The 21 Most Underrated Items at Trader Joe’s, According to Employees
Since its founding in 1967, beloved grocery chain Trader Joe’s has expanded from a small handful of stores in California to nearly 600 locations from coast to coast. TJ’s has accumulated a loyal fan base along the way, and for good reason: The store’s products are relatively affordable, its staff is friendly and attentive, and it carries items you won’t find anywhere else. Sure, it has fridge staples like milk, OJ, and eggs. But it also boasts an array of whimsical, Trader Joe’s-brand offerings like cookie butter, Cacio e Pepe Puffs, cauliflower gnocchi, and Thanksgiving stuffing-seasoned kettle chips.
Many of these TJ’s-exclusive products have developed their own cult followings on social media, and you’ll find TikTok accounts entirely dedicated to the brand’s signature seasonal drops. But even with the store’s relatively coy stock list — about 4,000 products per location, a light selection compared to more typical grocery chains — there are countless underrated products that fly under the radar for most customers. To discover some of the best sleeper hits TJ’s has to offer, we asked 21 Trader Joe’s employees, a.k.a. crew members, about the products they feel deserve more love. (To protect our sources’ privacy, we’ve withheld their names and the stores they’re employed at. Every employee consulted has been with the company for at least two years, and many have worked there much longer.)
And we’re not talking about the frozen soup dumplings or the everything bagel seasoning here — these are the deep cuts. Let’s dive in.
The best sleeper hits at Trader Joe’s, according to employees:
Ketchup
Dark Chocolate Bark
Shishito peppers
Chimichurri Sauce
Sesame Sticks
Triple Ginger Brew
Dark Russet Potato Chips
Kung Pao Chicken
Frozen Bon Bons
Seasoned Corn Ribs
Daily Facial Sunscreen
Snacky Clusters
Garlic Spread Dip
Delicata squash
Brioche Cheddar Pull-Apart Rolls
Cashew Butter Cashews
Hot & Sweet Pepper Jelly
Whole Milk Greek Yogurt
Blondie Bar Baking Mix
Chicken Shawarma Bowl
Apple Chip Duo
“How come nobody ever talks about how good the Trader Joe’s ketchup is? It’s organic and it doesn’t get too watery. You know when you use a Heinz squeeze bottle and some of the sediment builds up, and you just get a shot of some weird, funky water before any ketchup comes out? Not at Trader Joe’s, dog. That’s the real deal.”
“One thing Trader Joe’s gets right with their items is their dark chocolate. The Dark Chocolate Bark combines all the tastiness of salt, sugar, and crunch in one. Also, I think it’s a bang for your buck at 10 ounces for $4.99.”
“Off the cuff, I’d probably say the shishito peppers. Blistered shishito peppers are probably the easiest thing on planet Earth to make. All you need is olive oil and salt, but if you add a little butter and sub some of the salt for MSG, everyone’s gonna think you’re Bobby Flay. Trust.”
“The refrigerated Chimichurri Sauce is insanely good, and barely anyone ever buys it. Put it on a steak or some chicken and you’re in hog heaven. To be fair, chimichurri sauce isn’t that hard to make at home, but the one at TJ’s is way better than anything I’ve been able to make at my house, personally.”
“The item that I think is a sleeper is the Sesame Sticks. They’re in a bag with a purple label. I think they’re affordable and yummy, and I use them as croutons.”
“I genuinely do love the Triple Ginger Brew, so I’d have to pick that. It’s a seasonal item, but it’s also the absolute best ginger [drink] I’ve had in my life. It’s perfectly spicy and makes for a great mixer.”
“I think the biggest slept-on product is the Dark Russet Potato Chips. They have a certain dark, earthy flavor that’s absent in their overly processed counterparts [from other brands]. They’re beautifully savory and rich, and I can eat 1 million of them.”
“We all know about the Mandarin Orange Chicken, but why aren’t people talking more about the frozen Kung Pao Chicken? It’s got a sweet and spicy soy-based sauce, diced onions, bell peppers, and chicken topped off with some peanuts.”
“I’m a big fan of the Ice Cream Bon Bons. It’s a great dessert that you can have year-round, and the box has a nice portion so you can share with others. I think they get overlooked a lot because of the other great frozen sweet treats.”
“One sleeper item that’s a particular favorite of mine is the Seasoned Corn Ribs in the frozen section. They’re a great appetizer and they’re really good in a soup as well.”
“I feel like the sleeper hits are in the sleeper sections. My example would be the Daily Facial Sunscreen. Mainstream lore says that this product is [Supegoop!] sunscreen rebranded at a quarter of the cost. Whether that’s true or not, it’s an excellent, mineral-based sun protection product that goes on like a serum similar to other high-end Japanese sunscreens.”
“The Snacky Clusters are a really great treat to always have in the house. It’s scary for customers to try them because they think potato chips and corn chips covered in chocolate might be weird, but I love the sweet and salty combination. It’s really satisfying, and honestly, kind of dangerous. You could very easily destroy the whole bag.”
“My favorite underrated item of all time in Trader Joe’s is the Garlic Spread Dip. I veggies into it, especially mini sweet peppers, peeled carrots, and raw broccoli — so good.”
“I think a sleeper item is the delicata squash. I know you can get it at other grocery stores since it’s a regular produce item, but it tastes way better than any other squash I’ve had. It’s only available for a short time in the fall, but I still don’t see enough people buying it. Just roast it and you’re good to go.”
“My sleeper item is the Brioche Cheddar Pull-Apart Rolls, and I’ll tell you why. It’s an item that you could eat hot or cold. You could have it with soup. You could make it into a sandwich. Any way you eat ‘em, you can’t go wrong.”
“The Cashew Butter Cashews, respectfully. I know it sounds crazy. You got the cashew butter on a cashew? It sounds overwhelming, but it is one of the most delectable items we have at Trader Joe’s. You want something to end your meal off right or end your night off sweet? Cashew butter cashews, gang.”
“The Hot & Sweet Pepper Jelly from the grocery section. God d*mn, it’s amazing. Put it on a sandwich: get some ciabatta and put some arugula, balsamic, burrata, and prosciutto on there. Chef’s kiss.”
“I’m gonna say the Whole Milk Greek Yogurt. It’s a great source of protein. It’s tart and tangy and has wonderful versatility. You can eat it plain. You can add fruit and granola and have it for breakfast. You could also use it in place of sour cream.”
“The Blondie Bar Baking Mix slaps. It’s the perfect blend of chocolate and blondie flavor. There’s a hint of butter in there, it’s moist, and it just checks all the boxes. It used to be popular and people started sleeping on it, so people need to wake up a little bit. Don’t buy blondies out there in the world. Buy the mix and make them at home. It’s more fun.”
“It may be new, but I think people are sleeping on the frozen Chicken Shawarma Bowl. It’s outstanding. It’s tasty, healthy goodness with just a dollop of spinach and red peppers so you feel good about eating it for an easy lunch or dinner.”
“I think a lot of people sleep on the Apple Chip Duo. They still have that crunch you get from regular potato chips but without any of the fat. Plus, it’s one serving per bag, so you can eat the whole thing guilt-free.”
*Image retrieved from Refrina via stock.adobe.com
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