Trader Joe's Sliced Bresaola Uncured Beef Prosciutto

Pork purists may be appalled by this peculiar prosciutto product. Sonia and I were pleasantly pleased. We don't perpetually partake of pig.

Trader Joe's Uncured Beef Bresaola is the first bresaola I've ever had. It's very similar to traditional prosciutto in some ways, but it's made with very thinly-sliced beef instead of ham. It's dry aged, salted, and seasoned, and it gets dehydrated during the preservation process. The result is a very unique cut of meat. It's delicate like prosciutto, salty, and meaty.

The beautiful wifey and I have tried our hands at fancy charcuterie boards in the past, but this time we just went lowbrow. We treated these sumptuous slices of beef like common cold cuts and opted for Italian subs. We grabbed some basic hoagie rolls and stuffed them with this bresaola, Trader Joe's Garlic & Basil Monterey Jack Cheese Slices, some iceberg lettuce, as well as some Applegate Turkey Pepperoni. With just a touch of mustard and mayo, we were in business. They made very tasty little subs. I think they might have been even better if we'd drizzled them with red wine vinaigrette instead of traditional condiments. Oh well. There's always next time.

This bresaola is mostly lean, but there are swaths of fat running through the slices. Most bites are slightly firm and a tad chewy, not unlike the mouthfeel of a slice of pepperoni. It's not too far from the texture of regular prosciutto, but there's less fat overall and less melt-in-your-mouth softness.

It's saltier and more peppery than, say, a typical slice of roast beef. It still has the same red meat flavor, but the super thin slices make it feel lighter somehow. You can taste hints of the celery powder, cherry powder, nutmeg, and clove used in the curing process, but they're extremely subtle.

$6.99 is a little steep for about 15 thin slices of meat, but it's a very unique product. We might buy it again for a special occasion. Sonia was a little more enthusiastic than I was, so she'll spring for eight and a half stars. I'll go with seven and a half on Trader Joe's Sliced Bresaola Uncured Beef Prosciutto.

Sonia's score: 8.5 out of 10.

Nathan's score: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Hard Cooked Eggs

Trader Joe's Hard Cooked Eggs will run you $3.49 for six eggs. They're found refrigerated near the other egg products and they come in a resealable bag. Obviously, you're paying for the packaging and the convenience since TJ's basic eggs are usually in the ballpark of three and a half bucks for a dozen.

The eggs in our bag were unblemished—nice smooth whole hard-boiled eggs. None were broken or pierced. There's a small amount of moisture in the bag, as you'd expect. There is a cautionary note on the packaging indicating there may be shell fragments in the product, but we found absolutely none in ours.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume that just about everyone reading this knows what a hard-boiled egg tastes and feels like, so I guess we'll skip over the part where I describe the flavor and texture to you. We ate a couple straight out of the bag and then Sonia made egg salad with the rest. See pic. Yes, those are Trader Joe's Pickled Red Onions in the egg salad. Yummy.

We hard boil our own eggs. I like eggs just fine and the beautiful wifey is downright obsessed with them. We just wanted to check out this product and assess the quality and value because that's what we do here. Been doing it for 16 years—in fact August 16th will mark the 16th anniversary of this blog exactly. Not gonna stop any time soon.

If you've got $3.49 burning a hole in your pocket and a hankering for hard-boiled...er hard-cooked eggs, there's no reason not to buy these. It's obviously cheaper to make them yourself, but if you're short on time or just plain lazy, these will do just fine. Would be a nice item to take on a picnic or road trip. Kosher. Sourced from cage free hens. Purchased on August 2 with a "best by" date of September 23. Eight out of ten stars for Trader Joe's Hard Cooked Eggs.

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Chicken Burgers

Years ago, we had Trader Joe's Chile Lime Chicken Burgers. Enticed by the "chile lime" part of the product title, Sonia and I picked them up at least a handful of times back in the day. They came frozen and prepared easily, and they remained there in the freezer at TJ's for many, many years. However, we found the chile lime flavor wanting a bit. I think they could have amped up the spice and citrus in a big way to make those burgers more interesting. But they were popular until their discontinuation circa 2022 or so.

