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Lifestyle

All The Best Trader Joe’s Thanksgiving Items You Need for Dinner

Updated Published

Trader Joe’s is full of amazing speciality food finds and staples, no matter what time of year it is. But here’s a list of all of the best Trader Joe’s Thanksgiving items you need for your epic dinner this year. Now grab a red cart and hit the aisles! A perfect, affordable, and fuss-free Turkey Day is just one Trader Joe’s trip away. 

First, the Appetizers: 

Cranberry Chevre

A seasonal favorite, this log of tangy goat cheese is covered with a sweet cranberry layer, and pairs perfectly with Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps

White Stilton Cheese with Apple & Pear

Another seasonal cheese that is perfect for your hors d’oeuvres platter.

Cranberry Sauce

vegan little caesars jam sweet
Helena Lin

Far better than the log that plops out of the can, Trader Joe’s fresh cranberry sauce has been on shelves for a quarter of a century – with stats like that, it’s safe to say it’ll make a solid addition to your cheese plate, or served alongside your meal.

Savory Squash Pastry Bites

These light bites feature butter Pastry crust stuffed with pumpkin & butternut Squash-forward filling, plus four different cheeses— creamy mascarpone and ricotta, tangy feta, and sharp Parmesan. The only thing better than four kinds of cheese? A frozen app that’s ready in just 12 minutes.

Harvest Apple Salad Kit 

Perfect for when you need some greens on your menu, but don’t want to spend a ton of time or effort on preparing a salad.

Thanksgiving Stuffing Seasoned Kettle Chips 

All of the flavors of Thanksgiving in one crunchy bite

Now, for the Main Course:

Breaded Turkey-Less Stuffed Roast with Gravy

Trader Joe’s Turkey-less Stuffed Roast is a totally vegan, plant-based entreé perfect for the vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians, or the folks who simply don’t jive with the T-day bird at your table – it even comes with its own vegan gravy.

Organic Free Range Young Turkey

Yup, you can get whole turkeys at your local TJ’s. They have conventional turkeys, too. 

Fully Cooked Brined Bone-In Turkey Breast

best trader joe's thanksgiving pork sweet
Helena Lin

It just be a part of the bird, but it still packs all of the flavor—perfect for smaller gatherings. 

The Sides (aka the best part):

Everything But The Leftovers Seasoning Blend

TJ’s is known for its seasoning blends, and this one is Thanksgiving in a bottle. This mix of spices like sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley go perfectly with any dish, from the bird itself to the sides.

Scallopini Potatoes

It doesn’t matter how good your Thanksgiving dinner is. Every meal is improved by the presence of cheesy potatoes.

5-Pound Bag of Organic Sweet Potatoes

foods to eat if you need more potassium in your diet
Lauren Gonzalez

It’s Thanksgiving. There will never be enough sweet potatoes. Trust me. 

Root Vegetable Fries

Pop these babies on a sheet pan, bake them up, and you have a delicious veggie side in no time.

Pull Apart Dinner Rolls

Every Thanksgiving meal needs some rolls. Bring on the butter!

All Butter Puff Pastry Sheets 

A wonderful shortcut for side dishes and desserts that only look fancy. Check out 16 sweet and savory puff pastry creations here

Turkey Gravy

As good as pre-made gravy can get. Pick one up for your feast; your guests will be none the wiser. 

Cranberries

best trader joe's thanksgiving blueberry strawberry
Grant Sorbo

So fresh and so tangy. Grab a bag and cook them stovetop with a little OJ + sugar for the perfect side. 

Gluten-Free Stuffing Mix 

Not only does this mix cut down on the labor-intensive work of stuffing, it’s also a great stuffing option for gluten-free guests.

Brussels Sprouts Saute Kit

Prepped and ready for immediate cooking, this kit comes with four delicious ingredients: shaved Brussels sprouts, shaved Parmesan cheese, roughly chopped hazelnuts, and a creamy lemon garlic vinaigrette.

