Almost every evening when I make dinner at home, the following conversation unravels with my roommate Alex:
“Z, that smells good. Where’d ya get it?” 
“Trader Joe’s.”
“I cannot believe you go that far to go to a grocery store.”
Yup, it’s true. While most people head to Food Emporium, Gristedes, or the local bodega for their cooking needs, I prefer to make an afternoon or evening trip to Trader Joe’s - 75 blocks away. In NYC especially, the prices cannot be beat and the food quality is superb.
Now as many times as I’ve said that, the response I get from my roommate is “Is the savings really that much?” Let’s put it into perspective - Oreos at the local Food Emporium are $5.69. Trader Joe’s purchases direct from food suppliers and has its own brand names, so their version of Oreos or “Joe Joe’s,” are available for less than $3. After sampling several of their items, I’d much prefer their no-name items then brand names any day.
While the savings are great, unfortunately this isn’t a best kept secret in NYC - sometimes the checkout line wraps around the store. My advice - tackle the inside aisles of the store first, and no matter how many items you have, stand in the “Any # of Items” line to continue to shop as you make your way to the register. By waiting in the outside lane, you’ll also be closer to the sample station at the 14th and 3rd location, so you can enjoy a snack. Have a book and ipod on hand makes the wait a little more enjoyable, and if you are looking to breeze through the line, skip the after work happy hour on Friday evening and get your grocery shopping done. Even when waiting in line, the shopping experience is unlike anything I’ve seen in NYC - people can get so agitated when a subway is held for train delays, but this wait doesn’t seem to phase them. In fact, people are even friendly in line, with other patrons sharing recommendations on what to buy and more often then not, they are willing to watch your basket if you need to step out of line to pick something else up.
The only thing I wish Trader Joe’s had was a frequent buyer card or coupons printed at the register. It’d be great to get a little more cash off and maybe even entice me to try some new items.
Heading to Trader Joe’s for the first time? Definitely add these items to your list:
- Kettlecorn Popcorn
- Garlic Naan Indian Bread
- Kalamata Olive Hummus
- Joe Joe’s
- Spicy Soy and Flaxseed Tortilla Chips
- Frozen Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- Frozen Pot Stickers
- Any of their cheese - particularly brie or fresh mozzarella
- Ridge Cut Sweet Potato Chips
- Any flavor of their chicken sausage
As this blog’s New Jersey Beat Editor, I thought I’d weigh in here. For those of you who are willing to travel even FARTHER, there is a Trader Joe’s in Edgewater, NJ. (No, I don’t really expect you to trek to NJ for Trader Joe’s, I just want to point out that we have one too). There is never a long line, even on a Saturday- and I can load up for weeks worth of food if I’d like, because I can drive my car there
But if you’re looking for a nice Autumn afternoon away from the city, you can take the bus from Port Authority to Edgewater, grab a picnic lunch from Trader Joe’s, and stroll the “river walk” along the Hudson River river.
A trip to NJ? Picnic lunch? Car?
How does that recommendation help me save money? I mine as well walk right by the kitchen and head out for a can of Pepsi and bag of doritos.
Laura, you forgot to mention that it’s also a great after-work activity for co-workers. I mean, who doesn’t grocery shop with their colleagues?
Other delicious items to try:
-Whole Wheat Naan Indian Bread
-Mini Pizzas that come in a carton of four (great to have after you’ve been out all night)
-Chicken Shumai
-Any of their stir fry sauces
And don’t forget to get really cheap wine at the TJ’s Wine Shop next door!
Doug- a round-trip bus ticket would cost you about $4. A stroll along the majestic Hudson River with sprawling views of the city is free. It’s “MIGHT as well” and not “mine as well.” Just thought that readers may be interested in a low cost way to enjoy a day outside Manhattan.
Thank you Alicia. I was simply looking for some context so I could understand how your tip would also be light on the wallet.
I am eagerly awaiting your first post, but as you write it I recommend you that you first understand the audience of this blog. The tag line is “Meal and Deals in NYC”, not NJ, so you need to make the case above and beyond the other beat writers when making recommendations. What is easy and/or cheap for you may not be so for the rest of us, so putting your thoughts in the proper context would be excellent.
Wow Doug, heaven forbid Laura expands the reach of this blog with the help of Alicia. Just for that, I’m going to write a post on a place in Pittsburgh. Even if Laura won’t post it, I’ll add it as a comment to someone’s blog post so it’ll get here eventually.
Hiya Doug,
In the early planning stages of this blog, which you were not a part of, Laura had requested that I join the staff as the New Jersey beat editor. It was agreed that some people (though not all, I concede) do at times venture outside the NYC limits. That is the audience for which I will write. If you are not a member of that audience, feel free to skip over my posts.
Caryn, thank you for your support. I look forward to your Pittsburgh post- I’m going to be traveling to Pennsylvania in February and am sure that your insights will be helpful.
Well Alicia, I have to jump in and say Doug was briefed on the blog on Monday, October 20 and was an integral part in the name development (along with McKenna, Larry, Matt and Sarah). I will acknowledge however, that I did ask you to join the staff as the NJ editor, since I know many people happen to live outside of city limits.
I am not opposed to increased coverage at all. All I’m saying is that when it comes to saving money, there is a difference between a trip down to union square on my unlimited metro card and trip to NJ on the bus. I’m simply asking for you to provide additional context in your post and explain the advantage to me traveling. Yes, a great view is priceless, but I will never know that unless you tell me.
In an earlier post, when I questioned a destination, Caryn invited me to join her at it, and I’m eagerly looking forward to that night. Just sayin, Alicia…
Are you asking me on a date? Maybe we should discuss this offline.
I drive to Chicago to get my TC fix. If I’m ever missing from work, I may be in the trader joe’s inside the parking garage on clybourn.
Laura, this blog is the greatest thing to happen to my social life since I got my drivers license.
Laura,
Your love for Trader Joe’ is wide spread. I look forward to my first experience in the near future. http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/bites/2008/11/trader_joes_the_single_womans.php
[...] bits of tomato and onions in it and after eating it, I can never buy that wholly guacamole stuff at Trader Joe’s ever [...]