The BEST Trader Joe’s Food and Snacks

From cooking and baking ingredients, all the way to snacks, fresh flowers and treats, we’ve compiled the ultimate list of Trader Joes products worth buying!

This is a post I’ve always wanted to write, and I’m so happy it’s finally here! I’m sure it’s one I’ll change and update over time, as Trader Joes releases new product or I find new favorites. I took into consideration tons of reader and friend recommendations, but I didn’t include any items that I personally don’t like–no matter how popular. Think I’m missing something? Sound off in the comments!

Disclaimer: I created this list carefully, and am only recommending food products I actually use and buy. You won’t find Trader Joes frozen meals, pancake mixes etc on this list (no offense to their very popular Orange Chicken) because after all, I do like to cook things from scratch!

Fresh Produce:

The produce section at Trader Joes is excellent! Here are some items worth mentioning:

• Tomatoes: look no further for garden quality, GREAT tomatoes! They have beautiful heirloom tomatoes. They’re campari and Kumato brown tomatoes are my favorite in Burrata Salad, or delicious baby tomatoes for snacking and kids lunches.
• Cucumbers: We love their Persian cucumbers and baby cucumbers for snacking, lunches and salads.
• Tuscan Cantelope: An Italian melon that’s slightly sweeter than traditional cantelope, and ohhhh so deliciosa.
• Grapes: A variety of fun and high quality grapes options, like Thomcord seedless grapes and cotton candy grapes, or champagne grapes that elevate a charcuterie board.
• Pre-Cut Fresh Veggies: They have tons of pre-chopped and prepared vegetable packs like a fresh veggie medley for stir-fry, pre-cut butternut squash for your favorite soup or roasting, shredded Brussels sprouts for cooking or salads, or cold cut veggies for on-the-go snacking.
• Unique Produce you may not easily find elsewhere— different kinds of fresh figs, plummets (plum apricot), colored carrots and cauliflower etc.

Cooking and Baking:

• Frozen Ginger and Garlic: Comes in one teaspoon-size portions that pop out like from an ice-cube tray. They’re game-changers for busy weeknights!
• Cooking Spray: Their Olive Oil Spray has no propellant and their coconut oil spray also works great.
• Chicken Broth—Richer and more flavorful than any store bought alternative. The best option if you don’t have homemade chicken stock in your freezer.
• Boxed whipping cream: sounds strange, but it’s a game changer! Keep it in the pantry for when you’re in a pinch (or use as general food storage)! It tastes delicious, and whips up just like regular whipping cream.
• Pound Plus Bars: Great for gifting and stocking stuffers for the chocolate lovers in your life. Use them in baking, chop up for cookies, melted for dipping, making chocolate curls for chocolate cream pie, or to make ganache. They also make great chocolate truffles.
• Chocolate Baking Chunks: I use these all the time in baking in place of regular chocolate chips; especially in Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies.
• Seasonings: Everything but the elote seasoning and Everything bagel seasoning. I love to put these on avocado toast, bagel and lox, hummus, hard boiled eggs or deviled eggs, etc.
• Pizza dough – Their pizza dough is really great quality if I haven’t planned ahead for homemade pizza dough.

Dips, Sauces and Condiments:

• Three Layer Hummus: Has layers of traditional, cilantro jalapeño and spicy hummus in it’s our family’s favorite. They have several other great flavors too.
• Other favorite dips: Spinach artichoke dip, caramelized onion dip, romesco dip, and everything elote street corn dip.
• Green dragon hot sauce: This was recommended by some friends when I was writing this post, and I’m officially obsessed. Try it on your morning eggs, fish tacos, taco salad, chicken or turkey burgers, chili, etc.
• Balsamic glaze – Drizzle it on salads, bruschetta, pizza or flatbreads, grilled meats, Tomato Mozzarella Toast, or our personal favorite is drizzled over burrata (or fresh sliced mozzarella) with sliced tomato and basil.
• Fig butter – A must on every charcuterie I make. If you don’t want a full charcuterie, serve mini toasts or crackers with fig butter, goat cheese and prosciutto for a fun appetizer. Would also be delicious on a savory ham and cheese crepe or Croque Monsieur sandwich.
• Dressings: Our favorite is the spicy cashew butter dressing (serve it with a salad, drizzle on roasted veggies, or over a buddha bowl!). I also love the Green Goddess Dressing—it’s light, fresh and flavorful and only 20 calories per serving.
• Pickle Mustard – Our favorite on sandwiches, burgers, egg salad, and more. Such great flavor!
• Whole Grain Dijon Mustard is an absolute must in so many recipes that need good quality dijon, like Cuban Sandwiches, Rouladen, Mustard Pork Chops and Honey Mustard Sauce. It’s also a staple condiment on my charcuterie boards.
• Lemon Curd: I love homemade lemon curd, but I’ll admit that this store-bought version is great. Serve inside crepes, over waffles or pancakes, as a filling for cakes, slathered on toast etc.
• Chili Onion Crunch – A condiment that’s fun to top on almost anything, like burritos, burgers, roasted veggies, sandwiches, hummus, omelettes, grilled meats, etc. Try using it as a replacement for red pepper flakes in recipes. Or, dip some bread in it or mix with a little sour cream for chip dip.
• Crispy Jalapeño Pieces – The best for topping on burgers, salads, sandwiches, soup, baked potato.
• Cookie Butter – spread on toast, waffles, pancakes, French toast or crepes. Dip apples in it. Add it to a milkshake. Layer it on a cake. Use it in place of peanut butter in recipes, for a flavor twist (like peanut butter balls).

