“Light nutty flavor that is great in oatmeal, smoothies, pancakes and waffles.”
RANT
Unfortunately Trader Joe’s discontinued a very good product they used to carry, Whole Roasted Flax Seeds – and replaced it with this one: ORGANIC GROUND FLAXSEED MEAL. Meal of course meaning they pre-ground the seeds.
You know there are people who buy ground coffee. Other like myself prefer to buy coffee beans. Reason being, coffee beans which you grind before using it is so much fresher.
I preferred to buy the whole flax seeds which I would grind myself, which was not terribly hard to do in a hand grinder I got.
That way the flax seed meal was totally freshly, compared to flax seeds already ground up here.
I used to grind the whole flax seeds up with a second coffee grinder, I use for grinding things besides coffee, like some seeds and whole spices. I would grind up the whole flax seeds every day or so, which is ideal as they contain natural oils which are best fresh .
I think Whole Foods might sell whole flax seeds?
For the time being, I got this new version that Trader Joe’s replaced that product with. I use flax seeds in a few ways, for mixing into my Kefir, and smoothies and or adding into baked goods or pancakes.
Sadly I found that these pre-ground flax meal is not as good. The taste is off to me. I don’t know if they use Golden or Brown flax seeds, it looks like it’s made from a dark and a light seed.
I’m sure Trader Joe’s wanted to make it “easy” for you (as in, “what kind of customer is going to grind them themselves”?) Guess what, I did it, it’s not terribly hard and was preferable to me at least if you care about the flax meal being super fresh.
So get this if you want them pre-ground. Be sure to refrigerate the package after opening to keep as fresh as possible. Maybe even keeping this in the freezer is best?
In short, that discontinued whole flax seed was a better product. Grinding them ourselves guaranteed freshness, which this does not. So another RANT!
$3.99 / 1 lb
Another option might be to just buy whole flax seeds (AMAZON) These aren’t toasted but you could do that yourself pretty easily. (MAR 2026 cost is $6/lb)
Absolutely great pantry item. For something that just comes out of a can, I have to say this chickpea dish is really tasty. Super easy. Pretty cheap! This can even become dinner in a snap.
The Greek flavors here are all good, with lemon, parsley, cumin, garlic and black pepper and as this is sitting, marinating, the seasonings have permeated into the chickpeas so they are way more tasty than if you just these on poured.
If had any complaints about this my only very small complaint would be the oil as of course, this has soybean oil (cheap) as opposed to olive oil (expensive) to cut down the cost. However this is easily fixed – Just add some of your own good olive oil.
I poured off most of the sauce and added a glug of good Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which improved it, of course. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice too while you are at it, which will brighten it up so it tastes like you almost made it yourself. This would be great for say a picnic. We ate it as a side dish with some Falafel and thats a good match. Or add a can of this on top of salad greens to add some bean protein. Trader Joe’s describes this as kind of a “deconstructed hummus” as it has many of the same ingredients in it as hummus does. In fact I served it alongside some hummus and even put a bit of this on top of the hummus which is a typical serving style to put a few chickpeas on top.
So useful. I consider this a must have item in the pantry.
“These are really seedy, really crunch savory flats, made for us in Norway using the bakeriets proprietary process. The crispbreads make a wonderful snack on their own or are perfect with cheese and soup.”
Salmon and cucumber on crispbread – open faced sandwich
In Norwegian, they are known as “Knekkebrod”(Crispbreads). I’m crazy about these super crunchy Scandinavian crispbreads / crackers, and I buy these all the time. I always want to have these in our house. These are good for breakfast, lunch or dinner, As far as crackers go, these are not Junk Food but Health Food. They’re absolutely loaded with seeds and whole grains. They’re super healthy crispy platforms for almost anything.When we say these are “crunchy” we’re not kidding, they’re stupendously crunchy, as in can’t hear yourself talk crunchy. These make a great match with your favorite hummus or any dip or spread. They are great for those Scandinavian open faced sandwiches of course. Load these up with some Lightly Smoked Salmon with cream cheese or mayo (see pic below) and you will be in Heaven (or more appropriately, Valhalla). Smoked Salmon is great too of course. Cheese of any kind. Ham… you name it, it tastes great on these. You can break them in half carefully to make a smaller size if you want. A Top 10 Trader Joe’s Item!
