A California family’s outrageous Trader Joe’s bill went viral on social media, sparking a debate about affordability for families when it comes to stocking their pantries.
TO video X’s video, which shows a mile-long $444 receipt, has racked up more than 17 million views online.
The hefty bill, filmed by a father of six in the upmarket Westlake Village area, sparked discussions about the costs of grocery shopping for families, especially considering Trader Joe’s prides itself on its reputation for being a cost-effective option.
“This is what it takes to feed six kids for about a week and a half,” the father said in his video, where most items cost between $2.99 and $3.99.
The video revealed the family’s haul, which included fresh produce like pricey strawberries ($4.49/lb), a multi-pack of avocados ($4.99), and individual cucumbers ($2.49 each).
A California family’s outrageous Trader Joe’s bill went viral on social media, sparking a debate about affordability for families when it comes to stocking their pantries.
A video capturing a mile-long Trader Joe’s receipt has racked up more than 17 million views online
The receipt also showed a stock of frozen meals: Trader Joe’s chicken and cheese tamales ($3.99 each), chicken soup dumplings ($3.49 each) and Margherita pizzas ($4.79 each).
However, there was no shortage of luxury items, with the most expensive being Korean-style frozen beef ribs, priced at $13.99 each.
Other pricier finds included breaded chicken tenders at $8.99 and a decadent rib eye steak for $7.27.
Users were quick to comment that the family should have gone to wholesale stores, like Costco or Sam’s Club, to save money, since Trader Joe’s is not designed to feed large families.
“Shopping at Trader Joe’s instead of Costco with 6 kids is crazy,” one user commented.
“Trader Joe’s is cheap, but this person didn’t buy anything to cook, it’s all prepared food, which always costs more. Buy the ingredients and prepare the food,” argued another.
“Trader Joe’s is not designed for large families,” wrote another user.
Others commented that the father bought unnecessary items and therefore his complaint was unjustified.
“Almost half of everything on the list is organic, which is a luxury. There are also things like gnocchi alla sorrentina, sea capers, and Brazil nut shower gel (?!),” argued another.
“If you’re going to cry about prices, at least have some purchasing discipline.”
The total amounted to $444.38.
Aldi, a discount supermarket chain known for its low prices, was frequently mentioned as an alternative by commentators.
“At Aldi it would cost a third of that,” one person said.
“Aldi offers it for about $125,” added another.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Trader Joe’s for comment.
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