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.
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?
Green Bean Casserole Bites
There is no way that this is a sharable appetizer… because I ate all of these bites in one sitting and I am not mad at it. All of the ingredients worked so well together! There were multiple little layers of fillo dough and they were so flaky yet light and airy. The green bean filling was flavorful and I loved the additional of black pepper (it gave extra chazzle dazzle). Also, we can’t forget about the fried onion on top! The pieces were extra crispy which paired so nicely with the smooth filling. I took off one point because some bites had more onion than others, and I wanted a plethora on all of them! I will definitely pick these up again for dinner (with a side of roasted carrots for a perfect meal). Have you tried this new product?!
Ricotta & Spinach Ravioli
I’m normally really peculiar about red sauce, yet I didn’t hate this! The sauce had good flavor but it was extremely runny. It gave me soupy vibes. There was a nice amount of filling, which I feel like is rare with ravioli from TJ’s. I wish the filling had more flavor though. I love the convenience of the frozen pastas but I don’t think this would be my first choice! I’m a pepe pasta gal. What’s your favorite frozen pasta dish?!
Mint Chip Ice Cream
This product embodies everything I want in a mint chip ice cream. The mint flavor was really subtle and didn’t have an artificial taste. There was a plethora of chocolate chips, which I LOVE! I also enjoy that this ice cream isn’t green (like a typical mint ice cream). Mint isn’t normally what I grab for first when picking up ice cream, but this is one of the bests I’ve ever had! As I had said, it’s really subtle so if you’re looking to be punched in the face with mint, this might not be for you. The wildberry cheesecake is still my favorite! What’s your favorite ice cream?
A Dozen Sweet Bites
I’m disappointed in this variety of desserts. The chocolate and caramel cake had this weird jelly layer on top which was unappealing to me. The raspberry macaron cake didn’t have any raspberry flavor. I did enjoy the crunchy top because it reminded me of the exterior of a macaroon! Now the opera cake… it’s basically a tiramisu and I am obsessed with it. TJ’s used to carry the opera cake on its own, but my store hasn’t had it for a long time. It’s delicious but I wouldn’t buy this variety again.
I highly recommend the opera cake but that’s really the only highlight of the product as a whole. I didn’t enjoy the other two flavors and neither did my grandparents or sister. This was really convenient because I just left it in the fridge for a few hours before serving, but I’d rather try something else next time! What dessert should my grandparents, sister and I try next?!
Brownie Crisp Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches
This has been one of my favorite desserts for years and I’m about to tell you why. The coffee ice cream is immaculate and the little specs of coffee bean add some chazzle dazzle. I also love that the brownie is soft. I know it’s supposed to be a “brownie crisp”, but I’m a soft cookie gal. Lastly, the portion control. Of course I can eat the whole container in one sitting (don’t tempt me with a good time), but I am always satisfied after eating one!
In case you didn’t already know, this is a staple dessert for me. Coffee flavored things are my favorite and I especially love that this requires no bowls or utensils (aka I don’t have to do dishes). What’s your favorite TJ’s dessert?!
Japchae Glass Noodles
I am obsessed with this new frozen meal. I was nervous that this product would be more veggie heavy and less noodle heavy... but I was wrong. There was a plethora of noodles with an appropriate quantity of veggies. I also really appreciate how thin the veggies were cut. That made it easy to enjoy with the noodles, versus consuming them separately. If there were a tad more sauce, this would have easily gotten a 10/10. Even though I would have preferred a more saucy dish, the flavor was still there. I paired this frozen product with tofu to make it a complete meal. It was chefs kiss! I will definitely be adding this to my cart again and again! Have you tried this?!
Sweet Cinnamon Filled Korean Pancakes
Everyone has been raving about this product so I was really excited to try it! The exterior of the pancake was crispy and the interior was thick and gooey. The cinnamon was the star of the show, as it should be! While I enjoyed this product, I wish they were larger. Now knowing how small these are, I’d pair them with ice cream.
These were delicious but I they won’t be a staple in my life! I can’t wait to try the remainder of the pancakes with ice cream. Now the real question is - what ice cream?!
Asparagus Risotto
After being blown away by the mushroom risotto, I knew I needed to give this a try. It wasn’t better than the mushroom, but it was still yummy! I don’t know how they do it, but the rice always cooks perfectly and doesn't get mushy. The asparagus was also firm and didn’t turn to mush! I would have loved if there were more pieces of asparagus included because I enjoyed the texture it brought to the overall dish. I felt that the sauce was lacking some flavor but it’s nothing that some chili flakes and black pepper couldn’t fix.
The mushroom risotto has my heart but I would totally get this again! I need Trader Joe’s to come out with more risotto options because I’d love some more variety!
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese Bites
I wanted to love these… but I couldn’t. Let me start by saying that I love the frozen butternut squash mac and cheese, so I had high hopes for this. I ate 5 bites and was still just as hungry as I was before. Based on that alone, I would rather eat the actual frozen pasta which is more filling and around the same amount of calories. I baked these in the oven (no, I don’t have an air fryer) and the balls fell apart as soon as I picked them up. Lastly, I found these bites to be very butternut squash forward and less cheesy.
