The Best Trader Joe’s Groceries We’ve Tasted in Our Taste Tests

Trader Joe’s sells an incredible number of products, and new items constantly hit  the shelves. How are you even supposed to keep up?! That’s where we come in!

We scoured our Trader Joe’s reviews and rounded up all of our favorite Trader Joe’s groceries for the ultimate Trader Joe’s haul. Whether you’re looking for snacks or appetizers or frozen meals, these are the best things you’ll find at TJ’s, so you don’t waste your hard-earned cash on flashy items that are just so-so.  Save this page, grab a grocery cart, and get to shopping. You’ll love these products. We promise!

Best Beer

Simpler Times Lager

Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling was worried people were going to get on her case when she declared that a cheap-o canned lager is the best beer Trader Joe’s sells, but she’s a beer expert and you should trust her on this one. She liked that it “smelled fresh and malty,” adding that it’s “a perfect day-drinking beer and it tastes way better than PBR or Bud Light.” And did we mention it’s cheap?

Related: Best Trader Joe’s Beer: We Ranked All the Beer at Trader Joe’s

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Pantry Staple

Traditional Style Fat Free Refried Beans

I know most people aren’t looking for a Trader Joe’s review of something basic like refried beans. They aren’t flashy like everything bagel smoked salmon pizza rolls or whatever. That being said, managing editor Gwynedd Stuart loved these refried beans because they have “the most bean flavor of any can we cracked.” Plus, they’re really smooth and creamy. These are perfect for a quick and delicious meal at home any day of the week.

Related: Bust Out the Beano: These Are the 5 Best Canned Refried Beans

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Dip

Trader Joe’s Buffalo Style Chicken Dip

Good job, Trader Joe’s! This is an exceptional product. What I love about this buffalo chicken dip is that it tastes like buffalo chicken dip mixed with ranch. It gives you the whole experience of enjoying a buffalo wing. Plus, the tub is big and very affordable. I would absolutely put this out at a party or enjoy it with crackers for a quick lunch. I slathered this on a tortilla with lettuce, cucumber, and red onion, and it was incredible.

Related: Best Buffalo Chicken Dip: Don’t Be a Chicken, Try These Buff Chix Dips!

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Appetizer

Parmesan Pastry Pups

Gwynedd tried all the Trader Joe’s appetizers she could get her hands on and determined that these Parmesan Pastry Pups are the absolute best. “Besides having a cute name, Parmesan Pastry Pups are the best Trader Joe’s frozen appetizer you can buy if you want to make something that literally every omnivore wants to eat, and they’ll save you the effort it takes to wrap and bake dozens of cocktail franks.” What more could you want from an appetizer?

Related: Best Trader Joe’s Frozen Appetizers: 7 to Pick Up for Your Next Party

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Drink

Instant Boba Kit

One of my favorite Trader Joe’s groceries is the Instant Boba Kit. It’s almost as good as what you’ll get at a boba shop. The tapioca balls are so chewy. The tea is the perfect level of sweetness. You actually taste brown sugar and not just sugar. I also love that this kit is vegan and is totally customizable. You can use whatever kind of milk you prefer to make a delicious bubble tea for your dietary and taste preferences. Plus, this instant boba kit is cheap and easy to find. This is a huge win for you, Trader Joe’s!

Related: 4 Best Instant Boba Kits for Boba-Loving Homebodies

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Seasoning

Onion Salt

Trader Joe’s is known for their seasoning blends and we tried all of them. Well, Gwynedd tried all of them. And while onion salt may seem like a boring choice for a product on a roundup of the best Trader Joe’s groceries, “this onion salt has a lot more going on than onion and salt,” as Gwynedd put it. It has a “really excellent oniony, herbaceous flavor.” Gwynedd asserts that “this would be good on pretty much anything.”

Related: Best Trader Joe’s Seasonings: 7 That Should Be in Your Spice Rack

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Frozen Food

Organic Roasted Vegetable Pizza

This is one of the most delicious things I’ve had from Trader Joe’s. I thought it would be so mediocre, but it was great! The sauce, cheese, and crust have incredible flavor. Most importantly, the vegetables on this vegetable pizza are actually good (which is rare for a veggie pizza). Gwynedd agrees that this is “an excellent pie and the best frozen veggie pizza we tasted.” A best Trader Joe’s grocery haul would not be complete without one of these pizzas.

Related: We Found the Best Frozen Veggie Pizza

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Vegan

Dairy Free Shredded Parmesan Cheese Alternative

This vegan cheese was one of the best vegan products we had in 2022. Justine “ate a handful of this shredded ‘parmesan’ thinking [she would] be disappointed” Instead, “it was downright delicious.” We all agreed that, while it’s “not quite as pungent as dairy parmesan,” the “shreds are packed with umami and have a nice creamy finish.” It has a wonderful nutty flavor, just like classic parm! Even if you don’t typically like plant-based products, give this cheese a try. It’s one of the best Trader Joe’s groceries you can buy.

Related: Best Vegan Shredded Cheese: 5 Vegan Cheese Shreds Even Dairy Eaters Will Like

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Salad Kit

Lemony Arugula Basil Salad Kit

Once in a while, we taste something so good that it becomes a permanent fixture on our personal shopping lists. This Trader Joe’s salad kit is that good. Why? According to Justine, “The dressing is very bright and zingy. The almonds are small so they cling to the lettuce, creating a lovely crunch. The carrots are shaved so it’s all the same consistency. It’s simple but perfect.” You can’t do much better than perfection.

Related: 10 Trader Joe’s Salad Kits, Ranked from Substandard to Stupendous Salad

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

10/10

Sporks