Sometimes you want to bake a whole chocolate cake, and other times you want your own individual cake immediately. Enter Trader Joe's Chocolate Salted Caramel Mug Mix, a microwaveable cake mix that only requires water. The box has enough to make two single-serve mug cakes, but who's counting?
1Gelato ($4)
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Trader Joe's is clearly channeling a certain brand with its new gelato, but hey, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Whether you're more of a Caramel Cookie Crunch kind of person or a lifelong Pistachio fan, you can't go wrong with this delicious and affordable gelato.
A thing I've never seen in jar form until now: carrot cake. A thing that is surprisingly good: Trader Joe's Carrot Cake Spread. It's really sweet and a little weird, sure, but if you're a huge fan of carrot cake, spread this on toast and crackers, or dollop it on vanilla ice cream. It's made with real carrot pieces, crushed pineapple, raisins, orange peel, and warm spices.
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4Organic Yellow Lentil and Brown Rice Spaghetti ($3)
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The Organic Yellow Lentil and Brown Rice Spaghetti has only three ingredients: organic yellow lentil flour, organic brown rice flour, and water. Oh, and it has 14 grams of protein per serving! Fans of low-carb pastas from Trader Joe's are likely already familiar with the black bean and quinoa options, and this is yet another pantry staple to add to your cart. Toss it with homemade pesto, tofu bolognese, or olive oil and roasted veggies.
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5Instant Ramen Soup ($2)
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Calling all college students and actual adults who are still fans of instant ramen (hi, nice to meet you). Trader Joe's released its own version of instant ramen, available in chicken and miso flavors, and it's totally satisfying for a ready-in-five-minutes meal.
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6Birthday Cake Popcorn ($2)
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Popcorn is my all-time favorite snack, and I definitely only mean the savory kind. However, if you lose your sh*t over all things birthday cake flavored, this sugary popcorn will be your new obsession. The crunchy kernels have a vanilla glaze and plenty of colorful sprinkles, and this is a great last-minute snack to pick up on the way to a party.
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7Organic Hot Cocoa Frosted Toaster Pastries ($3)
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If you were team Chocolate Pop-Tart as a kid, you won't be able to resist these toaster pastries from Trader Joe's. They're super chocolaty, and thanks to the icing on top, they taste a lot like hot cocoa. Your taste buds will thank you if you, well, toast the toaster pastries.
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8Pepita Salsa ($3)
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This is a Fall take on salsa from Trader Joe's, and it's quite a versatile dip. Made with pureed red bell peppers and roasted pepitas, this chunky-ish salsa is not spicy and would be great with TJ's black bean tortilla chips or on top of a grain bowl for dinner.
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9Cold Brew Coffee Bags ($6)
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Wait, cold brew coffee bags? You'll feel like you're steeping a pot of tea as you let these coffee bags sit in a pitcher of cold water for eight to 12 hours. The bags are filled with Arabica medium-roast coffee, and two of them will yield seven eight-ounce cups of coffee. A pretty ingenious way to guarantee a cup of coffee ASAP before you head out the door.
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10Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese ($3)
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It's hard to top Trader Joe's Diner Mac & Cheese, but there's finally an option for gluten-free eaters. This new frozen-aisle addition is made with gluten-free fusilli (a mix of corn, rice, quinoa, and lentil flours) and a very cheesy blend of cheddar, swiss, havarti, and gouda. I'll admit this came out runnier than I prefer, so I'd recommend letting it sit for a couple minutes to thicken, but the flavor is there.
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11Chocolate Salted Caramel Mug Mix ($2)
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Sometimes you want to bake a whole chocolate cake, and other times you want your own individual cake immediately. Enter Trader Joe's Chocolate Salted Caramel Mug Mix, a microwaveable cake mix that only requires water. The box has enough to make two single-serve mug cakes, but who's counting?
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12Hot Cocoa Dunkers ($4)
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Hot-cocoa-flavored products are definitely having a moment this year, and we're all about it. These Hot Cocoa Dunkers are even better than TJ's Hot Cocoa Frosted Toaster Pastries. Kind of like biscotti, these thin and crunchy chocolate cookies have a chocolaty coating and tiny marshmallow pieces throughout. Yes, we will be dunking these in a mug of hot cocoa.
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13Vegan Banana Bread ($4)
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Vegans who don't love baking, rejoice. Trader Joe's Vegan Banana Bread has arrived, and it's everything your heart desires. It's both dense and moist, and the walnuts lend a nice crunch.
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14Cauliflower Gnocchi ($3)
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When I first heard about Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi, I was skeptical. Can the cauliflower trend really invade one of the most precious Italian cuisines? The verdict: it's better than I'd anticipated.
The gnocchi, a product of Italy, is made with cauliflower, cassava flour (which is gluten-free but not necessarily low-carb), potato starch, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt. When cooked properly on the stove — the crispy finish is key — it's actually reminiscent of classic, pillowy gnocchi. I kept it simple with butter and Parmesan cheese, but you could complete the meal with more vegetables and a heartier sauce.
