Three hours of sleep, a 30-kilo suitcase and a hotel room with a microwave. That was my state on my first evening in Los Angeles, and the only thing I wanted to do was go to Trader Joe’s.
I have watched other people’s Trader Joe’s hauls for years from the other side of the world. This was my first time through the doors. Here is what ended up in my basket, what I kept going back for, and the shelves I stood in front of taking photos like a tourist at a museum.
The store itself
The first surprise, as an Australian: there are restrooms in the supermarket.
The second: instead of crowded, super tall aisles, it was spacious, with lots of room to move around. The shelves are low enough that you can easily see across the whole store. It felt surprisingly calm and homey, like an old-school grocer.
The freezers are open chests, so you just reach right in.
And there are these beautiful, house-proud touches, like cans stacked by hand into a display at the end of an aisle. Somehow it feels premium and down to earth at the same time.
The thing that impressed me most
The vegan selection. Where I am from, in Australia, that range is in decline and a lot of products are being taken off shelves. Trader Joe’s still has so many options.
What I bought
- Vegan Tikka Masala. Dinner on night one, heated in the hotel microwave.
- Boursin Dairy-Free Garlic & Herbs. A cheese spread alternative. I had never tried it, and garlic and herb sounded yummy.
- Earth Balance spread. I see it mentioned constantly in American recipes, croissants especially. I expected a block and found a tub, so the tub came home with me.
- Gingerbread coffee creamer. I love a gingerbread latte, and I think this was on sale as a Christmas leftover.
- Soy milk. For coffee.
- Coffee. For the jet lag.
- A cold-pressed green juice. For my health, obviously.
- A grab-and-go meal with 23 grams of protein. Pure convenience.
- Organic Creamy Cashew Cultured Yogurt Alternative. Two of them, $1.79 each on the shelf tag.
- Bananas.
What I kept going back for
The vegan ready meals were good. I would reheat one in my hotel microwave when I was tired.
I also really liked the Trader Joe’s premade smoothies. And the Spicy Lentil Wrap with Spicy Tahini Sauce is a great cheap lunch at $4.99.
Coffee creamer is not a thing where I live
This one made me laugh. Coffee creamer just does not exist in Australia. Here it comes in so many flavors, gingerbread included.
So many plant-based milks
I was amazed. On one shelf alone: Almond Beverage at $1.99, Organic Soy Beverage at $2.29, Almond, Cashew & Macadamia Nut Beverage and Rice Beverage at $2.49, and Non-Dairy Oat Beverage and Organic Coconut Beverage at $2.99.
Biscuit dough in a tin
We do not have this either. I did not get a chance to bake them, but it was fun to see.
What I photographed and did not buy
The Meatless Breakfast Sausage Patties in the freezer. Channa Masala at $2.99, Baingan Bharta at $3.49 and Vegetable Biryani at $2.99. Vanilla Almond Spiced Chai at $3.49 and Very Green juice smoothie at $2.99.
And the squash. Where I live there are about two kinds. Here there was spaghetti squash, delicata, acorn. I wanted to roast all of them and had no oven.
The part I did not expect
The man at the checkout. He was so friendly and chatty, and curious the second he heard I was from Australia. It set the tone for the whole trip.
Prices are from shelf tags in January 2026 and will have changed.
All photos are the author’s own.
