Trader Joe's Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese

We've already reviewed this product on video, so I guess it's time to get a written review up here on the blog. It's a whipped cream cheese with strawberry flavor, found in the refrigerated section of TJ's, and it'll run you $2.79. Most name brand cream cheese costs significantly more than that, so we're already looking at a pretty decent value.

The texture is fairly standard as far as whipped cream cheeses tend to go. Trader Joe's Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese is light and fluffy and super easy to spread. We had ours with Trader Joe's Strawberry Brioche Style Liège Waffles. I kind of expected both products to be tasty but not necessarily bursting with strawberry flavor.

Lo and behold, I was right. That's really my only complaint about this product. It could be more strawberry-ish. If it's too difficult to load the product up with strawberry bits or strawberry puree, one would think freeze-dried strawberry would do the trick. Far from strawberry overload, the strawberry waffle/strawberry cream cheese combo yielded a perfectly adequate level of strawberry scrumptiousness.

Of course, we did try the cream cheese with plain sourdough toast. It's nice. It gets a thumbs up. But there's only a whisper of the fruit flavor.

The sweetness level is pleasant and restrained. Some fruit-flavored cream cheeses lean heavily into the dessert category, but this one manages to stay firmly in breakfast-spread territory. It's creamy, mildly tangy, and just sweet enough to keep things interesting without tasting artificial or candy-like. In that sense, Trader Joe's got the balance right. I just wish they'd turned the strawberry dial up a notch or two.

As it stands, the texture is on point and the flavor is there, but you'll probably find yourself searching for strawberry more than savoring it. Still, for less than three bucks, it's an easy way to add a little something extra to your morning toast, bagel, waffle, or whatever carb delivery system happens to be on the menu. Kosher. Found in the refrigerated section. Eight out of ten stars from Sonia on Trader Joe's Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread. I'll go with seven out of ten.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Vanilla Cold Foam Creamer

With Trader Joe's Vanilla Cold Foam, $4.49 gets you 85 servings of yummy, convenient vanilla creamer. You read that right. Not eight and a half servings. Eighty-five servings. One tablespoon each.

It's like cold, creamy candy in a can. It's got a nice sweet, milky vanilla flavor, and the foam is nice and thick. It's a little syrupy and quite sugary. I mean, in theory, you're using it to sweeten and cream up your black coffee or something along those lines. One little tablespoon of this stuff is going to do your java wonders.

We had it with Trader Joe's Vanilla Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate. This cold foam provided the majority of the vanilla flavor by my reckoning. Sonia was a much bigger fan of that cold brew than I was. But we can both agree on this stuff. It's very tasty.

The ingredients are pretty good, too, using actual skim milk, cane sugar, and cream. I mean there are stabilizers and propellants in there, but the foam itself isn't made of unpronounceable chemicals. Only ten calories per serving!

Honestly, the value proposition here is kind of absurd when you stop and think about it. A little can like this doesn't look like much sitting in the fridge, but it lasts forever unless you're absolutely drowning every cup of coffee you make in foam. And unlike some store-bought creamers that disappear beneath the flavor of the coffee, this stuff actually announces itself. You taste the vanilla, you feel the creamy texture, and it gives homemade iced coffee a legit coffee shop vibe with almost zero effort.

The beautiful wifey will go with eight and a half out of ten stars for Trader Joe's Vanilla Cold Foam Creamer. I'll go with eight out of ten on this one. We'd both buy this product again. Kosher. Keep refrigerated.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.

Trader Giotto's Italian Tomato Pasta Sauce Trio

Ten bucks gets you three tomato-based pasta sauces imported from Italy. Trader Giotto's Italian Tomato Pasta Sauce Trio is a limited-time release made with Pugliese tomatoes, and it features 1) a puttanesca sauce with olives, capers, and anchovies 2) a datterino cherry tomato sauce and 3) a tomato and roasted vegetable pasta sauce. Both Sonia and I liked the puttanesca sauce best, but we'll break down our observations of all three tomatoey toppings.

