I have always loved to grocery shop. When I was young I would look forward to going to the grocery store with my mom. I was one of those weird kids that would get excited to cut out coupons in the Sunday paper for us to use at the grocery store (sometimes I miss real, paper coupons!). My love for great deals and food shopping has only grown as I’ve gotten older. Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite places to grocery shop. I still feel like shopping at Trader Joe’s is a new, cool thing to do, but if I really think about it, it was probably close to 8 years ago that I first started shopping there – that says a lot about their business model!

The top 5 reasons I love the Trader Joe’s shopping experience:

1. The people who work there are ALWAYS in a good mood and willing to help.
2. SAMPLES – I think all stores should have samples all the time. Grocery shopping makes you hungry and being hungry makes you cranky. Samples make people happy and happy people buy more groceries … maybe?!
3. They are always adequately staffed. The line gets long, they ring some secret code on the bells, more staff magically apear and the line disappears 🙂
4. Custom store themes. Each TJ’s is a little different. They connect with the culture of each community and reflect it in their stores. It makes you want to go to TJ’s everywhere you go, just to check it out!
5. Reasonable prices – TJ’s never has sales because they don’t need to, some how they keep their prices low on most everything. Two things that I rarely buy elsewhere due to price I will splurge on at TJ’s  – cheese and flowers – you cannot beat their prices on these items! 
   
   
   (wide variety of well priced flowers and cheeses) 
   
   

Part of what keeps shopping at Trader Joe’s new and exciting is their ever changing seasonal product line. I always love to see what’s new! However, every TJ’s shopper has their staples. Here are mine:

1. Corn and Chile Tomato-less Salsa – it is seriously addicting. Sweet, but flavorful, I like it on chips as well as mixed into salad. 
   2. Raw Whole Cashews – I eat them frozen, they taste like candy 🙂

         3. Fig & Olive Crisps – Sweet and savory, I like them with cheese or jam!

          4. Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip – It tastes like it is worse for you than it is, so when you finish the whole     tub in 1 sitting you don’t feel as bad 🙂

5. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups – Very snack-able and the chocolate to peanut butter ratio is perfect.

Happy, Happy Friday to You!

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**Disclaimer, this post is not sponsored by Trader Joe’s, all opinions are my own.