Apparently Trader Joe's offered a refrigerated product called Roasted Chicken Patties during 2008-2009. I guess those, too, disappeared around the inception of this blog in 2010. Never got around to reviewing them here. There was also a version with four cheeses, spinach, and artichoke smashed right into the patties. Not sure why that one went the way of the dodo either.

Enter: Trader Joe's Chicken Burgers 2026: The Next Generation. Love 'em. They don't advertise any fancy spices or citrus flavors, so I wasn't expecting anything special. Plot twist: the seasoning blend here is excellent. They have the same great texture as other chicken burgers I've tried from TJ's and elsewhere, but these also pack a pleasant savory flavor.

We're looking at sea salt, vinegar powder, garlic, onion, rosemary, basil, black pepper, and parsley. That's a beautiful seasoning combo. They paired perfectly with Trader Joe's Basil & Garlic Monterey Jack Cheese and made a delicious lunch for us the other day. We threw them on brioche buns with lettuce, mustard, mayo, and the above-mentioned TJ's brand cheese. Scrump-dilly.

We did eat the other patty plain. Sans fixins. Au naturel. Plain. Simple. Unadorned. It was not only very edible that way, but we think this might be a repeat purchase since it's such an agreeable way to get 19g of protein without many carbs. Not too chewy, not too tough. These burgers hit the spot.

$3.79 for two patties. Found in the refrigerated section. We heated one patty in the George Foreman and it came out great. The other one we cooked up in the skillet and it was just as good, really. Would buy again. I'll throw out eight out of ten stars for Trader Joe's Chicken Burgers. Sonia will go with eight and a half.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich

If you've ever been standing in front of TJ's refrigerated grab-and-go section wondering whether Trader Joe's Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich is the lunch hero you deserve, I've done the dirty work for you.

At first glance, this sandwich makes a pretty solid first impression. The croissant is buttery, flaky, and exactly the sort of bread that convinces you you're making a classy life decision. Unfortunately, you'll quickly find that the parts of the croissant touching the filling are noticeably soggy, creating a texture that feels less like a French bakery and more like yesterday's leftovers.

The chicken salad itself is nice. It's creamy without drowning in mayonnaise and there are plenty of respectable-sized chunks of chicken throughout. Our only complaint? We wanted more of it. The filling-to-bread ratio leaves the croissant doing a little too much of the heavy lifting.

Then there are the greens. The sheets of lettuce don't really contribute much besides a few stringy bites that make you wonder why they were invited to the party in the first place. They don't add freshness, crunch, or much flavor—just a minor obstacle between you and the chicken salad.

Overall, the flavor is genuinely enjoyable. The ingredients work well together, and it's tasty enough. The problem is the texture. Between the soggy croissant and the stringy greens, every few bites feel like a bit of a gamble. It's also quite messy, as the chicken salad wants to flee the croissant at the first sign of movement.

At $4.49, this chicken salad sandwich is an okay value, but it doesn't quite rise above the crowded field of convenient lunches. We'd happily eat it again if it magically appeared in front of us, but we probably wouldn't go out of our way to buy another one.

In summary, there's a good flavor, questionable texture, and a decent but not spectacular value. Sonia and I will both give Trader Joe's Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich a perfectly respectable seven out of ten stars. Watch our video review of this sandwich by clicking this link.

Bottom line: 7 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Gnocchi

The first thing that jumps out at me about Trader Joe's Gnocchi is the value: it's only two bucks...and it's imported from Italy. We're talking four servings of authentic Italian gnocchi for $1.99. And it did indeed provide two separate meals for two adults in our case. That's pretty mind-blowing in terms of cost-effectiveness and affordability.

The second thing that jumps out at me about this product is its shelf stable status. No refrigeration required. This bag of gnocchi wasn't even purchased on our last Trader Joe's run—it's from quite a few months ago. The "best by" date is in December of this year. It would have stayed good for the better part of a year. I didn't even know that was possible. You could buy a dozen of these and have them on hand in your pantry to prepare for months and months after you purchase them. That's ultra-convenient.

Just boil for two minutes. Drain. Simmer in your favorite pasta sauce for two more minutes. We decided to bake ours in the oven in a non-TJ's tomato sauce along with some beef sausage, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses. Came out great.

