For many people a trip to the grocery store is as mundane as putting air in one's tires or crossing off a to-do list.
Increasingly, folks are using grocery-delivery services, like Amazon AMZN Fresh or Instacart.
Related: Walmart is about to completely change how you shop (for the better)
But for the last few of us who still thoroughly enjoy a trip to the grocery store, it can be fun perusing the aisles every week, discovering what's new and what's been discontinued.
Such is the case especially at Trader Joe's, an Aldi-owned grocery chain that offers deep discounts and a litany of cult-favorite items.
Customers love Trader Joe's for its value, quality, availability and — of course — its off-the-beaten-path favorites. Where else can you get cookie butter ice cream, wine for under $5, and wild-caught salmon under the same roof?
You'll be hard pressed to find anything with a recognizable name brand; most of the stuff is simply labeled "Trader Joe's." But most shoppers don't mind this. In fact, that's part of the very reason it's got such a loyal following. Many people prefer Trader Joe's brands to other labels because they tend to be less expensive and, perhaps equally important, they embrace the seasons.
Every fall, for example, pumpkin-flavored items start to creep onto shelves until the entire store is clothed in a sort of orangey hue. For a lot of shoppers, it's the best time of the year.
For those who prefer peppermint and mistletoe to pumpkin spice, early November is the best time of the year because that's when the store begins stocking their holiday favorites (with plenty of new items, to be sure).
Trader Joe's introduces new holiday items
This month Trader Joe's has begun stocking some old favorites, like its turkey gravy and Nuts About Rosemary Mix ($7.99 for a 12 ounce container).
But TJs is also stocking plenty of new products on its shelves — at least 46, as of this writing — and some of them sound as if they're sure to be instant classics.
Here's a list of some of the new items:
- Aged Sheep’s Milk Cheese
- Organic Conversation Olive Trio
- Non-Dairy Cinnamon Bun Oat Creamer
- Chocolate Dipped Danish Cookies
- Braised Pork Shoulder
- Holiday Cheer Cheese Spread
- Baked Pizza Flavored Pillow Crisp
- Classic Bitters
- Organic Farfalle Rigate Pasta
- Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
- Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Hatch Chili Jalapeno Cheese Dip
- Cinnamon Sugar Toffee Trio
- Chicken Breakfast Patties
- Super Chocolatey Gluten Free Cookie Dough
- Garlic & Black Pepper Almonds
- All Butter Sugar Cookie Dough
- Teeny Tiny Apple Pies
- Guacasalsa
- Double Chocolate Croissants
- Garlic and Asiago Cheese Dip
- Sesame Miso Salad with Salmon
"Look no further than Fully Cooked Half Turkey Breast, prepared Cornbread Stuffing, and of course, Gravy. And for a sweet finish, there’s classic Pumpkin Pie, and even a larger-than-life Milk Chocolate Coin—yes!" Trader Joe's suggests for Thanksgiving this year.
The grocer is selling free range organic young turkeys for $3.99 a pound this year — a deal most of us can agree on.
