Updated: The Best and Worst New Trader Joe's Products This November

As gingerbread products go, these Cookie Sticks are one of the best I've ever tried. They are real gingerbread with ingredients you'd find in a from-scratch recipe and super fresh — they even have a best-by date (like you'd find on a loaf of bread).

The ginger and molasses flavors you'd expect from a classic holiday cookie come through in perfect balance, and the light sugar topping adds just the right amount of sweetness. The soft, dense texture of these sticks is super satisfying, especially in conjunction with the crunchy topping. Serve these at a holiday party or family dinner and smiles will abound, or indulge anytime in what just may be your new favorite treat!

In addition to all the things I love about Greek yogurt (the texture and satiation factors make it one of my go-to breakfasts), Whole Milk Vanilla Bean is particularly delicious thanks to real vanilla beans in the yogurt. As vanilla Greek yogurts go, this one is a bit lower in sugar than usual, another plus. Bonus factor: the packaging has a bit of extra room, so you can add your favorite toppings right into the container.

If smoothies know no season in your household, these Unsweetened Organic Acai Smoothie Packets are a no-brainer. Acai plays well with a multitude of smoothie mix-ins, from tropical fruits to your favorite berries, yogurts, and coconut water, and lends a nice level of creaminess to the mix. Acai by nature is not particularly sweet. Oftentimes acai products have added sugar, which can sneakily add up quickly to a sugary drink in disguise. I love that because these packets are unsweetened, you get to adjust to your own tastes. The individually wrapped packets are convenient to use from a portion perspective and keep your freezer neatly organized.

As a both a yogurt- and smoothie-lover, I couldn't get enough of TJ's Whole Milk Mango Kefir.

With just the right amount of sweetness and a subtle mango flavor, this creamy kefir (a yogurt drink) is delicious on its own, plus is a great base for an easy breakfast. Add in additional tropical fruits and blend for a sunny smoothie.

If you love iced green tea, this Moroccan Mint Green Tea needs a place in your cupboard.

The mint component in this green tea is not overly strong, making this a perfect candidate for brewing up a fresh batch of refreshing iced tea. Simply pour simmering to boiling water over a bag (or bags, if making a pitcher), steep for three to five minutes, cool for another five, and add ice. Bonus factor: each tea bag is individually wrapped, making this tea an ideal grab-and-go for work or travel. (Also, your cupboard won't take on the scent of the tea.)

These toasted (not fried!) pita chips with cranberries and pumpkin seeds are sweet, with the dried cranberries providing a nice contrast in texture to the supercrunchy chips. The pumpkin seeds add a nice texture as well, but make no mistake, these are not pumpkin-flavored. They are, however, quite addictive.

The whole-wheat pita crisps are thick enough to hold up to a hearty cheese platter, and their sweet flavor would make a nice contrast to savory cheeses. (In fact, the word "crisps" in this product name seems misleading, since they are quite hearty, thickness-wise.) Savory soups would also benefit from having these toasted pitas as a topping. The one drawback to this new product? The bag is on the smaller side, and it felt like there were surprisingly few chips within.

As the holidays get closer and the Winter months loom, meatballs, stews, and hearty sauces become craveable. Enter TJ's all-natural ground chicken as a quick kitchen staple with a mild flavor that won't overpower your favorite recipes.

Anytime I see a new granola with almonds and lots of hearty clusters, I'm in. I love a slightly sweet snack in the afternoon, and the larger clusters make it easy to eat like a trail mix, right out of the bowl.

This new TJ's granola is super crunchy, with a pleasant but not overpowering sweetness. Vanilla notes mix well with the almond butter, and lots of whole almonds throughout the clusters make the granola a convenient snack or hearty breakfast.

This brightly colored, cold-pressed pumpkin juice is as perfect a Fall juice as it gets, and for juice devotees, its flavor will be familiar thanks to carrot, celery, orange juice, and ginger.

The addition of pumpkin to this juice makes it a bit thicker, however the flavor is earthy, not at all sweet. If you love veggie smoothies, it's delicious on its own. Freezing the juice into ice-cube-sized portions for use in smoothies would also be a great use of this seasonal drink!

While the mild flavor of this Italian Bigonda and infusion of herbs make for a lovely taste, the texture was a little disappointing; it was on the rubbery side.

For that reason, this cheese would likely be great in a grilled-cheese sandwich but probably wouldn't make the cut for a cheese board or to be enjoyed on its own.

Reheating frozen fish? I'll admit it, I was a skeptic at first, but keep an open mind when it comes to this new Indian fish curry. It's delicious, and the fish itself is very, very mild (in taste and, as importantly, smell). I loved the fact that this inexpensive, yummy, and nutritious meal was ready in minutes.

When you first open the box of this Korma Fish Curry, the meal may seem a bit underwhelming, but the sauce you see on the left is anything but coconut milk, tomatoes, cashews, and spices (including turmeric and paprika) create a creamy, mildly spicy dish that's really satisfying.

This meal includes lots of extra sauce to both coat the fish and soak into the rice, another pleasant surprise. Combine it with a salad and you have the makings of a really solid lunch or dinner. (Note: if there is one drawback to this new product, it could be the type of fish that's used — it's swai, which is a river fish from Southeast Asia. Some sources say that farming practices of swai include harmful chemicals, and, if you're striving to eat more locally sourced foods, this won't suit.)

This pumpkin-based seasonal dressing is sweet-smelling at first, as would be expected! Pumpkin puree is mixed with traditional vinaigrette ingredients — oil and vinegar — to a pleasingly sweet and savory result. Due to the addition of the pumpkin, the dressing is thicker than some vinaigrettes; a little goes a long way.

Because of its flavorful quality and hearty texture, TJ's Pumpkin Vinaigrette would pair well with heartier greens like kale or even served as a dipping sauce for greens or other veggies.

This pumpkin-pie-flavored spread is a combination of pumpkin puree, pumpkin, milk powders, pumpkin pie spices, some fillers, and crumbled Trader Joe's cookies. I approached this new product with a bit of cynicism about the pumpkin craze, and this time my instincts were right . . .

At first glance, the spread looks a bit like peanut butter. But smelling it, it was already like the movie version of what a pumpkin spread should be: larger than life, in this case not a good thing. The spread includes pumpkin puree, pumpkin flavor, and pumpkin powder, making for an overwrought pumpkin flavor that missed the mark. And while crumbled cookies are one of my all-time-favorite toppings, in this case they add extra sweetness for a base that is already very sweet.

I added some plain yogurt to the spread, as doing so with other sweet spreads often is enough to balance the flavors. This time, however, it still missed the mark for me. I am a big fan of many of TJ's other spreads and have no doubt that future ones will be rave-worthy as well, but the Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookie Butter is not one that I would recommend.

I so wanted to like this Root Vegetable Galette just in time for the holiday season to swing into full gear. I love a galette, a rustic sort of pie with the crust just folded over the edges, for its pretty appearance, its indulgence, and the rich flavors. Serving them during the holidays feels extra cozy and a ready-made one held the convenience appeal during this busy time of year.

While the top crust on this galette was tasty and perfectly buttery and crunchy, the filling was a disappointment. Mushy vegetable filling combined with too-soft carrots was not only unpalatable from a textural perspective, but the taste was overly herby/salty with little actual vegetable flavors coming through.