Trader Joe's Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Bread

Sonia has gotten me into sourdough. It's so much better for your gut than regular bread. After you get used to it, you miss that tangy taste if you go back to a normal loaf. Even when used for sandwiches, paired with soup, or turned into croutons for a salad, sourdough is superior in almost every way.

That said, this product isn't very sour at all. You can't taste that typical sourdough starter like you can in the really good stuff. I guess they didn't want to make it too sour since the tartness might detract from the apple cinnamon sweetness they were going for as well.

There are little pieces of apple all through the bread. They lend a nice wholesome harvesty vibe. There's some brown sugar sweetness in the background, which is nice. It's not too extreme. If anything, I almost wish it were a tad sweeter. This is definitely not a dessert bread.

But that can be a good thing. It's more versatile that way. Sonia made a turkey and brie sandwich with hers and really enjoyed it. She said it works way better than regular bread for that type of application.

She also made French toast which worked far better than I imagined it would. You don't really think of apple cinnamon going with eggs necessarily, but the whole concoction was surprisingly delicious, with or without maple syrup. I was just fine toasting a slice or two, adding butter, and munching on them the old-fashioned way, too. Of course, it's quite convenient that they're already sliced. Some sourdough you have to cut yourself.

It's about five bucks for just over a pound of bread, found with the baked goods. Product of Canada. Sonia would buy again. She gives Trader Joe's Sliced Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Bread eight and a half out of ten stars. Put me down for seven and a half on this one.

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Lavash Flatbread

Nate's Notes: Penned by former contributor Russ, this review was originally posted March 29, 2011. This product disappeared for some time circa 2016 and then reappeared recently. The packaging is slightly different, they've added "Whole Wheat" to the title, and unsurprisingly the price has increased. It's still a great product and Sonia and I don't have much to add or subtract from the original article, so we've simply updated the pictures and bumped the post for our 2025 audience. Take note the original publishing was 329 and it's being re-posted on 923. Spooky.

Am I wrong, but there's something to be said for good, cheap carbs, right?

Probably the most famous cheap carb is the beloved Ramen noodle package. Well, "beloved" might be a stretch, but it's a pretty universal experience for college kids to subsist on them for long stretches of time. I certainly was one of them. My sophomore year, I sincerely doubt I went a day without a meal that involved either Ramen or leftover pizza from the dinner shift at Papa John's. It certainly helped that they were 10 for a buck at the local grocery shop. Some nights I'd eat two packages, other nights I'd mix in some frozen veggies and maybe make a piece of chicken. But man, all the Ramen ... I don't know how I didn't die from malnutrition. Once I was really, truly, ineffably sick of them, my grandmother came to the rescue and sent me a Ramen noodle cookbook. I had no idea about all the different possible uses for Ramen ... all the different stir-fries and noodle-based dishes, and even things like salads and pizza (using the noodles as a crust). That kept me going on them throughout the rest of my college years until I could finally routinely afford better starchy goods, like shells and cheese.

flatbread pizza with chicken, spinach, onions, and apizza gouda

Anyways, I love me some carbs. I could never be a legit vegetarian because I like meat waaay too much, and Dr. Atkins and I would never be dietary BFFs because he'd be slapping bagels out of my hands way too often. And the more ways I can use a single form of carb (like the Ramen noodles) the better.

That's why I like Trader Joe's Lavash so much. It's a pretty simple product, it's just a legal-document sized ( 9.5 x 13) rectangle of rather plain baked dough. But, like the package says, this is some fairly versatile stuff, and there's a lot of it. The first time Sandy and I broke it out, we used it as a crust for a thin crust basil pesto pizza. It was good enough that we've used it a couple more times as a crust since then. When baked, it gets really crispy and crackery when the sides and corners get browned and curled up. I'd definitely recommend if using it for a pizza, let it bake for a little while longer than you'd figure otherwise as the middle can get a little sogged down with sauce, etc, but rebounds nicely if given the proper oven lovin' time. 