Trader Joe’s Cornbread Stuffing Mix

Thanksgiving side chicken
Liz Kaplan

One of the best stuffing mixes on the market. 

#SpoonTip: They also make a gluten-free version.

Mashed Potatoes 

A perfect short-cut if you don’t have the time (or desire) to make your own. Found in the frozen section, all you have to do is heat and eat for the quintessential Thanksgiving side.

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

The more carbs at your feast, the better, amirite?

Mashed Cauliflower

If you aren’t a fan of mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower is a tasty alternative that packs an extra punch of veg. 

Herbs de Provence Potato Wedges

This frozen side dish makes the simple pleasures of crisp, herby potatoes even simpler: just heat, serve, and enjoy!

You Can’t Forget Dessert:

Organic Canned Pumpkin

Canned pumpkin that is truly a notch above. It’s USDA Organic and pie-ready.

Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Pie Spice

You won’t find pumpkin pie spice for $2.99 anywhere else.

Pumpkin Spice Mini Sheet Cake

This moist, spongy cake is flavored with pumpkin purée and warm spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger and topped with decadent cream-cheese frosting for an upscale bakery vibe (if you want to pass it off as one).

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Mix

If pumpkin pie is just not enough, mix and bake up this gluten-free pumpkin bread.  

Frozen Pie Crusts

Finally! Frozen pie crusts that only contain ingredients you can pronounce. It’s as if you made them at home. You can pretend you did. 

Nantucket Style Cranberry Pie 

Is it a pie? A cake? Or a cobbler? No matter what you call it, it’s a delicious seasonal dessert that’s perfectly prepped in the freezer section.

Pumpkin Pie

Store-bought pumpkin pie done right. 

Salted Maple Ice Cream

Pair this autumnal ice cream with pie to live your best Thanksgiving life. 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

A seasonal favorite, you can find this gem of a dessert in the freezer aisle.  

Don’t Forget the Drinks:

Sparkling Apple Cider

Very fancy. And kid-friendly, too.

Winter Wassail Punch

A spiced drink that tastes great hot, cold, and/or with booze.

Triple Ginger Brew Sparkling Beverage

This bold brew has a big bite, courtesy of the substantial amount of fresh ginger added during the brewing process, has been a TJ’s holiday fave for over a decade.

The Gourd Tree Pumpkin Cider 

This hard cider combines pumpkin and apple flavors with just the right amount of carbonation to make this light-bodied booze-y beverage crisp and refreshing.

Pumpkin Spice Cream Liqueur

At 12.5% alcohol, this liqueur is perfect for serving over ice, sipping straight-up, or adding to coffee for an after-dinner drink.

Katherine has been involved with Spoon since the early days of the NYU chapter. She continued to write for Spoon while earning her master's degree in human nutrition at Columbia University and authored the Spoon Guide to Healthier 2016. Katherine likes to avoid wearing real pants, hanging out with her rescue pup Millie, drinking iced coffee in all 4 seasons, and baking vegan treats (yes, Baker is her last name). Katherine is now a student at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and learns about how climate change impacts human health and nutrition (#school5ever). Hit her up on Insta (@katherinebaker4) and kbaked.com for more #relatablecontent.
Kennedy Dierks is a National Contributor at Spoon University, and chapter president of Spoon at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. She covers all things food and has a soft spot for pop-culture moments, product launches, and the occasional cocktail.

Beyond Her Campus, Kennedy plans to pursue medicine and currently works as a medical assistant and clinical researcher. She has written for Teen Vogue, ABC News, and Girl’s Life Magazine, in addition to a number of academic and scholarly journals. She recently graduated from Seton Hall University, where she majored in Biology and Religious Studies while minoring in Art History. Kennedy is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree at Seton Hall’s College of Interprofessional Health Sciences.

Kennedy is a Taylor Swift aficionado who is convinced that a New Jersey bagel makes everything better. In her free time, she can be found teaching spin classes at the gym, playing the guitar, designing art for her Redbubble shop, or roaming the aisles of Trader Joe’s looking for her new favorite product.