We don’t always head out on a jaunt with a picnic packed. And we may not have the desire, or the funds, to eat at a sit down restaurant. When out and about on an explore that will require a meal on the road, we highly recommend that you consider Trader Joe’s (TJ’s). They have numerous locations across the States.
Tip: All stores have a clean customer bathroom which is a huge bonus to factor into any family stop. And in the back of most TJ’s, you’ll find a free sample station, which is always a welcome sight for hungry travelers.
TJ’s has a well-stocked, prepared cold food section that offers up items ranging from 6-piece sushi to giant falafel sandwiches all priced right around $3.99. Recently, our family stopped in to satisfy our lunch needs and we managed to feed our brood of 4 for $10.79. This price included a half gallon of high fructose corn syrup free chocolate milk! It’s a quick in and out to grab food to eat in the car, or to pick up supplies for an impromptu picnic. The wide range of ready-to-eat sandwiches and salads, fresh fruit, and snacks means there’s always something for everyone in the family at a far cheaper price than any restaurant. It’s far healthier, too!
We are curious if our experiences at TJ’s could be duplicated within a large supermarket. Our local Hyvee has quite a selection of hot and cold prepared meals. But we’ve yet to test the supermarket waters for lunches while on the road. The vegetarian options and the low price point that can be found in a TJ’s is going to be pretty hard to beat!
What are your out and about meal tips?