Grocery shopping became one of my favorite activities once I turned 17 and started caring about what I put into my body. I try to stay consistent when it comes to my healthy lifestyle and I do this by following a routine. I do my best to go grocery shopping once a week, and until recently I only ever did that at Ralphs. One day I decided to give Trader Joes a try and boy was I surprised. For some reason I thought that Trader Joes was considered an expensive grocery store, but that is not at all true. For starters, the produce at Trader Joes is great quality at a much lower cost than those at Ralphs or Vons. Aside from the fresh produce, Trader Joes carries pre-packaged meals that have changed my diet completely. Here are 3 reasons why Trader Joes is by far my favorite grocery.
1. Trader Joe’s employees.
If you have ever been to a Trader Joes, you understand what the vibe is like as soon as you walk in. You will instantly be greeted in a way that you are not used to. It is very clear that every employee enjoys their time there and it will make your overall experience so much better. They are passionate about the food that they sell, and they look forward to helping you. I cannot even tell you how many great items and recipes I have discovered from the employees at Trader Joes. It feels amazing to support a company that supports you as well, and this is a major reason I am so loyal to this company. Trader Joes pays their employees extremely well, and for good reason. In fact, even in states like Tennessee where the minimum wage is around $7.00, Trader Joes still pays the employees there $15-$18. It is a company full of love and gratitude and they do a great job at making your grocery experience above and beyond any other. Among my many trips to Trader Joes, I have never checked out without having a meaningful conversation with an employee and this leaves me smiling every single time.
2. The food
I am going to share some of my favorite items they carry, and I seriously recommend going and trying them out. I try to stay on a low carb diet, and luckily Trader Joes makes this very easy. I have three items that are all low carb and amazing. The first is their frozen cauliflower gnocchi. They carry different frozen gnocchi and I recommend trying all of them. I love the gorgonzola or the marinara gnocchi, but if you are trying to cut back on the carbs, the cauliflower one is to die for. I often eat it with some butter and parmesan or a pesto sauce. The second low carb dish is their Cauliflower fried rice. This product is outstanding and will make you completely forget that you are eating cauliflower. Their third frozen item that keeps me coming back is their pork dumplings. These are absolutely to die for and very healthy! Of the frozen section I would say these are my top three favorites, but there are so many more. I absolutely love their gorgonzola crackers, and their hummus section. If you like hummus, you will be amazed by their hummus section. The dips that they have are so addicting they are hard to put down. My final go-to recipes from Trader Joes come from their salad/wrap section. They have a veggie hummus wrap that is so amazing. They also have so many salads that run around $4.00. If you are trying to eat healthy on a budget, the food at Trader Joes is absolutely your best bet.
3. My final reason that Trader Joes is the best in the business is how interactive they are on social media.
Trader Joes has multiple Instagram accounts that you can participate in. They show many different recipes using only their products, all of which come out tremendously good. This company is consistently improving and thanks to social media it is so easy to become a part of their community. They have changed the meaning of grocery shopping for many people, myself included. I now feel that I am part of a new community and I don’t think that I will ever leave it. I look forward to shopping and cooking new recipes with other loyal fans and I only hope the company continues to improve.
