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 at Earth 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 synthetic fertilizers 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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I’d also like to make sure you know about Tattler’s BPA-Free Reusable Canning Lids. If you haven’t finished canning all your summer produce yet then now is the time! I canned some green tomato relish myself last weekend and it was super nice having the Tattler lids on hand because to be honest I have trouble keeping track of which Ball lids have been used before or not. :) If you want to give them a try be sure to use coupon code “100Days” for 5% off! And now back to Trader Joe’s products…
What I buy regularly at 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 the convenience of 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 think pre-sliced cheese is the perfect middle-ground. It’s super quick and easy without any unwanted additives…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 for convenience I do like to have one squeeze bottle around for when we need just a little (on oatmeal for 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 buy occasionally at 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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I always stock up on the bags of organic oats because the price can’t be beat. Whole wheat pasta, organic string cheese for snacks or lunches, pre-cut butternut squash and occasionally low sodium vegetable or chicken broth.
Organic fruit/veggies/ and frozen fruit and veggies.
Grass fed organic chop meat, grass fed cheddar, grass fed butter
Coconut oil, 100% whole wheat- 1 ingredient and i think its organic, organic whole wheat pitas, occasional eZikiel bread if i amd short on homemade,
There organic plain whole milk yogurt isnt grass fed so i buy else where.
I also buy their organic free range chicken because best i can get. Wish pastured chicken was more available.
Organic nut/cranberry mix.
Occasional wild caught frozen salmon.
Olive oil is a steel at 1L 5.99—- forgot last time i ran out!! So next time.
not gonna lie, I actually like that you drink “3 buck chuck” because we are all human and not perfect…even in our food selections!! love all of your recipes and info—keep the great posts coming!!
I don’t shop at Tj’s often but when I do I usually stock my cart with:
Organic produce
Organic Yogurts
Nitrate/Nitrite Free Bacon
Gluten-Free Corn Pasta
Organic Whole Wheat Pasta
Organic Cheese Sticks
Nitrate/Nitrite free Ham
Some cereals (Puffins mainly)
Some organic grocery items: mayo, applesauce, ketchup
BTW – Costco now has some of the organic items you have listed above – Hummus, Coconut Oil, Honey (also raw honey). They also have some organic dried fruits (nothing added), organic maple syrup, and Organic Corn Tortilla Chips. They also have a few organic produce options. Just FYI.
I love Earth Fare, too, but they can be very expensive for organic items compared with Trader Joe’s and other places like Costco or HT. Healthy Home Market is a nice alternative sometimes to EF, especially if you don’t live in Ballantyne or Southpark.
I was just working on a list like this last week with a friend. It’s great to share those great healthy store bought products.
Thanks for all your inspiration :)
My staples are medjool dates, chia seeds, almond milk, natural peanut and almond butter, milk (good prices!), freeze dried banana chips, and I like the Asian peanut vinaigrette salad dressing!
Hi Lisa: have you done any research on Charles shaw wine? I had heard this before and found an article on why Charles shaw wine is so cheap…might be worth researching on your end before putting more of it your body…there is really no way that wine could be that cheap without some nasty things going on…three buck chuck and those neon red maraschino cherries have a lot in common in their processing… http://www.snopes.com/business/market/shawwine.asp
I am absolutely in love with TJ’s: their wine, cheese, bread, dark chocolate granola cereal, dark chocolate, ice cream, and yogurt. Usually these items are simple, and full of a few good ingredients. In addition to these foods which everyone else also mentioned, I get all of my Smoked Salmon (Lox) from Trader Joe’s. It is the only one I can find in a local grocery store that does not have preservatives, coloring, or smoke flavor added. And it’s absolutely delicious.
Btw I love what you do, and I have a related website: simplyearthycrunchy.com that also has food tips, recipes, craft ideas, and a few other things. Check it out :)
Mushrooms aren’t usually available at farmers markets here so I always get my criminis at TJ’s where they are well under $2 vs. $3-$4 elsewhere. Also the Bran Flakes have 6 ingredients but are still pretty good for $1.99!
