Trader Joe’s superfans on Reddit and across the internet are sharing their absolute favorite under-$5 items from the grocery chain, including snacks, grocery favorites, and especially “great deals” that they suggest shoppers take advantage of whenever possible.
Big call-outs varied from canned goods like the Greek Chickpeas with Parsley & Cumin to staples like spices and seasonings and snacktime faves including nuts, with customers sharing, “I think most of the snacks are well priced.”
Snacks, Sweet Treats And Smaller Bites
Customers across the board noted Trader Joe's well-priced snacks, sweet treats and small bites, including crackers, nuts, and yogurt. Shannon, the curator of the popular Trader Joe's Obsessed Instagram and TikTok pages, said that the Honey Wheat Pretzel Sticks are a particularly popular budget item, coming in at just $2.49 a bag according to the Trader Joe's website. The original honey wheat pretzels were recently discontinued, but will apparently be making a comeback soon via a new distributor.
Of nuts, one Redditor wrote, "It’s always been my go to for nuts! I’ve never found a place with a better cost on raw cashews or many other nuts." Another agreed: "Most nuts are also generally cheaper than nuts you find at the regular grocery store, and dried fruit too."
Fans of TJ's on Reddit also shared their snacking picks:
Comment by u/botanygeek from discussion Budget foods at Trader Joe's in traderjoes
Comment by u/TRex_N_FX from discussion What are some cheap, healthy, and filling snacks to get from trader joe's? in traderjoes
Shannon at Trader Joe's Obsessed also called out the $1-$2 single-serve yogurts, like the Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt cups, single pack cookies, and popcorns available at the chain. One Redditor suggested, "I like their popcorn kernels. It's a good deal if you pop the corn at home, [and] it's easy to microwave or if you have an air popper."
Spices, Seasonings, And Condiments
Another popular category was that of smaller add-ons—spices, seasonings, and condiments.
"Spices are a great deal at TJ, unless you are buying in bulk and don't need the jars," suggested one shopper. "If nothing else, get the Everyday Seasoning, plus a bottle of Smokey Joes and of Coconut Aminos, a package of nutritional yeast, and you are set to make any cheap can of beans or package of frozen vegetables taste delicious."
The same handy home cook also shared some condiment tips: "In general, it's a great place to get condiments. We eat a lot of rice and beans or lentils, but we change it up by using Jalapeño Sauce, Chimichurri, Peri Peri, Georgian seasoning, etc. Every month they come out with seasonal or limited products that may not be the very cheapest themselves, but which make really cheap food interesting."
Grocery Essentials: Pasta, Canned Goods, And More
Trader Joe's grocery essentials were a favorite as well across the board, with people like Shannon at Trader Joe's obsessed highlighting the dry pasta selection for both pricing and popularity—"penne, spaghetti, and fusilli are [very] popular," noted Shannon.
Frozen items also got several shout-outs on social media, with shoppers noting their quality compared to most frozen supermarket items:
Comment by u/Detronyx from discussion Budget foods at Trader Joe's in traderjoes
Comment by u/loudlittle from discussion Budget foods at Trader Joe's in traderjoes
Other big fan favorites included the variety of quality produce, as well as specifically the canned Greek Chickpeas with Parsley & Cumin, which a writer on AllRecipes called the "product [they] never leave the store without." The Greek Chickpeas cost only $2 a can, and "taste like they could have come out of a Middle Eastern restaurant's kitchen." AllRecipes suggests adding them to "salads, rice bowls, and even soups at lunch; I pair them with a few other TJ's dips to throw together a make-shift mezze platter for dinner. But my favorite way to put the Greek Chickpeas to use is in a sandwich."
