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!
For me, it’s just a necessity to have these in our bathroom for when it’s just Too Hot. For shower think Tea Tree Tingle soap. Using this in the shower really cools you off.
The castile peppermint soap is instantly cooling and refreshing (though you have to be careful around your eyes and around sensitive body parts). Useful for all kinds of cleaning tasks, say for doing laundry, adding a capful of it to your regular soap will help make even sweaty gym clothes smell clean and fresh.
“What do you need to make the perfect summer salad? Fresh, peppery greens? Aromatic herbs? Zesty, citrus flavors? Some resoundingly delicious crunch? How about a salad that ticks all those boxes? Trader Joe’s Lemony Arugula Basil Salad Kit gives you all the tools necessary to create a superlatively summer-y salad, complete with leafy arugula, shredded Parmesan cheese, crunchy carrots and roasted almonds, and a stunningly citric, wholly herbaceous, basil lemon vinaigrette dressing.” (TJ)
I know a lot of people seem to love this salad kit. It’s one of the more popular ones at Trader Joe’s. Personally I am a fan of eating arugula, raw in a salad. I like it’s slightly peppery bite. I buy a package of Trader Joe’s arugula frequently as my salad base. My wife on the other hand, prefers to eat arugula cooked. To each his own.
This salad kit makes getting an arugula salad together super easy. Just toss it in a bowl and add the dressing. Arugula and shaved pieces of carrot plus almonds and grated Parmesan cheese. The dressing is something everybody says is very tasty, with some folks wishing that Trader Joe’s sold the dressing in a bottle.
The salad matches well with other things, such as grilled chicken or salmon, served hot or cold.
Say on some crazy hot day like today where it is 95 and just thinking about cooking will make you sweat, how about using this KIT to make an easy dinner with zero cooking? Just dump the salad in a bowl, and add a can of that delicious new SKIPJACK TUNA on top. Voila! Dinner. Easy peasy.
This California extra virgin olive oil from Trader Joe’s always get high praise from all kinds of reviewers.
It ranked first of a taste testing of 9 Trader Joe’s olive oils HERE on YahooLife
TRADER JOE’S CALIFORNIA EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL is a very good, high quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) obviously originating from right here in the U.S. namely from California producers.
Smooth and fruity, it has a little bit of a peppery finish. It’s a stand out EVOO that is going to make everything you put it on taste better. Sure you can use this any way you want but what it’s especially ideal for that drizzle of olive oil, that finishing touch, that little pour of good EVOO on your dish right at then end, just before you serve. That way you are tasting it pure and uncooked so you get the freshest taste. Sure one can cook with this but frankly its a bit expensive to cook with, something like double the price of the still decent, regular olive oils at TJ’s which I find fine for general cooking like the bigger (1 liter) bottle of TJ’s President Select olive oil or the regular “Trader Giotto’s Imported ” oil. But if you want to cook with it, go right ahead! I usually use this for drizzling, salads, and the like in its “raw” state.
TRADER JOE’S CALIFORNIA EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL goes about $10 for a 500 ml (16.9 oz) bottle. Use it within a month or two after opening for maximum freshness. That is if my bottle lasts me a whole month!
“…Modernity does occasionally produce snacks and sweets that previous generations could never have imagined… Fun, flavorful, and even a little fizzy, each Root Beer Float Cookie Piece starts with a vanilla sandwich Cookie, filled with popping candy-imbued vanilla crème, which our supplier enrobes in a toothsome, remarkably Root Beer-reminiscent candy coating…. ” – TJ’s
All I’ve been reading about is how fantastic the new Trader Joe’s Root Beer Float Pieces candy is. So I had to try it.
OK so my honest review is yes, the first piece you taste does in fact taste surprisingly like a root beer float, with even a little fizzy sensation in your mouth from the pop rocks evoking soda bubbles. Yes, I grant you that someone did come up with the right list of food chemicals stuff to do that. (yikes! you don’t want to read that list of ingredients).
To be honest, I found it just OK. I would not say I loved this. Its OK. My wife however spit it out after a little bite.
I find it way, way too sweet. However kids may just love this as it is unusual. After that first piece where you get the root beer float concept and say to yourself, wow it does taste like a root beer float, the novelty wears off, and as a candy it’s ok but not amazing. After that and I ate two more pieces, I was pretty much done with it. I find it more gimmicky than a great candy.
