Avoid This Mistake Next Time You're Shopping At Trader Joe's Or Else You Could Miss Out

Trader Joe's is a veritable wonderland of a grocery store, shelves lined with delicious items for the taking. It can be overwhelming for anyone who's never set foot in one of its stores before, so we have a list of 17 tips for first-time Trader Joe's shoppers that may help you get started. As a newbie, you'll want to remember one thing in particular: Avoid the mistake of leaving your favorite Trader Joe's items on the shelf, thinking you can easily come back another day to get them. You might find yourself tragically bereft of that treasured item before you know it. You see, Trader Joe's is notorious for discontinuing items, and not just the seasonal ones. Once you find something you love, get ready to stock up.

Of course, depending on what your sought-after food is, you'll want to store it in different ways. Many delicious treats like the popular JoeJoe's can be frozen to extend the shelf life even further, while other products like dried grains can sit in the pantry for months at a time just fine. Knowing what to buy and what to skip completely when you're shopping can help you narrow down a well-curated list of things you can live without, and things you'll definitely want to fill your fridge and pantry with.

What items are at risk of being discontinued?

Trader Joe's items fall into three categories: seasonal, limited-time, and permanent. The seasonal items will sometimes make a return every year in their designated season (i.e., spring items will be restocked in the following spring, and so on). Limited-time items, on the other hand, are not guaranteed to be brought back, and it's hard to say when they'll become unavailable since it depends on how much stock a store has and how popular the item is.

Speaking of, it's important to know how to get your hands on popular Trader Joe's items before they sell out. Limited-time or seasonal items that sell out quickly will be much harder for you to get your hands on, and you could end up having to hit up multiple Trader Joe's locations in a desperate bid to find even one package of your beloved snack. If you want to avoid this fate, then it's best to grab a few boxes of anything you know you like, especially if it's not a permanent offering. Don't find a new snack love only to lose it right away; just stock up and you'll be snacking like a king all year.

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