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When I worked for Trader Joe’s, I might have had too much fun trying out the endless lineup of new, exciting kitchen staples (not to even touch on the fun of sampling hundreds of wines) before the rest of the world got to. I love to cook, and I collect new and vintage cookbooks for fun, so every time we got to sample items I immediately started imagining the possible combinations I could try, poring over my recipe notebooks and cookbook collection.
The 7 Best Finds at Trader Joe’s Right Now, According to Customers
Mackenzie Filson
1.Marinated Quartered Artichokes
2.Kung Pao Tempura Cauliflower
Consider yourself warned: It is very difficult not to eat all this Kung Pao Tempura Cauliflower in one sitting. It’s also very hard for me to choose my favorite part of this dish: the light sweetness of the tempura-style batter, the nose-clearing spice of the kung pao sauce, all paired with the heft of cauliflower florets? This is one of myultimate favorite freezer itemsfor topping steamed rice or setting out at a party for a quick appetizer among friends. But don’t stop at just tossing these with the kung pao sauce provided. I love whipping up a quick buttery Buffalo sauce to coat these florets for a lighter game-day-style snack.
3.Grainless Granola
I’m someone who loves adding a hint of salt to all of my sweets. I often opt to make my own granola (Samin Nosrat’s Olive Oil & Sea Salt Granola recipe fromSalt Fat Acid Heatis my forever go-to), because I think most store-bought granolas could stand to be a bit less sweet. But this salty-sweetGrainless Granolamakes me more than happy to take a break from my usual homemade mix. Each caramelized cluster is a perfect combination of dried coconut, almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds that is begging to top your nextsmoothie bowl. Plus, it only has 6 grams of added sugar alongside 7 g of fiber and 9 g of protein per each 3/4-cup serving to help you stay full and energized without a blood sugar spike or crash. I almost can’t believe there are no oats or other grains in this hearty, delicately sweet granola. You might start finding yourself, like me, eating this granola right out of the bag.
4.Pastrami-Style Smoked Atlantic Salmon
Having lived in New York for a good chunk of my 20s, I’m partial to a NYC bagel with lox and have yet to find something equivalent outside the city. But this Pastrami-Style Smoked Atlantic Salmon helps me make tastylox bagelsat home with each smoky bite. The salmon itself is smoked using a mix of wood from maple, oak, cherry and apple trees, which lends a delicate sweetness that pairs well with the sugar and salt brine and blend of pastrami-style spices, like coriander, allspice and paprika. While I, of course, love this topping a cream cheese-schmeared bagel, my favorite way to use this salmon is in quick weeknight salmon bowls—especially paired with a sprinkling of capers, quick-pickled red onions and a spicy Sriracha-mayo mixture, it’s a satisfying, filling dinner I turn to over and over again.
5.Sesame Honey Cashews
Meet my No. 1 road-trip snack. I’m nothing without these in my passenger seat (cashews always get to ride shotgun as far as I’m concerned), and they have just that right amount of sweetness without being too cloying (FYI, they have about 7 g of sugar per 1/4-cup serving). That being said, I have way more of a “salt tooth” than a sweet tooth; to me, these hit the mark around “light breakfast cereal” sweetness and way before “candied mall nuts.” They remind me of my favorite childhood cereal, Honey Nut Cheerios, adding a hint of nostalgia to these toasty, nutty, satisfying cashews. They’re also amazing when chopped into a granola, for topping yogurt, and I even have been known to alternate a handful of these with a handful of their saltier brethren: theThai Lime & Chili Cashews.
6.Japanese-Style Fried Rice
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