“Moist, flavorful pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting”
It’s FALL and Trader Joe’s is of course coming out with all the pumpkin items; This one is a very good MINI SHEET CAKE with a cream cheese frosting on top of a moist cake with the typical pumpkin spices. The cream cheese frosting is good even though found it to be a bit on the too sweet side. Even the frosting has a slight taste of the pumpkin spices. The cake was quite tasty, moist and flavorful. The spices were well balanced; not overpowering as they can be sometimes. This has just the right amount.
We loved the cake with coffee and tea, which balanced out it’s sweetness.
Trader Joe’s says : “You’ll fall for the moist, spongy crumb, flavored by pumpkin purée and warm spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. A rich, cream-cheese frosting is piped on top, lending an upscale bakery vibe and providing a classic flavor-pairing for the Pumpkin Spice profile.”
I like most of the mini sheet cakes and this one is quite good. My favorite will always be the Chocolate Ganache one but this one is a Fall Limited Edition one, which I think you and your family will like during TJ’s “pumpkin season”.
This is a great Fall item. I would buy it again.
$5.99/18 Oz (up about 50 cents since the last time i got sheet cake)
(Scroll to end for latest update on the status of these which have been MIA for months!)
RAVE
“Perfect for hummus and dips and for sandwiches. Heat and enjoy!” (frozen)
I really love good pita bread. The fresh “pita bread original pockets” at Trader Joe’s have been OK in a pinch but its far from what I would call good pita (not too mention they used to give you 6 and now its just 4! Shrinkflation in action)
This “original pita bread” ($1.59) Trader Joe’s is fairly large, and on the thin side. I’ve always found these quite not sturdy enough to count on to make a pocket in, and hold the food. They kind of tend to fall apart when you fill them with ingredients as you are eating them.
This has changed with this new pocket bread/pita.
With the new Egyptian Baladi sourdough pocket bread Trader Joe’s finally has an excellentand authentic pita which is sturdy enough to split open and make a pocket that will hold ingredients, for say a falafal sandwich. And it’s Delicious. The BALADI SOURDOUGH POCKET BREADS are made by an Egyptian bakery for Trader Joe’s. So the real McCoy. These say “Product of Egypt”. Baked, then frozen, so as close to fresh as possible.
Trader Joe’s says: “We now offer Trader Joe’s Baladi Egyptian Sourdough Pocket Bread in our freezers. Made for us by a supplier in Egypt, these versatile (vegan) Baladi Pocket Breads take only a matter of minutes… to heat… before they’re puffed up, toasty, and ready to eat. Once heated, they have a tasty, slightly tangy Sourdough tinge to their flavor profile, and are ideal for stuffing with your favorite fillings. We’re partial to going with a classic combo of Falafel, chopped cucumbers, and our Garlic Spread-Dip, though they’re equally excellent when stuffed with our Gyros or Shawarma Chicken Thighs, too. And, of course, you can just serve them for dipping in hummus or tahini, as they do in Egypt.”
Here is my honest review of Baladi Pocket Bread. Wow. These are EXCELLENT. A great product. I was so impressed at how good these are and found them these pita breads to be so tasty and satisfying. They were even delicious just eaten simply with butter on them too as bread with our meal. Versatile. Between this new Baladi pocket bread and TJ’s Lavash I am super happy to have these Middle Eastern bread options.
Nice light whole wheat flavor. Natural ingredients. No preservatives. They come frozen in a resealable bag, with 5 breads inside the package and cost just $2.29. What a great deal. They are soft, fluffy inside yet sturdy enough for a pocket, or to use to scoop up any dip like hummus or what have you, pick up foods, hold up to falafal, or use for any sandwich, or even I think used as the base for mini pizza (see below).
Match these with your favorite hummus for sure!
HEATING: I took them out for about 10 minutes, left them out on the counter to defrost a bit (optional). I heated them, trying two ways; in the oven and on top of the stove in a covered pan. About 4-5 minutes. Both methods worked fine. In a pinch you could nuke them from frozen, but I think they will still benefit from a few seconds over the burners turning and flipping for the best texture like they just came out fresh from the oven they were baked in.
PS – I did try them for the base for pizza. Came out quite tasty! I’d say it kind of worked for a pizza base, if you are OK with the knife and fork kind of pizza. Next time I may split one open and just use the half for a thinner base, and see if I can get more of a bake on the bottom and get it more crisped up. Worth trying for easy pizza.
