Trader Joes "?'s"

NeverlandClub23

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Are Trader Joe's products/produce organic if it doesn't say it is? I bought some produce over the weekend that doesn't say organic on it (berries/watermelon in plastic containers). They're from Mexico packaged "exclusively" for TJ's. So I'm wondering if they're not organic, what's the point in buying them from Trader Joe's and not a regular grocery store? Thanks for any input!
 
It's not organic unless it says it is. TJ's is often less expensive than super markets so you may still see a price advantage. For pre-packaged foods, even if it's not organic, TJ foods do not have HFCS's, artificial perservatives, dyes, artificial sweeteners, or a lot of other crap, so non-organic TJ items still may be better for you than super market varieties.
 
I love TJ's Columbian coffee!
 

It's not organic unless it says it is. TJ's is often less expensive than super markets so you may still see a price advantage. For pre-packaged foods, even if it's not organic, TJ foods do not have HFCS's, artificial perservatives, dyes, artificial sweeteners, or a lot of other crap, so non-organic TJ items still may be better for you than super market varieties.

Just make sure to read your labels, if you're concerned about certain ingredients. We found that the chicken teriyaki rice bowls had HFCS so had to stop buying them. :(
 
Just make sure to read your labels, if you're concerned about certain ingredients. We found that the chicken teriyaki rice bowls had HFCS so had to stop buying them. :(

Really? I thought all of TJ's items were HFCS free. I'm not specifically trying to avoid it, but thanks for the FYI.
 
Really? I thought all of TJ's items were HFCS free. I'm not specifically trying to avoid it, but thanks for the FYI.

Yeah, we were pretty surprised to find it. DS11 is the one who eats them - and loves them - and one day, we went to get more and I asked DS14 to grab a couple for me and the words just popped out at him from the label. DS11 was very sad. :(

So now I check everything I buy at TJ's...but I think that's the only thing I've ever seen it in.
 
You can tell if produce is organic by the code on the sticker. Below is an article, but to sum up:

*5 digit code that starts with 9 = organic.
*5 digit code that starts with 8 = Genetically Modified
*4 digit code = regular produce

Cracking the produce codes | Yahoo! Green

Cracking the produce codes

By Jay Weinstein, Forecast Earth Food Correspondent


Have you ever looked at two bins of apples, one labeled "organic," and the other "conventional," and wondered if the apples might not be the same? I have. And since discovering a little secret of the produce industry, I've found that you really have to be a detective in the aisles these days.

The secret is the price look-up (PLU) codes. They're an international numbering standard that identifies each type of produce, so that computerized cash registers can ring up the cost of fruits and vegetables automatically. They're also a powerhouse of information for savvy shoppers. The code indicates whether the item is a conventional, organic or genetically modified (GM) crop.

The codes are based on four-digit numbers for conventional produce, to which an extra digit is added to indicate organic or GM status. If the number is five digits beginning with a 9, then the item is organic. If the item is five digits beginning in 8, then it is a genetically modified crop.

For example, the PLU code for bananas is 4011. If the PLU sticker on the banana bunch reads 94011, then they are organic bananas. If the PLU sticker reads 84011, then the bananas are a genetically modified variety.
There are PLU code stickers on virtually every piece of fruit, banded around every head of lettuce or bunch of spinach, and stamped onto the bag of every bag of organic salad greens. But that doesn't prevent certain confused grocers from mislabeling them. I've discovered conventional Fuji apples (4129) in the "organic Fuji apples" (94129) bin many times. It's strange that I've never found organic apples in the conventional bin.
In any case, knowing the codes will ensure that you get what you intended to get every time you shop.
 
Regardless, I buy alot of things at TJ's as they are quite often less expensive than the grocery stores. Have you ever tried the organic Joe's O's? They are really good for an occasional quickie. So, so much better than that Chef Boy Ar De stuff. I love the produce and yogurt. One of my favs is the vanilla low fat yogurt, fresh berries and TJ's granola...make my own parfeits and smoothies.
 
I love Trader Joe's, prices are pretty good, nice selection, staff that actually *cares*. And as someone upthread said their Columbian coffee is really good (cheapest/best quality I can find - even better than Eight O'Clock Columbian).

All those nice things aside, their processed food/frozen food is usually WAY high in sodium, so I'm always reading the labels for that.

agnes!
 
They have a great asian salad dressing, and their prices on nuts is a lot better than Publix.
 


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