Trader Joe's Toasted Coconut Mini Sheet Cake

If you’ve strolled past the bakery section lately, you’ve probably spotted Trader Joe’s Toasted Coconut Mini Sheet Cake—a sunny little rectangle promising tropical vibes in baked good form. At $5.99 for a modestly sized sheet cake, it’s clearly aiming for that sweet spot between weeknight indulgence and “I guess we’re celebrating something?” dessert. But does it deliver peak coconut bliss?

Let’s start with the highlight: the icing. The cream cheese frosting is superb. It's lush, velvety, and decadently sweet without crossing into cloying territory. It spreads thick across the top in those signature ridges, and each bite delivers a creamy punch that honestly does most of the heavy lifting. If you’re here for frosting-forward desserts, you’re in good hands.

The cake itself? Good, but not stellar. It’s moist, tender, and pleasantly sweet, with a soft mouthfeel that pairs nicely with the frosting. You can definitely taste coconut, but it’s not overly coconutty. In fact, it’s almost cautious. The flavor leans creamy with a gentle toasted coconut note rather than bold, beachy intensity.

Which brings us to the coconut shavings. There really aren’t that many, and they're not that big. When you put “Toasted Coconut” in the title, you’ve set expectations. Coconut lovers want texture. They want aroma. They want to feel like they just fell face-first into a piña colada. As it stands, the cake is creamy and somewhat coconutty, but this is the moment to go coco-nuts. The coconut skeptics are already sitting this one out, so why not fully cater to the fans?

Still, as an everyday dessert, this mini sheet cake is undeniably tasty overall. It’s easy to slice, easy to share, and dangerously easy to keep “just trimming” the edges of.

Final verdict? Sonia gives Trader Joe’s Toasted Coconut Mini Sheet Cake a solid seven and a half out of ten stars. I'll go with seven out of ten. Amp up the coconut, and this could be an eight and a half without breaking a sweat.

Bottom line: 7.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Garlic Butter Irish Potato Chips

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if pub chips got a passport and a culinary degree, allow me to introduce Trader Joe’s Garlic Butter Irish Potato Chips. For $2.99, you get a 5.5 oz bag of ridge cut chips imported straight from Ireland, and they absolutely taste like they flew first class.

At first glance, you might expect something similar to sour cream and onion potato chips. And yes, there’s that familiar creamy, savory vibe. But these are more refined—like sour cream and onion that studied abroad for a semester and came back quoting poetry. The buttery richness hits immediately. These chips are unapologetically buttery. Not greasy. Not heavy. Just smooth, savory decadence that feels borderline gourmet.

Interestingly, the garlic plays it cool. It’s not loud or sharp on the initial crunch. Instead, it sneaks in during the finish, lingering pleasantly after you swallow. It’s a slow-burn garlic experience. It's subtle on the attack, confident at the end. That delayed garlic pop keeps you reaching back into the bag "just to confirm" it’s really there.

Texture-wise, Trader Joe’s Garlic Butter Irish Potato Chips absolutely deliver. They’re ridge cut, giving them that satisfying crunch and structural integrity. These aren’t fragile, whisper-thin chips. They’re sturdy without being jaw work. In fact, we had these bouncing around in the car on a fairly long ride, and virtually none of the chips were broken. Now that’s engineering.

As for pairings? These would be phenomenal alongside fried fish, especially if you’re leaning into the Irish theme. They’d also hold their own next to a good Reuben sandwich, as well. Honestly, if a gourmet restaurant decided to throw a curveball and serve top-shelf potato chips as a side, they might taste exactly like this.

In the end, Trader Joe’s Garlic Butter Irish Potato Chips are rich, refined, and surprisingly balanced. Sonia gives them nine out of ten stars. I'll throw out eight and a half on this one. For three bucks, that’s a buttery bargain with a charming Irish accent.

Bottom line: 8.75 out of 10.

$400 Haul of Fame, March 2026

So this is our first official Trader Joe's haul video. We've obviously done many, many Trader Joe's hauls throughout the years but this is the first time we've actually gone through each thing we bought on video. We bought dozens and dozens of items, lots of which are new, lots of which are oldies but goodies.

