Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants)

Trader Joe’s “Hane Style” BEEF GYOZA

06 Nov 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in Asian, frozen, General, New, News, Products, review, Trader Joes Tags: Beef, dumpling, frozen, gyoza, Japanese, new item, Products, review, Trader Joes

Trader Joe’s Handmade Beef Gyoza ground beef and vegetable dumpling package

NEW ITEM

Trader Joe’s Hane Style Beef Gyoza, frozen dumplings

Hane-style gyoza (known in Japan as hanetsuki gyoza, or “winged gyoza”) is a popular style of Japanese pan-fried dumpling distinguished by a golden, lacy, crispy starch “wing” or “skirt” that connects the individual gyoza together

Trader Joe’s has come out with these NEW frozen dumplings which try to replicate this cooking technique which gives dumplings a crispy bottom skirt. The method here is “pan steaming” them. (So: no nuking, and no air fryers.)

Close-up of uncooked dumplings arranged in a clear plastic tray

If you love trying out all of Trader Joe’s frozen dumpling options, you will want to try these. From what I gather, these have already become a Viral new item. Are they worthy of the hype? So let’s start with, yes these are good. Quite tasty. Oh and by the way, I could never find them in stock in the frozen dumpling section, I had to ask my TJ’s front desk if they had any. and he said they had them, so if you don’t see them, ask if they have any;)

First, if you want to see what The Real Thing looks like, with the lacy skirt made from scratch you can get an idea how they should look plus how to make them with any dumplings on this site I’ve linked below. Those look fantastic. Lisa Lin knows what she’s doing! Brava!

https://healthynibblesandbits.com/dumpling-skirt-dumpling-lace

Naturally Trader Joe’s lacy bottom gyoza don’t look quite as good as that, however the bottoms of mine did kind of get a bit of that lacy bottom. You can see a few with the bottom skirt when I made them the first time, and I forgot to separate them more as per the instructions (D’oh)!

Pan-fried dumplings browning in a black skillet

This was my first try making these new gyoza. From what I understand how good these come out totally depends on your technique cooking them. I read online people say follow the instructions on the package to the letter.

Tip: You definitely want to use a good non-stick pan or a cast iron pan. I watched one video of guy who made these and could not get them out of his old, worn out non stick pan. They are not called “pot stickers” (goutié) for nothing. (The Mandarin word, guotié became gyoza in Japanese.)

This beef filling here is a bit different from the typical pork or chicken filling. These are made with ground beef, onions, scallions, vermicelli, a little shitake and other things. It was pretty tasty. These make a nice change with their their own unique beefy Japanese flavor. Personally I do love my pork/chive dumplings though.

When I made these I found the wrappers a little bit too thin and soft and not chewy enough but maybe that could be a bit with my cooking. I have to experiment the next time I make them again to find the best cooking technique, which might mean adding a hair less water (they say “add two ounces water”). I just eyeballed the amount. Also my (rather extensive) dumpling cooking experience tells me one should add a bit of oil to the pan first.

They could be eaten without sauce but you still might want to eat these with your favorite sauce and/or chili crisp. I made a sauce for these myself (soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, scallion….) Trader Joe ‘s bottled sauce options could be Soyaki, or Ponzu, or your whatever your favorite dumpling sauce is.

Trader Joe’s food package showing Nutrition Facts, ingredients, calories, and heating instructions.

How to Cook:

In a good non-stick or cast iron pan, place six frozen gyoza seam-side up. Optional? add a little oil
Pour two ounces water over them. Cover with a lid, turn on medium heat.
Let steam for 7 minutes.
Remove lid and continue cooking until batter bottom looks lightly browned (approx 2-3 mins).
Turn off heat. Let rest for two minutes, then gently loosen with spatula (optional) flip onto a plate; very carefully!
Done. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce

TIP: the pan flip isn’t really needed and could be dangerous; you could just flip them over with a spatula onto a plate bottom side up ;

Back of frozen soy chorizo package showing nutrition facts, ingredients, barcode, and heating instructions with illustrated cooking steps

You can get a few tips from Ms Ming PhD if you watch this before making them. Spread them a little bit apart though. I concur about using a bit of oil first despite what the package says.

