Food | Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants)

Trader Joe’s MAPLE STREUSEL BREAD

25 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in baked, bread, dairy, DIY, Fall Season, fresh, General, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, seasonal, Staple, sweets, Trader Joes, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, product, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes

A package of Trader Joe's Maple Streusel Bread, featuring a red design with autumn leaves, labeled with a best by date of October 28, 2026.

TRADER JOE’S MAPLE STREUSEL BREAD – “A Soft Moist Loaf With A Rich Maple Flavor, Topped With A Crumbly Streusel”

LIMITED TIME, Seasonal, Autumn

<TIP: This Makes Great French Toast ! >

I came across the Maple Streusel Bread, which is a Trader Joe’s seasonal Fall item. Actually I could smell it when I got close to these, even through the bag. This has a wonderful, enticing maple aroma.

Even though I knew it’s not exactly health food, I thought I should try this and review it. For you guys. That’s my excuse, as I normally eat try to stay eating pretty healthy 😉

Packages of Trader Joe's Maple Streusel Bread on a store shelf with a price tag of $4.49, highlighting the product's features.

Sweetness I would say is like that of cinnamon buns, though here the aroma is that of maple. Rich maple flavors. The bread is a bit dense and has a crumbly streusel topping and icing, and swirls of stuff throughout the bread. Its a bit sticky when you handle it.

A slice of toasted bread with a golden-brown crust and a fluffy texture.

I tried it a number of ways. Plain, right out of the bag. A bit sweet but not bad. Next I put on a little butter. Yummy. Next I thought I should try toasting this. You will learn right away that this can get burned pretty easily with the sugar and stuff. So be careful making this, as sticky stuff melts as you heat it.

The slice of toast below is actually not burned, just toasted up to the perfect point where it was really golden brown and delicious with some salted butter spread all over it. Toasted it was already way better. So yummy. You could sprinkle on cinnamon too for that cinnamon sugar taste.

TIP: When toasting this, keep a close eye on it as it can go from perfect to burned quickly. Go slow (low heat). I toasted it on my cast iron grill pan. It will drip some. If making in a toaster oven, put foil underneath as it will drip and get sticky.

Two pieces of toasted, golden-brown bread with a crispy texture, resting on a cream-colored plate.

Next I saw on the web that people LOVE THIS FOR MAKING FRENCH TOAST. Yes. That sounds like a good idea.

I tried it as the bread for French Toast. Yup, it turned out terrific. Again, cook it slowly and carefully on fairly low heat. I cooked it in in my grill pan, in about a tablespoon of Kerrygold salted butter.

Two pieces of golden-brown French toast on a black skillet.

When its finished it looks wonderful and basically makes its own syrup from the maple and stuff. It almost doesn’t need any maple syrup but add if you want to really double down on the maple. I think could also be good with fresh berries, Greek yogurt or even a bit of good jam.

MAPLE STREUEL BREAD FRENCH TOAST: Egg/milk mixture. 1 egg plus a splash of milk will cover about 2 or 3 slices. Let it soak for some time to absorb the liquid, maybe 10-15 minutes. so it penetrates the whole slice. I cooked it in good (salted) butter. Cook till golden brown and delicious. Serve.

$4.99 (20 oz) About 13 slices in the loaf.

1 slice has 150 cals. And yes a pretty big 13 gram sugar (which is 26% of rec. daily amount)

Nutrition facts label for a food product, detailing servings, calories, and ingredients like enriched wheat flour, sugar, and palm oil.

Features real maple syrup, a brown sugar swirl, maple streusel topping, and sweet icing.
Nutrition: Contains 150 calories per 43-gram slice, with 4g of total fat and 13g of sugar.
Texture: Dense and rich loaf, often described as cake-like.
Popular Uses: Best enjoyed toasted with salted butter or used to make French Toast.
Availability: Offered for a limited time during the autumn

Perfect for cozy fall breakfasts and making irresistible French toast!

The only bread for French Toast? Well, I think the Sliced Brioche regular of pumpkin also make great French Toast.

