My Favorite Trader Joe's Products!

All my friends know - I’m a huge Trader Joe’s fan. Here’s my philosophy on TJs, though: it is not your one-stop grocery store. When it comes to produce and protein staples I prefer to shop local grocery stores, markets, or use my produce box delivery service. It’s also not the place I go to get good, local wine. But for cheap “just for me on a lazy weeknight” wine? Y-E-S girl.

TJs is great for all the fun little things to spice up your next at-home happy hour, dinner party, or backyard cookout. We’re talking tons of snacks, chips, dips, seasonings, sauces, and drinks. I’m always recommending new and exciting Trader Joe’s items and my friend Ashley recently asked me for a list of top tips. I realized it would probably be best to plop it all into blog form for my future rantings and ravings on all things TJs!

One thing to keep in mind, though: Trader Joe’s giveth and Trader Joe’s taketh away. Products hit shelves then are often quickly removed for the next seasonal trend, so you might have to wait a year for them to come back around… and sometimes they are discontinued forever. This is highly upsetting to me (pour one out for Harissa Salsa, Organic Sriracha Ranch, and Blue Cheese Pecan Dip!) but I’ve learned it’s best to embrace the ephemeral nature of TJs and live in the moment with your favorite snack items.

So, since I am writing this in summer 2020, there is a chance that not all of these will be around forever. I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to keep up with the changing tides of TJs but I’ll try to make Fall and Winter updates as time goes on.

AND NOW! Here we go. All my fave TJs items. The TJs site doesn’t have all of its products listed, but I added links to articles about/incorporating the items when I could find them. Am I missing something especially incredible that I should be adding to my shopping repertoire? Let me know!

Seasonings & Sauces:

Everything but the Bagel Seasoning
I don’t even know what to say about this one. It’s a TJs classic and no grocery run is complete without it.

Umami Seasoning Blend
Like mushrooms? Good. Get this and put it on meat, in pasta sauces, on top of eggs, or ON MUSHROOMS if you really wanna wild out.

Yuzu Hot Sauce
This has a tropical flair that’s good for summertime grillouts - meat, fish, veg, tacos, and more. It’s pretty spicy (for me at least) so use sparingly.

Jalapeño Sauce
The closest we’ve found to the TacoDeli doña sauce. Real ones from Austin know what I’m talking about. We slather this on our Mexican food, eggs, and more.

Honey Aleppo Sauce / link
The packaging looks similar to the Jalapeño Sauce above, but this should be used very differently. It’s very spicy but also sweet. Also thinner and oilier. I like this as a marinade or drizzled over the top of a protein.

Green Curry Simmer Sauce / link
I’m a Thai food fanatic. TJs red and yellow curry sauces don’t really do it for me (and normally I prefer red/yellow to green), but this green curry version is great and couldn’t be easier.

Chili Onion Crunch / link
Another spicy one great on eggs, meat, swirled into dips (think hummus, greek yogurt, etc.) plus, as the name would suggest, with the added delight of both chili and onion crunch. I also like this on noodles/pasta.

Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette
Similar to curry sauce, I am a big peanut sauce fan. I like this both as a salad dressing or on top of chicken.

Dips & Spreads:

Crunchy Salted Peanut Butter with Flax and Chia Seeds
As a PB lover, this PB is one of my ultimate favorites. I’m generally into a crunchy and salted PB, and obviously this is that. Plus the addition of flax and chia for extra crunch and extra fiber. I highly recommend incorporating this into your smoothies.

Everything but the Bagel Greek Yogurt Dip / link
All of the joy of the cream cheese on top of an everything bagel, but healthier. Good on crackers, wraps, sandwiches, bread, you name it.

Classic Hummus Dip
This is a true basic but something about the OG TJs Classic Hummus Dip just hits the spot. I like it better than other grocery store brands.

Buffalo Hummus
And for something a little more wild, check out the buffalo version! Especially good in a wrap or with your fave crunchy crackers/chips.

Romesco Dip
Another newer find, remarkably good nutrition stats for something that tastes so rich. This red pepper based dip is again, great on a wrap, or sandwich, or swirled into your hummus or greek yogurt dip.

Snacks & Crackers:

Chile & Garlic Cashews / link
These are another recent MVP of my snacking dreamz. Someone said they “taste like Doritos” in a Instagram comment (yes I follow some TJs fan accounts, duh) and maybe this is why I love them so much. As the name suggests, they are full of both chile and garlic seasoning. Your breath will smell bad. It’s totally worth it.