Nutrition: 6 dumplings = 350 calories; Sodium = 710mg

Could be a snack, appetizer or the main part of a meal which is what I did with them with fried rice on the side. These go well with JAPANESE FRIED RICE.

Trader Joe’s HANE STYLE BEEF GYOZA, 12 gyoza, $3.69

TIP: FYI, here’s where I buy the best dumplings in NYC, frozen, in bags of 50 (10 out of 10, pork & chive and other kinds) Shu Jiao Fu Zhou on Grand Street Google Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wJUCVN1FgnRJYosW7

Trader Joe’s Cranberry & Jalapeño CHICKEN MEATBALLS (Fall Limited Item)

31 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in air fryer, baked, Fall Season, fresh, Holiday, Meh, New, Products, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update Tags: GF, Meh, Products, review, Trader Joes

Trader Joe’s Cranberry & Jalapeño Chicken Meatballs

These are a LIMITED FALL SEASONAL ITEM

TJ’s says: “….These chicken meatballs are made with all natural, minimally processed chicken thigh and breast meat from birds raised without antibiotics. The chicken is ground and mixed with chopped cranberries and jalapeño, then fully cooked…”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/cranberry-jalapeno-chicken-meatballs-084842

People seem to love Trader Joe’s convenient chicken meatballs. They’ve come out with yet another flavor combo – Cranberry and Jalapeño which they say is a “sweet and savory” version. Add them to the growing and changing list of Chicken Meatballs (four? five?).

I’ve liked a few of the chicken meatball flavors they’ve come out with. To me the most interesting variation has been those Buffalo Style meatballs. Very savory and they do have a little kick. These don’t.

If you find the Buffalo ones too spicy you may like these. I mostly taste the “sweet” here in these cranberry ones and I am not getting much of the “jalapeño”.

Compared to the original plain ones, these mainly taste sweet from dried cranberries with just a hint of jalapeno? Me, I would have like a bit more of the jalapeno flavor going on here. They not only have dried cranberries, they also have sugar?

Compared to the Buffalo ones, these are mild. Personally I find the Buffalo ones tastier, but those are pretty spicy. So for those who don’t like spice and especially for kids, you might want to try these.

Cook them on the stove, air fryer, baked in an oven or tossed into the sauce of your choosing. Sauce for these? Perhaps these could these be good with the Pumpkin Bisque? Maybe mixed into the SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI?

Maybe they might make a good easy appetizer for Thanksgiving or holiday gatherings….?

“These Meatballs make a great savory snack or appetizer—just simmer these them in a sauce of your choice, or serve alongside a tangy dip, and you have a quick and flavorful appetizer for cocktail and holiday parties alike.”

I found these one note and wasn’t very impressed with them, however I’m sure others will like that they are sweet and not spicy.

6 meatballs have 13 g Protein, 160 calories.

$4.29 / 12 oz package

Nutrition label for Cranberry & Jalapeño Chicken Meatballs, detailing serving size, calories, fat content, and ingredients.

Trader Joe’s New Stores Opening in 15 States (2026/27)

28 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in Trader Joes

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/announcements?category=store-openings

The new stores will open across 15 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Trader Joe’s did not disclose the exact opening dates for each location.

In late March, Trader Joe’s previously announced 18 new stores in 12 states.

Trader Joe’s stores opening soon: Full list of new locations

Phoenix (Desert Ridge), Arizona
Phoenix (44th St & Thomas), Arizona
San Diego (Clairemont), California
Riverbank, California
Leucadia, California
Denver (Central Park), Colorado
Orlando (Alafaya), Florida
Sarasota (South), Florida
Boynton Beach, Florida
Oswego, Illinois
Chicago (Uptown), Illinois
Joliet, Illinois
Chicago (North Park), Illinois
Quincy, Massachusetts
Baltimore (Anneslie), Maryland
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Omaha (West), Nebraska
Jersey City, New Jersey
West Orange, New Jersey
Syracuse (Fairmount), New York
Yonkers, New York
University Heights, Ohio
Bend (South), Oregon
Mansfield, Texas
Cedar Park, Texas
Bellaire, Texas
Spokane Valley, Washington
Seattle (Northgate), Washington

For more information on new Trader Joe’s locations (mapped) click here.

