Trader Joe’s is a mainstay in my families monthly shopping adventures. My wife and I find that if you shop smart, TJ’s can provide a great value on many items. Plus, my kids love to frantically search the aisles for the stuffed beaver in order to score a free lollipop at the register. Anyways, Business Insider broke down a bunch of great savings hacks and tips for Trader Joe’s and I wanted to take this opportunity to share a few of my favorites. Here they are in no particular order.

1. Frozen Fruit is Expensive

A bag of frozen fruit at Trader Joe’s is very expensive compared to Walmart.

As a matter of fact, a small bag at TJ’s is more expensive than the large 64 oz bag at Walmart.

We are talking frozen fruit here, probably for smoothies or desserts, so why pay more than you have to.

2. Trader Joe’s Accepts Coupons

While Trader Joe’s does not have in-house coupons, they do except manufacturer coupons on items they stock.

A couple great coupon resources include Hip2Save and All Natural Savings.

3. Frozen Meals are a Steal

Frozen meals at Trader Joe’s are typically a great deal and are usually at least $2 cheaper than traditional grocery stores.

Not sure which ones taste good?

Head over to the website What’s Good at Trader Joe’s and read a bunch of in-depth reviews on their frozen meals so you have a good idea which ones to try out and which ones to pass on.

See Also: 4 Things That Make the Trader Joe’s Return Policy Awesome

4. Buy the Frozen Mac ‘N Cheese

This one falls into the “Who Knew?” category.

Turns out the frozen mac ‘n cheese is da bomb and way better than their boxed version.

While I’ve never tried their boxed mac ‘n cheese, the reviews, shall we say, are not glowing.

5. Tote Your Own Bag

Some Trader Joe’s locations will reward you nicely if you tote your own bags.

You’ll be entered in a $25 gift card raffle when you spend at least $25 and use your own bags.

Be sure to fill out the raffle ticket when checking out or ask the cashier if you don’t see one.

It’s a win-win for you and the environment.

6. Specialty Cheeses are a Deal

Our fridge is almost always stocked with specialty cheeses from Trader Joe’s.

I’m talking about smoked cheddar, brie, and blue cheese to name a few.

Why? Because they’re absolutely delicious and at least 35% cheaper than any other grocery store in town.

See Also: Does Trader Joe’s Offer Delivery? Yes, and Here’s How

7. Buy Bunches of Bananas

At just $.19 cents each, bananas have always been a great deal at Trader Joe’s.

8. Shop For Packaged Non-Perishables

“Packaged non-perishables.” A great alternative rock band name, and also the single best reason to shop at Trader Joe’s.

Not only are most packaged non-perishables inexpensive, but they’re very high-quality and typically organic.

Quinoa is a great example and is sold for $2 less per pound when compared to Whole Foods.

Be sure to click below to see all of the other Trader Joe’s shopping tips:

17 shopping secrets to save time and money at Trader Joe’s | Business Insider

By Kyle James

Photo by Mike Mozart.