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I've shopped at Whole Foods almost exclusively since moving to New York. But I recently decided to give Trader Joe's a try to see what all the fuss was about.
Although I liked the general shopping experience at Trader Joe's, and appreciated the friendly atmosphere and affordable prices, I can't see myself making the permanent switch from Whole Foods.
There are plenty of noticeable similarities between the two stores, like their variety of organic and healthier options and their eco-friendly policies that many customers admire.
I've pretty much exclusively shopped at Whole Foods since moving to New York City, despite the fact that a lot of my friends opt to shop at Trader Joe's instead.
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Although Whole Foods is only a 10-minute walk from my apartment, I recently decided to take a short subway ride to a Trader Joe's in the nearby Chelsea neighborhood to find out how it compared to my supermarket of choice.
By the end of my shopping trip, I knew which grocery store I'd continue going back to.
Read on to see what Trader Joe's is like through the eyes of a die-hard Whole Foods fan.
There are a fair amount of Trader Joe's in the NYC area. I live in Hell's Kitchen, so I decided to travel to the nearest location in nearby Chelsea. This required a short subway ride, which isn't exactly convenient for a trip to the grocery store.
This Trader Joe's was all on one level, which was a nice change from my neighborhood Whole Foods. I don't exactly enjoy lugging a cart of food up and down escalators during a routine grocery shopping trip.
One of the first things I noticed was how colorful it was inside. Though the walls were white, there were decorative details that added to the space and made it brighter …
... like handwritten prices and signs with catchy phrases and food puns.
There were even painted murals throughout the store that highlighted the Chelsea neighborhood.
I have to admit, I noticed a considerable difference from Whole Foods, which can tend to be a little dark with its color scheme.
The produce section was first on our list to explore. The food looked good, but the prices were what really made my jaw drop.
An avocado at Trader Joe's is $1.59. I regularly pay more than $2 at Whole Foods and other grocery stores in the city for a single avocado, so this was a big plus in my book.
There was an easygoing and friendly atmosphere about the store that I couldn't help but notice each way I turned.
I mean, come on, how cute are these product descriptions?
This Trader Joe's was clearly smaller than a typical Whole Foods store, but the wide aisles and open design helped make the area feel more spacious as I continued shopping.
We visited on a Sunday afternoon, which is typically a busy time to grocery shop. To our surprise, we only had trouble walking down one aisle, which is a big win while grocery shopping in Manhattan.
In the food aisles, I was pleased to find there were only one or two options for each product.
As someone who often gets stressed out from having too many options to choose from, I was really impressed by that. I could tell I was moving faster than usual through the store.
While shopping around, I did realize that Trader Joe's doesn't have everything. For example, I love perusing through the large aisle of spices in Whole Foods, but all I could find here were Trader Joe's exclusives like "Everything but the Bagel" seasoning.
Like at Whole Foods, it's pretty difficult to find brand-name products on the shelves.
Even the self-care aisle was filled with Trader Joe's-brand vitamins and supplements.
Trader Joe's eliminates the middleman and buys its products directly from suppliers. This is how the grocery store claims it's able to keep its prices so low.
Another similarity between the two grocery store chains was the amount of organic and healthier food products, liked these riced cauliflower meals.
Both chains carry a good amount of higher-quality foods you don't typically find in a grocery store, like this large assortment of premium cheeses.
A big difference I noticed between Whole Foods and Trader Joe's is the frozen food section. I’m used to having to open up and reach inside a freezer, but at Trader Joe's the freezers are open, which made it easy to grab and go.
There were definitely some Whole Foods perks that were missing from my Trader Joe's experience. It may be called a bakery here, but I wouldn't consider this section of Trader Joe's anything special. There were a couple of packaged goodies and different kinds of bread, but it didn't compare to the selection of freshly baked goods and ready-to-decorate cakes I typically find at Whole Foods.
The store was also lacking a Whole Foods-style buffet where customers could prepare hot or cold meals. But I did find this adorable café in the back of the store selling healthy salads and other snacks.
At the counter, freshly brewed Trader Joe's coffee was available to sample and enjoy while passing through.
The store continued to charm me for its attention to detail and decorative additions. I loved the greeting card section of the store, not only for its prices …
... but also for its commitment to character and for maintaining an engaging and friendly tone of voice.
The check-out line was pretty intimidating at first, but it moved extremely quickly.
There was an employee stationed at the front of the line to keep things moving smoothly. Each cashier also had a wooden oar and a personal bell to let customers know they were ready to assist the next person in line.
After only five minutes of waiting, I was next in line. On my way to check out, I noticed reusable bags for sale for only $0.99. This is another eco-friendly measure taken by both supermarkets that I know many Whole Foods customers admire.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time shopping at Trader Joe's. The small space and little variety of product options gave me a stress-free and quick grocery shopping experience. Not to mention, the competitive pricing and decorative features really stood out.
However, with such an inconvenient location for me and the absence of store additions like a bakery and hot food buffet, I can't see myself making the permanent switch. If a closer Trader Joe's opens up, though, that could very well change.
