10 Items Or Less: This Is Our Must-Have Trader Joe’s Haul

Some things are just better from a specific store. Like Costco’s pastries or Sam’s ready-to-heat meals. Everyone has some must haves from different stores. And Trader Joe’s? Well, with their unique offerings and branded items, they are certainly a store with some unique and tasty must haves. 

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These aren’t things like your standard meat, bread, cheese, and dairy. Which yes, you can get those anywhere and there’s not a ton of difference (except Trader Joe’s alternative milks and creamers are actually so good―their brown sugar oat creamer is to die for). So if you can only fit 10 items in your grocery cart, what should you get from Trader Joe’s?

Fruit Leather

You can get fruit leather (or things that are fruit leather adjacent) at any store, sure. But Trader Joe’s? They’re just made different. They’re the right balance of sweet, chewy, and fruity. They feel homemade and not mass produced like certain fruit leather sheets that are paper thin. This is like fruit jerky. It’s substantial to bite into. They have a ton of flavors and you can get them in single packs for less than a dollar to mix and match and get the perfect blend of snacking flavors. Whether you’ve got kids or you just want a snack that travels well, the fruit leather is a must to keep on hand. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

All of them. They have several. Really any of their chocolate covered candies, but especially their peanut butter cups. Both the milk chocolate and dark chocolate are a beautiful blend of rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter. I had pretty neutral opinion on Reese’s peanut butter cups, but Trader Joe’s cups? Addicted. They do not last in the house. If you get some, I highly recommend you hide them and hoard them for yourself. When you try them, you’ll totally get what I mean. 

Dumplings

Now, you can get dumplings in any frozen aisle, I know. But trust me, the extra trip to Trader Joe’s for their dumplings will be so worth it. They have a huge variety of types from different cultures and I’ve yet to have a bad one. I always keep some on hand for a quick snack or lunch. Picky kids? They may just love these. Especially the soup dumplings. Who doesn’t like biting into something and having it burst in your mouth? (Gushers are popular for a reason). It’s a good way to expand your kids palette without scaring them off trying new things. 

Covered Pretzels

Yes, I like sweets, what gave it away? But their covered pretzels are a perfect balance of sweet and salty. And they come in so many types, that no matter what mood you’re in, you can have a treat. They’re got fruity yogurt and rich chocolate options. All are good, but the strawberry ones are particularly good. Fruity, creamy, and salty make for a perfect treat. 

Gummies

It would be a total miss to not mention the Scandinavian Swimmers in a Trader Joe’s must have list. These gummies may rival Haribo and Albanese. They’ve got both standard and sour gummies so everyone can have something. And they’re just good. Some gummies can feel… well too gummy from the gelatin used to set it. Or they can be a little too hard, defeating the purpose of a gummy. These are soft and squishy and just the right amount of fruit flavor without tasting too artificial. 

Ravioli

See, we’ve got some savory. The whole list isn’t going to be sweets and snacks. Meal planning can be a hassle and not everyone has time to make homemade pasta. Well, Trader Joe’s has the perfect option for you. Their selection of fresh pasta ravioli and tortellini make excellent, delicious, and easy dinners. They have so many flavors and they’re not just your standard cheese ravioli. (I got their goat cheese and caramelized onion and I’m about to buyout the store to have some on hand always.) A product that has variety, sells for a good price, and takes the work out of both meal planning and involved cooking? I’m so there. The raviolis are good and a definite must buy. I’ve tried a lot of different fresh raviolis and the only other brand that I’ve liked as much is Aldi.

Muffins

I tried to pick a best muffin, but man. It’s hard. They’re all so good. I will put forward a front runner and that is the cinnamon coffee cake ones. And that’s partially because they are so good and they’re gluten-free. While I’m not GF, I have family that is so being able to tell them that there’s a super moist and delicious muffin that they can also eat is really satisfying. Very close to that one is also the double chocolate muffin and that’s probably an obvious choice by this point. Of course I’d pick the chocolate one. But they’re all good. They’re soft and pillowy and just so packed with flavor. They make for great on-the-go breakfasts or just a little mid-afternoon snack. 

Sparkling Water

Now, I’m not the biggest fan of sparkling water. Sometimes it’s just fizzy and no flavor and that’s just a sensory nightmare. So, if I’m picking the sparkling water, then it’s gotta be good. They offer a variety of flavors and they come in cases or single cans. If you want to try a new flavor but don’t want to commit to a whole pack? They got you. I particularly like the raspberry lime. But they’re all good. They actually provide flavor with the fizz so it’s not just drinking flavorless static. 

Dried Fruit

This does sort of go along with the fruit leather, but dried fruit only has the sugar found naturally in the fruit itself whereas the fruit leather has some extra added. This is a good snack or treat for those who need to be careful about refined sugar or if you just want something sweet but healthy. They have a variety of fruits that have been dried and they’re all really good. A personal favorite right now because of the weather? Dried mango with a little lime juice and Tajín. Just trust me. It’s a delightful little snack. 

Popcorn

Trader Joe’s has a big variety of pre-popped popcorn. They’re all pretty good. I want to spotlight their movie theater specifically because it lives up to its name very well. What else can beat some movie theater popcorn other than getting to enjoy it at home for easily half the price? Uh, I think not much. Now the other flavors are good, too. I love a good sweet popcorn. Again, sweet and salty? Best combo ever. Popcorn is a great snack and Trader Joe’s offers great taste and value.

Now these are just some of the great things you can get at Trader Joe’s. Really, the whole store is a must. Narrowing it to just 10 items was tough. If anything, we recommend getting a bigger shopping cart.