The manufacturer, Ajinomoto Foods North America, recalled more than 3 million pounds of frozen chicken fried rice that "may be contaminated with foreign material, specifically glass," according to an issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food safety division last week.
The classic funnel cakes served at the carnival comprise coiled batter, fried in oil and dusted in a generous coating of powdered sugar. More than the scrumptious sweet-savory fried dough flavor, the chief appeal of the treat is its moist, tender insides and crispy, crunchy outsides - and, alas, TJ's spinoff product fails to deliver on that critical textural juxtaposition.
Trader Joe's differentiates itself from the competition in plenty of ways, but it may particularly surprise TJ's newbies to learn that the store never discounts its products. The reason is simple: Trader Joe's already offers stellar prices on its myriad of offerings. As a long-time Trader Joe's shopper, there are some products I'll never buy anywhere else because TJ's has such excellent deals. Here are some of my favorite bargain buys at the fan-favorite grocer.
If there's anything that Trader Joe's customers love, it's a new product drop, especially when it involves a trendy item like matcha. So, the hype surrounding the new Jeju Matcha Latte Packets has been no surprise, nor has the fact that fans have spent the last few months trying to perfect the hot drink. The best way to elevate it, apparently, is to make one simple addition that you probably already have in the fridge.
Trader Joe's is always busy on weeknights. Especially so on Thursday in San Francisco's Hayes Valley neighborhood, when a mob of twentysomethings, all holding roses in their hands, flooded one store's produce section. While some slung red baskets over their arms, they weren't shopping for Scandinavian Swimmers. They were looking for love. That crowd gathered for an unofficial Trader Joe's singles mixer. More than 500 people RSVPed to a public event listing on Partiful.
The theme of this winter at Trader Joe's is shrinkage. Everything new is mini. Shrink-flation, or just adorable? Is this a grocery store for ants? The script really writes itself. We have a little cookies 'n cream cake. We have a personal-sized blooming onion in the freezer department. We have itty-bitty PB&J bites and (terrible) mini chocolate biscuit cookies. We have all that and more, reviewed here today.
I've been shopping on a budget since I got my first job when I was 14, and I have my weekly grocery shopping routine down to a science at this point. Because I'm always trying to save money, I usually go to two or three stores to make sure I'm getting the best deals on my weekly pantry staples. But the one store I look forward to visiting each week is Trader Joe's.
Trader Joe's is now king of the grocery aisles, according to the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index. The California-based specialty grocer scored 86 out of 100, up 2% from last year, while Publix remained at 84 for the second consecutive year. H-E-B ranked third at 83, followed by Sam's Club at 82 and Aldi at 81. What makes the win even more impressive is that Trader Joe's keeps opening new stores across the country, which usually hurts consistency.
If you're shopping in a state where grocery stores are allowed to sell liquor, you might even see Trader Joe's brand whisky on the shelves with a low price tag attached to it. So, how is it that a grocery chain can put proper, single-malt Scotch on the shelves for just $20 to $30 a bottle? The answer is similar to that of most of the deals you find in the store: A private label bottled by a non-distiller producer (NDP) in Scotland.
One of the top ranked Trader Joe's vegan desserts is, in fact, one of its best desserts overall. A steadfast offering that's as reliable as it is delicious, Trader Joe's speculoos cookies are always a hit. As the base for its acclaimed cult-favorite cookie butter and a frequent rival of Lotus Biscoff in the battle for the better cookie butter, Trader Joe's speculoos cookies are inspired by Belgian biscuits.
Trader Joe's doesn't just have customers; it has devoted fans who go nuts for its unique items and constantly discuss which ones are the best. It's no wonder why the company has its own Customer Choice Awards, which are decided by loyal shoppers who vote on their favorite products. For the 17th annual round of winners, the number one beverage is not a huge surprise: TJ's Spiced Cider took home the crown for a fifth time.
Despite one or two less than stellar Trader Joe's frozen dumpling flavors, the grocery giant really hit its stride with its pork gyoza potstickers. Easily earning the top spot in our ranking of the chain's dumplings, the pork potstickers provide savory goodness in each bite. Filled with pork, cabbage, green onions, and a touch of garlic and ginger, the potstickers don't skimp on the meat. From the first taste, pork is clearly the main character, with the veggies adding an herbaceous balance.
If you've ever been to Nobu, you'll know that the Miso Black Cod is one of their most beloved menu items. And for good reason: It's tender, flaky, slightly sweet, and so buttery it practically melts in your mouth. The only catch - no pun intended - is that it's $49. Obviously, I'm not trying to drop $50 on a single serving of fish, because well, that's just unsustainable for me. So, when I saw a TikTok about a $10 Trader Joe's alternative that allegedly rivals Nobu's Miso Black Cod, I knew immediately that I needed to try it.