So...puttanesca is a funny word. The first part of it is quite similar to a not-so-nice word in Spanish that Sonia and I are familiar with, but the root word is also used in Italian. Apparently, the sauce is, in fact, referring to a style of cooking associated with women of ill repute. There are many theories floating about that attempt to explain the sauce's origins and its scandalous name, but both the beautiful wifey and I found it to have the most pleasant and interesting texture and flavor.

It's the heartiest of the three if only by virtue of the chunks of veggies floating through the mixture. There are plenty of green Chalkidiki olive slices and Kalamata olive slices, along with tiny bits of anchovies. I didn't notice any capers in our jar, but they are listed in the ingredients. The flavor is very salty and pungent. Like the other two, it's got plenty of tomato flavor, but it's the richest, earthiest, most complex flavor by a good margin.

Next up, we've got a sauce that's highlighting a particular species of cherry tomato known as the datterino. I thought for sure the beautiful wifey would enjoy this one the best since she's an outspoken tomatophile. I felt like this had the most pure, bright tomato flavor of the three sauces, but since I'm not really a fan of raw tomato, I didn't really gravitate towards it. Surprisingly this is also Sonia's least favorite of the trio, citing a one-dimensional flavor profile as its weakness. "It feels too plain," she stated. I don't disagree.

Finally, the Italian Tomato and Roasted Vegetable Pasta Sauce. This one actually tasted like roasted veggies and had a nice garlicky essence underneath everything. The zucchini, eggplant, and peppers definitely added to the flavor and the texture of the sauce, though we both think it could have benefited by doubling or tripling the amount. For both of us, this was the second best sauce in the pack.

None of the sauces were particularly thick in terms of the density of the liquid, but each had a nice natural tomato flavor and an authentic Italian spice blend. We'd pick this product up again just for the variety and the value. $3.33 per jar is a decent price point for a true European import and the presentation is nice. It'd make a decent gift. Let's get to our final scores for Trader Joe's Italian Tomato Pasta Sauce Trio.

Trader Giotto's Tomato Puttanesca Sauce with Olives, Anchovies & Capers: 7.75 out of 10.

Trader Giotto's Italian Datterino Cherry Tomato & Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce: 7 out of 10.

Trader Giotto's Italian Tomato & Roasted Vegetable Pasta Sauce: 7.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Organic Guava Fruit Spread

There are more recipes using this fruit spread on the internet than you can shake a stick at. They're doing everything from cocktails to mocktails to milkshakes, cookies, and cakes using Trader Joe's Guava Spread. Here's what we did with it:

First up, we ate it straight from the jar like savages. It's quite a bit better than I was expecting it to be on its own: very sweet, very tart and tangy. It's smooth and fairly thick—fruity, floral, and exotic.

Next, Sonia made overnight oats with Trader Joe's Organic Guava Fruit Spread and Trader Joe's Organic Chia Seeds, among other things. Jump to 2:21 in our video review to hear the recipe in full, and how she made her culinary magic happen. This puddingy oatmeal was wholesome, hearty, creamy, and surprisingly delicious.

After that, we made a very simple smoothie from a single 6 oz can of Dole pineapple juice, two tablespoons of this guava spread, and a few ice cubes. We blended it until the fruit juice whipped up nicely and the ice cubes turned to slush. That combo was shockingly good. We'll definitely make it again once it gets hot. We're thinking some added rum might turn it into a decent pineapple guava daiquiri.

Finally, we had some sourdough English muffins with a bit of butter and this fruit spread. It's very similar to the vibe you get when you slather a piece of toast with strawberry jam. It's sweet and a bit tart. Yet this selection adds an unexpected tropical twist to the taste. It's good, but then I expected it to be good on toast. Those other experiments were bigger pleasant surprises to me.

We'd absolutely repurchase this product. We'd love to try some shortbread thumbprint cookies or turnovers using Trader Joe's Organic Guava Spread as the filling. I don't think this jar will last us long enough to attempt either of those on this go-around.

