I used to work at Trader Joe’s. Here are 6 popular items that are worth the hype and 4 I’d skip.

Trader Joe’s Mandarin-orange chicken was consistently one of the most popular items at all three store locations I’ve worked at, and I believe it’s worth the hype. Crispy chicken in sweet and tangy orange sauce is a quick and delicious weeknight meal.

For me, pairing this with white rice and steamed broccoli is a must because I love the way the orange sauce soaks into the vegetables like little sponges. If you’re into this style of chicken, you’ll certainly want to try this product.

This dark-chocolate treat was part of my life long before I worked at Trader Joe’s, though my relationship with the peanut-butter cup has evolved. When I lived in the restrictive-diet mindset, I believed I couldn’t keep these in the house without feeling like I’d eat them all at once.

All these years later, as an intuitive-eating dietitian, I know that restriction leads to bingeing. Though it may seem counterintuitive, if you feel out of control around a certain food, you should actually keep it around to normalize it.

Now, as an intuitive eater, I’ll buy a big tub of Trader Joe’s peanut-butter cups, and they’ll hang out in my fridge for weeks. These are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up or meal cap when you’re craving something sweet, so I think they’re 100% worth the hype.

When I worked the late shift at Trader Joe’s, I’d do my personal grocery shopping after the store closed. Trader Joe’s sweet-potato gnocchi would always be on my shopping list, but oftentimes, it was out of stock by the end of the day.

Similar to the Mandarin-orange chicken, I enjoy my sweet-potato gnocchi with broccoli, which soaks up the delicious sage-butter sauce. I also find fresh broccoli compliments the rich buttery gnocchi very nicely.

This product has been in my weeknight-meal rotation for years now, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon, so it’s worth the hype.

I clearly remember the day Trader Joe’s chili-lime rolled-corn chips hit stores. According to one of my coworkers, these chips are similar to Takis, a brand-name rolled-corn tortilla chip. Trader Joe’s corn chips became an instant craze among customers and when I tried them myself, I also thought they were a unique and delicious savory snack.

However, the spice was a little much for my personal taste so I like to dip the chips in full-fat Greek yogurt, which is a game changer. The cold and creamy yogurt offsets the spice and works as a refreshing contrast to the dry chips.

In my book, Trader Joe’s chili-lime rolled-corn chips are worth the hype but I need the Greek yogurt to add to the satisfaction of the eating experience.

Growing up, one of my friends used to come over to make grilled-cheese sandwiches with this delicious Trader Joe’s product so it still has a special place in my heart. The cheese is topped with salt crystals, which adds a pleasant and unique textural experience.

I like pairing the Unexpected Cheddar with apple and crackers for a sweet and savory snack, grating some on top of my chili, or making a grilled cheese with sourdough bread.

If you like cheddar cheese, I think this product is certainly worth the hype.

Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame blend truly changed the seasoning game when it hit the scene. It seemed like people were putting it on everything, like roasted vegetables, avocado toast, fish, and eggs.

When I tried this seasoning for the first time, I immediately agreed that it was worth the hullabaloo. The Everything but the Bagel Seasoning’s crunchy seeds flavor and texture make it a unique addition to almost any dish.

I like to add it to roasted veggies and homemade dips. If you still haven’t gotten around to trying the famous seasoning, I believe you’re missing out.

I remember when this gnocchi first came out a few years ago in the midst of the “cauliflower everything” era.

If you are trying to swap cauliflower in place of potatoes, wheat, or rice in the name of “health,” you’ll likely end up feeling unsatisfied and may overeat later on.

This being said, Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi was flying off the shelves when it first hit stores so I had to at least try it. I am sad to report that, in my opinion, this item wasn’t worth the hype.

I thought the smell was off-putting, and the texture wasn’t right, no matter how I cooked it. Unless you have a medically indicated allergy to wheat, pass up the cauliflower and just go for the real gnocchi.

For some reason, it took me a long time to finally try Trader Joe’s peanut-butter pretzel nuggets. I guess they just looked boring and I thought, “What could be so good about a peanut-butter-filled pretzel nugget?”

I finally tried the pretzel nuggets when my partner purchased them, and though they didn’t blow me away, I had nothing against them either. My partner, on the other hand, always has this Trader Joe’s snack in his work bag because he loves the salty crunch of the pretzel and the satisfying creaminess of the peanut-butter filling.

I think that this makes a great snack since the pretzel contributes carbohydrates, and the peanut butter offers protein and fat. Still, I don’t think they’re anything to write home about, although I understand why they’re such a popular product.

Oat milk is another product that’s become wildly popular in the last few years. Trader Joe’s shelf-stable oat beverage quickly became one of the top-selling nondairy milk alternatives in the store.

Though I have nothing against oat milk, I prefer the regular whole version, which feels very counterculture to say at this point in time. As an intuitive-eating dietitian, I want to emphasize that there’s nothing morally superior about nondairy milk as opposed to the regular version.

Go for the oat beverage if you genuinely enjoy the taste, but if you’re only drinking it because you feel like it’s somehow “healthier” than regular milk, you’re better off choosing the option that will satisfy your cravings. In my opinion, Trader Joe’s nondairy oat beverage isn’t worth the hype.

Trader Joe’s is known for having delicious Indian-inspired frozen meals and the chicken tikka masala is among the most popular items. I’ll say it up top: This item is certainly worth the hype because the flavors are on point.

I love that this frozen meal comes with rice, so all you have to do is pop it in the microwave to create a balanced, satisfying meal. However, I sometimes find that the chicken tikka masala isn’t enough to fill me up on its own.

I usually add a vegetable and a Greek-yogurt dip, which offers a refreshing component and cooling creaminess to go with the rich meal and the heat of the sauce.

This story was originally published on October 17, 2022, and most recently updated on September 30, 2024.