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15Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce ($2)
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You might remember Trader Joe's carrying a green curry simmer sauce for years, but the company admits it was due for an upgrade. This new and improved Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce contains better ingredients and nixes the gums, soy, and wheat. This jarred sauce has a coconut-milk base, green curry paste with lemongrass and galangal, Thai lime peel, ginger, turmeric, basil, and more spices.
It's a solid option for a hearty dinner when you don't want to make a Thai sauce from scratch or pay for delivery, and all you have to do is sauté a protein and then simmer it with the sauce. One of my favorite ways to use it on weeknights is to cook diced chicken breasts or thighs in a skillet, add the Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce and spinach, and serve it over a bowl of brown rice.
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16Chipotle Toscano Cheese ($10/pound)
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Everyone knows that Trader Joe's kills it in the cheese department, so consider this yet another you need to try. You might already be familiar with TJ's Toscano Cheese soaked in Syrah, and this is the same cheese with a new coating: chipotle spices. The flavorful rub has chipotle peppers, crushed chili peppers, paprika, garlic, oregano, basil, and "natural smoke flavor." It's not spicy at all, but each smoky bite kind of reminds us of cheese and pepperoni — so good!
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17Organic Italian Artisan Pasta ($3)
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Trader Joe's new Organic Italian Artisan Pasta selection is truly outstanding, which says a lot coming from a pasta critic (me). The pastas are made with "organic durum wheat semolina sourced from farms in the Puglia region of Italy" (um, OK!), and the quality really shows. The pasta cooks to a perfectly al dente texture and tosses well with any Italian sauce. So far, the selection includes capunti (short and tubular), orecchiette ("little hats"), and gigli (or campanelle, which is bell shaped).
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18Organic Coconut Sesame Seed Clusters ($2)
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Coconut chips are having a moment, and these Organic Coconut Sesame Seed Clusters are some of the best I've tried. Six organic ingredients (dried coconut, coconut sugar, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, tapioca syrup, and Himalayan pink salt) combine to make little clusters that are equal parts crunchy, savory, and sweet. I'd eat these straight from the bag, but they'd also add fantastic texture to yogurt, vanilla ice cream, oatmeal, or an acai bowl.
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19Spud Crunchies ($2)
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Did anyone else dip potato chips in ketchup as a kid and call it "fries"? No, just me? If I had Trader Joe's Spud Crunchies at the time, my questionable snack would have been majorly upgraded. These potato snacks taste like french fries with as much crunchiness as a chip, and there are no fillers, either — they're just potatoes, canola oil, and salt. Thanks to the french-fry shape, these will save you a trip to the drive-through whenever the craving strikes.
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20Dark Chocolate Toasted Sesame Caramels ($3)
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These are not your average caramel-stuffed chocolates. Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Toasted Sesame Caramels have a bittersweet dark chocolate shell filled with caramel, sticky toffee, toasted sesame seeds, and biscuit pieces. Not cloyingly sweet like many chocolate truffles, these bite-size candies have a nutty and slightly savory flavor. If you love the way sesame rounds out sugary desserts, you won't be disappointed.
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21Whole Grain Norwegian Crispbread ($3)
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Norwegian crisp bread, otherwise known as knekkebrod, is a Scandinavian staple. Vikings used to bake the flat, cracker-like bread on hot stones, but now that humanity has some more tricks up its sleeve, you can simply pick it up at Trader Joe's. The Whole Grain Norwegian Crispbread won't be nearly as good as a homemade version, but it's definitely worth a try. Seedy and super crunchy, this gluten-free bread is great with cheese, hummus, and mashed avocado.
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22Zhoug Sauce ($3)
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This is Trader Joe's take on zhoug, a popular Middle Eastern condiment that originated in Yemen. Almost like a spicy pesto or chimichurri, this is a fragrant green sauce made with cilantro, jalapeños, chile flakes, garlic, cardamom, sea salt, and cumin seed. The spice level is moderate, and it'd be absolutely delicious spooned over meat, fish, tacos, hummus, and falafel.
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23Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie ($4)
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Oh, you have a craving for a hot and gooey chocolate chip cookie? The next time you're surrounded by nine people who have the same craving, grab this Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie that serves 10. You can bake it straight from the box for about 30 minutes, or pop it in the microwave if you don't want to bother with preheating. This monstrous frozen dessert is similar to a "pizookie" and would not be terrible with a big scoop of ice cream in the middle.
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24Mexican Style Corn & Quinoa Salad ($5)
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If you turn to Trader Joe's premade salads for lunch, you've likely exhausted all the options. Enter this new Mexican Style Corn & Quinoa Salad, which combines elote-inspired flavors with filling quinoa and brown rice. The colorful salad has tomatoes, kale, cabbage, fire-roasted corn, and a lime wedge, but the real star is the roasted poblano cilantro dressing.
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25Crunchy Cinnamon Squares Milk Chocolate Bar ($2)
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You could pay $12 for a trendy chocolate bar, or you could get this $2 Crunchy Cinnamon Squares Milk Chocolate Bar that tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. With tons of crunchy cinnamon square cereal bits folded into a rich milk-chocolate bar, it's an irresistible treat. This totally counts as breakfast, right?
