Latest reviews about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

MomToThree says "Trader Joe's - worth the trip" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

MomToThree — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:08:33 GMT

The nearest Trader Joe's is over an hour's drive for me. However, I make the trip about every other month to stock up on items that can't be beat from anywhere else. My kids love to snack on Buccaneer Joe's White Cheddar Corn Puffs, original Savory Thins (regular size and minis), and sour cream & onion baked crisps. All of these items are low in fat. My kids prefer them over regular potato and tortilla chips. Trader Joe's frozen vegetables are such a value compared to other grocery stores. Their frozen French green beans are a bargain at $2.29 for 24 oz. I swear they are better than fresh and only take a couple of minutes of steaming. Soycutash may be the most perfect combination of frozen vegetable ever with its edamame, corn, and sweet red peppers. Other items always on my list are Trader Joe's 32 oz. chicken broth, Brushcetta (great tossed with hot pasta!), olive tapenades, mini pearl grape tomoates, and cheeses.

If you are lucky enough to visit a Trader...

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catgrl says "Trader Joe's takes the stress out of grocery shopping!" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

catgrl — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 03:59:05 GMT

Trader Joe's takes the stress out of grocery shopping and makes it a pleasant experience. There are good deals on fresh food, delicious free samples, fun music playing and great customer service! You can find just about anything you're looking for from flavored coffee creamer to tonight's dinner to an inexpensive holiday gift. There aren't 30 aisles to navigate! Keep it simple, shop TJ's!...

BettyJoyce says "Super terrific store" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

BettyJoyce — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:52:24 GMT

Just got a Trader Joe's in my area and I am so happy with the variety of

products this store carries. The different cheeses are fantastic

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Molly943 says "Quality, value and unique finds all under one roof" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

Molly943 — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:28:47 GMT

How glad I am that we have a market such as Trader Joe's! It is a superb place to get the necessary grocery basics and any "gourmet" type items you may need for entertaining. It is the right type of market for those who enjoy cooking and don't have to cook for a crowd. It is more suitable to those of us who have two and if you are looking for healthier alternatives to the usual junk food or processed foods that are available in the large chain stores. I appreciate the smaller store so you can get in and out and find your favorite foods quickly. They have done well to cut out the middle man and buy from those who still care about how a product is made.

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stactom says "Traders Joes - Quality but limited selection" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

stactom — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:49:26 GMT

Trader Joes describes itself as a grocery store and that's pretty much the truth. It's certainly not a supermarket since many of its stores are quite small compared to supermarkets. My comments will be specific to the three stores I've been in: Danbury, Connecticut, Mamaroneck, New York and Arlington, Massachusetts.

Maybe that seems like a lot of stores but it's not. Trader Joes is in twenty-three states and has over 280 stores with more on the way. The chain started in California in the 1950s and the majority of stores are in that state. They expanded in the 1960s to the east coast and have just started making inroads to the middle of the country.

The stores are relatively small because they don't offer a full line of products. Take dairy for example. There's milk, yogurt and cheese (lots of cheese) but there's no ice cream. To cut costs many of their products are sold under their own label but don't let that deter you. Some of this stuff is great. I particularly like...

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Giya says "Makes Grocery Shopping Fun!" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

Giya — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:11:29 GMT

I love Trader Joes primarily for the free samples, cheap wine and great service. I have never enjoyed shopping for my groceries so much. To be honest, I expected the prices to be much higher than my usual grocery store - but they are not!...

tsconnick says "simple and exotic" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

tsconnick — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:23:30 GMT

Trader Joe's is an adventure in shopping, you never know what you might find! From the staples to the, oh, that sounds good, I should try that. A perk with my kids (and myself) is the sampling station with a different choice daily (sometimes twice daily). Prices, which are always the same, no sales, are comparable to national chains but the quality, on average, is way above. The type of foods I would like to prepare myself, if I had the time. Once you try it, it really grows on you. The only down side is sometimes they have one time offers and when they're gone they're gone....

toastqueen says "Fun to shop at!" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

toastqueen — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 04:24:02 GMT

Trader Joe's is not a "normal" grocery store - it had a neat selection of interesting food. Their prepared meals are great, and you can get a good deal on organic produce. Sometimes their inventory is lacking - one day you find organic bananas, one day you don't. That can be frustrating, especially when you go there for a certain couple of items. As long as they're not stocking the freezers, the TJ's staff are super-friendly!...

