What’s Your Trader Joe’s Comfort Purchase? Customers Weigh In

Some people seek comfort in cozy blankets, cuddly toys, a tidy home; others seek it at Trader Joe’s. The store, like all stores, can be a port in the storm when life gets too much – and although few people would argue that shopping there is universally comforting (the crowded parking lot? Excuse me-ing past people in the aisles? Yeah, not exactly a recipe for calm), certain products lift the spirit. 

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That’s according to Trader Joe’s customers, anyway. A recent Reddit thread asked members of the Trader Joe’s customer community what their latest “stress buy” was, and the answers told us a lot about which products people reach for in tense times.

A Calming Touch

The customer who posted the Reddit thread kicked things off by talking about what their personal stress buys were at the store, following a series of harrowing dentist trips – and mentioned that they reached for Trader Joe’s Lemon Flavored Tiramisu, Honey Moon Viognier wine, and the Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bites. Wine, desserts, and sweet snacks made repeated appearances in the responses from other customers: Among other items cited as particularly comforting were the Dark Chocolate Covered Mini Pretzels, Lemon Bars, Japanese Soufflé Cheesecakes, and the Dark Chocolate Covered Pistachios. Savory items like its wood-fired pizza and frozen dumplings were also on repeat for certain shoppers. 

Elsewhere, though, Trader Joe’s customers also mentioned non-food items as stress buys. “Anybody else buy emotional support greeting cards? Or is it just me? I have a whole stack,” said one person, who received dozens of upvotes. Cleaning products, cosmetics, lip balm, and candles also got shout-outs – as did flowers.

Retail Therapy

The picture of what Trader Joe’s customers buy in times of elevated stress is intriguing, if not entirely unexpected: Convenient sweet and savory foods that hit all the pleasure centers and items that center self-care, emotional pleasure, and a sense of nostalgia are almost guaranteed to make you feel a little better. Beyond the item itself, partaking in retail therapy gives us a sense of control in times when things feel beyond us, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and it can also create a sense of what psychologist Susan Albers calls “positive anticipation.” We envisage ourselves feeling better once we use or eat the product – and so we, in turn, feel more positive.

Albers stresses the importance of moderation here, though: An uncontrollable impulse towards shopping can indicate a reliance on retail therapy. If you need some inspiration for what might make you feel a bit brighter next time you’re in Trader Joe’s, though, its customers have plenty of ideas for ya.