Many of the things we bought have already been reviewed here on the blog. Many will be reviewed in the coming weeks and months. If there's anything in the video that you'd like us to review sooner than later, drop us a line in the comments section.

Wish Farms Pink-A-Boo Pineberries

If you’ve spotted Pink-A-Boo Pineberries at Trader Joe’s and thought, “Why are those strawberries so pale?” Relax. They’re not unripe. They’re just fancy.

For $5.99, you get a 10 oz package of these creamy whitish, pinkish berries that look like they should be sour but absolutely are not. Pink-A-Boo Pineberries are intentionally pale, and that ghostly complexion is part of their charm. They’re marketed as pineapple-flavored strawberries, and while I wouldn’t say they taste exactly like pineapple, they are exceptionally sweet with a bright, tropical vibe.

The flavor is delicate and candy-like. They're less tart than traditional red strawberries and more mellow overall. If you go in expecting a full on pineapple impersonation, you might be confused. But if you approach them as a special strawberry variety with a unique sweetness and subtle tropical notes, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Sonia loved the pineberries in yogurt. Image from Google Gemini.

These pineberries are reportedly non-GMO and are a hybrid of Japanese and Florida strawberry varieties developed at the University of Florida. So yes, there’s some legit horticultural wizardry behind that pale exterior. This particular produce comes from a company called Wish Farms.

Texture-wise, they’re juicy and tender, similar to conventional strawberries, though we found them slightly softer. They’re fantastic straight out of the container, and that’s exactly how they disappeared in our house. Sonia was especially enthusiastic about them. She liked them even more than I did. That said, I somehow managed to eat quite a few myself. They lasted exactly one day before we polished off the entire package.

Are Pink-A-Boo Pineberries worth $5.99? If you’re a strawberry fan looking to try something a little different, absolutely. They’re sweet, novel, and undeniably snackable. Available at Trader Joe's but not exclusively at Trader Joe's.

Final score: Sonia gives them eight out of ten stars, and I agree with a solid eight out of ten as well. Not quite pineapple in my humble opinion, but definitely a berry worth meeting.

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Irish Coffee

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, Trader Joe’s Irish Coffee feels like a festive bottle to grab while you’re stocking up on soda bread and shamrock-shaped sweets. Priced at $9.99 for a 375 mL bottle, it’s an approachable seasonal sipper that promises coffeehouse vibes with a boozy kick.

First impressions? Sonia nailed it: “It tastes like real brewed coffee…that’s been sitting in the carafe for a while.” That description is oddly specific...and oddly accurate. The coffee flavor leans more diner drip than fresh-pulled espresso. It’s slightly bitter, a touch stale tasting, but undeniably authentic in its brewed coffee character.

Where things get interesting is the balance. At 20% ABV, this isn’t just coffee with a whisper of whiskey. The Irish whiskey presence is stronger than expected, and the sweetness is dialed up more than we anticipated, too. It’s surprisingly sugary, which makes it quite palatable despite the assertive alcohol. It packs a punch but it’s nowhere near as intense as straight Irish whiskey. Think “spirited dessert drink” rather than “fireside dram.”

If you’re dreaming of something creamy—like coffee mixed with Baileys—temper those expectations. There’s absolutely nothing creamy about this bottle. It’s sweetened coffee and whiskey, full stop. Of course, you can add your own cream (and honestly, you probably should if that’s your vibe).

We experimented a bit. Warmed gently in a saucepan, it’s decent. Cozy, even. But we actually preferred it over ice. Chilled down, the sweetness and alcohol feel more balanced, and the slightly tired coffee note becomes less noticeable.

As for scores, Sonia gives it a solid eight out of ten stars. I land at seven out of ten. Averaged together, that’s a respectable 7.5 out of 10.

Would we buy Trader Joe's Irish Coffee again? Maybe. But we’d probably steer folks toward Trader Joe's Golden Vale Irish Cream Liqueur (if available), actually imported from Ireland. This product is imported from...Princeton, Minnesota. Also Trader Joe's Cold Brew Coffee & Cream Liqueur was a stellar booze and java option, but again may not be available currently. Still, for a quick, festive pour, TJ's Irish Coffee gets the job done.

Sláinte! 🍀

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.