I love me some Trader Joe’s. The prices are very good, damn near everything is organic, and the “crew members” are super friendly. That’s the perfect trifecta in my book. But like any store, there exists some highly clever shopping hacks that can make your experience a little cheaper and provide a little more value. Here are my seven favorite hacks for the next time you walk through the doors at your local Trader Joe’s.
Their “Try Before You Buy” Policy
Did you know that you can pretty much take any item off the shelf at Trader Joe’s and ask an employee if you can try it?
In most locations, the employees will happily open it for you and give you a taste. I was told you gotta ask, don’t just be walking around, opening stuff and snacking on it, not cool.
I’ve been told that they’ll then put the open product in the breakroom for other employees to sample.
If you’re nervous about asking to try something, just buy it and return it if you don’t like it…more on their generous return policy later.
Also, I had a TJ’s employee tell me that you can’t sample alcohol (duh) or anything that requires heat to cook it. Works best for chips, crackers, cookies, nuts, breads, trail mix, snacky stuff, etc..
WENT AWAY DURING COVID, BUT NOW IT’S BACK
The “try before you buy” concept went away during Covid in 2020 but has since come back at most TJ locations.
If you’re nervous to ask, then politely ask the cashier when checking out if it’s actually a thing in their store.
That way you’ll get the answer in an “off the cuff” sorta way and not risk them looking at you like you’re crazy.
Many Name-Brands Actually Make Trader Joe’s Products
Similar to stores like Costco and Sam’s Club, many of the items sold under the Trader Joe’s name are actually manufactured by the more expensive national name-brand.
From talking to a bunch of employees, and a few die-hard TJ’s shoppers, here’s what I know so far…
Frozen Croissants = Williams-Sonoma
Greek Yogurt = Stonyfield
Trader Joe’s Pita Chips = Stacy’s Pita Chips (Has this changed? Reading a lot of comments online that they taste completely different now.)
Smoothies = Naked
Organic Hummus = Tribe
Dish & Hand Soap = Mrs. Meyers
Teas = Many are made by Celestial Seasons.
Pistachios = Wonderful Pistachios
Organic Tomato Soup = Pacific Foods
Shells and White Cheddar Mac = Annie’s
PRO TIP: ALWAYS BUY CHICKEN WITH THE BONE AND SKIN ON
The single best way to save money on chicken at Trader Joe’s is to ALWAYS buy cuts with the bone and skin still attached.
Boneless chicken thighs run $5.99/pound at my Trader Joe’s, while the thighs with the skin and bone are only $1.99/pound.
If your recipe calls for boneless thighs, learn to do it yourself, it ain’t hard folks (it’s actually kinda fun) and the savings is significant.
This is not just a TJ’s thing either, all grocery stores rip you off this way.
Produce Is Priced Per Item
I had an employee tell me that the produce is a great deal because it’s priced per item, not by the pound.
That means you’re paying the same for a massive head of cauliflower as you would for a small one, or the heaviest avocado in the bin costs the same as the lightest.
So ALWAYS grab the big ol’ boys. The dense apples, the hefty sweet potatoes, the giant broccoli crowns…and you’ll win every time.
PRO TIP: TRY THIS PRODUCE TEST AT TRADER JOE’S
Do the “one-in-each-hand” test and pick the denser one.
Look for tight, compact florets (Think broccoli, cauliflower), firm heft (avocados, mangoes, grapefruit), and minimal hollow space (peppers).
For bagged produce that’s sold by the bag (potatoes, apples, mandarins), grab the bag that feels fuller and seems to have larger pieces.
Here’s a mini cheat sheet that won’t lead you astray:
- Avocados, mangoes, grapefruit, onions, single peppers: Pick the heaviest in your hand.
- Cauliflower/broccoli: Choose the tightest, most compact head.
- Romaine/hearts: Go for the thickest core and leaves that feel dense, not airy.
- Bananas: Bigger cluster = more fruit for the same price.
- Bagged apples/potatoes/citrus: Choose the bag with larger, firmer pieces.
Cheap…But Good Wine
Trader Joe’s has been known for their good, yet inexpensive wine, all the way back to the early 2000’s when 2 Buck Chuck was a thing.
So, I figured for this tip I’d hit up some folks that know a lot more about wine then me to give their top 10 wines at Trader Joe’s.
I asked a couple dozen wine connoisseurs and I came up with my top 13 TJ wines (couldn’t narrow it down to only 10, haha) using all their suggestions.
Hope this helps you pick out your next bottle:
- Maison Barboulot Cabernet-Syrah
- Trader Joe’s Coastal Zinfandel
- Trivia “Big Red” Red Blend
- Susumaniello Ruggero di Bardo
- Campi Rudi Appassimento Rosso Puglia
- Conte di Breganzo Amarone della Valpolicella
- Trader Joe’s Bandol Rosé
- Villa Molino Soave Classico
- Giardino Pinot Grigio Rosé Vivace
- Emma Reichart Dry Riesling
- Honey Moon Viognier
- Trader Joe’s Chianti Classico Riserva
- Villa Antica Asolo Prosecco
What’s your favorite vino at TJ’s? Let me know in the comments.
Greeting Cards are Only $0.99
Trader Joe’s quietly has one of the best greeting card aisles in grocery land at only 99¢ each.
They’re nice cards too made of a thick cardstock with designs that don’t look cheap. I talked to an employee and she said they rotate card styles quickly and popular ones sell out fast.
So if you see a good birthday/thank-you/sympathy card, grab two because it might be gone next trip. Also, I highly recommend scooping up seasonal cards early (think Mother’s Day, grads, holidays) because those racks also get picked clean.
PRO TIP: DON’T SLEEP ON DOLLAR TREE
One of my favorite hacks for shopping at Dollar Tree is stocking up on their greeting cards.
Amazingly, they actually sell Hallmark greetings cards and they sell them 2 for a buck. I kid you not.
Sure $1 each at Trader Joe’s is solid, but Dollar Tree has gotta be where you stock-up for upcoming birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.
You Can Pre-Order Flowers from Trader Joe’s
Yes, you read that correctly. Just call them a 1 week in advance of your event and pre-order as many in-season flowers as you need. Give them a couple weeks notice if you’re making a huge order for a wedding or something.
You’ll get exactly what you need without the ridiculously high florist pricing.
Then go DIY and let YouTube lead the inspiration as there as dozens of great videos on how to use their flowers to make bouquets, centerpieces and whatever else you need.
Return Anything, for Any Reason
Their return policy is pretty legendary, not gonna lie.
They let you bring back everything, doesn’t matter if you ate half of it, dropped it on the floor, the dog licked it, whatever, doesn’t matter.
The most amazing part is you don’t even need your receipt, just walk in with the product and walk out with cash.
And most shoppers are not aware that you don’t even have to bring the food item back. I had an employee tell me that they have to throw it away, they CANNOT resell it.
So just keep it and tear off the barcode, or snap a picture of it. That’s the only proof they’ll need.
Also, if you have your receipt, just bring that in without the product and that should suffice as well.
The only exception to this is alcohol, you have to live in a state that allows alcohol returns for Trader Joe’s to take back booze.
Ask the Reader: How do you save money at Trader Joe’s? What hacks did I miss? Let me know.
By Kyle James
I founded Rather-Be-Shopping.com in 2000 and have become a consumer expert and advocate writing about out-of-the-box ways to save money at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco to name a few. I’ve been featured on FOX News, Good Morning America, and the NY Times talking about my savings tips. (Learn more)