Looking for your favorite organic fruits and veggies while shopping at Trader Joe’s? The good news is that Trader Joe’s restocks their produce daily and offers a lot of certified organic produce in their more than 569 locations across the United States.
Trader Joe’s carries many organic products, including organic produce. Since the nationwide chain first opened in 1958, it has typically carried organic salad greens, tomatoes, apples, bananas, frozen vegetables, and much more.
This article discusses the definition and benefits of organic produce, how to find organic produce at Trader Joe’s, how Trader Joe’s certifies and sources its organic products and a list of organic produce that you can usually find at the popular supermarket chain.
What is Trader Joe’s?
Trader Joe’s is an eclectic retail store known for its private-label brands, low prices, and unique food items that include a range of organic produce and other products.
Headquartered in Monrovia, California, Trader Joe’s chain has developed hundreds of stores across America since it first opened in 1958.
What is Organic Produce?
Organic produce refers to agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables, or grains that are grown without pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, as well as GMOs or bioengineered genes.
The USDA has strict requirements for what constitutes products that can be sold under an organic label.
Benefits of Organic Produce
In general, organic produce packs immense health benefits since it isn’t grown with harmful chemicals such as pesticides and other sprays. It’s often bought directly from farmers, so it’s also fresher and seasonal, which means that you receive more nutrients from the food.
Not only are organic fruits and vegetables packed with anti
oxidants, flavonoids, and omega-3 fatty acids, but they are also more sustainable and friendly to the environment.
Trader Joe’s Organic Produce Selection
You can find a great range of organic produce at Trader Joe’s, from basic tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers to frozen strawberries, peas, and cauliflower, and fresh bananas, apples, and blueberries.
Trader Joe’s Certification of Organic Produce
Since the 1970s, Trader Joe’s has offered certified organic products that range from vegetables to apple juice.
All organic and Made with Organic ingredients on food packaging labels adhere to US federal guidelines for organic produce.
The good news is that Trader Joe’s doesn’t source their food from China. They often get their private label items from bigger corporations that have certified organic certifications.
Tips to Find Organic Produce at Trader Joe’s
Your local Trader Joe’s likely has a good selection of common organic fruits such as apples, strawberries, and bananas. They also tend to have a good variety of greens such as lettuce or spinach for salad mixes.
Depending on the season, you might see more variety in the spring or summer months. The time of day or day of the week also matters if you’re trying to maximize how much organic produce you can find.
The best tip is to avoid peak times of day and hit the shop earlier in the morning and on less busy days of the week.
For example, Trader Joe’s restocks their perishable items like fruits and veggies every day, so pick an early morning time or visit on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning to skip the long lines and find the best organic produce options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Trader Joe’s Food Have GMOs?
According to Trader Joe’s website, their private-label brand doesn’t contain any artificial preservatives or flavorings, partially hydrogenated oils, MSG, or GMOs.
Since 2001, Trader Joe’s has stayed committed to bringing their customers safe, organic foods that don’t have any genetically modified or engineered ingredients.
Even if a product label doesn’t specifically state GMO-free, since U.S. government guidelines don’t clearly cover food and beverage labeling, rest assured that Trader Joe’s brands are sourced from companies that don’t use any GMOs.
This is important since Trader Jo’s sells about four times more organic products than most average grocery stores.
Does Trader Joe’s Have Good Produce?
Trader Joe’s carries some of the best organic produce available in the U.S. That’s not only because Trader Joe’s restocks produce daily, for variety and freshness, but also because they use both fresh and frozen produce that’s free from pesticides and GMOs.
You can also find a good selection of organic apples, bananas, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and greens for salad. Trader Joe’s stores may also carry other types of produce, depending on the season and where the store is located.
You can also find a variety of organic frozen veggies such as Organic Green Foursome and even a delicious and versatile organic cauliflower rice for prices that, according to CNBC, are comparable to Walmart or Aldi.
Does Trader Joe’s Have Organic Frozen Vegetables?
Want to eat organic, but don’t have the time to dice up fresh veggies?
Trader Joe’s can help you stick to a healthier meal plan while skipping the extra work by offering a selection of organic frozen vegetables that you can sauté, bake, stir, and serve.
One of the best buys is Trader Joe’s Organic Green Vegetable Foursome. Inside the 14-ounce bag for just $2.99, you’ll find a verdant rainbow of organic vegetables that include already shelled peas, broccoli florets, ready-trimmed French green beans, and succulent quarters of zucchini.
It’s the perfect way to get out of a carrot and potatoes rut and pack your meals with nutritious greens.
The list doesn’t end there. Choose from frozen organic peeled and chopped kabocha squash, artichoke hearts, grilled spears of asparagus, haricot vert, roasted bell peppers with onions, corn, cauliflower, zucchini, mixed grilled veggies with eggplant, and more, depending on in-season stock and store location.
There’s even frozen cauliflower rice that’s easy to add to any recipe so there’s no reason to skip adding organic veggies to every meal.
Just check if your favorite Trader Joe’s frozen peas or strawberries say organic on the label next time you shop.
Final Thoughts
Trader Joe’s can be a great place to source a rainbow of organic fruits and vegetables. Not only does non-spray produce to create tasty meals, but it packs many health benefits that include vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients that support overall health.
On average, Trader Joe’s offers many fresh or frozen organic produce items at a lower price than some other similar types of stores.
Choose from US-certified organic items such as broccoli or cauliflower, or Trader Joe’s Organic Green Vegetable Foursome to prep your next delicious and healthy meal.