Do you shop at multiple grocery stores? If so then you’re a wise shopper. Certain items are only available at specific grocery stores, of course. More than that, though, specific items are often lower cost depending on the grocery store that you shop at. Therefore, you should figure out which stores have the items you purchase at the lowest cost. Here’s what to buy at Trader Joe’s if you want to save money on groceries.
There Are More than Two Dozen Good Buys at Trader Joe’s
Business Insider put together a comprehensive list of what to buy at Trader Joe’s. It includes 29 different items that are almost always a good buy in terms of price. The list also includes one dozen items that you should not buy at Trader Joe’s. If you shop at the store frequently, then you should make yourself familiar with all of the items on this list. That said, there are seven key items you’ll want to make particular note of for saving money at Trader Joe’s.
What to Buy at Trader Joe’s: 7 Best Deals
Not every item on the big list makes sense for saving money. For example, they recommend buying tequila at Trader Joe’s. Sure, if you purchase tequila regularly, then you can save money by getting it at this store. But you’re adding a lot to your grocery bill overall by regularly purchasing alcohol. With that in mind, here are the seven best deals on what to buy at Trader Joe’s during a regular grocery visit:
1. High Quality Cheese
If you enjoy good cheese then you should definitely buy it at Trader Joe’s. Most grocery stores charge a lot for high quality cheese. However, Trader Joe’s offers good prices on many different tasty cheese options. In particular, you can get a good deal on goat cheese brie. Other good choices include sheep’s milk Greek feta in brine and “Unexpected Cheddar cheese.” These latter two are both Trader Joe’s brand cheeses. Always look for the store brand to get the best deal.
2. Bananas
I personally hate bananas. They are one of the few foods I can’t tolerate eating. However, I seem to be in the minority. Most people loev bananas. They’re a great quick snack for people who want to stay healthy. And although most of the produce at Trader Joe’s is hit or miss, the bananas are reportedly almost always good. More importantly, they’re cheap. You can purchase them singly, instead of in bunches. They only cost nineteen cents per banana!
3. Watermelon in the Summer, Pumpkins in the Fall
In other words, if you’re looking for what to buy at Trader Joe’s in terms of produce, think seasonal. There are certain fruits and vegetables that are only ripe for a couple of months out of the year. Those are the ones you want to buy at this store.
4. Coconut Oil
Personally, I tend to spend a lot of money on good cooking oils. I like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, and yes, coconut oil. According to Business Insider’s research, the Trader Joe’s brand of coconut oil is about half the price of what you’ll find at any other grocery store. Moreover, it’s of really high quality.
5. Organic Cacao Powder
If you enjoy baking then you’ll want to look carefully at the items on the Trader Joe’s shelves. Some offer really good deals. Others you should buy elsewhere. Organic cacao powder is one of the good deals.
6. Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
Cheapism tried a whole lot of different tortilla chips and decided that these were the best ones anywhere there. They cost a little bit more than some of the cheaper brands at other stores. However, they’re mid-priced and are reportedly the best ones as far as taste goes. Remember, even when you’re trying to save money, cheapest isn’t always the best. You have to balance price and quality.
Be careful when you’re in this Trader Joe’s aisle, though. The blue corn chips might be at the top of the taste test but the Trader Joe’s brand of white corn tortilla chips ranked a one-star, trying for worst in the taste test.
7. Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
I was happy to see this on the list of what to buy at Trader Joe’s. I was recently staying at my brother’s place for a month and he had this seasoning in the cabinet. It’s hard to believe that I had never seen it before. Once I discovered it, I used it on everything. It’s now my go-to seasoning. And, as far as I can tell, you can’t buy anything like it at any other grocery store. It’s worth whatever it costs. That said, it’s a reasonable price. If you bought each of the ingredients separately to mix into your own seasoning, it would cost far more than just buying it ready to go from Trader Joe’s
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