Old Fashioned Snacks
We are allegedly going to finally get our long-awaited Trader Joe’s (TJ’s) here in Columbia, Missouri, which is positive news on its face, but will have the knock-on effect of taking away the adrenaline rush my daughter and I get from fitting in frantic TJ’s runs in between soccer games whenever we travel to St. Louis. Why do we make those runs? Because of the snacks, of course. There is no better shopping experience for the money where you see something and say, “Wait, could that be good? I bet that’s good” before putting it in your cart and ultimately being happy that you did so than at TJ’s.
One of the best things you can avail yourself of at TJ’s is the store’s answer to takis: their Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips. And these are frustratingly popular at our house. Frustratingly because no matter how many bags my daughter and I buy, they are always all gone sooner than anyone expected with people pointing fingers (are we dysfunctional?) about who ate more than their fair share.
It’s with that experience in mind that my daughter set about having a new strategy for shopping for snacks at TJ’s: she endeavored to find a snack that she loved that no one else would eat. That way she would never be shocked and disappointed to discover that the snack she was looking forward to was unexpectedly out of stock in our pantry (again, are we dysfunctional?). This is why, when we make our runs now, she loads up on the PB& J Snack Duo. And I, taking a page from her book, make sure to get the shishito crisps (described here on reddit as “oddly appealing”), though my wife has unfortunately figured out that they’re tasty, though maybe that’s a third thing that will endear me to her (we’re definitely dysfunctional).
Anyhow, the point is that if you try to win by doing the same thing as everyone else, you will be endlessly frustrated and disappointed but that if you find something good that no one else has or appreciates and push your edge, you can create massive long-term advantages. That’s the strategic equivalent of loading up on your favorite TJ’s snack that no one else in the house will eat. Also, what’s your favorite TJ’s snack? (Before you ask, no, the premixed TJ’s Old Fashioned, though delicious, convenient, and refreshing, does not count as a “snack.”)
Have a great weekend.
– Tim
