Christopher Olsen, 57, wheeled a shopping cart into a Shop Rite bathroom stall, where he began stuffing items he'd collected into a backpack, Detective Sgt. Alex Monteleone said.
These included meatloaf, cookies, hot sauce and more, Monteleone said, the value of which came to roughly $530.
Confronted by a department and store manager, Olsen pulled the knife, waved it at both of them and ran from the store, he said.
Officer James Park was on Commercial Avenue off West Central Boulevard when he spotted Olsen and took him into custody, the sergeant said.
No injuries were reported.
Olsen remained held Friday in the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack on charges of first-degree robbery and weapons possession.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Jersey City and receive free news updates.