When my daughter moved into a building next to a Trader Joe’s in New York City, I joked that we might need to swap apartments, given my weekly four-block trek lugging home multiple heavy bags from the store. I’ll admit, while I was happy for her, I was a bit envious of her quick elevator ride down to pantry paradise without the long schlep home.

I know, four blocks doesn’t sound like much, but it feels really long when you’ve got 30 pounds of groceries on each shoulder! I used to shop at the Trader Joe’s in Hartsdale when I lived in Westchester, and it was much easier with a car to load the groceries in. But ever since moving to the city, the 12,000-square-foot Upper West Side store has been my go-to, and I’m there pretty much every week, getting a good workout in along with the shopping.

Five reasons to shop at Trader Joe’s

1) Bargain prices

Above all, it’s the low prices that keep shoppers coming back. With food expenses skyrocketing, I'm always amazed by how Trader Joe's keeps the cost down, even on items that aren’t part of their private label. For example, Kerrygold butter is $3.99, and I’ve seen it on other grocery store shelves for around $7.00.

2) Friendly employees

Trader Joe's welcoming staff stands out in a city known for gruff, indifferent service at many chain grocery stores. Rather than simply saying, “Aisle four,” when asked where to find an item, Trader Joe’s employees often personally guide you to it. Even at checkout, you'll be asked how your day is going, which often turns into a nice chat, a rarity in other New York City grocery stores.

3) Organic Items

Trader Joe's extensive range of organic products is essential for people like me who care about eating food grown without chemicals. From crisp greens and seasonal fruits to canned beans, dairy, and grains, the store makes it easy to fill your cart with organic options from every section.

4) Hassle-Free Returns
Trader Joe’s return policy is refreshingly no-nonsense. Didn’t love the new vegan dip? Changed your mind about that frozen pizza? Just bring it back—no receipt or guilt trip required. It’s one of the few places where “no questions asked” actually means just that.

5) Fun, Quirky Atmosphere
From hand-drawn signs to Hawaiian-shirt-clad “crew members” and clever product names, Trader Joe’s manages to make grocery shopping feel fun. The vibe is laid-back, and the seasonal goodies, such as everything-but-the-bagel snacks and pumpkin-spiced cookies, keep things interesting.

Not The Only One

Admittedly, Trader Joe's isn't my sole grocery destination. For the best meats and produce, you can’t beat your local butcher or a farmer’s market. And for seafood, I find a lot more variety and fresher fish at other markets, although the readily available salmon at Trader Joe’s is decent. And when they have swordfish (rarely), I always grab a couple of packages. Also, many staple brands aren’t carried at Trader Joe’s, known for its private-label selections.

Nonetheless, there are many items from Trader Joe’s that I rely on, most of which are half the price of similar, or even identical, products at other grocery stores. Here’s a short list of favorite finds that always make it into my shopping cart.

Drop a comment below and share your best-loved picks! I’m always on the lookout for new products.

Note: Since Trader Joe’s stores in New York City aren’t allowed to sell wine, I can’t comment on their wine selection, though I know plenty of people in other parts of the country swear by their budget-friendly bottles.

Organic Produce
Carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, avocados, spinach, beets, celery, radishes, bok choy, ginger, lemons, bananas, grapefruit, oranges, limes, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries.

Canned Organic Beans
Garbanzo, pinto, black beans, etc.

Dairy
Kerrygold salted butter, organic plain low-fat yogurt, half and half, and skim milk.

Olive Oil
All are good, but the best deal is the one-liter extra virgin olive oil (not organic, though).

Olives
Green Bella di Cerignola organic olives.

Oatmeal
Steel-cut organic oats.

Tofu
My favorite is the organic soft tofu with the dark pink label — great tossed into salads for an easy protein boost.

Nuts
Roasted & salted low-sodium peanuts, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, unsalted dry-toasted almonds, roasted & salted macadamias, candied pecans, honey-roasted peanuts, and pignoli. You can’t go wrong with any of the nuts.

Frozen Items: steamed chicken and pork & ginger soup dumplings, pork gyoza potstickers, palak paneer, chana masala, organic peas, organic jasmine rice, Tandoori garlic naan.

Coffee
Organic, fair-trade Ethiopian medium-dark roast whole bean coffee. I usually grind at home, but I appreciate that my local store has a grinder, so I can do it on the spot if needed.

Breads
Organic Seeded: Soft and chewy, this loaf is loaded with organic sunflower, flax, poppy, and sesame seeds. Sliced French Brioche: I use this one to make bread pudding.

Prunes
Non-sorbate pitted prunes. I boil them in water with lemon and orange slices for delicious stewed prunes.

Artichokes
Grilled organic artichoke halves in oil. Super versatile, and can be used in salads or on top of pasta.

Cheese
Crumbled blue (a staple for my lunchtime salads), burrata (also great in salads or on its own), and the full-flavored 1000-day aged gouda (a new discovery, thanks to my friend Jasmine).

Hummus
I’ve recently started making my own (using their canned organic beans), but I used to buy the organic hummus with the green label and add a little cumin and olive oil to dress it up.

Snacks
Rice crackers with tamari soy sauce (dip in hummus), Patio potato chips (serve these salty, dill-infused chips for aperitivo hour…on your patio!), fig & olive crisps (top with cheese).