“Perfect for hummus and dips and for sandwiches. Heat and enjoy!” (frozen)
I love good pita bread. For the past few years, the pita at Trader Joe’s, their long running item “pita bread original pockets” have been OK in a pinch but are 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 big, and very thin. So thin these are not sturdy enough to count on to make a pocket Hold the food without falling apart as you eat it.
With the NEW pocket bread/pita called BALADI – This has all changed. Trust me. You want these. They are far better pita bread! Finally we can buy some GOOD pita bread at TJ’s.
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, say for 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.”
I give these a Wow. These are EXCELLENT. I was so impressed at how good these are. I found this pita so tasty and satisfying. They were even delicious just eaten simply with butter on them. Versatile. Between this new Baladi pocket bread and TJ’s Lavash flatbread I am super happy to have these Middle Eastern bread options at TJ’s.
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. 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 falafel, 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!!
I haven’t tried this before but I saw BACON CHEDDAR was a featured item in their Fearless Flyer so I thought I would check it out. It was something as I kept tasting it, I kept saying to myself, OK let me try just one more bite, and a little bit later after some more taste testing, I noticed I ate a good hunk of it! I don’t usually buy processed cheese (like American cheese) but I have to say this tasted good, a little smokey with savory notes from the tiny pieces of applewood bacon in it. Semi soft. This will melt easily so good to cook with. You can slice and add to a grilled cheese sandwich to add a smokey bacon note to it.
Says “while supplies last” which I assume means a limited item.
“Trader Joe’s Bacon Cheddar Cheese is handcrafted for us in upstate New York by a master cheesemaker with extensive experience in traditional European Cheddaring techniques and an instinct for blending. Aged for 18 months, the Cheddar is full flavored and mildly sharp with firm, smooth texture….merged with pieces of our very own Trader Joe’s Uncured Applewood Smoked Bacon, which contribute richly savory, sweet-smoky character to every bite. From snacking on while watching a game, to serving as part of a charcuterie board…..baked potatoes, French fries, burgers, broccoli, apple slices, macaroni, biscuits, quiche… ” (from the TJ Fearless Flyer Aug 2025)
Trader Joe’s Romano Caesar Dressing is a vegetarian take on the classic Caeser. This does not contain anchovies but has got a lot of other other ingredients like Romano cheese, olive oil, garlic and spices plus mustard, Worcestershire, lemon and capers, to compensate and provide Umani.
You can use it as well as a marinade for chicken, fish or most anything. About $3 for a 12 oz bottle.
My very picky wife liked this dressing and she doesn’t like a lot of TJ’s dressings.
Want to use this to make a Caesar Salad? Get some Romaine, tear or cut up in to pieces. Add some CROUTONS. Pour on some dressing. Toss. Done! Unless you want options of adding perhaps some lightly cooked eggs or maybe some chicken to make it into a full meal.
I would buy this again.
PS – there’s nothing preventing one to add a few smashed anchovies to this to make it into a classic Caesar dressing.
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.
As the name say, these are mozzarella shaped into little balls, or pearls. I made them into a Caprese salad along with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil, plus balsamic and olive oil. They are pretty good for salads and the like. Or for tossing into a pasta dish. You can also take these and marinate them with garlic and oil. About $4.29 for a pound. I do think though that I prefer the large mozzarella logs as I think that cheese is a bit softer. I can cut those into any size piece I want. These are cute though and they can be made into marinated mozzarella pearls which people love.
I got one of these lovely yellow live Mums live potten plant for my wife yesterday. They looked super healthy. These cost only five bucks, not a bad deal at all.
Mums are pretty hardy. If indoors, they need a good window that gets some good sun for about 6 hours. Keep them a bit moist.
PLANT CARE: Caring for mums (chrysanthemums) involves providing them with proper sunlight, water, and soil conditions, as well as occasional fertilization and deadheading. Mums are generally low-maintenance but thrive with a few key care practices. Mums need at least six hours of direct sunlight per day to bloom well. Choose a location that receives ample sunlight, whether in the garden or on a patio. For potted mums, ensure they get enough light, but avoid intense midday sun which can fade blooms. Watering: Mums prefer moist but not waterlogged soil. Water regularly, especially during dry spells, ensuring the soil is kept moist but not soggy. Potted mums may need more frequent watering than those in the ground. Deadheading: Remove spent blooms (deadheading) to encourage more flowering and keep the plant looking tidy. Simply pinch or cut off the faded flower heads.
What TJ says: “Have you heard about umami? You’ve most certainly tasted it, even if you’ve never heard the word. Umami is the word used to describe the fifth taste – in addition to sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Taken from Japanese, the word translates to ‘pleasant savory taste’, and really, it’s just that. And it’s really just something you’re going to want to put on everything. To create this Umami Seasoning Blend, we began with kosher salt, and used a flavor base of porcini and white button mushrooms – earthy mushroom flavor really is the cornerstone of umami, which is why we named it Mushroom & Company. The ingredient list also includes onion, mustard seed, red & black pepper, and thyme… If you follow an eating plan like we do, also known as Anything and Everything, Trader Joe’s Mushroom & Company Multipurpose Umami Seasoning Blend will elevate the flavors of Anything and Everything, a sprinkle at a time” – Trader Joe’s
I’ve read some discussions on Reddit where people wonder if this seasoning actually “does anything”. Trust me, it does. Trader Joe’s Mushroom & Company Multipurpose Seasoning Blend is useful. It contains two kinds of mushrooms, porcini and button, along with other seasonings. Mushrooms contain glutamates. Glutamates give food that “umami” taste.
Sometimes when I’m making something and it just tastes a little flat, and I don’t know what to add to make it taste better, I frequently turn and try adding a bit of this seasoning (aka Magic Mushroom Powder) and it usually does just the trick of making things just taste better. Seriously you won’t know until you’ve tried this magic powder. For just one little instance where I use this really useful is ground turkey. I add this seasoning to ground turkey to improve it’s bland flavor, for example making turkey burgers. They are vastly improved with the Umami seasoning. Or chicken, fish, veggies, tofu, eggs or frankly anything for that matter.
As this blend does contains some salt, you want to use a little less salt than you normally might add, Use this and correct the seasoning to see if any additional salt is needed. However I don’t find this seasoning blend to be a salt bomb, it’s got a lot of other ingredients. I’ve even come up with using this seasoning to create a little veggie broth in a pinch.
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”
Lavash is a traditional flatbread of Armenian / Middle Eastern heritage.
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. I give this a big thumbs up. I think this bread is a great Trader Joe’s product. Very tasty, and super useful in many ways.
As you can see, it’s a very thin flatbread. It comes in a large square and is soft and flexible, especially after warming. Its good for many things, like making 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 like grilled meat or chicken. It’s 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.
wraps: ham, cucumber with whipped cream cheese
The sheets are large but are scored in the middle so they can be torn in half easily. Try working with a 1/2 sheet (or use full sheet)
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 pretty healthy, and it is pretty low fat as it is so thin and so 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. It can make an easy very crispy thin pizza too as you can see below.
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.
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