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Showing posts with label meh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meh. Show all posts

Monday, August 11, 2025

Trader Joe's Italian-Style Wedding Soup


When I do reviews like these, I'm always torn over how to handle my prep for the post. On one hand, I can do a bunch of research and learn as much as possible about a particular offering, maybe read another review or two about the product at hand, particularly ones written by folks who are familiar with the dish, find out the history of the item and get a nice brief but broad education before I sample the food and share my thoughts.

On the other hand, I can just dive in with no expectations and no preconceived ideas about what something is or is not supposed to be. I think I sound a little smarter when I go the former route, but I might be a tad more honest if I go the latter route.


All that to say, I know nothing about Italian wedding soup and have never had it to the best of my knowledge, and I've decided to go the no-prep route on this fine occasion. The first thing that jumps out at me: this Italian wedding soup hails from Canada rather than Italy. That's fine. I'm sure there are plenty of Italian-Canadians that have carried on their proud soup tradition in the great white north just the same as grandma used to make in the old country.

The soup: it's a typical chicken broth with teeny tiny round pasta balls, carrot bits, beef meatballs, and little green flakey things I assume are parsley. The heartiest and most flavorsome of the elements are, of course, the meatballs. They're nice and soft, and their flavor is pleasant, but they're still not the most pungent meatballs I've ever had. They have egg whites, sheep's milk, and Romano cheese in them, but they don't taste quite as robust as their ingredients might make them sound.


The carrots and acini di pepe are even less potent, but they do add a nice selection of textures to the overall mouthfeel. The parsley adds some additional visual appeal and does...you know, whatever parsley is supposed to do.

So, I mean, this isn't the greatest soup I've had from Trader Joe's, but it's not the worst, either. It's vaguely like many chicken noodle soups I've tried in terms of overall taste and comfort food value, but with small beef meatballs instead of chicken.

In the end, I would turn to an Italian and ask, "Did those Canucks do your soup justice?" Because I honestly don't know myself. It's decent soup, but I would not seek it out again.

$4.99 for the 22 oz glass jar. Refrigerate after opening. It has come to my attention that this soup is not necessarily served at actual Italian nuptials. Go figure. The "wedding" part has something to do with a marriage of flavors or something silly like that. 

Six and a half stars out of ten from me for Trader Joe's Italian-Style Wedding Soup. Sonia's had Italian wedding soup from Progresso at least once. She liked it a bit more than this selection, flavor-wise, but notes that it has significantly more sodium than this soup from TJ's. Sonia will go with seven out of ten stars.



Bottom line: 6.75 out of 10.

Thursday, July 31, 2025

Trader Joe's Strawberry Mochi


It seemed like for a long time, Trader Joe's mainly just carried Mikawaya brand mochi. In fact, Mikawaya mochi was the first ever non-Trader Joe's brand product that we reviewed on this blog. It was also the first ever dessert item we reviewed on this blog, a full 15 years ago this month.


Slowly, TJ's rolled out their own line of mochi with specialty flavors like mango and pumpkin pie. Mikawaya brand suffered from a few recalls of their products throughout the years and eventually, Trader Joe's just started offering their own classic flavors like vanilla and, of course, strawberry. 

This is the fist time we've tried Trader Joe's own strawberry, but we've had Mikawaya's version from TJ's many times throughout the years. Internet rumors suggest Bubbie's Ice Cream is Joe's supplier for their own line of mochi.

Well, shoot, these strawberry mochi are delicious...but maybe not quite as delicious as the Mikawaya strawberry..? The rice shell seems much stiffer on these for some reason. I guess we did experience something similar with the vanilla flavor we reviewed in 2019.

Odd that these and a few other flavors would be so stiff and starchy while products like Trader Joe's Blood Orange Mochi have both stellar taste and texture. It seems to bother Sonia a bit more than it bothers me. Pro tip: let the mochi thaw more than the five minutes suggested on the box.

$4.99 for six mochi. Kosher. Gluten free. Found in the frozen dessert section. Would probably opt for one of the newfangled gimmicky flavors or Mikawaya brand before purchasing this exact product again. Seven stars out of ten from me. Five out of ten from Sonia.



