I loved Trader Joe's for years — but the older I get, the more I can't stand shopping there

• I relied connected Trader Joe's successful college, but arsenic I sewage older, I recovered myself going location less. 
• When I learned really to really cook, Trader Joe's stiff meals became little useful. 
• Trader Joe's doesn't do loyalty programs aliases sales, which I emotion astatine different market chains.

When I started assemblage successful Athens, Georgia, I was excited to yet unrecorded adjacent a Trader Joe's.

I made predominant trips arsenic a assemblage student and aft I graduated, but eventually, shopping astatine Trader Joe's became impractical for me.

Though I'll still spell to nan concatenation if I person a valid logic (such arsenic stocking up connected shareable items for a meal party), I don't sojourn astir arsenic overmuch arsenic I utilized to.

Simply put, my changing manner arsenic I've gotten older, mixed pinch nan accrued entreaty of different market stores, has made maine dread going to Trader Joe's.

Frozen meals, nan main logic I shopped astatine nan store, became little useful erstwhile I learned to cook

When I was successful college, Trader Joe's stiff meals were a confidence-boosting shortcut because I could hole great-tasting nutrient without worrying astir messing it up.

The concatenation besides has a immense assortment of options, specified arsenic mac and food and stir-fry dishes.

But stiff meals thin to beryllium precocious successful sodium. A accordant fare of too overmuch sodium tin lead to wellness problems specified arsenic precocious humor unit and bosom disease.

So, arsenic I've gotten older, I've relied connected them little and started cooking much for myself.

Cooking isn't scary, and making my ain meals is simply a surefire measurement to cognize precisely which ingredients I'm eating and power really overmuch sodium is successful a dish.

As personification pinch ADHD, I'll besides admit location were plentifulness of times I forgot astir Trader Joe's stiff meals until they were freezer-burned anyway.

The crowding astatine Trader Joe's is oftentimes excessively overmuch for me

I've shopped astatine Trader Joe's successful galore larger cities, including Atlanta and Birmingham, Alabama, and recovered a akin acquisition successful each — crowded aisles and agelong lines.

Although nan unit often does their champion to shape nan traffic, Trader Joe's locations conscionable thin to beryllium smaller than different supermarkets and market stores. Crowds of shoppers are moreover much overwhelming erstwhile there's little abstraction to dispersed out.

Plus, Trader Joe's is simply a celebrated shop pinch less locations than galore of its competitors — this besides adds to a crowded atmosphere. For context, Trader Joe's besides has astir 560 US locations, and its chap market concatenation Aldi has more than 2,300 US storefronts.

It's besides worthy noting that nan chain's parking tons are notoriously small.

The multipacks successful nan nutrient conception aren't usually ideal

I erstwhile really liked Trader Joe's nutrient conception because of nan brand's nosy twists connected staples, particularly bagged and to-go salads.

But arsenic I've gotten older, shopping for nutrient astatine Trader Joe's frustrates maine because I usually can't drawback conscionable 1 aliases 2 units of a peculiar item.

Almost each rootlike aliases consequence I want to bargain comes bagged successful multiples aliases packaged connected plastic-covered trays successful pairs.

It's not perfect erstwhile you're conscionable shopping for one aliases 2 people, and it tin consequence successful wasted food. At different market stores, I tin usually drawback conscionable 1 portion of immoderate I'm looking for.

Trader Joe's doesn't person sales, and location are nary rewards programs

Loyalists shop astatine Trader Joe's because they emotion nan store's products, and I get that.

I myself emotion nan chain's almond-butter cups because I'm allergic to peanuts, and it's difficult to find alternatives. But customer loyalty isn't rewarded astatine Trader Joe's.

Though it's imaginable to usage manufacturer's coupons connected products that aren't from Trader Joe's backstage label, nan concatenation doesn't do income aliases promotions.

These days, my partner and I for illustration to shop astatine stores wherever items we for illustration are connected sale.

And, now that I'm older, I overmuch for illustration a retailer pinch rewards programs and predominant buy-one-get-one deals.

With chains specified arsenic Kroger and Publix, I save money connected groceries done rewards programs and perks, for illustration Kroger Plus substance points, and predominant sales.

This communicative was primitively published connected November 26, 2023, and astir precocious updated connected October 30, 2024.