It's a Sunday night. All that's left in your fridge is last week's tuna salad and almond milk. You're in dire need of your pantry staples and only have time to head to one place. Without hesitation, you floor it to your one-stop shop, (a.k.a. the best place on earth), Trader Joe's.
This magical place bears aisles of healthy staples, mouth-watering appetizers, and unique cult favorite treats. With such a boundless variety to choose from, grocery shopping can get overwhelming.
That's why I've rounded up the best Trader Joe's products of all time: from snacks and seasonings to appetizers and entrees, they carry some of the best groceries in the game. After going back and forth, I've whittled it down to the top 15 best Trader Joe's products of all time. Start with these staples and slowly discover your own personal faves.
1. Brownie Crisp Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches
Brownies and ice cream? Name a better duo; I'll wait. In a sea of ordinary ice cream sandwiches, these brownie crisp coffee ice cream sandwiches outshine the rest. Trader Joe's trailblazes their path with decadent desserts, featuring rich coffee ice cream sandwiched between chocolate-loaded brownie crisps, which not only sounds but also tastes heavenly. Brownies meet ice cream: you two will be very happy together.
Taste: 12/10
Originality: 12/10
2. Spanakopita
You can never go wrong with Spanakopita: think cheese and spinach filling stuffed in a warm buttery filo dough. Trader Joe's frozen appetizers never fail to disappoint. A classic take on the traditional Greek cheese and spinach dish, TJ's savory spanakopita features layers of rich cheese and spinach along flaky filo dough. Sit back, take a bite of this rich buttery pastry, and let the flavors transport you to the streets of Greece.
Taste: 11/10
Originality: 10/10
3. Coconut Aminos
Coconut Aminos is the perfect gluten-free, soy-free alternative for the soy-sauce obsessed. Essentially, coconut aminos is rich, salty and slightly sweet in flavor, resembling a light soy sauce. Used to marinate, season, and flavor, this sauce is perfect for salads, chicken, tofu, fried rice, and more. Switch out your normal soy sauce and give this one a try (you won't regret it).
Learn more about this organic alternative along with recipes here.
Taste: 10/10
Originality: 10/10
4. Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend
The best part of an everything bagel is the "everything." The garlic, onion, poppy seed, sesame, and sea salt combo is a winner in my book. This is the new quintessential ingredient you'll want to have stocked in your spice cabinet at all times. Whether you decide to sprinkle it on your avo toast or season your sweet potatoes, this everything but the bagel seasoning is the move.
Taste: 10/10
Originality: 10/10
Check out the innovative ways people use this seasoning to spice up their life.
5. Cold Brew Coffee Chocolate Bar
In need of a morning pick me up? Try TJ's cold brew coffee chocolate bar. "A chocolate coffee bar with cold brew coffee caramel filling." One word: amazing. Major props to TJ for combining my loves--coffee and chocolate-- into one. If you're ever having a bad day, dive into this tasty treat and remind yourself everything will be okay.
Taste: 9/10
Originality: 10/10
6. Japanese Style Fried Rice
Let's raise a glass to the underrated frozen food section at Trader Joe's. Don't be fooled; even though it's frozen, this Japanese fried rice doesn't depart from the rich flavor of fresh ingredients. A vegan's delight, this Japanese style fried rice features flavorful edamame, seaweed, and tofu. By far, the best frozen fried rice I've ever tried in my life. 10/10 would highly recommend.
Taste: 10/10
Originality: 9/10
7. Cheese Pizza with a Cauliflower Crust
Love everything about pizza except the calories? Look no further. This gluten-free favorite features a cauliflower crust topped with tangy tomato sauce, fragrant herbs, rich mozzarella and provolone. Need I say more? A guilt-free pleasure that doesn't lack the satisfaction a traditional pizza provides.
Taste: 10/10
Originality: 9/10
8. Multigrain Blend with Vegetables
TJ nailed it with this savory blend of grains like barley, corn, and spelt along with vegetables such as peas, carrots, and zucchini. A hearty side-dish or protein-complement, this blend ranks high in their nutrition as well, featuring five grams of protein and five grams of fiber per serving. This multigrain blend is the move.
Taste: 10/10
Originality: 9/10
9. Green Goddess Salad Dressing
Vegan, delicious & low in fat, this salad dressing is the perfect topper for any salad. Made of avocados, green onions, lemon juice, chives, basil, and garlic, this dressing complements any ordinary salad and elevates your classic cobb. Make sure to stock up on this gem when you can because it's almost always sold out-- and reasonably so.
Taste: 9/10
Originality: 10/10
10. Sriracha Potato Chips
So, we've all heard of sriracha before. We add it to our salads, avo toast, and rice bowls. But, have you ever heard of sriracha chips? These lattice-cut potato chips are flavored with sriracha-inspired seasonings and kettle cooked for that extra crunch. Grab a bag, put on "This is Us," and just sulk for a few hours. You deserve it.
Taste: 9/10
Originality: 9/10
11. Cookie Butter
A nut-free alternative to the classic array of ordinary nut butters, cookie butter is essentially spreadable Speculoos cookies. Speculoos cookies are the renowned carmelized Belgian cookies infused with cinnamon spice and everything nice. After these cookies are baked, they're ground up and mixed with vegetable oil, transforming the decadent cookies into a versatile spread. Perfect to eat with fruit, lathered across toast, or scooped straight out of the jar, cookie butter is a pantry staple.
Taste: 9/10
Originality: 8/10
12. Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie
It tastes even better than it looks. Simply put, Trader Joe's Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie is a decadent one pound skillet cookie sure to satisfy chocolate lovers everywhere. Just pop this cookie into the microwave for a few minutes for ooey-gooey heaven. Marketed to serve 10 people, I'd bet that you could finish one on your own or with your roommate. Just a suggestion: eat this with a pint of Ben and Jerry's on the side, multiple spoons to share, and an extra one in the fridge for tomorrow.
Taste: 10/10
Originality: 8/10
13. Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips
Crisp, flavorful, and light, these sweet potato tortilla chips are made with sweet potato purée and sweet potato flour, providing the perfect balance of sweet potato flavor. Perfect to complement your favorite salsa or guac, these chips are a twist on your typical tortilla chips and boy are they so much better.
Taste: 9/10
Originality: 8/10
14. Mochi Ice Cream
TJ's spin on the classic Japanese treat. Mochi is essentially a Japanese rice cake wrapped around rich ice cream. It seems like a foreign concept, but I swear it's delicious. My favorite is the green tea, but they also offer flavors like mango, strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla. Dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free, these ice cream bon-bons will sure leave you wanting more.
Taste: 9/10
Originality: 7/10
15. Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Gouda? Check. Cheddar? Check. Parmesean? Obviously. This is the type of dish to leave you feeling warm and happy on the inside. Featuring short rigatoni in a three cheese béchamel sauce, this unique mac and cheese is topped with a dollop of butternut squash pureé and seasoned to perfection. Shoutout to Trader Joe's for always keeping it real. I can always count on you for helping me get my veggies in the right way.
Taste: 8/10
Originality: 8/10
After scrolling through this compilation, there's no question that Trader Joe's takes the cake for the best groceries in the game. Can you imagine a world where Trader Joe's didn't exist? We'd all be deprived of cookie butter and green goddess salad dressing. What a tragedy. But in all seriousness, we owe Trader Joe's a huge thank you for bringing some of the best snacks, appetizers, and frozen delights to our lives. Keep them coming, TJ.