PRODUCT OF NORWAY. 8 oz package is $2.99. I would buy them again.
Imported From France. One of the best buys at Trader Joe’s has got to be the real French Dijon mustards they sell. A steal at $1.69.
I love both varieties, both the smooth and grainy versions are terrific. I really love the grainy “Whole Grain” Dijon Mustard with whole grains of mustard seed. The two bottles used to be the same price but now the grainy is $1.99, still a bargain. If you learn how to make a basic “vinaigrette” salad dressing you are set for life and will never have to buy salad dressing, you’ll make restaurant quality dressing in 5 minutes. Either of these Dijon mustards will work great for all kinds of food. The regular Dijon has a kick. The grainy one a bit less. Besides being great on their own, you can use either mustard to marinate and/or coat things to grill, for example, chicken breasts, salmon, or meats. Making sandwiches with Dijon will up your game. Steak with Dijon mustard is the French way and goes great together. Cheese? Yes please. These two are absolute staples for your fridge. Mine always has both.
(Frozen) Trader Joe’s came up with an interesting creation: CEDAR WRAPPED BBQ SOCKEYE SALMON. The frozen package contains a boneless filet of (wild) Sockeye Salmon, seasoned and wrapped up in a very thin piece of cedar wood which is pretty cool. This is inspired by the traditional Pacific Northwest Native American way of cooking salmon, nailing a side to a cedar plank and cooking them vertically around a fire. Something like this…
Cooked BBQ Sockeye Salmon
Trader Joe’s version is a pretty good deal for $4.99 and worth trying. I made a piece for dinner and found the cooked salmon to be really tasty.
Cooking: Though the package has instructions for 2 ways, in the oven or on an outdoor grill, I didn’t want to heat up my oven and the kitchen on a pretty hot day. So I decided to just grill it on in my cast iron pan on the stove. I didn’t cook this fish from frozen like it says to do either. I defrosted the fish prior to cooking it (just placed the sealed package under running water for 10 minutes which worked ok). Inside the plastic package the salmon is wrapped in a thin piece of cedar and tied. I grilled it with the cedar side / bottom down for about 4-5 minutes (again it was not frozen, if it was they say takes 25 minutes in the oven). When the bottom was done I flipped it and grilled the top side for about 2-3 minutes. You could put in foil as they suggest, which is the French “en papilotte” method of making a moist environment. Sockeye salmon is different than what you may be used to when you think of salmon, meaning the usual Atlantic salmon, typically farmed. Wild Sockeye salmon has a more dense and meaty texture and has very dark red flesh as it is a wild fish. This sockeye salmon cooked up well and tasted nice with TJ’s not too overpowering bbq seasoning. Plus the cedar flavor was subtle and tasty and the fish had a nice moist texture. One piece makes a decent portion for one. The skin on the bottom stuck to the cedar plank and kept it moist. I just served it with just a sprinkle of lemon. It might be quite nice with a little sauce on the side too (some lemon and Greek yogurt with a touch of Zhoug?). The Trader Joe’s Harvest Grain Blend was a good match for this as a side dish. That is a staple for me.
THE NUTRITION LABELS STATES YOU GET A WHOPPING 32 GRAMS OF PROTEIN !
TRADER JOE’S SAYS : “Our Cedar Wrapped Sockeye Salmon is rubbed with seasonings including smoked sea salt and chipotle powder to yield a balanced, smoky, mildly spicy, distinctly cedar-y Fillet. And, in addition to imparting flavor, that cedar wrap also ensures a super moist result—no matter whether you bake it or grill it!”
