I Tried TJ's Mini Burgers to See If They're Worth the Hype
It seems that every time I walk into Trader Joe’s, there's something new and exciting to add to my cart. That’s how Trader Joe’s rolls: They want to keep you on your toes — and in their stores — as much as possible. And when the summertime heat hits, there’s no better place to be than roaming the air-conditioned aisles of your local TJ’s.
One of the latest summer releases that TikTokers and Redditors can’t get enough of are Trader Joe's Mini Cheeseburgers. We found a box in the freezer case to see if they were worth the hype — keep reading for our honest thoughts.
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Related: 13 Groceries to Help You Break Out of Your Trader Joe's Rut
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What Are Trader Joe's Mini Cheeseburgers?
The new Mini Cheeseburgers come in a tiny box of three burgers. They’re frozen, fully cooked cheeseburgers — complete with sauce and cheese. The bright red box boasts that these beauties are “a fully-cooked seasoned beef patty with cheddar cheese and burger sauce nestled between a sweet Aloha Roll.”
As with anything new, people are excited to try them. In fact, the first two Trader Joe's locations I went to were sold out. One Reddit user had a similar experience, saying “Was just in my TJ's they only had 2 left in the freezer case (I grabbed em!). They just came out and they're already out of stock in my store.”
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Related: The 19 Best Trader Joe's Road Trip Snacks
What Are Redditors Saying About the Mini Cheeseburgers From Trader Joe’s?
Redditors, true to form, have mixed opinions about these baby burgers. Some are comparing them to White Castle’s frozen burgers, which are available in the frozen aisles of most major grocery stores.
"Thanks for sharing, I will definitely be buying these! Love White Castle burgers for a quick meal,” says one.
“Honestly think I could make the same thing and have it taste better. Not terrible but I probably won’t buy again,” says another.
But it was perhaps best said by one Reddit user who focused on easy-to-cook meals over superior quality or taste: “Their whole freezer section is catered toward convenience — people who don’t have time to cook, people who need frozen meals for lunch at work, people who need frozen meals for their teenager to cook while they’re gone, people who want a quick frozen meal after coming home from drinking. They have plenty of other burger options, but you can never have enough burger options.”
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My Honest Thoughts About Trader Joe's Mini Cheeseburgers
Unlike White Castle’s burgers, which have tedious, multi-step preparation instructions printed on their box, the Trader Joe’s version doesn’t have a lot of special prep to go from freezer to mouth. Easily prepped in an oven or microwave, you can have a warm burger on your plate in either a minute or 15, depending on how you decide to cook them.
I decided to warm these up in the oven because a microwaved, fully-cooked burger sounded gross, despite the appealing one-minute cook time. And I would have to agree with everything the Redditors are saying when it comes to both the quality and the taste: I thought the sweet bun was a bit overwhelming and the bun-to-burger ratio was also a bit off for me. I wanted to be able to taste the burger and not the bun and sauce as much, or at least I wanted it to be balanced. I wish the burger had a bit more heft to it, but what can you expect from a trio of sliders that you’re most likely making for a rushed dinner or after a long night out?
The cheddar cheese and the sauce (was it their delicious Magnifisauce perhaps?) were a nice touch, but again, I really would have loved a thicker burger patty. I would buy these again to have on hand if I were craving a burger snack and wanted to toss one in the air fryer, but I wouldn’t be substituting these for my favorite take-out burger.
Users on Reddit have all sorts of tips and tricks to making these a bit better, though. One says: “If you’re gonna do 'em in the oven you have to create steam. Put water in the bottom of a broiler pan, burgers on the slotted top part, and cover the whole thing with foil, 350° for 15-20 min. No more crusty dry buns." Another commenter had another hack: “I've steamed similar burgers in the instant pot before, for about 1 minute on low. They turned out really good.”
How Much Are Trader Joe's Mini Cheeseburgers?
If you’re curious to give these petit cheeseburgers a try, find them in the freezer case at Trader Joe’s for $4.49 for a pack of 3.