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Trader Joe's Kingslynn Green Tea

There are two new single-origin teas hitting shelves amid the pumpkin mania that is about to hit Trader Joe's. There is a new black tea and Trader Joe's Kingslynn Green Tea.

Taste and review

Perhaps they figure if it is sweater weather then these will be perfect. Unfortunately in New York, we only had the sweaters out for a couple of days before the heat and humidity kicked in. But don't worry, we will get there.

Now there are certain sections at Trader Joe's that seem to be heavily revamped: coffee is the most notable this year. It's been more single-origin coffees that you see maybe once or twice and then they are gone. Some long-standing items have now vanished.

This only makes me wonder if the tea section will be next. Now, I don't know for certain if they are planning on going that way. But it is just my outward wonderings.

Now, previously when there were teas at the price point of $4.99 they came in a tin. This is a cardboard cylinder with a metal cap. So those of you who like to repurpose those things, this container won't be forever.

Aside from the packaging, there is another concern before I even talk about the taste. This is priced well above the current organic free-trade tea already on shelves which goes for $2.99.

So what is the difference? Other than the packaging, I can't say that there is much difference in the level of taste. It is herbal and sort of has a freshly cut grass aroma to it. It's pretty drinkable, but I'm a green tea fan.

Overall

Just not a fan enough to say how much a difference there is between this and all the other green teas I've tried. But I can say this, I brewed a bag in a 20-ounce cup and it did seem to keep its strength.

Not a bad cup of tea. It's worth a try if you are a regular green tea drinker to figure out if this is the right fit for you.

Visual rundown

The container of Trader Joe's Kingslynn Green Tea:

The ingredients and how to prepare:

Trader Joe's Kingslynn Green Tea ingredients and how to brew

How Trader Joe's describes this product:

Trader Joe's Kingslynn Green Tea description on container

Out of the package you get:

Trader Joe's Kingslynn Green Tea showing the bags of tea

After being brewed you get:

Trader Joe's Kingslynn Green Tea brewed in a white mug

Would I buy this again? If Trader Joe's Kingslynn Green Tea is available the next time I need some, I'd buy it.

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

The Bottom Line

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Trader Joe's Stuffed Peppers

After the Stuffed Cabbage Rolls that I tried, it had me longing for Stuffed Peppers. The premise, in the end, is pretty much the same, but the containment vegetable is much different.

Taste and review

Peppers hold up well to heating. In fact, with these peppers, you have two options: microwave or oven. After the disaster of the cabbage rolls, I went for the oven method for these to try to give them the greatest chance at success.

With these, there is actually sauce to keep things hydrated, unlike the cabbage rolls. But these are not made of beef. This is chicken and turkey instead. Fine by me as the calorie count is very much in check on this even if you decide this is actually a meal for one.

The texture here is surprisingly similar to the texture of Trader Joe's Turkey Meatballs. Whenever I've had stuffed peppers the texture isn't quite as dense, but it still worked.

In fact, whenever I've had stuffed peppers they were served whole and upright. Here they are cut in half and have the filling placed in them as if a scoop was used to plop it in. By doing so, the rice is more of a part of the filling rather than a distinct element.

No matter though, the pepper cooked up firm enough but not raw and crunchy. The filling had a pretty good flavor coming from a bit of tomato, seasoning, and cheese. Was it as good as homemade? No. But is it a lot less effort? Oh yes.

Overall

Is it worth compromising for? Honestly, yes. This was pretty good. I haven't had the best of luck in the refrigerated aisle in the past. But this is one of the better options you can reach for.

But speaking of reaching for this, I have only seen this once. I've seen it about a dozen times on social media, but never in my local stores. However, if you can find it, it is worth a try.

For $5.99 I'd reach for these again.

Product photos

The package of Trader Joe's Stuffed Peppers:

The nutritional information:

Trader Joe's Stuffed Peppers nutritional information

The ingredients:

Trader Joe's Stuffed Peppers ingredients

How to prepare:

After being cooked you get:

Trader Joe's Stuffed Peppers fully cooked

Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Stuffed Peppers again.

