Best things to buy at Trader Joes [Video]

Trader Joe’s is a national chain of grocery stores with a bit of a cult following. There are dozens of social media accounts dedicated to Trader Joe’s shopping hauls and recipes using only items found at the store. Trader Joe’s even has its own podcast.

If you’ve never shopped at Trader Joe’s before, it can feel overwhelming. Our guide can help you find the best things to buy at Trader Joe’s and ways to save money.

What you should know before shopping at Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s features a large selection of organic and specialty items, as well as seasonal products. Its private label items contain no artificial flavors or preservatives, MSG, genetically modified ingredients or harmful food dyes, according to the grocer’s website.

Seeing few recognizable brand labels on the shelf can be disorienting for some shoppers, but for others like Anna Lisa Abarca, author of “Trader Joe’s 5 Items or Less Cookbook,” the store’s smaller scale simplifies decision making. …