Trader Joe's Product Reviews

Trader Joe's is probably the grocery store we frequent the most, and we've done a lot of reviews of products we've purchased there. Part of the reason we write the reviews is to remember what we've tried and whether or not we want to buy it again. At this point, we've tried so many things (and written about just some of them) that sometimes we've completely forgotten that we had something and then buy it again. To try to avoid repurchasing stuff we don't like, it seemed like the right time to just make a "master list" of our reviews.

Our favorite TJ's store in the area... Not sure we've ever seen it as empty as it was in the first month of its existence (when we took these photos)

As for the symbols, a + means we really loved it and most likely have already bought it again, so it's one of our favorite items. There's a bunch of them but we like a lot of stuff there! The - means we really disliked something. There aren't as many of those (lukewarm doesn't merit a -), but the ones that do have it are things we really will never buy again (unless dramatically reformulated). Doesn't mean they're absolutely horrible for everyone - different people, different tastes. There are also some things we never reviewed and don't really have much to say about them other than "love" or "hate" so we'll put those here too. This is largely for our own reference, but maybe it'll help some of you out there too!

The Manhattan TJ's with the most space... yet somehow on the worst days that whole area is flooded with people

(last updated 12/31/2021)

Baking:

Reduced Guilt Brownie Mix

Candy:
Bunny Gummy Tummies

+ Halloween Gummies

+ Mango Mango gummies (formulation has since changed)
Mango Taffy
Scandinavian Swimmers

Canned Food:
- Crab Meat
+ Dolmas
Mackerel in Sunflower Oil

Maine Cherrystone Clams

Cereal and Cereal Bars:
Ancient Grains and Nuts Granola
Mango O's
This Mango Walks Into a Bar
Trader Joe's Raises the Bar

Cheese:
Apple Pie Cheddar Cheese
Buenalba with Paprika Cheese
Caramel Washed Gouda

Dutch Spicy Kaas
English Ale Cheddar Cheese with Mustard
+ Fancy Shredded Mexican Blend

Fiery Chicken Curry
Fior Delle Alpi
+ Isle of Man Cheddar Cheese with Scallions and Roasted Onions
+ Italian Bigonda Cheese
+ Jalapeno and Honey Chevre
Jarlsberg Lite
+ Mull of Kintyre
Nettle & Chive Cheese
+ Oak Wood Cold Smoked English Cheddar Cheese

+ Raw Milk Gouda with Truffles
+ Saint Illtyd
+ Silver Goat Chèvre
St Nectaire Cheese

+ Sweet Chili Chèvre
+ Toscano Cheese with Black Pepper
+ Wisconsin Mild Cheddar
Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar
Za'atar Chèvre

Chocolate:

Almond Beverage Chocolate Bar
Chocolate Marbles
Chocolate Raspberry Baton
Dark Chocolate Covered Peaberry Coffee Beans
Dark Chocolate Crisps

Dark Chocolate Honey Mints
- Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Salted Caramels
Fireworks Chocolate Bar
Joe-Joe's Truffles

Condiments:

Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
+ Green Dragon Hot Sauce

+ Organic Ketchup
+ Sriracha Ranch Dressing
Sweet Onion and Bacon Vinaigrette (update)
+ Wasabi Mayonnaise

Cookies:
+ Cookie Butter Sandwich Cookies
Crispy Cookies Filled with Belgian Chocolate
Due Canestrelli
Fig Bites
Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies

+ Pumpkin Joe Joe's
Shooting Stars 
Shortbread Cookies with Fruit Filling

Dairy:
Light Sour Cream

Dips and Spreads:
Beet Hummus
- Fat Free Spicy Black Bean Dip
Roasted Garlic Hummus
+ Spicy Hummus Dip
+ Sriracha Hummus
- Tomato and Basil Hummus

Dried Fruit and Nuts:
Freeze Dried Strawberries
Orange Flavored Cranberries

Drinks:
+ Coconut Water
Cold Pressed Matcha Green Tea Lemonade
Maple Water
+ Organic Ginger Zinger
Pumpkin Harvest Cold Pressed Juice

Sparkling Honeycrisp Apple Juice
Winter Wassail

Frozen Food:
5 Cheese Greek Spiral
+ Aloo Chaat Kati Pouches
Arugula Pizza
+ Beer Battered Sweet Onion Rings (discontinued)
+ Biryani (discontinued)

Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan Cheese

Cheese Empanadas with Cassava Crust
Chicken and Cheese Tamales
Chicken Breast in Poblano Sauce - Reduced Guilt
Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Shu Mai
- Confetti Rice (discontinued)
Creamy Polenta
+ Crispy Green Curry Shrimp Gyoza (discontinued and we are SO sad)
- Fiery Chicken Curry
+ Fusilli with Vegetables and Basil Pesto (discontinued)
Garlic Naan