Certified organic. Found with the other condiments and spreads. $2.99 for the 10.5 oz jar. This exotic treat is imported from the tropical island nation of...Canada. Don't ask me. Eight and a half stars from the beautiful wifey. I'll throw out eight out of ten on Trader Joe's Guava Spread.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Organic Chia Seed

Trader Joe’s Organic Chia Seeds are a reliable, high-quality pantry staple that offers exceptional value for health conscious shoppers. Priced at $4.99 for a 12 oz bag, these seeds are significantly more affordable than many comparable organic options found at other grocery stores. The product features a neutral flavor profile and a consistent texture, making it an easy addition to a wide variety of dishes without altering the intended taste of your recipes.

The chia seeds are packaged in a resealable bag that helps maintain freshness and prevent accidental spills in the kitchen. In terms of culinary applications, these seeds are incredibly versatile. They're a primary ingredient for creating thick, creamy chia pudding and serve as a simple nutritional boost when stirred into morning oatmeal or blended into fruit smoothies. For those who enjoy more elaborate breakfast options, they provide a satisfying crunch as a topping for acai bowls.

In case you're interested, here's Sonia's recipe for surprisingly scrumptious mango chia pudding—even better than Trader Joe's now defunct Mango Chia Pudding.

4 tbsp chia seeds
1/4 cup canned full fat coconut milk
1 tbsp of honey
1 cup of frozen mango
1/2 cup 0% greek yogurt
2 oz of 2% milk
1 tbsp coconut flakes

Blend the milk, yogurt, honey, and mango in blender. Pour in glass container then add the chia and slowly mix in with other ingredients. Chill overnight 8-10 hrs. Top with mango chunks and organic coconut flakes.

Beyond breakfast and snacks, these seeds are an excellent resource for home bakers. They can be used as a direct substitute for poppy seeds in muffins, breads, or lemon themed desserts, adding a similar aesthetic and texture with the added benefits of omega 3s and fiber. They are indeed currently available at Trader Joe's as of the time of the writing of this review, and they tend to be in stock all year round. They've become a go-to item for many shoppers looking for an inexpensive source of the tasty, healthy seeds.

These are a repeat purchase in our house. They deliver on every front, from the ease of storage to their multipurpose nature in the kitchen. Whether you're focused on meal prepping or just looking for a simple way to elevate your favorite snacks, this product is a cost effective choice that holds up against more expensive brands. I'll let the beautiful wifey score this one solo.

Bottom line: 9 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Organic Sweet Cream Creamer

If your morning coffee routine could use a little glow-up, Trader Joe's Organic Sweet Cream Creamer might be the easiest upgrade in the dairy aisle. The ingredients list is refreshingly short and every ingredient is organic. In a category where many creamers lean heavily on additives and mystery stabilizers, this one keeps things simple and classic. Even better, it costs $2.99 for a pint, which is a pleasant surprise when you consider big name competitors like Chobani and Nestle often charge more despite not being certified organic.

But price and ingredients only matter if the taste delivers. Fortunately, it does.

According to Sonia, the primary creamer consumer in our household, this stuff hits the sweet spot between rich and sweet without going over the top. It blends smoothly into hot coffee and adds a velvety texture that feels a little indulgent without tipping into dessert territory. The sweetness level is just right. Sonia reported that once she added this creamer, she didn’t need any additional sugar at all. That’s a small victory for both convenience and calorie counting.

The flavor is simple but satisfying—classic sweet cream. No artificial aftertaste, no chalky texture, just smooth dairy richness that rounds out a cup of coffee nicely. The beautiful wifey didn’t stop at coffee, either. A splash occasionally made its way into her morning oatmeal, where it added the same creamy sweetness and made breakfast feel slightly more luxurious.

As for me? I barely got a taste. Sonia moved through the pint with impressive efficiency, which might be the most convincing endorsement of all. Her one request for Trader Joe’s: expand the lineup. A few other flavor options would be very welcome. Until then, this sweet cream version is doing its job extremely well. I'll let the wifey score this one solo. She gives it nine out of ten stars.