“THIS IS THE ONLY BREAD I WILL USE FOR FRENCH TOAST” (link. Chowhound)

I would buy this again.

NEW @ Trader Joe’s, Pasta price increases….

19 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, DIY, New, News, Pantry, pasta, Prices, Products, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, no preservatives, Products, Trader Joes

Packages of penne rigate pasta displayed on a shelf with a price tag showing $0.99 for a 16 oz bag. The design features an illustration of a pasta machine.

Packs of Fusilli pasta displayed on a grocery store shelf with a price tag showing $0.99 for 16 oz.

I saw something a bit interesting yesterday at Trader Joe’s. There were a few new bags of pasta, marked 99 cents . In fact, so new they hadn’t gotten around to having TJ’s regular handmade signs they are famous for.

A package of penne rigate pasta displayed on a shelf at Trader Joe's, featuring a label that highlights it as authentic Italian pasta made from 100% hard durum semolina, priced at $1.29.

The familiar pastas in the colors of the Italian flag, that have been 99 cents, had gone up. Now $1.29.

Trader Joe’s Italian Penne Rigate (Product of Italy) were 99 cents forever. The new bags of pasta that are 99 cents say PRODUCT OF EGYPT on the back.

No doubt this is a cost measure in order for Trader Joe’s to continue to be able to have some pastas to sell for 99 cents, I am guessing due to rising costs on the ones from Italy. Guessing they couldn’t continue to sell some of the cheaper Italian pasta for $1 a bag so found these from Egypt as a replacement.

I didn’t try these new ones at TJ yet from Egypt but in the past, I’ve gotten bags of pasta elsewhere that were Egyptian, which were fine. By the way, don’t be surprised that pasta is popular in Egypt. In fact, the national dish, KOSHARY is eaten by millions of Egyptians every day, often for breakfast. It’s a hearty dish made with pasta, rice, lentils, and other legumes. Filling!

The “better” Italian organic and artisanal pastas at Trader Joe’s are the same prices as they’ve been around $1.49-1.99 and up. Like the ORGANIC Cavatappi, was still $1.99. Their Italian Organic Spaghetti ($1.49) is fantastic. So those are an even better deal now, and I love all of those.

But if you are on a real tight budget, at least you can still buy pasta for 99 cents at Trader Joe’s. As I’ve said before, a jar of their sauce (1.99) and a bag of this pasta (.99) can feed a family for under three bucks.

So there are quite a few classes of pasta at Trader Joe’s…. The better ones are more Artisanal, and use Bronze Dies…. Most of those are marked Organic.

Trader Joe’s CHEDDAR & GRUYERE Melange Cheese

15 Oct 2026 1 Comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, bread, cheese, dairy, French, fresh, General, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, review, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: cheese, cheeseburger, dairy, Food, healthy

Sign displaying 'Flyer Item!' and a product label for 'Cheddar & Gruyere Melange' priced at $1.99 per pound with a suggestion to make a grilled cheese or add to a burger.

Trader Joe's Cheddar and Gruyere cheese package featuring nutrition facts, ingredients, and price label.

Fall Flyer 2026 Item

Cheddar and Gruyere together in one cheese!

It’s been on Trader Joe’s shelves for over a decade, about which they jokingly say: “(If you’ve ever wept over the loss of a favorite product, you’ll know this is a lifetime in Trader Joe’s years!) It’s a unique combination of Cheddar flavor and Gruyere creaminess; buttery & nutty, with a sweet, mild finish. This Cheese is crafted just for us by a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker and aged 90 days to achieve its distinctive taste and texture. Try it on a burger, in a grilled cheese sandwich, or cut into chunks on a cheese tray.”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/cheddar-gruyere-melange-cheese-095552

This has become one of my favorite cheeses at Trader Joe’s. I now have to have this on hand always, as I love it so much. If you’ve seen this but never actually tried it, I recommend this very good cheese.

It’s a kind of unique all around tasty cheese that everyone likes. It tastes exactly like what you might imagine a melange of Gruyere and cheddar would taste like together. Nutty, buttery and a little cheddar sharpness. I love it as is just with an apple or other fruit. Delicious.