I started working at Trader Joe's after college and my time there provided me with a graduate education in specialty foods. It was there that my palette expanded and grew up. Having lived on a diet of pizza and french fries as an undergrad, I developed a taste for so many of Trader Joe's hidden gems. These were "fancy" products I'd never considered, like olive tapenade (a discontinued item; trust me, I've asked), chevre goat cheese, and strawberry mochi.
Believe it or not, seasonal fruits still exist. Although it may be convenient to buy your favorite apple variety year-round, the sustainability benefits of growing and consuming in-season produce are indisputable. Besides, what could beat the bright, tangy flavors of a winter orange, or the dribble-down-your-chin juiciness of a summer nectarine? While some fruits are available throughout the year (often because of their long shelf life, ability to withstand transport, and capacity to grow in both the northern and southern hemispheres), this is not universally true.
Trader Joe's can help upgrade weeknight dinners with ready-made foods. While it can take some time to whip up a mushroom pizza from scratch, Trader Joe's has packaged a flavorful dish that can be baked and served in under 10 minutes - all while having you feeling a bit bougie. Hailing from Italy, Trader Joe's Mushroom & Black Truffle Flatbread has netizens raving. Not to mention that for $5.49, the ready-to-bake product also gives you a bite of the good life without breaking the bank.
As a former Trader Joe's employee and dietitian, I've tried a lot of popular products from the chain To me, Trader Joe's dark-chocolate peanut-butter cups and sweet-potato gnocchi are worth the hype. I 'm not totally sold on the chain's nondairy oat beverage or cauliflower gnocchi. Before I became a dietitian and intuitive-eating counselor, I worked at a Trader Joe's. Years later, I still regularly visit the grocer when planning my meals and following an intuitive-eating framework.
You can find virtually any flavor profile under its roof. I've purchased many meals, snacks, and drinks over the years (decades, really). This time, when I stepped into the store, I set out to find a range of its high-protein items. I found 18 items to test out, ranking them based on their taste, versatility, value, texture, and protein content.
It's no secret that Americans take grocery store loyalty very seriously, and there are few things more exciting than seeing your local favorite is getting a remodel or expansion. If you feel the same as we do, we have some great news: 2026 is going to see major expansions done by some of the country's biggest chains. And we mean big. From 1992 to 2024, Americans spent about $895 billion at grocery stores, according to Statista.
When was the last time you restocked your spice cabinet? As it might be after a big move, it's likely been years since you did a full audit of your seasonings. Or, maybe you've just been out of cumin for months and keep forgetting to pick some up from the store. Whatever your reasons are for hitting up your local grocer's spice section.
The new year is the perfect time to clean out your pantry. The holidays are over, the hustle and bustle have subsided, and it's time for a fresh start. Not only can you get rid of anything expired, but you can also donate any nonperishable and unexpired food that you aren't planning on using. A pantry cleanout will give you a chance to reorganize what's left, and the perfect excuse to stock up on new snacks and beverages you've been eager to try.
I love shopping at H-E-B and Central Market, but a Trader Joe's was recently built in my area. So, I decided to stop by and check out some of the brand's fan-favorite products, like kimbap. However, some products didn't live up to the hype, including Trader Joe's bubble waffles. I'm a devoted shopper at H-E-B and Central Market, but when a Trader Joe's was built in my area outside Austin in Texas Hill Country, it felt like the entire town was bursting with excitement.
Trader Joe's fans are a dedicated lot, and they like to show off their fandom when lugging home their latest haul. This has led to swarms of people descending on stores whenever a new bag is released, particularly Trader Joe's viral mini tote bags, which rapidly sell out every time they are stocked. This combo of limited-time offerings and fervent fandom has also created a robust online resale market for Trader Joe's reusable bags, which sell far above the price in store.
"Sorry Trader Joe's, but I simply hated these crackers," wrote Tasting Table's Emily Hunt. "They actually gave me a negative opinion of parsley, and now I'm convinced it should never be the main flavor profile in anything." While a desperate person with a box of these on hand could potentially use them as a crunchy topping for a dish like baked mac and cheese, she ultimately believes "that's far more trouble than they're worth."
Per reporting from the Los Angeles Times' Studios arm, Monrovia-based Trader Joe's has spent eight figures on a 1.4-acre parcel just over a mile inland from the coast. The corner site doesn't just offer premium visibility for high-net-worth locals in Santa Monica, where the median home price is over $1.8 million, it also offers 125 parking lot spaces and over 17,000 square feet of retail possibilities, both larger than the average Trader Joe's store.
The jellies in this TJ's boxed offering are round discs covered in coarse sugar, coming in cherry, pear, mango, and peach flavors. As far as texture goes, they represented the slightly toothsome yet soft consistency of a jelly candy. The sugar coating gave a nice crunchy contrast, but even the best texture couldn't make up for their flavor. We wanted to give these candies points for originality, as pear isn't a flavor you see every day.
