Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
Trader Joe's offers a wide variety of fruit from fresh to frozen but quality can vary, fortunately, that's why you have this site!
From Cotton Candy Grapes to the the difference between the four types of frozen blueberries find dozens of reviews of Trader Joe's fruits products and see which ones are worth your time and which ones you may want to consider leaving on the shelf!
Back in the holiday season of 2017, Trader Joe’s hit us with a sleeper hit: Pitted Amarena Cherries. It didn’t make waves, but you can bet it made everything from Manhattans to ice cream sundaes better. Now Trader Joe’s as snuck another little treat on to shelves: Trader Joe’s Italian Strawberries in Syrup.
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In all of the pumpkin and fall-themed items in the freezer section quietly sits a much-welcomed option. One that doesn’t have a ton of added sugar to it. Yes, they are hopping on the train of trendiness with Trader Joe’s Organic Acai Bowl.
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I remember going to the Hall of Science as a kid. And most childhood museum trips, the highlight was hitting the gift shop for some reason. The Hall of Science is no exception. They sold something that had all of our imagination going: Astronaut Food. Which reminds me a whole lot of Trader Joe’s Freeze Dried Strawberries.
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So, I want to make sure I’m not bombarding you all with everything pumpkin. Because this year, it seems that the seasonal flavors are being fanned out to include more apple and maple. Both are welcome additions. I welcome them even more if they are done well….
The pros: Trader Joe’s Thomcord Seedless Grapes are really tasty and nearly seedless grapes. Yes, they say seedless, but I’ve been known to tell seedless watermelons that they lie.
The cons: There is still a tiny little seed that is sometimes bothersome.
The verdict: …
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: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Gone Berry Crazy are the perfect addition to the freezer aisle. If you loved Gone Bananas! then this will probably be a hit for you.
The cons: Milk chocolate fans need not apply here. This product does have dairy in it so it is not vegan. The box is small on this as well. I’m deeply hoping this isn’t a seasonal flavor.
The verdict: …
For the most part, I tend to review one item at a time. However, for something as basic as frozen fruits and veggies I think it’s just best to review them together. Let’s be honest, it’s hard to write THAT much about such a staple freezer item. Now, if you are like me, I tend to let my wallet dictate my buying habits. However, for this item perhaps its best to do a side by side comparison. Trader Joe’s frozen strawberries come in two varieties. There is a third, in the Organic Tropical Fruit Blend, but that is also mixed in with other fruit, so I did not add that one into this review.
So, Trader Joe’s is many things, but basic is not one of them. One or perhaps two blueberry varieties are common. Usually an organic and an non-organic variety is pretty standard for most grocery stores. Trader Joe’s frozen blueberries come in four different varieties at four different price points.
So unlike most reviews where I look at a single product , I’ll go through what to expect from this line of frozen blueberries.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Tarte Aux Fruits is a terrific blend of sweet and tart on a nice crust.
The cons: Be sure to keep this level if you are defrosting, otherwise you’ll have a gnarly mess waiting for you. Mine wasn’t quite as picture perfect as the box, but it tasted just fine.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s 100% Mango Juice from Carabao Mangoes is sold in a four pack of cans. It’s good mango juice but…
The cons: Not terribly different from Trader Joe’s Mango Nectar. Since this can only be grown in the Philippines then this too is likely seasonal.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Organic Acai Puree Packets add color, flavor, and fiber to your bowl of oats or smoothies.
The cons: Acai is not a cheap item regardless of where it comes from. You may need to compensate for this products lack of sweetness. The packets can be a bit awkward to open.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Organic Tropical Fruit Blend is a tasty blend, especially if you aren’t terrible creative with your morning smoothie.
The cons: The bag should be resealable. The picture on the bag isn’t the most accurate representation of the product. The bananas were not nearly as pretty as they were on the bag and when did strawberries become a “tropical” fruit?
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pitted Amarena Cherries are new and perfect for the cherry lover in your life. This jar is a nice size. Would make for a good stocking stuffer.
The cons: This is a seasonal item and there is no telling if this will be back next year.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Chokanan Mango is a good addition to the selection of dried mangoes.
The cons: Nothing honestly comes to mind.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Super Sweet Dried Carabao Mango is a healthy option with a good sweet flavor. Resealable bag.
The cons: When I opened my bag all the mango strips were sticking together making it hard to grab a piece.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pear Halves are well peeled, sweet, tender pears. They did a good job of making sure there were no extraneous inedible parts of the pear remaining.
The cons: Price. For what you are getting here, it is pricey compared to the grocery store. You can get a similar sized jar of similar quality. They can be found on sale for 2/$5. If Trader Joe’s is the only place you are going to shop, then there is no issue. If price point is your concern, it might be worth a trip to another store.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Dried Baby Bananas has the texture of a dried apricot, the taste of a very sweet banana.
The cons: Visually unappealing. This is truly ugly looking food (see pictures for clarification). Might be too much concentrated banana flavor for some.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Frozen Raspberries are reasonably priced, tasty and ready to be transformed into something tasty.
The cons: Any brand of frozen raspberries is not texturally the same as fresh. Don’t expect to just pop them in your mouth. I wish these were individually quick frozen as I had a massive block of raspberries frozen together.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Cranberry Sauce is a nice balanced mix of what most might want when cranberry sauce is served: it’s halfway between being the jelly that comes from a can with some textural aspects of a cranberry relish. This was a good compromise between the two worlds.
The cons: It’s a seasonal so if you like this, you might want to stock up until next year. My Trader Joe’s ran out shortly after Thanksgiving.
The verdict: …
