The pros: Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning Blend is a solid blend found in the spice aisle.
The cons: The name here should be reversed. It should be called lime chile as that is the order of dominant flavors.
The verdict: …
Condiments
Trader Joe’s Organic Sriracha Ranch Dressing
The pros: Trader Joe’s Organic Sriracha Ranch Dressing is nice and spicy.
The cons: I wasn’t wild about this on a salad, but as a dip I was all in.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki
The pros: Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki is different from other teriyaki sauces on the market and slightly different than the similar sounding Trader Joe’s Soyaki.
The cons: If you don’t like pineapple, then you should skip this item. This also tastes very salty, so you might be better off using this sparingly if you are going to marinade something.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Butter Spread
The pros: Trader Joe’s Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Butter Spread is one of two new butter options.
The cons: With some room temperature butter you can easily make this at home for a fraction of the cost.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s BBQ Rub and Seasoning with Coffee and Garlic
The pros: Trader Joe’s BBQ Rub and Seasoning with Coffee and Garlic makes cooking just a bit easier. It’s slightly bitter, sweet, and savory.
The cons: My husband and I both wished that there was a bit more smokey flavor in this. This is seasonal, so if you are curious about this then it is time to pick it up.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Peach Salsa
The pros: Trader Joe’s Peach Salsa might not be as spicy or smoky as the label might suggest, but still makes for a good and refreshing salsa.
The cons: For purists, this might hit you as being a touch sweeter than some palates might like.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie and Cocoa Swirl
The pros: Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie and Cocoa Swirl is a hypnotic mix of cookie butter and spreadable chocolate.
The cons: I’m still not sure how they figure there are 27 servings in this wee little jar.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Sriracha Sauce
The pros: Trader Joe’s Sriracha Sauce is solid, but is not a duplicate of the more famous Sriracha Sauce with a Rooster on it.
The cons: The dragon on this bottle looks for more menacing than the one on the green dragon sauce, but the green brings more heat.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Chipotle Black Bean Dip
The pros: Trader Joe’s Chipotle Black Bean Dip is a smokey and thick dip.
The cons: The smoke flavor is very strong with this one.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil Hummus
The pros: Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil Hummus is a unique flavor pairing which on a surface level seems like it should be a good pairing. This is priced well at $1.99.
The cons: The pairing here ended up tasting odd.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Carolina Gold Barbeque Sauce
The pros: Trader Joe’s Carolina Gold Barbeque Sauce is a solid mustard based BBQ sauce at a reasonable price.
The cons: If you don’t care for mustard based BBQ sauces then skip this item.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Hummus with Freshly Ground Horseradish
The pros: Trader Joe’s Hummus with Freshly Ground Horseradish is a recent addition to the dips of the refrigerated aisle.
The cons: Does not bring the heat that you might expect.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Gochujang
The pros: Trader Joe’s Gochujang is new to store shelves and adds a completely different hot sauce that some might not be familiar with.
The cons: If you have never worked with this type of ingredient, then you might not appreciate it fully. This hot sauce has some funk to it which might not garner everyone’s appreciation. It’s best to try this with something and not on its own.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Carrot Ginger Miso Salad Dressing
The pros: Trader Joe’s Carrot Ginger Miso Salad Dressing is very similar to the dressing that I’ve had in most Japanese restaurants. This dressing is also vegan.
The cons: This is more perishable than regular dressing.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Hot Sauce
The pros: Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Hot Sauce is a delicious condiment that is super versatile.
The cons: Don’t let the cartoonish dragon fool you. The dragon on the Sriracha sauce looks meaner, but this probably has more fire to it.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Thousand Island Dressing
The pros: Trader Joe’s Thousand Island Dressing is a solid option in the refrigerated aisle.
The cons: Nothing comes to mind.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Honey with Honeycomb
The pros: Trader Joe’s Honey with Honeycomb is new to shelves and adds to a decent selection of honey available on shelves.
The cons: Does not mention what type of honey you can expect to taste.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter
The pros: Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter has a golden cap and a golden seal on the inside to remind you that you have won the golden culinary ticket by picking this up.
The cons: Easy to consume the entire jar.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Dukkah
The pros: Trader Joe’s Dukkah is back on shelves after a hiatus. It also makes for a flavorful dip in addition to olive oil.
The cons: If you do not like the taste of anise or fennel, then it is best to skip this product.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Nutritional Yeast
The pros: Trader Joe’s Nutritional Yeast is relatively new and has the vegan community excited. This item is well priced for the size that you get.
The cons: If you have never had this or have no idea what to do with it, you might not end up liking it.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s 100% Greek Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The pros: Trader Joe’s 100% Greek Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil is fruity and flavorful. While it’s not as good as some very pricey olive oils, this is a reasonably priced alternative.
The cons: No date on the bottle to indicate when this was actually bottled.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Masala Simmer Sauce
The pros: Trader Joe’s Masala Simmer Sauce is a decent simmer sauce, but if you’ve had anything from the frozen Indian entrees those are far superior in quality.
The cons: While there are spices in here, the heat is almost non-existent. So if you are looking for the heat, keep hot chili powder or cayenne close by to mix in.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Marsala Style Sauce
The pros: Trader Joe’s Marsala Style Sauce is new to shelves with solid ingredients. In fact, the first two ingredients are marsala cooking wine and mushrooms.
The cons: Depending on how much sauce you like will dictate whether or not this jar will be enough. The wine flavor might be overpowering to some palates.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Green Goddess Salad Dressing
The pros: Trader Joe’s Green Goddess Salad Dressing is one of three new refrigerated dressings. This is very low in calories compared to many bottled dressings. Each serving is 20 calories.
The cons: If you are used to a dressing with a mayonnaise base, then this might not cut it for you.
The verdict: …
