11 Underrated Trader Joe's Must-Haves (2024)

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If there's one thing all smart shoppers know, it's this: One does not simply walk into Trader Joe's. To get out of this Mordor of treats alive, you need a strategy, intimate knowledge of your particular TJ's store layout, and perhaps a mouthguard. But on your next trip, let everyone else fight over the last jar of cookie butter and make a beeline for these lesser-loved-but-equally-amazing snacks, frozen goods, and even cat litter. Behold, a cartful of Bon Appétit staffers' favorite Trader Joe's sleeper hits:

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"The frozen Mini Beef (or Chicken) Tacos are terrible but also, like, delicious. Especially at 2 a.m. Especially if you happen to be a college student. Or even a nostalgic, drunk adult." -Kurt Soller, features editor

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"The frozen Spanakopíta is my JAM. It's what I make every time I have nothing in the fridge. Twenty minutes in the oven and it's flaky puff pastry goodness, with a heavy dose of spinach. Bonus: They aren't thaaaaaaaat bad for you." -Carey Polis, web editor

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"The Truly Handmade Flour Tortillas. These are the closest I can get to the lard-made ones my sister ships from the grocery store in Houston for my birthday. They make Mission tortillas look like flour-coated patties of sadness, which THEY ARE. The Trader Joe's versions--even in whole wheat if you're trying to fool yourself--are thin and buttery and great for breakfast tacos, drunk quesadillas, and eating plain, microwaved with cheese--a French technique I picked up from Jacques Pepin*." -Alex Beggs, senior web editor *Lies

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"There was a long period of time where I was weirdly into the Frozen Vanilla Greek Yogurt, which is the only flavor they have. And I don't even usually like vanilla! It's just the right ratio of tart-to-sweet." --Emma Wartzman, assistant to the editor in chief

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"I went through a HEAVY Mini Ice Cream Cone phase circa 2011. There's no such thing as having just one of them at a time, so I had to cut myself off when a four-cone-a-night problem was developing. But I revisited my love for them late last year, and they were (and still are) at least 100000x better than the TJ's frozen mochi that I chipped a tooth on once." -Elyssa Goldberg, associate web editor

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"I survived my senior year of college thanks to the Pork Shu Mai. They're $3 a pack! Hit 'em with scallions and some soy sauce and you're set. Also, it goes without saying that their Charles Shaw wines are a deal that probably shouldn't be allowed to exist. In college, we used to buy a case of Three Buck Chuck (12 bottles for $36) and bring them to parties. We'd then sell the bottles for $6 each and double our initial investment. More shumai for the whole team. The hustle was real." -Alex Delany, assistant production manager

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"I buy the Dried Bing Cherries several bags at a time. A couple years ago, I developed what I'll describe as a dried cherry habit--I stir them into oatmeal or yogurt in the morning, add them to salads for lunch, or I'll mix some with toasted pecans to serve the purpose of a lazy woman's granola for all car trips or flights. The unsweetened, unsulfured Bings at TJ's are my dried cherry of choice--plump, with a great sweet-tart balance." -Meryl Rothstein, senior editor

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"The Cha Siu Bao Chinese Style Pork Buns. No, they're not as good as your favorite dim sum spot, but for an emergency freezer snack, they cannot be beat." -Lily Freedman, Test Kitchen contributor

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"The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dunkers offer a primer in metaphysics: There's chocolate in the cookie, but then that cookie is IN chocolate. How did the universe come about? What is matter? Why are we here?" -Alex Tatusian, designer

"The Chimichurri Rice. You can make chicken or shrimp on the side and mix it in (see: my lunch today). I actually passed it off as my own rice-and-shrimp once at a holiday party." -Brendan Bryant, product manager

"Premium Pine Cat Litter. It's basically Feline Pine, which is a highly absorbent natural pellet litter that smells great and breaks down into sawdust when it's wet, so it's safe and easy to flush. But Trader Joe's version costs a lot less than Pine." -Cristina Martinez, production manager

Related: The Most Popular Trader Joe's Products in 2015 (Yes, There's Cookie Butter)

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