These were in the NEW PRODUCTS sections and when I saw this package I couldn’t resist getting it for my felines Aspen & Kuro to “guest review”. This package is just too cute and makes you want to buy it.
As far as my Guest reviewers, Aspen and Kuro, all I can tell you when I opened up the bag both immediately went bonkers and tried to rip the bag out of my hands. They loved these and went crazy, even trying to tear the bag right out of my hands! To be honest though, they pretty much will eat anything. Your cat’s mileage may vary.
Guest reviewers, Aspen (L) and Kuro (R)
The package boldly has “Made with real chicken”. Yeah but… Be honest Trader Joe, the *first ingredient listed is “chicken meal“. Down the list, it does list “chicken”.
So ingredient wise I don’t think these treats equal the other treats I regularly buy at Trader Joe’s, the really good Bench & Fields HOLISTIC CAT TREATS (round plastic jar with a red top) Which do cost more than these.
Still if you want to give your cats a different treat they may love these, especially if they don’t like the B&F treats which are fishy. My cats love both brands. These treats come out to 4 calories per treat. With 19% protein (B&F has 32%) . These treat are $2.99 a bag (5 oz)
These treats are way better than another cat treats TJ’s once sold a few years back and thankfully dropped. That one listed potatoes as the first ingredient!
I hope TJ’s plans on keeping the Bench & Fields treats and not replacing them with these. Over the last few years Trader Joe’s have really screwed us pet owners, especially us cat owners with. They stopped carrying any canned cat food, and dropped TJ’s brand of dry cat food. Most maddening to me, they discontinued their TJ Pine Kitty Litter which was so convenient for me to buy at TJ’s for a reasonable price. ARGH!!!#$! All of these were around Covid when supply chains and prices went nuts. At least they still are carrying bags of B&F Natural Dry Cat food which is an excellent dry food. Though price has gone way up.
These Are So Good! They kind of reminded me of a Creamsicle, but grown up and much better. But rather than orange and vanilla these bars have MANGO and Vanilla, which is just a super combination. The vanilla ice cream on the inside is really good. Surrounding that outside is mango sorbet which has a delicious, intense flavor of mango. These are perfect for Summer but frankly I would want to eat this anytime. If you see these MANGO CREAM BARS I suggest you grab them to try.
Trader Joe’s SPICY HONEY; it’s honey with chili, so obviously sweet and spicy. Make that Quite Spicy!
Now back in 2010, I had first heard of something called “Mike’s Hot Honey” . It created a bit of a buzz in the NYC food scene when it came out. I actually first tasted Mike’s Hot Honey on a delicious pizza from Paulie Gee’s in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that Mike had come up working there doing pizzas. His Arugula Pizza with Honey was Mike’s hot honey drizzled over fresh arugula on the pizza after it came out of the oven. The whole thing was just terrific. Also the place (if you can, go try a Paulie Gee’s pizza). Mike was marketing his hot honey (his was made with a Brazilian birdseye chili). Hot Honey began to catch on with chefs. Hot honey became a thing. Other vendors came out with similar products. Trader Joe’s jumped on the hot honey bandwagon too a few years ago. They came up with what they call “Spicy Honey”. TJ’s spicy honey is quite good. It’s quite spicy as I said so you use it sparingly, just drizzles of it at the end on something. Interestingly I just realized as I had a bottle Trader Joe’s first sold it in an 8 oz container and the sold it for I think $3. Recently they increased both the price and the size. Its now 12 oz for $5. It’s Organic too I think. This is really Terrific if you’re into Sweet and Savory. I drizzled some on my Japanese Curry Rice last night, perfect addition.
“From something as simple as a baked sweet potato to something as rich as a slice of New York Cheesecake, a drizzling of Organic Spicy Honey Sauce instantly gives anything it’s added to an extra element of complexity. Try it on sandwiches, pizza, or shrimp tacos for an elevated everyday eating experience. Give it a go over pan-fried Gnocchi, roasted carrots, or barbecued meat skewers for a bit of gourmet experimentation…”
If you’ve never heard of it before, “horchata” is a beloved and famous Mexican drink. It’s made from milk, rice, water and cinnamon and super refreshing served ice cold on a hot day. I didn’t know of horchata until I first visited Mexico years ago. I absolutely fell in love with it with my first sip.