We added some Trader Joe's Aglio Olio Seasoning as well as some Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute. The whole thing tasted wonderful. The gnocchi is potato-based, so there is a faint potato flavor to it. There's also a hint of sourness from the lactic acid which is added as a natural preservative. It blends quite well with the cheeses, sauce, and sausage.

I'm sure it's not quite as impressive as fresh-made stuff from an Italian restaurant, but the texture of this product is possibly the best gnocchi mouthfeel I've experienced to date. It's "pillowy," just the way good gnocchi is supposed to be. I'd also call it soft, fluffy, and slightly chewy.

If you were lacking the extra ingredients or wanted to keep things uber-simple, these would be fine simmered in some butter or olive oil with just a dusting of sage or your favorite Italian seasoning blend. You could toss them in soup in lieu of croutons or dumplings. I'd even throw them on a salad if I had a bunch of greens begging for carbs of some kind.

Sonia and I would both definitely buy Trader Joe's Gnocchi again. Found with the other pasta products. Product of Italy. Eight out of ten stars from the beautiful wifey. Seven and a half stars from me, losing a couple points because they're not exactly a flavor extravaganza on their own. They do need a bit of help. Also, some folks may find the sour lactic acid flavor off-putting. Still, the value is outstanding.

Bottom line: 7.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Greek Style Chicken Salad

Now before we get started looking at Trader Joe's Greek Style Chicken Salad, we have to remember the ghosts of chicken salads past and put this all in perspective. Trader Joe's was once home to the two best chicken salads I've ever had: Trader Joe's Curried White Chicken Deli Salad and Trader Joe's Wine Country Chicken Salad, neither of which I've seen in quite a while. At some point, the curried chicken salad underwent a repackaging and renaming and became a slightly different product called simply Trader Joe's Curry Chicken Salad. I'm told it wasn't even close to that aforementioned Curried White Chicken Deli Salad, though I did not sample that version of it and can not provide confirmation of those allegations.

Likewise, at least one report came in years after the fact that the Wine Country Chicken Salad underwent a similar disappointing change near the end of its life cycle at Trader Joe's. Basically what I'm saying is that I've never had chicken salad that good before or since. I'm not saying those selections were healthy in any way. On the contrary, they packed a surprising amount of fat and calories for a food that's often thought of as light and reasonably healthy—particularly the curried offering. But my goodness, if they weren't delicious...

Anyhoo, this is one of the few chicken salad offerings that's caught our eye in recent years and we're here to tell you it's tasty, but it's not exactly the Homer's Odyssey of the chicken salad world. There's plenty of good and plenty of meh and if you want the nitty gritty, please read on.

What's working? There's a fair amount of quality white meat chicken, though the chunks could be bigger. They're more like wispy shreds of chicken as it stands. There's a nice salty vibe throughout the mix, though it's not over-the-top briny or thirst inducing. The spice blend including onions, garlic, parsley, black pepper, and dill provides a nice Greek undertone. The olives and artichoke hearts add a pleasant touch providing some hearty veggies and tender, meaty earthiness.

The sundried tomatoes are about the only element Sonia and I are split on. I found them to be too big, too intrusive, and a tad too chewy, while Sonia thought they worked just fine. She's far more into tomato than I am, although I can throw down with sundried tomatoes in some contexts.

Still, we both found the product lacking that WOW factor. We both wanted feta cheese. Who makes a Greek chicken salad without feta? A few crumbles of the delectable Mediterranean brined curd cheese might have pushed this product over the top into greatness. As it stands, it's worth a try but not legendary.

$5.49 for the 10 oz tub, found near the refrigerated salads, cheeses, and hummus type things. Might buy again. Seven and a half stars from the beautiful wifey for Trader Joe's Greek Style Chicken Salad. I think I'll follow suit.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Smoked Steelhead Trout

Looks like we've got another product of Norway here. Apparently Erling Haaland and his teammates have been importing tons of food from their homeland during the World Cup. If only someone had told him about Trader Joe's. He and his Nordic football buddies could have tried this steelhead trout with Trader Joe's Lefse Norwegian Potato Flatbread. I'm sure that combo would have been stellar.