Trader Joe’s VIETNAM Small Lot Coffee

28 Oct 2026 2 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, Asian, coffee, dairy, DIY, fresh, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: healthy, no preservatives, Products, review, vegetarian

Whole bean, 100% Arabica coffee

MEDIUM ROAST

“Notes Of Roasted Herbs and Cocoa”

A close-up of a coffee bag, featuring a description of 100% Arabica coffee from the northern highlands of Vietnam, highlighting flavor notes of roasted herbs and cocoa.

“Grown in the Northern Highlands of Vietnam, this 100% Arabica coffee expresses notes of roasted herbs and cocoa in every satisfying sip. It’s bright and balance profile a result of the high elevation and mild climate of its growing region. Makes it especially suited to pairing with pastries and fresh cut fruit”

“Trader Joe’s Vietnam Medium Roast Small Lot Coffee benefits from the Vietnamese Northern Highlands’ high elevation and comparatively temperate climate, which both allow the Coffee beans to ripen slowly and steadily, developing a pleasant equilibrium between the more acidic, cocoa-like elements and savory, herby aspects of its unique flavor profile.”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/vietnam-small-lot-coffee-084045

“while supplies last—these truly are Small Lot Coffees, and once they’re gone, there’s no telling when (or if!) they’ll be back!”

A bowl filled with various roasted coffee beans.

LIMITED ITEM

Trader Joe’s just came out with this new VIETNAM SMALL LOT COFFEE. I believe this is the first coffee they’ve had from Vietnam to my knowlege. It’s Medium roast. The whole beans looked and smelled lovely, and the bag I got was pretty fresh. The roast date was only about 3 weeks before I bought it, not too bad for Trader Joe’s.

Reading the package – which is so beautiful by the way – I was a bit surprised reading the words “Roasted Herbs”. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that before to describe a coffee.

So how is it?

I actually really liked this. In fact the more and more I tried it over the next few days, it grew on me, more and more.It is a bit unique (roasted herbs?) . Yes for the “cocoa” notes and there that other note, I can’t quite put my finger on. A slight funkiness? In a good way. Possibly that must be the “roasted herbs” part. OK, then. In fact, here in the U.S. some Vietnamese people make Vietnamese coffee with the New Orleans brand Cafe Du Monde which has roasted chicory in it!

Back of a coffee bag with brewing instructions for automatic drip and French press methods, including tips for optimal flavor.

In addition to brewing it as I normally do, in my Moka pot, I thought, I why don’t I try making a “Vietnamese Coffee” with these beans since I have that typical Vietnamese Phin Filter for making Viet Ca Phe. You may have had this style coffee, maybe in a Vietnamese restaurant. Cafe Sua Da can be served either cold and hot. Like a drip espresso style with the coffee mixed with condensed sweetened milk. It’s delicious.

A stainless steel coffee filter set atop a white mug with the word 'ZAB' in bold orange letters, placed on a wooden countertop.

When I made it with this Vietnam Coffee, here too, the result was delicious. It was particularly good made that way. BTW Trader Joe’s sells cans of Sweetended Condensed Milk too. But it was good too, just made regular fashion.

If, like me, you are into checking out pretty much any SMALL LOT COFFEE they come out with, at least to try once, I would say this one is worth trying. It’s an interesting and tasty coffee. Lastly I am so impressed with the incredible illustration on the bag design with water lilies, lotuses, mountains, and water…

TRADER JOE’S SMALL LOT VIETNAM COFFEE – $11.99 (12 oz) bag

Those Vietnamese “phin” filters are not expensive (under $12) . Condensed milk goes for about $3.

https://www.hungryhuy.com/vietnamese-coffee-recipe-cafe-sua-da-recipe

“In Vietnam, coffee, whether it’s brewed and served at home or in restaurants, is brewed leisurely. Hot coffee (cà phê nóng) is preferred in the morning, while iced coffee (cà phê sữa đá) is saved for the heat later in the day.” – HungryHuy

Trader Joe’s Vietnam medium roast coffee bags displayed on a shelf with a handwritten $11.99 price sign.