Bottom line: 9 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Butter with Parmesan, Garlic & Herb

Trader Joe’s hit the mark with this Parmesan, Garlic & Herb Butter. It’s basically a four ounce roll of salted butter laced with the aforementioned titular flavors along with lemon juice, shallot, vinegar, pepper, and parsley so you get layers of flavor immediately: sharp cheese, bright citrus, savory garlic, and just enough cracked black pepper to keep it interesting. The parmesan really sings. It isn’t shy about its presence, giving the whole thing an umami punch you don’t always get from a flavored butter.

Spread on a warm baguette and broil for a couple minutes, it becomes effortless garlic bread—crisp on the edges, rich and gooey inside. I’ve also slathered it on morning toast when I forgot to buy jam, and truthfully, the tang of parm + herb was better than I expected. Other times, I’ve dropped a pat onto roasted potatoes or mixed it with wilted spinach and hot pasta for the kind of dinner that feels indulgent without any extra fuss. Folks online are doing everything from melting it over steak to dotting it on popcorn for a savory snack.

If there’s a downside, it’s that the pepper can be a little assertive if you’re just nibbling straight from the stick on a cracker. But overall, it’s one of those small extras that makes weeknight food feel a touch gourmet. Butter it on grilled cheese, finish grilled or roasted veggies, or stir it into rice or scrambled eggs to jazz up something plain. Quick, tasty, and incredibly versatile, this is one we'll pick up again.$2.99 for the eight serving stick, found in the refrigerated section. Eight out of ten stars from both Sonia and me for Trader Joe's Parmesan, Garlic & Herb Butter.

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Thai Peanut Satay Sauce

Let's talk about the Great Peanut Sauce Trauma of years past. Once upon a time, Trader Joe’s released a different satay sauce that was so aggressively fishy it basically required an apology letter to our taste buds. It was a dark era for our pantry, and we spent a significant amount of time avoiding that specific section of the condiment aisle out of pure fear.

However, time heals all wounds, and we finally decided to give the new-ish Thai Peanut Satay Sauce a fair shot. At $2.29 for an 8.1-ounce jar actually imported from Thailand, the price was low enough to gamble on, even if our expectations were safely tucked away in the basement.

The good news is that the overpowering fish sauce has been officially banished from the recipe. This new version is built on a much friendlier foundation of coconut milk and coconut sugar, which already makes it a thousand times more approachable than its predecessor.

It boasts a complex flavor profile that actually makes sense, featuring a blend of peanuts, curry, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, red chili pepper, and cumin. When we first cracked open the jar, the sauce was a little stiff. Honestly, it had the structural integrity of a chilled stick of butter, but a little heat fixed that right up. Once it warmed through, it transformed into a smooth, savory, and aromatic dream.

Since we aren't exactly the type of people who keep wooden skewers lying around for a random Thursday night, Sonia skipped the traditional satay presentation entirely. Instead, she threw together some improvised peanutty chicken noodle bowls using rice noodles and chicken breast we had on hand. We topped the whole thing with pickled julienned carrots and crushed peanuts for that essential hit of acid and crunch. The result was genuinely impressive and very tasty.

We’re happy to report that the redemption arc is complete, and both Sonia and I would definitely buy this product again. If you want to see us actually cook and eat this, please watch our video review. Sonia gives Trader Joe's Thai Peanut Satay Sauce a solid eight out of ten stars. I'll go with a respectable seven and a half.

Bottom line: 7.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Bird's Eye Chile Hot Sauce

Trader Joe’s Bird’s Eye Chile Hot Sauce is here to remind you that yes, Trader Joe’s can, in fact, bring the heat. Three bucks gets you a 4.22 oz bottle of this South African import, which immediately sets it apart from the usual California-cute condiments lining the shelves. This stuff contains actual bird’s eye chile pepper—the same fiery little number that powers peri peri sauce and fuels many a Nando’s chicken obsession. If you’ve had TJ’s Peri Peri Sauce before, you’re in the right ballpark. Similar vibe, similar bright, punchy personality.

Flavor-wise, it’s not just heat for heat’s sake. It’s quite spicy, but there’s also this fresh, almost citrusy brightness to it. It pops. It wakes up your taste buds. It’s the kind of heat that feels intentional rather than reckless.