But that's not the only good use of the lavash. I've made a breakfast wrap or two with it, and it held up with the eggs and cheese well. Sandy's taken it to work a couple times and used it like a tortilla with some rice and beans, and reported satisfactory results. The great thing is, there's six of them in a package ($2.19 for 6 in 2011—$2.99 for 4 in 2025) so there's plenty of it with which to experiment. I'd imagine they'd be pretty good cut and baked to munch on like a pita chip, or maybe even buttered, sugared, and cinnamoned, then cut into strips and baked for a dessert. Or maybe make some garlic breadsticks out of them in a similar fashion ... the possibilities may be endless.

The form of the lavash is pretty pliable, too. We tend to keep bread in the fridge to extend the shelf life some. I just wolfed down the last two-week old half-sheet remnant a few minutes ago, and it was as soft, floury, and flexible as the first time we used it. I could literally bend it any which way, and it wasn't stiffened enough to crack or break. Yet, it easily rips in a straight-enough line if you ask it to. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed overall.

Sandy gives it a 4.5 overall. "Mmm ... carbs ... it's good and it works. Not much else to be said," she says. Considering that I find myself craving a lavash-crust pizza once or twice a week, I'm inclined to be in the same ballpark. Part of me wishes it had a bit more flavor, like some sesame or poppy seeds mixed in (that's pretty common in Middle Eastern countries, from where this was inspired), but its plainness lends itself better to the overall versatility to use it to make it part of something of your own creation. Sounds like a 4.5 to me as well.

Bottom line: 9 out of 10 Golden Spoons.

Trader Joe's Cinnamon Buns with Cream Cheese Frosting

Last year we looked at some Danish pastries that made cardamom the star of the spice show. I wasn't particularly smitten with those, but Sonia liked them pretty well. I simply prefer good old American cinnamon buns.

And you might expect this product to be exactly that: a classic Cinnabon-esque dessert treat. However, this too is an actual product of Denmark. I'm not sure how that works. Baked fresh in Copenhagen? And then...teleported to Trader Joe's all over the USA?

This product is almost like if you split the difference between the above-mentioned Brown Sugar Cardamom Buns and your classic American cinnamon bun. I could have sworn I tasted cardamom or clove in ours, but there's nothing like that listed in the ingredients. It's just molasses, brown sugar, and cinnamon in terms of spices and sweeteners.

There's a tartness to these buns that's atypical of most cinnamon buns I've tried. It's unexpected but not entirely unwelcome. I see "citrus fiber" and "cheese culture" in the ingredients. It could be either of those elements providing the tang.

All things considered, though, these treats are sweet, bready, and indulgent. They're much better when warmed up for a spell. I was worried they'd dry out in the oven, so we nuked ours for 12 seconds the first time. They were even better when zapped for about 20 seconds. The cream cheese frosting—arguably the best part of the product—melts and dribbles all over the buns and wakes up a lot of the pastry's more subtle flavors.

As decent and unique as these baked goods are, I think both Sonia and I would opt for other fall treats before picking up this product again. I'll throw out seven out of ten stars for Trader Joe's Cinnamon Buns with Cream Cheese Frosting. The beautiful wifey will go with eight out of ten.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Loaf

In the tradition of other great Trader Joe's brand loaves, here we have the long-awaited, coveted pumpkin loaf. We've seen Pancake Bread, Banana Bread, and Gingerbread Loaf in very similar packages throughout the years. Without further loafing around, let's take a look at the product at hand.

It's got those typical pumpkin spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and clove. It's a nice, dense, bready treat. Our specimen was a tad dry—a full day before the "best by" date on the sticker—but certainly not to the point of inedibility.

The crystallized "spiced sugar topping" is a nice touch. It's slightly crunchy and adds some interesting texture. The rest of the loaf is much softer, but it's also very crumbly—to the point where placing a slice in a regular toaster is pretty much out of the question. A toaster oven, on the other hand, is a great option for warming.