PS – you know those pictures of bears catching salmon jumping upstream? They are probably these Sockeye Salmon.
The other day, I wanted SHAWARMA CHICKEN but I was a bit resentful at the current price of a package of TJ’s Shawarma Chicken. It now costs about $11-12 ($6.50/lb. currently) way up from what it orginally cost. I knew I had some boneless chicken thighs in my freezer, and I have spices of course and Greek yogurt. Why not just do a DIY SHAWARMA style chicken on my own and save some dough!? So I did just that. How did it turn out? Delicious! You can easily do a DIY Shawarma Chicken if you want to save some money, and who doesn’t these days with the constant inflation and sticker shock when you go shopping?
I used Trader Joe’s boneless skinless chicken thighs that I had in my freezer (I defrosted the chicken overnight in the fridge) Or buy fresh boneless skinless thighs; they will easily be about $2 cheaper per pound (if not more) Vs. TJ’s Shawarma Chicken which has crept up in price a few times from the original $3.99/lb to $6.49/lb as of this post.
DIY Shawarma Chicken Recipe: Put chicken in a bowl and add 3 tablespoons of Greek Yogurt. Add a few teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Crush 4 cloves of garlic with a little salt and mix into chicken. Add a few spoons (to taste) of ZHOUG Yemeni spicy green sauce. Mix. Even this very simple version will work fine, however to make this better we should add ground spices with “Middle Eastern” flavors. Here’s some ideas for Trader Joe’s spices you can add :
Trader Joe’s EVERYDAY SEASONING (grinder), Onion Salt, Ground Turmeric, Ground Cumin, TJ’s AJIKA blend, TJ Smoked Spanish Paprika, TJ Zaatar spice blend, Black pepper, PINK SEA SALT. A pinch of cinnamon. A small glug of olive oil. MIX everything well so all the spices are mixed in. Let it marinate in fridge for 2-6 hours or overnight or up to 2-3 days. When ready to cook, just make it as you normally grill TJ’s Shawarma chicken thighs. You can of course also make this instead with CHICKEN BREASTS if you prefer white meat but just be very careful about not overcooking them. I like to cook a sliced onion in the same pan as I grill the chicken.
Of all the different kinds of hummus Trader Joe’s sells, I wanted to try this one for awhile. When I finally tasted it, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it is. In fact the ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS just became my new favorite of all the hummus I tried. Though this can change weekly!
This one just has that little extra something from the roasted garlic which makes this one standout. It’s delicious and has just the right amount of the mellow roasted garlic flavor that blends perfectly with but does not overpower the overall flavor of the hummus. It was $1.99 for years but has gone up to $2.29 (8 oz) Yes, all of TJ’s hummus has gone up, sigh! Try this with TJ’s PITA CHIPS which are go great with hummus or eat the hummus with your favorite chip, crackers, or warm naan or pita bread.
Columbia (“cafe de Columbia”) is justifiably well known for coffee. Historically Columbia is among the most famous coffee producers in the world.
Trader Joe’s carries so many coffees, it can be hard to pick one. If you want one of the best all-around coffee’s that Trader Joe’s carries, I would say this is the one to start with.
Trader Joe’s COLOMBIA SUPREMO coffee is a classic that’s been around for over 20 years. It just hits all the right notes of everything most people love about coffee. Plus it’s been one of the most reasonable coffee buys there to boot (it’s “value sized”).
SUPREMO coffee is very well balanced, robust with a mild acidity. It has the most lovely aroma when you grind it up. Not too mention the design, with those colorful, beautiful TOUCANS on the can!
