Is Trader Joe's worth the trip?

I don’t have one locally, but sometimes see references to TJ’s that make me curious.
I’m pretty frugal, but I also like good stuff…good coffee, baking ingredients, etc, and am willing to pay normal prices for some.
I think there’s a TJ’s in Indianapolis, about an hour from me. Any input on what goodies I might find, how pricing is, etc?

It’s been very hit-or-miss for me. I’ve found some really awesome stuff that you’d never find at a normal grocery store, but also have tried things from there that looked good but turned out to be truly disgusting. Sorry I’m having trouble thinking up specific examples at the moment.

Prices overall are very reasonable, considering the sometimes exotic nature of what they offer. My only other complaint is that their demographic skews heavily vegetarian/vegan/new age-y, so while they do sell meat and meat dishes, if you like meat then the variety of selection is going to be dwarfed by all the hippie shit.

It’s good, and has an interesting selection of items you won’t find elsewhere (because the vast majority of what they sell is exclusively made for them). I’m not sure if it’s “an hour drive each way” good.

I know of at least one buddy who would carpool with me. I suppose we could have lunch out as well, that way it would feel like we were accomplishing more stuff for the drive. :slight_smile:

In your place I would not drive an hour just to go to Trader Joe’s. I would however, add an hour to any trip I had to make to Indianapolis and take a cooler along for the goodies.

There are differences among the different locations. I rely on them mainly for nuts, dried fruits, cheese (typically priced lower than my local big supermarket), and chocolate items.

They have a huge number of goodies and desserty stuff. I don’t go there often because I wind up buying baklava or something.

They have many products which I consider superior to those I can get at supermarket, and cheaper as well.

Pasta, ravioli, ruffled potato chips, peanut butter-filled pretzels, Olive Oil, nuts and raisins, cheeses, bottles water…

Well, that’s practically my whole grocery list, along with the coffee and chocolate! Why on earth doesn’t Bloomington have one?! We’re so artsy-granola here.

50 cent, higher alcohol content beer. $5/750 mL craft beer. $2 wine (or $3 in some places, grumble). Their frozen stuff is usually good, too.

…fresh baked bread, yogurt and cottage cheese, strange cookies, banana chips, strange pizzas, produce…

carrot cake, bread, cookies, beer

God, now I’m hungry.

When I lived in Bloomington, I could never understand why the grocery prices were so high and the quality so crappy (especially for fresh produce) compared to what I was used to in Chicago. Unless things in Bloomington have changed a LOT since I left in 1995, you will be very pleasantly surpised by TJ’s, especially for anything remotely ethnic. (and cheese!)

I have a Trader Joe’s 2 miles away (and with good parking!). I shop there at least once a week. I routinely buy: cheese (chunk, not shredded), hummus, natural peanut butter, pesto, couscous, coffee, crackers, yogurt, naan (frozen), pita bread, tortillas, nuts, dried fruit, granola bars, almond milk, eggs, pasta sauce, olive oil, tortilla chips, plantain chips, frozen meatballs, chocolate. And probably a lot more things that I’m forgetting. Their prices for those items are a usually fair bit lower than at the regular supermarket.

If you go, get the crunchy green beans (in the potato chip aisle in my store). I don’t buy them regularly because they are pricey, but they are so yummy! And I think you should go. :slight_smile:

What gwendee said. Not worth a special trip, but if you are going to be in the vicinity anyway, it’s worth a stop.

The really surprising thing is that the exotic stuff they offer is usually cheap. I can’t remember prices but you could get stuff like refrigerated avocado dip, microwave burritos, etc. It’s been awhile, so sorry I can’t be more clear, but I was always surprised by what they offered for the price. They also had very decent beer (Seadog and the like), although the wine selection, though cheap, was usually more miss than hit for me. The produce was reasonably priced, but usually not great. I think I used to get my veg somewhere else.

I lived near one in Boston and it was part of my regular shopping routine. Dunno if I’d hike an hour to one, however.

We’ll bring a cooler and stop at one, if we’re going to be anywhere close. I especially like their mini-quiches, the chipotle lime chicken burgers, and the lobster ravioli. I hear they carry frozen macarons, too… I wonder if those are worth buying. Since I can’t get fresh macarons.

PS: Indy also has Keystone At The Crossing, if you’re into expensive shopping, and Whole Foods.

My standard items at Trader Joe’s, some of which will not be suitable for bringing home on an hour-log drive because they are frozen. Refrigerated stuff will travel fine though.

  • nuts
  • nuts
  • nuts
  • bags of single-serving packages of nuts and train mix
  • trail mix, esp. Wasabi Wow
  • dried fruits
  • cereal - Vanilla Crunch yum yum yum yum
  • French Roast coffee beans
  • bags of flash frozen boneless chicken breasts
  • Avocado’s number guacamole
  • whole wheat couscous
  • cheese
  • their store brand Pirate’s Booty (buried treasure maybe?) (cheese flavor, the sour crea, & onion is gross, IMO)
  • peanut butter filled pretzels
  • soycottash frozen vegetable mix (corn, edamame and red pepper)
  • frozen grilled corn
  • cat cookies (kind of like teddy grahams)
  • jarred minced ginger

Things like olive oil and spices are decent prices.
I find their fresh produce to be pretty universally disappointing.

I used to buy a lot of their frozen meals, but I gradually came to the conclusion that the quality didn’t match the price. Disappointing, because they have some great sounding ethnic lunch bowls.

They also used to carry this fantastic vegan wrap sandwich in the refrigerator case, with tofu and spinach and raisins and a fabulous yellow sauce, but I haven’t seen it in more than 6 years. Sigh.

I go just for the (cheap, good) chocolate and the frozen seafood and vegetables.