I’m a devoted shopper at H-E-B and Central Market, but when a Trader Joe’s was built in my area outside Austin in Texas Hill Country, it felt like the entire town was bursting with excitement.
I was skeptical the store would live up to the hype, but decided to compile a list of Trader Joe’s fan-favorite items, in addition to recommendations from friends, to try for myself and my family of four.
Although some items have turned me into a Trader Joe’s convert, others fared less favorably. From pretzel twists and ice cream sandwiches to sparkling wine, here’s how it went.
Trader Joe’s Jingle Jangle pretzel twists were a lovely holiday-themed treat.
A holiday-only find, Trader Joe’s Jingle Jangle pretzel twists are covered in peanut butter and topped with chocolates and cookie crumbles.
The pretzels were much bigger than I expected and tasted delicious. The peanut butter coating wasn’t as messy as I thought it might be, either. Although it wasn’t my favorite of the sweet treats I bought, I understand the hype and still think they’re worth it.
I’m not a huge snacker, but Trader Joe’s ridge-cut potato chips seasoned with horseradish and chives were amazing.
Potato chips aren’t usually my go-to snack, but I love a chip that’s got bite to it, and these are easily one of my top three favorite Trader Joe’s purchases.
I thought the horseradish might be overwhelming, but it was perfectly sharp, and the chips had an excellent crunch without tasting too starchy.
I really enjoyed Henry Hotspur’s Hard Pressed for Cider.
I’ve heard that Trader Joe’s alcohol section is especially good, so I was excited to try some drinks.
Henry Hotspur’s cider was a definite win, with a tart and crisp taste. It’s also not overly sweet or syrupy, like some other ciders I’ve tried.
Trader Joe’s Sublime ice cream sandwiches have already been added to my rebuy list.
I’ve also been told not to skip trying Trader Joe’s ice cream.
I was a little hesitant because I’ve been disappointed by soggy cookie ice cream sandwiches in the past, but these held up great, and the creamy vanilla ice cream was indeed sublime.
Trader Joe’s kimbap is now part of my kids’ school lunch rotation.
Trader Joe’s kimbap has gone viral on social media, and I can see why. The grocer’s version features a variety of greens, root vegetables, braised tofu, and pickles, all wrapped in rice and seaweed.
My kids loved this roll, and it’s been a new addition to their school meals.
On the other hand, I wasn’t a fan of the Almond Creek Vineyards almond-flavored sparkling wine.
My friend raved that this wine has a stellar taste, but warned it might not be for everyone.
Unfortunately, I fell into the latter crowd. I felt like I was like drinking a bottle of cold and fizzy almond extract.
Trader Joe’s Mandarin orange chicken didn’t beat out my favorite version from H-E-B.
The sauce for Trader Joe’s Mandarin orange chicken smelled promising, but I found it tasted too vinegary for my liking. The chicken also had a spongy texture, which I didn’t like.
I had high hopes for this one, but I’ll be sticking to the H-E-B version.
I wasn’t impressed by Trader Joe’s bubble waffles.
Trader Joe’s bubble waffles were also disappointing. I thought they were overly sweet, and the bread had a slightly grainy texture.
To make matters worse, mine didn’t even come out bubbly.
My husband and I disagreed about Trader Joe’s double-cream Brie.
This Brie became a contentious debate between my husband and me. He loved it, but I thought it was too mild and tasted almost watery.
But again, it was a winner for my fellow cheese-loving partner, so it’s more of a “maybe” than a total pass.
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