20 Trader Joe's Items Worth Selling Your Soul For And 10 That Are, TBH, Overrated

Hard pass on the cauliflower NO-cchi.

Note: This post was sourced with quotes from Reddit and has been updated with YOUR answers. Thank you, dear BuzzFeed readers!

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!

BuzzFeed

1. Underrated: Umami Seasoning Blend

amazon.com

"That shit is fantastic!!! I’ve used it in marinara, as a rub, marinade, meatloaf...I also hate the taste of mushrooms. Hard to describe, but this is not 'mushroomy.' It’s magical, really!"

—melissar48d0f437c

2. Underrated: Gummy Tummies (Penguin Edition)

amazon.com

"I'm a sucker for gummy candy, and the Gummy Tummy Penguins are the best!"

—hobbits2isengard

3. Underrated: Queso Cheese Dip

exploringtraderjoes.blogspot.com

"The queso is so good! It just doesn't have that artificial taste like most other store-bought queso, which makes it far better, in my opinion."

—skylersunshineraes

4. Underrated: Super Lemon Room Spritz

ebay.com

"Great alternative to chemical-smelling air fresheners. Brought it on a family vacation and covered up unpleasant bathroom ~scents~ better then Poo-Pourri or matches or anything else. Seriously, you could go in right after and detect nothing but fresh lemon and eucalyptus lol."

—kwo

5. Underrated: Everything but the Bagel Greek Style Yogurt Dip

traderjoes.com

"It's Greek yogurt and it is delicious, almost like a low-calorie French onion dip!"

—charlotte25715

6. Underrated: Aloe Vera Gel

amazon.in

"Trader Joe’s aloe is the best stuff. It’s not even 100% aloe, but it’s the best moisturizer ever."

—ohhowthecamera

7. Underrated: Smashing S'mores

ebay.com

"Anyone else try the S’mashing S’mores? They’re basically s’mores in a little cube, and they are fucking to die for. Sometimes I just eat them right out of the container, but when you heat them up, they taste EXACTLY like regular s’mores."

—bunniesandme

8. Underrated: The Flower Section

Instagram: @traderjoes_flowers

"Always buy my bouquets there and they have a huge variety. Plus, they always last long."

—atm93

9. Underrated: Chewable Melatonin

amazon.com

"I've tried other brands, but I always grab a bottle from T.J.'s. They are 3 milligrams and have a pleasant minty flavor. I take two and am usually dozing off within the next 20 minutes."

—u/youinreverse

10. Underrated: Zhoug Sauce

Instagram: @genebaur

It's a surprisingly versatile sauce made from cilantro that you can throw on anything that needs a little something saucy — pita with hummus, steamed vegetables and rice, grilled chicken, or salmon.

11. Underrated: Strawberry Licorice Twists

Instagram: @traderjoesfoodreviews

"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 not to be too artificial, as some strawberry candies tend to be."

—Trader Joe's Food Reviews

12. Underrated: Habanero Hot Sauce

amazon.com

This is one of my personal faves that I always stock up on at T.J.'s. It's a truly spicy hot sauce that will draw tears from your eyes, and I love how nonvinegary it is (despite the fact that there is, in fact, vinegar in the ingredients). It's like pure spiciness with a mild but delicious flavor, so it goes on any kind of cuisine.

13. Underrated: Virtuoso Lip Balm

amazon.com

"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."

—u/MeghanBoBeghan

14. Underrated: The Chimichurri Rice in the Frozen Section

Facebook: traderjoesmealideas4busymoms

"I put the T.J. salsa verde, cotija cheese (not T.J.'s), and fresh cilantro on top for a twist, and the whole thing takes five minutes. Also this is the busy-mom dish, when the kids have something basic and Mom craves more."

—Jacquelyn Nicoll Goldbeck

15. Underrated: Crunchy Mochi Rice Nuggets

amazon.com

"These pair with wine so well. I don't allow myself to buy them anymore because I eat the entire bag at once."

—u/f4rt054uru5r3x

16. Underrated: Soy Chorizo

Instagram: @chews_sandiego / Via Instagram: @chews_sandiego

I implore you to try to tell the difference between this stuff and the real thing.

17. 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

18. Underrated: Field Fresh Salad (with black currants, asiago cheese, chicken, and sweet basil dressing)

The Salad Artist @TheSaladArtist

Field Fresh Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken Breast from Trader Joe’s http://t.co/RXEKt9gnCp

07:02 PM - 22 Jul 2015

Twitter: @TheSaladArtist

"In the prepackaged salad section. This is a new find for me, but I've had it three times in the last week. So good!"

—u/youinreverse

19. Underrated: Spicy Cashew Butter Dressing

Instagram: @thesnacksoflife

"It is fantastic on noodles. Add tofu (T.J.'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."

—u/Elisabet_K

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.

20. Underrated: Masala Simmer Sauce

amazon.com

"The Masala Simmer Sauce is so good. ... It’s a great pizza sauce for an Indian-style pizza."

—mythrip

BuzzFeed

1. Overrated: Cookie Butter

amazon.com

"I was visiting family in America and a friend BEGGED ME to bring back three jars of Cookie Butter. I ended up opening one up just to try it (she was fine with this) and thought it was so bland. That was a few years ago, so I don’t know if they still make it, but I definitely thought it was overrated."

—kmfogleman

2. Overrated: Dried Mandarins

amazon.com

"Not bad, just really overhyped (in my opinion) compared with all the other dried fruit, which is all pretty great."

—u/enigmaticowl

3. Overrated: Cauliflower Gnocchi

Instagram: @healthy.foodyss

"Everyone raved about it, but I found it bland...maybe I didn't cook it the proper way or use the right sauce..."

—u/Denyala

Some people do swear by it when it's made in an air fryer, though.

4. Overrated: Jackfruit Fishcakes

Trader Joe's

"I didn't care for Jackfruit Fishcakes. I like jackfruit, I like fish, I like cakes, but somehow the combination was not a hit."

—u/fantaszja1

5. Overrated: Danish Kringle

instagram.com

"They're pretty solid, pretty good, but with the level of hype and excitement that gets 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: Mandarin Orange Chicken

Instagram: @janinecoyle

"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."

—u/welluuasked

Although 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 preheated 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."

—u/PSteak

8. Overrated: Chili Onion Crunch

ebay.com

"Chili onion crunch is the watered-down, overrated version of Lao Gan Ma. It’s not spicy or salty and is nowhere near as good."

—u/P0TaHoe

9. Overrated: The Sushi Section

Instagram: @mbaukita

"Please add their sushi to the overrated list. That stuff belongs in the garbage."

—cookiebiscotto

10. Overrated: Everything but the Bagel Seasoning Blend

ebay.com

"The only thing it tastes good on, in my opinion, is egg salad sandwiches lol."

—Holly Towner

Note: Responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.