Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
The average Trader Joe's store stocks a few thousand products, most of which bear its name. But quality can vary in the refrigerated section, fortunately, that's why you have this site!
From Beef Bool Kogi to the Bean and Jack Cheese Burrito find hundreds of reviews of Trader Joe's products and see which ones are worth your time and which ones you may want to consider leaving on the shelf!
So, let’s have a moment of honesty. I’m not sure about you, but I strongly prefer to brew my own brew. My coffee of last resort is usually something that comes from instant or comes out of a can. I like my coffee on the lighter side, so a latte isn’t too far away from how I would enjoy a drink. So, being that these two items are so similar, here is a two for one review of Trader Joe’s Cold Brew Coconut Cream Latte.
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It’s been a while since Trader Joe’s added anything to the dips and hummus options. They’ve taken away items, but not too much has been added back. Well, consider this a vegetarian (at least based on the ingredients) spin on the familiar 7 layer dip. Trader Joe’s 5 Layer Dip is new, delicious, and just needs something to dip it in or scoop it on.
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Now, in case you didn’t know April 15th is not only Tax Day, but it is also National Glazed Spiral Ham Day. I’m not kidding either, there is a website to keep track of these things. So in honor of such, tonight’s review is on the seasonal Trader Joe’s Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham. I figured it’s close enough and it’s back on shelves.
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A little while back I reviewed a fun item that wasn’t too dissimilar to this Hibiscus Tea and Lemonade. It was Trader Joe’s Organic Tea and Lemonade. Essentially, what that drink was is more commonly known as an “Arnold Palmer.” Trader Joe’s Organic Cold Brewed Hibiscus Tea and Lemonade is a playful spin in a substantially smaller bottle.
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Well, if the Soba Noodles knocked it out of the park, then I will be giving these the bench. Now, in previous reviews I’ve liked Gochujang flavors when they have tried to incorporated them. But here in Trader Joe’s Gochujang Chop Salad Kit, they just didn’t work for me. Not. One. Bit.
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Taco night and pizza night. They are things that happen in my household with some measure of frequency. Mostly because of the wide appeal of those items. I mean who doesn’t love pizza or tacos? Tacos are made to taste too. You put as much or as little as the ingredients as you like on them.
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So, here is a product that looks like mango, but tastes pretty much nothing like mango. Think about how different sauerkraut tastes from cabbage. Or perhaps how different Kim Chi tastes from cabbage as well. They taste pretty darn different. All thanks to a process called fermentation.
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Real Food! Trader Joe’s has finally graced us with something other than a snack food or dessert item. It’s been too long. On the flip side, I can say that this was worth the wait.
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It wasn’t all that long ago when Trader Joe’s introduced the Cold Pressed Fuji Spiced Apple Cider. What I thought was a seasonal item, is still on shelves. Now, that means one of two things: either people hate it and its sitting there still (Yes, I’m looking at you Carrot Cake Spread taking up all that shelf space at my local stores) or it might mean they still are stocking it. Given the fact that its in the refrigerate aisle, it’s highly unlikely that it is just sitting there. So, now along side of it is Trader Joe’s Cold Pressed Pineapple Juice….
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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Finally. Something that can be considered real food. An actual meal. The past month, all the new items that have landed in store have been more or less junk food. I’ve had enough of cookies and sweets for a bit. Well, if it weren’t for one last lap around the store, I would have missed these. These are the newest addition to the fresh pasta aisle since the addition of the Italian Sausage and Four Cheese Ravioli.
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Does anyone else celebrate Taco Tuesday? I think we celebrate it on a lot of days during the week. I have a soft spot for nachos in particular. Who doesn’t love cheesy chips? I adore them. Just not Trader Joe’s Queso Dip. One of the cardinal rules of a dip is that it should never be watery or thin. This vegan dip does a better job of being cheesy than queso.
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Behold, the most expensive thing I can get my hands on at Trader Joe’s. Clocking in at just shy of $50 for this one package is nearly four pounds of beefy goodness. However, beefy goodness is in the eyes of the beholder. How much you like this will be determined by how well you prepare this. So tonights review is a little bit of cooking with a bit of commentary on this slab of meat.
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So here is a returning classic that hits shelves before Thanksgiving, but in my store these hang around until the start of the new year. So while the turkeys might be gone, these vegan turkey-less roasts are there for the vegan or people who prefer to enjoy less meat at the dinner table.
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I’m not sure how it is almost Thanksgiving already, but it seems like the end of the year is just zooming by. On the stroke of midnight on Halloween it seemed that Trader Joe’s made the transition from pumpkin to turkey to now aisles of just holiday items. And at my store, you aren’t quite sure if it is going to be Thanksgiving or they are just diving straight into the winter holidays.
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I’m at Trader Joe’s about twice a week. But I’ve noticed a bit of a shift in the pasta section recently. Yes, there are some new pastas like this and the Brussels Sprout ravioli, but also it seems that some packaging is also being updated as well. Which means, I may have to revisit some older reviews to get them updated. But in the meanwhile, Trader Joe’s Sweet Italian Sausage and Four Cheese Ravioli is another new one.
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There are a handful of foods the are absolutely polarizing to discuss: cilantro, truffle, and yes Brussels Sprouts (I know there are far more than just those). But only one of those has food memories often associated with childhood. Either you have grown to like it, or you remember sitting at the dinner table with those terrible mini cabbages which you knew by smell alone were vile.
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If you are wondering, yes, I’ve reviewed Carrot Spirals before. Previously it was in the freezer aisle. They were the first spiralized item that I had seen in the freezer item. Since then I’ve added Zucchini Spirals. But now the refrigerated aisle is getting a bit of a makeover with spirals of sweet potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini (at my store these aren’t Trader Joe’s branded), and even pre-cut Spaghetti Squash.
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So as 2018 draws to a close, it seems that Trader Joe’s has committed to two food products: sugar and cauliflower. The vast majority of the items I’m writing about are super sweet. I was more than happy to give my palate a break. While I don’t mind cauliflower sneaking into more items, but for me, it needs to be done well.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Stuffed Peppers make for an easy meal at a reasonable calorie count.
The cons: This might be a regional item as I’ve only seen it a handful of times. In fact, I’ve seen it more via social media than in person.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce is one of two new refrigerated sauces hitting shelves: this and mushroom medley alfredo sauce. The ingredient list is pretty simple and straight forward.
The cons: It isn’t going to be my first choice in sauce options. This would have been better if they had used San Marzano tomatoes. Keep some EVOO and some basil on hand if you are planning on using this. For the price, there are some equally good options in the jarred section.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Asian Style Ground Chicken is a new pre-marinated product that can make a meal a breeze.
The cons: Nothing really stands out.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Wild Fresh Sea Scallops are one of two options for scallops at Trader Joe’s. The package is vacuum sealed and keeps the scallops very fresh.
The cons: Nothing really stands out.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Grass Fed Organic Rib Eye Beef Steak is a new and premium addition to the meat aisle of Trader Joe’s.
The cons: This is a premium product at price point of over $21 per pound. There is also quite a bit of fat that could have been trimmed off.
The verdict: …
