More Reasons To Love Trader Joe's

I have to admit. The more I shop at Trader Joe's, the more I like it. Franki and I started shopping at Trader Joe's because the Uncle Sam cereal was two bucks cheaper than our regular grocery store and the eggs were 80 cents cheaper. The more we shopped, the more our grocery cart grew. Steak sauce. Rice pudding. Whey protein. Decaf Green Tea. Frozen Spinach. Dried Blueberries. The more we looked, the better the prices were, and the more we switched from one grocery store to another.

I found another product - McCann's Irish Oatmeal. I've been a Quaker Oats guy for the last six months, adding cinnamon and raisins, or Splenda and blueberries, but with the new oatmeal that comes in a tin, of all things, I'm hooked.

It's just oatmeal, but it's cool, and I enjoy the fact that I'm paying less and getting more. Of course, I have to boil it 30 minutes, but you have to do that for all good oatmeal anyway.

It's not just the food. Trader Joe's makes shopping fun. The people are friendly, the atmosphere is cooler, and I really feel like I'm a valued customer. The only place that comes close is the meat counter at Schnuck's up in Hilltop Village. While Whole Foods, or Whole Paycheck, as it's often referred to, preaches at you with their marketing and then makes you pay for it, Trader Joe's welcomes you with open arms.

If only they had a better beef and chicken selection, they might become our sole grocery store.

And if I may, it still really ticks me off that I feel compelled to tell you this is an unpaid endorsement of Trader Joe's because some people feel that getting paid to post is a good idea.