Weaving around a frantic mother trying to corral her younger children, I swing my Trader Joe’s grocery basket down the aisle and ogle at the bounty of snacks bursting from the shelves: Pizza Seasoned Crackers, Sweet Plantain Chips, Organic Cacio e Pepe Puffs. 

I didn’t intend to shop for such eclectic food, but face-to-face with Super Seedy Cheese Snack Bites, I’ve never wanted anything so badly in my life. I hastily grab a bag from the shelf, my mouth watering. 

By the time I reach the checkout, my basket is so heavy I am struggling to keep balance.

“How are you today?” the cashier asks. While I’m mostly focused on how to jam all the sweet potatoes I just bought into my backpack, I maintain a friendly conversation and nearly gasp in surprise when the bill is only $25.

Trader Joe’s first opened in Pasadena, California and now has hundreds of stores across the United States. Relying primarily on word-of-mouth advertising, the company has turned itself into a bonafide cultural icon. 

It offers food products seldom sold in conventional grocery stores, with more than 80% of its products exclusive to the Trader Joe’s label. There’s a podcast, a Reddit page with 335,000 members and even unofficial cookbooks. 

Convenient and affordable, Trader Joe’s is far and away my favorite place to buy groceries around the University of Minnesota. 

It’s easy to assume a store selling canned Grecian-style eggplants would be expensive, but most items I put into my basket cost less than $3. Trader Joe’s buys most of its products directly from manufacturers, eliminating the middleman and maintaining low food prices. Their stores are also relatively small, which occasionally leads to overcrowding but makes for an easier shopping experience and cuts costs even further. 

Gone are the days of wandering helplessly through my hometown Fresh Thyme looking for dried lentils. There are only a handful of aisles at the Trader Joe’s location on Washington Avenue, so I can cross off my grocery list with ease.

Yve Spengler, a third-year student at the University, said she relies on Trader Joe’s for saving money on grocery runs.

“I’ll end up getting meat at Target and then everything else at Trader Joe’s, because usually everything is cheaper there,” Spengler said.

These savings are no joke. According to a survey from Consumers’ Checkbook, prices at Trader Joe’s were 19% less on average than those at other surveyed stores like Whole Foods and Target.

Another unique aspect of Trader Joe’s is its employees. 

The employees are the kind of people who will compliment me if I wear a Lorde t-shirt or tell me how much they love the Non-Dairy Pumpkin Oat Beverage I’m about to buy. The cashiers always ask about my day, which leads to a pleasant, if not borderline flirtatious, encounter.

“It’s different from Target where it’s self-checkout, so you go in and you’re on your own and don’t really interact with anyone,” Spengler said. “Whereas at Trader Joe’s, you’re interacting with actual people. They really take the time to see you.”

Naomi Rivera, another third-year student who relies on Trader Joe’s for groceries, said an employee once called another store to ask if her favorite product, coffee-boba ice cream, was in stock.

“It made me feel valued,” Rivera said. “They went out of their way to provide me with that service.”

No matter where you live on campus, Trader Joe’s is an easy commute. The U.S. Bank light rail stop is only two blocks away, and the Route 3 bus stops right out front. 

“The 3 is a godsend,” Rivera said, as she often rides it when carrying heavy groceries or if she doesn’t feel like walking. 

The bus works its way through Como and Dinkytown, past Bruininks Hall and then goes west down Washington Avenue until it reaches Trader Joe’s. From Jones-Eddy circle, the ride takes only eight minutes. 

Target may be closer to campus, but Trader Joe’s is well worth the short hike. While stores like Fresh Thyme in Prospect Park are known for organic and natural food options, Trader Joe’s has plenty of healthy foods. 

Both Spengler and Rivera noted the abundance and quality of produce that puts the Dinkytown Target to shame. When I walked in the other night, all they had were a few bruised-up peaches, whereas Trader Joe’s never fails to showcase nature’s bounty.

“Not going out of my way to try to get good food is really helpful,” Rivera said.

The only part of Trader Joe’s that disappoints me was the company’s rejection of my request to interview a store manager. 

“I can’t offer an interview, our Crew is busy supporting our customers in their stores,” read the sloppily-worded email from their public relations department. Alas, even Trader Joe’s can’t be saved from corporate America. 

Nonetheless, whether you’re in the mood for some Savory Squash Pastry Bites or just pantry staples, Trader Joe’s is the place to go. Just do not buy all their Mini Mochi Rice Nuggets before my next grocery run.