The Best 20 Trader Joe's Finds for September
It's finally the last month of the summer—when the weather starts to get a bit cooler, the sun goes down earlier and it's prime patio season, either at home or at your favorite dinner spot. But Trader Joe's isn't relaxing on the patio. They've been busy! There have been at least 20 new product drops in the last four weeks, with even more to come due to the impending (and always fun) Pumpkin Palooza. We rounded up reviews and pics of the 20 latest finds for your viewing pleasure.
Related: 13 Groceries to Help You Break Out of Your Trader Joe's Rut
1. Tiniest Chocolate Chip Cookies
We'll start with the cutest of the bunch—the brand-new teeny tiny chocolate chip cookies. Packaged in a bright purple bag, these little cookies are good by the handful or even swimming in a bowl of milk, Cookie Crisp-style. Instagram commenters say they're fantastic that way, even if they tend to get soggy quickly, saying "Cookie Crisp doesn’t get soggy as fast but these taste like real cookies ??." Another commenter had a slightly different breakfast in mind. "I was thinking of putting them in my yogurt?!" they said. At my store, the sign near the cookies suggested using them as an ice cream topping, which has to be delicious.
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
2. Kimbap
People are LOVING this new frozen Korean-inspired roll (sauteed greens, crunchy root vegetables, and crisp pickles around a base of braised tofu). How much do they love it? So much so that it's sold out in a lot of stores until at least October. "I just tried the frozen kimbap and it reminds me of childhood! it honestly is not bad considering it’s in the frozen section, and it’s perfect for vegetarians" says one commenter. "Can confirm: these are the bomb," said another. I was told the crew also loved them."
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3. Fudgy Cookie Dough Ice Cream
This new freezer find blends rich vanilla ice cream with pieces of chocolate chip cookie dough and more chocolate chips finished with a fudgy, sea-salted swirl. Redditors are pining over this pint, saying "I can’t stop eating it - favorite ice cream yet from Trader Joe’s!" and "Ate the entire pint on the drive home after purchasing. DAMN this one is amazing."
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
4. Onion Confit Swirls
These little oniony crackers were an early month release but are flying off the shelves according to TJ employees. Reminiscent of a palmier, the onions in these crackers are cooked "low & slow with balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder" according to the TJ's site. The caramelized mixture and nutty Emmental cheese are paired with puff pastry for a savory, salty, crunchy snack. Redditors love this little box, saying it's the perfect addition to a cheese board. "My roommate and I just inhaled a whole box of these. They’re AMAZING."
Related: Top Trader Joe's Cheese Board Cheeses, According to Super Fans
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
5. Pretzel Breadsticks
Another fancy addition for a cheeseboard, the crunchy pretzel breadsticks are available in most TJ locations and will roll out to others soon. One Redditor offers an in-depth review: "The outside is pretzel-rod like, the interior is bread-stick like, they were tasty and crunchy, and definitely made to go with cheese, jelly (I used strawberry jam and fig butter, not at the same time...on each stick I ate I used either SB or Fig), or other dip. Or with soup/stew. Versatile product. I almost think you could crush them up and use the crumbs as a coating for deep-frying or something." All great ideas.
Related: Fall Favorite Returns to Trader Joe's—but Not Everyone Is Thrilled
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6. Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Quiche
Another fantastic addition to TJ's growing grab-and-go freezer meals, this one has an elegant spin (who doesn't like quiche?). It was actually a discontinued product that Trader Jow's has brought back into the mix and Redditors are delighted. "Finally!!!!!!! I’m really excited for this. The old one was good but sometimes the supplier was inconsistent. Hopefully, the new one is great!"
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
7. Caramel Apple Mochi
A fab fall find that's right on trend, these little chewy bites (which are individually wrapped) were an instant hit with TJ fans. Caramel apple ice cream surrounded by sweet rice dough—what could be bad? "?? Oh no, the new Trader Joe's fall collection is dropping...my self-control..." says one excited Redditor.
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8. Shrimp and Garlic Flatbread
This new flatbread is made with a garlic butter bechamel sauce and Parmesan cheese. Commenters on Instagram and Reddit are already imagining creative ways to use this one saying, "This is so awesome! Would be great for appetizers. Who am I kidding, I’d eat it all in one sitting by myself and not even cut it ??." "Just had it for the first time," said someone else. "It was good enough on its own but I made a sauce with Green Goddess dip + ranch and it was super tasty."
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
9. Chocolate Vanilla Creme Sandwich Cookies
Joe-Joe's have gotten a bit of a glow-up and TJ isn't shy about the change. "The classic Joe-Joe’s we all knew and loved simply weren’t matching our expectations," says a note on the TJ's website. "So we partnered with a long-time supplier to create a next-generation Joe-Joe worthy of the name." Shoppers are curious to try the new recipe and report back their findings, with one Redditor noting: "It’s more a texture change for me. They seem more dense and I don’t find they soften in milk as well. My kid is a fan, she says the creme is sweeter. They are still a tasty cookie though!"
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
10. Chicken, Cheese and Green Chile Pupusas
Released mere days ago, this grab-and-go snack consists of corn tortillas filled with chicken, mozzarella cheese and green chiles. "Sounds delicious!!?? Definitely grabbing next time!??" says one Instagram commenter and "Oh man I need to try these... I just got the Costco ones recently (they're pretty good IMO) but these look even tastier," says one Redditor.
