I am not a Trader Joe’s devotee. I am a fan of their guacamole kits. I love their dried fruit selection. I’m a big supporter of their marinated meats. But I can’t rattle off their top frozen appetizers and have no allegiance to Scandinavian Swimmers or any other signature snack. And that’s why I’m the perfect person to test out new TJ’s products, like their Organic Vegan Nacho Dip.
TJ’s fans have speculated this is a replacement for the once celebrated Cashew Fiesta Dip, but I am here to judge this dip without any preconceived notions. I am simply here to warm up some vegan goo, dip a chip into it, and tell you what I think. So let’s proceed.
Queso (actual cheese-based queso) should be creamy, smooth, thick, and savory. This vegan imitation does a great job of checking off those boxes. It’s not grainy at all with a mild, salty flavor. It doesn’t give off any obvious, telltale signs that it’s made with coconut and cashews, but it does have a slightly plastically aftertaste. But so does Velveeta. I wasn’t amazed by this dip, but I do think if you mixed some salsa into it or poured it into a breakfast burrito or onto some nachos, you would be very, very satisfied.
Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients.
Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it.
What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now).
Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test!
Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Justine Sterling
Jordan Myrick
Jessica Block
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!