We found heating the slices greatly helped wake up all the flavors and allowed butter and other toppings to melt into the product and help offset any dryness. Even 12-15 seconds in the microwave did the trick.

We tried the loaf topped with the recently-reviewed Apple Pie Spread, and it was absolutely delicious that way if you want something ridiculously sweet and indulgent. Plain butter or plain cream cheese worked just fine, too.

Compared to Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Mini Sheet Cake, Sonia and I both found this offering wanting just a tad. It can be fixed up quite nicely, but it's not as good on its own. $4.99 for the eight serving loaf, found in the baked goods section. Probably would opt for other pumpkin treats before repurchasing this one. Seven out of ten stars from me for Trader Joe's Pumpkin Loaf. The beautiful wifey will go with seven and a half.

Bottom line: 7.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Brioche Style Liège Waffles

These waffles are individually wrapped in cellophane. I didn't see that coming. I figured they'd all be sitting in a plastic tray. They're fairly soft and moist and I guess the individual wrapping is meant to keep them that way.

You can eat them straight from the wrapper in the manner of a cookie, or you can remove them from their packaging, toss them into the toaster, add a bit of syrup or what have you, and eat them like miniature waffles. We've tried them both ways and both are pretty tasty. 

Of course the convenience factor is a little higher when you're just snacking on them out of the little baggie, but the indulgence factor is higher when you heat them and add some fixins. We're eager to try them with some vanilla ice cream on top.

They're a tad sticky. I guess it's the "pearl sugar" on them. They're also a bit oily and buttery, too, even before adding any toppings—they do indeed contain both egg and butter. They're nice and sweet, dense and slightly chewy.

The waffles are shelf stable for a couple months. They do come with a "best by" sticker despite being individually wrapped. They'd probably just get a little stale if you let them hang around too long, but for most of you, that won't be a problem.

$3.99 for six waffles, imported from Belgium. Pretty good value. Would probably buy again. Sonia will go with eight out of ten stars for Trader Joe's Brioche Style Liège Waffles with Pearl Sugar. I'll throw out seven and a half stars.

Bottom line: 7.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Passion Fruit Granola with Dried Raspberries

Passion fruit and raspberry? That sounds interesting. Add to it some rolled oats, rice syrup, and sugar, and we probably have another tasty Trader Joe's granola on our hands. There have been so many throughout the years, it's hard to keep track of what we've reviewed and what we haven't, what's still available and what's been discontinued...

"Passion fruit puree" is the third ingredient here. It gives the big crunchy oat clusters a faint citrusy sweetness and a bit of a tang. Passion fruit and raspberry are both sweet and tart, so this cereal is quite tangy. It's almost bordering on too tangy for my taste, honestly.

Like most cereals of this kind, the dried raspberries are far and few between. That first bowl I poured in the pic only had two actual raspberries in it. I grabbed a third out of the bag just for the sake of the photo.

This just isn't my thing, personally. Sour cereal is just not something I'm craving, like, ever. For that reason, I think it works a little better as a yogurt topping than a traditional bowl of cereal with milk, but that's just me. There's quite a bit of sugar in this product, too, so I'd probably reach for something like cake or ice cream before I'd reach for this product again.

I know this granola has its following. Plenty of positive reviews out there in cyberspace if that's what you're looking for. Plus, unfortunately, negative reviews never go viral or do very well on social media, which sucks for the traffic on this blog. 

I gotta be honest, though. This granola is okay, but I wouldn't buy it again. By all means, if you disagree, let us know in the comments. Tell us why you like it. Six and a half out of ten stars from me for Trader Joe's Passion Fruit Granola with Dried Raspberries. Sonia will go with an even six.

Bottom line: 6.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Rolled Oats & Chocolate Chips Fiberful Granola Bars

Let's face it: granola bars are boring. Ones that advertise how much fiber content they have are even more boring. Sure, there's always some mention of peanut butter or chocolate or honey or something else to make them sound moderately exciting, but in the end, they're rarely memorable or tasty enough that they can truly compete with a full-fledged candy bar.