Overall, I wouldn’t purchase these again. I actually don’t have much of a desire to finish my box. Truthfully, these didn’t taste bad… but there are too many components I didn’t enjoy. Do you prefer these bites or the Mac and cheese?!
Mango Mini Mochi
I’m so bummed about this product! My boyfriend is on this massive mochi kick so he’s been trying all of the flavors that TJ’s has to offer. This was next on his list and sadly it won’t be a repurchase. Let me start by saying that the mango flavor was really good. It wasn’t overly sweet but had the perfectly amount of mango flavor. The problem with this product was the sorbet consistency. I really enjoy sorbets but it was way too icy. I felt as if I was chewing on ice. I let the mochi sit out for 5 minutes and there was no change. Biting into the soft rice dough and then chomping on the sorbet was not enjoyable.
Sadly I won’t be repurchasing this product but I’ll definitely be picking up a carton of the mango sorbet. I unfortunately can’t get past the texture of this and am nervous about the other dairy free options. Is the Thai tea mochi the same consistency?!
Linguine with Clam Sauce
This isn’t normally something I’d add to my cart, but I was intrigued when someone told me it was their favorite. I love seafood but didn’t know how frozen clams in a $2.99 pasta would hold up. I was actually really surprised by the finished product. The clams weren’t fishy or grainy and there were a ton of them in the pasta. The sauce is basically garlic, garlic and more garlic which I enjoyed but it ended up being overpowering… and I love garlic. The sauce was also really runny (nearly soupy).
This wouldn’t be my first choice of pasta but I’m glad to know that this is an option if I’m craving clams or a plethora of garlic. It’s a great price and I am impressed with the quality. A thicker sauce would have bumped this rating up! What’s your favorite frozen pasta from TJ’s?!
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?!
Strawberry Mochi
Another mochi flavor down, a few more to go! This frozen dessert is so refreshing, especially with the flavor being strawberry. I normally don’t like strawberry ice creams but I enjoyed this one. It didn’t have an artificial taste and wasn’t too strong of a flavor. Despite all of the good things I have to say, this one just doesn’t compare to the ube. As of now, the ube is still my favorite with the vanilla following. I’d consider the peanut butter mochi and this flavor to be tied! Which one should I try next?!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Mochi
I’m slowly making my way through the various mochi desserts at TJ’s! I liked this flavor but it’s not my favorite (out of the ones I’ve tried). I enjoyed how subtle the peanut butter was yet found the chocolate flavor to be nonexistent. These still were delicious despite the lack of chocolate, so I’d repurchase! All of the Mochi desserts are great for a little pre-portioned treat or snack, which is lovely considering I plow through cartons of ice cream like I’ll never eat again. As of now, the ube Mochi is my favorite with the vanilla coming in second place. Up next for me to try… strawberry! What’s your favorite Mochi flavor at TJ’s?
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?!
Korma Fish Curry
I saw this on my feed one day and got inspired to try it. I didn’t hate it, but it certainly wasn’t my favorite. The curry flavor was flavorful and paired nicely with the fish. It wasn’t overly fishy smelling at all. In all honesty, it didn’t even stink up my apartment! I took off points because the pieces of fish were extremely small and because it was a tad over cooked. Of course it gets touchy when discussing fish in the microwave, but the fish was dry and not flaky. I’ve also heard some controversy over the type of fish used (swai) which left me a little uneasy.
Overall, the flavor was good and it’s not a terrible option if you’re on the go. I just don’t see myself getting this in the future. If I’m craving fish, I will prepare my own! Have you tried this meal?!
Hatch Chile Mac & Cheese
This is my favorite frozen mac and cheese that Trader Joe’s has to offer! It’s inexpensive ($2.99) and is super convenient to throw in the microwave… or oven if you have the time for it. The hatch chiles add great flavor to the mac without overpowering it. Hatch chiles are not spicy so don’t be scared of this product if you have a lower heat tolerance. If you’re looking for some more heat, one time I added crispy jalapeños on top and it gave some extra chazzle dazzle. Another thing I love about this mac is how large the portion is! Of course it’s labeled as 2 servings, but no one splits a frozen meal in half. No one. I always have this product in my freezer and highly recommend if you’re looking for a jazzed up mac and cheese! Have you tried this?!
Ube Mochi
Behold, the ube mochi!! I finally got my hands on this product after endlessly searching. My local stores were always out of it… always. I ripped the box open in the car and honey, I’m not mad about it. These are phenomenal. I get vanilla meets cotton candy meets little bits of yam vibes. The rice dough was very sweet and chewy. The ice cream was unbelievably creamy. This is definitely a step up from the traditional vanilla mochi and I thought those were great!! Have you tried these yet? Or am I the last person on the planet to try it?!