I actually really love a good hot dog, however as someone who tries to watch what they eat, hot dogs now are something I will basically only eat once a year – on July 4th! So when I do eat a hot dog, it’s got to be really good, of course, and would prefer it be one that is at least trying to be one of the “healthier” versions. But still really tasty.
For me, Trader Joe’s Organic Uncured Grass Fed All Beef Hot Dogs fits the bill exactly. Most important, these are good and tasty hot dogs, that are made better than many others that have questionable ingredients, something hot dogs are notorious for. These have good ingredients. Made with USDA certified organic beef from grass fed cows. They don’t contain added nitrates or nitrites as preservatives (ie, “uncured”). They use natural ingredients to “cure” them, specifically celery and sea salt. The ingredients are not mysterious. The rest of the ingredients are all organic seasonings, things like garlic puree, minced onion, paprika, and red pepper flakes. “No fillers. No kidding”.
We got these for a July 4th get together this year and these dogs were a big hit. Everyone commented on how good the hot dogs were. Nice and tasty, well seasoned the way I like my dogs with: “Organic black pepper, organic ginger, organic nutmeg, organic red pepper, organic paprika, organic garlic powder, organic onion powder, organic coriander, organic celery powder, organic garlic puree….”
These were so yummy on those good buns with good sauerkraut. I can’t wait for July 4th to roll around year again! You and your kids however may eat them anytime you are in the mood for hot dogs and want them to be as good as possible.
110 calories per hot dog
$5.99 (10 oz package, which has 6 hot dogs)
I would buy these again.
“NO PRESERVATIVES; KEEP REFRIGERATED BELOW 40 F AT ALL TIMES”
Trader Joe’s has added this pasta shape to their selection of organic premium “artisanal” pastas, cavatappi which means “corkscrews”. They say it’s one of their favorites. Having tried it, it’s now one of my favorite pastas as well that they sell.
ORGANIC CAVATAPPI look kind of like a long twisted macaroni with ridges. The shape and the ridges are designed to hold sauces.
Cavatappi is an excellent addition to Trader Joe’s line of premium pastas. They still sell some pastas for 99 cents. This one is $1.99. What makes “premium” pasta premium and worth more? TJ’s premium pastas are a level up from the regular ones. Think of high end pasta like you see in specialty stores, many of which are $4-8 a pound. The better, high end pastas mean things like being bronze die cut, made from organic semolina wheat, usually are slow dried, etc. All of which makes for better pasta.
“Made in Italy for Trader Joe’s by our skilled supplier in Italy using organic semolina wheat. “
Cavatappi is perfect for marinara, or alfredo sauces. It’s also great used for baked mac and cheese and is great for cold pasta salads. Its shape helps it hold onto sauce in different ways, offering lots of flavor and a nice chewy texture.
“Cavatappi makes a consummate complement to a marinara or alfredo, makes a marvelous base for a baked mac and cheese, and produces a primo pasta salad for picnics and potlucks.”
I made a delicious (tuna and pesto)pasta salad using the cavatappi
Tuna & Pesto Pasta Salad: Boil a cup of cavatappi pasta in in salted water for 9-10 minutes or until done to the way you like (me, al dente). Drain the pasta and rinse in a colander under cold water until cooled down to room temp. Place pasta in a bowl, and add 2 tablespoons of Trader Joe’s jarred PESTO (adjust more if you need it). Add a can of tuna in olive oil (I used the oil and juice too, your call). Add juice from 1/2 lemon or more. (option, add a handful of chopped parsley or arugula) Mix well and serve.
Trader Joe’s ORGANIC CARROTS (multi-colored) $1.99 for 2 lbs. And also regular organic carrots .99 cents for 1 lb.
We are trying to reduce our carb intake a bit. One idea to help do that is to make up the plate with even more vegetables.
I happen to love carrots, so they are a good pick for us. Carrots are super healthy and fortunately pretty cheap at Trader Joe’s, where they sell for $1 a pound for ORGANIC CARROTS. Pictured here are the multi colored ones Trader Joe’s sells, which besides the standard orange carrots they have some with other colors, like red and yellow.
Here’s two EASY RECIPE ideas using carrots, one cooked and one raw, in a salad. The one printed on the bag is good too (“spicy rainbow carrot coins”) though more complicated than the ones I’m adding below.