We actually kind of forgot we had Trader Joe's Smoked Steelhead Trout in the back of the fridge and remembered it just in the nick of time. We rediscovered the package on its best by date and quickly downed the entire thing so we didn't risk spoilage. So...no video review on this one, but here are a couple pics and our thoughts:

$5.49 gets you 4 oz of kosher Norwegian steelhead trout. It's a thick slab of smoked fish fillet, very rosy, resembling salmon. There is "color added" according to the ingredients. TJ usually throws us a bone and lets us in on the secret—they're pretty good at not using weird chemicals or dyes and you'll note something along the lines of "turmeric for color" but alas, no such luck with this product. Your guess is as good as mine as to where that pink-orange hue comes from.

Although I've only had legitimate sashimi a couple times in my life, I can confirm the claim on traderjoes.com that the texture of this product is indeed sashimi-esque. It's very much like a slab of raw fish in terms of firmness and mouthfeel, although this one has been smoked. In that sense, it's not unlike smoked salmon lox. In fact, our favorite way to enjoy it was served on toasted sourdough with some cream cheese and Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Seasoning.

Flavor-wise, it's a much milder taste than salmon. Sonia and I both love salmon because we like fish that tastes like fish, but every once in a while something a tad more delicate is in order. This is perfect if you don't like fishy fish. The smoke flavor is very apparent, though I wouldn't call it overpowering. It's savory, salty, and satisfying.

Although we wish it were packed in olive oil, Sonia and I both love Trader Joe's canned smoked trout product at least as much as this one. Still, this kosher fish fillet is a great buy if you're looking for a lunchy alternative to lox or salmon. We'll both throw out eight and a half stars for Trader Joe's Smoked Steelhead Trout.

Bottom line: 8.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Surimi Imitation Crabmeat

Trader Joe's Surimi is one of the best imitation crab meats I've ever had. It's made with top-shelf Alaskan pollock fish, it's lightly sweet, and the texture is on point. Like your typical "krab," it's got those pinkish edges that resemble real cooked crab fresh out of the shell, and the rest of it is beautiful unblemished white fish.

The product is only four bucks for 12 oz, and it comes in a resealable bag. Our best by date was a full month and some change after the day we bought it. Of course, it's been in the fridge the whole time, but that's very convenient to be able to keep it that long.

It's perfectly edible straight from the bag, but we did find a recipe online that we wanted to try out. I guess we'll give ChatGPT the credit for this one. It's simply chopped cucumbers, Kewpie brand mayonnaise, lemon juice, and Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Seasoning. Stir it all together, and you can serve it in the manner of a "tartine" open-faced sandwich or as part of a snack bowl with crackers and veggies.

We opted for the former selection and ate ours with sourdough toast on camera for our illustrious YouTube channel. Although Sonia intended to make some ceviche with the remainder of our surimi, she actually wound up making another batch of that same crab salad—this time with less EBtB and more lemon juice and mayo. The second batch was even better than the first. In an attempt to drive some of our YouTube viewers to this written blog, I did promise to share Sonia's ceviche recipe on here, so...for you folks, here it is. Enjoy.

There are zero grams of fat in this surimi, but it packs eight grams of protein per serving. The pink dye comes from tomato lycopene, a natural pigment with antioxidant properties. There's a bit of sea salt in the ingredients, but honestly, the sodium isn't even that bad. Added sugar? Sure. But it's not excessive. From a health perspective, this is one of the better offerings from TJ's we've reviewed in quite a while.

This product gets a solid thumbs up from us. As far as seafood goes, Trader Joe's Surimi Imitation Crabmeat is convenient and tasty. It's not quite as fancy or sumptuous as the recently reviewed Black Cod Sablefish or the Patagonian Scallops but we would definitely buy this product again. $3.99, found in the refrigerated section. Eight out of ten stars from me. Eight and a half out of ten stars from the beautiful wifey.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's 3 Cheese Spinach & Artichoke Pasta

Just look at that box. Not particularly fancy. I mean, it's a nice shot of the product. In fact, the product photo on the box is much nicer than our prepared pasta looked IRL. But there's not much in the way of fancy designs or bold colors. No cartoon characters or vintage Victorian illustrations. It's as if to say "this product is what it is."