Trader Joe’s MAPLE STREUSEL BREAD

25 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in baked, bread, dairy, DIY, Fall Season, fresh, General, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, seasonal, Staple, sweets, Trader Joes, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, product, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes

A package of Trader Joe's Maple Streusel Bread, featuring a red design with autumn leaves, labeled with a best by date of October 28, 2026.

TRADER JOE’S MAPLE STREUSEL BREAD – “A Soft Moist Loaf With A Rich Maple Flavor, Topped With A Crumbly Streusel”

LIMITED TIME, Seasonal, Autumn

<TIP: This Makes Great French Toast ! >

I came across the Maple Streusel Bread, which is a Trader Joe’s seasonal Fall item. Actually I could smell it when I got close to these, even through the bag. This has a wonderful, enticing maple aroma.

Even though I knew it’s not exactly health food, I thought I should try this and review it. For you guys. That’s my excuse, as I normally eat try to stay eating pretty healthy 😉

Packages of Trader Joe's Maple Streusel Bread on a store shelf with a price tag of $4.49, highlighting the product's features.

Sweetness I would say is like that of cinnamon buns, though here the aroma is that of maple. Rich maple flavors. The bread is a bit dense and has a crumbly streusel topping and icing, and swirls of stuff throughout the bread. Its a bit sticky when you handle it.

A slice of toasted bread with a golden-brown crust and a fluffy texture.

I tried it a number of ways. Plain, right out of the bag. A bit sweet but not bad. Next I put on a little butter. Yummy. Next I thought I should try toasting this. You will learn right away that this can get burned pretty easily with the sugar and stuff. So be careful making this, as sticky stuff melts as you heat it.

The slice of toast below is actually not burned, just toasted up to the perfect point where it was really golden brown and delicious with some salted butter spread all over it. Toasted it was already way better. So yummy. You could sprinkle on cinnamon too for that cinnamon sugar taste.

TIP: When toasting this, keep a close eye on it as it can go from perfect to burned quickly. Go slow (low heat). I toasted it on my cast iron grill pan. It will drip some. If making in a toaster oven, put foil underneath as it will drip and get sticky.

Two pieces of toasted, golden-brown bread with a crispy texture, resting on a cream-colored plate.

Next I saw on the web that people LOVE THIS FOR MAKING FRENCH TOAST. Yes. That sounds like a good idea.

I tried it as the bread for French Toast. Yup, it turned out terrific. Again, cook it slowly and carefully on fairly low heat. I cooked it in in my grill pan, in about a tablespoon of Kerrygold salted butter.

Two pieces of golden-brown French toast on a black skillet.

When its finished it looks wonderful and basically makes its own syrup from the maple and stuff. It almost doesn’t need any maple syrup but add if you want to really double down on the maple. I think could also be good with fresh berries, Greek yogurt or even a bit of good jam.

MAPLE STREUEL BREAD FRENCH TOAST: Egg/milk mixture. 1 egg plus a splash of milk will cover about 2 or 3 slices. Let it soak for some time to absorb the liquid, maybe 10-15 minutes. so it penetrates the whole slice. I cooked it in good (salted) butter. Cook till golden brown and delicious. Serve.

$4.99 (20 oz) About 13 slices in the loaf.

1 slice has 150 cals. And yes a pretty big 13 gram sugar (which is 26% of rec. daily amount)

Nutrition facts label for a food product, detailing servings, calories, and ingredients like enriched wheat flour, sugar, and palm oil.

Features real maple syrup, a brown sugar swirl, maple streusel topping, and sweet icing.
Nutrition: Contains 150 calories per 43-gram slice, with 4g of total fat and 13g of sugar.
Texture: Dense and rich loaf, often described as cake-like.
Popular Uses: Best enjoyed toasted with salted butter or used to make French Toast.
Availability: Offered for a limited time during the autumn

Perfect for cozy fall breakfasts and making irresistible French toast!

