What Trader Joe's Does Better Than Costco

Trader Joe's and Costco are two of the most popular, beloved grocery stores. They also happen to be very, very different from one another. Costco is a hulking bulk goods store, offering customers the opportunity to buy mass quantities of everything from paper towels to asparagus. It can easily take you hours to scour the whole store, and customers often leave with a shopping cart stacked with enough groceries to keep them out of the grocery store for weeks afterward. Trader Joe's, on the other hand, is known for its smaller store footprints, limited selections of products, and portioned frozen meals that are ideal for one or two people max.

Although both of these grocery stores have their merits, there are some things that Trader Joe's does better than Costco. Let's take a look at Trader Joe's strong suits so you can better determine which store will meet your needs the next time you need to go grocery shopping.

If you have a big family that you're struggling to buy enough food for, then Costco is the perfect grocery store for you. Its large packs of products offer heaping portion sizes that can negate the need to buy several bags of frozen vegetables, cartons of eggs, and other kitchen essentials. But if you have only one or two adults in your household, then those massive portions may be more than you can use before the food goes bad. This is why Trader Joe's is often a better option for singles and couples rather than large families. You can get smaller portion sizes without worrying about long-term storage or your produce going bad before you can eat it all up.

Of course, that doesn't mean that Costco isn't great for some non-perishable items that you consume a lot of. But for most perishable items, Trader Joe's portion sizes are more ideal for smaller-sized families.

Part of the fun of going to Trader Joe's is walking through the snack section, looking for new products and picking out crunchy, crispy, and chewy products that you can't find anywhere else. While Costco sells plenty of snacks, a lot are name-brand products you can find at other grocery stores as well. At Trader Joe's, though, much of the snack selection is more unique and creative, products you aren't going to find anywhere else. The store sells popular snack dupes, many of which taste better than the original products they're meant to mimic.

After all, where else are you going to find snacks like French onion popcorn or mocha latte pretzels? Plus, new seasonal snacks consistently come out, so there's seemingly something new to try each visit. The next time you need to stock up on your snack collection, Trader Joe's is absolutely the place to go for fun-to-try bites.

If you consider yourself a big cheese person, then Trader Joe's is a better place to shop than Costco. Sure, Costco sells massive pieces of several types of cheese, from feta to Parmesan. But these huge portions of cheese are frankly difficult to work through unless you're eating a lot — and we mean a lot — of cheese. On the other hand, Trader Joe's offers much more reasonable portions of cheese, which means that it's easier to try a wider variety. You don't have to worry about committing to a massive portion of a cheese you don't know if you like or not.

Plus, Trader Joe's also has a larger cheese selection, with interesting finds you won't get at every grocery store. From Everything But the Bagel cheddar cheese to truffle burrata, there's always a fun, interesting cheese to try at TJ's. But don't worry — you'll also find cheese staples, like plain feta and various pre-shredded cheeses — that you may need for specific recipes.

Costco is the kind of grocery store you visit to stock up on the staples you know you need: big packages of pasta, cans of diced tomatoes, cartons of chicken broth you'll keep in your pantry for later use. Although there are sometimes new products to check out at Costco, it's not the ideal place to go if you're looking to discover something new every time. Trader Joe's, though, absolutely is that kind of grocery store. Part of the appeal of going to Trader Joe's is that you can discover something new each time. The company knows that this draws customers in, so it leverages that aspect of its business.

Unfortunately, this means that your favorites may be discontinued at any time, which can be a bummer when you find a snack or a frozen meal that you love. But at least you know that there are exciting seasonal products right around the corner.

Sure, you go to the grocery store mainly to buy food, but that doesn't mean you don't want to pick up anything else while you're there. One of the best parts about shopping at Trader Joe's is picking out a flower bouquet as soon as you walk into the store. Many of these bouquets are quite affordable, so you don't have to break the bank to make your space feel a little brighter and more colorful. Plus, you can mix and match different flowers to create a personalized bouquet.