Now, let’s talk about the pour. This sauce is on the thicker side, at least compared to stuff like Texas Pete or Tapatio. At first, it doesn’t want to come out of the bottle. You tilt. You wait. Nothing. Then suddenly—glorp. A spicy blob lands on your food like it just parachuted in from Johannesburg. And because it’s fairly hot, you don’t want to overdo it but controlling the flow takes a little practice. Consider it a relationship you’ll need to work on.

Once you get the hang of it, though? Game on.

We’ve splashed it on chicken and rice, chili, burgers, pizza, pasta, roasted potatoes, eggs—basically anything that benefits from a little fiery encouragement. It plays well with everything. It’s not the spiciest thing I’ve ever eaten, but it’s easily hotter than anything Trader Joe’s has put out in recent memory. And more importantly, it tastes great. Unique. Bold. Memorable.

We’d both buy it again. Another thumbs up from both Sonia and me. Eight out of ten stars from each of us.

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Crispy Garlic and Trader Joe's Fried Shallots

Trader Joe’s Crispy Garlic and Trader Joe's Fried Shallots are the kind of products that make you feel kinda smug in the snack aisle. You’re not buying chips. You’re buying ingredients. Fancy toppings. Culinary enhancements. Definitely not something you’re about to eat straight out of the bag like a raccoon at midnight, although I must admit we did try both that way and they're not half bad.

Trader Joe's Fried Shallots on a burger

Anyway, both of these live in resealable bags, both hail from Thailand, and both feel suspiciously like they might come from the same magical allium factory overseas. The Crispy Garlic will cost you $3.29, while the Fried Shallots are a slightly more modest $2.49. Inflation is real, but apparently garlic still thinks pretty highly of itself.

Trader Joe's Crispy Garlic

Let’s start with the Crispy Garlic. These little guys look like almond slices, which makes them feel classy even as they’re absolutely wrecking your breath. The flavor is significantly more potent than the shallots. They’re fried in rice bran oil, and the result is deeply savory, crunchy, and wildly addictive. If you love garlic like we do, this is your jam. Or topping. Or handful snack.

The Fried Shallots are more familiar, more chill. Think fried onions, but with that shallot sweetness and depth. They’re fried in palm oil and are perfect on burgers, salads, rice bowls, noodles—basically anything that feels lonely. We threw them on a burger and immediately felt smarter than we are. They add crunch, a little zing, and zero regrets. They're also certified vegan (until you put them on a hamburger).

If forced to choose, we like the garlic just a tad more but that’s because we’re garlic fiends, not because the shallots did anything wrong. In a fairer universe, you’d just buy both. Which, spoiler alert, we would absolutely do again. Sonia will go with eight and a half stars on Trader Joe's Crispy Garlic. I'll go half a star lower with a solid eight. The beautiful wifey gives Trader Joe's Fried Shallots eight out of ten stars, and once again, I'll go just a half star lower.

Trader Joe's Crispy Garlic: 8.25 out of 10.
Trader Joe's Fried Shallots: 7.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Salsa Taquera

Trader Joe’s Salsa Taquera is priced at $2.49 for a 12 oz glass jar, which is consistent with the rest of their shelf-stable salsa lineup. The packaging matches their Salsa Verde and Salsa Autentica, making it easy to spot and clearly positioning it as part of the same family.

In terms of flavor, this salsa is well balanced and thoughtfully composed. It features tomato, tomatillo, onion, garlic, habanero, jalapeño, and cilantro, along with a subtle touch of mango. None of the ingredients dominate the flavor profile completely, instead they work together to create an essence that's tangy, slightly smoky, and lightly sweet. The mango is restrained and adds depth rather than sweetness, which keeps the salsa firmly in savory territory.

The heat level is moderate. It is spicier than Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde and roughly on par with their Salsa Autentica, providing noticeable warmth without becoming overwhelming. This makes it versatile enough for regular use without limiting it to spice enthusiasts, even if Sonia and I would prefer something a little hotter. Visually, the salsa has a pleasant orange color that looks fresh and appetizing.