Sautéed Moroccan style carrots
Slice up your peeled carrots. Put olive oil in a pan or pot and add 2 cloves chopped/grated garlic. Sautée 30 seconds. Add a 1/2 diced onion. Add carrot slices. Add 1 tsp ground cumin, a dash of cinnamon. Saute on med heat stirring often till they look a little seared, 5-10 minutes. Lower the heat and cook until done, 5-10 minutes.
Easy Moroccan Style Carrot Raisin Salad
Use a box grater or the like and grate up 2 or 3 large peeled carrots into a bowl. Add 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (added points if you grate in some zest). Add a handful of your favorite raisins. Add either a clove of fresh garlic (chopped or grated) or a 1/2 tsp of powdered garlic. Add a good amount of ground cumin (1/2 tsp). Add a good spill of extra virgin olive oil. Add a splash of vinegar. Stir to combine and let marinate for at least 10-15 minutes. (I had pomegranate seeds in the fridge so added them, optional but really nice addition)
“Smoky, savory and lightly sweet with hints of maple”
I’ve already reviewed a very good sliced ham Trader Joe’s sells, which is their ROSEMARY HAM
This one is also quite good. It’s their uncured organic Black Forest ham, which has a lovely smokey flavor.
Uncured means it uses no added nitrates/nitrites. It’s cured with natural seasonings such as organic celery seed, organic vinegar and organic honey. “All vegetarian feed, no added hormones, antibiotics”
Low in fat, 2 slices have 60 calories with 11 gr of Protein.
Wood smoked with hickory, which gives this a wonderful flavor, it’s great for sandwiches and may other things. It made a great omelet, where the smokey flavor came through beautifully.
It would work great on a #cheeseboard. I would love it with some smoked Gouda on a cracker for double smokiness.
I would buy this again.
$5.49 (6 oz)
“TJ’s Uncured Black Forest Ham is deliciously lean, packed with protein, and notably free of added nitrates and nitrites—in other words, the ideal choice for creating simple, delicious school lunches, work lunches, or even just an anytime snack. It has an artful smokiness and tender texture, adds a remarkable depth of flavor, especially when stacked up with slices of Pepper Jack cheese or add-ons like sweet & spicy pickle chips.”
“In the center of each tub lies a just-right amount of briny Olive Tapenade made with black olives, manzanilla olives, capers, and olive oil. Not to be out shined by its piquant partner, the Hummus base is special in its own right. With twice the tahini of traditional hummus, it’s especially smooth and nutty with complementary sweet and savory flavors.” – TRADER JOE https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/olive-tapenade-hummus-079901
I wanted a big tub of hummus when I went to Trader Joes but unfortunately they didn’t have the large 16 oz MEDITERRANEAN STYLE HUMMUS when I went. This OLIVE TAPENADE HUMMUS was the next biggest tub at 10 oz.
It looked like it was worth trying and I happen to LOVE most any kind of olive, but normally I wouldn’t think of mixing tapenade with hummus. Here the tapenade is just a bit on top of the hummus added as an add on. My first bite reaction was “yeah like i thought, those olives overpower the hummus a bit” but as I kept tasting it, I admit the combined taste of hummus and a bit of olive grew on me more and more with each bite.
I kept the olives more or less as is, on top. Dipping in with pita, I could control just a little bit of tapenade with mostly hummus. Keep that bit of tapenade as-is just on top and grab a bit as you eat or scoop it. Then you mostly have hummus with just a little tapenade.
Certainly I might put out a dish of olives with a dish of hummus so the two are flavors I would combine anyway. The tapenade does kind of work. Don’t mix it all together. Olive are strong flavors and hummus more subtle but the combo was not at all bad eaten with some pita. This is something you would have to decide for yourself.
I did add some fresh lemon juice and some good EVOO and those certainly elevated everything. I might not buy this again but think this is worth trying if you are a big fan of olives like I am. Even has a bit of capers in it.
Would you say this looks like Trader Joe’s wants to get in on the the popular “drizzling” trend of olive oil in a squeeze bottle? Are you thinking this looks like the popular “Graza Sizzle” oil?
Trader Joe’s is appropriately enough, calling their new oil that comes in a squeeze bottle, “Main Squeeze”. As usual for Trader Joe’s this is a more budget friendly item than say Graza’s line of oil. MAIN SQUEEZE is a blend of Mediterranean extra virgin olive oil from three counties: Tunisia, Spain, and Italy which is “packed in Italy”.
