I will never feel like I’ve tried everything at Trader Joe’s. I follow so many fan accounts and still don’t feel like I know all their new arrivals. Since we can’t creep on each other’s grocery cart, what better way to let you virtually snoop than literally tell you? I did one monthly Trader Joe’s run and decided to try a few new things and rate them. If you want to see anything else I love and buy from Trader Joe’s as a single woman, check out this post!
EBTB Potato Chips
I have literally taken little shots of EBTB seasoning straight up so to say I am hardcore about this seasoning is an understatement. (You can see my favorite EBTB snacks here!) These potato chips were opened the moment I got home and were mostly gone thanks to the 25 minute drive home I stress ate on.
My biggest complaint is they will be gone within one meal so might as well buy two bags. Oh and they have a lot of pepper in them. I LOVE pepper so it was a welcome addition but it may not be for everyone. They are the classic light and airy potato chips (no ridges, no frills) from TJ’s with a peppery EBTB seasoning.
Rating: 8/10 – I know this is not an original complaint but TJ’s chips feel like there are 15 and that’s all in the bag. I don’t LOVE the texture of TJ’s kettle-cooked chips but I love EBTB more so I’ll look past it.
Vegan Caesar Dressing
I was skeptical when I heard a lot of people praising this dressing. I was skeptical about it until I tried it and now I am eating salads just for the dressing. Big bowls of salad. A mixing bowl of salad thanks to this dressing. Like, I did a grocery pick-up during a snow-storm in Chicago for more lettuce because I wanted this dressing. Top it with the new plantain croutons, some parmesan cheese and you will thank you.
Rating: 7.5/10 – This is less ceasar than I was expecting but I am not mad about it. It’s a lovely dressing that is helping me eat salad but it’s not as life-changing as everyone I’ve seen say. Perhaps they were just adding more, but I try to stay on the lighter-dressing side of life.
Garlic and Salt Plantain Croutons
These are the PEFECT non-bread, non-chickpea crouton! I throw them into big salads and they are a delight. They don’t really have their own taste other than a hint of garlic, which is great because they take on the flavor of whatever they are in. If you are gluten free or trying to go lower-ish carb these are really nice to the disappointing alternatives.
Oh and I was so excited about these I ripped open the package before I photographed them. Reason #687109 while I’ll never be a big blogger, I want my food and I want it now, photos be damned.
Rating: 8.5/10 – I still want real croutons but I have to admit I was tricked into forgetting I wasn’t eating them when I added these to bagged salads. If you truly just want some crunch and something that adds a hint of garlic and salt, pick these up!
Mandarin Orange Chicken
I genuinely do not like most take-out Chinese and can’t digest soy sauce. I grabbed this chicken one time and it’s now a go-to for when I want an easy Friday night dinner. Pair it with their Japanese style fried rice (I add an egg or two for protein) and binge watch something or blog while eating it.
Because there are two sauce packets I can easily half it and still have sauce for the rest unlike many other frozen meals. I like this so much I have also just eaten the chicken without any sauce. It’s so good no matter how you make it!
Rating: 10/10 – What can I say? Your girl loves a good frozen-meal that tastes better than ordering DoorDash and she can save half the bag WITH sauce for the next time I have an orange chicken craving.
Sriracha and Roasted Garlic BBQ Sauce
As most people from the Midwest are, I am proudly picky about my BBQ, in both meat and sauce. I used to not even consider anything other than KC-style BBQ sauce. Vinegar-based sauce (used to )not need apply here. Now I am slightly more open to BBQ sauce options, much to the chagrin of my Kansas-readers I’m sure. (It is HARD to find good BBQ here in Chicago!)
Anyway, this is tangy, like almost a Hawaiian BBQ meets spicy meets sunshine and lies in a bed of garlic. It just tastes happy to me? Is that even possible? In any case, I made multiple things PURELY with the intention of getting to eat this sauce and some spicy pickles.
Rating: 8.5/10 – Brisket! Pulled pork! Bugers! BBQ chicken salads! All the things this should go on. I ended up making my favorite pulled pork to eat literally allllll week with this sauce!
I wouldn’t be Alissa if I didn’t end this by reminding you that you are worthy of making yourself a meal whether you are in a relationship or not. It may not be as “fun” but you are WORTH it. Sometimes it’s cold food for me or a hodge-podge of things and other times I make a multiple-course meal. Just remember that your life is never not now, so make yourself the nice meal you want.
T
THE CHIPS AHHHHHH im deflee getting two bags friday morning when i hrt off work
Meg @ Closet Fashionista
I miss TJs so much!! I haven’t been since the end of Feb last year because it’s always too crowded and my husband doesn’t want me to risk going in there *sigh* Going to have a FIELD DAY once I’m vaccinated and can go back in! ALL THE THINGS! (I should probably start saving up from our grocery budget leftovers now so I can go wild, haha)
Aly
I want my food and I want it now is my life motto! I liked the EBTB chips, but didn’t think they tasted like the seasoning. I am also obsessed with all things TJ’s and follow lots of IG accounts about them.
Lauren E.
Pro-tip on the orange chicken: put your chicken on one tray in the oven, and on another, put a bag of frozen green beans or broccoli. Sauce it all together — an easy way to get a veg in (and still taste mostly delicious orange chicken sauce)!