Trader Joe’s is a Mecca to some of the best foods you can find in a grocery store. With everything from frozen dinners to the infamous cookie butter, it’s a one stop shop for everything your heart desires when you’re hungry. In 2017 TJ’s is rolling out some brand new products to make customers even more inclined to spend all their paychecks there. So head to Trader Joe’s ASAP to get your hands on these delicious new foods before they’re gone.
Milk Chocolate Covered Dry Roasted & Salted Virginia Peanuts
Trader Joe’s is already full of mouthwatering chocolate covered items, and these are sure to be another successful addition to the bunch. This snack features Virginia peanuts, which are also called “ballpark peanuts”, that are dry roasted without oil and salted, then covered in rich milk chocolate. Everything tastes better when covered in chocolate, and you can’t go wrong with chocolate and peanuts. Get them at TJ’s for $3.99 for a 10-ounce tub, for a sweet and salty snack perfect for ball games, or any other occasion.
Wild Caught Crab Meat
This frozen crab meat is a sure fire way to cook yourself (and maybe a significant other) an easy seafood dinner. It combines lump, backfin, and claw meat, with no other artificial ingredients added in. It’s fully cooked, so all you have to do is defrost it, and then it can be used to make a fancy creation like crab cakes, crab dip, or soup. Find it in the freezer aisle for $7.99.
Restaurant Style White Corn Tortilla Chips
I think we can all agree that the best part of going out to eat at a Mexican restaurant are the fresh, warm, unlimited tortilla chips and salsa that are given to you to much on before your meal. More than once have I devoured more than my fair share of these chips and been way too full to eat my entree when it comes out. Oops.
But good news, Trader Joe’s, our saving grace, now has restaurant style tortilla chips on their shelves so you no longer have to spend a fortune going out to eat at an authentic Mexican place. These chips are made from fresh, white corn tortillas then fried in vegetable oil until they’re at their utmost crispiness, and finished off with a squeeze of lime juice and a touch of salt. At just $1.99 a bag, they’re perfect for all the guacamole, hummus, salsa, and whatever other kind of dipping your heart desires.
Vanilla Eclairs With Chocolate Fondant
TJ’s “Trader Jacques” line is one of our best bets on real good French food when we aren’t lucky enough to actually go to France to get some. These eclairs are made with light choux pastry, the same kind that’s used to make cream puffs. This delicate, fluffy shell is then filled with vanilla custard and topped with a rich chocolate fondant.
These come fully cooked and frozen, and take only about 30 to 60 minutes to thaw. Eclairs are a perfect party treat, but can certainly be enjoyed individually whenever your sweet tooth hits. At just 140 calories per eclair and $2.99 a package, these sweets are something you just can’t pass up.
Wild Rice & Mushroom Sausage-less Sausage
So what exactly is sausage-less sausage you might ask? Well, it’s a base of textured soy protein, but looks and tastes like an actual meat sausage. This flavor contains bits of wild rice and mushrooms, with flavors of rosemary, making them perfect for a quick dinner or a savory breakfast hash. At $3.49 for a 4-link package, the recipe options are endless.
Crispy Crunchy Mochi Rice Nuggets
You might’ve heard of mochi, a chewy rice paste from Japan made by steaming rice and kneading it into a paste, then drying it out and cutting it into smaller pieces. Trader Joe’s mochi rice nuggets, on the other hand, are fried and tossed in sea salt, which makes them crispy like chips, and highly addictive. They’re a perfect snack for between classes when you don’t have time to go home, or for aimlessly munching while binge watching your fave Netflix show. For $2.99 a bag there’s plenty to go around.
Billionaire Shortbread Truffles
I’ve yet to find anything in this world that’s better than a rich chocolate truffle, but a billionaire shortbread truffle might just take the er cake. This Trader Joe’s creation takes the components of millionaire’s shortbread – shortbread, caramel, and chocolate – and twists them into dense truffles.
The result is a sticky, sweet toffee and caramel filling with bits of shortbread surrounded by a dark chocolate shell. They’re sure to provide your mouth with a deep pleasure unlike any other. For a box of 12 at $4.49, these truffles would make a great gift for your boo on Valentine’s Day.