What about cooking with this? Even better. I find this is just super for say making grilled cheese sandwiches, omelets, cheese quesadillas... In other words, its a fantastic melting cheese, especially delicious if you can get it a wee bit brown and crusty.

Grilled cheese sandwich cut in half, with melted cheese visible between toasted bread, accompanied by a slice of cucumber.

Here’s the cheese used on TJ’s yummy PUMPKIN SOURDOUGH bread where I made a really interesting and delicious grilled cheese sandwich with the Melange and mustard on the sourdough.

Like everything else it has gone up, now $7.99 a pound. A hunk usually runs bout 5-6 bucks.

I would buy this again.

A slice of bread topped with pieces of white cheese, with another slice of bread partially visible in the background.

#cheeseboards

Trader Joe’s Sliced PUMPKIN SOURDOUGH BREAD, review

16 Sep 2026 2 Comments

by promacnyc in bread, dairy, General, Holiday, New, News, Prices, Products, recipe, Recipes, review, seasonal, snacks, spices, sweets, tea, Uncategorized, WhatsGoodAtTJ?, Xmas season Tags: bread, dinner, fall, Food, gluten, item, Limited, no preservatives, product, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, Trader Joes, vegetarian

A package of Trader Joe's sliced pumpkin sourdough bread featuring an illustration of a pumpkin and a label indicating it's made with pumpkin puree and spices.

Sliced bread resting on a wooden cutting board, showing a light brown crust and airy interior.

Trader Joe’s Sliced PUMPKIN SOURDOUGH BREAD made with pumpkin purée & pumpkin spices

$4.99 (17.6 oz, 500 gr)

NEW ITEM (LIMITED TIME)

As I’ve mentioned a few times, actually I’m not one of those people who goes nuts every Fall when Trader Joe’s comes out with all the Pumpkin stuff. However on occasion I may see something that looks interesting and peaks my interest. Like this bread I saw in the New Items shelf while I was checking out:

Trader Joe’s SLICED PUMPKIN SOURDOUGH BREAD

After doing a little research I saw that some shoppers supposedly are raving about this bread and snapping it up. So I got one to try out. Here’s my honest review.

I liked this, in fact more than I expected to. I liked that the amount of spice in this is subtle. This bread is not overly flavored with “pumpkin spices”, there’s just a hint of spice blend (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg), almost background and what’s there matches well with the pumpkin flavor. This is actually made with pumpkin (puree) so you get a subtle taste of pumpkin. Pumpkin puree is the third ingredient listed (flour, water, pumpkin purée…) . The bread has a slight sweetness but just a hint-it tastes like bread, not dessert. Really well balanced. The slices are a perfect thickness. The bread has a little structure, not too soft, it has a nice crumb with some air holes. Just a bit of sour tang. As far as it being “real sourdough” well….I think of this as a “sourdough style” bread. I don’t think anyone is going to confuse this with a “real sourdough” but that’s OK for me. It lists “microbial enzymes”… not sourdough starter as a purist might argue. But its in the family.

As is untoasted, I thought it tasted fine, however my first thought was, I should toast this. It will be best toasted. My hunch was right. This is great for toasting and grilling. Doing that releases all the flavors and gets great texture.

First I just toasted up a slice and tried it simple – just spread with good butter. Simple but so delicious. Also excellent with butter and raspberry jam. Experiment and find your favorite jam combo. Trader Joe’s APPLE PIE JAM perhaps? This bread toasted with butter and their PUMPKIN BUTTER?

What about using this bread to make FRENCH TOAST? Try that with this bread over the holidays?

How about a Grilled Cheese Sandwich?

It may sound a bit odd, but try this for a grilled cheese sandwich.

I saw that suggestion somewhere on the internet about using this pumpkin sourdough with TJ’s Cheddar Gruyere melange cheese. So I made it. They were not wrong. This combo was So Good. We had these for dinner! We really liked the way these grilled cheese sandwiches came out (if you need a “recipe” see below)

Close-up of a grilled cheese sandwich, cut in half, revealing melted cheese between two slices of toasted bread, with a slice of cucumber on the side.