$3.79 (7 oz bag)
Sorry internet. I would not buy it again.
Me, I love dark not milk chocolate myself. Give me some dark chocolate peanut butter cups any day of the week. I could probably eat the whole container.
“A light, bright, lemon and almond based pesto with savory Grana Padano cheese and a touch of black pepper.”
“SIMPLY STIR A FEW TABLESPOONS WITH HOT PASTA AND SERVE WITH FRESH GRATED CHEESE”
Ingredients: Sunflower oil, lemon, water, Grana Padano cheese, almonds, sugar, lemon zest, salt, lactic acid, natural flavors, veg and fruit juice (for color) yeast extract, black pepper.
This was a LIMITED product which was released some time back and lots of people clamored about it and said this was a Must Try product. Later it seemed to vanish from the shelves for some time but it’s now back in stock once again (bought June 2025).
TJ’s says: “This enchanting concoction is light, bright, a little cheesy, a little nutty, and positively bursting with Lemon flavor—a dazzling example of culinary wizardry. Inspired by a pasta dish from Italy’s Amalfi coast (where lemon is a key element of local cuisine), our Italian supplier crushes whole lemons and combines them with sunflower seed oil, savory Grana Padano cheese, almonds, a touch of salt, a pinch of black pepper, and extra lemon zest for good, citrusy measure. When we say this limited edition, lip-smacking Sauce adds magic to mealtimes, it’s not hyperbole. Stir it into Organic Mafalda Corta Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Pearls and chopped mint. Spread it on a toasted baguette and top with Sliced Prosciutto. Dollop it on grilled All Natural Thin- Sliced Chicken Breasts or shrimp kabobs. With each wave of your wand… er, spoon, you may even be inspired to incant “Presto, Lemon Pesto!”
“Lemon Pesto”? An interesting concept. Invented by the same Italian manufacturer who makes Trader Joe’s ROSATELLA sauce. Inspired by the Amalifi coast where lemon is a big thing.
Is this pesto a bit controversial? Perhaps. Some people call it “horrible”. I suspect they are using too much of it in their dish. The maintrick to using this LEMON PESTO successfully is to get the amount right, which will take a little experimentation. This is nothing like standard basil pesto. This Lemon pesto is kind of concentrated. You don’t want to use too much. Less is more. You will have to learn how much to add. Add a few spoons of it into hot (al dente) pasta, plus some of that magic ingredient, your pasta cooking water, cooking and tossing it all in the pan to get everything to come together.
Use too much and you can ruin the dish. So start with adding a big tablespoon, incorporate that, taste it and see how you like it. If you don’t think the flavor is strong enough add a bit more. Less is more with this lemon pesto, so experiment till you get the ratio of pesto to pasta right for your tastes (offhand I’d say two rounded teaspoons of the pesto to about 1/2 pound of pasta, plus a ladle of pasta water was about right for me) As good as it is, I still think a “lemon pasta” made using this pesto sauce will benefit from adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, maybe even grilling thin slices of lemon like I did, and sauteed fresh garlic.
As it uses sunflower oil, you definitely should add a finishing touch of a drizzle of some good EVOO. Finish with some fresh grated cheese, Parmigiano, Pecorino, Asiago…. whatever you like and perhaps some chopped basil, parsley or arugula to add an herbal flavor.
Here I used the lemon pesto sauce with TJ’s excellent ORGANIC LEMON TORCHIETTI pasta. The pasta and this lemon pesto matched very well together and is a combo worth trying. I tossed in peas too to add a little more protein.
The pesto can also be use as an ingredient say to put dollop of the sauce on top of grilled chicken breasts or grilled salmon or shrimp. Based on someone saying this can be used in Avocado Toast, I tried that and guess what? It worked! A bit of this in my Avocado made some very tasty Avocado Toast. I used a small amount (1/2 tsp) or so of the pesto, plus fresh lemon juice, mashed into the avocado, and a lot of black pepper.
Here’s a link to a recipe on Trader Joe’s site using the pesto and potatoes for a lemony potato salad. So feel free to experiment.