They are selling this 750 ml (25.4 oz) bottle for about eleven bucks – which is cheaper than some of the other oils they sell as many come in a smaller 500ml bottle, like the EVOO from California for example.
$10.99 is a fairly good deal for a 750 ml bottle. Graza brand oil sells now for about $17 at Target for this same 750 ml size bottle. I don’t have any of the Graza oil at home now one so can’t directly compare them. Graza oil is from one country, Spain.
They say this: “Imported from the Mediterranean, it’s a golden, grassy, and pleasantly peppery cold-pressed Olive Oil, ideal for everything from light sautés to dipping bread, and it’s contained within a consummately convenient Squeeze bottle topped with an adjustable spout. The squeezable design is perfect for drizzling over roasted veggies, burrata, or soups. It’s also versatile enough for dipping bread, making pesto, or general pan-frying and sautéing. “
I tried this Main Squeeze Oil and pretty much liked the taste. Yes, it does have “a golden, grassy, and pleasantly peppery taste with a mild kick on it’s aftertaste”.
One thing I don’t like? The nozzle. It’s not great. Hard to grip for a start. I found it tricky to open and close. It is very narrow, so hard to grip, and turn to open and close. It should be wider. I found I needed to grab it with something (towel, etc) to get a firm grip.
The nozzle also had a tendency to get gunked easily. I had to wipe it often as it got gunky after about two uses.
Now do I think the oil is as good as their best EVOO oils (the Sicilian and California ones)? No I would say just a bit under those two excellent oils, however they are more expensive. Those both cost more than this.
So is TJ’s MAIN SQUEEZE is worth trying if you want to try the whole “drizzle” experience. Its of course cheaper than Graza Sizzle EVOO. This says it is “$13.85/quart”.
Like all extra virgin oils keep it in a cool dark cupboard if at all possible to stay as fresh as possible.
$10.99 (750 ml, 25.4 oz)
“Packed in Italy; Oil from Tunisia, Spain and Italy”
SIGN SAYS: “Ideal for pour overs and cold brews where its warm well balanced bitterness will shine”
“Smooth and satisfying, with balanced acidity and sweet nutty notes.”
TJ’s calls this “Medium” and I concur this is exactly medium roast. These nice looking whole beans look shinier in the photo than they actually are, which is not shiny, just bordering it.
Trader Joe’s Sulawesi Small Lot Coffee is a limited-release Small Lot coffee sourced from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Notes of caramel and little bit of a wine-y note too. A pleasant, smooth coffee. I made it in a Moka pot and it produced some nice crema but I’m sure a drip coffee method would work as well. Or true Espresso.
Kalossi beans (often called Celebes Kalossi) are premium Arabica coffee beans grown in the rugged central highlands of Sulawesi, Indonesia (historically known as Celebes). Named after the town of Kalossi—the central trading hub for the region—these beans are renowned for their heavy, syrupy body, low acidity, and rich, earthy flavor profile
$9.99 (12 oz bag) LIMITED!
My bag had a roast date printed on the bag of 3/14/26. I bought it around a month later? Not bad for Trader Joe’s Small Lot.
Trader’s says: “Our Norwegian supplier makes this Lefse [LEF-suh] according to a traditional recipe that’s mostly Potato flakes (about 80%) and wheat flour, with a handful of other ingredients including milk powder, salt, and yeast. The dough is formed into rectangles that, when baked, are thin and supple and won’t crack when you bend or wrap them. Beyond texture, the potato flavor is super satisfying, yet still neutral enough to function as the base for almost anything else in our stores that suits your palate”
“Ultra thin and pliable. Won’t crack when rolled or folded. This Norwegian flatbread is ideal with cheese and can be enjoyed with both sweet and savory fillings: strawberry jam and whipped cream, smoked salmon and cream cheese and whatever else you dream up” – Trader Joe
LIMITED!! “You’ll find Trader Joe’s Lefse Norwegian Potato Flatbread on our bakery shelves through July!”
PRODUCT OF NORWAY
NEW ITEM (April 2026) – Trader Joe’s just came out with this soft, pliable traditional Norwegian flatbread. If like me, you’ve never heard of Lefse before, basically its a thin flatbread made with potatoes. Potatoes make Lefse very soft and pliable. Good for roll-ups and other things.
