Which Foods Are 'Actually' Cheaper at Trader Joes

With grocery store prices continuing to rise with no foreseeable end in sight, there's never been a better time to cultivate your skills as a savvy shopper. Of course you know and love Trader Joe's for their seasonal snacks and frozen aisle favorites, but there are a few basics, as well as 'luxury' items that should be making it into your cart every time. Here are our top picks to save big bucks at Trader Joe's, and how they ring in compared to competitors.

Which Foods Are Cheaper At Trader Joes

Many know there are pros and cons to shopping at Trader Joe's and their signature private label system. According to the store itself, more than 80% of the products sold at Trader Joe's are their own private label. The cons of private labeling systems like Trader Joe's are that you probably only have one option for most products, and sometimes none at all. The flip-side of that is their private label products often come at a discount compared to name brands, and their turnover rate is high, meaning products are often fresher than at other stores.

1. Spices

We found that to be the case with spices at Trader Joe's. They come at an amazing price and I often find them to be fresher (my working theory is that since customers only have one option for each spice, the turnover rate is higher and the spices are newer). The other pro is that TJ's carries some amazing spice blends and mixes, including some you can't find anywhere else, like the Green Goddess Seasoning Blend and Mushroom Umami Seasoning Blend. The con is that it doesn't sell every spice you might have on your shopping list. But for the ones it does have they're super affordable, especially for organic spices.

For example, organic ground cinnamon is $1.33/oz at Trader Joe's compared to $1.83/oz at Aldi and $2.10/oz at Whole Foods. Specialty spices like saffron and turmeric are also heavily discounted compared to other stores — saffron is $300/oz there vs. more than $500/oz at Whole Foods — so if you're shopping for specific recipes, it's worth the trip. Lastly, their individual sea salt and pepper grinders are some of my favorite steals, ringing in at just under $2 for high quality seasonings with the grinders built right in!

2. Nuts, Seeds & Oils

While the canned goods and dry grains tend to be comparable in price to other grocery chains, you can save big by buying your nuts, seeds, and oils at Trader Joe's. The nuts section at Trader Joe's is legendary for having particularly tasty seasoned nuts for snacking (my favorites are the Thai Lime & Chili Cashews) but it also has well-priced basics, too, especially for specialty nuts. For example, pine nuts are $1.25/oz there vs. $2+/oz at Whole Foods and macadamia nuts are $1.25/oz vs. Whole Foods' $1.54/oz. And, just like the spices, I find TJ's nuts to be particularly fresh and crunchy.

Even TJ's conventional nut butters are comparably priced to Aldi's and cheaper than Whole Foods', and their organic nut butters are often the cheapest of all the stores.

That applies for seeds as well. Organic chia seeds are $0.49/oz at Trader Joe's compared to $1.00/oz at Whole Foods and the same price for conventional chia seeds at Aldi.

Finally, Trader Joe's olive oils are cheaper than Whole Foods' comparable selections, but more expensive than Aldi's, however their quality is high! It stocks single-origin, country-specific, and special reserve olive oils at amazing prices, so if you're using it as a dipping or finishing oil, it's worth the splurge. If you're just looking for an oil to cook with, Trader Joe's olive oils are not necessarily must-buys.

3. Freezer Finds

Frozen fruit is always an add-to-cart at Trader Joe's. Not only are the fruits high quality, but they're competitively priced. Frozen conventional strawberries at TJ's ring in at $0.12/oz vs. $0.15/oz at Aldi and $0.16/oz at Whole Foods and their organic berry blend costs just $0.24/oz compared to $0.45/oz at Whole Foods. The veggies are about the same, too; frozen organic peas are $0.15/oz at Trader Joe's compared to $0.16/oz at Aldi and $0.20/oz at Whole Foods. And don't even get us started on the pre-seasoned veggies mixes, because they are delicious (and economical) dinner starters. I'm particularly inclined to the Country Potatoes With Haricots Verts & Wild Mushrooms and the Asian Stir Fry Veggies.

As for the rest of the frozen aisle, the prices tend to vary, but the quality and taste are almost always great. You can read more about our favorites here.

4. Special Diet Products

The specialty products for dietary restrictions like vegan and gluten-free are also typically much more reasonably priced (and tastier) than other stores' comparable selections. For example, Impossible Beef is $5.99 at TJ's and often $7+ at other stores and their Soy Chorizo is $2.49, a steal compared to other store's comparable products that ring in between $6-$9. I particularly love TJ's vegan cheese selection which can range from $2-$5 vs. $5-$9 at other stores in my area.

5. Fresh Flowers & Plants

Ultimately, there are innumerable other random things I always add to cart at TJ's because the prices are unbeatable, but here are a few more go-to's: Fresh flowers and live plants are often a steal at Trader Joe's; personally I always stock up on a bunch of fresh eucalyptus for my bathroom, which costs $3.99 compared to Whole Foods' $6.99 and up.

What You Shouldn't Buy at Trader Joe's

Besides their Pound Plus chocolate bars — which have a bit of a cult following — we don't recommend buying baking ingredients from Trader Joe's. The store's baking ingredients are limited in selection and comparable in price if not more expensive than other stores. There's one ingredient in particular I avoid: the Trader Joe's Organic Powdered Cane Sugar.

While working as a recipe tester I encountered several testers and chefs who specified not to use the TJ's powdered sugar. It's less refined than the conventional powdered sugar and does not contain cornstarch like most others. Cornstarch is an anti-caking agent that keeps powdered sugar from clumping, and its absence may cause issues in more technical desserts like French macarons and iced sugar cookies, especially if they've been tested with a conventional powdered sugar. So, unless you're vegan or allergic to or avoiding corn products, I would steer clear of this one.