Trader Joe's Crispy Dried Watermelon

It's important to note that this crispy dried watermelon is, indeed, an entirely different product than Trader Joe's Organic Watermelon Jerky. It is also worth mentioning that, while the review posted of the watermelon jerky on this particular blog is a fairly positive take on the offering, that it was penned by former contributor Russ. My own personal sentiments of that product were not nearly as favorable. I found that stuff to be revolting in both flavor and texture.

While the jerky was fibrous and leathery, Trader Joe's Crispy Dried Watermelon is brittle and snaps apart with a satisfying click. It is indeed crispy and crunchy. The little pieces, when strewn about upon a plate, make a sound not unlike tiny plastic toys or the building elements of a model airplane. It's a unique texture, for sure, but it's far more pleasant than the frustratingly chewy mouthfeel of the watermelon jerky.

The taste is surprisingly close to that of real watermelon. It's shockingly sweet. And while there is a good bit of sugar in the single serving bag, 100% of it is natural sugar. It's literally just the sweetness of the watermelon magically transformed into a crystalline candy format.

It tastes like real fruit, but it also tastes like candy. Moreover, it feels like candy. At 150 calories for the entire bag, it's such a perfect snack for summer and warm weather. If you like this product as much as we do, we also recommend checking out Trader Joe's Watermelon Freeze Dried Candies.

$2.99 for 1.41 oz of Trader Joe's Crispy Dried Watermelon in a resealable bag. Product of Thailand. One and a half pounds of watermelon were used in each bag. Sonia has experimented with adding it to yogurt and ice cream and even rimming her cocktail glass with crumbled crispy watermelon, but we both agree it's best straight out of the bag as a light, sweet summertime snack. We'd both buy it again. Eight out of ten stars from me. Eight and a half stars from Sonia.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.