6 Not-to-Be-Missed Trader Joe’s Groceries That Just Hit Stores, According to a Former Employee
The weather lately has given me some slight trust issues — just last month I was hiding away in my (no AC) apartment shielding myself from a 105-degree heat wave, and now I’m scheming when to start making mulled wine. It’s enough to make my head spin, but at least it’s given way to the most wonderful season of all: Decorative Gourd Season. And you know what? These gourds are not just decorative — they’re also delicious and essentially embedded in every new item at your local Trader Joe’s this month.
Perhaps you’re pumpkin-neutral or simply want something to snack on while enjoying the true reason for the season (rewatching Gilmore Girls from the beginning). Well, I have a sneaky feeling you’ll be glad to find the temperatures getting way less spicy and treats that are more of the pumpkin or apple-spice-y variety. Let’s take a look.
1. All Butter Apple Shortbread Cookies, $3.49 for 4.93 ounces
Okay, this may sound dramatic, but one bite of these tart-sweet apple cookies filled my head with the “La La La” singing straight out of the aforementioned Gilmore Girls episodes. In other words, these apple cookies taste like the distilled flavor of a day at an apple orchard in one bite.
The combo of cinnamon and apple sometimes doesn’t hit all the right notes for me (sort of reminds me of a Bath & Body Works lotion, TBH), so I was excited that these lean hard into the crispness of an apple. With a buttery shortbread cookie foundation, these cookies manage to be sweet, salty, and rich, along with a bit of zippy tartness to round it out. Dunk ‘em in tea, if you know what’s good for you.
2. Almond Paste, $3.99 for 7 ounces
If your usual baking bag of tricks could use some, well, more tricks, it’s time to introduce yourself to Trader Joe’s almond paste. Not to be confused with marzipan (which is primarily more sugar than almonds), almond paste is more about the almonds than the sugar. What does that mean? This humble tube contains a whole lot of possibilities.
You can fold it into anything like pie crusts or cookies to imbue that special cherry-adjacent flavor, use it as part of a nutty, crumbly topping for something like an apple crumble or crisp, or whip it into an almond-essenced frosting. If you do any of these, please let me taste-test it? Thank you kindly!
3. Scented Candle Tin Trio, $9.99 for 3 (3-ounce) candles
Unpopular opinion, but I really don’t have a favorite season. I like them all! I do have a favorite candle season, though, and that’s 1000% Fall Candle Season, baby. Each year, Trader Joe’s seems to surprise me with its seasonal candle scents, and this year’s trio just might be the best yet.
You want an Autumn Leaves scent? You got an Autumn Leaves scent (an earthy, slightly apple-forward scent — like you took a hayride through an orchard). What about a creamy-spicy Chai? Get a whiff of this cardamom-y dream of a candle. Saving the best for last, the Maple Sugar candle smells like toasted bits of caramelized sugar — and you can find me burning it (albeit very slowly!) all season long. I might just pick up a second pack to last me until next Fall Candle Season.
4. Savory Squash Pastry Bites, $5.49 for 9 ounces
Fall, to me, is also really when you want to make sure you’re not skimping on all the hors d’ouevres — and not just for holidays. That Golden Bachelorette viewing party, postseason baseball game, and Traitors binge-watch all warrant a snack (ahem, or dinner) of teeny-tiny, slightly fancy-feeling hors d’oeuvres. Which is why you should absolutely give a lot of real estate in your freezer over to Trader Joe’s new Savory Squash Pastry Bites.
These little mouthfuls are not messing around. They feature a shatteringly crispy puff pastry cup that’s filled with two squashes (pumpkin and butternut squash) and four cheeses (feta, Parm, mascarpone, and ricotta). I still can’t believe how complexly savory and sweet these manage to taste and how quickly these two-bite wonders disappear. Shhh, I’m planning on making these look semi-homemade (and seemingly very impressive) by adding a wee slice of pear on top before serving to guests this year.
5. Organic Coconut Crunchy Clusters, $2.99 for 5.28 ounces
Okay, okay, sometimes you don’t want something that is either apple, squash, or a leaf. I hear you! In which case, Trader Joe’s has a new all-year-round snack that is, as you could expect, a bit undefinable yet delicious. Did we need these? Not really. But that’s hardly the point. These crunchy, sweet coconut clusters manage to taste like a way more exciting (read: less mouth-drying) version of granola.
If you’re a fan of Trader Joe’s Grainless Granola, you’ll fall in love with these, as they have that same coconut flake base that gets extra caramelized and crunchy. Each cluster contains not only coconut, but also sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds, so you get a bit of nuttiness and heft here, too, which makes them one of my new favorite toppings for Greek yogurt as well as ice cream.
6. Butternut Squash Italian Lasagna, $4.49 for 16 ounces
Last but certainly not least, I give you perhaps my favorite squash product Trader Joe’s has released in many, many years. Don’t get me wrong — the Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese is sold-out pretty much all the time for a reason, but this Butternut Squash Lasagna might be the next viral Squash It Girl Frozen Meal this year.
This frozen lasagna has got (literal and figurative) layers. The literal layers? A subtly sweet butternut squash-packed béchamel sauce with milky Provola cheese (Provolone’s baby cousin) that holds down the tender egg noodles. But that’s not all! TJ’s doubles down on the decadence factor with buttery breadcrumbs, chives, and (surprise!) a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds. Sure, a nonna did not make this, but it makes a solid argument for how delicious a frozen lasagna can be.
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
Tuscan Chicken Is the "Most Delicious" Dinner of All Time, Says Everyone Who's Tried It
