top of page

The Best and Worst Trader Joe’s Holiday Foods

Maya Brener, Grade 9, Staff Writer

 

Trader Joe’s has a reputation for its seasonal foods. Several are great buys, while others may not be worth it this holiday season. I tried and reviewed them so you don’t have to.


Candy Cane Joe-Joes


Rating: 8/10

Description: Cream with crushed-up candy-cane between two chocolate cookies.

Review: You can taste the candy cane in these Joe-Joes—they have a very strong peppermint flavor and actual candy cane pieces crushed into the cream—and they strongly resemble Oreos. I would recommend these if you enjoy Oreos and peppermint.





Peppermint Pretzel Slims

Rating: 5/10

Description: Thin pretzels coated with white chocolate and topped with peppermint sprinkles.

Review: I always enjoy a chocolate-covered pretzel, but the peppermint was bland and its taste was overpowered by the saltiness of the pretzel. Overall, there was not a great balance, and although I enjoyed the pretzels, they did not fit the seasonal palate. I wouldn’t recommend these if you want to get in the holiday mood.





Hot Chocolate Sticks

Rating: 3/10

Description: Chocolate sticks used to make hot chocolate.

Review: At first, I was pleasantly surprised at how fast the chocolate dissolved and happy that it didn’t leave any chunks. However, when I tasted it, I found it bland and lacking the rich chocolate flavor I expected. The hot chocolate tasted watered down, and I would skip these this season.





Dark Chocolate Stars

Rating: 7/10

Description: Chocolate-coated sugar cookies in a star shape.

Review: These cookies had a great flavor and a good chocolate-to-cookie ratio. They were decorated with sprinkles and mildly festive. Though simple, they tasted great. You can’t go wrong with classic cookies, especially when they’re shaped like stars, so I would recommend buying them.






Mini Gingerbread People

Rating: 9/10

Description: Gingerbread cookies in the shape of gingerbread people coated with sugary cream.

Review: Gingerbread cookies are a holiday classic. These cookies had the perfect amount of ginger taste and were fantastic. Each gingerbread person had a different expression, which was both creative and fun to look at. The cream was not too sweet and paired perfectly with the gingerbread. These are a must-buy on your next Trader Joe’s trip!




Gingerbread House Kit

Rating: 10/10

Description: Gingerbread cookies, candies, icing, and instructions to help you make your own gingerbread house.

Review: The Gingerbread House is more of an activity than a food, but it is still my favorite out of all the treats I tried this season. It came with directions and various candies to decorate and eat! Making a gingerbread house is such a fun holiday activity to do by yourself or with friends and family. I had an absolute blast and would definitely recommend buying this one!

Recent Posts

See All

Zara Rasul, 10th Grade, Staff Writer Many of us are reluctant to admit that we have once been hooked on the bingeable reality shows like “90 Day Fiancé,” “Love is Blind,” and the infamous, “The Bachel

Luis Laboy, Grade 11, Staff Writer After the sudden death of King T’Challa, the kingdom of Wakanda has a new issue that endangers the whole country's safety. The introduction of a secret civilization

bottom of page