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

The Bottom Line

Don't forget to share your thoughts by going to the "user review" at the bottom of the box (click on the number of stars you believe this product deserves) and leave a comment below.

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Trader Joe's To the Power of Seven Green Organic Juice Blend Review: Green with Envy or Just Green?

Trader Joe's To the Power of Seven Green Organic Juice Blend is a shelf-stable beverage combining seven organic ingredients: kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, green apple, lemon, and ginger. Packaged in a 33.8-oz bottle and priced at $4.99, it's designed to offer a convenient way to consume a variety of greens in one drink.

Review

Let's not sugarcoat it-because this juice certainly doesn't.

Trader Joe's To the Power of Seven Green Organic Juice Blend is what happens when your entire crisper drawer gets together and decides to stage an intervention. With kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, green apple, lemon, and ginger, this bottle is basically yelling "GET IT TOGETHER" at your insides-but, like, organically.

On first sip, you're hit with the green apple trying really hard to make friends. It's sweet but in a very "I'm the fun one!" kind of way. Then the rest of the gang shows up-kale and spinach with their earthy vibes, cucumber and celery adding that fresh-but-kind-of-like-lawn-clippings aftertaste, and finally ginger and lemon, who show up late but loud.

It's not bad, but it's not juice box by the pool material either. This is the juice equivalent of a green juice bootcamp: a little intense, a little vegetal, but you somehow feel healthier after drinking it-even if you chased it with a cookie.

Texture-wise, it's smooth and drinkable. No pulp, no grit, no sludge at the bottom of the bottle, which I appreciate. And the fact that it's shelf-stable means you can stash it for those moments when your body is crying out for nutrients-or you just need to undo the damage from last night's frozen pizza and wine pairing.

Would I drink this daily? No. But would I drink it after a weekend of living like a raccoon? Absolutely. It's not the best-tasting green juice I've ever had, but it gets the job done, and for the price, it's a solid choice if you want a convenient veggie hit without firing up the blender.

Just...don't expect it to taste like a spa day. It's more like your fridge guilt-tripped you into being responsible.

That being said, this post has garnered some of the most comments on this blog. So it has a fan base. In fact, this has shifted from a seasonal product to one that is sold all year long. If you are a fan of the "Power of" series from Trader Joe's, then look for the red juice if you love traditional juice the best.

Trader Joe's To the Power of Seven Green Organic Juice Blend nutritional information

How to Serve

Chilled: Best enjoyed cold; refrigerate before serving.
Smoothie Base: Blend with banana and ice for a green smoothie.
Cocktail Mixer: Use as a mixer with vodka and tonic for a green twist on a classic cocktail

Trader Joe's To the Power of Seven Green Organic Juice Blend ingredients

Creative Uses

Soup Starter: Incorporate into vegetable soups for added depth.
Salad Dressing: Mix with olive oil and vinegar for a zesty dressing.
Marinade: Use as a marinade for chicken or tofu.

Trader Joe's To the Power of Seven Green Organic Juice Blend description

Final Thoughts

Trader Joe's To the Power of Seven Green Organic Juice Blend offers a convenient way to incorporate a variety of greens into your diet. While its strong vegetal flavor may not suit all palates, its versatility in recipes and organic ingredients make it a noteworthy option for health-conscious consumers.

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Trader Joe's Candy Corn Popcorn

I can't think of a candy that evokes more of a strong reaction than Candy Corn. It's a love it or hate it type of candy. I enjoy it in small doses but don't enjoy the waxy texture.

Taste and review

But if you hand me a couple of pieces, I won't turn you down. But there are a number of people out there who will be more than happy to tell you much they despise this. You can read more of the love/hate/origins of candy corn here.

But since last year I tried the Pumpkin Spice Caramel corn, I figured this is something new to try while I anxiously await a giant pumpkin display pointing me to all the yummy seasonal offerings from now until New Year.

But in the meanwhile, this bag is not for everyone. Nope. Not a chance this will have universal appeal. Much like Trader Joe's summer seasonal Popcorn in a Pickle, this is meant for a special person. If you truly feel that candy corn's rightful place is in the trash can, then this product is not for you.

