The 14 BEST Trader Joe’s Items You Won’t Find Anywhere Else
The best of Trader Joe’s all in one place.
We love Trader Joe’s for their happy tropical shirt-wearing employees, the values down every aisle, and some of the most innovative, hard-to-find, and great tasting foods you simply can’t find at other grocers.
Today we’re sharing the top 14 best finds you’ll be glad you scooped up on your next shopping trip!
1. This cauliflower gnocchi is the easiest recipe to whip up for dinner.
Stop what you’re doing and go buy this cauliflower gnocchi! Not only are they ridiculously easy to whip up in a pan, but with everyone searching for healthier alternatives and obsessing over everything cauliflower, this bag of goodness is a must-try! Your only regret will be that you didn’t grab more bags.
“Of all the things Trader Joe’s sells this is by far my favorite thing ever! I always make sure to grab a few bags so I have an easy and healthy dinner on hand at all times.” – Brooke
2. Score a bouquet of flowers at Trader Joe’s starting at just $3.99!
Love sprucing up your home with fresh flowers? We love the seasonal floral arrangements that Trader Joe’s offers year-round (right now they have gorgeous bunches of peonies for $7.99 – my favorite!).
With tons of other beautiful bouquets starting at just $3.99, there are flowers perfect for any occasion. If you’re having a big party (or even a wedding), they accept large flower orders upon request! Just note that oftentimes you won’t get to choose the color of the flowers.
“Trader Joe’s flowers are beautiful and priced great. When my son got married last year they over-ordered roses so they would have a bunch for the wedding rehearsal dinner. I had about a dozen white roses in the middle of all the tables, and we put different colored roses on the tables where the parents and bride and groom sat.
The entire place was gorgeous and I didn’t spend a fortune like I would have if I had gone to a florist. It was really amazing!” – Kathy
3. Your spice cabinet will be complete with Everything But the Bagel seasoning.
This versatile blend of sea salt, garlic, sesame, and onion can be used in a variety of ways such as sprinkling it on delicious avocado toast or using it for the best cream cheese appetizer. Plus, it’s super affordable at only $1.99 a jar!
It’s become so popular that Trader Joe’s even recently launched Everything But The Bagel Nut Duo – its super nutty and delicious counterpart.
Hip Tip: Want more ideas for this Trader Joe’s seasoning? Make these incredibly simple 2-ingredient air fryer bagels and sprinkle this seasoning on top for a delicious and easy breakfast or anytime treat!
4. All you need is a spoon to enjoy this Speculoos Cookie Butter.
If you haven’t tried Trader Joe’s cookie butter, you haven’t been living! The first time I actually went to Trader Joe’s was to try this popular treat, and I may or may not have finished the whole thing in a few days! 😂
These delicious cookie spreads are so good. You could just grab a spoon and eat it alone.
If you’re a fan of frozen desserts, Trader Joe’s even has this flavor available in ice cream form as well!
5. Get a restaurant-quality dinner on the table with Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken.
Recently, Trader Joe’s fans voted Mandarin orange chicken as their favorite overall item to purchase at Trader Joe’s; that’s enough of a reason to add a few bags to your cart the next time you head to the store!
“Orange Chicken is a weekly staple in our house! My boys can’t wait till it’s Orange Chicken night every week. I pair it with Trader Joe’s Jasmine rice and it’s amazing and so easy to make!” – Heather
6. Shop for all the best seasonal items at Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s should be your go-to stop for all the seasonal essentials throughout the year. From watermelon fruit spread & purple yam ice cream in the summertime to a pumpkin explosion of products in the fall, there’s an endless array of fun and delicious options for everyone.
Hip Tip: If you’re curious about what Trader Joe’s offers all year long and what we’re currently obsessing over, make sure to follow our Trader Joe’s page so you can stay up to date on all the delicious news.
7. Take peanut butter and jelly to the next level with these kid-friendly snack bars.
Spice up the kid’s snack time with these unique peanut butter and strawberry jam bars. They’re always in stock and such a fun and easy snack to take with you anywhere!
