The 12 Best Trader Joe's Snacks to Buy Right Now
Even if you're a Trader Joe's regular, it's nearly impossible to keep up with how many must-buys the popular specialty grocer is putting out this month. The December holidays are creeping up, and there are seasonal items galore.
This retailer's track record for coming out with Instagram-worthy pantry stuffers can be seen with all sorts of snacks: Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips, Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Rings, PB&J Snack Duo, the list goes on.
Here are 12 new and returning snacks you won't want to miss, according to shoppers like you. Whether they're new soon-to-be favorites or highly anticipated comebacks, you'll find yourself adding a few items to your cart that weren't on your list—that's just the TJ's experience.
Iced Gingerbread Squares
Winter is upon us, and the smell of gingerbread is bound to get you in a festive mood. In the spirit of the season, fans went crazy for this latest holiday food drop on social media. "Tried them and finished the box they're insaneeee," commented one user on a post by fan Instagram @traderjoesaficianado.
This treat is a delectable combination of butter, brown sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and lemon purée and features wintry swirls of confectioner's sugar icing on top. For a limited time, you can pick up these toothsome gingerbread bars from the frozen desserts section for $4.99 a box.
RELATED: Trader Joe's Holiday Items Are Selling Out Fast, Frustrating Customers
Empanadas de Ropa Vieja
This food haven is no stranger to cuisines around the world, and for those who enjoy Cuban food, this new limited-time snack will taste familiar. TJ's describes its take on ropa vieja as "shredded beef stewed in a rich, tomato-based sauce, along with onions, bell peppers and a savory suite of satisfyingly zesty spices." It also recommends pairing these meat-filled dough pockets with another favorite, the herby Chimichurri Sauce.
Instagram fan account @traderjoesobsessed attested to how good the combination is, rating the Cuban-style side a ten out of ten: "I'm in love with the new beef cassava empanadas especially with chimichurri sauce!!" You get about eight mini empanadas in a $5.99 box, but only for as long as it's in season.
Shrimp Pouches of Many Colors
Has there ever been such a vibrant presentation of dumplings before? These bite-sized pouches look stunning in their white, red, yellow, and green wrappers, making your mouth water with childlike anticipation.
Instagrammer @traderjoesobsessed also gave these festive shrimp, daikon radish, ginger, and spring onion-filled dumplings a 10 out of 10. "These shrimp pouches/dumplings are everything and more!!!!…It's just like dim sum at your house and I've had my fair share of dim sum! It's filled with shrimp and the skin is so good… also love these colors!" the poster wrote.
However, the colorful shrimp have been divisive among customers, with complaints about taste, lack of stock, or inconsistent quality. Some warn they found a few with the shrimp tails still on, but that didn't stop them from enjoying it. "These are so delicious! I made wonton soup with them over the weekend," commented one shopper on Reddit. "A word of caution: they occasionally contain their hard tails. So, I chewed them slowly after having 2 pop up."
Are these cute shrimp pouches delish or a colorful miss? To settle the debate, you'll just have to taste it for yourself. If you can get your hands on them, a package of 12 mini shrimp dumplings costs $4.29.
Crispy Vegetable Pouches
This popular returning item features vegetarian-friendly pockets of jicama, taro, cabbage, carrots, onions, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and chives, flavored with more garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and red chili—all wrapped in pastry dough (including the cute pouch tie!) and fried to golden perfection.
It was spotted for the holiday season by @traderjoesobsessed on Nov. 8, which means you can probably still find it, if you look hard enough. "These yummy crispy veggie pouches are back and they are so good verified for 12 minutes at 375 served with the sweet Thai chili sauce!!" read the post. For this box of hors d'oeuvres, you'll get around twelve for $4.49.
Mini Hold The Cone Peppermint Flavor
Everyone's favorite mini ice cream cones have finally returned in candy-cane style. This perfectly portioned Hold the Cone! comes in peppermint, robed in a chocolate shell and fitted with a soft chocolate waffle cone. It's the preferred flavor for many Trader Joe's shoppers. You'll be lucky if everyone else hasn't already stocked their freezers full, since the peppermint cones only show up around the holiday season.