That said, Trader Joe's granola bars are rarely awful. We've seen our fair share over the past decade and a half on this blog—in the ballpark of a few dozen different varieties, at a quick glance. Just off the top of my head, one of the few truly notable selections would be the ABC Bars. I'm pretty sure they're still available. We've definitely purchased those more than once. We're on the hunt for another product along those lines: something healthy, hearty, convenient, and tasty enough that it'll keep you from reaching for anything more indulgent or diet-derailing.

Trader Joe's Rolled Oats & Chocolate Chips Fiberful Granola Bars are not only filling, but they taste surprisingly good, too. They're dense, chewy, and rather than tasting like cardboard with a few chocolate pieces tossed in as an afterthought, they're more like chocolate bars with just a faint grittiness to them that attests to their fiber content. Apparently, they were recently reformulated by the supplier and are now smaller than their predecessors and have a slightly different taste. Many say they prefer the old flavor, others say they enjoy the new version more. I couldn't tell you because I never tried the old formula.

There's plenty of oats in the mix. If you're not a fan of oats, you might wanna sit this one out. But really, as far as fiber-rich snacks go, these are quite palatable. Boasting nearly a third of your daily fiber intake in each bar, they're just as filling as you'd expect them to be. These are ideal as a mid-day pick-me-up type snack.

$2.99 for five bars. Kosher. Would buy again. Seven and a half stars a piece from Sonia and me for Trader Joe's Fiberful Granola Bars, Rolled Oats and Chocolate Chip flavor. Let us know if you tried the old formula and how you like this one in comparison.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Cinnamon Bun Pancake & Waffle Mix

"If you're gonna have carbs, have 'em first thing in the morning."

That's what Sonia always says. Makes sense. If you eat them early, you burn through them by the end of the day. It also helps optimize your metabolism and other good stuff.

Of course, it doesn't work if you keep eating carbs all day long and into the night. Not that I would know anything about that...

Anyway, we tried Trader Joe's Cinnamon Bun Inspired Pancake & Waffle Mix for the first time the other day and liked it for the most part. Sonia used the mix along with eggs, milk, and butter to whip up some batter and then poured it on her stovetop griddle to make pancakes. Yum.

There are little caches of cinnamon throughout the product, but both Sonia and I found ourselves pining for more cinnamon. The taste is quite reminiscent of a typical cinnamon bun but not nearly as indulgent. Add butter and maple syrup and you're getting a little more richness and sweetness, but it's still not on the same level as a true cinnamon bun in terms of comfort food status.

And for most folks, that's probably not a problem. It's just kind of a fun breakfast item that's not particularly decadent or fancy other than some cinnamon confectionery bits and brown sugar. But still, it's easy enough to make and the flavor is pleasant enough that we'd consider a repeat purchase.

$3.99 for the 16 oz box. We'll give Trader Joe's Cinnamon Bun Pancake Mix eight out of ten stars.

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Chocolate Coffee Granola

So numerous readers and viewers mentioned this product when I posted my review of Trader Joe's Vanilla Almond Granola a couple weeks ago. I try not to look at two cereals so close together, let alone two fancy granola cereals, but hey, Trader Joe's has discontinued half of the other products I had on deck for review, so we've got slim pickings if we want to look at something that is currently relevant. I've heard only good things, so I'm excited to try it. Sonia, the coffee connoisseur, is also quite eager to taste test a bowl.

It's a rich, dark flavor—nearly equal parts coffee and dark chocolate. The cereal contains both cocoa powder and dark chocolate in the ingredients. Coffee extract appears further down the list but it's potent enough to shine through all the other elements. It's surprisingly not sweet to my tongue, but still quite pleasant overall.

Predictably, Sonia really enjoys it. She prefers this over the vanilla granola and most other Trader Joe's granola flavors. I like it about the same as the vanilla one, but I'm not hating on this flavor at all. On the contrary, I think most adults who appreciate the flavors of coffee and dark chocolate would gravitate to this option over the vanilla almond granola and most other cereal products at Trader Joe's or anywhere else.