8. Make the best & easiest pesto recipes with this Vegan Kale, Cashew, & Basil Pesto.
Trader Joe’s vegan kale, cashew, & basil pesto is an impressively versatile condiment that can be tossed with pasta or chicken, spread on a wrap or sandwich, or enjoyed as a dip on veggies or crackers. This is a fresh staple item that makes adding flavor to any dish extremely simple!
9. Whipped Coconut Body Butter will make your skin silky smooth.
Trader Joe’s is so much more than just food products. Their body butter is rich and ultra-soothing. I love that after applying it on my skin, there’s no oily residue left behind. It’s great to keep on hand year-round to keep skin feeling silky soft all day!
In the fall, make sure to scoop up some of their popular Pumpkin Body Butter, which is only available seasonally.
“I’m like a kid in the store at Trader Joe’s. I love their beauty products, especially their body butter which I have been using for years.” – Mary
10. Grab a jar of this fig fruit butter to make some seriously delicious recipes.
Trader Joe’s has reinvented this simply condiment with unique recipe ideas like Buffalo Fig Burgers, Fig Butter Cream Cheese Bagels, and Fancy Figgy Glazed Chicken. Need we say anymore?
Hip Tip: This butter spread will pair perfectly with a charcuterie board.
11. Take home a few of these dark chocolate bars for the ultimate treat.
These Trader’s Joe’s dark chocolate bars are irresistibly good and come in unique, fun packaging. They’re so appealing, they’d even make a great gift!
Check out delicious flavors of caramel with black sea salt, toffee with walnuts and pecans, and coconut caramel — but find a good hiding spot in your house so you don’t have to share them! 😉
12. Stash some of these delicious chocolate peanut butter cups in the fridge.
A personal favorite of mine, these peanut butter cups are a tiny treat you won’t have any guilt over late at night. Trader Joe’s even offers a variety of flavors like milk chocolate, dark chocolate, minis, and even almond butter ones covered in dark chocolate. 🤤 Better yet, all of them taste even more decadent in the fridge.
13. Mini ice cream cones will satisfy every sweet tooth.
While we’re on the topic of sweets, you might as well try a box of these Hold the Cone ice creams. The perfect size for kids to enjoy a cold treat and perfect for you when you’re watching your sweets. Choose from traditional vanilla or chocolate, both dipped in a chocolate coating — you simply can’t go wrong!
“They’re perfect ice creams for kids! I love that I can give my 4-year-old a treat that won’t melt everywhere before he can eat it.” – Taryn
14. Don’t forget a couple of bottles of the best Trader Joe’s wine.
It wouldn’t be a Trader Joe’s line up unless we shared the tasty and inexpensive wine that they’re so well known for. While these may not be available at every location due to state liquor licenses, the wine at Trader Joe’s is a total steal!
They’re known for their “Two Buck Chuck” because it’s actually just $2.99 AND it’s pretty good for what you’re paying for.
If you like trying new wines, many come with recommendations from Trader’s Joe’s staff and if you end up not enjoying your pick, Trader Joe’s takes returns on anything you don’t love. What do you have to lose!
Did you grab a wine that you’re not crazy about? Here’s what one reader suggested:
“Bad wine makes the best sangria. Add some fruit, brandy, and housewives of NJ. Awesome night in.” – Daniela
My family loves their hot sauces! They have a jalapeño sauce that’s creamy. It’s got a bite to it but is luxurious too. Their ghost pepper bbq sauce is perfect for a low cal option flavor is on point. And can’t forget their green Siracha style sauce. We absolutely love them all. My mom requests them when we visit.
Cowboy Bark is our fav too! 🤤
Chili Lime seasoning!
Is this like Tajin- for fruits?
Yes. We use it in fruits, veg and meat.
Chili Onion Crunch! OBSESSED!!!
Is the mandarin chicken spicey? I mean even the slightest bit? I’m the spice detector. Spice really bothers my kids and I.
No, not spicy at all!
I would say it does have a slight kick to it. My hubby disagrees lol.
not spicy at all. no kick..
Aldi has been selling everything but the bagel seasoning too!
Thanks for the reminder! We’ve seen it there too!
Ikr…Trader joe’s and Aldi are sister stores..one comes with the price tag the other doesn’t
Also Aldi used to sell the PB cups and they were to die for! I hope they return!
