Trader Joe’s $151.29
Ohhhh Trader Joe’s. Have you been there before? I’ve often said that if I was a single working professional I would shop at TJ’s exclusively once a month and stock up on everything I needed for not only groceries, but ready made work lunches. I love the place. True, some products are slightly more than a regular grocery store, and their glorious snacks can put a dent in your budget real quick…. But when it comes to convenience, you just can’t beat the place.
So, right after we moved in, I headed to Trader Joe’s to load up on enough groceries to fill our bellies while we are in this transition period. And then went back again the next day for a few more things.
Second Trip to Trader Joe’s $45.44
The three of us {the HH, The Girl and myself} and Lucy are all staying in a 600 square foot furnished apartment until we haul all our stuff over to the east coast. Which, with just one exception, has been a really easy experience so far. The place is totally decked out with everything from linens, toiletries, cookware, and a few grocery staples {plus condiments!} and internet.
The only downside to the deal is that we are unable to leave Lucy “home alone” which at times has left me feeling a little cooped up. I can’t just pop down to the store for something or the Post Office to mail a package. Or go anywhere for that matter without taking Lucy along with me. But, with only 18 days to go… we are making it work.
Bartell’s $2.99 for soup mix {it was AWFUL} Fred Meyer – Free juice and eggs {loyalty coupons}
Now that our grocery shopping is done for the next little bit, all that’s left for me to do is work in rug hooking projects and walk Lucy. I’m pretty sure once moving day rolls around, I’ll be climbing the walls. I wound’t say cabin fever is setting in just yet… But I do think I’m going to Google the warning signs just so I can prepare myself in case it does.
If you’ve been reading this blog for a long time then you know my all time favorite dessert is the lemon tart. And Trader Joe’s 16 ounce tart for $6.99 is hands down WORTH EVERY PENNY. According to the label on the box, it serves four. Now I love sweets {probably way more than the average person} and I’m telling you the Trader Joe’s lemon tart could be stretched to 8 modest servings. 12 if you are going for dainty slivers with your afternoon cuppa.
And if you are a black licorice lover… The pieces I tasted were incredibly soft. Another winner. I’m pretty sure Trader Joe’s doesn’t have a black licorice factory though… and so I’d love to know who really makes it. Does anyone know?
Have a head cold? Feeling a little stuffy and need to clear your sinuses? Buy a jar of Trader Joe’s harissa salsa. Silly me, I thought I was buying a regular jar of salsa. Boy was I wrong. It’s good. Like really, really good over rice {and probably beans too} but WHOA NELLY…. it is spicy.
TJ’s burrata, prosciutto, and arugula flatbread pizza… Another winner.
But my favorite thing so far… The Peruvian style chimichurri rice. I tried it the first night we were here and then went back the next day for two more bags. This, is a recipe I want to try and replicate once we get moved in to our new place because I could seriously eat this every.single.day. of the week. It’s freaking delicious!
And even though we are in a transition period… It’s nice to know somethings never change. Like the HH getting served breakfast in bed on Sundays. 🙂 Home. It’s where you make it. And if you’re lucky enough to have some good food to eat as well, that makes it all the better. 😉
Have a WONDERFUL Monday everyone,
~Mavis
Curious minds want to know… If you could only shop at one grocery store for all your food… What store would you shop at?
- Total Spent This Week on Groceries $199.72
- Total Spent in February on Groceries $226.08
- Total Spent in January on Groceries $240.15
Go HERE to read more Shopping Trip Stories.
Connie says
I love black licorice too! Unfortunately, we don’t have a Trader Joe’s near us.
suzanne says
That haul looks delicious. It looks like your on a semi vacation but that can get a little old though I guess. Can Lucy be left alone in the car? We take ours with us everywhere weather permitting of course.
Peggy says
Aldi. Simply said.
Erica says
I’m pretty loyal to Fred Meyer. I know what I like there. I can predict pretty well what will be on sale for a better price and what to stock up on. When my twins were younger playland was a lifesaver!
I do like TJ’s, but we don’t have one in town. Have to drive 2 hours to one. So we stock up when we’re there.
Shari Harniss says
IF we had a Kroger in Columbus, GA, it would be my go to store. Maybe one day…
I shop at the commissary on Ft. Benning, and Aldi’s once a week for fresh veg and fruit, dairy, and staples for baking.
I miss going to Sprouts, too!
Mary Ann Davis says
The Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel’s are the bomb!
sindy says
I second that.
