The Trader Joe's Checkout Faux Pas That Cashiers Will Judge You For
Some grocery store mistakes are chain-specific, like an Aldi bagging mistake at checkout that's easy to avoid. On a Reddit thread about the pet peeves of Trader Joe's employees, however, one topic with universal relevance came up again and again: nasty reusable bags. Cashiers are judging you like crazy if your bags smell bad, are visibly grimy, or contain trash/remnants of old food ... or worse!
"Ma'am, how do you not SEE OR SMELL that black mold?!?!" one self-professed cashier wondered. "[O]ne time [I] was bagging a man's groceries with his reusable bags and a cockroach crawled out," another offered, in a truly horrifying anecdote. But wait ... there's still more nightmare fuel on the thread: "Probably the wildest thing that's ever happened to me is when I was bagging for a customer with her own reusable bag and when I opened it there was a feminine napkin stuck to the inside." In general, extra passengers (sentient or not), grossness, and weird smells are unwelcome: "The worst one I had was a bag that smelled super strongly of salmon."
Can you imagine having to touch items that are filthy or smell bad outside your job description? Yeah, you probably wouldn't be happy, either. Trader Joe's employees are notoriously so friendly that some have wondered if flirting is part of their training, but the mask might slip if your cashier has to touch a bag that should be labeled a biohazard. Luckily, you can do your part to make life easier for your cashier.
It's easy to keep your bags clean and avoid sanitation issues
Keep in mind that food is prone to leak, drip, or otherwise contaminate your reusable bags. Even if you don't see visible grime, that doesn't mean your bags aren't dirty or smelly. Over time, storing your bags in hot places (like your car's trunk) can cause bacteria to rapidly multiply. Luckily, cleaning your bags is easy-peasy, no matter what type you carry. Cloth bags can usually be machine-washed and air-dried. Insulated totes or reusable plastic bags should be wiped down with an antibacterial wipe or a hot, soapy cloth and allowed to dry thoroughly. When in doubt, check the care tag on your bag(s) or consult one of the plentiful online resources dedicated to this topic.
It's said that you should wash your grocery bags after each use, although some may view that as overkill. Keeping an eye (and nose!) on your bags' condition is mandatory if you don't have a regular cleaning routine. Note that any dampness in your bags, regardless of source, should be allowed to air dry before you store your bags to avoid mildew and mold.
Your cashier judging you at Trader Joe's isn't the only good reason to avoid carrying dirty grocery bags, either. Do you really want to store your fresh food in contaminated totes? We're thinking that the obvious answer is no, as you could make yourself and your loved ones ill. Using an acceptable reusable bag is no longer one of the Trader Joe's secrets that you wish you knew.