Costco also sells flowers, but the prices are generally higher than they are at Trader Joe's. Additionally, we've found that these flowers often don't look as fresh as their TJ's counterparts. Whether you're picking up a bouquet as a gift or to make your own day a bit happier, Trader Joe's is arguably the best grocery store to visit.

When you want to buy some freezer staples to last you for weeks — if not months — at a time, then Costco may be the best grocery store to visit. But shopping this way means that you're taking a big risk anytime you try something unfamiliar. After all, what if you don't like it? You'll have to either toss it, wasting your money in the process, or struggle through eating it anyway. Trader Joe's, on the other hand, offers perfectly portioned frozen meals. TJ's makes it easy to grab something from the freezer section for dinner, give it a try, and decide if you want to buy it again.

For those nights when you don't feel like cooking, Trader Joe's has you covered. Although Costco stocks some fantastic freezer staples, by nature of its business model, it can't compete with Trader Joe's one-and-done frozen meal selection.

Going to Costco feels like a half-day event. If you're like us, you never get in and out of Costco quickly. Rather, you probably find yourself winding up and down the aisles, debating whether you should get that huge jar of peaches or a massive pack of sparkling water, packing your shopping cart full of food you'll be eating for the next few weeks. Therefore, it's really not the best place to go if you're trying to pick up a few ingredients for dinner.

Trader Joe's, though, is that store — the small size of its stores makes getting in, grabbing what you need, and getting back out of the store easy as can be. It's the kind of place that you can pop in to grab a head of garlic and some pasta, ground beef and bone broth, or whatever else you need to throw dinner together any night of the week. If you're trying to complete a short and sweet shopping trip, Trader Joe's is a perfect grocery store to visit.

One of the biggest perks of shopping at Trader Joe's versus Costco? The lack of membership fees. It's a bummer that you can't waltz into a Costco whenever you want and pick up your grocery necessities. Rather, you have to commit to a membership if you want to shop there. The Gold Star membership, which is the lowest level option, costs $65 a year. If you're doing a lot of grocery shopping at Costco, paying that fee might make sense, but ultimately, who wants to pay money to be able to spend more of it at a business? And if you decide you want a membership with even more Costco perks, an executive membership costs $130.

But at Trader Joe's, anyone is welcome to shop at any time. You don't need to make additional trips to TJ's multiple times a year to justify your membership costs. Stop by whenever you need something from the chain. That's why TJ's might be a better deal for those who don't plan on shopping at Costco all that often.

If you spend much time on the internet, then you probably know all about "little treat" culture. While inflation and rising prices can make it difficult for people to afford vacations or expensive dinners at nice restaurants, many consumers can still afford to grab themselves a fancy bottled coffee, a little pouch of milk chocolate-covered gummy bears, or a prepared salad to take to work on a particularly busy day. These "little treats" are generally inexpensive and often fit into the snack or drink category.

Trader Joe's happens to be an excellent place to grab yourself a treat. There is a wide variety of candies to choose from at Trader Joe's, and the refrigerated sections of the store often feature a host of sparkling beverages and portable snacks to enjoy on the go. These snacks are an easy way to brighten your day and try something new at the same time. Since most of Costco's products are sold in bulk, though, it's harder to snag yourself a little treat at the warehouse store. Rather, you have to commit to a lot of a single product, which can be expensive, especially if you're selecting higher-end snacks and drinks with premium ingredients.

Have you ever wanted to sample a drink without committing to buying a whole box? Whether we're talking about a specific flavor of sparkling water, an iced coffee beverage, or canned cocktails, you usually have to buy at least a 4- or 6-pack of whatever drink you're interested in trying. At Costco, you may have to commit to more, since so many of the drinks sold at the store come in 18- or 24-packs.

Not only does Trader Joe's generally offer smaller drink pack sizes than Costco, but you can actually buy single cans of drinks. This means that you can try several different beers or Trader Joe's canned cocktails at a time without having to break the bank and crowd your refrigerator in the process. It's a great way to try out new products or ensure that everyone in your home can enjoy a drink that sounds good to them.