Holy cow, Trader Joe’s (and I) have both gone wild this month! They’ve brought back so many of my seasonal favorites! We’re talking Wildberry Cheesecake Ice Cream, gorgeous peonies, my favorite pickle mustard, and more! Beyond that, though, they’ve managed to pump out even more new items. We’re talking strawberry items, ube items, lemon items…everything just gives off warm weather treat vibes and I love it.The excitement I’ve had in the store lately rivals that of me in Trader Joe’s in September. Totally giddy!
Even though I only have eight new items to share with you from this month, I am certain we tried more than that and I just forgot to take photos. Oops!
So, what’s new at Trader Joe’s this month?
This Tzatziki Creamy Garlic Cucumber Dip ($3.99) isn’t a new/seasonal item, but it’s new to us. Gary and I have been trying to come up with easy dinners that won’t heat up our kitchen and house for the summer months. This sauce has been an integral component to one of our favorite grilled chicken pita dinners. It’s creamy but not too rich, and the cucumber and dill add a great amount of freshness. We are huge fans!
Cheddar and onion just make sense together. Cheddar and onion go together on burgers, sandwiches, mac and cheese…many of my favorite things. This Chive Cheddar Cheese ($4.99/6 oz) is brand new to Trader Joe’s! I just tried it yesterday and can confirm that it is quite tasty. I will say that I have a slight preference for Trader Joe’s cheddar with caramelized onion, but I have no complaints about this one. It would be extra fancy melted on top of a burger or used in mac and cheese, but it’s also great by itself or on a charcuterie board.
We are a condiment family. Straight up. Anytime there’s a good looking condiment, we have to try it! Do you remember when Heinz created purple and green ketchup back in the 90’s/early 2000’s? I BEGGED my parents for it and they ended up buying some for me as a Chanukah present because I was that obsessed with unique condiments. Spoiler alert: the color was super unappealing and I hated using it. Anyway, this Truffle Aioli ($3.69) does not have yucky food coloring and it looks like it will be delicious on sandwiches or fries. We currently have a batch of homemade basil mayo (yes, because we’re fancy), but once we’re done with that, I can’t wait to try this!
This Peanut Butter Caramel Coated Popcorn ($3.49) is a Jennifer snack if I’ve ever seen one. I’m a sucker for all of the caramel/chocolate/yogurt covered/peanut butter handheld snacks at Trader Joe’s. The good news is that they have yet to let me down in this food category! Since we are holding HEAVY on the snacks right now, I haven’t tried them yet, but I’ll be sure to pop open this (resealable) bag for our next movie night.
The ube craze has hit Trader Joe’s for the last couple of years, and previously I’d only indulged in the frozen mochi (which is delicious, by the way)! This year, I decided to give the Ube Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix ($3.99) a try, and I’ve already gone back to buy a second box. Holy cow, these taste (and smell) like you’re eating cupcakes for breakfast. They get a perfectly crispy outside with a soft and chewy inside, and the light purple color from the ube is so fun. I honestly could eat them plain. This waffle mix absolutely flies off the shelves, so I highly recommend getting one to try sooner rather than later!
Gary and I really enjoy the Trader Joe’s Chimichurri sauce, and unfortunately, our store was out the last time I needed it. I saw this Zhoug Sauce ($2.99) on the shelf and thought that since it looked similar it would be a good replacement. Ugh, I’m sorry to report that this sauce just didn’t do it for us! Whereas the Chimichurri has a nice herby flavor with a bit of kick, this sauce was just too spicy and tasted like we were eating blended peppers. Not a fan!
Sweet and salty is my jam, so I grabbed these new Ube Pretzels ($2.99) last week. The ube flavor is super sweet, and almost has a coconut flavor when paired with the saltiness of the pretzel. They’re pretty good. I wouldn’t say they’re my favorite snack ever, but if you’re into the ube flavor, definitely give these a try. I personally think that the strawberry vanilla yogurt covered pretzels (also back as a seasonal item this year) are better. Per usual, I love the size of these pretzels, and the fact that they come in a resealable bag is a plus!
Seasonal Joe-Joe’s are so fun to me! When I saw these Strawberry Lemonade Flavored Joe-Joe’s ($2.99) I knew that they would either be really gross or really tasty. Any guesses on the verdict? Well, I love them! The cookies are lemon flavored, and the filling is strawberry flavored. They’re very sweet with a tad bit of tartness, and the flavors just go so well together! These are a perfectly sweet summer treat š
Alright, that wraps up this month’s finds, just in time for you to head to the store for Memorial Day Weekend items! If you find anything noteworthy, let a girl know š Wishing you all a happy, safe, and healthy holiday weekend!
xoxo
Jennifer