I’ve heard wayyyy too many good things about Trader Joe’s in the last couple of years to know that I wouldn’t be able to stay away for too long. Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen so many videos and stories from people that I know who have gone down to the States and have done a little shopping at Trader Joe’s and I knew I had to make my way there to check it out. I’m a total snacker and it seemed like the perfect place to go to get my fix. They’re famous for having unique products and stand behind their brand, so I made a list, grabbed my mom, and made the drive to Amherst to check it out.
I thought I would share a list of everything that I picked up while I was at Trader Joe’s and I’ll keep updating it with my thoughts on the products as I try them out to let you know how I like them.
My Trader Joe’s shopping list:
- Bamba Peanut Snacks
- Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels – OH MY GOD THESE ARE SO GOOD. Seriously. They’re the perfect little bite-sized pretzels with just the right amount of peanut butter inside. I haven’t been able to stop eating them. I need more.
- Cowboy Caviar
- BBQ Sauce
- Mochi Cake Mix – This was interesting. I haven’t had any experience with anything mochi before so I wasn’t too sure what to expect. The texture of the cake is very dense and spongey, with a light, sweet taste. It wasn’t my favourite but also wasn’t terrible.
- Watermelon Cucumber Cooler – So yummy! We tried it at the store and loved it so of course, it was coming home with me. Make sure it’s nice and cold for the best taste.
- Everything But the Bagel Seasoning – Such a great thing to have on hand. It’s garlicky, it’s salty, it’s damn tasty. Start with a small amount because it does have quite a bit of salty flavour to it. It’s awesome on eggs!
- BBQ Rub
- Mushroom & Company Multipurpose Umami Seasoning Blend
- Sea Salt and Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds – Mick had pretty much eaten all of these the first night. They’re tasty but a little too salty for me.
- Mini Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups – So tiny and so tasty! These guys make for the perfect tasty treat. They are pretty sweet which stopped me from eating too many in one sitting hah.
- Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups – Another one of my favourites so far. I love dark chocolate so much, and these are pretty much perfect. Rich, not too sweet, and the right combination of sweet chocolate and salty peanut butter. I had to hide these ones from Mickey.
- Unexpected Cheddar – I’m a cheese fanatic and was so excited to try this cheese. It really does have delicious aged cheddar taste for a fraction of the price and is so so so good. I’m glad I picked two of these up because they aren’t going to last long. The crystallized salty asiago bits throughout are the best.
- Frozen Pretzels
- Mandarin Orange Chicken – Oh, this stuff is definitely going to be a new favourite in our household. We cooked it up a few nights ago, threw it together with rice and roasted peppers/onions and absolutely devoured it. Next time I’m probably going to pick up 5 bags.
- Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip – Tasty; pretty much exactly what I expected. I did find it to be a little salty.
- Cauliflower Gnocchi
- Joe’s Diner Mac and Cheese – SO GOOD. I’m a big ol’ mac and cheese lover and this stuff is fantastic, especially for a freezer meal. I cooked it in the oven and was so impressed – it tasted like damn cheesy, homemade mac. I wish I had more.
- Gone Bananas Dark Chocolate Covered Banana Slices – These are such a great treat for the summer! Let them sit out of the freezer for a few minutes so the banana centre can soften up a bit.
- Peanut Butter Blondies
- Chili Lime Chicken Burgers – We had these a few nights ago and they were great, especially for the price. Not crazy spicy or overpowering – just a good chicken burger. Top ’em with a citrus aioli, lettuce, tomato and mozzarella cheese for the perfect chicken burg. (Just a note: make sure you take them out of the freezer to thaw for a while beforehand!)
What are your favourite items to pick up at Trader Joe’s?