1. Ezekiel Bread – incredibly inexpensive compared to other places
2. Rice Milk (Trader Joe’s Brand – this has oil, but it’s organic) and Soy Milk (Westsoy) – clean and inexpensive
3. I find nuts/seeds cheaper at my local Joe Caputo & Sons, so I skip them here
4. Organic frozen fruits and veggies – again, can’t beat the price
Dried fruit. Just make sure it’s non-sorbate. They have both with this preservative and without for many if their dried fruits… And at the same price. Why anyone would buy the preservative one I do not know.
And what do you feel about the fact that TJ’s won’t disclose the source of their organic products? I have a hard time supporting a company that isn’t forthcoming about the products they want us to buy. :(
LaraBars can contain an enormous amount of sugars…I always check the sugar grams on the back– if it’s more than around 9g, I leave it.
Don’t know much about TJ’s honey, but most honeys have been proven to have the pollen (the beneficial and traceable part!) removed because it is being imported illegally and under the radar from places like China. It’s been proven that the pollen has been removed from MANY major brands- Archer Farms (Target), and several of your typical grocery store brands. Basically, unless it says “raw” and unheated, you do not want to trust it. There is no reason to remove pollen other than making honey untraceable as to source. Local *is* best but raw is not bad. Vitacost and some organic options are raw…go for that instead. Don’t trust a squeezable bear container, cute as they are.
At TJ’s I always have to buy the coconut chips! Oh, so good. :)
I have been following this blog for 2 years. At first I did not think I could buy much at TJ’s ( a favorite of mine since it first arrived in my hometown back in the 90’s).
The product choices have improved over the last 2 years and now I find I can buy most of my groceries there. While my sons still wish we bought the fig and blueberry cereal bars, I do bend and buy a GMO free WW version at Costco that they love and I can be okay with…
Here is what I regularly purchase:
Bagged organic spinach and mixed baby greens, Organic carrots (both colored and plain orange), bananas, organic loose fruit and veggies, organic baby broccoli, organic zucchini, Organic sweet potatoes, Applegate hotdogs, nitrate free applewood smoked bacon, nitrate free turkey and ham, Whole milk, eggs, whole milk yogurt (the organic version is too runny for my taste so for this i buy regular whole milk yogurt)Almond and peanut butter, jellies sweetened with fruit juice, coffee, one type of barbara’s cereal , Organic pasta sauce with mushrooms, organic and regular pastas and rice, easy cook farrow and barley, olive oil, organic catsup, a types of their mustards, canned organic beans for ease when I forget to take beans out of the freezer, nuts (cashew pieces for homemade Lara bars), dried mango and raisins, Frozen veggies and fruit (both organic and not), Olive oil potato ships, organic tortilla chips (no salt), salsa verde for my son who loves it, whole wheat sandwich bread sweetended with honey, WW pits, Ww pretzels, ezek cinnamon raisin bread, chocolate, beer and wine oh and dark rum…
Their specialty cheeses are amazing, although they don’t have a USDA organic certification many of them are made by european producers and the prices are extremely reasonable. Halloumi for example is $4.99 but $12.00 at Whole Foods.
I bought the sesame seed honey cashews two days ago and I put them in a container and today when I opened them they had a funky smell to them, have they gone bad already?
Absolutely. They never question accept returns with a smile. Cheese selection terrific and $$ cheaper than other stores. Only complaint they no.longer have black truffle olive oil during Christmas season. BUT they do have real black truffle butter. So when season is winding down I buy about 50 pots and store in freezer using til season comes around again. Only other place with reasonably priced truffle olive oil black or white is Costco or World Market
In addition to their coconut oil and organic coffee, I love to buy their organic olive oil, organic dark chocolate (yum, esp. spread with my homemade cashew butter), organic fruit (apples, pears, oranges, lemons), conventional eggplant and avocado, organic chicken tenders, organic Thompson raisins, organic steel cut oats, and their frozen wild caught sole. There’s lots to buy at TJ that are less expensive than elsewhere if you know what to buy! I alternate between TJ and Whole Foods (WF is much better for organic nuts, organic leafy greens and fresh ginger).
Certainly not the healthy choice…But their Green Chile and Cheese Tamales!! Soooo good. I loved when they had Masala Tandoori Naan. My store no longer carries it :( So good with melted Muenster.