Salsa Taquera pairs especially well with chicken or beef tacos, as well as taquitos, where its acidity and spice cut through richer flavors. It would also go quite well with fish or shrimp.

Although the name suggests a traditional Mexican origin or at least inspiration, this salsa is not a product of Mexico, so I assume it's produced in the good old U. S. of A. That said, the quality and flavor profile hold up very well even for Sonia the salsa aficionado...er, aficionada..?

Overall, Trader Joe’s Salsa Taquera is a solid, well-executed condiment at an affordable price. It delivers good flavor, balanced heat, and versatility. Would buy again. Eight and a half out of ten stars from both Sonia and me.

Bottom line: 8.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Everything But the Pizza Whipped Cream Cheese Spread

Trader Joe’s Everything But the Pizza Whipped Cream Cheese Spread is one of those products where the name does a lot of heavy lifting. It promises pizza vibes without actually being pizza, which is… ambitious. After spending some quality time with it, the best way to describe it is this: it’s basically sun-dried tomato–flavored cream cheese, with a supporting cast of garlic and Italian herbs trying their best to sell the illusion.

To get this out of the way: it doesn’t really belong on pizza. If you’re thinking of slathering it over a slice, maybe pause and reconsider your life choices. That said, where it unexpectedly shines is as a pizza crust dunking sauce. Once you’ve eaten all the sauce and cheese and you’re left holding a sad, naked crust, this spread swoops in and saves the day. Suddenly, the crust feels intentional.

Trader Joe's Everything But the Pizza Cream Cheese also works surprisingly well as a chip dip. The whipped texture makes it easy to scoop, and the tangy tomato flavor pairs nicely with plain chips. It’s bold enough to be interesting without being so intense that you regret your decisions halfway through the bag.

Bagel-wise, it’s kosher, spreads easily, and does the job. Is it a classic bagel flavor? No. But if you like savory spreads and are open to a Mediterranean-adjacent breakfast moment, it’s perfectly respectable.

As a sandwich spread, it’s actually pretty decent. We liked it on sourdough with chicken and arugula, where the acidity of the tomato flavor cut through the richness and kept things from feeling heavy. It adds moisture and personality without completely hijacking the sandwich. It's also weirdly good when mixed in with a bowl of piping hot chili. 

At $2.79 for 8 ounces, it’s a fair deal for a whipped cream cheese that feels a little more “specialty” than plain. Is it my favorite Trader Joe’s cream cheese flavor? No. Will I buy it every time? Also no. But it’s interesting, different, and worth trying at least once—if only to confirm that “everything but the pizza” is, in fact, a very Joesian idea. 

Seven and a half stars from the beautiful wifey. Seven out of ten stars from me for Trader Joe's Everything But the Pizza Whipped Cream Cheese Spread. Check out our video review embedded below where we try it with everything from pizza to chicken wings to Trader Joe's Ridge Cut Horseradish & Chives Potato Chips.

Bottom line: 7.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Chocolate Whipped Light Cream

Betwixtmas. Dead Week. It's that special time between Christmas and New Year's when nobody knows what day it is or what they're supposed to be doing or why they feel so perpetually full and distended. Good time for a review of what's essentially chocolate pudding that sprays out of a can. But it's LIGHT chocolate pudding in a can. You know, to get you prepped for all those resolutions you'll be starting next week.

And that's what it tastes like: chocolate pudding. It's kind of in between what I'd consider full calorie chocolate pudding and "diet" chocolate pudding. It has sugar in it but not like a ton of sugar. It's sweet and chocolatey but not particularly rich.

We tried it on strawberry pancakes. We tried it on gingerbread ice cream sandwiches. We tried it on top of a mug of steaming hot chocolate with marshmallows. It's a thumbs up in every case.

It comes out fluffy and airy. The pic above is when we made our gingerbread man look like Marge Simpson. Yes, you can get it to stack pretty high, particularly when you make a little spiral motion as you dispense the cream out of the can. Hooray for the structural integrity of light whipped cream.

It's a nice tannish brown color. Looks and smells chocolatey. It took us a while to finish the whole can even though we were eating it pretty regularly with desserts and I was secretly sneaking shots of it directly into my mouth throughout the whole past month. 