The only bread for French Toast? Well, I think the Sliced Brioche regular of pumpkin also make great French Toast.

“THIS IS THE ONLY BREAD I WILL USE FOR FRENCH TOAST” (link. Chowhound)

I would buy this again.

Trader Joe’s NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

23 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, dairy, Fall Season, fresh, pescatarian, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, seafood, Staple, Trader Joes, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: no preservatives, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes

Container of Trader Joe's New England Clam Chowder, featuring rich and creamy soup description and ingredients highlighted on the label.

“Rich creamy CHOWDAH made with hand shucked Atlantic surf clams, tender potatoes, and sauteed onions”

Even Trader Joe’s knows to pronounce it properly, with a Boston accent: Its pronounced “CHOW-DAH”

New England Clam Chowder is one of my favorite kinds of soups, especially in colder months, though could be enjoyed most anytime. A creamy, tasty clam chowder is just so satisfying. Hearty and flavorful. Trader Joe’s sells a ready to eat version for $4.99, which is a good price compared to say a restaurant, or Whole Foods.

Ingredients here include: Fish stock, light cream, clam juice, clam meat, potatoes, onions, butter, flour, clam concentrate, salt, sugar, garlic, vinegar, red pepper….

Here’s my hones review of Trader Joe’s New England Clam Chowder.

It was recommended to me by a friend as a good soup from Trader Joe’s. I see why she recommended it. They got the flavors right. The flavor of this is pretty much right on the money for a tasty chowder.

What I liked: The flavor is quite good, from the combination of cream, milk, fish stock, clams and clam juice. Very tasty.

What I feel could be better: Could be bit thicker. While I don’t like a gloppy chowder where they put too much flour in it, this is a bit on the thin side for a chowder. Hence all the good stuff will be one the bottom of your bowl. I suggest you could toss in some Oyster Crackers as they do up in Boston. (TJ’s sells Oyster Crackers.)

The taste of this chowder is great, and if it had a bit more stuff, it would be terrific. A few more potatoes in it for one thing. Of course I would love a few more clams too. At least the clams that are in this are good. The hand shucked Atlantic Surf clams are flavorful, cut into small pieces and are soft, not rubbery (or sandy!)

Lets be honest, its Trader Joe’s, not Whole Foods which has lots of stuff in it but they charge maybe 8 bucks for 16 ounes? I saw a clam chowder at Fairway yesterday which looked good with lots of clams. But a 32 oz container there was about $11.

So overall though it could use a bit more of the main ingredients, it’s got very good flavor.

Trader Joe's New England Clam Chowder container with description and heating instructions.

My wife and I had this for dinner. The container (20 oz) gave us each an average size, not whopping, bowl. But along with some bread, salad and a side, it made for very satisfying dinner.

Could be a great lunch too of course. Heat and Eat so could not be easier. A whole container is 530 calories. I even thought for a next time to throw in some (frozen) scallops they sell.

TIP: Enjoy this with TJ’s Oyster Crackers to put on top of this. If you love black pepper, add a nice bit like I did. Some chopped parsley would send this up a notch too.

Ditto; should you have a slice of cooked bacon, throw it in. Salt pork is very traditional for chowders.

Nutrition Facts label from a container, showing serving size, calories, and detailed nutritional information including total fat, cholesterol, sodium, vitamins, and ingredients.

Three Baristas Picked The Best Store Bought Coffee. (It was my pick too)

20 Oct 2026 1 Comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, Blog, coffee, DIY, fresh, General, News, organic, Pantry, Rave, review, Staple, Trader Joes, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Products, Trader Joes

Package of Trader Joe's Fair Trade Organic Bolivian Blend Medium Dark Roast coffee featuring notes of sweet caramel flavor. Contains 100% Arabica whole bean coffee, net weight 12 oz.

Three baristas were asked to pick the best store bought coffee.

All three of them picked the Trader Joe’s coffee I had also picked some time back after tasting it.

Here’s what they said:

“After weighing roast level, sourcing, and flavor balance, the coffee experts we spoke to recommended Trader Joe’s Bolivian Blend for a good everyday coffee.”