Nathan's score: 7 out of 10.

Sonia's score: 5 out of 10.

Monday, July 21, 2025

Trader Joe's S'mores Bars


Truth be told, I didn't do a lot of overnight camping as a kid. I went to day camps for various sports and crafts. I went out to friends' places—people that lived on farms or acreages—and we'd occasionally have a bonfire or a campfire of sorts. And of course there were church camps and family camps, but I was usually just a daytime guest.

Even still, someone would inevitably break out the s'mores. At block party barbecues and school field days, at least one person had to throw marshmallows on a smoldering charcoal grill even if there wasn't an open flame. Once they had browned just enough, you'd tuck them in between two Honey Maid graham crackers right next to a little square of Hershey's chocolate. The heat from the marshmallow would melt the chocolate just enough to make it gooey. I always managed to get some on my clothing. But other than dark brown chocolate stains on khaki shorts, it was pure bliss downing a fresh-made s'more on a hot summer evening.


Since then, we've seen a few offerings from Trader Joe's with the moniker "s'mores" slapped on them. Not a single one has done the name justice. And this product is no different, unfortunately.

Trader Joe's Campfire S'mores Bar

Trader Joe's S'mores Frozen Sandwiches

Trader Joe's S'mashing S'mores

Trader Joe's S'mores Ice Cream

We've got a run-of-the-mill, store-bought, pre-packaged brownie as the base for these "s'mores." There's a very thin layer of marshmallow creme at the top and an equally thin layer of honey graham on the bottom. Had they beefed up the top and bottom layers, we might have been looking at a decent score on this product, but as it is, too much rides on the brownie portion of the dessert, and it's just not special enough to warrant all the calories and sugar here.


We tried them at room temperature, simply removed from the freezer and thawed for three hours. We also threw them in the air fryer as per the instructions. I liked the room temperature version just as well as the air fried one, but Sonia preferred them warmed up. Alas, in the end, we both had the same overall sentiment towards the product.

$4.99 for six bars. Kosher. Found in the frozen section. Neither Sonia nor I would buy Trader Joe's S'mores Bars again. Six out of ten stars from me. Six out of ten from the beautiful wifey as well.



Bottom line: 6 out of 10.

Friday, July 11, 2025

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.

Monday, June 16, 2025

Trader Joe's Meatball Calzone


Ah, it's been a while since I've had a good calzone. Found this $7 offering in the refrigerated section on our last TJ's run. Most of you already know we're not pork people, but we thought we'd give it a whirl anyway. The meatballs in this item are a mixture of pork and beef.

Twelve minutes in the air fryer had the insides of this calzone piping hot. It was quite a bit of food for just Sonia and me. It's actually a three serving product, and that makes sense.


The bread was a little firm and toasty, crusty and chewy, soft on the inside...all in all, pretty good. The meat? Well there was a ton of meat. In fact, it was pretty much all meat on the inside. The ingredients did mention some parmesan cheese and a tomato-based sauce, but they were barely noticeable.

We were pining for big globs of mozzarella and waves of rich, velvety marinara sauce bursting with oregano and basil flavors, and they simply weren't there in any significant quantities. The product might as well have been all bread and meat. The spices were there along with some whispers of onion and garlic, but we just both wanted more.


We could definitely tell the meatballs were part pork, too. We know a lot of you are big fans of that stuff, so by all means, please try this product and report back here with your thoughts. We just don't think it's as good as the calzones we've had from mom and pop's Italian places or even your run-of-the-mill pizza joint.

$6.99 for the three serving calzone. Found in the refrigerated section. Can be heated in the microwave, conventional oven, or air fryer. Sonia will throw out six and a half stars for Trader Joe's Meatball Calzone. I'll go with six.



Bottom line: 6.25 out of 10.