"It's the best time of the year," posted @traderjoesobsessed. "[T]he peppermint hold the cones are back and I'm so excited." The best part? Each one is super small, just shy of 90 calories, so you don't have to feel some type of way after downing two in the same sitting. For $3.99, you can pick up a box of eight adorable cones while supplies last.
Butter Toffee Pretzels
For anyone who had this dangerously delicious dessert last year, the hard-to-resist mouth-meld of salty, crunchy mini pretzels topped with rich, buttery toffee is back, much to the excitement of shoppers. "The pretzels are so good that they are bad," commented one user on @traderjoesobssessed's post.
Pick up a 10-ounce bag for $3.49 if you want to see what all the hype is about. But be forewarned—you might develop a craving you can't fix after the holidays are over, because this is only available for a limited time.
Herbes de Provence Triangles
You've probably never seen crackers like these before. Trader Joe's calls its newest French-inspired finger food a "sumptuously buttery, multi-layered puff pastry" that gets covered with a generous seasoning blend of rosemary, savory, thyme, dried onion, and garlic powder. Since they do seem perfect for a fancy party appetizer, Instagram account @trader_joes_treasure_hunt posted these brand-new morsels with the caption, "It's time to level up your charcuterie boards!" For $2.49, you can use these to make a fancy cracker and cheese board and impress friends—or, just your couch.
Roasted Hatch Chili & Jalapeño Dip
Trader Joe's has a track record of taking its popular flavors and infusing them into new mediums. (Think: Unexpected Cheddar cheese, soup, spreads, etc.) So, perhaps Hatch Chili Salsa lovers won't be too surprised to see this limited-release dip's debut. This spicy side dish is your next favorite cheesy topping, kicked up a notch by the hot hatch chilies and jalapeños.
"This is legit one of the best things I've ever had!" wrote one commenter about the spread on a post by @traderjoeslist. Another added, "It's soooo good.. had it in the break room at my TJ's and everyone was raving." Customers who've already tasted the spicy cheese dip say it can be paired with the Elote Corn Chip Dippers, toasted bread, or vegetables. With all the praise it's received, it's safe to say this one is expected to go quick. Get your hands on it ASAP for $4.99.
Ratatouille Bites
No, it's not a Disney-themed snack. These bites are inspired by the French dish ratatouille, which is a stew traditionally made of vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, and aromatics. The Trader Joe's twist? This mix is then rolled into Panko-crusted balls and fried, so you get a crispy mouthful of vibrant veggies.
Shoppers are eager to see the Ratatouille Bites return to shelves for the season, according to a post by @traderjoesnew. "Omg I didn't see these yet but will be grabbing! They are soooo good! YUM!" commented one user. Pick them up while they're available. Each 12-piece box costs $4.49.
Stollen Crisps
Another reimagining of a traditional dish, the all-new Stollen Crisps pay homage to a German holiday bread, stollen, which involves baking raisins and citrus peels into a toasted cracker topped with powdered sugar. "The stollen is very lemony but in a great way- almost tastes like a lemon orange scone or something," reviews one Reddit user. "Also reminds me a lot of the lemon ricotta which I love!!" Available only for the season, these flavorful crisps come in a 5.3-ounce box for $4.29.
Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe Joe's
While the regular Peppermint Joe Joe's haven't officially made a peep yet, the luxuriously chocolate and candy cane coated ones have reappeared, according to a spotting by @trader_joes_treasure_hunt.
Even though some shoppers say the box of 10 cookies for $4.49 comes at a steep price, that hasn't slowed its wild popularity among customers. "These are definitely worth it! It's not a thin coating of dark chocolate! My fave," read one fan's comment. If you're holding out for plain ol' regular Peppermint Joe Joe's, no one would blame you, but these are pretty darn good, too.
Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars
Another way to satiate your craving for Peppermint Joe Joe's is these dark chocolate-covered chocolate and mint-infused shortbread stars, dusted with white nonpareils for textural interest. "These are my all time favorite thing from Trader Joe's!" commented one Instagram user about @traderjoesnew's find. Some say they taste like a mini-sized dupe for Girl Scout Thin Mints, which is all the more reason to pick up a 10-ounce box for $3.99 during the holiday season.
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