YUM! We’ll have to keep an eye out!
Too bad they discontinued their most awesome refrigerated ready made HOLLANDAISE SAUCE. It was so good on their skin roasted frozen potatoes and on Benedict’s too. I do not forgive them! Sad – if you did not get to enjoy it. Mom would drive 35m to get it. Just for that.
The mandarin chicken is not spicy whatsoever.
I love their other seasonings like 21-spice salute and Everyday seasoning. We use them on everything. Also, they have great wines for under $7 like Chariot! I don’t like 2-buck chuck but to each their own😊
Some other items that I ahead but when I go are the corn puffs, corn chips, cinnamon square cereal, organic hummus, chocolate hummus, stuffed shells frozen meals, pop tarts, naan bread, split pea soup and a variety of their cheeses!!
Oh and their turkey corn dogs!!!
Always buy**
Thanks for sharing your list with us, Rose!
Trader Joe’s is about an hour away from our house so we always go there when we are in the area. Occasionally we just go when we have some down time. We keep a list of things that we have to buy every time we go. My mom always liked their Colombian coffee. I have a close friend who always wants me to pick up some shampoo and conditioner for her. One of our sons loads several jars of cookie butter into the shopping cart.I like the dehydrated coconut. I still to this day look for the dark chocolate covered caramel it was discontinued quite a while ago and I just want to cry every time we go. Like a bag of chocolate covered caramel balls they were AMAZING and I always picked up like ten bags every time we went.
Love the mini cones and the mandarin chicken. Other favorites are the frozen potato pancakes, the small everything crackers and the chicken fried rice
The Mandarin chicken sounds amazing! If served with jasmine rice and broccoli would one bag be enough for a family of 4?
As long as the kids are small
Ha! Hungry teenage boys over 6 ft tall. Maybe 1.5 bags. I hear aldis has a similar item under the Asian fusion name. Supposed to be just as good!
Probably not. My 9 year old daughter and I can just about finish off 1 bag by ourselves. And we are petite. But she really loves the orange chicken, more than even Panda or Pei Wei, and she barely touches the rice or veggies I make on the side.
Omg the cookie butter is completely YUM!!! I can only buy it once in a while and only one jar at a time because I will eat it up in days. (Not the best thing for the hips) i love it on waffles and pancakes! I do love the orange chicken but recently found orange chicken at the 99cent store. Its 3.99 but its a bigger bag than trader joes…and I feel tastes better.
Love TJ, my go to for groceries, but lately paying more attention to cholesterol and sugar, and their stuff can be off the charts with both, regardless of thought process that everything they sell is healthy. Especially their desserts 🍨 🤤
TJ used to carry bags of dried bean mix for bean soup, for less than a dollar- a great deal but no longer there. They told me it was discontinued b/c they were looking for a more reliable supplier. Keeping my fingers crossed on that one. Long, long ago they also used to have mint chocolate discs, used for baking Starlight Mint Surprise cookies, which were an early winner of the Pillsbury Cookoff competitions. Man, those cookies were good, but hard to make them now w/o a major ingredient (the discs) nowadays. Would love to locate another source for them now.
I really like White Zinfandel wine— the only one that tastes pretty close to lemonade to me. It’s been hard to find the smaller bottles of inexpensive WZ for some years, but recently TJ started to carry it in their Two Buck Chuck brand. Yay! It’s very good, and it’s beautiful in a wine glass, too. I hope they don’t discontinue that, too!
Thanks, H2S, for these informative posts!
I love the little ice cream cones! It’s a good way to fulfill my urge for ice cream, but not go crazy 🙂
Zhoug sauce and garlic spread-dip are excellent. Trader Joes also usually has the cheapest frozen fruit (except for Dollar Tree).
Two of our favorites are the Chicken Breast Medallions w/Coconut Red Curry Sauce & Thai Shrimp Gyoza…Yum
Do you know the price of the cauliflower gnocchi at Traders Joes compared to Aldi? It sounds delicious!
The Cailiflower Gnocchi was $2.69 at our TJ’s.
Trader Joe’s and Aldi’s are owned by two brothers. They are run as separate divisions. One owns TJ’s the other owns Aldi’s. You can read more here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2012/05/17/aldis-trader-joes-is-a-winner/#642b47fc220f
Flowers for 3.99 at Aldi, too. We prefer the wine at Aldi over TJ.