Devi4now says "Gotta love Trader Joes" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

Devi4now — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:04:35 GMT

Trder Joes is the best plce to go if our looking for healthy good food. The only problem I have is I get addicted to a product and then they dont have it anymore. Its really not that big a deal though Theres always something elce to try....

Possible says "Not your average Joe" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

Possible — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:52:12 GMT

I first experienced Trader Joe's on family trips to California and Arizona in the 90s. We stocked up on delicious snacks and pre-made meals for long roadtrips, and wished there was one near us.
Finally, today I live 3 blocks from a Trader Joe's, and it is bliss. They have interesting treats and lots of great lunch selections. I am addicted to their garlic hummus. I appreciate that they encourage their customers to bring their own re-usable shopping bags by rewarding you with raffle tickets for free groceries.
My only qualm is that with their rapidly changing inventory, old favorites can disappear from one day to the next. However, their quality is so high that a new favorite is soon to appear in my shopping cart.
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Galomorro says "Trader Joe's is Shopping Heaven!" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

Galomorro — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 16:14:35 GMT

Trader Joe's is one of the best things that's ever happened to my city, except there aren't enough of them around. I go out of my way to get to the one closest to me.

Their prices are more reasonable than Whole Foods for many items. They have an excellent selection of wines, and more in the $10 range than does Whole Foods. They're also the store that carries the famous "Two Buck Chuck," if you need wine but only have a couple dollars on you.

I'm not financially well off and much appreciate the lower costs here, while at the same time what I'm buying is healthy stuff. The folks who work there are superfriendly and knowledgeable, more than any other market I've been to. They're always willing to assist you, and there's an info booth in the front too.

I appreciate the fact that they have clean, customer-accessible bathrooms too; a lot of older, regular supermarkets do not. I love the little booklet they regularly put out -- and even distribute to the neighborhoods -- that tells of new...

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cvt2356 says "great grocery store" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

cvt2356 — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 20:53:14 GMT

I think Trader Joe's is fantastic. It has great stuff at a cheap price. True, it does has a finicky selection, especially with regards to produce. None the less, I find it a great place to do general shopping and stock up on whats available. You can always go to another store or farmers market for produce. I always feel that at the normal grocery stores, the selection is too great. Trader Joe's has just what you need and not an overwhelming number of choices of, take for example, ketchup. I think this helps in making my shopping trip quicker. I like good food and saving money....

AnneWithAnE says "Bring home the soy bacon & save some gluten-free dough. " about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

AnneWithAnE — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 17:22:42 GMT

Trader Joe’s

It’s okay if you’ve never shopped there, honest. We won’t make fun of you too much. We’ll just snicker a little.

No, come back. If you’re wondering what all the fuss is over a grocery store, keep reading, even if you’re more franks & beans than goat-cheese pizza. You’ll find both here, by the way.

For starters, it’s not a regular grocery store. It’s not exactly a trading post, either. It’s not big but not expensive; it’s gourmet with a populist touch, it combines kitsch and class and accommodates persnickety foodies and harried Moms with equal ease.

Much ink has been spilled on their unusual business model, which revolves around the Pasadena staff’s finicky tastes. It’s a company doing what it darn well pleases but doing it well.

So I’ll review what I’m best at as a hardened organic foodie AND harried Mom: the quality of their in-house brands, the depth of their selections, the freshness of their produce, even their customer service.

Joe and I...

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Jolie says "Perfect Alternative to Whole Foods- Quality and Cheap!" about Trader Joe's - Ahwatukee, AZ

Jolie — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 21:32:26 GMT

As I get older, I have come to care more deeply about the quality of my foods. (No, ramen noodles dont cut it anymore!) I especially appreciate food that is not over processed or stuffed with nasty chemicals. At the same time, I dont want to break the bank buying a $7 pint of strawberries because they are free of pesticides. (Sorry Whole Foods!) So, what does one do when you want to be healthy but not spend a boat load? Visit Trader Joes!!!!! They have really nailed the model.

What are my favorite Trader Joe moments?

Trader Joe's has a good selection of ethnic foods (I especially like their Indian options) as well as prepared foods.
Their frozen food section is one of my favorite places to visit in the store. They have healthy prepared options such as risottos, pork chops, chinese meals, etc. Meals in minutes-- who doesnt like that?
You also cant forget the dessert. Trader Joe's has in-shell sorbets that are to die for!!!! They are perfect to serve at a dinner party too. (lemon sorbet inside...

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