It tastes just like candy corn. And it makes sense. Candy corn is basically pure sugar. To throw that same flavored sugar (whatever random nondescript flavor candy corn happens to be), isn't a stretch of the imagination.

The biggest difference here is that you'll miss out on that not-so-pleasant waxy mouthfeel. Which in my book isn't a bad thing at all. There is the classic color combination on top of mushroom-shaped popcorn. It left me saying, "Wow. That really tastes like candy corn."

Overall

For $1.99 you are getting the classic taste of the tricolored confection on popcorn. Just minus the waxy feel. By no means is this for everyone. But if you know you like the peculiar taste of candy corn, then feel free to add this to your list of seasonal treats.

And if you missed out on this at your local Trader Joe's, then you can look on Amazon for this through third-party sellers.

Product photos

The bag of Trader Joe's Candy Corn Popcorn:

The nutritional information:

Trader Joe's Candy Corn Popcorn nutritional information

The ingredients:

Trader Joe's Candy Corn Popcorn ingredient list

How Trader Joe's describes these:

Trader Joe's Candy Corn Popcorn description

Out of the package you get:

Trader Joe's Candy Corn Popcorn out of the bag

Would I buy this again? This is a seasonal item that it fun to try once a year, but I don't see myself buying this again.

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

The Bottom Line

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Trader Joe's Pumpkin and Sweet Cream Cheese Muffins

Behold, the first bit of pumpkin hitting shelves. Not that some fall items haven't already come back. My local store, they've already had the Ghosts and Bats out for a week now.

So, when my husband and I had to go away for a weekend I was on the hunt for snacks and breakfast items. So I grabbed these for my first meal of the day.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin and Sweet Cream Cheese Muffins Topped with Walnut Praline

Taste and review

I love pumpkins. And these are pretty good. But be warned: they are sweet.

I love food where there is contrast. But that is not be found here beyond the two basic textures: soft and softer. The muffin is soft and the cream cheese icing is even softer.

These are good on their own as far as a pumpkin muffin goes. Nothing out of the ordinary. Good spice and a cake-like texture. These however had the addition of sweetened cream cheese in the middle. However, that sweetened cream cheese was basically like frosting in terms of sweetness. Paired with a muffin and it was a lot of sweet to handle.

If you imagine the icing found on red velvet cake and put that in the middle of these then that will give you some sense of how sweet these are. If you have any lingering doubts as to the sweetness then let's look at the nutritional information: 1 muffin contains 45g of sugar.

But to each their own. There was one element of sweetness that I could not figure out where it went: the walnut praline. If there was any, I'm pretty sure most of my boxes did not have any. I did not notice the taste or a crunchy texture which would have been an appreciated textural contrast.

Overall

As far as pumpkin muffins go they are good. But in all honestly, I'm anxiously awaiting the return of the pumpkin bread mix so I can make my own muffins.

For $3.99 these work out to less than $1 each. These are not cupcake-sized muffins either. These are something that came out of a jumbo-sized pan. If you love pumpkin muffins and have no intention of making them yourself then they are at least worth a try. As far as I go, they aren't worth a repurchase.

Would I buy this again? If Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread Mix returns, then opt for that in place of this. Put that mix in a cupcake pan and you'll be darn close to this item. While these were good, I would not buy Trader Joe's Pumpkin and Sweet Cream Cheese Muffins Topped with Walnut Praline again. Using the pumpkin bread mix would be just as easy.

Product photos

The box: of Trader Joe's Pumpkin and Sweet Cream Cheese Muffins Topped with Walnut Pralines:

The nutritional information:

Trader Joe's Pumpkin and Sweet Cream Cheese Muffins Topped with Walnut Praline nutritional information

The ingredients:

Trader Joe's Pumpkin and Sweet Cream Cheese Muffins Topped with Walnut Praline ingredients

Out of the package you get:

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

The Bottom Line

Don't forget to share your thoughts by going to the "user review" at the bottom of the box (click on the number of stars you believe this product deserves) and leave a comment below.

You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest to see what I'm up to.