Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
Here is a quick work place truth: some time after lunch and before it’s time to go, I am some how hungry. If I were still working at an office job, I would have hit the vending machine. However, where I currently work there is no such thing anywhere near me. For better or worse. So that has left me with a plethora of snacks in my desk drawer to avoid spending money at the local stores.
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Well, it wouldn’t be the beginning of the year without looking at the lighter options available at Trader Joe’s. Now, I’ve had my fair share of Mac and Cheese offerings from the Pepperoni Mac and Cheese, Truffle Mac and Cheese, Gluten Free Mac and Cheese, Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, and Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese. And yes, they are mostly pretty good.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Sweet and Spicy Mango Vinaigrette is seasonal.
The cons: If the name were honest, it would be sweet and cilantro-y. Would make for a better marinade than actual dressing.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Stir Fry Vegetables is a nice sized and easy to prepare stir fry mix.
The cons: The balance of the veggies could have been better. Mine seemed to be mostly pea pods.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Organic Quinoa and Rice Hot Cereal is a new item that is mixed in with all the other decadent flavors of the holiday season. This was ready in about 2 minutes.
The cons: You’ll want to add your own mix ins to this. It’s extremely bland on its own.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s It’s Sedimentary My Dear Cookie is a great gift idea that makes for a tasty batch of cookies.
The cons: This is a seasonal item. The brown sugar in mine had hardened to near sedimentary rock level making a my spoon have to do a bit of jack hammmering and scraping to get this out. This also requires a 2 hour rest in the refrigerator, so if you need cookies quick, then reach for something else.
The verdict: …
And now for the fifth installment of the Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer Matchups. I’ll add more to the list here as reviews are posted. While I won’t have all of it, you can still take a look at the full flyer here. These are the items listed in the flyer that I have tried and reviewed (or have tried and it’s in a draft folder of this blog waiting to be published). Happy shopping! There are some real gems in this month as the Thanksgiving season is about to begin. This is also called the Food Pilgrimager. So there is likely another one after Thanksgiving. See the bottom for my top 5. So here are my Trader Joe’s November 2017 Fearless Flyer matchups.
If you have any requests or comments of things I didn’t try yet, leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you. Anything with a picture is a review from this blog, Become Betty. Anything without a picture is a link to another site that has reviewed the product. There are a large number of items that are brand new and no reviews are posted. Others have returned from last year and there still aren’t any reviews to which there are no links associated with them. I’ve linked to other reviewers who have tried some of the items. If there is a picture featured, it’s a review from Become Betty, if not, you’ll be taken to an outside reviewer who shared their thoughts on this product. I hope you find this helpful and cheers until the next Fearless Flyer!…
The pros: Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Egg Fettuccine Pasta is excellent. Fresh pasta is always better than boxed, but this was the closest substitute for “real” pasta I’ve ever tried.
The cons: Price. Gluten free products seem to command a premium. With any pasta product, I disagree with the serving sizes. I think two servings is the realistic size expectations
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is new, frozen, filling, and the first fall seasonal item that I’ve found at my local Trader Joe’s.
The cons: It’s still mac and cheese so don’t expect this to be diet food. Mine was more spicy than I thought it would be. Based on the box design, this is likely seasonal.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Tzatziki Dip is a pretty good refrigerated dip that is a hybrid of a Tzatziki sauce and a cucumber salad. Amazingly, the cucumbers were still very crisp.
The cons: Has a lot more cucumbers than I was expecting, so it might not be for everyone.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Organic Frosted Cherry Pomegranate Toaster Pastries is organic, fresh, and fruity.
The cons: There was a serious lack of generosity with the frosting. I still wished they were individually wrapped.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Sweet Corn, Burrata and Basil Ravioli is the newest addition to Trader Joe’s fresh pasta items. It’s very pretty to look at. The cheese and basil were nice.
The cons: Not much of a burrata taste and the corn is whole.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pizza Parlanno is a pretty tasty pizza ready in about 10 minutes. If you your pizza with lots of toppings, this is the best one to reach for in the Trader Joe’s refrigerated case.
The cons: Crust could have used a bit more salt.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pepperoni Pizza Mac and Cheese bowl has elements of both pizza and mac and cheese.
The cons: Did not really remind me of pizza and it was watery from the microwave even though I put lots of holes in the plastic covering.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pizza 4Formaggi is a decent freezer pizza that can be ready in about 10 minutes.
The cons: The crust seemed bland.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Baby Spinach and Cranberry Salad Mix is a tasty combination of flavors.
The cons: Price, you are paying a premium here for a mix of components. The bag of candied pecans seems small and I wished there was more dressing.
The verdict: …
The hottest thing on social media is rainbow everything. It started with food. Now it’s moved into a place where it belongs: flowers. Rainbow roses aren’t new, but they are new to Stew Leonard’s. I found myself stuck staring at the options. Stew Leonard’s Rainbow Roses took my breath away without taking my wallet away. I brought them home to see how long they would last. Truth is, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a bunch of flower so much before. I can’t help but stare at them. All the time. I know they don’t occur naturally like that. But is doesn’t matter. I love them and they are worth every penny of the $19.99 I paid for them. Here is how they held up:…
The pros: Trader Joe’s Buffalo Milk Butter has less cholesterol than regular butter. It tastes pretty much like regular butter. Trader Joe’s Buffalo Milk Butter is made from grass fed buffaloes in India.
The cons: While on the cholesterol front it’s healthier, it is just as caloric as regular butter. You won’t notice the pink Himalayan salt. Doesn’t melt as quickly as regular butter. Doesn’t spread as well as regular butter either.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough is inexpensive, can be frozen and is a good item to keep on hand.
The cons: Watch the shelf life. It’s a fresh item and won’t last forever. This item can be frozen if you are not going to use it right away.
The verdict: …
The pros: If you find salad to be boring or just love iceberg lettuce, Trader Joe’s Butter Lettuce is a good product to pick up.
The cons: Not as nutrient dense as some other salads in a bag, but if you need to break up your routine, this is a good one to reach for.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Thai Sweet Chili Veggie Burger is an Asian spin on their other veggie burgers. Was tasty out of the frying pan. Heat is subtle but present. Trader Joe’s Thai Sweet Chili Burger had enough oil in the burger to cook it without oil in a pan.
The cons: If you are looking for that fake meat flavor, you are out of luck here.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Canneles de Bordeaux is respectable in calories. Reminded me of a creme brulee with it’s caramelized outside (but no crunch here) and custard filling. I enjoyed this more heated slightly in the microwave than cooled.
The cons: These dessert are small so plan accordingly. You’ll finish each in about four bites.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Matar Paneer star ingredients were the peas and paneer were the stars here. The curry sauce was just ok.
The cons: Not the best of the Indian selections, but hey what do you expect in a can? Not pretty when you open and dump out the can.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Sea Salt and Malt Vinegar Caramels have lots of fun textural elements. It’s not a scary tasting as it sounds. If you totally embrace the sweet/salty combination you’ll probably like these. I could not detect any raw vinegar taste.
The cons: If you don’t care for the sweet/salty dessert option, then please skip this. Expensive considering you are only getting 7 candies in the box….