Alta Badia Artisan Italian Mountain Cheese
Cheese connoisseurs, you’re gonna love this one. This cheese is from fresh whole milk from cows in the Dolomite Mountains of Italy, containing light aromas of herbs and grasses reminiscent of pastures and farms. The cheese is smooth and creamy, perfect for wine and cheese nights. Get it at TJ’s before it’s gone, for $9.99 a pound (and don’t forget wine too).
Soft Strawberry or Black Licorice Twists
If you like buying hipster things and are tired of big brand named candies, these licorice twists are for you. They’re made with real licorice root and natural flavorings, so they’re probably better for you than Twizzlers too. Although anyone who enjoys black licorice definitely needs to get their tastebuds checked out, the strawberry variety is soft, sweet, and contain no artificial preservatives (score).
I would highly recommend stuffing these babies in your purse when going to the movie theater, as at $2.49 a bag they’re definitely cheaper than any of the basic candies you’ll find there.
Cocktail Stirrers
Why stir a cocktail with a spoon or straw when you can be major fancy and stir it with mini skewers full of small vegetables. TJ’s come threaded with a gherkin pickle, baby onion, green chili pepper, red bell pepper, carrot, and a Manzanilla olive marinated in a spicy brine with garlic and dill.
These are perfect for martinis, bloody Mary’s, or gin and tonics, but can also be enjoyed on their own as a small appetizer or snack. And they’re sure to give you major bonus points at parties. Get them for just $4.49 a jar and prepare to wow all your friends.
Organic Dry Black Beans
These dry black beans are super versatile and give you the power to cook up whatever your heart desires in the kitchen. To cook them all you have to do is let them soak in hot water, then you can simmer them in the ingredients of your choice, depending on what flavor you’re going for. These are perfect for homemade salsa, chili, taco salads, or anything else you want to try experimenting with. A bag is just $1.99, so let your imagination run wild.
Soft-Baked Biscotti with Dried Figs
Biscotti is yet another classy addition to parties, pairing perfectly with coffee, tea, or wine. This version from Trader Joe’s is made by hand in a small bakery in Tuscany, Italy, featuring dried figs from Turkey. They’re baked only once (rather than twice, which is typical of biscotti) to give them a chewy, moist texture that won’t break your teeth. For $3.99 a bag there’s plenty to much on.
Rosencrunch and Guildenpop
Um, what? The name is interesting yes, but also appropriate for the mix of crunchy nuts and pop-y popcorn in these glossy blue tins sold at TJ’s for $4.49. They contain roasted pecans and almonds and air-popped popcorn candied in butter and sweet cane sugar. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and salty, great for those dual cravings and indecisive minds.
Organic Kabocha Squash
With pumpkin season over, Trader Joe’s is expecting squash to be the next big food trend this year. They’ve taken all the work out of preparing one by peeling, cutting, and freezing small chunks of organic squash so that they’re ready to go whenever you need them. Enjoy them in soup or serve as a side along with your meal for 90% of your recommended daily value of Vitamin A and just 30 calories in one serving. Find this delectable squash in the freezer aisle for just $2.69 a box at TJ’s.
Blackberry Spritzer
This delicious beverage deserves its own toast. Lightly carbonated and filled with the juice of 17 blackberries, this spritzer is sweet, fruity, and just a little tart, making it extremely refreshing and delicious. It’s perfect on it’s own, or as a base for your favorite alcohol. At just $3.49 a bottle, you’re gonna wanna stock up.
Oven-Baked Cheese Bites
Trader Joe’s has a plethora of delicious cheese items, and this is just another great addition to the list. The best thing about these, though, is that they can be enjoyed at anytime, anywhere, and in handfuls. The cheese bites are made with a blend of Grana Padano (like parmesan) and semi-aged cheeses, resulting in crunchy nuggets that contain 15 grams of protein in a serving. These make for a perfect, filling snack, but also go great on salads and soups. For $2.49 a bag, you’ll be addicted in no time.
Pear and Persimmon Tarte
Tartes are a wonderfully sweet dessert that take advantage of fresh, in-season produce. This kind is filled with pears and persimmon, a cinnamon-y fruit that’s heavenly when baked, as well as a light layer of almond paste. The dough is equally great; buttery, flaky, and dusted with sugar.
Trader Joe’s made preparing this easy, just thaw and bake, then top with ice cream because when is that never a good idea. As a bonus, this dessert is only $4.99, saving you time and money, and making for a very happy tummy.