I tried it so you don’t have to.
Brutally honest, occasionally dramatic, and always snack-obsessed—this is where I spill the tea on what’s worth your cart space and what’s better left on the shelf. No fluff, no filters, just real-deal reviews with a side of sass.
Cinnamon Bun Spread
This was my first time trying this spread and honestly, I shouldn’t have because I now have a new obsession. This spread is essentially a caramel type of product (at least to me), with some cinnamon chazzle dazzle. I tried this both heated and chilled, and I prefer the chilled version. This has a tapioca/jelly consistency which isn’t shocking since it contains tapioca syrup. I enjoyed how thick it was so the consistency wasn’t an issue for me. The cinnamon flavor was immaculate. Yes, immaculate. It had this glorious combo of brown sugar and cinnamon that truly reminded me of a cinnamon roll! Long story long, this is amazing and dangerous. I’ll be sure to stock up before it leaves the shelves. What do you put this on?!
Pumpkin Blondie Brownies
This was my first time trying these brownies and I am obsessed. I inhaled 3 pieces in one sitting, with no regrets. The pumpkin flavor isn’t overpowering and the pecans add some nuttiness. The white chocolate chips and the drizzle make this really light, contributing to the subtleness of the pumpkin spice flavor. I took off one point because I found the texture to be more cakey and less like a brownie. I’d definitely buy these again, but I bet I could make something really similar! Have you tried these?!
Linguine with Clam Sauce
This isn’t normally something I’d add to my cart, but I was intrigued when someone told me it was their favorite. I love seafood but didn’t know how frozen clams in a $2.99 pasta would hold up. I was actually really surprised by the finished product. The clams weren’t fishy or grainy and there were a ton of them in the pasta. The sauce is basically garlic, garlic and more garlic which I enjoyed but it ended up being overpowering… and I love garlic. The sauce was also really runny (nearly soupy).
This wouldn’t be my first choice of pasta but I’m glad to know that this is an option if I’m craving clams or a plethora of garlic. It’s a great price and I am impressed with the quality. A thicker sauce would have bumped this rating up! What’s your favorite frozen pasta from TJ’s?!
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
This is one of my favorite products during the spooky season. It’s yummy and super convenient (aka to throw in the microwave). The Gouda cheese is the star of the show, which I’m obsessed with. The butternut squash is pretty mild so don’t be nervous about a squash forward product! I could definitely taste the thyme which added a little fall-time chazzle dazzle! I’ll definitely be stocking up on this product and I couldn’t recommend it more! What’s your favorite mac and cheese from TJ’s?!
Strawberry Mochi
Another mochi flavor down, a few more to go! This frozen dessert is so refreshing, especially with the flavor being strawberry. I normally don’t like strawberry ice creams but I enjoyed this one. It didn’t have an artificial taste and wasn’t too strong of a flavor. Despite all of the good things I have to say, this one just doesn’t compare to the ube. As of now, the ube is still my favorite with the vanilla following. I’d consider the peanut butter mochi and this flavor to be tied! Which one should I try next?!
Autumn Maple Coffee
Everyone asks me what TJ’s product I can’t live without… this is that product. This makes my whole kitchen smell like maple while providing a subtle flavor to actual coffee. I tried this for the first time last year and managed to ration out 5 boxes. This year I purchased 12 boxes and will be back for MORE! I drink this coffee year round (switching between this and the iconic Gloria Jean’s French vanilla). If you couldn’t tell by my stockpile… I am obsessed with this product. I highly recommend you get your hands on this! Have you tried this coffee?
Chocolate Peanut Butter Mochi
I’m slowly making my way through the various mochi desserts at TJ’s! I liked this flavor but it’s not my favorite (out of the ones I’ve tried). I enjoyed how subtle the peanut butter was yet found the chocolate flavor to be nonexistent. These still were delicious despite the lack of chocolate, so I’d repurchase! All of the Mochi desserts are great for a little pre-portioned treat or snack, which is lovely considering I plow through cartons of ice cream like I’ll never eat again. As of now, the ube Mochi is my favorite with the vanilla coming in second place. Up next for me to try… strawberry! What’s your favorite Mochi flavor at TJ’s?
Maple & Sea Salt Kettle Corn
This popcorn is the bees knees. Consider this to be a farmers market kettle corn, with a little twist. The maple coats the popcorn (some pieces more than others) with the salt hiding I’m the crevices… which heavily blows my skirt up. This product is a seasonal item so you definitely want to stock up! It’s a simple yet tasty snack that’ll definitely put you in a spooky mood. Have you tried this?!
Super Sour Scandinavian Swimmers
This is one of my favorite candies from TJ’s. If I’m ever in a position where I need some reliable snacks, this is one of my top choices. The sourness is just right which allows the flavors to really shine. All of the flavors are amazing but the blue is my favorite! I’d love if they carried a bag of JUST the blue dolphins. Not only do these taste great, but the shapes are adorable! If you couldn’t tell by my rating and raving review, I’m obsessed. I can always count on this product to satisfy my sweet/sour tooth! What’s your favorite Trader Joe’s candy?!
Pumpkin Ice Cream
How could I possibly kick off the spooky season without trying the infamous pumpkin ice cream? This ice cream is light and super creamy. One thing I wasn’t expecting was how subtle it was. I thought it didn’t have enough pumpkin flavor, which was a tad disappointing. I found this ice cream to be yummy but it’ll be a one time a year purchase for me! I’ve tried other pumpkin desserts that I’d prefer to stock up on! What’s your favorite pumpkin dessert?!