A slice of whole grain bread with large pieces of white cheese on top, partially covered by another slice of bread.

Cheese: I saw the recommended one as Trader Joe’s GRUYERE CHEDDAR MELANGE. I used that and it was a perfect match.

Here’s how I made my grilled cheese sandwich with the PUMPKIN SOURDOUGH.

Sliced up Gruyere Cheddar Melange cheese. Spread the bread slices with a thin layer of your favorite mustard. I used a mix of Dijon and Regular mustard. I like mustard so I did it on both insides.
Add a decent amount of cheese and carefully close up the sandwich. Grill in a heavy pan with a bit of butter on low-medium. Let it grill up for about 3-4 minutes per side or until it looks nice and Golden Brown and Delicious (check occasionally after 2 3 minutes, it can get dark easily) Flip the over carefully, press gently with a spatula until the second side is done and the cheese is all melty and delicious. Serve with pickles.

I’m sure it would also be good with some kind of cheddar but I have to say, that Gruyere melange perfect, subtle and nutty and matched perfectly with the pumpkin sourdough.

Nutrition facts label for a sliced pumpkin bread from Trader Joe's, including ingredients, serving size, calorie content, and nutritional information.

My only complaint with this bread is they don’t give you enough for five bucks! Its kind of small, half loaf of bread which is just over a pound. Our loaf went pretty fast, in fact we were fighting over who would eat the last piece of toast.

1 slice is 110 calories.

Product of Canada

CONTAINS SESAME SEEDS

LIMITED TIME – you can always buy some and freeze it

Trader Joe’s HAIR OIL and JOJOBA OIL

12 Sep 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in Health & Beauty, New, News, Prices, Products, Rant, Rave, review, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update Tags: beauty, cleaner, Food, hair, hair-care, health and beauty, makeup, moisturizer, no preservatives, oil, product, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, skin, Trader Joes

TRADER JOE’S (pricey) HAIR OIL vs. my recommendation JOJOBA OIL

I’m a guy with curly hair. Long ago I discovered my hair looks better if I just put a little oil on it. So for years I’ve been putting a little bit of some kind of oil on my hair when I get out of the shower. My Go To oil is usually a jar of coconut oil or similar.

I tried Trader Joe’s HAIR OIL. They call it “salon quality”.

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/hair-oil-075750

“Trader Joe’s Hair Oil is filled with a salon-quality Hair Oil that’s made with some of the most sought-after hair care ingredients, including: argan oil, moringa seed oil, chia seed oil, and vitamin E. It helps fight frizz, tame fly-aways, and smooth split ends, all while adding incredible shine. Plus, its moisturizing ingredients help protect against potential damage your hair can sustain from blow dryers and other heat styling tools.

I guess the words, “salon quality” justify the Salon Price of this tiny little bottle. They are selling this little one ounce bottle for six dollars! Here’s my honest review of Trader Joe’s Hair Oil.

I kind of liked Trader Joe’s Hair Oil. It smells nice, Its a little heavy and thick. Over a few days the hole where the oil comes out got gunked up, to the point of almost not working at all. However to me the main thing is this price. This stuff is just WAY too expensive. $5.99 for just one ounce to me seems like a rip-off and very un Trader Joe’s.

Perhaps some of you with way more experience with beauty products might disagree and say well this stuff has many special ingredients in it. That’s why it cost so much. Fine. If you think, its worth it, go for it. I’m a guy. I don’t want to spend that and honestly for years, I’ve bought and used other products like Trader Joe’s very good LEMON GRASS COCONUT OIL. That works fine on my hair. 4 ounces are about $4 dollars.

Which brings me to another Trader Joe’s oil: 100% PURE JOJOBA OIL. It’s perfect for my hair, as well as just as “body oil” and apparently is excellent as a facial oil and cleanser too. The 4 ounce bottle costs $7.99. So two dollars an ounce, not six. This is 100% pure jojoba oil. It’s a very light oil, not heavy or greasy at all. In fact, Trader Joe’s expensive Hair Oil contains some jojoba oil (Simmondsia Chinesis). It’s well known to be good for hair as well as for face and body.