Well this new ice cream from Trader Joe’s is “inspired” by this Mexican drink. They say its a “sweet cinnamon and rice ice cream with horchata flavored cookie pieces”. The little pieces add little bits of crunchiness in the smooth ice cream. I found TJ’s new flavor to be quite good. In fact, our pint went pretty fast! Here’s what TJ’s has to say….
“The popular Latin American beverage called horchata [or-cha-ta] is creamy and sweet, like ice cream. With no good excuse not to, we decided to take it all the way there—from smooth beverage to frozen dessert! Trader Joe’s Horchata Inspired Ice Cream delivers all the delicious flavors of horchata in every spoonful.
Like many ice creams, its rich base includes cream, milk, egg yolks, and cane sugar. We horchatized it by adding cinnamon and brown rice flour, plus a touch of sea salt. And since inclusions are fun, we also added pieces of horchata-flavored cookies, contributing a nice textural variation.”
You pretty much can’t go wrong with TJ’s PINEAPPLE SALSA. It’s one of Trader Joe’s best selling salsas and not for nothing. It hits all the right notes to make a good all around salsa. For one thing it’s not spicy. They say Mild to Medium (I say Mild) so this salsa is good for folks who say they don’t like it too spicy. Me I like spicy but I still like this too and can add something spicy to up the heat if I want. The Pineapple Salsa gets a nicely balanced subtle sweetness from pineapple blended into a tomato based salsa. The subtle sweetness adds a nice touch and counterbalances any spiciness. I add a few Sweet Hot Jalapeneno‘s on top if I want spicy. Another good thing about this is that it’s the cheapest salsa they sell as it’s only $1.99 and all the other ones cost more now. It has no preservatives and no artificial ingredients. Tasting wise, it was quite nice on tacos and quesadillas and some black bean burritos with cheese. You can use it for things other too. TJ’s says try it with cream cheese and crackers. Interesting. I would buy this again.
You may have heard of this super popular “recipe” if you can call it that, which is all over the internet. It makes a healthy snack or dessert. Basically there are actually two ingredients: chia seeds and almond milk (or whatever “milk” you want). Here ya go.
RECIPE: CHIA SEED PUDDING
In a glass or small jar, put about 2 tablespoon of TJ’s chia seeds. Next add about 1/2 cup of any kind of milk beverage (like almond milk). Give it a little stir. There are no rules that you must use almond milk, just use whatever you like best. Me, I alternate all the time between OAT, ALMOND or SOY MILK depending on my mood. Option: Add a bit of honey or any of your preferred sweetener (agave, maple syrup) and stir that in. While optional it does add some flavor and if you have kids you must use something like that. All you do now is wait for it to thicken so put it in the fridge and let the mixture sit in the fridge for at least about 30-60 minutes but it sets up best if you let it sit for 8-12 hours or overnight. When ready to serve put some fruit on top, or even something crunchy like Granola.
Chia seed pudding is super easy to make and of course very healthy. Now there is no rule that you can’t have use more ingredients and include a few other things. I usually mix in some yogurt or kefir too with the oat milk and sometimes add a few dried fruits like dried cranberries in. Basically figure about 1/2 cup of liquid to about 2 tablespoon of the chia seeds. If that is too thick (or not thick enough) adjust with more or less chia seeds until you get the consistency you, or your kids, prefer. This is a great snack.
You will find this stuff mentioned all over Instagram, TikTok and Reddit. Its quite good, maybe one of Trader Joe’s best New Items.
They took TJ’s incredibly popular Unexpected Cheddar cheese and made it into a spread like a pub cheese by adding things like butter and whey to make that hard cheese now spreadable. What a great idea, no?
Trader Joe’s says: “Our supplier combines our crumbly Unexpected Cheddar with salted butter and whey to create a superbly savory, creamy Cheese Spread that’s ready to enhance sandwiches and glorify grazing boards with the simple flick of a knife. Spread this pub-style cheese on a Raisin Rosemary Crisp, and you’ve got one classy snack on your hands. You might also add it to an appetizer of puff pastry topped with chopped figs to bring out its subtle fruity notes. No matter how you use it, it’s guaranteed to be a real crowd-cheeser.” (ok a groan for the bad pun)
Search around you you’ll find pictures using this spread to make the trendy fancy “cheese boards” which are all the rage on Instagram. Here’s TJ’s idea to make one with this spread, nuts and honey
Remove cheese spread from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to assembly to help soften.
