For those of you who don't know, Trader Joe's is a specialty grocery store similar to Whole Foods except alot better. I was going to Whole Foods for months to pick up special things that I am unable to find at the grocery store on base, but Trader Joe's is so awesome I will never be going back to Whole Foods. Here is why I love it there:
1. The food - including produce - is actually CHEAPER! than on base. I like to buy organic, but I had stopped for awhile because of the heavy hit it puts on my wallet.
2. They are committed to having tons of gluten-free stuff, and label everything prominently. I love their labels. No small font, but HUGE handwriting-looking stuff. At Whole Foods it's difficult to find "organic" on the labels and annoying when I'm in a hurry (which I am, always).
3. Their employees are SUPER friendly. They invite me over to the checkout, and actually help when they see me struggling with a two-year-old. SO so nice to a mom that is trying to get in and out quickly. The last time I went the checkout girl asked Luke if he wanted stickers, gave him a whole long string of them, then proceeded to ask me if I found everything on my list. I said that I didn't find the beef jerky and right away someone steps up beside her and says he'll go back. And he brought the beef jerky right up! After reading the labels to make sure that they were gluten-free.
4. Not only are the employees nice, but the people that shop there are too!!! Everyone smiles, chats, jokes with Luke. The first time we went, a gentleman came over and handed Luke a cookie from a sample table and said he loves to do that since he is diabetic and can't eat them himself. The second time, we were checking out and as I am bagging my groceries an elderly couple starts chatting with Luke about the choo-choo train he was carrying. It's AWESOME!
5. They have a huge selection of store brand stuff - delicious chicken sausage, nuts, different kinds of flour, pasta sauce - and it's good for you and cheap!
If there was one thing I could say I didn't like about Trader Joe's is that they aren't everywhere. It makes me sad that when we move from DC I probably won't be able to go to one.
Sorry about the excessive CAPS use, but I was just so excited to write this blog. I always leave Trader Joe's with a good feeling and don't think I'll be visiting my commissary for much anymore!