The coconut lotion is my favorite!
The orange chicken sauce isn’t a sauce. It’s more like juice.
I loved the mango waffles they had in May 2015. I loved the full size mango mochi ice cream that they used to have. I don’t like the mini mango mochi ice cream. I loved the cookie butter cheesecake bites they no longer carry.
I used to love the cheese enchiladas. They recently changed the recipe and packaging. It has less calories in it now. That’s the nicest thing I can say about it now.
There are more diced peppers on top. I can taste the corn tortillas now. It’s distracting. It also has a kick it didn’t have before. I won’t buy it again.
I love the freezer aisle. I regularly buy sweet potato gnocchi with butter and sage, jasmine rice, butter chicken with basmati rice, palak paneer, mango sticky rice spring rolls, brie and tomato tarte, bacon wrapped dates filled with goat cheese, and bacon wrapped scallops. I also buy crispy crunchy okra, strawberry lemonade, coconut aminos, chili spiced mango slices, and their version of spicy Cheetos.
I would also buy the cookie butter if I wasn’t on a diet. I would devour that in two days. I’ve lost 40.6 pounds since 10/21/19 without changing what I eat. I still have 71.4 pounds to go. I use MyFitnessPal and just eat less. I would have lost that much 6 weeks sooner, but I’ve been on three 7+ days vacations since I started this diet.
I buy at least half of those 10 items LOL, one of my favorite seasonal Trader Joe’s items are there key lime short bread cookies. They melt in your mouth,I store them in the refrigerator.
Have to agree about the jalapeño sauce it rocks.
They also have some of the best pricing on Lenny and Larry cookies at Trader Joe’s.
Anyone ever try the cauliflower gnocchi? If so, is it good? I love regular gnocchi.
Green Giant makes two types of cauliflower gnocchi – regular cauliflower and cauliflower/broccoli. They’re both really good, especially for someone like me who can’t eat potatoes. Jus tan option for people who don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby.
I like green giants cauliflower gnocchi also. Tried it one day on a whim an was impressed.
My top 3 items are chicken shu-mai, kung pao chicken and palak paneer. My 3 year old loves chicken shu mai. This are must in my every trip to TJ.
We don’t have a Trader Joe’s close to where I live and was wondering can you order online and have shipped?
Love their mango, raspberry cream bars, so goood! Love the naan, malabar paratha, orange chicken, dark chocolate pretzels and dark chocolate marshmallows, flavored yogurt, wheat english muffins, seasonings, dark chocolate, Tiramisu, chicken tikka and vegetable samosas,dark russet potato chips, olive oil popcorn etc
The Mandarin Chicken is great. I always have a bag in the freezer for quick meals. I like to add fresh carrots, green beans and/or broccoli to mine instead of rice.
In the frozen section they have roasted potatoes with grilled peppers and onions. I love to add some bacon or sausage and top with crumbled goat cheese and a cooked egg. I have used it for a quick brunch side.
Their seasonal Popcorn in a Pickle is a HUGE hit at my house. I try to stock up since it’s only around for the summer.
The 6 cheese Greek spiral is available year round. You peak of the top and bake it in the oven. It tastes AMAZING and no dishes to clean up. I love to have it with soup. It is also impressive at parties.
Their Bacon Cheddar dip will go quickly. We have even tried it as a spread on sliders. It was pretty good.
My go to list at TJ’s is Jalapeno Chicken Sausages (we love them!), chocolate covered orange sticks (kids are obsessed with these), haricort vert in the package (I love those skinny green beans:) the most amazing butter like cheese that is so stinky but omg amazing is the Le Delice de Bourgogne its the triple cream soft ripened cheese.
Last time I went I bought the watermelon fruit spread, to die for! (I love anything watermelon). My son sucked it down. I went back this morning to get more and there is NONE on the shelf, I asked when they will get more in and they tell me no more, it’s seasonal!! I am so bummed! I was gonna buy 10!! I mean the season has barely started!
We love, love. love their meatless Mandarin Chicken. It is great with their frozen fried rice.