To a medium-sized cutting board, use a butter knife or spoon to spread the unexpected cheddar over the entire board, leaving a small outer rim exposed. Use your utensil to make swooping motions as you spread to help create nooks and crannies.
Top with chopped pecans, thyme leaves, and a drizzle of honey.
“Old Fashioned Blister” Roasted Peanuts and OMG these are Oh So Good. Maybe these are THE BEST roasted peanuts you ever had. Old Fashioned like ones I remember when we were kids we could go to a real “Nut Store” and buy them just out of the roasting pan. These taste super fresh and are seriously delicious. If you like peanuts you must try these. I promise you will not be sorry, they are just so yummy it’s hard to stop eating them. These are $2.99 a bag (15 oz). INGREDIENTS: Extra Large Water Blanched Virginia Peanuts, Peanut Oil, Salt. Simple and delicious.
NEW PRODUCT: “Seasoned Cold Smoked Salmon with Dill Pickle Flavoring”.
Trader Joe’s seems to just love dill pickle stuff. They have quite a few products with the flavor. I love (fresh) dill on many things and especially love a sprinkle of fresh dill on smoked salmon (or fresh salmon). I love Gravlax (Scandinavian dill cured salmon).
However I didn’t love this new TJ smoked salmon flavor at all, I found it to be a Miss. For one thing I am guessing they use dried dill, not fresh. In fact they even list “dill weed oil” as one of the ingredients, which seems to me like trying to mimic fresh dill’s taste? Before reading this, I didn’t know “dill weed oil” existed as an ingredient. Furthermore this salmon seems a bit tougher (thicker cut?) then other seasoned salmons I really like from TJ’s, namely the Everything Smoked Salmon as well as the Pastrami Smoked Salmon, both of which I think work way better than this seasoning. I like both of those TJ’s smoked salmons
The 4 oz. package was $6.49. For me this stuff is a Miss. I rate it somewhere between a “Meh” and a Rant. Frankly my advice is pass on this but get either of those other two good seasoned smoked salmon Trader Joe’s offers.
Trader Joe’s CHEDDAR CHEESE with Caramelized Onions – “English Farmhouse cheddar blended with sweet caramelized onions creates a nice sweet & savory balance”
This one is another excellent cheese offering at Trader Joe’s. It’s an imported farmhouse cheddar from Dorset, England that in a CUSTOMER CHOICE AWARDS won #1 in the Cheese category. Yes, that good.
Trader Joe’s says… “It’s crafted for us on an established estate, idyllically situated between the rolling Dorset Downs and the Jurassic Coast—an international world heritage site, lush with pastures. With more than 40 years of traditional cheese making experience, a famed farm on this estate transforms rich, creamy milk from local grazing herds (within a 30 mile radius) into beautiful, full-bodied farmhouse Cheddar.”
Some cheeses are overpowered by added flavors however there are some very good cheeses with flavors that are delicious. This is one. FYI, you won’t see actual pieces of onion in the cheese; they seem to have been melted / blended in, which gives it a brown tinge. The flavors of caramelized onions match perfectly with the cheddar. You know like a Ploughman’s Lunch.
It’s delicious sliced thinly just on its own., and it was delicious too tasted with fruit (apples, grapes, pear). I just love this with a slice of my favorite apples from TJ’s (ENVY). I also loved this cheese on a cracker with a bit of the Apricot Jam (you should try this!)
What about MELTED?! Any good? Yes, yes, yes! Fantasticmelted… it made a really good melted cheese sandwich and was equally good for quesadillas. An “Ultimate melted cheese sandwich” might be mixing this cheese with the superb UNEXPECTED CHEDDAR on rye bread with a little Dijon mustard. This cheese sells for $10 a pound, which is not bad for an imported premium cheddar like this. I would gladly buy this again. I think this would be great on a cheeseboard. This is a terrific cheese, and worth trying.
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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