Trader Joe’s made a splash on the grocery scene back in the 1950s. The local grocery store started off as Pronto Market in Los Angeles. By the late 1960s, it was rebranded “Trader Joe’s” and now, a full 50 years later, it’s a nationwide phenomenon.
A big part of the grocery store’s success comes from branded food which is often a cut above but also costs less. Two-buck Chuck, edible frozen pizzas, and a deft understanding of the vegetarian market helped propel the grocery chain to nationwide success. The model has made such a splash that 80 percent of what Trader Joe’s currently sells is their own branded food.
So what are the best Trader Joe’s products? We hula’d over to Ranker to find out what the masses think. The people had a lot of opinions but a clear top ten emerged quickly. Did the people get it right this time? Are these the best of the best when it comes to Trader Joe’s food choices? One thing we know for sure is that the price on all of these items is always right. Tell us what you think in the comments!
10. Chile Lime Chicken Burgers
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We love every word of that food. Chile, dope. Lime, always tangy. Chicken, sounds healthy. Burgers, hells yeah. You really can’t go wrong here. The pre-made burgers are great in a pinch when you’ve worked a 16-hour day and you need a dose of flavorful protein to recalibrate your body. It’s also a lot faster, cheaper, and easier than making these burger patties on your own (probably not healthier though).
9. Everything Bagel Chips
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Everything Bagels are great. Bagel chips are great. Combined, yes, they’re great. The thing about bagel chips, though, is that they’re best used as a base. On their own, they’re, shall we say, a little hard and listless. Smear one with some cream cheese and layer it up with lox and you have a crunchy new take on a classic combo.
8. Smoked Gouda
Even when cheese is bad, it’s still cheese (and therefore kind of good). Smoked Gouda is not bad cheese. In fact, it’s almost too good. The soft, malleable texture of a smoked gouda has this knack for feeling like a really high-end Kraft Deli Deluxe Single while also being a delicious old-world cheese.
It’s kind of the best of both worlds with a nice hint of smokiness thrown in for good measure.
7. Speculoos Cookie Butter Ice Cream
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This is pretty straightforward. It’s “cookie butter” ice cream. Who is going to turn that down? In fact, we’re surprised such an indulgent flavor of ice cream is ranked outside of the top five. Maybe the masses got this one wrong.
6. Organic Brown Rice
And, we’re back in the health-food aisle. Brown rice is great, complex, and filling. This is cheap, high-quality food that’s hard to argue with.
5. Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Tikka Masala is the Punjabi-Scottish dish that conquered the world. Well-marinated chunks of chicken in a spicy, tomato-based sauce/gravy over fluffy basmati rice is a delight for the senses and hunger pangs after a long day. Obviously, you can get much better versions from actual Punjabi restaurants but this version works wonders when you’re short on time and energy.
4. Speculoos Cookie Butter
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This feels like a funky version of Nutella. The “spread” is a bit ginger-bread spicy with a lot of sweetness. In our estimation, it works better with the cut of cream in ice cream (see above) than on its own or spread on toast. Still, it’s sweet deliciousness that’s pure comfort food. It’s hard to deny that.
3. Mandarin Orange Chicken
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Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken was ranked the best from TJ’s frozen food section by us! The well-textured chicken always holds up to the surprisingly subtle sauce, giving this one a huge following of devoted orange chicken acolytes.
2. Garlic Naan
You can’t go wrong with a nice naan. Add on some butter and garlic and you have a far superior version of Italian “garlic bread.” Sorry, Italian-Americans, but the soft doughy nature of a naan combined with a slight fire-infused char is just unbeatable when we’re talking fat and garlic on bread. TJ’s naan is probably the best version of this product sold at retail.
1. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Peanut butter cups are the best. The combination of sharp chocolate and savory peanut works wonders together. Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups have a nice balance of roasted dark chocolate and smooth and salty peanut butter. Try not to eat a whole box of these in a day. We dare you.
