3 Trader Joe's Products I Never Thought I’d Buy—and Now They’re Always on My List

I will be buying multiple bottles of this beverage on my next trip.

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Published on March 14, 2024

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jamaican Style Beef Patties

I love anything wrapped in a pastry crust, so trying the Jamaican Style Beef Patties should have been a given. But one word on the box gave me pause: spicy. My spice tolerance is low, so I was wary of the heat level in these patties. Luckily, after trying one bite of these tender patties, my fears were alleviated. While the beef filling was well seasoned and fragrant, I didn’t actually find it spicy. The patties are flavored with cayenne pepper, but the heat is balanced by the other spices, which include curry powder, onion powder and garlic powder.

TJ’s recommends preparing these patties in the oven, microwave or air fryer. I chose the air fryer and I’m glad I did. The flaky pastry came out slightly crisp on the bottom and edges, which contrasted nicely with the soft filling. Although I can’t speak to the authenticity of the patties compared to ones you’d find in Jamaica, overall, I really enjoyed them. I ate these patties on their own, but next time, I plan to serve them alongside a simple salad for an easy dinner.

Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Rings

Trader Joe’s Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Rings have been around for years, but I’ve always hesitated buying them. While sour cream-and-onion–flavored potato chips are my favorite, this crunchy snack is made from red lentils and rice. I thought the lentil flavor might be overpowering. And when I opened the bag and a strong aroma of dried herbs and legumes met my nose, it was off-putting at first. But I ignored it and grabbed one of the thin rings. The taste was more subtle than the initial scent suggested, and I found the earthy legumes actually enhanced the classic sour cream-and-onion flavor profile. I munched my way through the bag quickly, a telltale sign of a great snack.

As a bonus, one 28-gram (1-ounce) serving of these rings contains 4 grams of protein, in part thanks to the legumes. That’s twice the amount found in the same serving of Lay’s sour cream and onion potato chips. There’s also slightly more fiber in the rings compared to potato chips, 2 grams per serving in the rings and 1 gram in the chips.

Organic Cold Brew Black Tea Concentrate

This year, I’ve made an effort to reduce my added sugar intake. Eating too much added sugar may lead to weight gain, heart disease and more, so I’ve been swapping products when I can. I started buying plain yogurt instead of flavored, and found a different granola bar—but I was still looking for a replacement for my daily glass of iced tea. Enter: Trader Joe’s Organic Cold Brew Black Tea Concentrate.

This cold-brew black tea concentrate has zero grams of added sugar, which is amazing since the iced tea brands I often bought had as many as 35 grams per serving. (The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend no more than 48 grams of sugar if following a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet.) I also appreciated the concentrate concept. One of the biggest hurdles in swapping out my former go-to products before was that I didn’t want to brew my own tea. But with the concentrate, all I have to do is mix one part tea with seven parts water and—voilà!—a glass of iced tea. After drinking a few glasses, I realized I didn’t miss the sugary stuff I grew up on. Plus I was able to really taste the black tea flavors, since they weren’t masked by all that sugar. Thankfully, I spotted this bottle on TJ’s shelves during my trip and now it’s a mainstay in my cart.

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