• My parents travel around the world in an RV while I’m in New York City, so we’re often far apart.
• Trader Joe’s keeps us connected because my mom and I often recommend products to each other.
• As a Japanese family, we love to connect over Trader Joe’s offerings.

Seeking adventure runs in my blood. My father met my mother after he asked his friend if he knew a girl who scuba dives and rides motorcycles. My parents have been diving and riding together for more than 30 years now.

This also meant that as soon as I left my childhood home in California, my parents sold it, bought an RV, and have been on the road. Every time I call them, I’m not sure where they are. Every Thanksgiving, I have to call them and figure out where they would be. One year, they were in Utah, another in Florida.

I, on the other hand, settled down in New York City, which means I’m often thousands of miles away from my parents.

Unexpectedly, Trader Joe’s has been invaluable in keeping my Japanese family connected.

Trader Joe’s: Our surprising family anchor

My mother and I love Trader Joe’s. I remember tagging along as a kid, always asking to get a bucket of the alliterative masterpiece that is the “Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies.”

Perhaps it’s the familiar handwritten chalkboard signs or the clanging of the bells calling for employees across the store, but today, every time I step into a Trader Joe’s, I feel like I’m shopping with my mother.

Every time I grab a pack of Japanese fried rice or the amazing Kimbap (I excitedly told my mom a few months ago over the phone that my local store increased the customer limit from two to four), I’m reminded that my mother recommended those items to me.

Whenever I look for a new apartment in New York, I keep a separate Google Maps tab open on my browser that shows all the Trader Joe’s locations nearby. When I moved into a new apartment a few years ago, the first question my mother asked me was whether a Trader Joe’s was close.

Whenever my mother and father arrive in a new town, I ask my mother whether there’s a Trader Joe’s. Last time, somewhere in Wyoming, she responded, “That’s the thing, it’s beautiful here but no Trader Joe’s. But don’t worry, I stocked up on the Japanese fried rice, and it’s in the freezer, so we’re good.”

When I visit, I’ve even offered to bring with me what I can from my local Trader Joe’s when they’re somewhere without easy access to one.

We keep in touch by recommending Trader Joe’s products to each other

My mother recently sent me a photo of the brand’s Butternut Squash Soup, Thai Yellow Curry Sauce, and a can of coconut milk. She texted, “Apparently, if you mix these up and throw in some veggies and some meat, it’s really good.”

Our relationship with national news is also shaped by Trader Joe’s, too. The bird flu is causing egg prices to hit a record high. At my nearest grocery store, a dozen eggs were $10, nearly a dollar per egg. Meanwhile, my mother sent me a photo the other day from Trader Joe’s showing that they’ve implemented a limit of one egg product per customer while keeping the egg prices at a much more reasonable $3.49 per dozen. She said, “Trader Joe’s is so admirable! Check out this price.”

Additionally, when I travel 5,000 miles away to Japan, Trader Joe’s still manages to bring our family together. I found out that their “Daily Facial Sunscreen” works really well on my skin, not leaving a white cast. I bought a few and brought them over to Japan to give to my grandma, who loves skincare.

My grandmother loved it so much she told my mother about it. My mother then sent me a message asking where I got the sunscreen, and she got excited when she learned I bought it from our favorite store.

I’m glad we have something to bond over when we’re so far apart

I doubt that Trader Joe’s designed its products or its shopping experience to foster a sense of connection between members of a Japanese family scattered around the US.

But that’s exactly what they’ve done.

Now, please excuse me. My mother just messaged me about Trader Jo’s sea salt from Portugal, which comes “in a really cute container.” She says she loves how it looks on her countertop, and 3000 miles away, I’d love to find out whether it looks good on mine.