UPDATE – (Aug/Sept ’25) Unfortunately Trader Joe’s Sold Out of all the stock of these quickly as these seemed to have gone Viral on social media soon after they first appeared. Trader Joe’s staff looked it up for me and said, they are waiting for new stock to arrive, Late Fall or Early winter. They expected it sooner but that it was likely held up due to tariffs(!)
UPDATE 2 – MID OCT 2025 – HURRAY! THESE ARE FINALLY BACK!!
“First, there’s that its stone baked, with a wheat flour crust, which our supplier imports all the way from Italy. Next, there’s the impressive array of toppings piled high on every pie: zesty tomato sauce; a savory trio of mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses; sweet roasted bell peppers and onions; savory crumbles of Italian sausage; and finally, delightfully spicy slices of uncured pepperoni.”
Apparently Trader Joe’s / Trader Giotto) Pizza Parlanno is said to be quite a customer and crew member favorite. The proof of which it’s been around for 15 years.
I hadn’t tried this yet so finally got around to trying it for a review.
My honest review is: Both my wife and I really enjoyed this pizza. We both gave this a big thumbs up.
It’s a kind of “half and half” pepperoni / sausage- one side sausage and roasted peppers and the other side pepperoni.
The favorite of the two sides for us both was the sausage side, having much more flavors from lots of different things. It has crumbled bits of (cooked) sausage plus roasted red bell pepper, green pepper, roasted onions, plus the tomato sauce and the cheese. The small pieces of uncased pork sausage was good. I can really taste fennel seeds, which for me makes it really taste Italian. I loved the roasted red and green bell peppers.
Personally I am not a huge pepperoni pizza eater as I usually find pepperoni too greasy and oily but here the uncured pepperoni on this was tasty, thin and not at all greasy. Didn’t curl up either. Stayed flat.
The (imported) crust on the Pizza Parlanno is on the thin side. More crunchy than chewy, it kind of reminded me of the “bar pizza” style though its not that thin. The crust held up and didn’t bend under the toppings. I make my own dough on occasion so am quite picky. I would prefer a crust a bit thicker with more chew however the crust is not bad and pretty crispy.
I baked the pizza quite well as I read that you should get this well browned and really take Trader Joe’s suggested time of “bake for 10 minutes” with a huge grain of salt. Every oven is a bit different but 10 minutes as they list is probably not enough time to go from frozen to ready so plan to give it a bit longer, an extra two minutes at least, if not more. I did more like 14-25 minutes in total? I just watched it closely towards the end and let it it get just to the point where it’s really browned which is how I like pizza.
Originally I thought the pizza looked like it might be a little big for two people. Ha! I thought my wife and I might not eat the whole pizza at one go. That we might leave a slice or two for the next day. But guess what? I was wrong . I was so good, the two of us ended up devouring the whole thing. Along with an arugula salad. We said, it’s never going to be as good as right now fresh out of the oven.
COOKING: Pre-heat your oven to 450. If you own a pizza steel or stone put that in. Depending on your oven it may take 15-25 minutes to get to temp. When oven is ready, slide the pizza onto the steel or stone. If you don’t have those, just put on a baking sheet and put that on the center or top rack. I put foil underneath the pizza, for easy clean up. Bake the pizza until it looks very well browned. They say 10-12 minutes at 450 but I think it will be more like 12-15 minutes depending on your oven). Take it out and let it cool for about 2 minutes before cutting. I cut ours into 4.
Figured at 4 slices to the pizza this states, 330 calories per slice.
This pizza makes a very easy snack or meal in about 15 minutes, all for about the price of what you might pay for a pepperoni slice at a pizza joint. For just over five bucks, you can not go wrong with this pizza, if you like sausage, etc.
I gotta say, pretty amazing for $5.50.
I would buy this again.
Trader Giotto’s PIzza Parlanno $5.49 (18.2 oz)
Toppings: Italian sausage, uncured pepperoni, roasted bell peppers, and roasted onions. Crust: Stone-baked wheat flour crust. Sauce: A savory sauce, described as not spicy or sweet. Cheeses: Mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano. Customer Favorite: A popular item at Trader Joe’s, often praised for its flavor and topping variety.