Fair Trade ORGANIC BOLIVIAN BLEND.

I’m no barista, just a coffee lover so when I read this in Real Simple I felt just a wee bit vindicated, in that three coffee professionals picked the coffee I had picked as a Winner at Trader Joe’s. If you want to check out the original article at Real Simple here is the link to it,

https://www.realsimple.com/best-store-bought-coffee-beans-according-to-baristas-11885778

Since TJ’s introduced this ORGANIC BOLIVIAN coffee, it has become my Go-To Trader Joe’s regular coffee buy. This is just a great All Around coffee. And they almost always seem to have supply of it in stock. Whole bean. Medium roast. Good for all brewing methods. Ten bucks, not outrageous for and Organic and Fair Trade whole bean coffee.

My review of the Organic Bolivian Blend if you missed it is here (link) It’s now $9.99 for a bag (12 oz)

NEW @ Trader Joe’s, Pasta price increases….

19 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, DIY, New, News, Pantry, pasta, Prices, Products, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, no preservatives, Products, Trader Joes

Packages of penne rigate pasta displayed on a shelf with a price tag showing $0.99 for a 16 oz bag. The design features an illustration of a pasta machine.

Packs of Fusilli pasta displayed on a grocery store shelf with a price tag showing $0.99 for 16 oz.

I saw something a bit interesting yesterday at Trader Joe’s. There were a few new bags of pasta, marked 99 cents . In fact, so new they hadn’t gotten around to having TJ’s regular handmade signs they are famous for.

A package of penne rigate pasta displayed on a shelf at Trader Joe's, featuring a label that highlights it as authentic Italian pasta made from 100% hard durum semolina, priced at $1.29.

The familiar pastas in the colors of the Italian flag, that have been 99 cents, had gone up. Now $1.29.

Trader Joe’s Italian Penne Rigate (Product of Italy) were 99 cents forever. The new bags of pasta that are 99 cents say PRODUCT OF EGYPT on the back.

No doubt this is a cost measure in order for Trader Joe’s to continue to be able to have some pastas to sell for 99 cents, I am guessing due to rising costs on the ones from Italy. Guessing they couldn’t continue to sell some of the cheaper Italian pasta for $1 a bag so found these from Egypt as a replacement.

I didn’t try these new ones at TJ yet from Egypt but in the past, I’ve gotten bags of pasta elsewhere that were Egyptian, which were fine. By the way, don’t be surprised that pasta is popular in Egypt. In fact, the national dish, KOSHARY is eaten by millions of Egyptians every day, often for breakfast. It’s a hearty dish made with pasta, rice, lentils, and other legumes. Filling!

The “better” Italian organic and artisanal pastas at Trader Joe’s are the same prices as they’ve been around $1.49-1.99 and up. Like the ORGANIC Cavatappi, was still $1.99. Their Italian Organic Spaghetti ($1.49) is fantastic. So those are an even better deal now, and I love all of those.

But if you are on a real tight budget, at least you can still buy pasta for 99 cents at Trader Joe’s. As I’ve said before, a jar of their sauce (1.99) and a bag of this pasta (.99) can feed a family for under three bucks.

So there are quite a few classes of pasta at Trader Joe’s…. The better ones are more Artisanal, and use Bronze Dies…. Most of those are marked Organic.

Trader Joe’s CHEDDAR & GRUYERE Melange Cheese

15 Oct 2026 1 Comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, bread, cheese, dairy, French, fresh, General, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, review, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: cheese, cheeseburger, dairy, Food, healthy

Sign displaying 'Flyer Item!' and a product label for 'Cheddar & Gruyere Melange' priced at $1.99 per pound with a suggestion to make a grilled cheese or add to a burger.

Trader Joe's Cheddar and Gruyere cheese package featuring nutrition facts, ingredients, and price label.

Fall Flyer 2026 Item

Cheddar and Gruyere together in one cheese!

