Trader Joe’s is a destination for people craving inventive snacks, high-quality frozen foods, and tasty desserts. But while the retailer seems to have cracked the code on creative and unique grocery items, shoppers are calling out a major issue with one of its staple dairy products: cottage cheese.
A shopper took to Reddit this week to ask fellow members if they’ve ever found mold in sealed cottage cheese containers from Trader Joe’s. The shopper also shared a photo of their own cottage cheese container with a visible spot of mold near the top.
“I bought it a few weeks ago, but it said good through August 16. I’m bummed (and also hungry)! Never even opened. Is this something anyone else has experienced?” the shopper asked.
Indeed, several other customers responded to the post to share that they’ve experienced the same thing.
“Yes constantly!!! I stopped buying it there,” one Redditor wrote.
“I’ve had this happen! Unopened and in the fridge, purchased a few days prior and nowhere near expiration date,” another commented.
Some customers speculated that the cottage cheese mold issues were due to the containers not being properly sealed. It’s also worth noting that Trader Joe’s avoids using artificial preservatives in its food products with a couple of key exceptions, instead opting for natural preservatives like sugar, salt, vinegar, celery juice, and rosemary extract.
READ RELATED: Banana And Blueberry Smoothie: It’s A Bad Food Combo!
Whatever the reason, Redditors encouraged anyone who does find mold in sealed cottage cheese containers to try returning the product for a refund. Customers who’ve also dealt with cottage cheese mold at Trader Joe’s before said they’ve never had any issues returning or exchanging the affected products.
Trader Joe’s did not immediately respond to our queries for comment on the cottage cheese complaints.
This isn’t the only popular Trader Joe’s product that seems to be suffering from shelf-life issues. Customers have previously complained that Trader Joe’s tortillas and certain bread products tend to develop mold before the expiration date, sometimes mere days after purchase.
“I’ve given up buying their tortillas, I swear they’re moldy by the time I get home,” a customer said on Reddit.
Luckily, shoppers said they can prevent Trader Joe’s bread products from molding so quickly by storing them in the fridge or freezer. They also recommended sorting through bread products further back in the store displays to find packages with later expiration dates.
Sign up for our newsletter!
Zoe Strozewski
Zoe Strozewski is a News Writer for Eat This, Not That! A Chicago native who now lives in New Jersey, she graduated from Kean University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Read more about Zoe
