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!