Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Brew: I was super excited to finally get a chance to try this seasonal item, which our cashier informed us was an item people protest about once it leaves the shelves. It comes in a really handy and reusable glass soda bottle and is well sized for a small gathering. Wanting to impress my Taiwanese family, who knows a thing or two about ginger, I brought this out during a dinner and poured everyone a cup. My aunt said it tasted like Spirte with a tiny bit of ginger aftertaste, but I disagree – o... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional drinks gingerbeer traderjoes triple ginger brew 4.5
Trader Joe's Turkey Stuffing and Seasoned Kettle Chips: After moving, Berkeley Bowl has become the only grocery store I go to, but when I went home, I was brought to Trader Joe's and remembered all its special seasoning items. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I purchased a bag of Thanksgiving-flavored potato chips, which are the most memorably flavored chip I've had in recent memory. The texture of the chip is solid, but the gravy-flavored seasoning is really what makes these chips stand out. It's robust and concentrated, yet still easy to... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional potatochips traderjoes turkey stuffing seasoned kettle chips 4.5
Trader Joe's Mesquite smoked seasoned almonds: I don't typically snack on nuts but they're just about the only snack that my dad eats. On my last visit home, my mom purchased these seasoned almonds from Trader Joe's, and I found them to be surprisingly tasty. They feature a prominent smoky flavor that's more like a campfire than sweet barbecue chips – and I mean that in a positive way. While I would never purchase this snack myself given the overwhelming size of the bag, this would be a great snack for sharing. 3.5/5.0
recommended nuts traderjoes mesquite smoked seasoned almonds 3.5
Trader Joe's Salted Caramel Coconut Cookies: Smaller and less rich than Samoas, these chewy coconut cookies can be purchased outside of Girls Scout Cookie season. The salted caramel contributes to the texture but it not seasoned as much as I would expect for a salted caramel. Slightly larger than a quarter, they are snackable and good for portion control. 3.5/5.0
recommended traderjoes salted caramel coconut cookies 3.5
味自慢 木于卜饅頭: I treated myself to this unusual snack from the Japanese supermarket Tokyo Fish Market without knowing anything about what it was. Guided by just a few words of English, I understand that it's a wheat cake filled with a red bean paste dyed white and yellow and topped with black sesame seeds. Each cookie is generously sized, but at 235 calories each, you would hope so. The snack overall eats a tad dry and is best accompanied by milk (I imagine it would pair well with tea too). It's intere... (read more) 3.0/5.0
tokyofishmarket japanese redbean cake 木于卜饅頭 3.0
宮木製菓 Assorted rice crackers: Purchased from Tokyo Fish Market, this mix of glazed rice crackers and peanuts is very yummy, with a balanced savory sweet combination (but mostly sweet). My favorite is topped with a nori coating. It's like an Asian version of popcorn mix, but significantly better. 4.0/5.0
recommended japanese asian peanuts tokyofishmarket assorted rice crackers 4.0