Once a foreign world to me, Trader Joe's has become quite a staple these days in my "Fit Girl" life. I can remember when the TJ's opened up in Winter Park and how excited everyone was; "why is everyone so hyped up over a grocery store? Oh goodie, produce and milk!" It was a strange concept to me, for one to like a store so much so I stayed a Publix regular and didn't give it a second thought especially since it was located out of my way.
One day after a few drinks at Mitchell's Fish Market my friends and I ventured in to the land of fresh produce just to see what all the talk was about. I left with $3 wine, fruit leather, and a jar of cookie butter, there were zero complaints. If you've never had cookie butter let me explain- you can literally eat it off of the spoon, it's that fantastic. I like it best with bananas and sometimes put a small spoonful in my oatmeal. In the aforementioned shopping trip I didn't do much price scouting or give any thought to the produce so I didn't come back to Trader Joe's anytime soon after.
At the beginning of the Fit Girl journey I purchased all of my detox week's food at Trader Joe's and was completely overwhelmed. I went into the store on a time crunch and with an anxious (and very much acting like a bored child) boyfriend accompanying me so things were already off. The organization of this store is what first threw me off; the isles aren't labeled, but they're grouped together sensibly once you figure it out. I mean, there are only like four isles in the entire store but they manage to have everything that you need.
That day I chose to not buy my cashew and almond butter there because the price tags on those items were a bit steep but everything else seemed to be fairly cheap. They get away with having such low prices by not selling any brand names, everything in Trader Joe's is their own unique brand. One of the things I've really liked about this store is I find the produce stays fresh longer; I think this is because their vegetables are so fresh in the store that you're bringing them home quicker than you would be from any other big-chain grocery store. Something else I like about this place is their atmosphere- I don't know if it's because it's in a well-to-do area or what but the people at this store are always so friendly and the cashiers always try to strike a conversation which I think is really nice.
I haven't compared the prices yet to that of Publix but I surely plan to in the future because I feel like they are cheaper at Trader Joe's which (if true) is phenomenal. I'm going to continue shopping here, even if I have to refrigerate my bread because it lacks preservatives. If you haven't checked out a Trader Joe's I would recommend it if you're ever given the opportunity. It's a place that makes me happy, and I'm sure it will make you happy too!
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