Sunday, April 08, 2007

Trader Joes: Cereals -- pro or con?




I went a BBQ this weekend and -- of all the controversial topics out there, from Iraq to child discipline -- the most surprising comment I heard was from a friend who declared: "I love Trader Joes but I HATE their cereal."

Wow. (I love Trader Joes and shop there at least a couple times a week. I virtually stopped shopping anywhere elese after the supermarket strike a few years ago.) That instantly got me thinking of all the TJ's cereals that I absolutely adore. There's the TJs line of shredded wheat (frosted and maple + brown sugar are huge winners while the cinamon and the newly debuted vanilla are disappointments). I like a cereal that stays crisp in milk for a few minutes. TJ's shredded wheat does while also having a good flavor. My biggest complaint about the cinnamon flavor is that it's dull and the box color is close to the maple + brown sugar and often tricks me into buying the wrong one. At $2.99 I think this is one of the best cereal deals at TJs.

I also really like "Joe's O's" which are nearly as good as Cheerios but half the price ($1.99 at TJs!!). (My son really like them too!) I noticed recently that these actually have a lot more sodium than Cheerios (90 mg I think).


I often crave the Trek Mix granola especially the sweet, salt and nutty blend. At $2.99 it is a couple bucks cheaper than granola at Whole Foods or a super market. The mix of granola, almonds and candied cashews is the right mix of salty and sweet.



Cost: Beats evern the best sales at grocery stores.
Taste: Fantastic. Like a lot of food at TJs, you just need to find your item.
Experience: Best food store in LA.

Find a location: The Trader Joes nearest you!

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