I'm a chef who visited Trader Joe's for the first time, and I was blown away by the fair prices and incredible options

Tori HazelettNov 27, 2022, 21:00 IST

I'm a private chef but I'd never been to Trader Joe's because I usually shop at Aldi or Lidl.Tori Hazelett

I'm a chef who had never been to Trader Joe's — it always seemed gimmicky and crowded.
Much to my surprise, the chain had impressive, reasonably priced spices, premade meals, and more.

I'd never been to Trader Joe's before because it seemed gimmicky and crowded.

The exterior of a Trader Joe's.Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock

It was a little more crowded than my usual grocery stores, but not in an objectionable way.

The store was pretty crowded, but it didn't bother me.Tori Hazelett

The seasonal selections were spot on.

The pumpkin-patch display was so fun.Tori Hazelett

The good vibes here felt contagious, from the bright decor to the colorful flowers.

Trader Joe's seems like a great place to work, and the good vibes were contagious.Tori Hazelett

I was thrilled to see an expansive produce section that wouldn't gouge my wallet.

A lot of the produce prices seemed fair.Tori Hazelett

I found an entire shelf of herbs with the lowest prices I've seen at any local store.

This section of herbs should not be overlooked.Tori Hazelett

Trader Joe's is also a charcuterie lover's paradise.

There were dozens of cheeses at Trader Joe's.Tori Hazelett

The salad section was also overflowing with options.

The salad I tried was super impressive.Tori Hazelett

Trader Joe's spice aisle seemed legit, and I appreciated its unique blends.

The chain had a lot of its own spice blends.Tori Hazelett

Trader Joe's had aisles and aisles of unique, ready-made products.

From curry to mac and cheese, Trader Joe's had tons of ready-made options.Brittany Menjivar

Continuing with the convenience commodities, the ravioli section did not disappoint.

I don't like making ravioli from scratch.Tori Hazelett

The prepped-meats section might have been the most unexpectedly awesome area of the store.

Trader Joe's had a lot of meat available.Tori Hazelett

It was impossible to choose from the myriad of frozen desserts.

Trader Joe's had plenty of frozen desserts.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Finally, I brought my haul home and started to chow down.

The prices and variety blew me away.Tori Hazelett

Trader Joe's egg bites were a tasty hit.

Trader Joe's egg bites tasted fresh.Tori Hazelett

I also really enjoyed one of Trader Joe's premade meals.

I wish I'd been able to try the Mandarin orange chicken, but I was happy with this premade kebab.Tori Hazelett

The two kinds of ravioli I tried from Trader Joe's were great.

The lobster and butternut-squash ravioli blew me away.Tori Hazelett

I also picked up a package of Trader Joe's Sublime ice-cream sandwiches.

My husband said this ice cream was pretty great.Tori Hazelett

I will absolutely come back to Trader Joe's for its fair prices and fun products.

This was my first trip to Trader Joe's but won't be my last.Tori Hazelett

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