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
11. Mango Blueberry Chia Bowl
Redditors are really loving this new breakfast item that's just as pretty and delicious as the one you'd find at your local breakfast spot—for a fraction of the cost. "I tried it today and I thought it was really good! I’d give it a 9/10, would definitely recommend" says one commenter. "These were shockingly delicious! Could have used a few more blueberry or mango chunks, but just toss some random fruit or granola you've already got at home on top" says another.
Related: 10 Fan-Favorite Trader Joe's Groceries That Are Perfect for After-School Snacking
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
12. Point Reyes TomaProvence Artisan Cheese
With basil, thyme and rosemary, this limited-edition cheese is not to be missed. Add it to a cheese board (maybe with some Onion Confit Swirls), use it for grilled cheese or tuck it into an omelet for a serious breakfast upgrade. The TJ's website describes this one as "smooth, rich, and herbaceous, with the same easy-eating, semi-firm texture that made us fall in love with Toma in the first place."
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
13. Fromage Pave with Red Chili Pepper
This new flavor of Fromage Pavé (which is not a collab with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, as some Instagrammers speculated) is a smooth but spicy 7 oz. square of French goodness. The original Fromage Pavé is usually available only around the holidays, so TJ's fans are especially excited to see this spicy version show up a few months early. "SPICY CHEESE HECK TO THE YASSSS," said one commenter. "If you like an earthy 'brie' like cheese, give it a go," said another.
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
14. Unexpected Cheddar Cheese Spread with Hatch Chile
Unexpected Cheddar has become somewhat of a cult item at Trader Joe's. It all started with the original block of cheese but has since expanded to Unexpected Cheddar sausages and the Unexpected Cheddar shreds. This newest Unexpected item, a cheese spread spiked with seasonal hatch chiles, has fans scrambling to grab a tub (or three). "I melted a couple spoonfuls of it in the microwave. It’s sooo good with the soft pretzel bites I found at Sprouts," said one. "Sounds good. I was thinking of doing a mac and cheese thing with it," added another.
Related: The Limited Edition Trader Joe’s Cheese That’s Definitely Going to Sell Out
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
15. Portuguese Bacalhau Tartelettes
Nearly every comment that's posted about these new cod tarts is a positive one. One Redditor offers a lengthy review and info about how best to cook these: "Snagged these today - at first we only made 4, but soon couldn't resist making the rest! We haven't had the real deal in Portugal, but are familiar with bacalao and these really hit the spot. Only mildly fishy, and great contrast of crunch outside and oozy custard inside. 375° at 18 mins in the air fryer was definitely too much for ours, more like 12-13 mins. Going back tomorrow for more!"
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
16. Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola
If the popularity of Trader Joe's dark chocolate peanut butter cups didn't get you (yet), the Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola will. To give you an idea of how good it is, one Reddit thread is simply titled "I can’t stop eating the peanut butter chocolate granola." Trader Joe's takes "a base of sweet, crunchy, rolled oats that have been flavored with savory, lightly salty peanut butter" and sprinkles in chunks of dark chocolate. Sign us up!
Related: The 6 Top Trader Joe's Pasta Sauces, According to Fans
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
17. Freeze Dried Fig Slices
People are loving these new dried fig slices, and are dreaming up creative ways to use them. Some ideas we've seen so far: fig macarons, fig slices on cereal and fig slices with brie. Shoppers have been stocking up—and sounding off—on social media. "Just bought them, they’re delicious!! Could eat the whole bag tonight," says one. "I think they are decent," adds another. "Not as good as the mango or apples but still pretty good. Texture is a little different than the others. Denser."
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
18. Red Boat Kho Sauce
In Vietnamese, "kho" means to braise and this new sauce made with shallots, ginger, black pepper and fish sauce makes it easy to throw together a quick and deeply flavorful meal in no time. Even though Red Boat products can be found at other stores, TJ's fans are excited to find this one on Trader Joe's shelves. "WHOA. This would be awesome to try. Red Boat is the standard in the US for Vietnamese fish sauce," says one commenter. This product is still rolling out, so if your store doesn't have it yet, it should be arriving soon.
19. Apple Cider Donuts
Nothing signals fall quite like apple cider donuts and Trader Joe's makes it easy to acquire a box on your grocery run—no apple orchard required. "Yessssssssss!!!! Fall is here!!!!!" one Redditor exclaims. And while shoppers seem to be torn on the taste (some say they're a bit dry), some fans know exactly how to zhuzh up the treat. "Toss one of those in an air fryer for 2 mins and you’ve got yourself a treat," says one helpful commenter.
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
20. Chicken Karaage
One of the early August drops, this Japanese-inspired chicken dish is made with rice wine (mirin), soy sauce and white wine vinegar along with garlic and ginger powders. Trader Joe's suggests throwing them in the air fryer for best results and eating them with the included dipping sauce. Redditors are pumped about this snack (OK, dinner) saying, "I air fried for 16 minutes at 400° and the crunch was an experience in the best way." "These reminded me of Bon Chon Korean fried chicken," said another shopper. "Very good, and go great with the Trader Joe's vegetable stir fry."
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
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