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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.