I love Ak Mak crackers! They are a favorite of mine. I also like the way TJs treats their employees. My son works there and part time employees get insurance, 401k, vacation days and more.
Most (not all) of TJ’s canned items are BPA free. I rarely use canned items but I always like to have TJs canned coconut milk and organic tomatoes on hand. Both BPA free.
I have done a lot of comparison shopping and have not been able to beat the deals I find at Trader Joe’s. I usually go in about once a week and pick up bananas, tomatoes, bagged baby lettuce, avocados, pico de gallo, gluten free bread(Udi’s), olive oil, and tortilla chips with flax seeds.
What I find so very disappointing about TraderJoes is that most of their products are labeled as being produced in a facility that processes peanuts & tree nuts. Can’t shop there for anything but produce & I can usually find organic produce cheaper elsewhere. Given the high incidence of nut allergies this is discouraging.
One treat I like to buy for my daughter’s lunch is their banana bread. I think it only has five ingredients and it’s made with whole wheat flour, bananas, sugar canola oil(not my favorite choice) and eggs. Oh and I think it has almonds sprinkled on top. I know I could make a healthier version at home, but once in a while a slice of that guarantees that she won’t eat what the other kids brought is a good thing to me.
I have lots of choices for fresh produce, organic dairy and whole grain breads. I use TJ for frozen items to supplement fresh and homemade–frozen organic brown rice (a favorite fast food) and frozen vegetables (all kinds).
The horseradish hummus!
I always stock up on the bags of organic oats because the price can’t be beat. Whole wheat pasta, organic string cheese for snacks or lunches, pre-cut butternut squash and occasionally low sodium vegetable or chicken broth.
I love that I can get whole organic carrots for less than a dollar!
Organic fruit/veggies/ and frozen fruit and veggies.
Grass fed organic chop meat, grass fed cheddar, grass fed butter
Coconut oil, 100% whole wheat- 1 ingredient and i think its organic, organic whole wheat pitas, occasional eZikiel bread if i amd short on homemade,
There organic plain whole milk yogurt isnt grass fed so i buy else where.
I also buy their organic free range chicken because best i can get. Wish pastured chicken was more available.
Organic nut/cranberry mix.
Occasional wild caught frozen salmon.
Olive oil is a steel at 1L 5.99—- forgot last time i ran out!! So next time.
not gonna lie, I actually like that you drink “3 buck chuck” because we are all human and not perfect…even in our food selections!! love all of your recipes and info—keep the great posts coming!!
You do realize that 3-buck chuck has a lot of additives that are not derived from the actual process of producing REAL red wine?
Hi Adam. Lisa has a note up there that she has switched to their organic wines since first writing this post. ;)
I don’t shop at Tj’s often but when I do I usually stock my cart with:
Organic produce
Organic Yogurts
Nitrate/Nitrite Free Bacon
Gluten-Free Corn Pasta
Organic Whole Wheat Pasta
Organic Cheese Sticks
Nitrate/Nitrite free Ham
Some cereals (Puffins mainly)
Some organic grocery items: mayo, applesauce, ketchup
BTW – Costco now has some of the organic items you have listed above – Hummus, Coconut Oil, Honey (also raw honey). They also have some organic dried fruits (nothing added), organic maple syrup, and Organic Corn Tortilla Chips. They also have a few organic produce options. Just FYI.
I love Earth Fare, too, but they can be very expensive for organic items compared with Trader Joe’s and other places like Costco or HT. Healthy Home Market is a nice alternative sometimes to EF, especially if you don’t live in Ballantyne or Southpark.
I was just working on a list like this last week with a friend. It’s great to share those great healthy store bought products.
Thanks for all your inspiration :)
My staples are medjool dates, chia seeds, almond milk, natural peanut and almond butter, milk (good prices!), freeze dried banana chips, and I like the Asian peanut vinaigrette salad dressing!
