Trader Joe's is well-known to its fans for low prices on unique food items, ranging from cookie butter to turkey corn dogs. The chain is also known for its quirky culture. Employees, easy to spot in their Hawaiian shirts, go out of their way to be helpful, and plastic lobsters are used to decorate stores.

The unconventional touches make shopping at Trader Joe's far different than shopping at a typical supermarket. Stores are smaller and selection is limited. Trader Joe's stocks just under 4,000 products, versus the 50,000 carried by a traditional grocer. However, you can find basics, from bread and milk to meats and produce. If you've never set foot inside one of Trader Joe's nearly 500 locations, here are the shopping secrets you need to know before you make your first trip.

You Can Buy a Banana for 19 Cents

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Buying produce in bulk can make financial sense as long as you're sure you'll use up everything before it goes bad. But if you end up tossing rotten food in the trash, the savings aren't realized. That's why some budget-conscious grocery shoppers avoid purchasing large quantities of fruits and vegetables, even though the price per unit might be cheaper. A chance encounter between Trader Joe's CEO and a customer at a Sun City, Calif., store confirmed this hesitation and led the grocer to start selling bananas