The milk left at the end of the bowl is quite tasty, taking on whispers of both coffee and chocolate. Of course, it's a much lighter, creamier flavor than the cereal, but I find it even more appealing than the granola itself. Sonia is eager to try this product on yogurt or ice cream.

$3.99 for the 12 oz resealable bag. Kosher. Eight out of ten stars from Sonia. Seven and a half out of ten from me for Trader Joe's Chocolate Coffee Flavored Granola.

Bottom line: 7.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Just the Clusters Vanilla Almond Granola

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But what if I eat cereal in the afternoon or a Pop-Tart after midnight? Those are breakfast foods, but I often eat them at not-so-breakfasty times. If I eat steak at 6:30 in the morning, is that still my most important meal of the day? Or do I need to consume it as "part of a complete breakfast" with juice, toast, and milk? If I purchase an Egg McMuffin at 11am and eat it at noon, does that count as breakfast or lunch?

The answers to these questions and more...are definitely not in this food review. But what I will tell you is that this cereal tastes good, provided you're a fan of vanilla, granola, and almonds. It's crunchy, clustery, and filling. It's sweet but not too sweet. Sonia likes it with yogurt. Bonus: the bag is resealable.

The nuts are just slivers. I wouldn't have minded bigger almond chunks and more of them. Some of the granola clusters are too big. Also, canola oil is the third ingredient—even higher than rice flour. It's "expeller pressed canola oil" if that makes a difference. I'll let you tell me if it does or not.

$3.79 for the eight serving bag. I could be wrong, but I think this product was only $3.29 a couple years back. Also, Sonia thinks it tasted more like vanilla before this most recent repackaging. Oh well. Seven and a half out of ten stars from me for Trader Joe's Just the Clusters Vanilla Almond Granola. Seven out of ten from the beautiful wifey.

Bottom line: 7.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's European Grains & Seeds Bread

I'm particularly fascinated with the cuisines and cultures of the nationalities that I'm descended from. And while I'm not properly Danish at all, those Viking folks had their way with my English and Scottish ancestors back in the day, so I most likely have some of that Scandinavian blood coursing through my veins. Will that influence my score on this product? Probably not. I think I stay pretty objective regardless of a product's origins.

You'll pay $3.49 for what appears to be a half a loaf of bread, imported from Denmark. I'm hearing that it is indeed very similar to a type of bread that's common in northern Europe and Germany, so it's fairly authentic according to European folks.

Apparently there was a very popular European style bread at Trader Joe's some years back and then it underwent the typical disappearing act. Don't think we ever tried that one, so unfortunately we don't really have anything to compare this to directly.

Trader Joe's European Grains & Seeds Bread has sourdough, rye, and wheat flours in the mix. There are sunflower seeds and flaxseeds, too. The overall effect is nutty and lightly sweet, yet somehow sour and earthy at the same time. Sonia and I are both surprised at the density of the bread. It's quite thinly sliced as it states on the wrapper, so the density and thinness sort of cancel each other out, if that makes sense.

I mainly just enjoyed it toasted with some butter, but we tried it with the avocado mash, cream cheese, and as a base for turkey sandwiches. It's more filling and flavorful than regular white bread, but the unusual taste may be off-putting to some American palates.

Would we buy Trader Joe's European Grains & Seeds Bread again? I wouldn't rule it out, but I think Sonia and I both gravitate toward traditional sourdough more than this multi-grain seed bread. As always, we're grateful to have tried it and to know what it's like since it's quite different from the typical bread you find here in the States. We both agree this is a seven and a half star affair as far as we're concerned. Let us know what you think of this bread.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Soft Pretzel Twists

Everybody in the US is familiar with soft pretzels, but those of us who grew up in Pennsylvania know them just a bit better than the rest. With a high percentage of German-Americans and a huge Pennsylvania Dutch community, PA produces 80% of the nation's pretzels. I even went to college with a guy whose aunt...is actually Auntie Anne, founder of the famous pretzel chain.

