Our favorite things from Trader Joe's

From irresistible chips and dips to super-fast meal-prep staples [Wirecutter logo]( Rozette Rago Whether you realize it or not, Trader Joe’s knows you better than you know yourself. The beloved grocery chain has an uncanny knack for discovering flavor combos that its devout customers never even realized they craved. The promise of finding a new culinary delight has been especially appealing over the past year, as so many people have been beholden to their kitchens and cooking skills (or lack thereof). From the shelf-stable staples that can make any meal better to the snacks we can’t stop munching (and even a few non-food favorites), here’s what Wirecutter staffers say you should immediately add to your shopping list. Note: Trader Joe’s doesn’t offer all of its products online (and we don’t want our readers to get ripped off by third-party sellers), so it’s best to make a trip to your local store for the most accurate pricing. —Rose Lorre When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Learn more]( → Mint Chip Ice Cream Trader Joe’s I grew up on Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip, so I’m firmly Team White Ice Cream, not Team Dyed-Green. Not only is the Trader Joe’s version free of food coloring, but it also tastes creamier than Breyers (and I’m pretty sure the chip density is higher, too, although I haven’t done a side-by-side comparison). If TJ’s ever discontinues this flavor, I don’t know what I’ll do. In fact, I live in such fear of this happening that I stock up on the Mint Chip whenever I see it, just in case. —Christine Ryan, senior editor Mango Chunks, Pineapple Tidbits, Raspberries, Blueberries, or Cherries Trader Joe’s Trader Joe’s isn’t my everyday grocery store, but when I do go, I stock up on its frozen fruits as a go-to healthy snack. I’ve found that both my kindergartener and my fourth-grader will eat a bowl of frozen fruit right out of the freezer. Their favorites are Trader Joe’s Mango Chunks and Pineapple Tidbits, as well as its frozen raspberries, blueberries, and cherries. All are, of course, also great for smoothies. And unlike with fresh fruit, with TJ’s frozen fruits I don’t have to worry about them going bad. —Kalee Thompson, senior editor Speculoos Cookie Butter Trader Joe’s Imagine peanut butter. Now think of cookie dough. Combined in Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter, their marriage is magically creamier than either ingredient on its own. Added into that mixture are ground-up Speculoos, European spiced shortbread biscuits that impart rich but not cloying notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. Presumably, Cookie Butter is good for spreading on crackers or sandwiches. But I’ve never tried it that way, because whenever I see a jar of the stuff, I just grab a spoon and dive in. —Thom Dunn, staff writer Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce Trader Joe’s Packed with salty, tangy, fermented Calabrian peppers, TJ’s Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce adds the perfect kick of heat to zing up pizza, pasta, scrambled eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, or everyday leftovers of all kinds. I buy five or six jars at a time just to guard against the possibility that it might someday be discontinued. —Janet Towle, community strategist Everything but the Bagel Seasoning Blend Trader Joe’s The versatility of Everything but the Bagel Seasoning Blend—a mix of sesame seeds, sea salt, garlic, onion, and poppy seeds—cannot be understated. My partner and I use it on everything: sandwiches, eggs, veggie bowls, fried rice. If a dish is savory, it would probably be better with a dash of this. —Jacob Baker, software engineer Nori Komi Furikake Japanese Multi-Purpose Seasoning Trader Joe’s One of the most joyous experiences I’ve had during this pandemic was receiving a care package from a dear friend who, for no particular reason, packed up her favorite Trader Joe’s items and shipped them to me. My favorite in that box was the Nori Komi Furikake Japanese Multi-Purpose Seasoning. With just a couple of shakes, its peppy blend of white and black sesame seeds, black seaweed, salt, and kelp powder elevates favorites like grilled salmon or stir-fried chicken. And it even turns white rice or instant noodles into something special. —Joanne Chen, senior staff writer Hatch