Cheese:

There are SO many amazing cheeses to try from Trader Joes, you honestly can’t go wrong. But if you need some guidance, these are all a great starting point:

• Cheddar Cheese with Caramelized Onions could be my #1 favorite! Mix in a few slices with your regular grilled cheese sandwich!
• Unexpected Cheddar: If you’ve had it, you know. This has to be one of the most popular cheeses at Trader Joes. Tastes like an aged cheddar with hints of parmesan cheese flavor.
• Old Amsterdam Gouda
• Manchego is always included on my cheese board, and consistently ends up being everyones favorite! It’s made from sheep’s milk but has a really mild, buttery taste, and pairs well with almost any cracker and meat combination.
• Delice de Bourgogne is a French triple creme cheese similar to brie, with a thinner rind and creamier, richer taste. Let it come to room temperature before enjoying with crackers, baguette or on a charcuterie.
• Blueberry Vanilla Chèvre Goat Cheese will convert anyone to goat cheese obsession! Surround it with your favorite crackers and thinly sliced apples or pears for the best snack or appetizer. Try it spread on your morning toast or bagel with a little drizzle of honey.
• Burrata – great quality and fairly priced. Here’s my favorite burrata salad recipe, or drizzle some balsamic glaze on top and serve with bread or crackers.

Meats:

• Uncooked Chicken Breakfast Sausages – These are so flavorful and delicious and just 70 calories per serving (2 sausages) compared to 180 calories per serving of pork sausage links.
• Smoked Salmon: They have so many great, affordable options, and some fun flavors like The Everything But the Bagel Smoked Salmon. It’s my favorite to serve on a lox bagel.
• Wild Raw Argentinian Red Shrimp – Great quality and my go to for many recipes like Pad Thai and Red Curry.
• Unexpected Cheddar Chicken Sausages – These are delicious, and great for a quick meal.
• Peppered Salami – My kids love it with cheese and crackers after school and I absolutely always include this on our charcuterie boards.

Snacks:

• Nuts: So many great options, but my favorite are the truffle marcona almonds, Candied pecans and salt and pepper pistachios.
• Dried Fruit: Just mango is a favorite snack of ours. The Orange infused dried cranberries are a fun addition to salads, and we love the dried coconut strips.
• Raisin Rosemary or Fig and Olive Crisps – Love them plain and they’re my favorite crackers on a charcuterie or cheese board. Add TJ’s goat cheese on top and you’ll be in heaven.
• Cinnamon Graham Crackers – My kids favorite. They’re thicker than normal graham crackers and one of the best sweet treat snacks in the pantry.
• Animal Crackers – So much better than other store bought brands.
• Jalapeño Corn and Rice Puffs: Recently introduced to me by a friend and now one of my favorite snacks! They’re a little heartier/denser than pirate booty and so flavorful. Mild/medium spice. If you don’t like spice, the white cheddar corn puffs are also delicious.
• Elote Corn Dippers: These are addicting. Think “fritos” but way better, a little thicker and with a great seasoning on them. Top them on chili, or use them in walking tacos.
• Bambas dipped in chocolate: If you’ve tried them, you know. Buy them.

Sweets and Candy:

• Sea Salt and Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds: My #1 favorite sweet treat from Trader Joes. Just a few of them can happily curb my sweet tooth. My go-to gift for friends birthdays, along with a succulent or cute TJ’s plant.
• Chocolate Sea Salt Butterscotch Caramels – I love using these as toppers on chocolate cupcakes. I can also eat the whole bag plain; it’s a problem. 🙂
• Pistachio Toffee Chocolates: Delicious toffee dipped in chocolate and coated in pistachio pieces—enough said.
• Lacy Cookies
• Cocoa Truffles: Such a great price and the quality is fantastic, if you don’t have time to make them from scratch.
• Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups: Everyones favorite. They also have milk chocolate.
• Peanut Butter Filled Milk Chocolate Peanuts – They’re shaped like the shell of a peanut, but they’re made out of chocolate, with a peanut butter center. AMAZING!
• Chocolate Coconut Almonds

Non-Chocolate Treat Options:

(I’m a chocolate lover, so I’ll always choose chocolate treats first, but these are our favorite non-chocolate treats):

• Almond Butter Covered Almonds and Cashew Butter Cashews
• Scandinavian Swimmer Gummies: Similar to Swedish Fish but so much better!
• Maple Leaf Cookies: Super sweet but so yummy!
• Meyer Lemon Cookie Thins: These make a fun addition to sorbet or ice cream.

Frozen Treats:

• Gone Bananas – Frozen bananas dipped in chocolate. I’ve heard they are the #1 selling frozen treat, and I understand why!
• Mini Ice Cream Cones: They’re the perfect mini size and small low-calorie dessert.
• Chocolate Croissants: Just as good as a bakery! Plan for them as they need to rise overnight.
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches: My kids love these. They’d taste way better homemade—but if you need a fun treat in a pinch…!

Seasonal:

• Salt Water Taffy (Summertime)
• Pinks and Whites (Springtime): Like a circus animal cookie but coated in yogurt instead.
• Pumpkin Butter (Fall)
• Kringle (Fall and Winter)
• Dark Chocolate Covered Stars Holiday Shortbread Cookies (November and December)

Other:

• Flowers and Plants: Their beautiful flower bouquets and affordable small plants and succulents in darling pots and containers are my go-to for housewarming gifts, teachers, or friends birthdays, paired with one of my favorite Trader Joes chocolates.
• Greeting Cards – cute and affordable
• Coffee: I don’t drink it, but friends say the Trader Joes Organic Morning Blend Coffee is wonderful.
• Wine: They have a great selection of good quality, affordable options.

Am I missing one of your favorites? Comment below!

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