First off, in case you don't know me, let me say I am a farm girl, a country girl raised in a land of, well, tree-huggers. Not only was I not brought up thinking organic and grass-fed were best, I was actually raised to think the people who believed they were best were mis-informed at best, and a bit off their rocker at worst.
As I got older and farther away from the farm, and as I developed health issues directly related to the nutrients I consumed, I started to think maybe there was something to all the "go green" chatter. It was still baby steps, though, and I was always quick to jump at the research and news reports pointing out what items you shouldn't bother to buy organic (bananas). Not to mention, I still want my beef grain-fed and happy, thank-you-very-much.
I was prepared, then, to ignore Trader Joe's. Especially when it was presented as "like Whole Foods, only less expensive." Whole Foods being a store I find frustrating and over-priced (although I have to frequent it in order to buy my doctor-enforced calcium without vitamin D included).
In the interest of fairness, though, I went for a shopping excursion. (It didn't help that he was already in love with the store and prepared to do 100% of his shopping there, regardless of how out-of-the-way it is.)
I must admit, I fell in love, myself.
Nothing to do with organic, or locally sourced, or range chickens.
I love that it's a GROCERY store! It sells GROCERIES! No aisles of cookware and small appliances. No tripping around random over-priced lawn furniture on your way in. No gift wrap, no hardware. They do sell some cleaning supplies, some personal care items, but it's kept to a small, easy-to-peruse section, not an entire mile of toothpastes and 400 types of dish soap.
It's a small store, but has more FOOD in it then the store I wear my pedometer to and combine my workout and shopping as I log miles trying to find a loaf of bread.
The last time we were in the store, I calmly waited as a father with two toddlers tried to select his coffee of choice and entertain his daughters. Entertain his daughters? I smiled and I looked around, and realized it is a store that doesn't need to market to children and toddlers. Trader Joe packaging is not bright and shiny and covered in cartoons. The bottom shelf holds food, not candy and overly sweetened treats just calling out for children to grab, to scream out requests for.
Oh, and the 29 cent bananas are nice, the bag of avocados are well worth the gas money to an out-of-the-way store, and don't even get me started on the 32oz bags of chips for $2.
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