Friday, April 11, 2025

Trader Joe's Espresso Martini


Trader Joe's Espresso Martini comes in a cute bottle and smells vaguely of coffee. It's not particularly sweet or creamy. It's 20% ABV. I've lived in big cities for half my adult life and I'm not sure I've ever known anyone who has owned martini glasses. Call me unsophisticated. I grew up in Appalachia. If you do know anybody who owns martini glasses, be sure to get chummy with them before you buy this product.

Just kidding. The bottle suggests serving it that way with coffee beans for garnish. But we're here to say that you not only need to chill the product, serve it with coffee beans, agitate it like you mean it, and put it in a martini glass to be palatable, but you also need to add cold foam or some sort of dairy product to approximate any type of espresso martini that is truly delicious or dessert-like in any way. Are we being too harsh?


No. Watch the video. Get our raw, uncensored thoughts about this beverage on YouTube in real time. This product isn't gross. It's not bad. It's just not worth ten bucks per bottle from my standpoint. Sonia and I lounge on our overpriced Lovesac Sactional and drink Trader Joe's Espresso Martini from non-martini glasses. It's YouTube gold. But the algorithm doesn't know that yet. Help us to educate it.

Oddly, the day after we shot the video, I attempted to re-agitate the bottle into a frothy foam, and it actually worked...at least sorta. I think the extra air in the bottle helped. It wasn't like a huge amount of creamy foam, but like the same little bubbly head you might get on the top of a pint of beer. It made the texture better and it may be my imagination, but I almost thought it tasted a shade better, too. Meh. Not enough to influence my final score.

Produced by Nomad Spirits in Los Angeles. That explains the lack of sweetness. Angelenos can't have much sugar or they gain weight and don't get the part on the daytime drama they're auditioning for. $9.99 for the 375 mL bottle. That's 12.68 oz. Kinda pricey. I wouldn't buy again. Sonia might if she had cold foam and a martini glass at her fingertips.



Sonia's score: 7.5 out of 10.

Nathan's score: 6 out of 10.

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Trader Joe's Shrimp Noodle Rolls


Alrighty then. That's another unscripted video review down at the bottom of this post, so I'm just throwing out some bullet points about the product for you folks that enjoy my demented written ramblings or don't do YouTube for whatever reason...


The noodle rolls were very delicate by my estimation. They really wanted to stick to my pan and the shrimp even fell out of the rolls in a couple instances. There were plenty of shrimp and veggies, but there wasn't enough flavor. The bag even says to serve them with soy sauce or dipping sauce (not included). It was Trader Joe San Soyaki to the rescue. They were quite bland on their own.


$3.99 in the frozen section. Product of Vietnam. Listed as "Limited Time" on traderjoes.com. This item isn't awful, but we would not buy it again. Six and a half stars from me. Five and a half stars from Sonia for Trader Joe's Shrimp Noodle Rolls.



Bottom line: 6 out of 10.

Monday, March 17, 2025

Trader Joe's Crispy Potato & Poblano Pepper Tacos


Visually, these remind me of tacos dorados or fried tacos, although it's been many years since I've had them—the size, the crispy and slightly oily outer tortilla, and the way they're folded tightly so you can barely see what's going on in the middle. If you want a fast food reference, the two for a buck Jack in the Box tacos are similar.


Obviously, the filling is significantly different here. Instead of your typical beef and cheese taco with lettuce and what have you, we've got mashed potato and shredded poblano pepper instead of meat. Sonia says it's similar to a Mexican meal called "tacos de papa," the specifics of which vary from region to region in Mexico.

To me, the execution of Trader Joe's Crispy Potato & Poblano Pepper Tacos leaves a little to be desired. The filling in our six tacos was anything but uniform. The first one I tried barely had any pepper. The second one I grabbed actually had more poblanos than potatoes. The one without many peppers was quite bland, as you might expect. The one with a bunch of poblano had a nice peppery kick to it, but it was fairly one-dimensional flavor and texture-wise.

Fried potato chunks would have worked better than mashed potatoes I think. They're "meatier" in texture and they have more flavor, too. A larger variety of veggies would be in order as well. The peppers are a good start, but a taco needs a handful of different textures. Sonia thinks the peppers and potatoes by themselves are fine in this instance. I suppose we could have added our own lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream if we wanted.

