I tried it so you don’t have to.
Brutally honest, occasionally dramatic, and always snack-obsessed—this is where I spill the tea on what’s worth your cart space and what’s better left on the shelf. No fluff, no filters, just real-deal reviews with a side of sass.
Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce
This is my new favorite pasta sauce! You all know how I feel about red sauce (if it’s not my grammas homemade sauce… I don’t want it), so I’m glad to find something that’s not an alfredo or pesto! This sauce is exactly like the autumnal harvest soup, minus the chunks. I really enjoy the soup because of the chunks but I LOVED the smoothness of the sauce. The pumpkin and butternut squash flavor is really subtle which is perfect for those who aren’t super into those ingredients!
I will definitely be stocking up on this sauce! It’s delicious and went perfectly with my princess pasta from @worldofpastabilities !! I can’t be the only adult who likes their pasta in the shape of princesses and tiaras! What’s your favorite pasta sauce from TJ’s?!
Turkey Stuffing Fried Rice
If you enjoy stuffing, this is for you! I was shocked at how yummy it was while also still embodying traditional stuffing. All of the seasonings were on point (which is what gave it that stuffing flavor). I really enjoyed the little turkey sausage balls but I wish there was more of them! The sizing of the veggies and the sausage balls paired nicely with the rice, allowing me to get everything in one bite!
This isn’t a staple for me but I’d definitely get it again! It’s a great side dish for those who want to have a festive dinner. What have you paired this with?
Pumpkin Spice Espresso Beans
Honestly, who needs a PSL (pumpkin spice latte for you non-coffee people) when you can have these! I was nervous to try these at first but was pleasantly surprised. The pumpkin spice flavor wasn’t overpowering yet still was the star of the show. The white chocolate also paired nicely with the espresso beans. I took off one point because I personally find the beans hard to chew through (but clearly that is a personal problem). I would definitely pick these up again next year! This would make a perfect little gift… especially for the price. What’s your favorite fall seasonal item?!
Cranberry Goat Cheese
Behold, my favorite cheese that Trader Joe’s carries! It’s a seasonal item, so you definitely want to try it before the holidays are over. The cranberries add sweetness to the tart cheese, and pair perfectly with a black pepper cracker. I highly recommend this product! I bring it to all of my family gatherings and it disappears in a matter of seconds!! What’s your favorite cheese?!
Maple Leaf Cookies
As soon as you open box, you experience the most pleasant maple scent. The cookies are really subtle, which I appreciate since it’s a maple cookie with maple filling. There is an appropriate amount of filling and the cookies are larger than Oreo’s! I took off a couple of points because I really wished that there was a larger serving size. With that being said, I won’t hesitate to eat more than one in one sitting. What’s your favorite cookie from Trader Joe’s?!
Spaghetti Squash
This is one of my favorite fall-time items! Spaghetti squash is a great pasta alternative, especially for those who are quantity eaters (aka me). All I do is bake half at a time and then use my fork to get the long strands. Then I top it with either autumnal soup or a pasta sauce! It’s such a great low calorie option, while still keeping me full. Let’s see how many spaghetti squashes I can eat this year! What’s your favorite fall veggie?!
Turkey Harvest Salad
Well, I am a tad bitter that I burned a hole in my wallet for this salad. I was really excited to indulge in this seasonal product yet was left unsatisfied. Let me start with the few things I enjoyed. The turkey was moist and the butternut squash was cooked to perfection (aka it wasn't mushy or rock hard). The dressing wasn’t too sweet but had a tang to it that tied everything together. The biggest issue I had with this salad was the kale. I love kale, but for some reason 90% of the greens were actually kale stalks. Because of that, I could barely chew it and it felt like shards of glass going down my throat. In addition, I wish there was more of the toppings. The 3 pieces of Brussel sprouts did not do it for me. I wanted more!
Overall, I wouldn’t get this salad again. It’s a bummer because I enjoyed the concept of this salad but there is no way I would put my throat through that again. Have you tried this?!
Hearty Minestrone Soup
Normally minestrone soup isn’t my favorite, but I was intrigued by the plethora of orzo in this one! The orzo really bulked it up which is what I was hoping for. I ate the whole container for lunch and was content! With that being said, I definitely wasn’t content with the amount of sodium given it didn't have much flavor. Essentially this is just a veggie soup. There’s nothing wrong with that but I wouldn’t grab a veggie soup over other options!
If you are into minestrone soup, I recommend you give this a try! It’s not my favorite kind of soup which is why it didn’t blow my skirt up… but hey, maybe it’ll toast your buns!
Green Apple Sparking Water
This is my favorite sparkling water flavor from TJ’s. I’m not a huge fan of their sparkling water so that should further explain my love for it. It’s so refreshing! The green apple adds a hint of sweetness with a little dash of tartness. I buy some every week, so you could say it’s a seasonal staple in my life! What’s your favorite flavor of sparkling water from Trader Joe’s?!