So I say try this lovely 100% Pure Jojoba Oil for your hair instead of overpaying for the tiny bottle of HAIR OIL but that of course is just my suggestion. If you try both, please let us know if you think the little bottle of Hair Oil is worth the difference in price.

(for hair, skin, and scalp….remove makeup….cleanse pores….softens hands and feet…. prevents dry skin… leave-in hair treatment…. after shave moisturizer)

Trader Joe’s Thin Sliced ORGANIC 21 GRAINS & SEEDS BREAD

09 Sep 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, baked, bread, condiments, DIY, fresh, General, New, News, organic, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: baking, Food, health, healthy, no preservatives, nutrition, product, Products, Rave, Recipes, review, Trader Joes, vegetarian, Whole Wheat

Display of organic 21 grains and seeds bread packages in a store, with a price tag of $4.49 and a sign describing its texture as hearty and nutty.

Trader Joe's Organic 21 Grains & Seeds Bread, Thin Sliced, 20.4 oz package, featuring nutritional information including 70 calories per slice, good source of fiber, and 13g of whole grains per serving.

Top view of a slice of brown bread with seeds and a textured surface.

A slice of toasted whole grain bread with a golden-brown crust placed on a black skillet.

Certified Organic, 13g Whole Grains per serving, 70 cal slice

This is a NEW ITEM (AUG 2026)

21 Grains and Seeds Thin Sliced Organic Bread, with whole wheat and “organic seed and nut mix” containing organic sunflower, flax, pumpkin, sesame, black sesame, poppy, millet, rolled oats, quinoa, rye, spelt, yellow corn, amaranth, buckwheat, khorasan, purple corn, brown rice, sorghum, vital gluten, seeds and flours and other goodies like molasses.

A very nice slightly nutty tasting light brown whole wheat bread. Sliced thinly. One slice is 70 calories.

Made great toast with this as well as grilled cheese sandwiches. I would buy this again.

$4.49 for a 20 oz loaf

“Trader Joe’s Organic Thin Sliced 21 Grains & Seeds Bread is multi-faceted. Each Grain and Seed contributes its own characteristic taste and texture to produce a brown bread that is moist and slightly sweet, with a satisfyingly robust flavor. It’s excellent for sandwiching Organic Reduced Sugar Strawberry Preserves and Creamy Salted Peanut Butter. It’s also fantastic when two pieces are toasted in a pan with a generous number of Cheddar & Gruyere Mélange slices all melty in-between. And since our supplier has Sliced each loaf nice and Thin, it’s ideal for smaller-portioned sandwiches and toasts: each Slice comes in at about 70 calories.”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/organic-21-grains-and-seeds-bread-thin-sliced-084820

PRODUCT OF CANADA

Ingredients

ORGANIC WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, ORGANIC CANE SUGAR, ORGANIC WHOLE GRAIN AND SEED MIX (ORGANIC SUNFLOWER SEEDS, ORGANIC WHOLE FLAX SEEDS, ORGANIC PUMPKIN SEEDS, ORGANIC SESAME SEEDS, ORGANIC GROUND FLAX SEEDS, ORGANIC BLACK SESAME SEEDS, ORGANIC POPPY SEEDS, ORGANIC MILLET, ORGANIC ROLLED OATS, ORGANIC QUINOA, ORGANIC ROLLED BARLEY, ORGANIC ROLLED RYE, ORGANIC ROLLED WHOLE WHEAT, ORGANIC ROLLED SPELT, ORGANIC TRITICALE FLOUR, ORGANIC AMARANTH FLOUR, ORGANIC YELLOW CORN FLOUR, ORGANIC KHORASAN WHEAT FLOUR, ORGANIC BUCKWHEAT FLOUR, ORGANIC PURPLE CORN FLOUR, ORGANIC BROWN RICE FLOUR, ORGANIC SORGHUM FLOUR), ORGANIC VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, ORGANIC OAT FIBER, ORGANIC CRACKED WHOLE WHEAT, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF YEAST, ORGANIC CULTURED WHEAT FLOUR (TO PRESERVE), SEA SALT, MICROBIAL ENZYMES, ORGANIC MOLASSES, WHEAT FIBER, ORGANIC VINEGAR, ORGANIC ACEROLA CHERRY POWDER, ORGANIC UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (ORGANIC WHEAT FLOUR, ASCORBIC ACID [DOUGH CONDITIONER], NIACIN, IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID).