Surprisingly, the beautiful wifey also likes the flavor. I think it's okay. It's just lacking something—not necessarily meat. A corn and bean salsa would have gone a long way. Maybe some cheese, too.

In its current format, I would think this product would stand as "vegan," although it isn't labeled as such. $4.99 for six potato tacos. Product of Mexico. Sonia would buy Trader Joe's Crispy Potato & Poblano Pepper Tacos again, while I would not if it were up to me. If they wind up in our freezer again, I'll eat one or two, but I'll dress it up with something for sure.



Sonia's score: 8 out of 10.

Nathan's score: 6 out of 10.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Trader Joe's Beef, Bean & Cheese Burrito


We're tough graders here in general, and we might be extra demanding when it comes to Mexican food. Sonia grew up with it, and we've both been exposed to a wide gamut of comida Mexicana from food trucks to trendy restaurants to best-kept-secrets to holes-in-the-wall to run-of-the-mill fast food joints. We may not be certified connoisseurs, but we're Mexican food enthusiasts at the very least.

Burritos? This ain't Trader Joe's first day at the burrito rodeo, that's for sure. Unfortunately, not many of their pre-made refrigerated burritos have been particularly memorable in my humble opinion. I'll throw out an honorable mention or two just so you know I'm not a hater: Trader Joe's Vegetable Samosa Burrito was interesting and tasty, and we liked the Roasted Turkey & Sweet Potato quite a bit, too.


Again, their other burritos haven't been awful, just...not memorable. Unfortunately, this burrito will fall into that category for us, as well. Sonia says Trader Joe's Beef, Bean & Cheese Burrito is basically what you'd get if you'd open a can of Hormel Chili and stick it inside a flour tortilla. I don't disagree, though I will assert that it tastes just a shade better than that.

Visually, it's unappealing. It's just a lumpy brown mush on the inside. There are very few discernible veggie chunks and what little cheese is in there gets lost in the sauce. Portions of the tortilla came out nice and crispy from the oven, but other sections were a tad leathery and hard to cut with a fork.


The spice blend is pleasant. There is a nice beefy flavor with notes of cumin, onion, and chipotle. There are plenty of pristine pinto beans with a nice taste and texture.

Still, there's nothing that would make me ever want to reach for this product again when you consider all the other myriad burritos at your fingertips. At least with a Burrito Supreme from Taco Bell, you're getting everything you get here plus fresh tomato chunks, lettuce, sour cream, and hot sauce.

$4.49 for the single serving burrito. Wouldn't buy this one again. Six out of ten stars from Sonia. Six and a half out of ten from me for Trader Joe's Beef, Bean & Cheese Burrito.



Bottom line: 6.25 out of 10.

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Trader Joe's Four Cheese Scalloped Potatoes


Not to be confused with Trader Joe's Scallopini Potatoes, which is a frozen dish available exclusively around Thanksgiving and Christmas, this cheesy potato product comes refrigerated and is still available currently at TJ's, though it, too, is marked as "seasonal." It comes in a plastic tray with a thin film covering, and they actually want you to bake the product right in the tray. Peel back a corner, plop the tray on a baking sheet, and throw the whole thing on the center rack at 375° for 25 minutes and you've got a steaming hot side dish ready to rock and roll.


This isn't the first product we've reviewed that came in an "ovenable" tray, but I'm not gonna lie, this one smelled a bit like burning plastic at the end of the heating process. There was no discernible melting going on, but the odor was a bit off-putting. The fact that the product itself wasn't exactly bursting with flavors of its own didn't help matters much.

When I read the words "Four Cheese," I expect a rich comfort food flavor that's heavy and bold in the best ways possible. There's nothing offensive about the taste of this product but if I'm honest, it just didn't do it for me. If not more cheese, it would have benefited from a more potent spice blend with onions or garlic.


The texture of the potatoes was a bit firmer than I'm used to with this type of dish—it's almost as if they weren't cooked long enough. On a more positive note, the cheese wasn't overly oily or greasy. I liked that there were shreds of leeks throughout the dish, although I would have appreciated a lot more of them.

