The pros: Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic and Onion Jam is a good attempt at Onion Confit. However, it's called a jam for a reason and there is a lot of sugar and pectin holding this product together.
The cons: Â Very sweet. First ingredient is sugar. Not as savory as I would have hoped for.
The verdict: Â ...
Trader Joe's Honey Walnut Shrimp might catch your eye if you've ever craved restaurant-style honey walnut shrimp at home. It looks tempting with its promise of crispy shrimp, creamy sauce, and crunchy walnuts-like a takeout favorite you can whip up in 20 minutes. But does it really deliver on that sweet, buttery, seafood dream? Let's just say it left me with mixed feelings and a bit of a fishy aftertaste.
Inside the bag, you'll find battered shrimp ready to bake, plus a packet of sweet, creamy sauce, and a tiny packet of candied walnuts. The idea: bake the shrimp until crispy, toss them in the sauce, and sprinkle on the nuts for that sweet-salty crunch combo. Sounds easy, right?
Let's start with the good news: when this works, it really works. The shrimp can bake up nicely-golden, crunchy, and satisfyingly crispy, especially if you throw them in the air fryer. That crunch is pretty irresistible, and the sauce is sweet and creamy (a little too sweet for my taste, but hey, it's a guilty pleasure).
But here's the thing: the quality is all over the place. Some bags have shrimp that taste fresh and briny, while others have a fishy, off-putting flavor that hits you like a tidal wave. I wish I could say it's always good, but that inconsistency is a real bummer-especially for a treat that should feel like a dinner upgrade.
The sauce leans heavy on the pineapple-citrus side-less honey, more tropical punch. It's sweet enough to make your teeth tingle, and sometimes it can overwhelm the shrimp, turning them into a sugar delivery system instead of the star of the show. The candied walnuts? Tiny. You'll definitely want more than the handful they provide to get that proper crunch balance.
Bottom line: it's fun to try once if you're curious, but between the sometimes-fishy shrimp, the sugar bomb sauce, and the skimpy walnuts, it didn't wow me enough to become a regular in my freezer rotation.
The following are commonly asked questions about this product:
No, the breading contains wheat-so skip it if you're avoiding gluten.
Sometimes, yes. The shrimp quality can vary, and a few bags have had a noticeably fishy flavor that overshadowed the sauce.
Very sweet! Think pineapple-heavy, sugary, and a little tangy-like a tropical dessert meets seafood.
Trader Joe's Honey Walnut Shrimp is a fun idea in theory: crispy shrimp with a sweet sauce and a handful of walnuts, but the inconsistent shrimp quality and cloying sweetness left me underwhelmed. Try it once if you're curious, but you might want to look elsewhere if you're after reliable restaurant-level shrimp.
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.
The pros: Â Trader Joe's Dried Baby Bananas has the texture of a dried apricot, the taste of a very sweet banana.
The cons: Â Visually unappealing. This is truly ugly looking food (see pictures for clarification). Might be too much concentrated banana flavor for some.
The verdict: Â ...
The pros: Trader Joe's Coconut Water is high in potassium. If you've never had coconut water, it does not taste much like the meat of the coconut.
The cons: Â Once opened, it has a very, very short shelf life. The package says to drink it within 24 hours which is somewhat common in coconut water products.
The verdict: Â ...
The pros:  Trader Joe's Cilantro Salad Dressing is a lower in calories than many salad dressings without the label of being "diet." Nice fresh cilantro taste with a good balance of flavor and a subtle heat.
The cons: Â Cilantro is a polarizing item. Either you love it or you hate it, some people will say it tastes like soap.
The verdict: Â ...