$4.49 for the can. Kosher. Keep refrigerated. I wasn't sure if the price is a good value or not. Sonia says it is because not only is the cost comparable to other canned whipped creams, but most of the main ingredients are decent like cream, skim milk, and sugar rather than hydrogenated oils and HFCS. We took a look at the product during our video review of the strawberry pancake mix. I have the video cued up to the part where we briefly analyze and score this product, so go ahead and take a looksee.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Cranberry Sauce

Can you believe it's Thanksgiving week already? Man, 2025 has absolutely flown by. It's a great time to remind yourself that no matter what you're going through, no matter how hard things have been, even if things in the world don't look the way you want them to, there is ALWAYS something for which to be thankful.

I could wax poetic about the holiday ad infinitum and name all the things I'm grateful for, but this here is a food review, so let's get to it. We're looking at Trader Joe's Cranberry Sauce. I'll give you the TL;DR up front: I LOVE the taste, and I'm not a huge fan of the texture.

$3.29 gets you a 12 oz glass jar of sauce made with nothing but cranberries, sugar, water, and pectin. That's it. That's the entire ingredients list. Love it. It's very sweet, very tart, and is absolutely bursting with real cranberry flavor.

Unfortunately, the cranberry skins are left intact to the point that certain bites are somewhat chewy. There's a grittiness to the texture, too. Although I grew up with the ultra-smooth Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce at most of my Thanksgivings, I don't mind a bit of fruit pieces floating around in the condiment, but this is too far in the opposite direction.

I really love the taste as well as the texture of Trader Joe's Cranberry Orange Relish. It's got like a...well, like it's a similar texture as pickle relish but obviously not the same taste. That's still my favorite "cranberry sauce" from Trader Joe's and gets my full endorsement as a Thanksgiving Day fare recommendation. This offering is just a tad too chunky for my preference. If it were pureed a bit more, I think it would be great. Some folks will love the "au naturel" style sauce complete with cranberry skins, seeds, etc. Others won't.

I like this better than Trader Joe's Cranberry Ginger Chutney which has too much vinegar flavor for both Sonia and me. We both love Indian food and enjoy the vast majority of chutneys, but that sauce was a thumbs down for us. And of course, if you're looking for something similar to this shelf-stable product but refrigerated and more recently produced, there's always Trader Joe's Fresh Cranberry Sauce which comes in a tub rather than a glass jar.

We'll be having the cranberry orange relish again this year for Turkey Day. This one will be great for some folks and just okay for others. Watch our video review for more thoughts and commentary. Seven and a half out of ten stars from the beautiful wifey for Trader Joe's Cranberry Sauce. I'll go with an even seven.

Bottom line: 7.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Crunchy Sesame, Sunflower Seeds & Pepitas Salsa Macha

"Salsa macha" is another delightful condiment from our neighbors to the south. It's spicy, nutty, garlicky, and in this case at least, it's quite oily. My mother-in-law (mi suegra) is quite familiar with the sauce, and she's a big fan of this offering from Trader Joe's. We actually decided to pick it up thanks to her recommendation.

From what I've gathered, there are many iterations and varieties of salsa macha—some with peanuts, some with seeds, some with chili peppers, some with vinegar. Most are at least a tad spicy and most have some amount of garlic. Although "macha" is pronounced just like "matcha," as in green tea leaves, to the best of my knowledge nobody puts matcha in their macha.

The nuttiness from three different types of seeds is what makes this product special. If you like the taste of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds, it's a safe bet you'll enjoy this salsa. It is a bit spicy, but it's not off the charts. There's a nice warm ambient heat that creeps up on you after several bites thanks to "dried pequin chile pepper." Sonia says it's about a 5 out of 10 on her spice-o-meter. The garlic flavor is nice. If anything, I'd ask for more garlic, but I'm kinda weird like that.

The whole thing is floating in a generous pool of oil. TJ's used olive oil this time, which we're very happy about. It's on par with Trader Joe's Chili Onion Crunch and the Chili Cranberry Orange & Onion in terms of overall texture and oil content. It's packaged very similarly, as well.