Hi Lisa: have you done any research on Charles shaw wine? I had heard this before and found an article on why Charles shaw wine is so cheap…might be worth researching on your end before putting more of it your body…there is really no way that wine could be that cheap without some nasty things going on…three buck chuck and those neon red maraschino cherries have a lot in common in their processing…
http://www.snopes.com/business/market/shawwine.asp
Hi Dorothy. Lisa has a note by the wine above that since writing this post she has switched to their organic wines. ~Amy
I am absolutely in love with TJ’s: their wine, cheese, bread, dark chocolate granola cereal, dark chocolate, ice cream, and yogurt. Usually these items are simple, and full of a few good ingredients. In addition to these foods which everyone else also mentioned, I get all of my Smoked Salmon (Lox) from Trader Joe’s. It is the only one I can find in a local grocery store that does not have preservatives, coloring, or smoke flavor added. And it’s absolutely delicious.
Btw I love what you do, and I have a related website: simplyearthycrunchy.com that also has food tips, recipes, craft ideas, and a few other things. Check it out :)
Mushrooms aren’t usually available at farmers markets here so I always get my criminis at TJ’s where they are well under $2 vs. $3-$4 elsewhere. Also the Bran Flakes have 6 ingredients but are still pretty good for $1.99!
1. Ezekiel Bread – incredibly inexpensive compared to other places
2. Rice Milk (Trader Joe’s Brand – this has oil, but it’s organic) and Soy Milk (Westsoy) – clean and inexpensive
3. I find nuts/seeds cheaper at my local Joe Caputo & Sons, so I skip them here
4. Organic frozen fruits and veggies – again, can’t beat the price
Dried fruit. Just make sure it’s non-sorbate. They have both with this preservative and without for many if their dried fruits… And at the same price. Why anyone would buy the preservative one I do not know.
What a pretentious article…
Curious as to why you say this?
For the past year, Costco has had Nutiva Organic Coconut Oil – http://www2.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11906996&whse=BD_823&topnav=bdoff
78 oz for 27.00 and sometimes they have coupons for 5.00 off. We use coconut oil a LOT, so I’m happy it is there.
I love Trader Joe’s cheeses, so I usually buy many of them. Especially if I’m hungry when I get there *smile*
What do you feel about this article? http://gmo-awareness.com/2013/02/02/is-trader-joes-organic-gmo-free/
And what do you feel about the fact that TJ’s won’t disclose the source of their organic products? I have a hard time supporting a company that isn’t forthcoming about the products they want us to buy. :(
Hi Jolene. We are familiar with the debate going on. Of course, we prefer transparency in all things but for now still really enjoy Trader Joe’s. ~Amy
If you have a Costco – they also have organic hummus!
I forgot! I usually also buy a frozen bag of French green beans ($1.99!)…love.
FYI:
LaraBars can contain an enormous amount of sugars…I always check the sugar grams on the back– if it’s more than around 9g, I leave it.
Don’t know much about TJ’s honey, but most honeys have been proven to have the pollen (the beneficial and traceable part!) removed because it is being imported illegally and under the radar from places like China. It’s been proven that the pollen has been removed from MANY major brands- Archer Farms (Target), and several of your typical grocery store brands. Basically, unless it says “raw” and unheated, you do not want to trust it. There is no reason to remove pollen other than making honey untraceable as to source. Local *is* best but raw is not bad. Vitacost and some organic options are raw…go for that instead. Don’t trust a squeezable bear container, cute as they are.
At TJ’s I always have to buy the coconut chips! Oh, so good. :)
I like TJs freeze dried blueberries to spinkle in granola. I can’t find them anywhere else without added junk.
I have been following this blog for 2 years. At first I did not think I could buy much at TJ’s ( a favorite of mine since it first arrived in my hometown back in the 90’s).
The product choices have improved over the last 2 years and now I find I can buy most of my groceries there. While my sons still wish we bought the fig and blueberry cereal bars, I do bend and buy a GMO free WW version at Costco that they love and I can be okay with…
Here is what I regularly purchase:
Bagged organic spinach and mixed baby greens, Organic carrots (both colored and plain orange), bananas, organic loose fruit and veggies, organic baby broccoli, organic zucchini, Organic sweet potatoes, Applegate hotdogs, nitrate free applewood smoked bacon, nitrate free turkey and ham, Whole milk, eggs, whole milk yogurt (the organic version is too runny for my taste so for this i buy regular whole milk yogurt)Almond and peanut butter, jellies sweetened with fruit juice, coffee, one type of barbara’s cereal , Organic pasta sauce with mushrooms, organic and regular pastas and rice, easy cook farrow and barley, olive oil, organic catsup, a types of their mustards, canned organic beans for ease when I forget to take beans out of the freezer, nuts (cashew pieces for homemade Lara bars), dried mango and raisins, Frozen veggies and fruit (both organic and not), Olive oil potato ships, organic tortilla chips (no salt), salsa verde for my son who loves it, whole wheat sandwich bread sweetended with honey, WW pits, Ww pretzels, ezek cinnamon raisin bread, chocolate, beer and wine oh and dark rum…
Their specialty cheeses are amazing, although they don’t have a USDA organic certification many of them are made by european producers and the prices are extremely reasonable. Halloumi for example is $4.99 but $12.00 at Whole Foods.
