15 Trader Joe's Items Worth Selling Your Soul For And 10 That Are, Frankly, Overhyped
Don't come for me, but I would prefer NOTHING but the bagel.
Trader Joe's is one of the few comforts we have left in our pandemic-stricken world.
I Love Trader Joe's from traderjoes
But of all the many hit products they carry, there are some misses.
Nobody's perfect! Here are a bunch of wins that you maybe haven't tried yet, and some controversial "flops" that don't quite live up to the hype. Scroll down for the hot takes!
1. Underrated: The chewable melatonin.
"I've tried other brands but I always grab a bottle from TJ's. They are 3 mg and have a pleasant minty flavor. I take 2 and am usually dozing off within the next 20 minutes." - youinreverse
2. Underrated: Zhoug Sauce
View this photo on Instagram
It's a surprisingly versatile sauce made from cilantro that you can throw on anything that needs a little something saucey — pita with hummus, steamed vegetables and rice, grilled chicken, or salmon.
3. Underrated: Strawberry licorice.
View this photo on Instagram
"Honestly, I’m not a big licorice fan, but I really loved these Strawberry Licorice Twists! They are short, thick pieces of licorice with a delicious strawberry flavor that I found to not be tooo artificial like some strawberry candies tend to be." - Trader Joe's Food Reviews
4. Underrated: The Habanero Hot Sauce
One of my personal favs that I always stock up on at TJ's. It is the one truly hot sauce that I own (I would say that using more than a teaspoon will draw tears from my eyes) but I love how non-vinegary it is. It's like pure spiciness with a mild but delicious flavor, so it goes on any kind of cuisine.
5. Underrated: The Virtuoso Lip Balm
"The Virtuoso lip balm is the only lip balm in my life now. Tried it last winter when my lips were cracking apart, along with a whole pile of other balms. I was desperate! Now all the others are in the trash, and this one is the keeper." - MeghanBoBeghan
6. Underrated: The Chimichurri Rice in the Frozen Section
"I put the TJ salsa verde, cotija cheese (not TJ's) and fresh cilantro on top for a twist and the whole thing takes 5 minutes. Also this is the busy mom dish, when the kids have something basic and mom craves more." - Jacquelyn Nicoll Goldbeck
7. Underrated: Crunchy Mochi
"These pair with wine so well. I don't allow myself to buy them anymore because I eat the entire bag at once." - f4rt054uru5r3x
8. Underrated: Soy Chorizo
View this photo on Instagram
I implore you to try to tell the difference between this stuff and the real thing.
9. Underrated: Kumato Brown Tomatoes
Does everyone know how good these are? from traderjoes
"They’re my favorite store bought tomato and first choice if they’re available." - Roxbury_Bat
10. Underrated: Field Fresh Salad (with black currants, asiago cheese, chicken, and sweet basil dressing)
Field Fresh Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken Breast from Trader Joe’s http://t.co/RXEKt9gnCp
"In the prepackaged salad section. This is a new find for me but I've had it 3 times in the last week. So good!" - youinreverse
11. Underrated: Spicy Cashew Butter Dressing
View this photo on Instagram
Thin enough to be used on salads, rich enough to act as a sauce on rice, noodles, or veggies, and also works great as a marinade.
"It is fantastic on noodles. Add tofu (TJ's baked tofu is great), some veggies (like broccoli or soycotash), some fresh basil if you have some, etc. Any or all. My spouse's go-to meal when it's his turn to fix something." - Elisabet_K
12. Underrated: Masala Simmer Sauce
There are no added sugars and it cooks up amazingly in the slow cooker.
"I hardly ever see it mentioned anywhere, and it is amaaaaazing. I need to stock up." - PeggyOlson225
13. Underrated: Honey Aleppo Sauce
This sauce is so good. Didn’t expect that. from traderjoes
Use it to marinade salmon, pork chops, chicken. Also delicious paired with chicken nuggets.
14. Underrated: Blue Cheese and Pecan Dip
"It sounded pretty unappealing to me. But a friend of mine got it and served it with corn chips at a get-together and I had to restrain myself from eating the whole bowl. It's AMAZING. Creamy and flavorful and complex. I have to get it very rarely because once I start eating it, it's hard to stop!" - MeghanBoBeghan
15. Underrated: Everything But The Bagel Nut Duo
I'm probably in the minority in that I have a bottle of Everything But The Bagel seasoning in my cupboard that has gone completely unused for years, but there's...there's some kind of magical crunch in this bag of nuts. There's almost some kind of crispy savory caramelization going on.
1. Overrated: Dried mandarins.
"Not bad, just really overhyped (imo) compared to all the other dried fruit which is all pretty great." - enigmaticowl
2. Overrated: PB Cartwheel Cookies
Happy National Peanut Butter Cookie Day! Trader Joe's has new Peanut Butter Cartwheel cookies filled with peanut butter! One big problem: The actual cookie part is incredibly dry. Not 'crunchy cookie' dry, it's 'something is wrong here' dry. @traderjoes,… https://t.co/uC45acmGXA
"From what I can tell, people seem to enjoy these but I just don't get it. I've never had a cookie that seemed simultaneously stale and also crumbled as easily as an off-brand saltine. And the taste is just lacking completely. It's like something pretending to be a cookie. AND for better or for worse, there are only nine of them in a box, which seemed a little light." - merricat_blackwood
3. Overrated: Cauliflower gnocchi.
View this photo on Instagram
"Everyone raved about it, but I found it bland... maybe I didn't cook it the proper way or use the right sauce..." - Denyala
Some people do swear by it when made in an airfryer, though.
4. Overrated: Jackfruit Fishcakes
"I didn't care for jackfruit fishcakes. I like jackfruit, I like fish, I like cakes, but somehow the combination was not a hit." - fantaszja1
5. Overrated: The Kringle.
View this photo on Instagram
"And they're pretty solid, pretty good, but with the level of hype and excitement that get posted every time they come in stock, I was expecting something that would completely blow my mind. Unfortunately, I just thought they were good, but nowhere near as mind-blowing as the first times I've had other pastries." - ragewinch
Overall, people find them to be wayyyy too sweet, and they could benefit from a little tartness.
6. Overrated: Organic Cold Brewed Hibiscus Tea & Lemonade Beverage
This tea tastes EXACTLY like an eraser - who’s with me? from traderjoes
7. Overrated: The Queso
"It's so acidic! After I ate it a few times I honestly thought I bought some dairy-free queso or something because it was just so bad." - madamuseman
8. Overrated: Mandarin Orange Chicken
View this photo on Instagram
"I bit into a piece that was pure fat, never again. I have an aversion to any orange/sesame chicken that I didn't make myself. The fear of biting into a piece of gross skin or chewy fat makes the whole experience too unpleasant." - welluuasked
Some argue that the aversion is really about how you actually cook it...
"I had a bad time cooking it on the stove, but in the oven on a cookie sheet or pre-heated cast iron, it's great. Make sure you don't undercook it. I only use half the orange sauce and save the rest of the sauce to use with something later. Add the chicken to a rice bowl or stir fry and you're set." - PSteak
10. Overrated: Everything But The Bagel Seasoning
"The only thing it tastes good on, in my opinion, is egg salad sandwiches lol." - Holly Towner
Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.