Trader Joe’s Food Finds – March 2022

Per usual, I was strolling down the chip aisle and a bag practically hopped into my cart! I had a hunch that these Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Rings ($1.99) would have a similar flavor profile as Funyuns. Well, I was pretty wrong on that one! The texture was similar to Funyuns (though they are much smaller), but the flavor of these are a dead ringer for Lay’s sour cream and onion chips. I thought they were pretty good and that they could definitely become addictive, though I definitely wish that the bag was resealable. This snack even got Gary’s stamp of approval!

I’ve learned that the best way to distract Gary from my impulse shopping is to consider his tastebuds, too! These Scalloped Potato Chips with Five Cheeses ($2.49) seemed like a Gary must have. Disclaimer: we have one too many bags of cheesy Doritos in the cabinet right now, so these have yet to be consumed, but I’m confident that they’ll be a hit when the day comes!

I don’t consider myself a chocolate person, but I was intrigued by these French Chocolate Crepe Wafer Cookies ($2.99). I anticipated that they’d have a similar texture as a Kit Kat (which happens to be my favorite candy). Again, my thought process made sense but ended up being incorrect. These wafers were really good! They had a crunchy chocolate coated exterior, with an airy and flaky interior. They tasted heavily of buttery chocolate, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I’m pretty sure they only lasted a couple of days in this house!

Trader Joe’s is clearly having a moment with dark chocolate this month, and I’m not mad about it. Gary and I both really enjoy a good peanut butter and chocolate flavor combo. These Bamba Puffed Peanut & Corn Snacks Dipped in Dark Chocolate ($2.99) looked like a fun new snack to try. As I mentioned, we’re holding heavy on the snacks right now so we haven’t quite tried these yet, but I’m looking forward to it!

One of my friends texted me and said that she was obsessed with these new Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets ($3.49) and that I had to try them. Best choice ever! These are super chocolatey and rich and delicious. I love having this (resealable – yay) bag in the pantry for when I just want a taste of something sweet but don’t need a whole dessert. They hit the spot! You should definitely get these on your next Trader Joe’s run.

Trader Joe’s used to carry croutons that were super sub par. The good news is that the old ones were discontinued and these Rosemary Croissant Croutons ($3.99) have entered the scene. Gary and I have been into making salads lately, so I’m beyond excited to try these. What could be bad about rosemary flavoring on croissants that have been turned into croutons?? The cashier at Trader Joe’s went on about how good these are for a solid minute when we were checking out. TBD if they live up to the hype!

Oof. This one right here pains me to write. These Cinna-Dragons ($2.29) were supposed to be like Hot Tamales. I like Hot Tamales from time to time, so I figured why not? Well…I’ve eaten one. The cinnamon flavor is just way too strong for me and I’m not a fan. Gary says that he saw this coming and that I need to make better choices.

Matcha apparently has quite the following. This Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream ($2.99) only partially counts as a new item because I believe this existed last spring at Trader Joe’s but it sold out before I could try it! Gary predicted that this would be another terrible choice. I’m happy to report that he was wrong! While this definitely isn’t my go-to flavor profile, I found this ice cream to be quite refreshing. I can only eat a few bites of it before the flavor becomes too overpowering for me. Is this a bad thing, though? Who knows! If you’re into matcha, be sure to grab this from Trader Joe’s before it disappears again!

I was looking for brioche buns (which are incredible, by the way) when these Garlic & Cheese Bread Sticks ($3.49) caught my eye. We used to generic get frozen garlic breadsticks from the grocery store, but these have changed the game. After you pop them in the microwave for 15 seconds, they get perfectly soft and fluffy. The cheesy garlic flavor pairs well with any pasta dish!

As I mentioned in my last Peiffer Plates post, I’ve been loving my new Half Baked Harvest cookbook! A lot of recipes in this cook book call for sun dried tomatoes, which I have shockingly never cooked with before! These Julienne Sliced Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil ($3.29) have come in handy as a pantry staple. They’re great by themselves, or chopped and put in a pasta sauce. Also, the oil that they are soaked in is to. die. for. I love when I’m able to find solid pantry staples at Trader Joe’s!

Trust me, I’m just as shocked as you are that the Mango Sorbet ($4.49) is a new item for us! The minute we tried it, it became an instant hit for both of us. The flavor is so fresh and refreshing, and it’s very easy to get carried away and eat way too much of it. I especially love that there aren’t any artificial colors in this sorbet. It’s so bright, but it’s totally natural! I highly recommend keeping this in your freezer as the weather heats up.

I’ve heard nothing but good things about these Chili & Lime Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips ($2.99) so I finally purchased a bag. Gary is completely skeptical of them, but they truly sound like a flavor combination that I will love! I can’t wait to eat these as the ultimate pool or beachside snack. They just scream summer to me!

Just for fun, I figured I’d highlight one of our favorite items from Trader Joe’s. I’ve been drinking this Organic Orange Strawberry Banana Juice ($3.99) since college. When my parents would come visit, they’d bring me to Trader Joe’s to stock up on all of my favorite items, and this was always one of them. Gary has become quite the fan over the years as well. If you’re a smoothie lover, you’ll love the flavor combination of strawberry, orange, and banana. We certainly don’t get it every week, but it feels like a special occasion when we do 🙂