Trader Joes OR Whole Foods Market?

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  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    TJs is a specialty store and WF is a full service grocery. They definitely aren't analogous. I go to both, and local markets.

    TJs tends to use a lot of packaging (if this is important to you). WF has a bulk section. Canned goods, pasta, pantry stuff is roughly the same price. TJs has cheaper, and generally crappier produce. TJs has cheaper spices, but WF has a better selection. TJs is cheaper for frozen goods, and are generally high quality. TJs has cheaper dairy, but WF has local dairy. Cheese: TJs wins because of the selection and the price. WF wins for meat, since it is easier to determine the source of the meat. But TJs is cheaper.

    I'd say, if you have access to both, shop to each stores strength.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    No kidding. The closest Whole Foods to me has a horrible parking lot that I really don't feel like dealing with. And the nearest Trader Joe's is a bit of a drive since they closed the one closest to me. So I end up shopping at neither, even though I'd like to. Might have to take a trip to explore though.


    In case you haven't seen this hilarious video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UFc1pr2yUU
  • blackmamba886
    blackmamba886 Posts: 177 Member
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    BAHAHAHAHA omg no I hadn't seen that... that's exactly what it's like too. :laugh:
    No kidding. The closest Whole Foods to me has a horrible parking lot that I really don't feel like dealing with. And the nearest Trader Joe's is a bit of a drive since they closed the one closest to me. So I end up shopping at neither, even though I'd like to. Might have to take a trip to explore though.


    In case you haven't seen this hilarious video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UFc1pr2yUU
  • SweetMegz04
    SweetMegz04 Posts: 459 Member
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    BAHAHAHAHA omg no I hadn't seen that... that's exactly what it's like too. :laugh:
    No kidding. The closest Whole Foods to me has a horrible parking lot that I really don't feel like dealing with. And the nearest Trader Joe's is a bit of a drive since they closed the one closest to me. So I end up shopping at neither, even though I'd like to. Might have to take a trip to explore though.


    In case you haven't seen this hilarious video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UFc1pr2yUU


    I LOVE The Whole Foods Parking Lot Song!!
  • Elysium618
    Elysium618 Posts: 10 Member
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    I LOVE Trader Joes! We don't even have one in Canada. I'm from British Columbia and once a month or 1.5 months, we'll head down to the TJ's in Bellingham Washington. I can't believe how much cheaper things there are, especially dairy, eggs and processed foods!

    Though I must say that Whole Foods does carry some amazing things but they are SOO overpriced! I can only see myself choosing Whole Foods as my main grocery store if I was extremely wealthy.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    Not a fan of Whole Paycheck

    This is what we call it too! Whole Paycheck is wayyy too expensive for me.

    Trader Joes has some cool stuff, but I go in there just for those few items.

    I do the bulk of my grocery shopping at Vons (aka Safeway) or Ralph's. Stater Brothers is best for meat, they have an actual meat counter with actual butchers.
  • junyr
    junyr Posts: 416 Member
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    Whole foods has a "store brand" I believe it's called "everyday 365" that 's very reasonable as far as price goes. The line also follows the standards of ingredients they call for.
  • LolaVersion2
    LolaVersion2 Posts: 114 Member
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    I love Trader Joe's for their specialty items (especially their prepackaged items). These are MUCH MUCH cheaper than Whole Foods. The selection at Whole Foods is obviously going to be much greater, but the prices are as well.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Trader Joe's is a regular stop for me.

    Whole Foods is a place I like to wander through with my aunt when we're out and about. Sometimes I pick up these super delicious green olives from their olive bar that are one of the employee's specialties - he mixes them with spices & garlic and I don't know what all, but they are to DIE for!

    Although I will say I lived on Whole Foods in San Francisco a few years ago - was up there for over a week while hubby was had surgery at UCSF - I'd walk a few blocks to Whole Foods every night to get my dinner from their hot food & salad bar/buffet thing - it was cheaper than eating at a restaurant every night! Probably healthier, too. And it was tasty.
  • KStyleFitness
    KStyleFitness Posts: 46 Member
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    Trader Joes is my top pick, but I don't rule out Whole Foods either. I like them both. You can find some deals at WF and I really like their bulk section.
  • alyson820
    alyson820 Posts: 448 Member
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    whole foods! the selection can't be beat. I love trader joe's, too, but I can't always find what I'm looking for there.

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