Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
The average Trader Joe's store stocks 4,000+ products, but some are limited time offerings. They may come back from year to year but quality can vary, fortunately, that's why you have this site!
From Pumpkin Pancake Mix to the popular Riced Cauliflower Stuffing find hundreds of reviews of Trader Joe's seasonal products and see which ones are worth your time and which ones you may want to consider leaving on the shelf!
The pros: Trader Joe’s Mini Cannoli is a well done dessert in the freezer section. They are reasonably priced and the perfect size for those who shy away from full-sized desserts. They are also reasonably priced compared to buying it at the bakery.
The cons: This is a seasonal item. The shell wasn’t quite as crisp as a cannoli from a bakery even though the interior was lined in chocolate.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s A Taste of Vermont Maple Syrup will remind you a lot of Trader Joe’s Rainbow of Honey where you have a full color spectrum of the same food item to try and enjoy the nuances of each distinct variety. This is reasonably priced for the amount of honey and the beautiful packaging here. This is also a nice gift set (even if it is to yourself).
The cons: This is a seasonal item, so if you love it you’ll want to get what you need before they are gone for the season.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Cafe et The Chocolate Collection is one of three seasonal chocolate collections available at Trader Joe’s. The key difference with this one is that it contains milk, dark, and white chocolate.
The cons: It’s a seasonal item, so if you see it it’s best to pick one up while they still have them in stock. I thought this was the weakest of the chocolate gift sets even though it had the largest variety. There is a lot of texture in these bars so this is best suited for the adventurous types.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Onion Dip is a new and delicious dip found in the freezer section of Trader Joe’s.
The cons: This item is labeled HOL on my receipt which usually indicates it is a seasonal item. Unfortunately, I strongly disagree with this being seasonal. This would make an awesome addition to Trader Joe’s Spinach and Artichoke Dip that is available year round. I also disagree with there being 8 servings. I believe this to be closer to 2-3 servings at most.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Shrimp and Salmon Trio is a nice variety pack of appetizers.
The cons: This is a seasonal item.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Stelle Di Notte are very pretty and seasonal cookies. These look exactly as pictured on the front of the bag.
The cons: They reminded me of what Chips Ahoy might taste like if they were chocolate flavored.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Sugar Plum Jam is the newest jam to hit the jelly and jam section.
The cons: If you like this, then stock up. It is a seasonal item.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Scandinavian Tidings are very well done gummies that will make you wish they were available all year round. There is no gelatin in the ingredients, which for some people is a very good things.
The cons: This is a seasonal item. In my personal opinion, I do not believe that there are actually 14 servings. I think half that is even a stretch.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Stars is new, generously sized, and seasonal.
The cons: This was neither soft nor crisp. It had an odd texture for a cookie. To me, this was just weird. Frosting was totally flavorless.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Lobster Tails are new to the freezer section and are one of two frozen lobster options that are available for the holiday season.
The cons: Lobster isn’t cheap. This is less pricey than the other lobster option in the freezer aisle. These too are a seasonal item usually located next to Trader Joe’s Black Tiger Shrimp.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s An Assortment of Boozy Little Chocolate Truffles are relatively strong little truffles. Best of all, the serving size is a bit more realistic at 6 truffles. These are small enough to share.
The cons: This is a seasonal item.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Winter Snowflake Pasta is one of many seasonal and whimsical shapes of pasta that Trader Joe’s offers on a rotating basis.
The cons: This pasta is special because of its shape, but there is nothing else that stands out about this product. For me, the cooking directions were off.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Black Truffle Butter is new, seasonal, and affordable (for an item that actually has truffles in it)
The cons: Some might look at the size of the container and say this is pricey at almost $16 per pound.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Almond Nog is soy free, gluten free, diary free, vegan, kosher, and seasonal. Best of all, it does a very good job of replicating the flavors that you might expect in a regular egg nog.
The cons: Why is there not a recipe on this carton to make this boozy egg nog? Isn’t that what egg nog is supposed to be about? It’s also not quite as thick as a regular nog.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s White Chocolate Baking Chips will stand up to most cookie recipes and keep their shape. While I enjoy a good white chocolate bar more, these were well done baking chips.
The cons: This is a seasonal item, so if you discover you like these then understand they are not on shelves forever.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s and the Astounding Multi Flavor Joe Joe’s is a large package of chocolate covered cookies which are all well done and might be a crowd pleaser.
The cons: Some of these are sold separately. Some are not. This is seasonal, so if you love it, you’ll want to pick up an extra.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn is a sweet and well spiced caramel corn that will make most pumpkin spice lovers happy.
The cons: Product did not look much like what came out of the bag.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Black Tiger Shrimp are large shrimp that are only around for the holiday season.
The cons: This product might not be ideal for those where having six shrimp would not suffice. This is priced at almost $10 for half a pound. While some might complain about the price, these are very big shrimp.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato and Marshmallow Pixie Pie Mix is new to shelves this year. If you normally enjoy sweet potato pie (topped with marshmallows of course) then you’ll probably enjoy this easier boxed version that only needs, 1 egg, 1 stick of butter, and 3 tablespoons of water.
The cons: Dieters need not apply. If you only cut this pie into 5 pieces then each person would be consuming over 500 calories. You’ll also want to make sure you have an 8 pan for this otherwise the crust might not fit.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Turkey and Stuffing En Croute is a Thanksgiving dinner (minus the mashed potatoes) in one single frozen box. It’s a massive time saver and is super presentable.
The cons: If you like this product, it appears to be a seasonal one. While most of the turkey was evenly distributed, I did have one slice that did not have any. I’m also not sure why this is about 8 servings. I think 4-6 is a more reasonable number (more on this issue below).
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Riced Cauliflower Stuffing is a healthier spin on stuffing that is perfect for vegans and the people who really watch what they eat.
The cons: For some this might not take the place of actual stuffing. This bag can not be resealed and this item is seasonal.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa Stirring Spoon hits the shelves right in time for the cooler weather. It makes for a decent cup of hot cocoa and it’s pretty much an all in one setup.
The cons: This did not totally incorporate into my milk, but perhaps my milk wasn’t hot enough. Then again, that did not matter because the flavor was pretty good.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Hot and Sweet Pepper Jelly is a very well done and non-traditional jelly that is a really good compliment to cheese and crackers.
The cons: This is a seasonal item so if you find you like it, then pick up a few. Or at least that was what I was told at the sample counter at Trader Joe’s by an employee.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Broom is a strong cinnamon broom shaped air freshener that will make a room (or two) smell like cinnamon for a long period of time.
The cons: This is a seasonal product, so if you want one they are only around for so long. Also, if you were hoping this is made from bark of a cinnamon tree, you are mistaken. This is fragranced from cinnamon oil. If you are using this in a small or confined space the the aroma might be overpowering.
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