Katie says
Wegmans, hands down. Look for them when you hit PA/NY. Best grocery store on the planet. They’re Whole Foods without the sticker shock. They have tons of prepared food, and nice eating areas (mine even has a pub inside) so you can pick something up and eat there. Great for a long road trip when you can’t stomach looking at another Cracker Barrel or trying to find something healthy at a gas station.
Mavis Butterfield says
I don’t think I’ve ever been in a Wegmans! I’ll have to look it up and see if it’s on our route.
Jamie says
Wegmans is amazing!!!!!
Ann says
My bestie’s daughter moved from Dallas to MD upon marriage and discovered Wegman’s soon after. She describes it as “the Disneyland of grocery stores.” LOL!
Carole says
Seriously, Wegmans will spoil you for any other store
Marcia says
I agree. I’ve only been to one, in Erie when getting dropped off at the train station. It was heaven!
Margery says
Wegmans the thing I miss most about NY, the subs are the best ever.
Linda says
When we go to TJ’s, my grocery bill is always lower. I don’t buy as much meat there as I would at Safeway. But my family loves the lasagna. Great quick meal.
Suzanne says
I’d shop at Winco, but it’s no where near as fun as Trader Joe’s.
Laura L. says
Wegman’s is the store that has absolutely everything, plus ready to cook meals that are delicious every time. We just had their lemon rosemary whole chicken and it was tender and juicy with great flavor. Just popped it in the oven (with convection on) at 375 degrees and in 90 minutes it was done….open the packaging, slice and enjoy. The house smelled so good just from cooking the cooking!
My second choice would most definitely be Trader Joe’s which we go to once every few months or so. Their selection of cheeses is phenomenal……check Wegman’s out, Mavis, once you get to your new digs……you’ll love it, and by the way, all the best of luck, happiness, and contentment in your new home.
Ame says
TJ’s Tiramisu is to die for. I also like to get their peppers/onion blend in the frozen section for making fajitas, etc.
I’m new to this blog. You’re in Washington State right now. Why the move to the east coast? Is TJ’s there, too?
Speaking of moving. When we moved from California to Oregon, I packed for us. I had a system to make it easy when we were loading and unloading our boxes. I went to the office store and got a package of colored sticker dots in red, yellow and green. I packed my boxes according to their importance to be loaded on the trailer and unloaded. Red for boxes of things that were least important, yellow for the things that could wait to be unpacked for when I first unpacked the green boxes. In the green boxes, I had things like our everyday things. You know, toiletries, the cat’s food, the telephone (before cells), a pan or two, and some food. I also marked on the boxes what room they went to and some of the major things inside.
When we packed the trailer, I and our “helpers” placed all the red boxes in first, then the yellow, then the green. I knew that when we arrived to our new house late in the evening, that I could just grab the green boxes and be okay for the next day…and then get to unpacking the yellow. The red boxes were last to unpack and could stay in the garage until I got situated.
Carolina says
great idea
Liz says
Trader Joe’s by far!!
Their yogurt, the ginger-turmeric tea, mochi and $.19 bananas all help to make it worth the 40 mile trip to the store.
Carolina says
Mavis. you may not have noticed when you were in my area last year (seacoast New Hampshire) but there is a Trader Joe’s in Portsmouth/Newington. Don’t know if you will be anywhere near by, just an FYI,
Kari says
Fred Meyer, hands down. I do love TJ, but it’s not convenient for me. My kids and I go crazy there, though, when we get a chance. It’s almost like a field trip!
Lauralli says
Regardless of distance or cost? Sounds like Wegman’s is fabulous! I live in a small town in a pretty rural state. I don’t have much to choose from. So, maybe that’s why I like to peruse grocery stores when we go on vacation! 🙂 Trader Joe’s is a favorite of ours when we travel. Sometimes we get so sick of eating out or deciding where to eat out that we find a TJ’s and all go in and each pick what we want–we usually stay somewhere that has basic kitchen facilities. It’s one of our favorite things to do! And, it’s usually less than we would spend in a restaurant and healthier too! The licorice appears to be RJ’s. The bag says it’s from a New Zealand company and when I googled that RJ’s seems to be the one–looks just like it.
Bobbie says
Kroger. All day er’ day! Love their produce and their prepared foods counters. Even the sushi is decent- I just love it! The Kroger brands are so good!
