5 New Trader Joe’s Groceries Actually Worth Buying, According to a Former Employee
Truth be told, if we are what we eat then I turned into a cookie for all of December (and the first few days of January). While I have no regrets, I am a bit confused about what I am supposed to eat these days — a salad, a grain bowl, and/or even more hors d’oeuvres to do some quality control before my Super Bowl party? Who knows! It’s certainly a confusing time to be eating and planning meals not based around leftover holiday ham.
Thankfully, Trader Joe’s is similarly a bit out of sorts (but rocking with it); its shelves are stocked with some post-holiday light bites, weeknight meal shortcuts, and plenty of appetizer options for you to taste-test before rolling them out for your next game day (or awards show) snacking spread. Here’s what I’ll be gladly adding to my cart to punctuate the last few cookies left in my stash.
1. Caesar Salad Dip, $3.69 for 8 ounces
I frequently categorize a type of Trader Joe’s grocery item as “We Didn’t Need This, but I’m So Glad We Have It.” That’s exactly how one must think of this delightful dip that really distills all the best parts of a Caesar salad — the refreshing vegetal crispness of romaine lettuce, a very not shy amount of salty-briny anchovies, pops of lemon and garlic, and a rich sour cream and Parmesan backbone. Like, it literally has the LETTUCE in it, which makes this one of the tastiest dips I’ve had at the store in years.
Can you even imagine how good this would be for dipping french fries (to mimic the ever-popular “It Girl” meal)? I can. I’ve found that there’s very little this dip hasn’t improved so far. I’ve used it to dress a pasta salad and to top roasted broccoli.
2. Chicken Mole, $6.99 for 16 ounces
If you were to search “street tacos LA” in Google Maps, you’ll likely find my blurry face in the background of each Street View shot of said vendors. Not only because I live near no fewer than 15 different street taco stalls, but also because street tacos make up a solid third of my diet — although Trader Joe’s new Chicken Mole is solidly coming for that crown.
This smoky, spicy, complex mole (a mole rojo, in this case) could have fooled me for my usual Mexican spot down the street. As I’ve tasted while dining out, not all moles contain chocolate (moles contain … mole-titudes). This particular mole is of the sans-chocolate variety, but still has an earthy spice to it (thanks to cinnamon and coriander) that plays exceptionally well with the hearty, fork-tender chicken legs. All you need to do is heat up some corn tortillas; top them with mole, chopped onion, and cilantro; and you’ll feel like you’re bumping elbows eating at your favorite taco stall.
3. Hot Honey Mustard Dressing, $3.99 for 12 ounces
Even after years of competitive cheerleading, I still don’t get the appeal of football. What I do get 100%, though? The snacks that are served at the Super Bowl, of course, especially if there’s some sort of bite-sized chicken (wings or nuggets; I welcome them both) with honey mustard for dipping. If that sounds anything like your dream of dreams, I think you need to (literally) spice up your game-day chicken situation with Trader Joe’s new Hot Honey Mustard Dressing.
While, yes, this is technically a salad dressing, one spoonful of this sweet-tangy dressing (that is, no joke, pretty hot), made me immediately dream of tossing it with crispy Buffalo wings. It’s a magical combination of smooth, sweet honey speckled with plenty of peppery heat and vinegar-y mustard. I almost think you’ll use your first bottle on pretty much everything but salad, like cocktail meatballs, turkey sandwiches, and for dipping warm pretzels.
4. Garlic Gondolas, $3.99 for 8 ounces
No, these are not a fantasy in a children’s book, these garlic bread gondolas do actually exist. And thank goodness they do, because they are both silly and silly delicious. Imagine light, airy, crisp pizza crust forming a boat that’s then coated in a garlicky-cheese mixture — that’s what you can expect from taking a ride with these Garlic Gondolas.
To me, these crunchy, cheesy “boats” feel like a totally valid apology for all those years when Trader Joe’s didn’t sell any sort of traditional garlic bread. Plus, they really will take you wherever you want to go; use them as your new favorite vehicle for bruschetta or meatballs (for a meatball sub), or venture further to turn these into a makeshift khachapuri by adding even more cheese and an egg.
5. Olive Tapenade Hummus, $3.49 for 10 ounces
While the Caesar Salad Dip might have earned plenty of attention (and shock value) this month, do not overlook this other very worthy dip. Sure, an Olive Tapenade Hummus is not the sexiest-sounding on paper, but out of the tub? It’s officially the only hummus I’ll be buying from Trader Joe’s from now on — and it even puts my own homemade hummus to shame.
Bright and lemony, yet with plenty of meaty olive flavor (courtesy of both Manzanilla and black olives), this hummus had me going, “Am I in Mykonos … and on the set of Mamma Mia 3?” Maybe I’m just happy because we’re finally past the winter solstice, but this hummus actually tastes so spring-y — a truly edible bit of sunshine that’ll perk up any mezze platter, sandwich, or pita chip.
Which new Trader Joe’s items are you adding to your cart? Tell us in the comments below.
Further Reading
The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About
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Reese’s Just Launched a Limited-Edition Peanut Butter Cup, and It Tastes 4x Better than the Original
