Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
If it's not flowers you see when you first walk into a Trader Joe's, then most likely it is products made with flour. The bread aisle has some great options, but also some that are worth skipping as well. That's why you have this site.
From the Sliced Brioche to the Almond Kringle find dozens of reviews of Trader Joe's bread products and see which ones are worth your time and which ones you may want to consider leaving on the shelf!
Let me apologize in advance if my reviews seem carb heavy. Because most of the new items hitting shelves are for some reason breads. I thought I was done reviewing bread last week when I tried Chocolate Chip Pain Au Lait. Nope, not only does the frozen Indian section have a new bread, there is also a pancake bread (review to show up in the near future). So while Trader Joe’s does an excellent job of serving certain food communities, I feel like the low carb crowd might be left out here a bit.
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I wasn’t going to write this review given the time of year. In fact, I’m shocked they picked now to release Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chip Pain Au Lait. I mean we have one Pain Au Lait. Why would we possibly need a second variety right after New Year’s?
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Pumpkin and Sweet Cream Cheese Muffins are one of the first pumpkin items to hit shelves for 2018 and they are jumbo muffin sized.
The cons: If Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread Mix returns, then opt for that in place of this.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Big Soft Pretzels are new to shelves and have the salt package already in the bag so you decide how much or how little is best for you.
The cons: Four pretzels in a bag, but the bag can’t be resealed.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s 8 Mini Croissants are new and replace the frozen ones you have to proof. Don’t worry though, the Chocolate and Almond croissants are still in the frozen aisle.
The cons: If you imagined (like I did) that these would be about the size of say a crescent roll, then you will be surprised by how much they puff up. This bag is not resealable. They are made in Belgium.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Banana Bread Mix is a quick and easy banana bread that won’t require you to possess any bananas to make.
The cons: Banana bread is relatively easy to make and you are paying for convenience here.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s 27 Layer Sesame Croissini is new to shelves and if you enjoy snacking on breadstick, you’ll find this enjoyable.
The cons: I’m not sure why the package says eat while warm. It was good warm, but the flaky layers were much improved at room temperature. Not many of my croissinis were twisted out of the box. I’m not sure if this is a defect or something to expect.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Sprouted Whole Grain Pizza Crust is a thin and healthy alternative to a regular pizza crust.
The cons: Can be an awkward size if you are going to store this for any amount of time.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Cream Cheese Brioche Pastries are new, frozen, and delicious if you appreciate a treat on the sweeter side. These are a solid choice for breakfast or dessert.
The cons: Why do they ever assume you are going to be sharing these? Just be honest with the calories and say how many are in each. For some reason Trader Joe’s decided that each pastry is two servings.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Brioche Toasts are a two to three bite size slice of brioche that are crisp and delicious. At under $2 it’s a great deal. It also might have some interesting other applications beyond just appetizers.
The cons: If you are using this in place of crackers, then consider making sure you have napkins or plates because there will be crumbs from this toast.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pain Au Lait is a nice light French bread that while perfect for breakfast, I can totally justify eating this during other meals as well.
The cons: Nothing jumped to my mind.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix makes dense and slightly crumbly bread with a nice spice combination. No need to open a can of pumpkin (or have leftovers from that can of pumpkin)
The cons: Not as good as homemade, but not bad.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Habanero Lime Tortillas sound intimidating but they are flavorful and just hot enough.
The cons: True spice junkies will likely be disappointed in the heat level in this product. I did not find this product to be very hot. They only come in the larger size.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Buttermilk Biscuits are basic biscuits in a can.
The cons: If you are hoping for lots of flakey layers here, you’ll probably be disappointed. You’ll also have to reshape these before baking to avoid oddly shaped biscuits. The can was a pain to open.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Cheese and Garlic Croutons have a good cheese and garlic flavoring to them. Comes in a very pretty packaging.
The cons: Considering this bag only four ounces of croutons, these are very overpriced. Some of the croutons were not bite sized.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Artisan Brioche Rolls are just as magical as Trader Joe’s Brioche Bread. If you’ve tried the brioche bread, then this is just as good.
The cons: At $3.99 for six rolls, it is a bit pricey, but well done.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Classic Hamburger Buns are basic buns.
The cons: These are completely average hamburger buns.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Plain Bagels are very basic plain bagels.
The cons: These do not do bagels justice.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Tandoori Naan is quick and tasty bread straight from the freezer.
The cons: It’s plain, but odds are you aren’t eating this by itself.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough is inexpensive, can be frozen and is a good item to keep on hand.
The cons: Watch the shelf life. It’s a fresh item and won’t last forever. This item can be frozen if you are not going to use it right away.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Handmade White Tortillas are super tasty and very fresh tasting. These are imperfectly shaped which makes them seem a bit more homemade.
The cons: I wish these were available in more sizes and I wish I could find this on a more consistent basis.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s French Brioche is a delicious, light and buttery bread. It was buttery bread that was as fresh as can be. Toasted it was light as a feather with a sublime taste. While I haven’t tried it as French Toast, I image it will be quite good.
The cons: Sharing this product will lead to the bag being emptied almost immediately.
The verdict: …
The pros: If you are a fan of Arnold’s Sandwich Thins, Trader Joe’s Multi Grain Slims is pretty darn similar. High fiber and only 100 calories.
The cons: High fiber, so if you aren’t used to much fiber in your diet these might be a shock to your system.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Garlic and Herb Pizza Dough is inexpensive, quick, easy, little wait time, you are only limited by your own creativity.
The cons: Short shelf life but can be frozen.
The verdict: …