Pamela says
My favorite grocery store to shop at is Shoprite. The other one in my area I would even consider for regular grocery trips is Acme. But it is overall more expensive for the things I regularly purchase. We are supposed to get an Aldi and Lidl soon. Might have to try those.
Carrie says
Aldi is my place. My location is about to be remodeled and they are closing for a month! I don’t want to go back to a regular grocery store!!! :'(
Kcmama says
I , too, love the chimichurri rice from TJ’s. Have not had their black licorice or lemon tart yet so thanks for the tip on those. I adore the black licorice that IKEA sells in their little grocery section. It is in a lavender/Blue colored bag and is my idea of the perfect black licorice!
Gwenn says
TJ’s Chimichurri Rice is da-bomb….I too seriously love it. I’ve started to add whatever meat we have left over (shredded pork, chicken, beef) or ground beef or scrambled eggs (fried rice) to make it into a “one pot meal”. It really is so freakin good. Along with garlic naan and some leafy green stuff, there are days when it just doesn’t get much better than that.
I adore the fresh flowers at TJ’s and will treat myself to a bunch or two every couple of weeks….especially their tulips when they are no longer growing in my garden in SE Michigan.
Mavis Butterfield says
It would be good with eggs! Great idea, thanks.
Lolly says
Mavis, if you can borrow a dog kennel, you could leave Lucy in it during your errands. But it seems like she’s not already kennel trained, so idk how she would respond to it now….
Mavis Butterfield says
She isn’t a crate dog… She would not do well at all. It’s only for a little longer though so I might as well enjoy the time to hook and watch movies.
Marcia says
My 3 biggest grocery stores for $$ spent are Trader Joe’s, Costco, and our produce delivery.
I love Trader Joe’s, and my staples there are onions, mini avocados, brown rice, marinara, bananas, yogurt, goat cheese, olives, frozen green beans, naan, gluten free bread, coconut milk, coconut oil, ranch.
But they are also really great when you are traveling because they have good snacks, little salads, etc. When you are, ahem, living in a hotel for a few days, for example.
However the snacks and treats are so dangerous though. They can kill your budget!
Heather in Idaho says
Mavis,
I’ve been a fan of TRader Joe’s since 1985! Yep, a teenager in So. CA. I find their products very reasonably priced or I wouldn’t be able to shop there.
ANyway, I cannot exactly answer your question, but I can say that a couple of years ago my husband worked for a trucking brokerage that had Trader Joe’s as a client. He told me TJs buys very high quality products at the cheapest price possible, or they just won’t buy the product. Good for them!
We don’t have a TJs here in northern Idaho, so we haul over to Spokane and my friends definitely give me their orders! Never have I found a store where the employees actually will jump up to help you and they all will converse with their customers! (We all miss Silverdale WA TJs’)
Thanks!
Katherine says
My main grocery store is Publix but I supplement my groceries with buys from Costco and Trader Joes.
Cheri says
My core grocery store is definitely TJ’s. I have saved so much money shopping there, and I always enjoy the trip. It’s got so many interesting things, and it’s small enough so that I’m not overwhelmed by choices. I have shopped at Aldi’s in another state but didn’t like it much. That was years ago, though, so maybe it’s different now.
DebbieB says
I see you have my favorite TJ’s Earl Grey tea. I drink it every day. So glad there’s one c!ose to where I live, I go every week. They also have the best cut flowers!
Judy Johnson says
TJ fertile eggs will hatch! Not a great hatch rate but it is still fun to do. I don’t know of any other grocery store eggs that will. I have done this several times. I got lucky the first time and hatched 8 out of the dozen. Worst time was one out of 11 set. Just read the Julian date on the box and try to make sure they are not more than a week from packing date. Trader Joe is great.
Jane says
When I was first married, I LOVED shopping at Trader Joe’s for our meals! Someday when the kids are grown, I can see us living off TJ meals again!
MEM says
Trader Joe’s is my FAVORITE store!! We only go once or twice a month even though we have quite a few in the Greater Boston area – we would blow our food budget if we went more often. Its interesting how different the inventory is from TJ to TJ – I have not seen most of the items you featured in any of the TJ stores we shop at.
Alice says
Do you have the heat turned up nice and toasty?
Mavis Butterfield says
YES, yes I do!!! 🙂
Angela D. says
Only one store? It would be employee-owned Woodman’s! They have the largest selection, in my opinion, over any grocer in the greater Madison, WI area. Lowest prices, too! All of the wonderful comments about Trader Joe’s has me on my way there right now; I’ve never been!
