Frozen berry medley for smoothies
Frozen Harvest Hodgepodge vegetables for stir fry
Thai rice sticks for stir fry
Salami and provolone for Mike's lunch sandwiches
Pizza dough for a pizza
Organic soy milk for smoothies and cereal
Organic whole wheat spaghetti
White spaghetti for white clam sauce
Mini pearl tomatoes
Organic frozen sweet peas for baby food
Organic wild blueberries for smoothies and muffins
Organic steel cut oats for breakfast and baby
All this for a whopping $27.08. Are you kidding me with this? I really cannot get over at how inexpensive this much food was. Almost half of it was organic! These groceries will feed my family for a week. Obviously not everything I need is on that list, which is why it's so important to have a stocked pantry of necessary cooking items. That way, you just do a small shop for fresh ingredients each week or so, and have all the little items (canned goods, oils, spices, grains) on hand. I will be posting about building a great pantry this week!
The reason I'm writing the post is to motivate you to try out Trader Joe's. I live 2 miles away, but I walk over there (you're crazy if you think i'm paying $3.40 for the T round trip) anyways, because the prices are amazing. If you're looking to stretch your grocery buck, this is the place to be. Granted, they won't have everything you want, but that's really ok.
There are 3 TJs in the city...one in Cambridge, one in Back Bay (take the T to Hynes Convention Center or Prudential stop and walk to Boylston - right across from the Prudential on Boylston street), and one in Brookline (with beer and wine - Coolidge Corner stop on the C line).
They have great prices on:
- butter
- organic soy milk
- organic yogurt
- pizza dough
- olive oil
- jelly
- cheese
- chocolate
- nuts
- organic raisins
- organic romaine hearts
- frozen fruit
- prepared foods
- breads and bagels
- potatoes
- vanilla extract
- oatmeal
- protein powder
If you can make it over to TJs, I insist that you do. You can't find a better value anywhere in the city. Like I always say, Trader Joe's has almost everything you could need and nothing you don't. If you're trying to eat healthy on a tight budget, TJs is a great place to start because the prices are so reasonable, you won't be scared off!
I should let you know, though, that Whole Foods prices are cheaper on some things. Overall, your shopping experience will be insanely cheaper for a market basket of goods at TJs, but WFs has some really great deals, which I will post about later this week. So stay tuned for deals I've found at Whole Foods, as well as for the Whole Foods Pick of the Week!
scrimpyTips:
-This place is bad during peak hours. Apparently once people walk in there, they lose their ability to see peripherally. This makes people run into you/back into you/cut you off/run you over with abandon. Oh, and good luck getting an "excuse me" or an apology. I would go early on a weekend morning or during the work day (not at lunchtime though) if possible.
-Even though it seems tiny, you can navigate this place (Back Bay) with a stroller. You just walk in, and take the lift down. After that, it's smooth sailing...well, as long as you're not there during peak hours. See prior tip.
NO excuses that you don't live close to a TJs! I walk 4 miles round trip (with a 7 month old!).
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