6 Healthy Grocery Items Frugal People Buy at Trader Joe’s
Although Trader Joe’s has a reputation as a bougie status store in some circles, the prices don’t back up the haters’ position. According to CNET data, Trader Joe’s is 33% cheaper than the average supermarket, making it one of the most affordable places for food shopping.
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It’s no secret that eating healthy can be expensive, but Trader Joe’s gives frugal shoppers a chance to put clean food in their fridges and pantries without breaking the bank.
Here’s what they buy.
Nuts
Unfortunately, the healthiest snacks are often the more expensive alternatives to junk food like chips — but thrifty shoppers know where to turn for crunch, salty satisfaction.
“At Trader Joe’s, frugal but health-conscious consumers prioritize purchasing their nuts,” said shopping expert Sarib Rehman, founder of the e-commerce platform Flipcost, where he specializes in consumer purchasing decisions.
According to The Penny Hoarder, you can find peanuts cheaper elsewhere but Trader Joe’s usually beats the competition with pricier selections like almonds, cashews and mixed nuts.
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Dried Fruits
Rehman also mentioned dried fruits.
“These items are both cost-effective and healthy, offering great nutritional value for their price,” Rehman said. “Trader Joe’s tends to source its products thoughtfully, and this is especially true for its nuts and dried fruits, which are often available in both organic and non-organic options at prices significantly lower than those seen at specialty health food stores.”
An eight-ounce pack of Trader Joe’s dried, sweetened cranberries is $1.99, or $0.25 an ounce, compared to $0.29 an ounce for a much larger 24-ounce bag of Ocean Spray at Target.
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Rolled Oats
Packed with fiber but not with sugar and fat, oatmeal is one of the healthiest ways to start your day.
A 32-ounce package of Trader Joe’s whole grain rolled oats costs $3.99, or $0.12 an ounce. A larger 42-ounce package of regular old Quaker Oats costs $5.99 at Target — that’s $0.14 an ounce despite the bulk purchase and big-brand mass production.
Hummus
Made from chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, and other basic ingredients, hummus is loved by health-conscious consumers for its versatility and the protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber it delivers with every bite.
A 10-ounce container of roasted red pepper hummus costs $3.49 at Trader Joe’s. At ShopRite, a 10-ounce container of roasted red pepper hummus from Sabra costs $4.99.
Hemp Hearts
With double-digit grams of protein and omega 3 and 6 per serving, hemp seeds — or hemp hearts — add an earthy flavor and impressive health benefits to smoothies, salads, oatmeal and many other foods that were already healthy to begin with.
An eight-ounce bag at Trader Joe’s costs $6.49, or $0.81 an ounce. On Amazon, a seven-ounce bag of Manitoba Harvest costs $7.39, or $1.06 an ounce.
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Liquid Coconut Aminos
Coconut aminos are made from fermented coconut sap, but they don’t carry the flavor of the hard and fibrous palm-based fruits whose name they bear. The liquid looks and tastes more like soy sauce, but a little sweeter, less salty and more savory — and you can use it in most of the same ways while benefiting from its vitamins and, of course, amino-rich base.
At Trader Joe’s, an 8.5-ounce bottle is $2.99, or $0.35 an ounce. At Walmart, a 10-ounce bottle from Bragg is $6.68, or $0.67 an ounce, nearly double the cost — and that’s despite a dramatic discount from its original price of $18 per bottle.
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