Here’s what Trader Joe’s says about this new snack mix, ITALIAN APERITIVO MEDLEY:
“This is a Snack Mix that is gastronomically designed by our supplier in Bari, Italy to satisfy your cravings for a savory crunch. The diverse combination of textures, shapes, and flavors includes rosemary Focacce (squares), traditional Taralli (loops), and black olive Trecce (nuggets). The presence of extra virgin olive oil and white wine in the recipes promotes flavor profiles that are more complex than your average crackers—but similarly pleasing to enjoy with your favorite TJ’s cheese.”
My review? All I have to say is that once I opened up the bag, I couldn’t stop eating them. The bag went pretty quickly. They are that good! Addictive?
This cracker medley is just SO savory and delicious.
All of these five or six different, crunchy crackers / snacks are tasty. I especially love the twisted and small nubbin ones (trecce), both of which are flavored with rosemary or black olives. The round circles are little Italian biscuits I know as “tarralucci” (or here, “taralli) often served with wine or drinks. The square “focacce” one are perfect as a cracker base for cheese or what have you.
These say, Limited Time! Knowing that these are not going to be around all the time, I am going to load up on as many bags of these fantastically tasty crackers/snacks, as I can carry on my next visit to TJ’s. Especially as they are a very reasonable $2.29. And the ingredient list is quite normal, natural, not filled with additives or chemicals. We like that.
I give these crackers a huge Thumbs Up. You should grab a package (or two) while you can and check them out.
Fried shallots, particularly crispy fried shallots, are a popular topping or garnish in various cuisines, adding a savory and crunchy element to dishes. I have read so many Thai, Vietnamese, Indian or other recipes that start with frying up some shallots till crispy for a topping to be used later. Many South East Asian dishes use them for a finishing touch. Cooks here just love them though they are a bit of a pain to make, so to just open up this package and have some to use makes these super handy.
Trader Joe’s came out this new item, a foil pouch of fried shallots which you can use in various ways. They have a very crispy texture, nice delicate flavor and a little bit of crunch. The foil pouch has a seal so they will stay crispy too.
Crispy shallot slices are fantastic sprinkled over all kinds of things, for example chicken, fish, chops and burgers, and just as good on salads or vegetables.
Trader Joe’s has say this about them which includes a few ideas and ways for us to use them:
“Made for us by an esteemed supplier in Thailand, who specializes in crispy-fried veggies like these… we love about this versatile, tasty topper. We also love that sprinkling of Trader Joe’s Fried Shallots will spruce up a salad, soup, or chili-laden baked potato. We adore how they wake up the flavors of a weeknight casserole or slice of leftover pizza. We’re utterly taken with the texture they add when used as a topping for a taco, burger, or sandwich. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention how head over heels we are over their uses in savory baking, homemade appetizer dips, or, when given a spin in the food processor, as super flavorful breading for a chicken cutlet.”
“Trader Joe’s authentic Lavash Flatbread is a delicious and versatile alternative to sliced bread for sandwiches. Use for wrap sandwiches, burritos, soft tacos or flatbread pizza”
What’s Lavash? Its a traditional Armenian / Middle Eastern flatbread. In 2014, lavash was added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, highlighting its cultural significance
I’ve been wanting to try TJ’s Lavash for awhile and finally got around to it. In short, I really liked Trader Joe’s LAVASH. This bread is a great Trader Joe’s product. I give this a big thumbs up.
As you can see in the picture, it’s a thin flatbread. It comes in a large square and is soft and flexible, especially after warming. Its good for many things, like making sandwich wraps or roll-ups, thin sandwiches, tacos, burrito type dishes or just using it to scoop up hummus or any kind of dip or pieces of food for that matter. Grilled meat or chicken? Great as a base for little cheese bites. Wrap some grilled halloumi cheese up in this. You could use it to make a Club Sandwich as they suggest on the package. This bread can even used as the base for making a thin pizza. (someone left a Comment here that they make pizza in the Air Fryer with this lavash) Again, this stuff is really versatile.
The Lavash becomes better warmed up a little bit. It will get more flexible and softer, so easier to roll. To warm it, I usually just put it right on the burner for about 10 seconds moving it around and flipping it. Or sometimes I warm in a pan or griddle, covered.
Once warm eat right away or keep the lavash warm as you would tortillas when you serve.
The sheets are large but are scored in the middle so they can be torn in half easily. To store it more than a day or two I keep the Lavash in the freezer, tightly sealed. It’s so thin it can defrost in just a few minutes and I am usually tossing it on a burner or into a pan to warm it.
It you baked it it would get crispy enough that it could be like a pita chip.