And what is Trader Joe's 3 Cheese Spinach & Artichoke Pasta? It's a single large serving of pasta that'll run you $3.79. Unfortunately, it's not as tasty as it looks. I mean, it's not terrible either. Yes, this is going to be one of those well-balanced reviews that people disdain. The kind where people used to pile in the comments section with statements like "I totally disagree with your review" and you can't even tell whether that means they hated the product or loved it.

The preparation instructions do offer a microwave option, but we went with the conventional oven in this case. It says heat from frozen at 375° for 20 minutes. The core of the dish wasn't even close to the proper serving temp after 20 minutes, so we left it in for an additional five and that did the trick.

The pasta came out a bit limp and soggy. We got an odd bite or two with stringy artichoke, but other than that the texture was fine. Sonia pointed out that the cheese felt more like a thin sauce than actual melted cheese. The mozzarella, parmesan, and Swiss yielded a pleasant, mild flavor that got the job done, but there was an abundance of citrusy lemon in the mix that overshadowed most everything else.

Visually, the spinach appeared to be well-represented, but it didn't impact the flavor as much as we'd hoped. There were only a few bites where I noticed artichoke, and the texture of the vegetable was stringy and overly chewy. Still, the vast majority of the dish was just soft pasta and a velveteen coating of cheeses.

Trader Joe's 3 Cheese Spinach & Artichoke Pasta was enough for both Sonia and me for lunch one day this past week. It says one serving, but it was more than adequate for two in our case. It could easily act as a side dish for four or more people if you've got another entree to serve. Honestly, it's a pretty decent value for $3.79 considering many microwave meals will run you upwards of $5 these days and most are less impressive than this offering.

This is the kind of thing I would have stocked up on in my college days in an effort to save money. I'd stretch each one to two meals and have a bit of salad on the side. Lunch for less than two bucks is hard to come by these days. Seven out of ten stars from the beautiful wifey. Six and a half out of ten stars from me.

Bottom line: 6.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Gözlemes

When I first saw these, I was thinking they might be like the Turkish version of a cheese blintz. They're not too far off in terms of texture, but blintzes tend to be sweet and gözlemes, I've gathered, are savory. This version features authentic Turkish flatbread stuffed with tulum, kashkaval, and mozzarella cheeses.

It's a delicious combination. It's much more like the Turkish version of a quesadilla or a grilled cheese sandwich than a blintz. In fact, I'd say it's right in between the two. A gözleme is thicker than a quesadilla but not quite as thick as your typical grilled cheese. It's a bit oily and buttery, salty, creamy, and tangy. The three cheese combo yields something akin to melty mozzarella, texture-wise, but it's much tangier and flavorful than mozzarella alone. The flavor is something along the lines of feta, another great Mediterranean cheese.

The flatbread gets nice and crispy on the outside during preparation. It's phyllo-esque in some respects but also doughier than typical phyllo. There's a chewy element to it, but it's very pleasant. Goes great with the cheeses.

This product does indeed come from Turkey. It's apparently a popular type of street food found throughout the nation. It's often stuffed with various meats or veggies like spinach or potatoes. They typically grill the flatbread and its fillings on a griddle and serve it hot. Preparation instructions for this Trader Joe's offering state explicitly that it's to be prepared from frozen on the stovetop rather than the microwave or conventional oven. I'd go out on a limb and guess they don't want you to toss it in the air fryer either, although I'm certain someone out there has tried it. I was tempted myself but resisted the urge.

Sonia heated ours on her nonstick skillet. Instructions said to "place in dry pan" and she did...and lo and behold, it stuck to her pan. I mean, it wasn't a total nightmare. She got the product off of the pan and onto our plate pretty much entirely intact. Subsequent attempts were even more successful when the HexClad was called up for duty. The product is fairly oily on its own and probably isn't begging to be deep fried or anything like that.

We plowed through all three gözlemes within 24 hours of opening the box, so that's a testament to its scrumptiousness, I'd say. In our video review, we muse about what condiments might work with it. In the same way I like Mexican salsa with my quesadillas, I wanted a Mediterranean hot sauce with this product. I pondered whether it might work with Trader Joe's Tunisian Harissa Paste. Sonia thought it would pair well with Trader Joe's Italian Bomba Sauce. Since we had some of the bomba on hand, we were able to confirm subsequently that they do indeed go very well together. I still wanna try it with harissa.