TJ’s Colombian Supremo comes as whole beans in a medium roast, and is perfectly roasted for almost all types of brewing methods: filter pour over, moka pot, drip, french press, V60, espresso makers. The huge 28 oz (which used to be 32!) container may seem a bit pricey at $14.99 however when you price it out, that comes to around $8 a pound, which is quite reasonable for a decent quality coffee like this. Since the can is so huge what I do to keep the beans as fresh as possible, is pour the beans into a few zip lock bags, get as much air out as possible and freeze them. Then I take them out of the freezer as I need them. Of course, grinding the beans just before brewing is ideal for maximum flavor and aroma and I recommend that if possible. Trader Joe’s 100% Arabica COLOMBIA SUPREMO Medium Roast Whole Bean Coffee, $14.99 for 28 oz.
BLUEBERRY FIELDS is a really good, new cheese on offer from Trader Joe’s. I was pretty impressed when I first tasted this. First off while BLUEBERRY FIELDS may have a cute name I call this is a “serious” cheese. Not a “cheese with fruit” like the goat cheese logs coated with blueberries or cranberries (and don’t get me wrong I do like those fruit coated goat cheeses on occasion). BLUEBERRY FIELDS cheese is nothing like those cheeses . Here there is only the barest hint of a blueberry taste.
BLUEBERRY FIELDS is a very tasty cow’s milk semi-hard cheese made with “raw milk” (you don’t see to many raw milk cheeses here in the US). It has only a barest subtle hints of “blueberry” from the edible rind which has been washed with some kind of blueberry essence. I’d say a millimeter of the rind has been imbued with the blue coating which is not sweet and matches perfectly with the flavor profile of the cheese. The rind is very much part of the cheese (just in case you are one of those people who always cuts off rinds from cheese, like my wife). You want to eat this rind. Tasting notes: Tastes like a high end Euro farm cheese. It’s excellent with a subtle nuttiness with a complex “Euro” taste to it. I believe it’s produced right here in the good old USA. My wife told me, “I don’t even taste blueberry”. Yes, its very subtle but its there. I think this would be scarfed up on a cheese board served to guests. This is delicious on a cracker, bread, and especially with apples, grapes or other fruits. This is well worth trying especially if you are a cheese freak like yours truly. An 8 oz piece sells for $4.99. I would buy it again.
“Trader Joe’s farm raised Lightly Smoked Salmon, Skinless & Boneless Applewood Smoked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil”
(Note: This product seems to have a tendency to get sold out; if you don’t see it, ask at the front desk if they have any idea when it will be restocked; eventually it always seems to come back when they get a new supply.
I would call this a Trader Joe’s top 10 item! When we can find it. It goes in and out of stock.
The square pink cans of “Lightly Smoked Salmon” are sold with with about three other cans of salmon in round cans. This one is very popular so its does seem to get Sold Out on occasion, eventually returning when they get new stock. There is nothing wrong with the other cans of salmon they have. They are fine, pretty much similar to any canned salmon you’ve tried before.
This can however is better. I think of this as “gourmet canned salmon“. I love this, apparently along with many other Trader Joe’s fans of it (read some of the Comments below). For good reason. It’s very good stuff. Most everyone seems to love it if they try it.
It gets Sold Out pretty easily (it does seem to eventually get restocked when they get more, though it may be awhile before they get stock). You might see people taking 6 cans, which is why you may not get one!
Now the very first time I saw this can I was both intrigued and maybe slightly confused by the name… What does “Lightly Smoked Salmon” even mean, as this is in a can?
Basically I say just ignore the name and especially the word, “smoked”. This has nothing to do with what you or I think of when we see the words “smoked salmon”.
What this actually is, is the best, I repeat “The Best” can of salmon you probably ever tasted.
Frankly I think that name, Lightly Smoked Salmon, that they picked for this may not be ideal. A more accurate name would have been something like “Chilean Olive Oil Poached Salmon”, or “Gourmet Canned Salmon” as that is exactly what this is.
This tinned salmon makes me think about those imported tins of canned fish made by high quality Portuguese and Spanish producers. Like Ortiz’scanned tuna ($23/lb) and the like, cans and jars of which I see at gourmet grocery vendors like Zabar’s and Fairway. $18 for a jar of canned tuna? Yup. That stuff is not Chicken of the Sea.