Valley Salsa Trader Joe’s As a longtime (though sadly former) resident of Santa Fe, I know good green chile. And—despite what some partisan Coloradans will tell you—it always comes from New Mexico. Trader Joe’s Hatch Valley Salsa may not be quite as good as a fresh-roasted batch of Hatch chiles from New Mexico, but it’s pretty close. This salsa is great with corn chips, makes an excellent addition to chili verde, and works with enchiladas, as well. I always have at least a few jars in my pantry. —Ben Keough, editor Eggplant Garlic Spread With Sweet Red Peppers Trader Joe’s Trader Joe’s Eggplant Garlic Spread With Sweet Red Peppers is so good, I'll eat it with a spoon. But I’ll also spread it on fresh-baked bread, and I have been wondering if I can stir it into a soup. Thinking about this spread brings me actual joy. Warning: Do not buy Trader Joe’s Red Pepper Spread With Eggplant and Garlic. It comes in the same style of jar and practically has the same name, but it is gross (unless you like red pepper spread, then it’s fine, I guess). —Annemarie Conte, deputy edito Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers Trader Joe’s “Imagine Fritos reinvented by Anthony Bourdain.” That’s how one Wirecutter writer describes the addictive deliciousness that is Trader Joe’s Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers. These chips do, in fact, look like Fritos on steroids; they’re about as big and fat as a person’s thumb, but with a contoured shape perfect for scooping up dip. Meanwhile, the “elote” flavoring conjures up the Mexican street corn it’s named after, a taste another staffer describes as “spicy but not too much, with a citrusy tang and a delightful hit of salt.” Don’t confuse these with the plain Organic Corn Chip Dippers—they are not the same thing! Popcorn With Herbs & Spices Trader Joe’s Whenever I want to remind my wife that I’m a thoughtful, generous person, I pick up about four or five bags of Trader Joe’s Popcorn With Herbs & Spices, which I stuff deep into our pantry and then pull out—like a rabbit from a hat—whenever she asks, “Do we have any more of that popcorn?” I like to mix the dregs of an old bag with the fluffy puffs atop a new one, which combine to make the perfect aggregate of kernel distribution. I present it to her grandly in a big salad bowl (with a spoon if she just did her nails), always earning far more appreciation than a simple bag of popcorn deserves. —Harry Sawyers, senior editor Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings Trader Joe’s Pull together a satisfying midday meal in seconds with the TJ’s item one editor calls her “lunchtime standby.” Trader Joe’s Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings are inspired by the xiao long bao that originated in China’s Jiangsu province. They serve up “a hit of something savory that still reminds me of what you’d get in a restaurant,” our editor says. Caramelized Onion Dip Trader Joe’s Trader Joe’s Caramelized Onion Dip is like the onion dip of my childhood—that classic 1970s party staple of Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix stirred into a tub of sour cream. But this one is better, because the onions are caramelized, and the dip is a lot chunkier than what you could get using a dehydrated soup mix. (Sorry, Mom!) I don’t dare keep it in the house … then again, it also doesn’t last long if I do. Best with salt and vinegar chips! —Christine Ryan, senior editor Mini Chicken Tikka Samosas and Mini Vegetable Samosas Trader Joe’s TJ’s mini samosas—both the chicken tikka and vegetable versions—are the perfect between-meal snack. “Besides being a good value and easy to make, these are on a par with my local Indian restaurant’s samosas in terms of flavor,” one staffer reports, while another calls them “a nice, bite-size snack that will hold you off until dinner or the next morning, and they’re also so tasty!” Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Trader Joe’s Maybe we shouldn’t be recommending these seductive morsels of confectionary perfection at all, since our staffers can’t stop talking about how dangerous they are. One editor warns, “I don’t allow myself to buy these anymore, or else I eat the whole tub in one sitting.” Another agrees, saying, “I can’t buy them often because I will eat the entire box.” A rational solution, courtesy of another staffer: “Although they do come in a giant container, I always buy the little 99-cent sample bag whenever I go to Trader Joe’s. It’s the perfect indulgence that you can also share.” Or, you know, not. Mandarin Orange Chicken (mixed with) Asian Vegetables With Beijing Style Soy Sauce Trader Joe’s For those times you’re craving Chinese food or just having one of those “I don’t want to cook” nights: Here’s a twofer idea that’ll help you whip up the perfect throw-it-together meal. One of our staffers recommends topping Trader Joe’s Asian Vegetables With Beijing Style Soy Sauce with its Mandarin Orange Chicken.The trick, though, is to bake the chicken at 425 degrees Fahrenheit instead of the recommended 400 degrees; this will give the chicken that extra crunch. Black Bean & Corn Enchilada Trader Joe’s A microwaveable meal is rarely a gastronomically satisfying one. But these frozen enchiladas stand up to being microwaved without degrading in quality. The spicy, restaurant-worthy sauce that accompanies them doesn’t evaporate, and the tortillas’ texture remains soft without getting dehydrated or rubbery. These are great alone or topped with avocado or sour cream. And they’re perfect for lunch or dinner—basically, whenever you’re not in the mood to cook. —Dana Davis, visual designer Kale Gnocchi Trader Joe’s Trader Joe’s Kale Gnocchi offers all of the pillowy goodness of traditional gnocchi while adding some of the health benefits of kale (yet not tasting too much like kale). I’ve had these gnocchi sautéed and air-fried. And either way, you end up with the most satisfying combination of crispy outside and soft, chewy inside that’s just hard to beat. —Chris Jasinski, senior financial analyst Grapefruit & Lemon Hand Sanitizer Spray Trader Joe’s This hand sanitizer comes in a small bottle, and it smells wonderful. It also has a 74% alcohol concentration (which means it exceeds the 60% minimum to be effective against the coronavirus), and I find that it doesn’t dry out my skin. In other words, it’s an excellent sanitizer at an affordable price. My partner and I keep bottles of this everywhere: in our cars, in our bags, and at our desks. —Jacob Baker, software engineer Nourish Hyaluronic Moisture Boost Serum Trader Joe’s Hyaluronic acid is often touted as a miracle wrinkle-reducer, but it can be crazy expensive. Case in point: I used to use the Glossier brand, which costs $28 for a 1-ounce bottle. But one day, when Glossier was out of stock, a salesperson let on that TJ’s Nourish Hyaluronic Moisture Boost Serum was very similar to Glossier’s—but cost less than half the price. After I wash my face, I massage TJ’s serum into my damp skin, and then I seal everything in with moisturizer and sunscreen. It’s a total steal for such a useful product. —Haley Sprankle, updates writer Vintage Spiced Ale Trader Joe’s TJ’s Vintage Spiced Ale is not only a killer value but also just a damn fine beer. Though Trader Joe’s notoriously refuses to disclose what companies make its products, it’s an open secret among beer aficionados that the Vintage Spiced Ale is brewed seasonally by Unibroue in Quebec—known as one of North America’s finest producers of Belgian-style beer. You can expect a dark, malty profile with high carbonation plus typical Trappist yeast aromatics of banana and clove, as well as a complex, holiday-appropriate spice profile (think cinnamon, allspice, and cardamom). Since this beer keeps exceptionally well, and because every year’s batch is a little different, you can make a tradition of buying two bottles each season: one to drink right away and the other to store for a “vertical” of past vintages. —Ben Keough, editor Espiral Vinho Verde Trader Joe’s Vinho Verde (a Portuguese phrase that translates to “green wine,” meaning young grapes) is always cheap, but at TJ’s, the Espiral Vinho Verde is really cheap. It’s also a crisp, sharp, and ever-so-lightly-bubbly white that makes for the perfect summer picnic wine. And it’s a lovely and well-appreciated contribution to any dinner or party. —Tim Barribeau, editor Copyright © 2021 Wirecutter, Inc., all rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for Wirecutter's newsletter. [Forward this email to a friend](. [View this email in your browser](. Getting too many emails from us? [Get only our Sunday newsletter](. To stop receiving all our emails, [unsubscribe here](. 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