In the end, it's a convenient side dish that's innocuous enough and quite easy to prepare, but there's better packaged scalloped potatoes out there. Would not buy this particular product again. $5.99 for the 3.5 serving package. Six and a half stars from Sonia for Trader Joe's Four Cheese Scalloped Potatoes. Five and a half stars from me.



Bottom line: 6 out of 10.

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Trader Joe's Mini Quiche Duo


Couldn't tell you how long Trader Joe's Mini Quiche Duo has been around. It's not the type of product we'd have pounced on immediately after hearing about it or seeing it in the freezer at TJ's. Full disclosure: I'm not a big fan of pork bacon or mushrooms. Like me, Sonia had a slight reaction to mushrooms in the past, but she's outgrown it and is now starting to become fond of the spore-bearing fungi.


Nevertheless, neither of these appetizers really wowed us. Predictably, Sonia gravitated towards the mushroom tarts while I just slightly favored the bacon ones—but definitely not because of the bacon—but rather because of the sweet onions. Still, both specimens would have benefited from more of the onions, Swiss cheese, and egg elements.

The part we liked the best was the bready, buttery, flaky crust that comes out so perfectly when heated in the air fryer. It's pretty standard for these Trader Joe's tart-style appetizers. There are numerous varieties, and they're all convenient and fun to try. 

I think our favorite might still be Trader Joe's Feta Cheese & Caramelized Onion Pastry Bites, which have been available at the store since 2011.

In short, we're cheese and egg people. Mushroom and bacon people, have at it. Let us know what you think.

$4.79 in the frozen section. Product of Canada. Probably would not buy again. Sonia and I will throw out six out of ten stars each for Trader Joe's Mini Quiche Duo.

Bottom line: 6 out of 10.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Trader Joe's Panzerotti Pizza Bites


Four bucks gets you "about 4 servings" of panzerotti. There were 11 little pizza pouches, like mini calzones, in our bag. It's another Italian import, and it's another disappointment, unfortunately.


On the plus side, there's absolutely nothing offensive about these little doughy doodads. They're made of soft flour on the outside and they're filled with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. 

Straight out of the air fryer, there are wisps of cheese just starting to ooze from the seams on the little pizza pockets. The only hint I had that these wouldn't be perfectly scrumptious was the curious absence of a fresh-baked pizza smell. There wasn't much odor at all, save for the scent of slightly toasty reheated wheat bread.

And the taste? The same. Remarkably bland for Italian food. You can tell there's cheese and sauce, but it's like they forgot all the spices. I see them listed in the ingredients, but I guess I just want more—more garlic, more oregano, more basil, more pepper.

The texture is pleasant. The shell is soft and fluffy, slightly crispy on the outside, depending on how long you air fry them. The cheese and sauce are nice and gooey, although most specimens could have used a lot more of both. It's mostly just empty space on the inside of the pockets.

You could salvage these by dipping them in tomato bisque or some other kind of creamy, thick soup. Or maybe you could add your own cheese and spices. Again, they're not awful, they just didn't live up to their potential and are far too bland in our opinions.

Seven out of ten stars from Sonia. Six out of ten stars from me for Trader Joe's Panzerotti Pizza Bites.



Bottom line: 6.5 out of 10.

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

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.

Monday, January 13, 2025

Trader Joe's Syrah Soaked Toscano Cheese Spread


At this point, we're still kind of recapping a lot of the foods we were munching on throughout the holidays. This is another fancy cheese dip you might serve with fancy hors d'oeuvres or a charcuterie platter. "Soaked in syrah," you say? Yes, please.

Sonia and I went through a syrah/shiraz phase a few years back. It's generally a punchy, earthy red with peppery notes underneath. It's not a flavor you'd think would easily disappear in a tub of Toscano, but I was surprised how subtle it was in this instance. It's definitely there, but this is cheese with a whisper of wine and not the other way around.