Cinnamon Bun Spread
This was my first time trying this spread and honestly, I shouldn’t have because I now have a new obsession. This spread is essentially a caramel type of product (at least to me), with some cinnamon chazzle dazzle. I tried this both heated and chilled, and I prefer the chilled version. This has a tapioca/jelly consistency which isn’t shocking since it contains tapioca syrup. I enjoyed how thick it was so the consistency wasn’t an issue for me. The cinnamon flavor was immaculate. Yes, immaculate. It had this glorious combo of brown sugar and cinnamon that truly reminded me of a cinnamon roll! Long story long, this is amazing and dangerous. I’ll be sure to stock up before it leaves the shelves. What do you put this on?!
Pumpkin Blondie Brownies
This was my first time trying these brownies and I am obsessed. I inhaled 3 pieces in one sitting, with no regrets. The pumpkin flavor isn’t overpowering and the pecans add some nuttiness. The white chocolate chips and the drizzle make this really light, contributing to the subtleness of the pumpkin spice flavor. I took off one point because I found the texture to be more cakey and less like a brownie. I’d definitely buy these again, but I bet I could make something really similar! Have you tried these?!
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
This is one of my favorite products during the spooky season. It’s yummy and super convenient (aka to throw in the microwave). The Gouda cheese is the star of the show, which I’m obsessed with. The butternut squash is pretty mild so don’t be nervous about a squash forward product! I could definitely taste the thyme which added a little fall-time chazzle dazzle! I’ll definitely be stocking up on this product and I couldn’t recommend it more! What’s your favorite mac and cheese from TJ’s?!
Autumn Maple Coffee
Everyone asks me what TJ’s product I can’t live without… this is that product. This makes my whole kitchen smell like maple while providing a subtle flavor to actual coffee. I tried this for the first time last year and managed to ration out 5 boxes. This year I purchased 12 boxes and will be back for MORE! I drink this coffee year round (switching between this and the iconic Gloria Jean’s French vanilla). If you couldn’t tell by my stockpile… I am obsessed with this product. I highly recommend you get your hands on this! Have you tried this coffee?
Maple & Sea Salt Kettle Corn
This popcorn is the bees knees. Consider this to be a farmers market kettle corn, with a little twist. The maple coats the popcorn (some pieces more than others) with the salt hiding I’m the crevices… which heavily blows my skirt up. This product is a seasonal item so you definitely want to stock up! It’s a simple yet tasty snack that’ll definitely put you in a spooky mood. Have you tried this?!
Pumpkin Ice Cream
How could I possibly kick off the spooky season without trying the infamous pumpkin ice cream? This ice cream is light and super creamy. One thing I wasn’t expecting was how subtle it was. I thought it didn’t have enough pumpkin flavor, which was a tad disappointing. I found this ice cream to be yummy but it’ll be a one time a year purchase for me! I’ve tried other pumpkin desserts that I’d prefer to stock up on! What’s your favorite pumpkin dessert?!
Riced Cauliflower & Butternut Squash Risotto
I honestly didn’t think that this cauliflower rice would hold up well when combined with a sauce. I was wrong! The cauliflower never got mushy and the butternut squash pieces were cooked perfectly despite being much larger than the rice. I also really enjoyed the sauce. It was light with a little bit of creaminess. The rosemary added a nice touch as well. I took off one point because as you can see in the photo, the sauce was a little more liquidy than I would have preferred. I let the risotto sit for 7 minutes before serving because it was really runny. Letting it sit fixed the problem for the most part so I’m not too mad about it!
I will definitely purchase this again. The whole bag is 210 calories and would go great with some chicken thighs (my favorite protein to cook). Have you tried this seasonal product?!
Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies
This is everything I want in a pumpkin spice cookie. The pumpkin spice wasn’t overbearing and it paired nicely with the yogurt coating. If you aren’t super into pumpkin spice but are wanting to try a seasonal treat, I’d recommend these! I enjoyed the texture from the little sprinkles too! This is a very short review but I don’t have much to say other than I love these! They are festive and delicious… what more could I ask for? Will you be trying these cookies?!
Pumpkin Overnight Oats
To be honest with you, I haven’t enjoy TJ’s overnight oats in the past. I picked this up because I was intrigued by the pumpkin… and I thoroughly enjoyed it! This tasted like a cleaner version of a pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin was not overpowering at all which is great for those who aren’t super into it. I took off two points because of the texture. It was just a big pile of mush, which wasn’t appealing. I would have loved for the oats to be a tad more bulky versus just blending in with everything else. With that being said, the combo of the oats, strawberries and pecans easily bumped this product up to a 9/10. I can look past the consistency with all the added chazzle dazzle, but obviously I want to base my review on the product by itself! Have you tried the overnight oats at TJ’s?!
Non-Dairy Maple Oat Beverage
This was my first time trying the infamous maple oat milk. It was so fun to shake it up in the morning and put this in my coffee. The milk on its own is very very sweet, but it paired nicely with my coffee. I took off a couple of points due to the amount of sugar and the sweetness level. I found it to be too sweet for a stand-alone milk (aka not in coffee, cereal etc.).
Personally, this isn’t something I’d pick up again but I’m glad I tried it! If goes well in my coffee but I don’t think I’d drink it alone or use it in another way! Have you tried this?!