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Tasty Treats at Trader Joe's

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The coming of Trader Joe’s to Kansas City built anticipation in our family akin to the arrival of summer vacation. As east-coast transplants who shopped regularly at Trader Joe’s, we have depended on packages of food from friends, stuffed suitcases from trips back east and a delivery service from St. Louis to get our Trader Joe’s fix of favorite foods.

 

Because I am a rather vocal fan of Trader Joe’s, I am often asked about the shopping experience. First and foremost, I shop at Trader Joe’s because of their commitment to providing healthy food. All foods in a Trader Joe’s label will promise:

Because most items in the store are private label with only one offering (only one type of ketchup, rather than five), I also save a lot of time by not having to wade through so many choices. I love being able to do two weeks’ of grocery shopping in less than 30 minutes. Not only is Trader Joe’s quick and healthy, they also have great prices. They don’t have weekly sales; they just strive to have low prices all the time. They also accept manufacturer coupons for the national brand products that they carry.

 

Trader Joe’s customer service never ceases to amaze me. On the rare occasion that I have had to return an item, they have happily taken it back—even when I couldn’t find my receipt. Once, when I asked a Captain (Trader Joe’s speak for store manager) about the taste of a certain product, he simply opened it up and we tried it to see if we liked it. My kids also love the free samples and automatically head to the back of the store to try what’s new upon our arrival. When my kids were younger, they loved the free balloons, coloring pages and scavenger hunts in the stores. It’s also just plain fun to shop in a laid-back Hawaiian atmosphere.

 

Some people shop at Trader Joe’s for the specialty items that have made the store famous, but I do just about all of my grocery shopping there. I am just as likely to pick up my frozen green beans and bananas there as I am my orange chicken and carne asada. Our top 10 favorites include:

With its combination of healthy food, great prices, fabulous customer service and fun, Traders Joe’s is sure to be a favorite grocery stop for Kansas City foodies and families alike.

 

Anne Stublen, a high school teacher, is so glad Trader Joes opened near her home in Leawood.

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