CONTAINS SESAME, WHEAT.

Trader Joe’s MANDU KOREAN KIMCHI POTSTICKER DUMPLINGS review

20 Aug 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, Asian, frozen, General, New, News, review, Trader Joes, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Cooking, dinner, Food, healthy, product, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, Trader Joes, vegan, vegetarian

NEW ITEM – AUGUST 2026

Trader Joe’s MANDU, Korean Kimchi Potsticker Dumplings (frozen)

Product of Korea

VEGAN

“Korean dumplings (mandu) come in an array of shapes and fillings. These particular pot-stickers are made with Kimchi, Glass Noodles and Vegetables with traditional spicy and tangy flavors from the kimchi which comes though in savory, piquant notes. They are best prepared “gun mandu” style, crisped in a pan on both sides to create a textural variety” -on the package

Trader Joe’s just introduced these new Mandu Korean Kimchi Potsicker frozen dumplings which are Made in Korea.Mandu is the Korean word for “dumpling”. These mandu have an interesting shape, a long rectangular “beggar’s purse”. They are plant based (vegan). Price-wise they are pretty good deal. A one pound bag which is about 18 dumplings goes for ~~$3.49~~ (NOTE: the 2nd time I got them, they had raised the price on the sign at my TJ’s to $3.99!?)

Eat these square dumpling with your favorite dipping sauce (Tip: no sauce is included) However even if you eat them without any sauce, the kimchi filling is nice and savory and a bit juicy.

These Kimchi Mandu could be served as a snack, appetizer, a lunch, or as part of a dinner.

We ate them for dinner, pairing the dumplings with rice, some kimchi, and a tofu dish I made. Braised Korean style tofu (dubu jorim) and all those combined to make a great dinner.

So how are Trader Joe’s latest frozen dumplings? TJ’s new Mandu are quite good as long as you like “spicy” food. In fact, I think these new frozen dumplings may now be up there among the best dumplings Trader Joe’s sells., along with the very popular pork and ginger Soup Dumplings of course. Theses are a little different.

I cooked the mandu up as they suggest which is to pan fry them. This gives the wrappers a nice chewy, yet crispy texture which contrasts nicely with the soft kimchi and glass noodle filling inside.

How To Cook Trader Joe’s Kimchi Mandu Dumplings: A good pan is important. Heat a good non-stick or cast iron pan, which is what I use for dumplings. Add about a scant tablespoon of oil (Added Korean points if you use a bit of toasted sesame oil. TJ sells that). On medium heat, add your frozen dumplings (carefully) to the pan. Let them cook, for 2 minutes. Flip after two minutes, and keep turning them every two minutes as well as moving them in the pan until they look all golden brown and delicious. This may take about 8 – 10 minutes total, though they say 6-8. Be sure to turn them over and move them around the pan to get an even cook all over. The edges of the pan have less heat than the center.

*(Note: I took the picture about 1/2 way done.)*

When done, the dumpling wrapper will have a nice slightly chewy, slightly crispy texture.

Tip: The instructions on the bag don’t mention air fryers, however some people online say they can be made in them If you do it that way, I would spray or brush them with some oil to get crispy texture. Please add a COMMENT if you make them in the air fryer with how they do that way.

Here’s my honest review of these new KOREAN KIMCHI MANDU.

These dumplings are good. Tasty and filling and yes they are a bit spicy. So if you hate “spicy” these may not be for you.

I think Trader Joe’s Korean supplier did a pretty good job with these, which come in a little unusual shape, rectangular, with a pretty good wrapper thickness in relation to the filling. The texture of the wrapper is good when pan-fried. Filling is tasty and you will know they do contain kimchi when you eat them. Even my (Korean-Japanese) wife approved of them as “tasting Korean” as regards the filling which is savory from kimchi and has a slightly chewy texture from “glass noodles”which are made from potato starch, plus other vegetables and flavorings.

