Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
The average Trader Joe's store stocks 4,000+ products, but some of the hidden gems are right in the cheese section or even hidden away in the freezer section as an appetizer.
From Triple Creme Brie to the seasonal Raclette cheese which melts so well, you'll find dozens of reviews of Trader Joe's cheese products and see which ones are worth your time and which ones you may want to consider leaving on the shelf!
Don’t adjust your monitors. I nearly walked past this item on the new items display. Every now and again they put items that are currently on shelves on that display. I noticed the bag was a bit faded out and took a closer look, only to realize this is different, this is Trader Joe’s Oven-Baked Cheese Bites with Black Truffle.
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By the end of 2019, I’ll do another best of list. This year has been full of hits and misses and a heck of a lot of just ok products. Now, to be fair we haven’t even hit the Fall/Winter season when they hit us with the best of the best items. But in the meanwhile, you better believe that Trader Joe’s Pimento Cheese Dip will make the list of best of.
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Have you ever looked at the calorie count of an item and put it back? Or prayed it was really good to justify the calories? Well, that’s pretty much how I felt after I picked up Trader Joe’s Kunefe. While this box isn’t big, this packs a heavy hit of calories.
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A bagel and a schmear. As a life long New Yorker, I’m pretty sure there is a certain amount of Yiddish that has been added infused into the local lexicon. And when it comes to bagels there is a reason for this.
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The dessert aisle this year is killing me. So I’m taking a much needed break from it. So far I haven’t seen a ton of new appetizers yet. Perhaps it is too early to say, but I thought they would be out by Thanksgiving. Shelves in my local store have already been packed with Bacon Wrapped Scallops and dates and we’ve even seen the return of the Lemon Ricotta Cheese and Fondue in the cheese aisle.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Pub Cheese is a long standing item on shelves and with good reason.
The cons: Cheese snobs might turn their noses up at this.
The verdict: …
So here is a frozen item that I bought awhile back, but sat in the freezer. Either I opted for everything else around it or just passed over it.
But in any case, I’ve had blintzes before. Usually in Manhattan. They are served with a crepe like exterior and a soft sweetened ricotta like cheese in the middle. Often it is served with some type of fruit topping, powdered sugar, or sour cream.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Cheese Party Tray is new* (see Alek’s comment at the bottom for some good insight), tasty, priced well, and lasts a decent amount of time in the refrigerator considering it is pre-sliced cheese.
The cons: Nothing really stands out.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Uncured Ham and Swiss Cheese Flaky Croissant are the newest to a growing line of croissant products. These are well priced compared to getting these already made.
The cons: These are squares instead of the rolled shape of a regular croissant. It was a touch doughy in the middle.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Moroccan Inspired Cheddar Cheese seems to be a new spicy addition to cheese aisle packed with options.
The cons: The last spicy cheese wasn’t around for very long so I’m not sure if this will be a seasonal offering or not.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s 5 Cheese Greek Spiral is crispy and cheesy.
The cons: If there were 5 cheeses in this, then they became indistinguishable once they were baked together.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pesto Gouda Cheese looks different and tastes different. It is also an eye catching color.
The cons: This pairing does not work well. It will go moldy quite quickly as well.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Queso Cheese Dip is a low-calorie dip that will partially satisfy your spicy cheese dip cravings.
The cons: While low in calories, this makes sacrifices in other areas like thickness. This is a thin dip that is in no danger of breaking any chip that is placed into it.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Brie En Croute makes for a pretty tasty and melty appetizer. This came out of the oven in a more attractive way that the mini brie en croute did.
The cons: Mine was not as melty as the package makes it appear. This is not a quick appetizer either.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Authentic Greek Feta in Brine comes to you directly from Greece. This is a tasty feta cheese.
The cons: Nothing stands out.
The verdict:
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Ghost Pepper Cheddar Cheese is hot cheese, but nothing you’ll need to sign a waiver to consume.
The cons: I did not love the flavor pairing here. Spice junkies might be bummed out that this is only medium to hot. This is meant to give a rich pepper flavor without completely overwhelming the palate.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Chipotle Toscano Cheese is a cheese that I only noticed on my latest trip into Trader Joe’s. There was a lot to like about this cheese especially if you like your cheese on the spicier side.
The cons: If you do not like your cheese with a bit of smokey flavor and heat, then pass this by.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Baked Lemon Ricotta is a unique seasonal offering that is sweet, savory, and citrusy which sets it apart from most other ricottas I’ve tried.
The cons: This is a seasonal item.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Mini Cheese Crepes are new, seasonal, and are a bite sized snack or appetizer.
The cons: Seasonal and reminded me more of eating an omlet.
The verdict:
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Raclette Sliced Cheese is not new, but is a divine find in the cheese aisle.
The cons: For me, this item was addicting.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Sriracha English Cheddar Cheese has the taste of traditional cheddar with a kick.
The cons: The texture may be less than appealing to some.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Goat’s Milk Cheese Medallions Marinated in Herbs is new and makes for a decent spread.
The cons: They did a lot of things wrong with the marinade. Super uneven distribution of the herbs is the beginning of the mistakes here.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Ovoline Mozzarella is super fresh mozzarella that cuts easily and sits in enough salt water to add flavor.
The cons: Short shelf life, if you are going to only eat one cheese ball at a time then you’ll want to cut the other in half to ensure that it stays submerged in salt water.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Burrata is mozzarella with a thick ricotta like center that is creamy and delicious. This product is reasonably priced for burrata.
The cons: If you eat one ball it’s just over 350 calories. Otherwise, if you are more portion controlled you’ll have to find another way to store your leftovers other than in the package.
The verdict: …