All that to say, my standards are pretty high. So how do Trader Joe's Soft Pretzel Twists hold up? Considering they're pre-packaged and shelf stable for a few days at least, they're not terrible. If you're just snacking on them straight out of the bag, you might not be blown away. But if you take great care to moisten them, heat them per the instructions, and apply the big, coarse granules of salt with precision, they're certainly passable.

Once again, we used our air fryer to heat the pretzels instead of the conventional oven. I just can't justify preheating the real oven just to stick a couple of pretzels in it for three minutes. At any rate, it worked. I was fine snacking on the pretzel by itself with maybe a dab or two of mustard. Sonia wasn't into the plain twists by themselves very much. She made pretzel dogs and quite enjoyed them that way, though. I did, too. If we'd had some pub cheddar on hand, they'd have been great dunked in it.

$3.49 for six soft pretzels. Kosher. Put this on the might​ repurchase list. Seven and a half out of ten stars from Sonia, who wishes the pretzels were bigger and came with regular salt rather than the oversized granules. Eight out of ten stars from me for Trader Joe's Soft Pretzel Twists.

Bottom line: 7.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Sourdough Boules

Apparently "boule" is (one of) the French word(s) for "ball." Some places say it's pronounced "bool" and other say "bool-eh," so I don't even know. I say "bool" in the video. If that's wrong, I'm sure someone will call me out on it.

These are big roundish loaves of crusty sourdough and we turned ours into bread bowls. They were pretty good taste and texture-wise, and they retained the soup quite well. We just wish you could taste that tart sourdough flavor a bit more. We particularly enjoyed the crusty outer portion of this bread.

I've had my share of bread bowls with soup and I'd say this one is better than average. I'm glad Sonia cut the indentations for the soup because I'd have probably mangled the things beyond recognition. And the "lid" makes the perfect dunkable for the soup.

$2.99 for two big bread boules, found with the breads and baked goods. The best by date on our bag was just two days after we purchased it, so we had to eat them fast. Would buy again. We'll both go with seven and a half stars out of ten for Trader Joe's Sourdough Boules.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Cheesy Bagels

Growing up in South Central Pennsylvania, I didn't really eat bagels much. I mean, you could buy them at the grocery store, but my family generally didn't. Furthermore, they weren't an intrinsic part of the food culture out there in cow country.

When I went to college, I was excited to see bagels in the dining commons, where I could eat them every day. I thought they were great. The kids from North Jersey, Connecticut, and New York City were less enthused, frequently proclaiming that "Pennsylvania bagels aren't good." Except the language they used was much more colorful than that and involved words that have no place on a family-friendly blog such as this one.

Subsequent trips to the city would indeed prove that New York knows how to do bagels in the same way that Philly knows how to do cheesesteaks and Chicago knows how to do deep-dish pizza. All that to say, I'm far from an expert, but I love me a good bagel once in a while.

That said, store bought bagels rarely compare with anything fresh from a bakery or deli, but once in a while a decent product comes along. And while these aren't the best bagels I've ever had, they're pretty tasty if you like asiago cheese. That funky asiago essence really starts wafting through the kitchen once you fire up the toaster, and there's no turning back from there.

They are indeed soft and doughy on the inside and chewy on the outside. The asiago flavor is fairly dominant but not overpowering. There's a subtle wheat and barley taste as well. I enjoyed them with cream cheese the most, but they were fine with just butter in my opinion. Sonia liked them quite a bit, too, trying them with cream cheese, butter, and some seasoned chicken cold cuts for protein.

$3.49 for four pre-sliced bagels. Kosher. Would buy again. We'll go with eight out of ten stars from both Sonia and me for Trader Joe's Cheesy Bagels.

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Organic Couscous

Neither Sonia nor I grew up with couscous at all. I remember they served it in the dining commons at college once in a while. Some of the international students I knew would get moderately excited about it, so I decided to give it a whirl. It's not bad. It's a great substitute for rice or orzo, it has an interesting texture, and it goes great with Mediterranean meals.