The beautiful wifey and I would both buy this product again. $4.99 for three cheese-stuffed flatbreads, found in the frozen section. Product of Turkey. Eight and a half out of ten stars from Sonia for Trader Joe's Gözlemes. I'll go with eight out of ten stars.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Quinoa Cowboy Veggie Burgers

Nate's Notes: This review was originally posted eleven years ago this month. Sonia and I decided we'd gone too long without a Quinoa Cowboy Veggie Burger and decided to revisit the product, make a video review of it, and bump this old post. Turns out the quality is still there, the product is still great, and the price has only increased by 30¢ in more than a decade! It's gone from $3.69 for four veggie patties to $3.99. Our score from May 2015 still stands: 8.5/10 really darn good. And finally, I'll drop these air fryer instructions which are not included on the packaging: 400°F for 10-12 minutes, flip halfway. 

Thanks to the Hawaiian-themed grocery store called Trader Joe's, vegetarian cowboys are now a thing. What vegetarianism and cowboys have to do with the overall tropical island theme of the store, I'm not quite certain. But we've seen at least one other vegetarian cowboy-themed product, not to mention candy fit for cowboys and cowgirls, too.

I guess there's something earthy about cowboys—and there's something earthy about vegetarians and vegans as well. TJ's is just tying that all together for us. Or maybe they're aiming to challenge that stereotype of vegetarians being weaker than meat-eaters (I don't subscribe to that notion, by the way) by uniting it with the rugged machismo of the old western frontier. Regardless of all that, I'm fairly certain that more urban-dwelling hipsters will wind up eating this product than actual cattle-ropin' cowboys, if only because there aren't many Trader Joe's in the middle of cattle country.

Yet still, it's an amazing product. It's like a spicy black bean burger with chunky salsa cooked right into the "meat." It's not really one of those fake meat burgers that's desperately trying to taste like beef, so if it's a true burger you're craving, I say look elsewhere. But if you're adventurous and wanting something new, I'd encourage you to check this out. It takes the whole veggie burger thing one step further in terms of taste and texture. Not only is there quinoa mixed in with the black bean base, but there are chunks of peppers, corn, and whole black beans in the mix. It's a complex, hearty flavor with a slightly spicy southwestern vibe. I ate mine with a slice of asiago cheese and it blended perfectly. I mused about which condiments, if any, to throw on, and decided to eat it plain in the end. I'm a big fan of ketchup and mustard on almost anything that calls itself a burger, but in this case, I'd add a bit of extra hot salsa, if anything—but that's just my opinion.

We cooked ours on the stovetop in a tiny pool of olive oil. It came out firmer and crispier on the outside than on the inside, and overall, the product was a bit soft. If not held together by a bun, it might have fallen apart very easily. There's more substance in the peppers, corn, and beans than in the base of the burger itself—but still, I can't complain, since the aforementioned chunky ingredients were plentiful throughout.

All in all, it's not a great approximation of an actual beef hamburger, particularly in the texture department, but a delicious vegetarian lunch or dinner nonetheless. At $3.69 for four patties, it's a good value also. I'm always on the lookout for something unique and new, and this burger didn't disappoint. All you rugged vegetarian cowboys, saddle up!

Bottom line: 8.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Beef & Queso Bowl

Let's say, for the sake of argument, you've got $4.49 burning a hole in your pocket and a hunger that only a bowl of vaguely Tex-Mex sustenance can fix. It's within the realm of possibility that you might set your sights on Trader Joe's Beef & Queso Bowl. It's a tempting proposition for the busy or the lazy, promising a palatable lunch at the mere press of a button. I tossed mine into the microwave for five minutes on high and it emerged hot and ready to eat.

The foundation of this single serving bowl is a very healthy portion of Trader Joe’s Spanish Style Rice. If you're a fan of that rice, you're in luck. It's tasty and well-seasoned, just like it is on its own. And I'd say it's the MVP of this nukable noshable.

