Trader Joe’s Top 35 Picks From A Former Crew Member

Former staff don’t just stock shelves. They taste everything.

You live by a rotating calendar. You sample hundreds of items. Opinions form. Strong ones. Arguments break out in the backroom about who actually has the best taste in frozen edamame.

It’s tough. Choosing 35 items out of thousands feels like filling out a bracket before you’ve even seen the teams. I had to say sorry to my favorites. Seasonal favorites specifically. But these are the staples. The ones that stay.

Pantry

Soup And Sauce

1. Organic Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup – $3.49 (32 oz). My dark horse. Not flashy like the lobster stuff. This is the quiet worker. It pairs roasted red pepper depth with tomato acidity. Blend it with milk or cream. Dip your grilled cheese in it. Top it with Greek yogurt. It adapts to whatever mood you’re in.

2. Organic Vodka Sauce – $3.29 (25 oz). Friend with an actual Italian grandma vouched for this. We did a blind test. We couldn’t tell the difference. It’s fake, but good. Toss with penne. Put it on pizza. Dip breadsticks in it. It elevates cheap ingredients.

3. Dolmas – $3.49 (9.9 oz). Stuffed grape leaves. In a can. They are exactly like the ones from that Greek spot you like. Briny leaves. Tender rice. Herbs. Just open them up. Done.

4. Quartered Marinated Artichokes – $2.99 (12 oz). People drove across town for these. The brine is liquid magic. I make an Alice Waters-style pasta dish with them. Toss the artichoke quarters with crisped pancetta. Deglaze the pan with the brine left in the jar. Throw on some fettuccine and parmesan. Dinner party worthy. Weeknight easy.

Refrigerated

The Cold Section Winners

1. Uncured Black Forest Bacon – $6.49 (12 oz). If you saw this in a cart I’d compliment you. Thick cut. Spices form a crust like a honey-baked ham. It puts standard bacon to shame. Use the grease. It’s liquid gold. Roast veggies in it. Drizzle it on popcorn. Don’t throw it away.

2. Pastrami-Style Smoked Salmon – $5.99 (4 oz). Sweet-smoky char. Good on a bagel. Great in a scramble with onions and eggs (LEO). Fold it into an omelette. Roll it in seaweed snacks. It’s versatile in a way that just works.

3. Garlic Spread & Dip – $3.69 (8 oz). Called toum. Lebanese restaurants have this. It’s whipped garlic, lemon, and oil. Fluffy. Creamy. My dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding thinks Windex fixes everything. I think this dip fixes everything. Kebab topping. Avocado toast spread. Mashed potato enhancer. Even inside a grilled cheese. Yes.

4. Artichoke & Jalapeño Dip – $3.99 (10 oz). It disappears fast. I eat it with carrots. I eat it on burritos. But the real hack? It binds meat and rice for stuffed peppers. It adds moisture and flavor simultaneously. Briny. Spicy. Useful.

5. Cheddar & Gruyère Mélange – $7.49/lb. English-style cheddar meets Gruyère. Nutty. Crumbly. Buttery. Shred it into mac and cheese. Slice it for grilled cheese with cherry jam or toum. Cube it for apple and kale salads. It works alone and with others.

6. Comté – $12.99/lb. Not Brie. Comté is king in France. This brick is nutty. Buttery. Lightly fruity. Affordable for the quality. Good on cheese boards. Good in omelets. Good straight from the wrapper.

Frozen

From The Freezer To Plate

1. Dutch Griddle Cakes – $3.49 (14.11 oz). Tiny pancakes. Maple sweetened. Make your own McGriddle at home. Sausage. Egg. Cheddar. Done. Save the pit stop time.

2. Garlic Shiitake Mushroom Green Beans – $2.69 (10.58 oz). New. Feb 2025 launch. Unexpected passion. The beans are crisp. The sauce is gingery and savory. Shiitake adds depth. I hover over the pan like a vulture. Eat them all.

3. Kung Pao Tempura Cauliflower – $5.99 (24 oz). Batter. Fried. Sweet-spicy sauce. Add chili crisp. It’s a vegetable that tastes like junk food. Toss in Buffalo sauce instead if you prefer hot. Easy way to eat greens.

4. Raw Argentinian Red Shrimp – $11.99 (16 oz). Lobster flavor in a shrimp body. Price-wise. Texture-wise. Sweet. Butter-y. Cook them in skewers. Put them in risotto. Put them in paella. Hard to mess up.

5. Beef Birria – $7.99 (16 oz.) LA street tacos. Tender meat. Broth. No extras needed. Maybe some fried tortilla. Onions. Cilantro. Add a Michelada. You’re essentially there.

6. Pork Gyoza Potstickers – $3.99 (16 ounces). Fry them crispy. Dip in soy. Or don’t. Throw them in hot and sour soup. Stir fry them. Top a slaw with them. A foundation for better things.

7. Japanese-Style Fried Rice – $3.79 (16 oz.). The only frozen rice worth buying. Hijiki seaweed. Fried tofu. Edamame. Texture variety in every bite. Not bland. Not same-y. Serve with steak. Eat plain.

8. Pistachio Baklava – $9.99 (16 inches). Looks expensive. Tastes like $20 worth of pastry from a specialist. Pistachios instead of walnuts. Hits hard. Ruined pie for Thanksgiving for me.

9. A Dozen Sweet Bites – $5.99. Sleeper hit. Three desserts in one box. Raspberry macaron. Coffee opera cake. Chocoflan layer cake. Bite-sized richness. Beats the grocery bakery versions. Cheap way to feel fancy.

10. Miso Black Cod Sablefish – $9.99. Out of stock often. Because it’s good. A Nobu dupe. Sweet. Salty. Umami. Buy it when you see it.

Snacks

Bagged Happiness

1. Deli Sandwich Potato Chips – $2.99. Cuban sandwich in a bag. Ham. Cheese. Mustard. Pickle flavor. Kettle cooked. Vinegary punch. Efficient snack.

2. Dark Russet Potato Chips – $2.99*. Rumored dead from a Canadian factory fire. Came back. Roasty. Earthy. Great for Spanish tortillas. Disappearing again though.