NOTE: These dumpling are a bit spicy with a bit of kick from the kimchi – I would not call it crazy spicy, I would say the heat level is on the low-middle side? Unless you are extremely sensitive to spicy, these should be OK.

Each small dumpling is about 2 inches long and is about 2 or 3 bites. 3 dumplings = 100 calories.Nutrition label says 1 serving = 3 dumplings (Ha! More like 5 or 6 for me)

You don’t have to have sauce with these but I think are good with some dipping sauce, even if just soy and some rice vinegar.

I made a nice dipping sauce for them with soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and scallions. Make your own sauce with your favorite ingredients. The easiest could be just soy sauce and some rice vinegar. Or just use your favorite bottle of Trader Joe’s sauce you like for dumplings. Chopped scallions would be nice and/or cilantro if you like it.

Product of South Korea

KOREAN KIMCHI MANDU – $3.49 (16 oz bag) *TJ website says $3.49, however my local TJ’s has a sign for $3.99 (NYC) Confusing!

I would buy these again.

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/mandu-korean-kimchi-potstickers-082762

Tip; Kimchi is of course spicy and gives these dumplings a bit of a kick. If you are very sensitive and can’t handle any level of “spicy” these may not be your jam.

Ingredients: water, flour, kimchi, soy, chives, glass potato noodles, scallion, radish, sugar, starch, salt, garlic, rice flour, red pepper, black pepper.

VEGAN – contains soy and wheat

Trader Joe’s spicy new DARK CHOCOLATE BARK with Pistachios, Dried Jalapeños and Sea Salt

18 Aug 2026 3 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, Products, Rave, Recipes, review, snacks, spices, Staple, sweets, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: bark, chocolate, dessert, Food, no preservatives, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, sweets, Trader Joes, travel

NEW ITEM

(New, Aug 2026) With the addition of this chocolate bark I think Trader Joe’s carries three different chocolate “barks” now? There is the original regular bark, the dried raspberry one and now this one with pistachios and jalapenos. Yes, you read that correctly. This chocolate bark contains (dried) jalapeños. So this new one is a bit of an unusual chocolate as it is has some Heat.

While I was going to the checkout line, I saw this bag in the NEW ITEMS stand next to the line. A new Chocolate Bark ? Yes please. I just grabbed the bag without looking too hard. Somehow my brain saw the word “pistachios” but somehow I actually missed “dried jalapeños”! Ha ha, I only noticed it when I got home.

Fortunately I actually like spicy chocolate and I was intrigued. Chocolate with spice is not that unusual. In Mexico for example this is common. Chocolate with something spicy is a combo that goes well together. Sure that may not be for everybody but it is for yours truly.

Here’s my honest review:

I tasted it. I soon realized I could not stop eating it after that first bite. To me, it’s addictive. After you bite a piece of the bark, you first taste the delicious sweet dark chocolate, then a few seconds later your tongue will register a bit of heat (dried jalapeño). Not a crazy level of heat. Just enough to let you know its there. And to make you want another bite. The pistachio element is a bit overshadowed by the jalapeno but it’s there somewhere in the background, and blends well with the chocolate. There’s just a hint of sea salt.

HOW SPICY IS THIS? “Low to Medium” spicy? Its a bit spicy. Not Crazy. You will taste the heat but it’s not blow the roof of your mouth off stuff (to me). I don’t appreciate crazy Hot Ones levels of heat. This is not that – though of course spicy tolerance is personal. You will have to try it for yourself.

They got the balance right. Sweet and savory and a bit spicy. While this is a bit spicy its more than tolerable as the sweetness of the dark chocolate matches perfectly to the amount of heat. I love it. But this will not be for everyone. My wife didn’t like it, even though she likes a little spiciness in food.