Anna says
I do a lot of shopping at Trader Joes because 1). Closest budget friendly store to where I live 2). I don’t have to navigate a gigantic store and 3) I like their products! -and golly the cashiers sure are friendly!!! I’ve linked an article from a couple months back that I came across in the Everett Herald re. cost comparisons of basic items such as milk, eggs, and butter (for all you PNW shoppers). I looooove the Panda black licorice (made in Finland) that TJ’s carries -my absolute fav!
http://www.heraldnet.com/life/shopping-cart-showdown-which-stores-have-best-food-prices/
Anna says
“According to the USDA’s latest numbers, in September the average family of four spent between $642.70 and $1,282.10 a month on groceries” (quoted from the linked article). $1,282.10?! Yikes! We average around $100-150 per week for a family of four -heavy on organic items and light on meat.
Carrie says
That is nuts! I spend $325/month with two adults. Lots of produce and meat and very little processed foods. When I didn’t budget and meal plan I spent around $400/month for the two of us and I thought that was crazy.
Mavis Butterfield says
You know, it never occurred to me I might like the store because it wasn’t huge, but now that you mention it…. The smaller store size is a major plus if you ask me. And I agree, the cashiers are always pleasant.
Connie says
Love TJ’s..Not one in our town but stock up if we travel near one..
Rita says
Are you closer to TJ in your new apt than you were in the HOA house?
Can you tell me how much the bag of licorice cost? Thanks!
Gigi says
Mariano’s. They’re all around Chicagoland. Great prepared items. The coolest one I’ve been to lately was in Kohler Wisconsin, Woodlake Market! The cheese selection was amazing! It just kept going and going. They had take and bake pizzas that I’m still dreaming of months later… My other favorite is ethnic markets, just so many cool things to try.
tc says
TJ hands down, they have amazing products at great prices and they are super community oriented. I pick up their discarded flowers every day to deliver to senior centers and hospitals. They donate their left over food to the food bank and on holidays when the foodbank does not pick up, they call me and I go pick it all up and deliver to the homeless shelters, women’s shelter, half way houses and low income senior centers. otherwise the regulations say it has to be thrown away and they hate doing that. last week on presidents day I picked up 5 spiral hams, 3 legs of lamb, 4 crates or organic bananas, loads of fresh salads, bread and so, so much more, at least $1,000 worth of food and that was a slow day (I started doing this as a volunteer for my local action community center over a year ago and I am able to cook for over 80 people twice a week with the food that is donated and everyone is happy to receive it. You just have to gain their trust and be 100% reliable when they call you. They have great British food products too that you cannot get elsewhere like crumpets, steak pies and chicken curry pies, yummy………………..
Litterally they donate 0ver $400k worth of food a year how cool is that.
Nancy D says
Thank you tc! Some of my sweetest memories raising four sons is when we volunteered as a family. Met wonderful people (and some fun cranky ones)! Best thing ever to teach a child is helping others!
tc says
Those are great memories for you and your children, God bless you
Anne says
I love Trader Joe’s. Did you know that they will let you sample just about anything in the store, if you asked? They’ll open it up and let you eat some. But here in Texas, by far the best grocery is H-E-B. Best prices, best produce, best bakery, best deli. It’s the largest employer in Texas, too. They’re a great grocery, and from all accounts a great employer as well. Very community minded, and lots of excellent things they do.
Alison R. says
I do love Trader Joes but there is not one anywhere close to me. : (
We have a produce box delivered that is fabulous, weekly delivery of everything we use anyway and very cost effective!
The Kroger closest to me, although I like their brands is the filthiest, dirtiest most crowded store I have ever shopped in.
Aldi and Lidl (Aldis German competitor) are currently being built about 25 minutes North of me.
We also have Publix, Food Lion and Wal-Mart for grocery items.
Paula Walter says
Aldis for sure…we don’t have many stores in our area to choose from. But did you know Trader Joe’s is owned by Aldi?
Sea says
I see you have one of our new favorites! I just discovered that frozen Chinese-style orange chicken (forgot the actual name). It’s so good! It tastes just like it came from a restaurant, and it’s way cheaper. My family devours it. It’s sweet but has a little spicy kick to it. I also like TJ’s white whole wheat flour. But if I could only shop one place, it would be Aldi (despite the somewhat limited selection).
Practical Parsimony says
Publix!
Lisa says
love the review of Trader Joe’s food im gonna start featuring on my blog too!