Traditionally the dough is rolled thin then baked on a lefse griddle, which look something like this.
This native New Yorker never heard of lefse before seeing these at TJ’s. However if you are from Minnesota, you may know these. I understand lefse is common and popular there, given Minnesota’s Scandinavian immigrant history. Eaten at holidays especially!
“Lefse—the soft, potato-based Scandinavian flatbread—is a deeply rooted Minnesota holiday staple. Whether you enjoy it rolled up with butter and cinnamon sugar or as a wrap for savory meats, it’s an iconic part of the state’s heritage”
Also from what I gather, one traditional way to eat LEFSE is a sweet version with butter, sugar and cinnamon. Who doesn’t like that flavor combination? Basically like a cinnamon bun made with potatoes?
So to try Trader Joe’s version, I warmed it up (a must!) and put all those things on and rolled them up. We had them with coffee and tea and I have to say the lefse was very yummy with cinnamon sugar and butter.
In addition to trying it sweet I also tried it “savory” with smoked fish and cream cheese put together into a Roll Up. That way was pretty good but for that style, I would prefer using LAVASH which is more “bready” with whole wheat so tastes like bread and not potato. You will have to try both ways to see how you like them, sweet or savory. While we liked the savory one, we both seemed to prefer eating lefese in that traditional sweet cinnamon sugar/butter version, over a savory version
Make something both ways and see what you think. Sweet? Savory? Both?
CINNAMON SUGAR LEFSE: To make the butter and cinnamon version I put the lefse in a pan on low heat, added a few pats of butter over them and sprinkled it very generously with ground cinnamon and turbinado sugar (or brown sugar). The picture above uses white sugar of course so use whatever you prefer. When the butter and sugar start to melt, roll them up with a spatula or just fold them over. Eat these immediately, as they are great warm.
Very yummy! Soft and flavorful If you are into flatbreads (raises hand) I’d say this is worth trying at least once. Personally though overall as far as flatbreads that TJ sells, I will still probably buy whole wheat LAVASH as those are more “bready”.
But I have to say, these potato soft LEFSE were very tasty with butter and cinnamon sugar as a dessert treat! A little unusual and worth trying at least once that way.
TIP – Serve lefse warm! These are seasonal for Spring; I bet you can freeze them so you have some for Xmas season!
Googling it I found a lot of recipes for it on YouTube on how to make it which looks fairly easy and I bet a homemade fresh version would be really good…. If you are ambitious!
This is a LIMITED EDITION item (available from around April till July)
Trader Joe’s LEFSE potato flatbread, $3.99 (However when I first saw them the sign said 3.49 then it seem to go up a week later!) 13.2 oz. 375 gr – About 10 slices in the bag
BBQ season (spring/summer) Halloumi Cheese Is Back At Trader Joe’s! Finally! I wait about 1/2 the year for it to appear back on their shelves, as Trader Joe’s considers it to be seasonal item for summer and “outdoor” grilling, etc. Its great for that but for many other things and can be “indoors” too… Check out the original post about it, HERE
“Fresh and creamy, semi-soft cheese with a mild, smooth flavor”
Queso Fresco (literally translated as “fresh cheese”) is a soft, un-aged Mexican cheese made with cow’s milk. It has a bright, mildly milky, and slightly salty-tangy flavor, and is known for its crumbly texture that doesn’t melt when heated.
Trader Joe’s version of QUESO FRESCO is very tasty. A little tangy, a little salty, not too firm and not too soft. It crumbled easily between my fingers, which is the best way to prep it.
Queso Fresco is of course terrific with all Mexican foods like enchiladas or tacos but you don’t have to limit yourself to Mexican food. You could use this in many cuisines, kind of like Feta cheese. Use this with eggs which it goes perfectly with, either sprinkled on top or use as an omelet filling. Its fantastic on top of salads. GRILLING: I even cut slices of it and just grilled them. While not as firm as Halloumi I was able to grill up till it was golden brown and not melt.
You could try pairing cubes of this queso with TJ’s GUAVA SPREAD on crackers; a perfect salty sweet combo that would be great on a #cheeseboard
Queso Fresco $3.79 (8 oz)
I would buy this again.
If you want a deep dive into queso, this site has that
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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