5 Items That Aren’t Worth Your Money At Trader Joe’s

As someone who loves spending a weekend morning browsing all of the new seasonal products and fun ice cream flavors at Trader Joe’s, I’ve spent plenty of money at this particular grocery store. And while most items are solid buys that deliver decent value and a delicious end result, Trader Joe’s isn’t without its misses — or poor-value items.

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Trader Joe’s aims to keep its prices relatively low, which is a perk when you’re looking for specific items. But unfortunately, certain items aren’t worth spending any money on at all. Below, I’ve rounded up the five items I refuse to buy because they aren’t worth their price.

Meat of Any Kind

I refuse to purchase meat from Trader Joe’s. It’s not necessarily because all of the meat sold at this particular grocery store is poor quality (although I will acknowledge that TJ’s isn’t exactly renowned for its steaks, ground meats, or other choices). Rather, it’s an absolutely terrible value for your money.

Trader Joe’s meat is more expensive than what you’d find at your typical grocery store like Kroger or Vons. And if you’re someone with a warehouse membership at Sam’s Club or Costco, for example, the prices are even higher. Even worse: You can only buy meat in small packages, meaning you’ll feed fewer people at a higher per-serving price.

Oh, and there’s no in-house butcher at Trader Joe’s, which means your meat choices are more limited. If you can’t get a decent price or ask for specific items, it’s simply not worth it.

Refrigerated Prepared Meals

Plenty of people praise the delicious refrigerated prepared meals found at Trader Joe’s and consider them a must-have. It’s easy to see why; I’ve tried a number of them, from wraps that make for effortless lunches to hearty salads or pasta-based dishes you can eat any time of the day. While they are super convenient and seem like a reasonably-priced pick, they’re actually not a great value.

I recommend skipping all of Trader Joe’s refrigerated prepared meals because in general, the serving size and quality aren’t equal. And as a whole, these meals are costly. Compared to the frozen meals sold at Trader Joe’s, the refrigerated alternatives are noticeably more expensive. 

And speaking of those serving sizes, they can be disappointing. The salads alone cost upwards of $7, and they can be weak in both toppings and the amount of protein included. The soups are similar; they look hearty, but they can leave you with lingering hunger for their price.

Coffee Beans or Ground Coffee

At first glance, the coffee selection at Trader Joe’s looks pretty good. There’s variety — not too much, but a decent amount — and seasonal flavors appear throughout the year to offer twists on ground coffee, whole beans, and even bottled cold brew. And prices are pretty reasonable, or so it seems.

However, I like to buy my coffee in bulk, so I’m always taking a close look at the per-serving cost breakdown. And that’s exactly where Trader Joe’s coffee comes up short. Both the beans and ground options are sold only in small bags, which means you need to buy more in order to stock up. Per serving, that’s a worse deal for coffee that’s equal to what you can pick up at Costco.

Plus, the bottled alternatives like the cold brew aren’t a great deal, either. They are meant to be diluted, but you’ll only get three to four servings out of a single bottle if you like your coffee black or stronger than usual, which makes the value far weaker.

Sliced Loaves of Bread

There’s a lot to love in the bread aisle of Trader Joe’s. In fact, it’s where I love to pick up ciabatta rolls, baguettes, and even pita. But there’s one bread product I won’t buy here, and it’s a basic item: loaves of pre-sliced bread.

The bread at Trader Joe’s is perfectly fine for the most part, but the sandwich-ready sliced loaves are nothing special. And they aren’t really great enough to pay a slight premium for. I’d rather stock up in bulk at a warehouse retailer and freeze one loaf to save a little more. 

The one exception? If you’re looking for a dupe for Dave’s Killer Bread, TJ’s Organic Super Bread is a great one (and since Dave’s is already pricey, the Trader Joe’s version is a good value).

Bagels and English Muffins

Speaking of bread and bread-adjacent items that aren’t a good value, I only purchase Trader Joe’s bagels and English muffins when I’m in a pinch and need them ASAP. Like the sliced loaves of sandwich bread, the bagels and English muffins aren’t standout products. They’re fine, but they’re certainly nothing special.

And when it comes to value, you’re getting a merely average product for a price that won’t wow you. Sure, the bagels and English muffins sold at TJ’s are cheaper than your typical grocery store, but they don’t last as long (at least in my experience) and essentially require a topping like cream cheese to improve their taste. 

So, you’ll have to doctor these in order to get a decent value… which drives up the price you’re paying anyway.