I bought the sesame seed honey cashews two days ago and I put them in a container and today when I opened them they had a funky smell to them, have they gone bad already?
Hello Selena. I’ve bought those and they had a pretty long shelf life. But, when in doubt, return them. ~Amy
Absolutely. They never question accept returns with a smile. Cheese selection terrific and $$ cheaper than other stores. Only complaint they no.longer have black truffle olive oil during Christmas season. BUT they do have real black truffle butter. So when season is winding down I buy about 50 pots and store in freezer using til season comes around again. Only other place with reasonably priced truffle olive oil black or white is Costco or World Market
In addition to their coconut oil and organic coffee, I love to buy their organic olive oil, organic dark chocolate (yum, esp. spread with my homemade cashew butter), organic fruit (apples, pears, oranges, lemons), conventional eggplant and avocado, organic chicken tenders, organic Thompson raisins, organic steel cut oats, and their frozen wild caught sole. There’s lots to buy at TJ that are less expensive than elsewhere if you know what to buy! I alternate between TJ and Whole Foods (WF is much better for organic nuts, organic leafy greens and fresh ginger).
Certainly not the healthy choice…But their Green Chile and Cheese Tamales!! Soooo good. I loved when they had Masala Tandoori Naan. My store no longer carries it :( So good with melted Muenster.
I adore the handmade flour tortillas!!!
I buy my olive oil there. Is it not the best place to get it?
Hi Susan. This might help: http://www.truthinoliveoil.com/2013/08/trader-joes-extravirgins-and-floozies. ~Amy
Spices! They don’t have a large selection of them but they are organic and cheap. We go through a lot of cumin and basil at my house.
You missed Ezekiel 4:9 bread. Foodbabe approved.
Great idea!
I think Lara Bars are cheapest at Target – they often have boxes of 5 on sale for $5. Their regular price for the box is still less than $6.
I love Ak Mak crackers! They are a favorite of mine. I also like the way TJs treats their employees. My son works there and part time employees get insurance, 401k, vacation days and more.
Most (not all) of TJ’s canned items are BPA free. I rarely use canned items but I always like to have TJs canned coconut milk and organic tomatoes on hand. Both BPA free.
Their raw almond butter is the cheapest anywhere. I realize it’s not organic, but the price is too good to pass up.
I have done a lot of comparison shopping and have not been able to beat the deals I find at Trader Joe’s. I usually go in about once a week and pick up bananas, tomatoes, bagged baby lettuce, avocados, pico de gallo, gluten free bread(Udi’s), olive oil, and tortilla chips with flax seeds.
Organic frozen fruit and veggies are much cheaper at TJs. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, corn and peas are all staples here.
What I find so very disappointing about TraderJoes is that most of their products are labeled as being produced in a facility that processes peanuts & tree nuts. Can’t shop there for anything but produce & I can usually find organic produce cheaper elsewhere. Given the high incidence of nut allergies this is discouraging.
One treat I like to buy for my daughter’s lunch is their banana bread. I think it only has five ingredients and it’s made with whole wheat flour, bananas, sugar canola oil(not my favorite choice) and eggs. Oh and I think it has almonds sprinkled on top. I know I could make a healthier version at home, but once in a while a slice of that guarantees that she won’t eat what the other kids brought is a good thing to me.
I have lots of choices for fresh produce, organic dairy and whole grain breads. I use TJ for frozen items to supplement fresh and homemade–frozen organic brown rice (a favorite fast food) and frozen vegetables (all kinds).
Actually, the owner of Aldi owns Trader Joe’s.