Hatch Chile Cheddar Popcorn / link
Another day, another chile snack. I can’t emphasize how much I love cheese flavoring, especially combined with crunchy snacks. This is kinda like SmartFood (remember that stuff?) but with some extra smokiness from the hatch chile. What’s not to love.

White Cheddar Popcorn Puffs / link
See above re: me loving cheese flavored crunchy snacks. This is TJ’s version of Pirate’s Booty and it’s upsettingly addictive. I’ve been known to house an entire bag in like, one day or one road trip.

Fig & Olive Crisps
The ultimate cracker to pair will all your delicious TJs cheeses! A little crunchy, a little chewy, a little sweet, a little savory… whether you prefer chèvre, blue cheese, or brie, these will be your #1 vessel. Don’t sleep on TJ’s other versions of these, like the Pumpkin & Cranberry and Raisin & Rosemary. The only one I can’t endorse is the Ginger & Mango. Too gingery.

Roasted Gorgonzola Crackers
Blue cheese lovers only. These crackers are smaller than you’d think so they’re good on their own versus as a vessel for your cheese or charcuterie. Think of them as adult goldfish crackers.

Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers
Like Fritos on steroids! They have so much flavoring they kind of hurt my mouth… but weirdly, in a good way.

Bamba Peanut Snacks / link
So I posted a selfie of me eating these in the car recently (thrilling content, I know) and basically every parent in the world messaged me saying “my kids love these!” … I am a childless woman in her 30s but I don’t even care if these are meant for babies. (They literally are meant for babies.) If you like peanut butter flavor and Cheetos, this is like a marriage of the two. And they have protein. Babies are onto something.

Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels
Another one of those snacks that I just have to commit to knowing I will eat the whole bag in an embarrassingly fast timeframe. I know some people are watching their sodium, but assuming you are not one of them - make sure to get the salted and not the unsalted. They were also the subject of a lawsuit awhile back, and while this lawsuit is pretty boring to me, I love drama so I clock it as another point for these pretzels.

Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds
You can see by this list that I am more of a savory/salty snacker than a sweet snacker. These almonds are heaven, though. They have a LOT of both salt and sugar, nice big crunchy chonks. This + a bottle of red wine has been known to be my dinner on certain nights.

Cheese:

Unexpected Cheddar / link
I have learned through Googling that it’s not just me; this one is a big fan favorite. It’s exactly as described - kind of cheddar, kind of parmesan.

Toscano Cheese Soaked in Syrah / link
Creamy, dreamy, just a little bit nutty, and soaked in wine. Just like me! A welcome addition to any cheese board or snack plate.

1,000 Day Gouda
Seems like a long time, but who am I to judge? I don’t love smoked gouda or plain gouda, but this aged gouda is where it’s at. Tons of flavor and gorgeous crystallization.

Wine & Beverages:

Sparkling Watermelon Juice / link
Just recently learned about this one as a great mixer for tequila. What more do you need to know?

Chariot Gypsy Red Blend
I thought I was the first person to discover that this wine is secretly pretty good, but it turns out the internet was way ahead of me on this one. Lots or rave reviews out there! It’s good. It’s easy. It goes with anything. Need a big glass of wine at home on the couch? This will get the job done.

Overlake Sauvignon Blanc
The label on this one is very funny and kind of cheap looking, but this is a very light and drinkable Sauv Blanc… a porch pounder if you will. Also great in a spritzer or other chilled wine cocktail. Drinks almost toooooo easy.

La Granja Tempranillo
Or as we call it, “the pig wine.” This one has been in rotation since college. At a $4 (!) price point it’s not fancy at all but when you just need an easy-drinking table wine on a weekday night this is a great value.

French Rosé
Okay, this isn’t one in particular but I say, if you find a French rosé in the range of $5-15, give it a go! My friend group really likes the Carayon La Rosé for a cheap go-to. TJs is always rotating in new bottles to try, though.

Bath & Body:

Watermelon Facial Mist / link
Ok, real talk: I fully don’t know what benefit this mist really has (it’s hydrating?) but it smells and feels really good on hot summer days so I call it a win.

Pink Pomelo Grapefruit Hand Soap
This is my bathroom go-to these days. Good value for the size, cute label, I hate overly sweet-smelling soaps and this one’s crisp & fresh.