5 Trader Joe’s “Little Luxuries” I’m Buying This Holiday Season (All $5 or Less!)
When the phrase “Treat yo’self” hit the zeitgeist (thanks to my Patron Saints of Treats, Tom and Donna), I felt so seen. That being said, my ultimate treats are of the “nice butter and candles that smell like tomatoes” variety and not the “fine leather goods” caliber, so it’s usually a relatively safe habit for my wallet.
During an otherwise expensive Treat-Giving time of year (this holiday season), I still am committed to carving out a little “Treat Yo’self” time among the lines at the mall and the post office. In fact, it becomes even more important that I keep the little treats a-flowing. The place I visit most often to pick them up is none other than Trader Joe’s.
The grocer is the spot for year-round staples and day-sweetening little luxuries. Here are a handful — all $5 or less! — worth adding to your cart to make you feel like a card-carrying member of the Treat Yo’self Team, too.
1. Non-Dairy Gingerbread Oatmilk Creamer, $1.99 for 16 ounces
Wintertime, what with its plentiful twinkly lights and Lacey Chabert Hallmark Movies, is so magical. You know what makes the season even more magical? Coffee creamers get W-I-L-D! I live for them, most notably Trader Joe’s Non-Dairy Gingerbread Oatmilk Creamer.
I truly think my own homemade gingerbread lattes taste better than any $7 (or more!) order, thanks to this cinnamon and nutmeg-spiced and not-too-sweet creamer. It’s great on its own for iced or hot coffee, and even more deluxe-tasting with a tiny tweak: I add a bit of oatmilk to the creamer to thin it ever-so-slightly so I can froth it in my milk frother and add to two shots of espresso. It’s so good I think it has major crossover potential, too — drizzle it on your next spice cake like a creme anglaise, perhaps?!
2. Dark Chocolate-Covered Peppermint Joe-Joe’s, $4.79 for 9.4 ounces
It must be said: The Dark Chocolate-Covered Peppermint Joe-Joe’s are the best cookies you can get at Trader Joe’s. They’re crackly crunchy with bits of peppermint candies, creamy, and have a perfectly crisp chocolate wafer cookie that is then, wait for it, covered in dark chocolate. I gasp each time I see their triumphant return to the shelves at Trader Joe’s.
To me, they’re the reason for the holiday season, and I’m so glad we can all buy them in a box of their own (and not just try to score all of the peppermint ones in the multipack). And you know what would make these feel even more luxurious? Using them as the base for your next icebox cake, of course.
3. English Toffee Ice Cream, $3.79 for 16 ounces
Trader Joe’s has a solid track record for all things toffee: butter toffee pretzels, English toffee with nuts, toffee shortbread, and, new this season, English Toffee Ice Cream. You want buttery, crackly, sweet toffee? It’s definitely not hiding anywhere in this ice cream that features a brown butter ice cream base that’s swirled with chocolaty-covered toffee pieces and almonds. Best of all, those toffee chunks are large and delightfully irregular, meaning each bite is a sweet surprise.
4. Organic Hot Cocoa Mix, $3.99 for 10 ounces
Some people eventually turn into their parents, while others turn into their … uncle. Especially during the holiday season, I truly channel my inner Uncle Bobby (shout-out to Uncle Bobby!) and need a steady stream of hot chocolate to be flowing. Not just any watery hot chocolate, but the good stuff: Trader Joe’s Organic Hot Cocoa Mix.
Milk or no milk added, this stuff is creamy. I love swirling it into my coffee, drinking it solo, or enjoying it the true Uncle Bobby way — with a splash of Irish cream (like Bailey’s or, my favorite, Five Farms), and likely near a TV showing a fireplace video.
5. Cedar Balsam Scented Candle, $3.99 for 5.7 ounces
Back when I worked for Trader Joe’s, employees typically had a list of items they waited all year for (and would immediately grab off the truck to buy before customers snatched them all up). For me, that was really only one thing: the Cedar Balsam Scented Candle. My love for this candle knows no bounds, and, years after I hung up my tropical T-shirt, I still buy no less than six of these tins every time they pop back up on shelves.
If you’re skeptical of how luscious and fancy a $3.99 candle can smell (and not give you a headache), consider the Cedar Balsam candle to be your new budget-friendly, yet $$$-seeming friend. It’s equal parts “ski chalet spa” meets “woodsy walk in nature.” Let’s just both agree to keep a few on the shelf for each other, okay? Okay.
What little luxuries are you picking up at Trader Joe’s this season? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Further Reading
We Asked 3 Chefs to Name the Best Ice Cream, and They All Said the Same Thing
Tuscan Chicken Is the "Most Delicious" Dinner of All Time, Says Everyone Who's Tried It
Reese’s Just Launched a Limited-Edition Peanut Butter Cup, and It Tastes 4x Better than the Original
