Posted on by Jenna

Pumpkin Butternut Squash Bisque

There’s nothing like soup when the weather cools off. And there’s nothing like pumpkin and butternut squash when Fall arrives.

So, Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butternut Squash Bisque should check all the autumnal boxes. Which it does.

Kind of.

This is a good soup, not too thick and not too watery, with a smooth flavor that doesn’t taste too much of pumpkin or butternut squash, but a blend of both. There are a few chunks of sage in there for a flavor. It’s a nice, easy, sippable soup.

Which is good, but not great, and that’s what I’d say about this soup: It’s nice. It didn’t wow me, but it’s nice.

The soup is in the refrigerated case, and I got about two decent sized servings out of the tub when served with a sandwich or a salad. I think if I ate this as my only meal, it would be one serving.

I liked it but wasn’t blown away. I would probably repurchase it, but I won’t weep when it disappears like some seasonal favorites.

Price: $3.99
Seasonal: Yes
Buy again: Probably

Posted on by Jenna

Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

I love Trader Joe’s. I know that there will always be something delicious to try.

But even then, I rarely find a new product that makes me want to buy up the whole stock or ask them to order me a case like a true Trader Joe’s fanatic.

Until now.

Trader Joe’s new frozen Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe leapt to the top spot on my weekly dinner list after one bite, and I had it for dinner three nights in a row. It’s that good.

First of all, let’s get this out of the way: This isn’t “real” Cacio e Pepe. Cacio e Pepe – which means simply ‘Cheese and Pepper’ – is a pasta dish made with olive oil (or butter), Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, and plenty of black pepper, all made creamy with a bit of the hot, starchy pasta water.

Trader Joe’s version is much creamier, similar to an Alfredo, but still with plenty of black pepper bite.

It’s also super simple to make. It comes with the sauce in little blocks, and frozen nests of spaghetti. You add a couple of tablespoons of water, the sauce blocks and the pasta nests to a skillet, and cook for less than ten minutes, until it all melts into creamy, cheesy, peppery heaven.

The one piece of advice I have is that, 2-3 minutes before the end of cooking, you use tongs or two forks to gently pull apart the nests. That will ensure the pasta softens enough so you can toss it in the sauce.

As far as portions, this doesn’t make that much. It can serve two adults (or one really hungry one) if served alone or with a side salad. As a side dish, it could probably stretch to four.

As far as whether or not this is seasonal, it’s a new product, so time will tell. If it sells well, it could stay in the rotation, or they could keep it as a Fall or Winter product.

Price: $3.99
Seasonal: Unsure
Buy again: Absolutely

Posted on by Jenna

Pound Plus Bar

Have you ever just thought to yourself: “I could really use a chocolate bar the size of my head.”

Well, look no further, my friend. Trader Joe’s has you covered.

The Pound Plus chocolate bars are a little over a pound (see what they did there?) – or 17.6 ounces – of creamy, rich, delicious Belgian chocolate.

They come in dark, milk, and with almonds, though I usually choose the milk.

Now, a pound of chocolate is a lot of chocolate, I know. But the bars are already divided into reasonable pieces.

They can be eaten straight up as a snack, or used in baking. A lot of people buy these bars and break them up themselves for cookies and such, rather than pay inflated prices for chips or “baking chocolate” at other stores.

And how do they taste? Not bad, actually! Is it the best chocolate in the world? No, but it’s worlds better than most American chocolate bars that you’re used to. It is real Belgian chocolate, after all.

And for the price point and size, it’s definitely a bargain.

The Pound Plus bar is available year round, which makes it great for keeping on hand for cookie baking or to satisfy the odd chocolate craving. You can find it with the candy, usually above the freezer aisle.

Price: $4.99
Seasonal: No
Buy again: Yes

Posted on by Jenna

Cubano Seasoned Wrap

As much as I love Trader Joe’s, I’m not in love with their pre-made foods.

That isn’t to say I dislike everything from the refrigerated case. Their soups are the bomb (especially the seasonal varieties) and I do very much like a lot of their ready-made meals. But while I succumb occasionally (it’s a long drive to TJ’s from my house), their salads and sandwiches don’t usually thrill me.

After that long-winded disclaimer, let me just say that this Cubano Seasoned Wrap is…not bad.

It’s described as roasted pork, uncured ham, Swiss cheese and dill pickles in a flour tortilla with a Cuban-inspired mustard dressing.

Let’s break it down, shall we?

Roasted pork – This was my favorite part. The meat is moist and well-seasoned, and there are decent sized pieces.

Uncured ham – Also very good; much better quality than you’d normally expect in a pre-made sandwich wrap.

Swiss cheese – It’s…Swiss cheese?

Dill pickles – Not sure what these are, but they’re not the dill pickles of my Vlasic dreams. They tasted more like sweet pickles, and since I detest sweet pickles, I was turned off.

Flour tortilla – Pretty standard. Because the dressing was on the side and there were no vegetables, it didn’t get soggy or slimy, which was nice. Speaking of the dressing…

Mustard dressing: I would say a lot of the “seasoning” from the Cubano Seasoned Wrap was actually in here. But it’s not spicy at all. Rather, it’s tangy, sweet and mustardy all at once, and thin enough for dipping. There was enough for the whole wrap, but barely.

Overall, I’d say this is a solid option if you’re stuck at lunchtime.

Price: $4.49
Seasonal: Yes
Buy again: Maybe

Posted on by Jenna

Apple Cider Donuts

If you don’t feel like it’s Fall until your first warm apple cider, then these are the donuts for you.

Trader Joe’s Apple Cider Donuts are a Fall staple, and it’s easy to see why. These delicious cake-style donuts are coated with thick cinnamon sugar and while there’s no apple directly in them, they evoke happy apple cider memories.

Interestingly, I tried these last year and thought they were just okay. They seemed a little dry and the coating was sparse. I don’t know whether HQ got my memo or I just got a bad box, because neither of those things were an issue this year.

Apple Cider Donuts come six to a box, and are found in the bakery section near the front of the store (with the cakes, Kringles, etc.). As with all the seasonal products, they’re here for a limited time only, so grab them while you can.

Price: $3.99
Seasonal: Yes
Buy again: Yes

Posted on by Jenna

Abita Pecan Ale

Let me start off with an apology in case this isn’t available in your store and I get you all excited for nothing.

But when I saw that Abita had a new seasonal ale out and at Trader Joe’s, no less, I was all in.

Just a note: I live in Southeast, Louisiana and the Abita brewery is about 30 minutes from my house. So that may be why I could get my hands on this.

And let me apologize again: I don’t know much about beer. When I posted a photo of it to the Trader Joe’s subreddit, I got a long treatise about hops and heads and finishes and other stuff I didn’t understand that basically came out to:

“Meh.”

But, I had a whole 6-pack of it, so I decided I had to see for myself, and I’m glad I did. I may be a beer newb, but I really enjoyed it.

It’s somewhere between a red and a brown ale, and it reminded me a lot of Newcastle, which I happen to like. (I’m sure a beer lover somewhere is rolling over in his or her premature grave.) It had a nice thick head, and was very smooth, which I think is important in a beer.

It also didn’t set off my allergies, which I like, as well.

As for the pecan, I don’t know that I tasted pecan for sure, but there is definitely a warm, nutty undertone to the beer that just tastes like Fall.

All in all, I expect to have a fridge full of Abita Pecan Ale this season. And if you can’t, you’re definitely missing out. Sorry!

Price: $8.99
Seasonal: Yes
Buy again: Yes