The Thing That Trader Joe's Offers That Costco Has Yet To Beat

Costco and Trader Joe's each have their own cult following, even though you can get great deals on unique products at both. TJ's has many private-label products that shoppers adore, while Costco's house brand also has a dedicated fan base, with 12 Kirkland Signature foods that Costco customers buy on repeat. But there is one area in which Trader Joe's has Costco outpaced, and that's the sheer volume of its vegan and vegetarian options.

Trader Joe's and Costco both have extensive selections that are vegan and vegetarian, but you have to search harder for them at Costco. While Trader Joe's scatters vegetarian and vegan products all over the store in every section, Costco's enormous meat department  — 150,000 rotisserie chickens are sold per day, and that's just for the prepackaged roasted chickens — overshadows the vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. Some Costco customers said they've noticed a decline in vegan and vegetarian options in their warehouse's inventory — and that's aside from other complaints about shopping at Costco.

Trader Joe's is known for its community vibe and handwritten labels, and many of those labels represent plant-based products. Vegan and vegetarian products are so prolific and popular at the grocery chain that more than one of them has landed in the Trader Joe's Hall of Fame, like Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo and its Chili and Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips. However, not every item the store debuts is a success; the Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs didn't last, likely due to poor reception.

At Trader Joe's, you'll find plant-based mini bao buns and vegetable soup dumplings, meatless nuggets, crispy poblano and potato tacos, Thai vegetable gyoza, vegan tzatziki, vegan breakfast meats, and more. The wide variety of heat-to-eat vegan and vegetarian options goes well with all kinds of ingredients popular in plant-based dishes, like nutritional yeast, tubed polenta, and Everything But the Bagel seasoning. The grocer also carries dairy-free alternatives to dairy products, like vegan heavy cream cheese. Meatless products can also be found in the prepared foods aisle, like spring rolls made with tofu.