Accompanying the rice is a surprisingly generous amount of beef. Usually, these frozen bowls treat meat like a rare garnish, but here you actually get enough. The spice level is also decent, offering a nice little kick that keeps things interesting without requiring a fire extinguisher. The overall flavor of this entree is pretty pleasant.

However, the bowl starts to lose its way when it comes to the "queso" part of its name. For a dish that advertises cheese in the title, it was remarkably ungenerous. It felt more like a polite suggestion of cheese rather than a bowl of queso. To make matters worse, the veggies were a little sad. They were just boring, soggy, and lackluster overall.

In the end, while it was a perfectly functional lunch, it didn’t exactly set our world on fire. I give Trader Joe's Beef & Queso Bowl six out of ten stars, while Sonia will be slightly more generous with six and a half out of ten. It's a fine thing to try once if you're curious, but it won’t be winning a permanent spot in our freezer rotation.

Bottom line: 6.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Buffalo Style Chicken Meatballs

Right out of the gate, the flavor of Trader Joe's Buffalo Chicken Meatballs hits that familiar buffalo sauce profile: tangy and a little garlicky with a gentle cayenne kick. The heat level is pleasantly restrained, landing somewhere around a three or four out of ten, which makes these approachable even for folks who don’t normally chase spicy foods. I’m actually on record saying buffalo flavor isn’t usually my thing, but these meatballs are genuinely tasty.

Texture is another big win here. The meatballs are tender without being mushy and hold together nicely whether you heat them in the air fryer. They’ve got that satisfying bite that makes them feel hearty rather than processed. Bonus points: they’re gluten free, which makes them a convenient option for anyone avoiding wheat.

One interesting twist is the Monterey Jack cheese mixed into the meatballs. It’s not intrusive or overly cheesy, but it quietly does its job by mellowing the sharp edges of the buffalo seasoning. The result is a balanced flavor that keeps the buffalo vibe intact while smoothing out the heat and acidity.

We kept things simple this time around and served them low-carb appetizer style with celery sticks and ranch dressing—basically buffalo wings without the bones. Honestly, they capture that same classic flavor combo but might actually be easier to eat.

While they’re great on their own, these meatballs feel like they’re begging to be used in other dishes. They would absolutely shine in a toasted sub, sliced into a buffalo chicken salad, or tossed over a rice bowl with veggies and maybe a drizzle of ranch...or even blue cheese if that's your thing.

Compared to Trader Joe’s Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs, we like these at least as much. The teriyaki version is delicious but definitely on the sweeter side, while the buffalo meatballs feel more versatile and adaptable to different meals. If you like buffalo flavor, even casually, these are an easy pickup and a fun twist on the classic wing experience.

Sonia gives Trader Joe's Buffalo Chicken Meatballs eight and a half out of ten stars, while I’m right behind her at eight out of ten.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Filipino Style Chicken Adobo

Other than ube-infused desserts and the egg rolls known as lumpia, I'm not well-versed when it comes to Filipino cuisine. Sonia and I were both excited to try this chicken adobo. Even though it sounds like the name of a Mexican dish, this meal is indeed "Filipino-style." It does appear to be a domestic product rather than an import...just in case you were wondering.

$4.29 gets you a single serving of dark meat chicken in a thin brown sauce with a side of rice. Only microwave heating instructions are given on the box. Five or six minutes on high did the trick.

Most bites of chicken were decent quality, although we did get a bite or two of gristle and fat. The sauce is described as "savory, sweet, and tangy" on the packaging. We found it to be very salty, vinegary, and surprisingly soupy.

The green onions were a nice touch, adding to both the flavor and visual appeal of the dish. The nutrition info isn't too threatening, except possibly in the sodium department. Decent amount of chicken. Decent amount of protein.

We're both glad we tried it, and although neither the beautiful wifey nor I would go out of our way to purchase Trader Joe's Chicken Adobo again, we want to try some other version of the dish to compare.

Please let us know in the comments if you're familiar with authentic chicken adobo. How does TJ's offering stack up to the real deal? We're just coming at this product with no expectations and scoring it against the myriad of other microwavable chicken meals we've had. Sonia gives Trader Joe's Chicken Adobo seven out of ten stars. I'll go with six out of ten.

Bottom line: 6.5 out of 10.