First Timer At Trader Joe’s

I am late to the game to check out the highly talked about Trader Joe’s. I’ve been curious to see what all the buzz is about and finally made it happen now that my big kids are back in school. I love Aldi, and I know they are owned by the same company, so I was excited to see how they compared.

I really enjoyed how small the Trader Joe’s store is overall and found it wasn’t overwhelming or confusing to navigate. The lighting wasn’t harsh and the store aesthetic was calming and enjoyable to be in. My plan was to wander and explore the store, without looking for anything specific.

Here is my take on my experience and what I bought and loved:

1. My absolute favorite part of the store were the flowers: A whole wall of beautifully displayed flowers at eye level and easy to choose from. The prices were very reasonable too! I love fresh flowers in my kitchen, so this made my day.
2. Spiced cider: I love all things apple and can tell the difference between real cider and watered down cider. Their brand is pretty tasty!
3. Honeycrisp apple candle: This was exciting to find because this time of year you mostly see all things pumpkin and this scent is very simple and sweet.
4. Non-Dairy Brown Sugar Oat Creamer: This might be my most delicious discovery. This creamer is incredible! I will definitely be making a trip back just for this.
5. Chicken Fried Rice & Potstickers: I’ve heard from several friends that Trader Joe’s frozen food is all pretty great. I picked these up to try and my whole family loved them.
6. Organic Maple Agave Syrup: I prefer organic syrup and typically the prices are quite steep. I was pleasantly surprised to find this at half the cost of most other grocery stores.
7. Honey Walnut Shrimp: This is also found in the frozen section and was honestly my main reason for finally going to the store. P.F. Chang’s used to serve a dish called the Honey Walnut Shrimp; for years, it was my husband’s favorite thing to order, however they took it off their menu a bit ago. A friend told us Trader Joe’s carried a similar version. We tried it and it tasted almost exactly like the restaurant dish.
8. English toffee: I love toffee and these toffees did not disappoint.

I will definitely be adding Trader Joe’s into my rotation and can’t wait to continue to discover and try more of what they offer. Do you shop at Trader Joe’s? What should I try next time?