell "approximately four times more organic products than a typical grocery store," and their organic options can be less expensive than conventional options. If you're just looking to stock up the freezer, pantry, and liquor cabinet, Trader Joe's can be a one-stop-shop. Unfortunately, it doesn't have everything you'll find in a normal grocery store. That means if you're looking for necessities — like toothpicks , diapers, corn starch, or aluminum foil — you'll have to make a stop at another store while you're out.
You also won't find all the choices of brand variety that you may be accustomed to. That can be a good thing. After all, who really wants to compare the ingredients and price on 12 different brands of ketchup? They do this on purpose so you can rest assured that they tried it, they liked it, and they trust that you don't need any other options. In some ways, that level of confidence is comforting, but if you're expecting to have product variety, you might want to realign your expectations before you walk in the door.
No trip to Trader Joe's is complete without a stop by the alcohol aisle. When founder Joe Coulombe opened the first Trader Joe's in , his vision was to create a neighborhood grocery store with a great wine selection.
Today, that selection has expanded to beer and spirits, too, depending on the state's liquor laws. If you're lucky enough to live in a state where you can shop all three, you'll find an excellent selection of usually inexpensive options. They're most famous for their Two Buck Chuck , a super-value priced Charles Shaw wine available in a variety of red and white varietals.
When it comes to beer, the Chicago Tribune reports that Trader Joe's beers are often brewed by award-winning breweries.
It's no longer in production, but for a long time they had a very affordable Mission St. Pale Ale, which brewed by Firestone Walker. The beer actually won a few medals at Great American Beer Festival.
Make sure to ask questions before you put these items in the cart, though, because sometimes the alcohol isn't covered in their return policy. When you're looking at things you should and shouldn't buy at Trader Joe's , the produce section is pretty polarizing.
On the one hand, their organic produce is usually less expensive or comparable with other grocery stores, according to The Kitchn. Unfortunately, it's not always packaged in a way that makes sense.
As Kiplinger points out, a lot of Trader Joe's produce is prepackaged, making it impossible for you to choose how much you want to buy. That's great if you want to buy a whole package of carrots, but what if you just wanted one apple? Sorry, you have to buy the entire bag. That said, there are some great deals to be had in the produce aisle — especially their beloved salad kits like the Southwest Salad — but steer clear of the prepared produce.
Things like riced cauliflower and spiralized carrots cost way more than doing it yourself at home. The one item that does always shine is the super-cheap bananas; they're always priced at 19 cents the same price they were in the 70s.
Trader Joe's frozen section is absolutely legendary. There is more variety in this section than anywhere else in the store, and it's not just ingredient variety. You can stock up on filling mains dishes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or pick up a few items to have on-hand for an appetizer or snack. They also have dozens of dessert options. Because most of the items in this section are private label products, the prices are super reasonable. A TJ's employee tells us that the store's milk is pasteurized once, while other stores pasteurize milk multiple times.
That may result in a fresher glass, but if you can't finish the whole carton in time, you're better off shopping elsewhere. Truffle flavor can be pretty overwhelming, which is why it tends to come in small doses. This cheese has way too strong a truffle flavor, even for lovers of the expensive fungus. The premade sandwiches at Trader Joe's look enticing, but we tried several options and the consensus was that they're both bland and dry.
The premade wraps have the exact same taste problem, so it's safe to say this isn't a good lunch option. The greens aren't fresh, and any premade salad that contains meat or fish is questionable. When meat or fish taste weird, you know it's time to either head for the hills or to prepare yourself for a serious stomachache. We recommend the former. As you might guess from the name of this breakfast cereal, these are the Trader Joe's take on Cheerios.
They're a bit bland, though, and the texture is off—you're better off with the name brand in this case. Yes, it's great to have so many pasta alternatives out there.
But do you really want your pasta to taste like black beans? The flavor and texture of this pasta didn't sit well with us. What's worse than making pizza with a crust that crumbles easily?
Not much. Unfortunately, TJ's cauliflower pizza crust crumbles when it's in the oven. Following the directions on the package, we put it directly on the rack, and the rest is history. Instead of enjoying a homemade pizza , you might be scraping the bottom of your oven for at least ten minutes. If you want to use this gluten-free crust, we suggest using a pizza pan, rather than placing it straight on your oven rack.
A plant-based option may seem preferable to a red meat option, but the ingredients really matter, and these don't exactly cut it. Rizzo notes that while these are low in carbs and sugar, which is great, the protein amount could be better and she doesn't love the addition of caramel coloring. Snacking on rice seems like a better alternative to, say, potato chips or cheese curls, but in this case, that's a hard no.
If you want something salty and crunchy, I'd recommend some of Trader Joes raw nut mix and sprinkle some sea salt on top! Think of these plant based burgers as Trader Joe's version of vegan veggie burgers. That sounds healthy right off the bat, but these miss the mark. Yule noted that while these burgers certainly aren't the worst things you can eat, they aren't necessarily the best. But it's not perfect: "This burger isn't a good choice if you are looking to lower your saturated fat intake, as it contains 16 grams per burger.
It is also quite high in calories, at calories per burger. I tend to prefer and recommend leaner red meats, as they are lower in both calories and saturated fat. Kitchen Tips and Tools. Delish Shop. United States. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Trader Joe's. Chicken Tikka Masala. Caramel Ginger Popcorn. Organic Fruit Spreads. Turmeric Ginger Coconut Beverage. Mandarin Orange Chicken. Protein Muffins. Chicken Pot Pie.
Coconut Cream Latte. Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Quiche. Fully Cooked Falafel. Focaccia Primavera. Candy Coated Chocolate Peanuts. Organic Fruit Flavored Snacks.
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade. Pita Chips with Cinnamon and Sugar. Flavored Cold Brew Coffee.
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