It’s been on Trader Joe’s shelves for over a decade, about which they jokingly say: “(If you’ve ever wept over the loss of a favorite product, you’ll know this is a lifetime in Trader Joe’s years!) It’s a unique combination of Cheddar flavor and Gruyere creaminess; buttery & nutty, with a sweet, mild finish. This Cheese is crafted just for us by a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker and aged 90 days to achieve its distinctive taste and texture. Try it on a burger, in a grilled cheese sandwich, or cut into chunks on a cheese tray.”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/cheddar-gruyere-melange-cheese-095552

This has become one of my favorite cheeses at Trader Joe’s. I now have to have this on hand always, as I love it so much. If you’ve seen this but never actually tried it, I recommend this very good cheese.

It’s a kind of unique all around tasty cheese that everyone likes. It tastes exactly like what you might imagine a melange of Gruyere and cheddar would taste like together. Nutty, buttery and a little cheddar sharpness. I love it as is just with an apple or other fruit. Delicious.

What about cooking with this? Even better. I find this is just super for say making grilled cheese sandwiches, omelets, cheese quesadillas... In other words, its a fantastic melting cheese, especially delicious if you can get it a wee bit brown and crusty.

Grilled cheese sandwich cut in half, with melted cheese visible between toasted bread, accompanied by a slice of cucumber.

Here’s the cheese used on TJ’s yummy PUMPKIN SOURDOUGH bread where I made a really interesting and delicious grilled cheese sandwich with the Melange and mustard on the sourdough.

Like everything else it has gone up, now $7.99 a pound. A hunk usually runs bout 5-6 bucks.

I would buy this again.

A slice of bread topped with pieces of white cheese, with another slice of bread partially visible in the background.

#cheeseboards

Trader Joe’s UNEXPECTED BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP

12 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, Changed, cheese, dairy, DIY, Fall Season, fresh, General, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: product, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes, vegetarian

A container of Trader Joe's Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup, featuring a label that highlights the ingredients and storage instructions.

Trader Joe’s Broccoli Cheddar soup is another one of Trader Joe’s tasty and handy Ready To Eat soups, sold in the refrigerated case.

I hadn’t tried this before but Trader Joe’s says they’ve “improved the recipe”.

A bowl of creamy broccoli soup with chunks of broccoli and cauliflower, served in a rustic brown bowl.

This is a very hearty soup/chowder, made with a creamy base . What I really liked is that this had a ton of large pieces of tasty broccoli, as you can see in the picture. I mean it was just loaded with nice big pieces of it, in addition to carrots.

On the cheese front they use two kinds of cheddar’s, a Sharp Cheddar and their fantastic Unexpected Cheddar.

Container of Trader Joe's Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup with heating instructions

I just happened to have a little piece of leftover cooked bacon in the fridge, so I thought why not add it on top. I chopped it up and topped the soup with it, and it did add a superb note (just saying if you have any, use it) Also when serving it can’t hurt to sprinkle on a little bit of your favorite cheddar on top.

We ate this soup for dinner recently and found it quite delicious, close to say a Whole Foods version. This made a tasty. satisfying dinner along with some a slice of toasted sourdough bread and a big salad, that made a easy tasty meal.

The container was just enough to serve two of us, about 10 ounces each, for dinner with a small but filling bowl. This is a very hearty soup, pretty much like a chowder. Good anytime but perfect for a cold Autumn or Winter day.

1 cup (approx 1/2 container) have 310 calories.

Stove Top: Pour soup into a pot and heat on Medium for 5-6 minutes until heated through, stirring occasionally. Allow to sit for a minute before serving.

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/unexpected-broccoli-cheddar-soup-081792

“Excellent as an entrée and spectacular as a side, our upgraded Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup makes a particularly great pairing option for a hearty sandwich or crisp, leafy green salad. Creamy, comforting, and rich, we also like simply serving it with a hunk of crusty bread for dipping, or hollowing out a Sourdough Boule and enjoying it inside a bread bowl.” – Trader Joe’s

INGREDIENTS INCLUDE: MILK, WATER, BROCCOLI, UNEXPECTED CHEDDAR CHEESE SALT, CHEDDAR CHEESE HEAVY CREAM, CARROTS, ONIONS…..

I would buy it again.

Trader Joe’s UNEXPECTED BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP $4.99 (20 oz container)