Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoned Kettle-Cooked Potato Chips: I like potato chips, and I like everything seasoning. But these chips were far too garlicky, and it misses a lot of the nuance of good everything seasoning. The poppy seeds, for example, have a hard time sticking to the potato chips, so they mostly end up at the bottom of the bag, and there isn't any discernible sesame flavor. Texture-wise, the kettle chips are totally solid. But I wouldn't get them again because of how alarmingly strong the garlic is. 2.0/5.0
chips traderjoes everything but bagel seasoned kettle-cooked potato 2.0
Trader Joe’s Watermelon Jerky: These compressed and dehydrated watermelon jerky strips are disorienting - they have a chewy texture reminiscent of Fruit Roll Up, yet maintain the fibrous quality of fresh watermelon as it lingers on your tongue. It instantly gets stuck in your teeth. But it does have a remarkable watermelon flavor - sweet and a little bit tangy. I enjoyed it but am not sure I’d purchase it again. The bag is single serving, but it’s sweet enough to want to spread across a few. 3.0/5.0
organic traderjoes watermelon jerky 3.0 fruit
Trader Joe’s Spicy mango lemonade: I wasn’t quite expecting this spicy mango lemonade to be as spicy as it is, thinking it would be more fruity with a small chili-spiked aftertaste, but this is definitely not a drink to gulp down as you might normally with a thirst-quenching glass of lemonade. The heat is pretty upfront, stemming from a mix of jalapeño and cayenne, but if you like spicy drinks, I can see how this can be a refreshing take. You can definitely taste the mango too. Kudos to Trader Joe’s for not diluting the ta... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks traderjoes spicy mango lemonade 3.0
Trader Joe's Chocolate & Peanut Butter Joe Joe's Sandwich Cookies: I'm not sure if there's anything more American than these single-cookie serving size sandwich cookies from Trader Joe's, with alternating peanut butter and chocolate layers (essentially an Oreo with peanut butter filling, covered in a peanut butter frosting-like exterior drizzled with more chocolate). On a hot day, the waxy outer coating can melt quickly in your hand. It tastes a bit like a better quality Reese's cup, but with a cookie base (the quality of the chocolate, in particular, is ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
cookies tjs traderjoes chocolate peanut butter joe joe's sandwich 3.0
Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spiced Ginger Brew: While a seasonal pumpkin pie TJ's item is understandably out of place in the middle of Spring, I was lucky to get to try this item many months after it was on the shelves because a friend saved it for when I returned to the states. Being outside of the US last fall meant I missed the hit-or-miss frenzy of pumpkin flavored things at Trader Joe's. This bottle of pumpkin-pie spiced ginger brew looks substantial but actually only contains two servings and contains no actual pumpkin; instead, i... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks traderjoes pumpkin pie spiced ginger brew 3.5
Trader Joe's Oven-Baked Cheese Bites: This small 2-serving packet of imported Italian cheese bites consists of baked rounds of "aged cheese" (not specifically identified in the ingredients list) as well as grana padano cheese. That's pretty much it - the ingredient list is literally two items. The bites are crispy, but because of the high fat content, they dissolve in your mouth quickly, leaving a bit of an oily aftertaste. The cheese is tangy and a little funky, definitely not your typical cheddar snack. I didn't really car... (read more) 2.0/5.0
traderjoes oven-baked cheese bites 2.0