I like the Egg Burrito suggestion they have on the package: warm the lavash, add scrambled eggs and grated cheese and roll up like a burrito.
Its made with Whole Wheat so healthy. It’s low fat as it is so thin and low cal. A 1/2 flatbread has only 90 calories, yet has 5 gr of Protein and is a good source of fiber. It is also LOW CARB as its so thin.
Lavash is quite versatile, and as you explore using it, you will find many ways to use this interesting tasty flatbread. Again,perfect for scooping up hummus and middle eastern mezze or other dishes. Use it like Naan with Indian foods.
TIP: The lavash paired perfectly with Trader Joe’s Middle Eastern BEEF KEBABS. I cooked the kebabs, and put them in warm lavash with a garlic yogurt sauce with arugula; Or use the Tzaziki. Yum!! Basically a 2 ingredient meal….
“Crunchy clusters of rolled oats, whole almonds and almond butter.”
This is yet another quite decent GRANOLA that Trader Joe’s offers.
I liked this granola. It has a nice taste and has quite a lot of almonds in it, so you get one in almost every other bite. One thing in particular that I like about this one is it has very large clumps. You can see the big clumps right in the picture.
Big clumps of granola are good for just snacking on sometimes. You can even pull them out and bag those up for snacks. Don’t want them? Just crush the bag a bit.
Ingredients: Rolled outs, almonds, brown rice syrup, cane sugar, almond butter, brown rice crispies, honey, coconut flakes, vanilla.
If you are looking for regular sliced bread from Trader Joe’s for sandwiches or what have you, and want to get one that’s whole wheat, this is a yet another nutritious bread option that Trader Joe’s offers. “HARVEST WHOLE WHEAT” is made from whole wheat flour and lightly sweetened with honey. It has a soft crumb and a pleasant, wholesome flavor of whole wheat.
100 calories/slice, 5 gr of Protein, 3 gr of Fiber.
Trader Joe’s HARVEST WHOLE WHEAT BREAD is a light brown color from the whole wheat. It has regular slices, not too thick nor too thin (16 per loaf). It’s soft but not too soft. It has a little bit of texture to it. The ingredient list is short and simple with whole wheat flour as the first ingredient. Its a healthy choice but it doesn’t taste “too healthy” if you know what I mean. Even picky kids may like it. Its quite tasty, both toasted and As Is.
This is perfect to make sandwiches with. It won’t fall apart easily. It was really good toasted which is one way I like it.
Peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat coming right up.
It’s one of the most affordable bread options at Trader Joe’s at (now) $2.99 (was 2.49 not long ago) This will beat most supermarket similar breads for price, value and quality.
HARVEST WHOLE WHEAT BREAD$2.99, 24 oz loaf (1 1/2 lbs, 680 gr)
Do you need a few ideas for Healthy Snack options for shopping at Trader Joe’s?
Here are just a few ideas….
Fruits and Veggies: A great snack could be say, fresh apples sliced up.
One favorite snack for me is some sliced APPLE with some PEANUT BUTTER. A classic combination providing fiber, healthy fats, and protein. Besides apples I like bananas and peanut butter. As well as cut up sticks of vegetables (carrot, celery or jicama sticks) All these things are great snacks on their own but get some protein from nut butters. Besides peanut butter, there are other nut butters too, such as almond butter. My favorite peanut butter at Trader Joe’s? Crunchy salted with the blue label. The one with honey one us also good.
Now I would just buy an apples and cut them up. However Trader Joe’s does sell some “pre-cut” fruits and veggies for convenience. Personally I never buy these type of items. It’s not a big deal to cut up an apple for me. The moment you cut any fruit or veggie up it starts to oxidize and deteriorate. And you pay a lot more for someone to do that work.
Nuts or Trail Mix; these are great snacks (in moderation) Trail Mix: Trader Joe’s offers a variety of mixes with nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Raw, Unsalted, Untoasted Nuts: A simple and healthy snack. Dark Chocolate-Covered Almonds: A delicious way to get antioxidants and healthy fats. Finally the fantastic TRAIL MIX CRACKERS
Cut up some Vegetable Sticks such as carrots or celery and pair them with some HUMMUS or some other lower fat dip. How about that new Roasted Tomato LABNEH?
For chips, I think the PLANTAIN CHIPS are kind of better than potato or other chips
Protein Snacks: Any Cheese or cheese sticks, string cheese, hard cooked peeled eggs, chomps turkey sticks….
