Do you experience sensory overload when you step into a Trader Joe’s? I do. No matter how often I’ve been, between the new products, free samples, and enticing evergreen options, I never know where to turn.
That’s what makes Trader Joe’s so popular and fun, says Natasha Fischer, the brains and talent behind Trader Joe’s List. “It forces you outside your comfort zone a little bit… not in an uncomfortable way, but in an exciting way. TJ’s curates such a good selection of products. It’s not a stale grocery store.”
Fischer’s journey started in 2009, when bloggers began to influence niche communities with specific interests that spoke to them. “I am the OG Trader Joe’s feed page,” she says. She is a Trader Joe’s-focused influencer with over two million followers across various social media handles, including a blog and Instagram. She visits the store at least three times a week, and she has come to my rescue often, offering advice and reviews on nearly all TJ’s products.
I recently got to speak with Fischer to learn about her journey creating Trader Joe’s List and to get the scoop on her favorite TJ’s finds to reach for on my next grocery run—especially for getting dinner on the table.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
When did you fall in love with Trader Joe’s?
I went to Trader Joe’s with my mom while growing up in Bakersfield, California, but it didn’t resonate with me until I went with a college friend. We went out for fro-yo, and my friend suggested we walk around Trader Joe’s. The store was so cool because I didn’t feel like I was in a grocery chain; it felt like an indoor farmers market with a warm feeling. You won’t find 95 types of cereals and endless aisles of things you can’t see over. It just felt very comfortable and easy. I was hooked.
How did Trader Joe’s List come to be?
My roommates and I were fresh out of college working at an accounting firm. I was broke! I started a blog that lists the items to buy from Trader Joe’s every week for my roommates who expressed that they didn’t know what to buy.
Then, the housing crisis happened, and I was laid off. I didn’t touch the blog for six weeks while working on securing another job. One day, I logged onto Twitter, and my account had grown to 25,000 followers even though I hadn’t posted new content.
At the time, Trader Joe’s had no social media, so people used my social handles for guidance. I thought, ‘Well, gosh, now that there are a lot of people following me, I should start posting more.’ So, I started posting on Twitter and Facebook.
When I had 70,000 Twitter followers, I tweeted that I joined Instagram, and overnight, I got 25,000 followers there. This was in 2012. The first photo I posted was of condensed milk, which Trader Joe’s no longer sells. I’ve been working on Trader Joe’s List full-time since 2020. [Trader Joe’s List now has over 1.9 million Instagram followers.] It’s been wild.
How many times a week do you go? Do employees recognize you?
Yes, the employees do recognize me. I go to the Trader Joe’s in Marina Del Rey, California once or twice a week. I do a big haul on Tuesdays, as that is my content filming day.
What is your #1 shopping tip for anyone who has never shopped at Trader Joe’s or feels intimidated by it?
You can sample anything in the store. So, if you’re nervous or don’t know if you want to buy something, grab a crew member (what TJ’s calls employees), and they’ll let you sample the product. Also, go in with an open mind and walk around to see what jumps out at you. Maybe go a little hungry—but not too hungry—and see what speaks to you.
Do you approach shopping at TJ’s with a specific lens?
I have a million food allergies. I can’t buy items with gluten or peanuts. My content veers towards items that I’m not allergic to. Sometimes, I may take digestive enzymes to sample a minute piece of something that does contain an allergen as long as it is gluten and peanut-free. Or I’ll invite a friend to try and review the items I can’t have, which is fun.
What would you never recommend buying at Trader Joe’s?
I don’t like bananas. They’re rude because they make everything in your house smell like bananas. So obviously, I won’t recommend bananas or any TJ’s banana products, like the banana pudding ice cream that makes me want to gag. I still review it every year, hoping the recipe changed and it’s not as bad. Of course, my taste buds are not representative of everyone.
There aren’t any items I would veer from. If an item is not selling, that SKU (product) will get bumped off the shelf. So you rarely ever see something terrible stay on the shelf.
Name two forever favorites you’d be sad if Trader Joe’s discontinued.
The Milk Chocolate Covered Honeycomb Candy is really, really good. Also, the Carolina Gold Style BBQ Ridge Cut Potato Chips, which are seasonal.
Simply Recipes readers are busy home cooks who look for weeknight dinner solutions. What are your top four ideas for families that need quick and easy dinners?
- Any Trader Joe’s Pizza: They are super easy to throw in the oven on a busy weeknight.
- Any pasta with any Trader Joe’s pasta sauce: My sister and I like to combine our favorite TJ’s noodle shape with the Vodka Pasta Sauce and cut-up Unexpected Cheddar Chicken Sausages. It’s so good.
- Mandarin Orange Chicken: People are obsessed with this easy meal. Grab the frozen rice to serve with it for a quick dinner.
- Vegetable Pad Thai: This is also really yummy. Serve it with any salad kit you’re in a mood for. Options depend on the season; they rotate often.
Trader Joe’s List Favorites
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