Apparently couscous is indigenous to North Africa. It's usually a little buttery and salty, sorta fluffy texture-wise, and is a decent source of protein. The beautiful wifey and I have had pearled couscous several times, including the couscous formerly known as Trader Joe's Israeli Couscous. I prefer pearled, personally. The grains are larger and a tad firmer. We had some recently with one of our Hello Fresh meals that came with the ingredients for a garlic butter sauce. That might have been the best couscous I've ever had.

Sonia prefers the regular kind, and she's particularly enthused that this product is organic. She whipped up a batch in our latest video, posted below. It required only butter, salt, and water. The entire process took less than 10 minutes, and the results were pleasant but mostly unmemorable by my reckoning. Sonia ate some plain while I tried it with a Mediterranean style chicken and garbanzo salad.

$1.79 for 12 oz. Sonia would buy Trader Joe's Organic Couscous again, while I'd seek out the pearled kind before repurchasing this particular item. Six out of ten stars from me. Eight out of ten stars from the beautiful wifey.

Bottom line: 7 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Garlic Gondolas

I've said it many times: I'm a carbivore. Not necessarily proud of that. It's just a fact I love breads, pastries, cereals, and all manner of grains. I'm also oddly fond of garlic. I wasn't particularly enamored with it as a kid, but as I've grown old, I've come to appreciate its essence not only baked into Italian style dishes but also raw garlic for its potent medicinal properties and pungency.

Garlic bread? Of course I love garlic bread. We've seen our share of it from Trader Joe's. We've reviewed garlic bread with shrimp, bake at home garlic bread, garlic monkey bread, garlic cheese bread, and even garlic bread cheese. Can't say TJ's garlic bread track record has been particularly stellar. In fact, I think we're still on the hunt for a real winner.

If anybody knows how to make garlic bread, it's the Italians. And not only do we have a uniquely Italian product title with this item, but it is, in fact, an Italian import. So far, so good.

Bake at 425°F for 12 minutes on parchment. Done. The verdict? It's garlicky. It might even be too garlicky for some. Obviously, it's not raw garlic since it's been baking in the oven for the past dozen minutes or so. It's a decent roasted garlic flavor that I can appreciate. No, the garlic flavor isn't the problem here.

The cheese flavor is so subtle I wasn't even sure it had cheese until I looked at the ingredients. It's more like a thin layer of an oily garlic paste on a stiff slab of wheat bread. It's not crispy like Texas toast, but nor is it super soft. It's almost like the slightly chewy dough from a slice of New York style pizza but without any tomato sauce and practically no cheese.

It's not a terrible product, but it seems like it's missing an ingredient or two. Paired with a pasta dish, some marinara sauce, or a bowl of cherry tomatoes, it would be passable. The presentation is unique and interesting, but if you're playing the odds, you'll get better garlic bread from the local mom and pop's Italian restaurant.

Probably would not repurchase. Four bucks for two of Trader Joe's Garlic Gondolas, found in the frozen section. Six out of ten stars from me. Six and a half from the beautiful wifey.

Bottom line: 6.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Challah Braided Egg Bread

This was my first time trying challah bread. I've heard about it many times but never had occasion to actually taste it. First impressions? Very good!

It's a soft egg-based bread. In this case, it comes in a pull-apart style loaf all braided and twisted around itself. Each little lump can be separated from the main section and treated as a dinner roll. I'm not sure if that's how it's done traditionally, but that's how the beautiful wifey and I had it, and it worked out beautifully.

It's not a far cry from the delicious milk breads we've sampled from Trader Joe's in recent memory, although there's no milk or cream in this product. The texture of the bread is velvety and smooth, and there's also a decent amount of sweetness thanks to both sugar and honey in the ingredients.

The loaf was about four bucks in the baked goods section. Certified kosher. Would buy again. Trader Joe's Challah Braided Egg Bread will get a solid eight out of ten stars from both Sonia and me.

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.