Ohhh - Trader Joe's - how happy am I that you're in Charlotte too. As a Southern California transplant, I was so happy to learn that there were a few TJ's in Charlotte.
My weekly shopping is done at TJ's and I've learned to know when it's not a zoo, when the shelves are fully stocked, and when you can grab a parking spot - for selfish reasons, I'm not sharing my favorite shopping times but....here are some of my favorite items: Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, Tempura Chicken, Vegetable Fried Rice, Spicy Seaweed Ramen, Veggie Hummus Wrap, Potato Tots, and anything the cheese section. They have some interesting wine selections too.