Other Healthy Options:
Organic Popcorn with Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A whole-grain, antioxidant-rich snack.
Grainless Granola: A crunchy blend of nuts, seeds, and dried coconut. Puffins Cereal (Peanut Butter flavor): A fun and healthy way to enjoy cereal. Low-Fat Greek Yogurt: Pair with berries and a touch of honey for a healthy and protein-packed snack. Piquant Popcorn: A top snack for weight loss. Norwegian Crisp Bread: A versatile base for avocado and other toppings. Bamba Peanut Snacks: A high-volume, low-calorie option. Plantain Chips: A healthier alternative to potato chips. Lentil and Chickpea Crisps: A flavorful and healthy snack. Oven-Baked Cheese Bites: A high-protein option. Trek Mix Handfuls: A portable and nonperishable snack. Hummus: A creamy blend of chickpeas, tahini, and olive oil. They have some hummus snacks that come with crackers for easy snacking.
With just a little prep work and some baggies, you can make snack packages. Good luck!
“The traditional grilling cheese of Cyprus”. A great addition to a barbecue skewer. Browns rather than melts when grilled
IMPORTANT NOTE: They have this cheese as a “seasonal item” in the Spring/Summer, so that’s when when you will find it on the shelves
This “Atalanta brand HALLOUMI cheese” I got at Trader Joe’s at some point last year was one of those items I tried just once and fell absolutely in love with instantly. However trying to find it a month or two later, I could not find it. It was MIA. I was afraid they discontinued it. Say it’s not so, Joe.
Well, I learned they carry this cheese seasonally. It’s one of their “seasonal” items. In this case, they bring it back for warmer months. Starting in the Spring and available most of the Summer (till mid-August maybe?). Trader Joe’s seems to peg this cheese for “grilling” outdoors. Summer grilling. So just note that you will only see this part of the year.
I wish they had it all year round. But here’s a useful Tip: the shelf life is quite long as it’s a cured, brined hard cheese. My package date was good for six months. So I might just stock up on a few packages, for that half+ of the year they don’t have it. You could probably even freeze it. Most cheese, especially harder ones, actually can be frozen (cheese needs to be slow defrosted in the fridge)
If you haven’t tried HALLOUMI before, you have got to check it out. It’s so good grilled. Just delicious.
Halloumi originates from the island of Cyprus. It’s a semi hard cheese brinded made with sheep’s milk with a unique quality: it browns rather than just melts. Therefore you can grill, broil, or pan fry it, until it gets golden brown & delicious. It gets a chewy, meaty texture that is so good!
TJ’s website says: “Atalanta® Halloumi” is made on the island of Cyprus using sheep’s milk. During production, the curds are heated to high temperatures, a process which gives it both its “squeaky” texture and ability to hold its shape when cooked or grilled. Atalanta® ‘s cheesemakers also include a bit of mint, which adds a slight refreshing counterbalance to Halloumi’s natural brininess.”
Some people are making “Halloumi Croutons” with it, which you could make by cutting the cheese into cubes, brown them in a little olive oil and remove for adding to salads or other dishes
The picture below is of a dish I made with the halloumi, tomatoes and a can of white beans. “Crispy halloumi, white beans and tomatoes” I had seen in the NYTimes. The dish is DELICIOUS and its a fairly healthy (vegetarian) dish that we all found to be an excellent; a keeper recipe that is now on monthly rotation for us. I got the recipe from the NY Times (may need registration)
Says “4 servings” (2 of us easily ate the whole thing!)
Olive oil, as needed
1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon honey, plus more for serving
½ teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
Salt and black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, butter beans or navy beans, drained
1 (8-ounce) block halloumi, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
½ lemon
Crusty bread (optional), for serving
Preparation
Set broiler to high heat, with a rack positioned in the upper third of the oven, 3 to 4 inches from the heat source.
In a large, ovenproof pan over medium heat, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil with the tomatoes, garlic, parsley, honey and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes soften and release their juices, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Turn off the heat.
Arrange the halloumi slices on top of the tomato-bean mixture in the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven. Broil until the halloumi is golden and crispy on top, about 5 minutes, depending on the oven’s broiler strength.
Drizzle generously with olive oil, squeeze the lemon half over the pan and add a light drizzle of honey. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately, with bread if desired.
Her Halloumi Crouton Salad recipe looks great! (TIKTOK)
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