Sour Jelly Beans
Finally, Trader Joe’s provided a product that is actually sour! They’ve tried in the past (**cough cough Tangy Turtles) and have left me disappointed. The flavors are apple, orange, lemon, blue raspberry and cherry… but don’t hold me to that in the case I’m wrong! I enjoyed all of the flavors but the sourness definitely overpowered it all. I couldn’t eat a ton in one sitting because I was wincing from the sourness.
Overall, I’d get these again but they aren’t my first choice! I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but the sour Scandinavian swimmers have my heart! Have you tried these?
Riced Cauliflower & Butternut Squash Risotto
I honestly didn’t think that this cauliflower rice would hold up well when combined with a sauce. I was wrong! The cauliflower never got mushy and the butternut squash pieces were cooked perfectly despite being much larger than the rice. I also really enjoyed the sauce. It was light with a little bit of creaminess. The rosemary added a nice touch as well. I took off one point because as you can see in the photo, the sauce was a little more liquidy than I would have preferred. I let the risotto sit for 7 minutes before serving because it was really runny. Letting it sit fixed the problem for the most part so I’m not too mad about it!
I will definitely purchase this again. The whole bag is 210 calories and would go great with some chicken thighs (my favorite protein to cook). Have you tried this seasonal product?!
Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies
This is everything I want in a pumpkin spice cookie. The pumpkin spice wasn’t overbearing and it paired nicely with the yogurt coating. If you aren’t super into pumpkin spice but are wanting to try a seasonal treat, I’d recommend these! I enjoyed the texture from the little sprinkles too! This is a very short review but I don’t have much to say other than I love these! They are festive and delicious… what more could I ask for? Will you be trying these cookies?!
Pumpkin Overnight Oats
To be honest with you, I haven’t enjoy TJ’s overnight oats in the past. I picked this up because I was intrigued by the pumpkin… and I thoroughly enjoyed it! This tasted like a cleaner version of a pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin was not overpowering at all which is great for those who aren’t super into it. I took off two points because of the texture. It was just a big pile of mush, which wasn’t appealing. I would have loved for the oats to be a tad more bulky versus just blending in with everything else. With that being said, the combo of the oats, strawberries and pecans easily bumped this product up to a 9/10. I can look past the consistency with all the added chazzle dazzle, but obviously I want to base my review on the product by itself! Have you tried the overnight oats at TJ’s?!
Roasted Butternut Squash, Red Quinoa and Wheatberry Salad
Apparently this isn’t even a seasonal salad, but I was getting fall vibes so I decided to give it a try! I loved it! You’d think the combo of ingredients wouldn’t mesh well together… yet it worked. I felt like Remy in Ratatouille when he tries cheese paired with strawberries for the first time and fireworks were going off in his mouth. The squash was seasoned to perfection with oregano which paired lovey with the cranberry, peppers and goat cheese. The dressing was sweet but not overwhelmingly sweet. I took off two points because there wasn’t enough squash and cheese. There were only a few pieces of the squash and I deserved more than that! Luckily there was a plethora of the other ingredients. Have you tried this salad?!
Non-Dairy Maple Oat Beverage
This was my first time trying the infamous maple oat milk. It was so fun to shake it up in the morning and put this in my coffee. The milk on its own is very very sweet, but it paired nicely with my coffee. I took off a couple of points due to the amount of sugar and the sweetness level. I found it to be too sweet for a stand-alone milk (aka not in coffee, cereal etc.).
Personally, this isn’t something I’d pick up again but I’m glad I tried it! If goes well in my coffee but I don’t think I’d drink it alone or use it in another way! Have you tried this?!
Korma Fish Curry
I saw this on my feed one day and got inspired to try it. I didn’t hate it, but it certainly wasn’t my favorite. The curry flavor was flavorful and paired nicely with the fish. It wasn’t overly fishy smelling at all. In all honesty, it didn’t even stink up my apartment! I took off points because the pieces of fish were extremely small and because it was a tad over cooked. Of course it gets touchy when discussing fish in the microwave, but the fish was dry and not flaky. I’ve also heard some controversy over the type of fish used (swai) which left me a little uneasy.
Overall, the flavor was good and it’s not a terrible option if you’re on the go. I just don’t see myself getting this in the future. If I’m craving fish, I will prepare my own! Have you tried this meal?!
Salt & Pepper Potato Chips
I didn’t realize how much I needed these chips in my life until my mom gave me a taste test of her bag. If you enjoy pepper… these are for you. They have the perfect salt and pepper ratio. The bag is pretty massive in comparison to other chips sold at TJ’s, which I also love. I took off one point because all of the chips were minuscule! I don’t know if my chips were crushed or if it were intensional, but I would have enjoyed a larger chip. Not huge, but a good in between! What’s your favorite chip from TJ’s?!
Hatch Chile Mac & Cheese
This is my favorite frozen mac and cheese that Trader Joe’s has to offer! It’s inexpensive ($2.99) and is super convenient to throw in the microwave… or oven if you have the time for it. The hatch chiles add great flavor to the mac without overpowering it. Hatch chiles are not spicy so don’t be scared of this product if you have a lower heat tolerance. If you’re looking for some more heat, one time I added crispy jalapeños on top and it gave some extra chazzle dazzle. Another thing I love about this mac is how large the portion is! Of course it’s labeled as 2 servings, but no one splits a frozen meal in half. No one. I always have this product in my freezer and highly recommend if you’re looking for a jazzed up mac and cheese! Have you tried this?!
Veggie Sticks
My childhood = veggie straws. I wanted to see how these compare and they did not disappoint. The flavors are potato, tomato and spinach. You can definitely taste the different flavors which I love. It’s almost like a patio chip moment… but not really. I took off one point because these were more like puffs than crispy sticks like the original veggie straws. With that being said, I will definitely keep purchasing these. I found myself shoveling multiple in my mouth at once and I have no complaints with that. Should I try the veggie chip version next?