According to Trader Joe’s, this pasta, organic lemon Torchiette (meaning “little torches”), was included in those nice gift worthy imported pasta assortment boxes during the Holidays, if you remember, they came in a trio of high end Italian pastas and made a nice gift. I think those were $10. Trader Joe’s got feedback that people especially loved one of the three pastas in the gift set which was this one, “Organic Lemon Torchietti”. So Trader Joe’s decided to come out with it as a stand alone item in a 1 pound box.
I liked this pasta a lot, and think these are well worth trying. This Torchietti is a really good, very high quality Italian pasta from a good manufacturer. I could see some fancy store easily charging three times what Trader Joe’s is selling it for ($3.49)
Trader Joe’s says this: “Shining brightly with Sicilian lemon flavor and a complementary yellow hue (thanks to the addition of organic turmeric), these short, wavy, organic durum wheat noodles are extruded through a bronze die, creating a ridged exterior that makes them an exceptional vehicle for an array of sauces. Try tossing them in an olive oil, pesto, or Organic Vodka Sauce. Or for a double dose of lemon, Limone Alfredo Sauce. In addition to this sauce-supporting superiority, Trader Joe’s Organic Lemon Torchietti are equally excellent in hot and cold preparations – let pasta salad season begin!”
Ingredients are : Organic Semolina Durum Wheat, Water, Organic Lemon Oil, turmeric (for color)
COOKING: 6-7 minutes in boiling salted water.
The pasta is very good, I tasted it plain, it had just the slightest hint of lemon, from the lemon oil used to make it. The shape and being bronze die cut means the pasta holds sauces very well.
TJ’s does suggest pairing this Torchietti with their LEMON ALFREDO SAUCE which is I’m sure is a good combo, and one I will try later. First, I used these Torchietti with that “LEMON PESTO” to come up with a lemon themed pasta dish. Adding to the pesto with extra lemon, olive oil, butter, Pecorino, and a few grilled lemon slices. The dish turned out very good.
(TIP: I took the pasta out early at around 4 minutes as I was going to continue cooking it in my sauce for another 2+ minutes with my sauce for al dente pasta)
By the way, I bought them 2 weeks ago, and they were $2.99, which Trader Joe’s website also says is the price. I go back yesterday and I see the sign now says $3.49?! Is this price increase due to Tariffs coming into effect?
These can work in a hot dish but they suggest these would be good for a pasta salad too. I agree. The unique twisted shape really is good for holding sauces. And I would not just think “lemon” with the pasta, I could easily see pairing this with any of your favorite sauces. The lemon flavor in the pasta is not strong at all.
The website says “Limited” for these, so if you want to try these, I would grab a box while you can.
“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)
Here’s yet another addition to Trader Joe’s “Tinned Fish” selection.
Trader Joe’s Boneless Grilled Mackerel Fillets in Extra Virgin Olive Oil are wild-caught in the Mediterranean. The fish are filleted into big meaty long pieces and Grilled and even get a few grill marks you can see in the picture. These are canned for TJ’s in Tunisia. They have a nice, meaty texture and delicate flavor profile. They’re packed in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, so I assume the oil is Tunisian.
Trader Joe’s says: “These Fillets are a great substitute for smoked salmon on a bagel with cream cheese. Or in an omelette. Or taste terrific simply served on buttered toast. At lunch or dinner, they’re a terrific topping on a salad and a fantastic filling in a sandwich—especially when lightly fried, first. And for the tinned fish purists out there, they’re also great when enjoyed over crackers or crostini with cracked pepper, hot sauce, or a squeeze of lemon juice.”
A big plus? A whopping 32g of Protein per can
In the picture below I used the Mackerel Fillets as the fish part for a kind of sushi hand roll (makizushi). I made some sushi rice. Assembled that with mackerel fillets on top of Trader Joe’s SEAWEED SNACKS for the nori (Unlike real nori these will tend to fall apart)
Topped them with julienned cucumber and peppers. Squeeze of lemon, YUZU mayonaisse…. they were really yummy! You can also make the same kind of thing with Spicy Tuna, which is what I typically make these with but the mackerel fillets worked there too.
Mackerel is a healthy fish and sustainable. I liked these fillets. I would buy it again
Pair this with the new ROASTED TOMATO LABNEH? Might be perfect match with this fish.
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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