This Is Why Trader Joe’s Produce Gets Moldy So Quickly

A recent TikTok trend sparked a discussion on Trader Joe’s items going bad super quickly. Video creator Jasmine (@creating.jasmine on the app) posted a video claiming that the grocery chain’s bread tends to go stale “as soon as you bring it home.”

The comments not only agreed, but there was a louder opinion: Trader Joe’s produce is even worse when it comes to longevity. 

“Their produce gets moldy in the checkout line,” one commenter writes.

“The salads expire before the expiration date,” another commenter @juliapurp replies to the video. And our associate editorial director Carolyn Malcoun has her own experience with this:

“We bought a salad kit that we thought we examined well in the store, but got home and opened it and it was half rotted but the best buy date wasn’t for a few days,” Malcoun says. Our newsletter editor, Taylor Boeser, shares that she, too, has bought a bag of spinach from TJ’s, and it was “bad within two days.” 

So what gives? There is actually a scientific reason as to why a lot of the fruits and vegetables at Trader Joe’s go bad quicker than the average produce. It’s actually a reason why our nutrition editor Jessica Ball, M.S., RD won’t shop at the chain: the fruit and veg section is overloaded with plastic packaging.

When fresh produce is wrapped in plastic, you may think it will last longer—but in fact, it does the opposite. Science shows that when closing up salad mixes, leafy greens or berries in plastic bags and containers, the natural gasses that exude from the produce during the ripening process get trapped. This speeds up the ripening process, causing it to rapidly ripen and even mold within its wrap.

There are a couple of solutions that you can consider before your next TJ’s haul. First, try to stick to the plastic-free produce items as they will probably last you a bit longer than their packaged friends. Our assistant general manager Penelope Wall has a personal favorite.

“Their Saturn peaches are one of my favorite products they carry,” she shares. “They sell them just under ripe enough to be perfect the next day and last all week.”

If your favorite salad kit is concealed in a plastic bag, you can still buy it. Try to prioritize any bagged or sealed produce items sooner in the week so you’re not throwing away your nutritious goods. Lastly, there’s a tip that Wall learned from a Costco employee that may save you from buying moldy berries.

“For raspberries, look at the absorbent pad on the bottom,” she explains. “If it’s already wet, that means the berries are breaking down already.”