As you can see when one opens this can, you see an appetizing piece ofskinless, boneless salmon. It was cooked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The label says this is a “Product of Chile”. I’ve since learned that Chile, after Norway, is the world’s second largest producer of farmed salmon. Overall the quality appears high.The salmon has had all the skin and bones removed (some canned salmon has both). The fish was cooked in olive oil. Think “olive oil poached salmon”.
That golden orange-y liquid is a decent Chilean EVOO mixed with the salmon’s juices. This juice is very delicious. The salmon is moist and flaky, with both a wonderful flavor and wonderful soft texture. I would guess the olive oil is from Chile. Yes, this is farmed Atlantic salmon (not wild) but its Top Quality. About the word “smoked”, well “Applewood smoke” is listed among the Ingredients but honestly I don’t really taste any smoke flavor. Maybe it is so subtle in the background. It doesn’t matter. This stuff is really really good.
I opened a can the first time to review it. I found it so tasty I could not stop trying some. I kept saying to myself “just try one more bite”. Suddenly I noticed the can was empty.
This can of fish makes a super easy almost instant lunch, dinner or healthy snack. Its got a whopping 21 grams of Protein.
That Golden Oil the fish is swimming in? I implore you to not dump it. If you do that you will be making a mistake. That sauce is delicious. Its like a built in sauce, a golden elixir that matches the salmon perfectly. It’s extra virgin olive oil mixed with the cooking juices now colored orange from the salmon, and its yummy, and just oozing with UMAMI. Sure you can sprinkle on some fresh lemon juice with it and it will be even better.
I suggest when you serve it you spoon the golden oil over the fish with a squeeze of lemon. Perfection. You could equally spoon some of this golden oil on say this salmon atop salad greens, or boiled potatoes, or a rice bowl or what have you.
Basically this is a piece of poached salmon in a can. You can simply put it on a plate and you are done. Or on top of a salad or greens or a protein bowl…. Mashed up into an avocado with a little mayo and lemon. Voila, you have a delicious healthy meal with almost no effort. This salmon is wonderful as-is right out of the can. Try it on toast, or a toasted bagel, or on crackers. I found this is a perfect match with TJ’s great Norwegian CRISPBREAD for a Scandinavian style open faced sandwich.
This salmon is especially perfect for summertime heat or whenever you don’t feel like cooking. Mix a bit of mayo and lemon juice into this for lovely perfect salmon salad. The other night I didn’t feel like cooking. I found I had a nice ripe avocado I needed to use, so I just mixed a can of this salmon with a little mayo, lemon juice and some Peri-Peri sauce and spooned that into an avocado.
Avocado Stuffed with Salmon
I ate this lovely avocado stuffed with salmon for dinner. It took me minutes to make and was so yummy.
RECIPE IDEA – Japanese Salmon Rice Bowl: I make this all the time. Put some fresh cooked rice in a bowl (if you have it, short grain) Now top it with this salmon, which you flaked up. Drizzle some of the Golden Oil over things. Sprinkle on a TJ’s Furikake seaweed seasoning and chopped scallions. Mix gently. YUM. Dinner! Optional: a sprinkle of Soy Sauce and a sprinkle of Toasted Sesame Oil. Maybe slices of avocado and cucumbers?
Seaweed Hand Rolls with Salmon and Cucumber
One serving contains 190 calories and a whopping 21 grams of protein. The 5 oz can has about 3.6 oz of drained salmon. It’s $3.69. Product of Chile. Great pantry item. I would gladly buy it again.
Can one put this away in your larder for a year or two to improve with age like the do in Spain? (canned fish improves with age like wine*) *Spain and Portugal have some bodegas which specialize in tinned fish and seafood which they keep for a year or two or three… Believe it or not the cans of fish improve with age, just like wine. Search for a video of the late, great Tony Bourdain visiting one of the most famous of these bodegas in Spain, eating cans of seafood and loving every bite…. EL ESPINALER
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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