The 12 Best Things To Buy At Trader Joe's, According To Our Editors

Shopping at Trader Joe's can be an exciting yet sometimes overwhelming experience. Before you even step through the doors, you're often greeted with overflowing racks of fresh flowers and seasonal plants outside. As you make your way inside, you'll wander up and down the aisles of one-of-a-kind grocery items that you just can't buy anywhere else. Though we love the uniqueness of the products offered, deciding exactly what to buy is definitely an undertaking. Lucky for you, our editors are here to help.

Whether you’ve been to Trader Joe’s too many times to count or are planning your first visit, these are the products our editors recommended adding to your shopping list the next time you shop at Trader Joe’s.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Associate Homes Editor Cameron Beall has quite a stance on the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. "They are superior to Reese's," she says. "Not too sweet and a perfect peanut butter to chocolate ratio."

Assistant Digital Food Editor Catherine Jesse agrees. "Seconding Dark Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cups! Even thinking about getting them makes my day a little brighter."

Fresh Blooms

The first thing you likely see when visiting any Trader Joe's is the buckets of flowers. They offer a wide selection year-round that are great for buying for a friend, for entertaining, or even just for yourself. "Eucalyptus and hydrangeas... Trader Joe's usually has great prices on both," says Jesse. " And they're always in really nice shape and most importantly, fragrant!"

Senior Digital Editor Rebecca Baer says, "When they have peonies, watch out! I'll be grabbing as many bunches as my arms can hold."

A Variety Of Seasonings

At Trader Joe's, you won't just find your ordinary run-of-the-mill spices. They have many specialty blends that have grown to have quite the following. "Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute is the best all-purpose seasoning for veggies, chicken, salmon...anything," says Digital Editor Mary Shannon Hodes.

"While we're on seasonings, we usually pick up an Everything But The Bagel blend and a Garlic Salt as well," she added. Trader Joe's Chili Lime Seasoning Blend and Everything But The Elote Seasoning Blend are other unique blends worth trying.

Chocolate Croissants

"Baking isn't my strong suit, so I love to keep their Chocolate Croissants in the freezer," said Brennan Long, Associate Director of Social Media. "You let them proof overnight, then bake in the morning. You can have warm, fresh pastries without a trip to the bakery!"

Espiral Vinho Verde White Wine

The wine selection at Trader Joe's is vast, and if you're not sure where to start when selecting a bottle, Beall suggests the Espiral Vinho Verde. It's under $7 per bottle and she considers it a hosting staple, always picking up a bottle or two when she makes a trip to Trader Joe's.

Indian-Style Frozen Meals

"I literally always have a stock of their Indian frozen meals in our freezer," says Tara Massouleh McCay, Senior Travel and Culture Editor. "The Lamb Vindaloo, Butter Chicken, and Fiery Chicken Curry are favorites but they're all really good."

Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe Pasta

Newsletter Editor Hannah Zepeda always grabs a bag of Trader Joe's Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe Pasta (and says most of their frozen pastas are great!). "Most of them just need a few tablespoons of water and a skillet for 7-12 minutes and dinner is served," she says. "I also love to spruce mine up a bit by chopping up one of their many types of chicken sausage and sometimes throwing spinach and mushrooms in as well."

Steamed Soup Dumplings

Another frozen favorite of Zepeda's is the Steamed Soup Dumplings. "My favorite are the chicken ones but they're all great." she says. "Only takes 2 minutes in the microwave and they're perfect when you don't want a big meal. Bonus points if you add Trader Joe's Crunchy Chili Onion on top!"

Plantain Chips

"I also love their Plantain Chips," says Beall. "They are the perfect salty and crunchy snack that feels healthier than potato chips and not as sweet as banana chips. They don't always have them in stock, but when they do I'm always putting a bag in my cart! "

If you like a little bit of spice, they're also available in a Jerk-Style option as well.

Dried Mandarins

Another favorite of McCay's is their Dried Mandarins. "Their Dried Mandarins–the perfect sweet bite for after dinner when I'm trying not to have a whole dessert."

Pita Crackers

If you plan to serve a cheese board for any occasion, Trader Joe's is a great place to shop for your ingredients."The Pita Crackers are a go-to for cheese boards, says Long. "They have a subtle toasted flavor and they're sturdy enough to hold up to heartier dips and spreads."

Unexpected Cheddar Cheese

Speaking of cheese boards, if you need a cheese to be the star of the show, you can't go wrong with Trader Joe's Unexpected Cheddar. Though it's a cheddar, it has a slightly crumbly texture. And as the name implies, it has an unexpected burst of flavor that's almost like an aged Parmesan, along with just a hint of crystallization. It's also available in a spread as well.