$4.49 for the 6 oz jar. Product of Mexico. The container says to "store in a cool, dry place" and does not mention refrigerating after opening. Is it as good as Trader Joe's Pepita Salsa? No. No, it's not. But we'd both buy it again just for variety. Seven and a half stars from both Sonia and me for Trader Joe's Crunchy Sesame, Sunflower Seeds & Pepitas Salsa Macha.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Spicy Honey Sauce

So there's this viral protein bowl thing Sonia told me about the other day. Apparently, it's all the rage on TikTok and all the TikTok ripoffs like YouTube Shorts and Facebook Reels and the young fitness gurus love it for its high nutritional value and low carbs and flavor. It involves lean ground beef, avocado, sweet potato, cottage cheese, and hot honey.

When she first listed the ingredients, I was kinda like: "You just named five things that don't go together in any way whatsoever." And she was just like: "They all say it's good and I wanna try it." You know me, I'll try just about anything once. So she made it and we tried it and it's just amazingly good.

She heated the beef on the stove top and spiced it up with some taco seasoning. The sweet potatoes received some garlic powder, paprika, sea salt and olive oil before roasting at 400° for about a half hour. Then you stick it all in a bowl with roughly equal quadrants of the above-mentioned beef and sweet potato, cottage cheese, and avocado. You'll have a beautiful white, brown, green, and orange mosaic of flavors. And then it all gets topped with Mike's Hot Honey, Bees Knees, or Trader Joe's Spicy Honey Sauce...or Trader Joe's Organic Spicy Honey Sauce.

Of course you can make a vegetarian version by omitting the beef...or a vegan version by omitting the beef and cottage cheese. Or you could sub tofu for the animal products. Whatever floats your boat.

It's creamy, salty, savory, sweet, and a little spicy. If anything, I wish it were a tad spicier. And by that, I mean I wish this spicy honey were spicier. It's got a little kick, for sure, but I could go a notch or two higher on the spice-o-meter.

The organic spicy honey is three bucks. This product is five bucks. Yes, you read that right. The organic product is cheaper than the non-organic product. Go figure. I guess it's because there's more sauce in this 12 oz bottle as opposed to only 8 in the other one. This product is definitely currently available—generally speaking, of course. Not sure about the organic version.

Sonia and I would buy again. Kosher. It was on an end cap at our TJ's last time we went, but it'll probably wind up with the other condiments. Do not refrigerate, even after opening. It is real honey, after all. Sonia gives Trader Joe's Spicy Honey Sauce eight and a half stars. I'll throw out eight out of ten.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Apple Pie Spread

It's never been easier to turn an ordinary piece of toast into a delicious indulgent dessert. If you're like me, you like to consume an inordinate amount of calories around breakfast time because then you have the whole day to burn them off. That's what I tell myself, at least.

Following in the footsteps of other awesome autumn apple spreads from Trader Joe's like Trader Joe's Apple Cider Jam and Trader Joe's Apple Cider Fruit Spread, this spread is thick, sweet, and caramel-esque. It's got real apple bits and plenty of applicious flavor. It's surprisingly buttery. And I don't just mean creamy, texture-wise. I mean you can taste real butter in the syrupy spread.

There's brown sugar and cinnamon up in the mix. It's surprisingly rich and versatile. Everything from sourdough to ice cream is fair game. Traderjoes.com says you can even stir it into coffee. I better not tell Sonia about that or the whole jar will be gone by tomorrow.

My only complaints? It's messy. Have napkins and wet wipes on standby. I wish the apple bits were a tad bigger—more like apple chunks. Did I mention apple is the number one ingredient?

$3.99 for the 10 oz jar. It's kosher and shelf stable for a year if left unopened. Refrigerate after opening. In the video review, we gave it a unanimous 8.5 out of 10 score. However, we gave one of its predecessors nine stars, and it's at least as good as that one, so we'll upgrade the score here on the blog. Trader Joe's Apple Pie Spread is pantheon-worthy all the way.

Bottom line: 9 out of 10.