You may venture out to Trader Joe's on a weekly basis for basic groceries such as eggs, bread, vegetables, and fruit, but have you ever thought about the various snack-like appetizer options your favorite Trader Joe's offers? Yeah, we didn't either, until we came up with this #treatyourself Trader Joe's appetizer spread.
Embrace your bougie side with this platter of fun bites and impress your friends with this aesthetically-pleasing assortment of dips, crackers, fruits, and nuts. Though it may seem intimidating to recreate your own appetizer spread, it's way easier than it looks. All you have to do is follow the essentials we have outlined below and you'll be well on your way to becoming a pro.
1. Fresh Fruit
Fresh, seasonal fruit is an excellent addition to any Trader Joe's appetizer spread. For ours, we chose fresh Fuyu persimmons, D'anjou pears, and green grapes, but crisp apples or Asian pears would work beautifully, too.
Contrasted with the saltiness of chips and crackers and the crunch of nuts, ripe fruit adds the perfect sweetness to your appetizer array.
2. Assorted Crudités
For any Trader Joe's appetizer spread, no matter how bougie, carrots are always a crowd-pleaser for kids and adults alike. If you've got a little more time on your hands, fresh carrots from the farmer's market are sweeter and have an earthier flavor, but otherwise baby carrots are an easy alternative.
Persian cucumbers (also found at the beloved TJ's), bell peppers, endives, and sugar snap peas are also great vehicles for different types of dips.
3. Nuts & Seeds
To add that special crunch factor and a buttery, salty complement to the fruits and creamy spread, assorted nuts are a great choice. Take raw walnuts, almonds, pecans, or any other nut of your choice and roast them in the oven or on the stovetop (no seasoning needed) to really draw out the intrinsic nutty flavor.
On our bougie Trader Joe's appetizer platter, we opted for raw walnut halves, raw almonds, and dry roasted pumpkin seeds. Other viable nut types include cashews, pecans, macadamia nuts, or pistachios.
4. Dried Fruit
While fresh fruit adds a fresh and sweet flavor element to the appetizer spread, dried fruit provides a dry, chewy texture and subtle candied taste. Pictured above are dried persimmons, but dried mango, apricots, figs, pears, peaches, and apples all work beautifully (and Trader Joe's has no shortage in the dried fruit department).
5. Chips & Crackers
For a nontraditional crisp choice, run to TJ's and grab these Cornbread Crisps, which combine the sweet and salty goodness of fresh-baked cornbread into a crunchy snack. Let's just say that after the first bite, I was obsessed and had a hard time refraining from consuming the entire bag in one sitting.
Crackers, of course, are a necessary component of any social gathering. Our pick for this spread was the Trader Joe's Multigrain & Flaxseed Water Crackers. Crunchy and savory, the flakiness of these crackers are perfect to dip or paired with a high-quality cheese spread.
6. Dips & Spreads
Who doesn't love hummus? We are hummus fiends, so naturally hummus was a no-brainer for our dip of choice for this bougie AF appetizer spread. We used the Organic Hummus Dip from Trader Joe's. Creamy, garlicky, and with just a touch of lemon, there's no going back to your regular old grocery store hummus. Use this versatile dip with carrots, crackers, fruit, and nuts, and you have yourself a heavenly combination of sweet, salty, and creamy.
Next up is this Corn and Chile Salsa, which brings a little heat and a bright burst of flavor. This tomato-less salsa is made of sweet yellow corn and roasted peppers, making it a perfect option for your one tomato-hating friend out there. Load this chopped salsa onto a Trader Joe's Cornbread Crisp or Multigrain & Flaxseed Water Cracker and you've got the perfect bite that will keep you coming back for more.
What's a classic appetizer platter without some high-quality aged cheese? Not a real appetizer platter. So, here we use the Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese spread. Crumbly yet velvety, this whipped cheese product can be easily slathered on crackers or dipped into with carrots and fresh fruit. The garlic and herb flavors contribute a tangy and earthy depth of taste perfect with the sweet and crisp fruit. The list of rich, buttery cheeses to put on your bougie AF appetizer platter includes pretty much all types of cheese, but some cult favorites include goat, brie, gouda, or blue cheeses (especially the Cambozola type).
7. Miscellaneous Snacks
You might be thinking, "Are those... chocolate covered pretzels I see?" Yes, yes they are. These accidentally vegan, dark chocolate covered mini pretzels provide just the right amount of sweetness with a satisfying crunch and a touch of sea salt. This sweet and salty treat goes well with fresh fruit and nuts, leaving your palette with a smooth chocolate flavor. Remember, chocolate is always welcome.
An appetizer spread is never complete without one component that is truly addictive. Crunchy, salty, and seasoned to perfection, these Ranch Seasoned Crispy Chickpeas are sure to be the newest addition to your grocery list. And hey, with each 1/4 cup serving boasting 6g of protein and 3g of fiber, how can you say no?
So now you've got this whole appetizer spread thing down, right? It's as easy as fruit, crudités, nuts, dried fruit, dips, something chocolatey, and lots of crunch! And not that you need to be reminded or anything, everything (yes, everything) in this spread can be found at your humble Trader Joe's. With thousands of different flavor combinations for varying palettes, appetizer spreads are super customizable, and not to mention, bougie AF.