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
+ Greens, Beans and Grains
+ Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese 

+ Hold the Corn
+ Japanese Fried Rice
Julienned Root Vegetables
+ Korma Fish Curry

Kung Pao Chicken Mochi Balls
Macaron Variety Box
Mini Greek Spirals with Leeks and Feta
Paneer Masala Naan

Philly Cheesesteak Bao Buns
+ Pizza al Pollo Asado (discontinued)
Poutine
+ Quinoa Cowboy Veggie Burgers
Ricotta and Spinach Tortellini
Root Vegetable Galette
Rosemary Garlic Monkey Bread
Seafood Paella
Southwest Chicken Quesadillas
Spinach and Kale Bites
+ Spinach and Kale Pie (discontinued; goodbye go-to dinner)
Spizzico di Pizza
+ Sriracha Seafood Potstickers with Shrimp and Crab (updated version)

Strawberry Oat Frozen Dessert
Sweet Corn Tamales
Sweet Potato Tots
Tarte à l'Oignon
+ Tarte d'Alsace
+ Trader Potato Tots
+ True Belgian Brussels Sprouts
Turkey Meatballs
+ Uncured Pepperoni Pizza
+ Uttapam with Coconut Chutney (discontinued)

Cheese section as originally set up ... so long ago since the eggs no longer share space with the cheese

Meat, Fish, and Faux Meat:
Hardwood Smoked Ahi Tuna

+ Irish Bangers
+ Korean Inspired Spicy Chicken Sausage (discontinued, putting a huge hole in our dinner rotation)
+ Silverbrite Keta Salmon
+ Smoked Andouille
+ Soy Chorizo
Soy Ginger Cod
Sweet Italian Style Chicken Sausage
Turkey Sausage with Cranberry and Apricots
Turkey Summer Sausage
+ Uncured Apple Smoked Bacon
Uncured Sliced Corned Beef
+ Uncured Turkey Cranberry Apple Sausage

Miscellaneous:
Japanese Style Panko Breadcrumbs
+ Kimchi (has since been reformulated)

Pasta and Grains:
+ 10 Minute Farro
+ Harvest Grains Blend (exactly the same as Golden Jewel)
Italian Tortellini with Pesto Filling
- Spinach Tortellini
Striped Garganelli
+ Vegetable Radiatore
Winter Snowflake Pasta

Prepared Foods (Non-Refrigerated) / Other Shelf-Stable:

- Falafel Mix
Pesto alla Genovese
Punjab Eggplant
+ Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce (has since been reformulated)

Prepared Foods (Refrigerated):
Black Bean and Cheese Taquitos
+ Chicken and Green Chile Tamales
Curried White Chicken Deli Salad
+ Five Spice Chicken and Asian Style Rice Noodle Salad
Roltini 

Produce and Salads:
Baby Spinach
+ Butternut Squash
+ Kaleidoscope Chard
Kohlrabi Salad Blend

Lemony Arugula Basil Salad Kit
Lemony Greens Blend
+ Mini Pearl Grape Tomatoes 
Organic Carrots of Many Colors
+ Organic Coleslaw Kit
+ Organic Whole Carrots
+ Shaved Brussels Sprouts
+ Shredded Green Cabbage
Shishito Peppers
Sorrento Greens
+ Southern Greens
+ Southwestern Chopped Salad Kit

Salsa:
+ Cowboy Caviar
Mild Pico de Gallo
Serrano Salsa Fresca

Sandwiches:
Grilled Pesto Chicken Wrap
Tarragon Chicken Salad Wrap
Turkey Club Wrap
Turkey Gobbler

Snacks and Crackers:
3 Cheese Wafers
3 Seed Beet Crackers
+ Baked Snack-O's
Brioche Toasts
+ Corn Chip Dippers
+ Ghost Pepper Potato Chips

Hatch Chile Cheddar Popcorn
+ Inner Peas
Just Beets
Parsnip Chips
+ Rosemary & Cheese Biscuits

Saddle Potato Crisps
+ Some Enchanted Cracker
+ Sriracha Potato Chips
Sweet and Salty Popcorn Chips

Spices:
BBQ Rub and Seasoning with Coffee and Garlic
+ French Thyme

Yogurt:
+ 2% Plain Greek Yogurt
Apricot and Mango Yogurt
- Avocado Citrus Greek Whole Milk Yogurt
+ Black Raspberry Greek Yogurt
+ Mango Greek Yogurt 
+ Matcha Green Tea Greek Whole Milk Yogurt
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Greek Yogurt
Pomegranate Greek Yogurt
+ Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt