One of the things I enjoy most about Trader Joe's and (still) blogging about it is not just discovering new thing and rediscovering old things but raving, venting about, and recommending things to real people. Like human interaction. So on this New Year's Eve, on round up reader favorites and my favorites for the year.
1. Trader Joe's Green Goddess Salad Dressing - As much as I like the flavor of this dressing, this post was mostly an occasion to rant about Olympic figure skating. Remember the Olympics? Yes, that happened. C'mon Nathan Chen, let's goooooo. But yes, green goddess dressing tastes great and garlicky and I haven't personally repurchased because the only thing better than spending money is saving it. But if you really want a green goddess dressing that is not as creamy but still tasty, it's a good pick.
3. Trader Joe's Organic Kombucha - Kombucha is becoming more mainstream but a lot of people still don't know much about it. These drinks do taste good but as far as a kombucha goes, I prefer Healthade or GT's, both of which are available at TJ's. Incidentally, TJ's came out with a "cultured beverage" series in basically the same flavors - I didn't bother trying or reviewing it because the ingredients made it seem like it was almost the same product with a higher proportion of juice than kombucha culture. So if you want to try fermented tea drink that's good for your gut, go for this one. If you can't stomach the fermentedness just yet, start easy with the "cultured beverage drink." And then maybe you too can become more cultured. Harharhar.
Trader Joe's Thai Tea Mini Mochi - The Thai tea flavor is solid, and I haven't seen anything comparable at any Asian grocery store (yet). Plus it's dairy-free, which suits well my lactose intolerance. If you love the coffee mochi ice creams, this is a must-try!
Trader Joe's Joe-Joe's Slims - I don't care much for Joe-Joe's (sorry), but these slim Joe's managed to pack in so much flavor and crispness in a smaller package. Count me a fan.
Trader Joe's Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips Chili & Lime Flavored - Literally my latest blogpost. Like Takis. Not as hot. Terribly addicting.
Trader Joe's Ridge Cut Potato Chips Seasoned with Horseradish & Chives - What a long product name. But incredibly delicious and flavorful. Hopefully it stays in the TJ fam permanently!
Trader Joe's Honeycrisp Apple Scented Candle - Ignore the cider and soap in the picture. The seasonal scented candles are the bomb! I will never get sick of the smell of a sweet honeycrisp.
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2. Trader Joe's Falafel Mix - Trying to make a real effort on my food photography people! But this product attests to the power of beautiful images and marketing...TJ's marketed their own product months after the product release with this exact idea. I love me some falafel but honestly this mix was a tad bit too salty for me. However since it is pretty easy to use if you don't have time to try out Smitten Kitchen's recipe (doesn't look too hard) and don't have access to a local falafel place, it's worth trying. Maybe once. But I don't see this as a pantry necessity.
4. Trader Joe's Smoked Salmon Poke Bowl - Not the best application of smoked salmon. Not the best poke interpretation. "Hawaiian-inspired" poke bowl is more accurate. But this product hasn't been secretly discontinued, so someone's buying it. *shrug*
5. Trader Joe's Sprouted Whole Grain Pizza Crust - For the umpteenth time, it's a TORTILLA POSING AS A PIZZA CRUST. But if you're trying to incorporate more sprouted grains in your diet, be my guest.
MY FAVORITES OF 2018
I reviewed everything that I reviewed during the past year, I didn't have favorites from every category. In fact, there were a few categories I completely ignored. I spent more time dabbling in the kitchen and learned to cook and bake new things on my own, which definitely influenced the things that interested me at Trader Joe's. As such, I've picked things that I enjoyed most and would repurchase and recommend to friends and family.
SWEETS
SAVORY SNACKS
Trader Joe's Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips Chili & Lime Flavored - Literally my latest blogpost. Like Takis. Not as hot. Terribly addicting.
MISCELLANEOUS
Trader Joe's Apple Cider Jam - Love the jam section at TJ's. This apple cider jam fits the autumnal season and went well with a bunch of my homemade baked goods. A yearly repurchase for me!
Trader Joe's Cold Brew Coffee Bags - More environmentally friendly to make my own, I know. But this tasted pretty good and is easy to pack and gift.
Here's to trying new things in 2019 - the best things aren't necessarily the things that get the most likes on Instagram but the things that taste good in person and can be shared with friends and family. Happy New Year!
Related Posts:
The Best of 2017
The Best of 2016
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