20 Trader Joe's Items Worth Selling Your Soul For And 10 That Are, TBH, Overrated
Hard pass on the cauliflower NO-cchi.
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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: Umami Seasoning Blend
"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!"
2. Underrated: Gummy Tummies (Penguin Edition)
"I'm a sucker for gummy candy, and the Gummy Tummy Penguins are the best!"
3. Underrated: Queso Cheese Dip
"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."
4. Underrated: Super Lemon Room Spritz
5. Underrated: Everything but the Bagel Greek Style Yogurt Dip
"It's Greek yogurt and it is delicious, almost like a low-calorie French onion dip!"
6. Underrated: Aloe Vera Gel
"Trader Joe’s aloe is the best stuff. It’s not even 100% aloe, but it’s the best moisturizer ever."
7. Underrated: Smashing S'mores
"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."
8. Underrated: The Flower Section
"Always buy my bouquets there and they have a huge variety. Plus, they always last long."
9. Underrated: Chewable Melatonin
"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."
10. Underrated: Zhoug Sauce
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
"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."
12. Underrated: Habanero Hot Sauce
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
"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."
14. Underrated: The Chimichurri Rice in the Frozen Section
"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."
15. Underrated: Crunchy Mochi Rice Nuggets
"These pair with wine so well. I don't allow myself to buy them anymore because I eat the entire bag at once."
16. Underrated: Soy Chorizo
I implore you to try to tell the difference between this stuff and the real thing.
18. 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 three times in the last week. So good!"
19. Underrated: Spicy Cashew Butter Dressing
"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."
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
"The Masala Simmer Sauce is so good. ... It’s a great pizza sauce for an Indian-style pizza."
1. Overrated: Cookie Butter
"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."
2. Overrated: Dried Mandarins
"Not bad, just really overhyped (in my opinion) compared with all the other dried fruit, which is all pretty great."
3. Overrated: Cauliflower Gnocchi
"Everyone raved about it, but I found it bland...maybe I didn't cook it the proper way or use the right sauce..."
Some people do swear by it when it's made in an air fryer, 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."
5. Overrated: Danish Kringle
"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."
Overall, people find them to be wayyyy too sweet, and they could benefit from a little tartness.
7. Overrated: Mandarin Orange Chicken
"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."
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."
9. Overrated: The Sushi Section
"Please add their sushi to the overrated list. That stuff belongs in the garbage."
10. Overrated: Everything but the Bagel Seasoning Blend
"The only thing it tastes good on, in my opinion, is egg salad sandwiches lol."
Note: Responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