Trader Joe’s has this to say about their new product:

“Now, separately, the four elements of Dark Chocolate, Pistachios, Jalapeños, and Sea Salt may make utterly intuitive pairings with one another. But it’s only within the context of this Bark that this curious combination gets to shine together. And so, every bite becomes a symphony of rich, buttery, nutty, grassy, spicy, savory, and sweet, all at once.” https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/dark-chocolate-bark-with-pistachios-dried-jalapenos-sea-salt-083323

I really liked this new chocolate bark. If you like spicy chocolate, you will too. If you are very sensitive to spicy heat, maybe its not for you but I say, try it. Worst case, you bring it back and tell them you didn’t like it. That’s the great thing about Trader Joe’s, isn’t it? If you are not happy, just bring it back for a refund.

I would buy it again. I have to. The bag went very fast.

$5.99 (8 oz)

Trader Joe’s SHEEPISH PESTO CHEESE

17 Aug 2026 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, bread, cheese, New, News, Products, Rave, review, seasonal, snacks, spices, Trader Joes, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: #cheeseboards, cheese, cheeseboard, España, Food, product, Products, Rave, review, Spain, Spanish, Trader Joes

LIMITED TIME (AUGUST)

Trader Joe’s SHEEPISH PESTO

A Spanish cheese made from sheep’s milk and flavored with basil pesto. It’s crafted for Trader Joe’s by a Spanish cheese maker using a sheep milk cheese which is brined and then aged for at least six months. Then they inject the cheese with an herby pesto, thoughout the cheese which you see as streaks of green all over.

“Available in our stores only for the month of August, The Sheepish Pesto makes an eye-catching and appetizing addition to any cheese board, charcuterie platter, or hors d’oeuvres table. It can be enjoyed cubed and skewered with tooth picks, sliced into triangles and savored with wine, or shaved thin and sprinkled over a leafy green salad. And for an easy entrée, try shredding it fine, melting it with butter, diced onions, and garlic, and serving over your favorite pasta with cracked pepper for a one-of-a-kind “Cacio e Pesto.”

It’s pretty bold. At first I thought the pesto had a slight tendency to overpower the cheese itself but this is an interesting cheese and quite tasty, and grew on me as I kept eating it. I can easily see this as something cheeseboard aficionados would like to add to a nice #cheeseboard as this is a bit unusual, and very tasty with lots of herby umami notes. Matches well with grapes and other fruits. Good melted too. They suggest using it for a Cacio and Pepe pasta.

LIMITED TIME (AUGUST) If it sounds like something you want to try, better hurry which it lasts

SHEEPISH PESTO $6.49 (5.3 oz)

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/the-sheepish-pesto-084210

(Label says don’t eat the rind. I ate some before seeing that, but it’s pretty thin so not a biggy)

PRODUCT OF SPAIN

Trader Joe’s JUST SALMON SKIN BAKED DOG TREATS (and cats?!)

12 Aug 2026 2 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, baked, DIY, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, pets, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: dogs, Food, healthy, no preservatives, product, Products, review, Trader Joes

“Trader Joe’s Just Salmon Skin Baked Dog Treat are made from salmon raised without antibiotics in the cold waters of Northern Scotland. The skin is simply baked with nothing else added” (from the package)

INGREDIENTS: Salmon skin

These are pieces of Salmon skin and nothing else, baked into little pieces, ending up as crispy crunchy bite size snacks. They are not stinky, just the tiniest bit fishy smelling.

I think your dog will love these.

Me, I have cats. Sure these are labeled “for dogs” but is there any law that says cat owners, like yours truly, can’t give them to our feline friends too? I mean there’s nothing that is bad for cats in these. Its just salmon skin. Fish. Period. No additives, no nothin’. So I tested these to see if my two cats would like them for treats.

Result: One of my cats loves these treats and crunches a piece into smithereens in seconds. The other, a pickier eater, will on occasion eat one but sometimes will ignore the treat, while kind of looking at me like I’m cheating him with just skin and not the FREEZE DRIED SALMON pet treats which are pieces of salmon with flesh. Which by the way is labeled “For Pets” not just “For Dogs” like this one.

Your call if for just dogs or for your cats too.