Trader Joe's/Whole Foods Market

[Biciclista]

At Whole foods you have to be careful or you will spend a lot of money, very true. But you don't HAVE to buy all the expensive stuff, it's just there, the fancy chocolates and cheese, the prepared foods with fancy names, truffles, whatever; you name it. They also carry an incredible amount of gorgeous fresh fruit and veggies and if there's something special you like and have trouble finding elsewhere; they probably have it.

Trader Joe's on the other hand has a much smaller selection of everything
and is def. more working class.
They have a great frozen foods department.

both stores are great for chocolate.

[ny biker]

And at Trader Joe's, they wear Hawaiian shirts.

[PamNY]

Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are completely different. Trader Joe's is more fun, and some items are a real bargain. I like their nut butters; teas and coffees are good, too.

I don't like Whole Foods; I'd suggest it only if there are specialty items you can't find where you live.

Pam

[Norse]

I adore Trader Joe's. And it is actually less expensive than so-called discount supermarkets. Just give yourself plenty of time to stroll up and down the aisles, and plenty of room to bring stuff home.

[sgtiger]

Never actually shopped at TJ's, but I've had their humus and chocolate covered cookies of some sort. Yum! I've lived sorta near a TJs in all my previous addresses but they're kinda out of the way from my normal errand routes so I don't shop at them. There are a lot of places in Oregon and Washington that carry the kinds of items that both places carry, so I guess I've never felt like I was ever really missing anything. I shop at Whole Foods, on occasion, because they share a parking lot with the closest REI. Usually I go in to get a couple of items that are hard to find elsewhere (mostly skincare products) and look around for specials on produce.

[GLC1968]

There are a lot of places in Oregon and Washington that carry the kinds of items that both places carry

Yes. I should have mentioned that while I'm biased against TJ's, I've only been to the one local to me, once. I've only been to my local Whole Foods twice, and the first time was just to see it during the grand opening.

I usually shop elsewhere, too. Neither store is very good about carring local items and that's important to me, so I'd rather give my business to locally owned/locally supported businesses (like New Seasons).

[PamNY]

I usually shop elsewhere, too. Neither store is very good about carring local items and that's important to me, so I'd rather give my business to locally owned/locally supported businesses (like New Seasons).

I agree, and Whole Foods is putting some small stores out of business in my neighborhood. Whole Foods here has some local produce, but I don't see why they can't have more. I think they just carry a few items to validate their annoying moralistic signage.

Their fish department used to have a big sign saying "Straight from the Fulton Fish Market" -- well, duh, that was the wholesale location that most fish came through in my city. That particular wholesale market closed, but the sign stayed.

TJs bother me less because they don't claim to be anything other than fun and cheap, but like you I prefer locally-owned or locally-grown when possible. Of course, none of this has anything to do with the original question, but I love to promote buying local.

Pam

[surgtech1956]

Looks like there is a Whole Foods just down the road from TJs, I'll have to stop in to check it out. Thanks for the info ladies. That banana 'jerky' sounds yummy..........