I Tried 31 New Trader Joe’s Groceries Hitting Stores — These Are the 7 You Don’t Want to Miss (Plus, 2 to Skip)

If you head to Trader Joe’s this November, then you’ll find that the grocer’s shelves look straight out of a Thomas Kinkade painting. The gourd selection? Downright decorative. 

Naturally, the cornucopia of corn, apple, and cranberry flavored items are also overflowing. I was so inspired by the 31 new products I tried this month that I bought a turtleneck to match. So if fall is also your favorite time of year (or if you’re open to being convinced that it rules), then grab a few of your mini totes and pop these dips, spreads, salad kits, and more into your TJ’s cart. (Plus, two newbies that you probably want to side-step.)

When I was growing up, I’d never see a store-bought cinnamon bun at my grandma’s house. But I think she’d reconsider her staunch homemade-only standard if she had met one of these Apple Cinnamon Buns. In truth, these toasty, yeasted buns could have fooled me into thinking they were made by none other than Grandma Filson.

First off, they’re not overly sweet, so the streusel-spiced apple compote topping really pops as you get lost in the cinnamon-molasses-coated swirls. These are by no means a doorstopper mall cinnamon roll, but rather a fluffy morning bun that manages to stay light amidst all the buttery, sugary decadence going on here. I’m now the president of the fan club for this Danish pastry.

Your daily eating habits are about to become primarily cheese-based this season, especially if Trader Joe’s has anything to do with it. The dip case is positively exploding with new seasonal greats right now, and this whipped, sweet-tart pink cloud of ricotta and cream cheese is the versatile dip you’ll want on hand at all times. 

It toes the line between sweet and savory. Ricotta cuts through the cream cheese to keep it light and bright, while bits of tangy, chewy cranberries and flecks of orange zest give it zip. In truth, I ate this primarily with a spoon out of the tub, but it would be incredible with graham crackers or a bagel, or as a spread on toast points with roasted squash on top as an easy, semi-homemade app.

Truthfully, if this is the only cheese you pick up at Trader Joe’s this season, you’ll be in excellent shape. I’ve always imagined what it must have felt like to discover an important archaeological find. It’s probably not too far off from the feeling I get after one bite of this cheesy spread, which combines Unexpected Cheddar and Syrah-Coated Toscano cheeses.

You really feel like you’ve discovered something special. It takes all the textural intrigue (thanks to almonds) and the sharp, nutty-fruity bite of a kitschy ’70s cheese ball and modernizes it (aka puts it in tub form). It is Dense with a capital D, but I won’t let that stop me from using my sturdiest knife to spread it on leftover turkey sandwiches and celery sticks, or roll it into a literal cheese ball and coat it with more roasted nuts.

This corn dish is essentially a third cheese, which just feels right and very on-theme. And I love a theme. The sweet, crunchy kernels hold their own in this cream-based sauce that’s buttery and punctuated with plenty of cheddar cheese. You’ll have some pretty sizable cheese-pulls coming off your spoon. It just might upstage the mashed potatoes on your plate this holiday season.

Spoiler: I’ll be carrying a lot of minty gum on my person this month, because I’m going to be buying this super-onion-powered salad kit on the regular. Worth it. This salad distills all the nutty, roasted, ultra-savory flavors of French onion soup (an arguably perfect food) into crisp salad form. To me, the first rule of salad-making is that there should be as many textures as possible, and this one is a law-abiding bagged salad.

The kale, romaine, and radicchio base is a great start. The sharp, punchy shreds of white cheddar and savory sprinkles of crunchy fried onions and garlic croutons (which all get tossed in a sweet onion vinaigrette) capture the malty, subtle sweetness of slow-cooked onions. This would be a dream of a co-pilot for any odd soup-and-salad night, or as the jumping-off point part as a holiday dinner side (maybe with some roasted butternut squash on top?).

Yup, the Fall Cheese Train is still coming in fast — and you really better jump on for this fudgy English cheddar (bring the breath mints from earlier). I love when a cheese isn’t shy, and this one is certainly an extrovert. Funky, earthy truffles infuse this sharp, yet ultra-buttery cheese that tastes like it came from some exceptionally happy cows. 

I understand that many people are not Truffle People, but I’d almost say this creamy cheese is an excellent starter cheese for anyone who hasn’t caught the bug yet. Maybe fold a wheel or two into your next mac and cheese and call me in the morning? I think you’ll find it can cure any ho-hum cheese board, grilled cheese, or pan of roasted vegetables.

Trader Joe’s never misses out on playing with texture, and I love it for that. This is no exaggeration: This cheese truly hits a part of your tongue that’ll have you wondering … is this cheese bubbly? It isn’t literally bubbly, but there’s some mysterious food science going on with this dense English cheddar that mimics the Pop-Rock crispness of a glass of Champagne. 

I take labels very literally. As we all should! How else do we know what exactly we’re grabbing from the store? So I was surprised by the fact that at no point did I get a bourbon-vanilla experience out of this shaker. 

It’s giving more root beer float, which I love. But! I was so excited to see how this would fare in my morning coffee or on buttered toast and banana bread, and it was just not the flavor experience I was promised.

That being said, this label told the whole truth, and yet I still felt like something was missing. They’re buttery, yes. The maple is present, can confirm. And teeny tiny, of course. But the combination is surprisingly underwhelming. 

It’s almost like the factory missed a delivery of pecans (for Teeny Tiny Pecan Maple Tarts, maybe?) and decided to scratch out the “Pecan” part and see if anyone noticed. Well, I noticed. 

What new Trader Joe’s item are you most excited about? Tell us about it in the comments below.