It's tangy and herbaceous, creamy and savory. Sonia threw it into her omelets and sandwiches noting that it made them taste a lot more interesting than more common selections like Swiss or mozzarella. Truth be told, she liked it a lot more than I did.

Call me boring, but I don't think anything will ever dethrone the Unexpected Cheddar in terms of Trader Joe's spreadable cheeses for me. While we're on the topic, though, I should mention we bought the Holiday Cheer version again this year and both felt that the recipe had changed—like it was overloaded with cinnamon and wasn't nearly as good as the batch from 2023. Anybody else?


Trader Joe's Syrah Soaked Toscano Cheese Spread & Dip will run you five bucks for the 7.5 oz tub. Sonia will give it eight out of ten stars and a thumbs up. I don't give it a thumbs down exactly, but I wouldn't repurchase for just myself. Six out of ten from me.



Sonia's score: 8 out of 10.

Nathan's score: 6 out of 10.

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Trader Joe's Cranberry Ginger Chutney


Well, Thanksgiving is tomorrow and as always, there's a ton to be thankful for. Even in the darkest of times, there are always good people and circumstances that can be appreciated. My heart is truly filled with gratitude as Sonia and I focus on our blessings and prepare for our Turkey Day feast. And with that, I leave you with this mostly negative review.


Trader Joe's Cranberry Ginger Chutney tastes like a chunky-style apple cider vinegar beverage. I can see what they were going for but I'm not fond of the execution. It's way too vinegary for me. We both love Indian food and Indian spices in general, but this? Sonia was way more positive than I was, but I don't think either of us would buy it again.


The cranberry and ginger aspects work quite well. There are nearly whole cranberries in certain bites. The raw ginger and tart cran flavors offset the sweetness and there's just a whisper of bite from the cayenne. It's that sour acidity from the vinegar that throws me off.

It'll be just the two of us tomorrow. I don't know who I pity more: those of you who will be completely alone on Thanksgiving Day or those of you who have more than a handful of relatives to tolerate, LOL. Either way, we'll be with you in spirit. Thanks for reading and have a happy Thanksgiving!



Sonia's score: 6.5 out of 10.

Nathan's score: 5 out of 10.

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Trader Joe's Chocolate Almond Protein Smoothie


Just a quickie for today. Sonia drank most of this beverage. I just tasted it and noped out pretty quickly.


It's chalky as I suspected it would be. I can also taste the pea protein underneath the chocolate and almond flavors. There's really not a ton of chocolate flavor, to be honest.


It was $3.49 for the 16 oz bottle. Sonia liked that it was filling and full of protein. She'd buy again in a pinch but wouldn't necessarily seek it out. I wouldn't drink it again.



Sonia's score: 6.5 out of 10.

Nathan's score: 4.5 out of 10.

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Rooibos Herbal Tea


Although it's not exactly at the top of my list of go-to beverages, herbal tea can be comforting, soothing, and relaxing. There's a host of health benefits and often an enticing aroma. The flavor can be hit or miss in my experience, but with the help of sugar, honey, and other additives, you can usually make the beverage palatable if not downright delicious.


This brew is no different. By itself, it's a little on the bland side. The redbush blend is quite subtle, as is the pumpkin essence, and there's a whisper of pumpkin spices underneath it all. If anything, I think the pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg is a little too understated here, but it's there. It's not an indulgent flavor in the slightest, even with the help of sweeteners.

I'm definitely more fond of the Harvest Blend Herbal Tea, which I'm fairly certain is still available at TJ's seasonally. Also reviewed on this blog: Trader Joe's Autumn Apple Rooibos Tea. Seems like that one may have been discontinued.


Really, to me, the most appealing aspect of this item is the fancy tin box that it comes in. Attractive, sturdy, useful for storage long after the tea is gone. $4.99 for 20 sachets of herbal tea. Kosher. Caffeine free.

Probably wouldn't reach for this product again since there are other options at Trader Joe's that I like more than this one. Put me down for six out of ten stars on Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Rooibos Herbal Blend. The beautiful wifey has a different take on this tea. You'll just have to watch the short video review if you want to hear her opinion and score.



Nathan's score: 6 out of 10.

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