Eating protein-rich foods, like this smoked trout, is an excellent way to create an energizing, filling meal.

Trader Joe's smoked trout has become a staple in my home — it's a great shelf-stable item to have on hand when I want to add more sustenance to a meal.

This flavorful fish makes a great addition to a greens-and-feta salad, though the fillets are also delicious simply paired with a cracker.

When I followed restrictive diets, I was afraid to have sugar-sweetened beverages because I felt guilty about drinking my calories.

Now, as an intuitive eater, I know that adding fun drinks to meals can be a great way to enhance satisfaction. When our meals are satisfying, we can move on without dwelling and decrease our chances of bingeing or overeating later.

This tea-and-lemonade beverage has the perfect level of sweetness. I love having it with a turkey sandwich, a hearty salad, or cheese and crackers.

A friend recently shared a recipe for spicy-vodka rigatoni, which called for Calabrian chiles. She recommended using Trader Joe's Italian Bomba sauce, a Calabrian-chile-based flavoring, and it has become an instant favorite.

It adds a flavorful punch to pasta dishes and soups, though it's also tasty when smeared on crusty bread or mixed with mayo.

I've tried many different kinds of goat cheese, but this one from Trader Joe's is my favorite.

It's the ideal mixture of creamy and crumbly, making it a perfect addition to fall salads or a roasted-root-veggie dish. It also adds richness to pasta dishes when I don't have milk or cream.

I recommend spreading this goat cheese on toast and pairing it with different toppings, like walnuts, honey, and sea salt, or caramelized mushrooms and onions.

When a craving for salad strikes, I enjoy using Trader Joes toasted-sesame dressing.

Having a premade dressing lowers the workload of making a salad, which is another reason I love keeping this delicious dressing stocked in my fridge.

Some days, I crave fresh flavors but don't have the bandwidth to cut up lettuce and veggies — which is why I appreciate this broccoli-and-kale slaw with dried cherries, slivered almonds, and sunflower seeds.

Even when I don't have the time or energy to start chopping ingredients, I can almost always find it in me to dump the contents into a bowl and toss them with the kit's premade, sweet slaw dressing.

Sometimes, I'll doctor the salad up with goat-cheese crumbles. I typically pair the salad with a frozen pizza to add a source of carbs and fat and create a more filling meal.

In my opinion, the Argentinian red shrimp tastes so fresh, you'd never know that it comes frozen.

During the summer, I add this shrimp to a simple pasta dish with pesto, pine nuts, and tomatoes for a protein-rich meal with lots of staying power. In the colder months, I make a shrimp scampi with simple ingredients like lemon, broth, wine, and Parmesan cheese.

Like the smoked trout, this frozen shrimp is great for adding a protein boost to my meals.

When I ask new clients which foods they enjoy, many of them have been dieting for so long that they no longer know what flavors they authentically enjoy.

In my intuitive-eating experience, I discovered I love the combination of sweet and salty flavors. In particular, I adore Trader Joe's sweet, spicy pepper jam with savory cheese and crackers.

It's also delicious spread on a grilled-cheese sandwich for that same flavor contrast.

Click to keep reading Trader Joe's diaries like this one.

For many holiday party hosts, a cheese or charcuterie board is a must-have, and Furman says it's easy to build a show-stopping one using products from Trader Joe's.

"The charcuterie board we build from Trader Joe's, especially their dry goods section, is amazing," Furman told Business Insider. "The cheese situation is epic."

Furman said she tries every new cheese Trader Joe's offers and that the Unexpected Cheddar cheese is one of her all-time favorites. She said she was shocked when she first tried it.

"I've never tasted anything like that in the sense that it was super mild but also so full of flavor," she said. "They also have an amazing Saint-André, which is a triple cream cheese, so it's basically Brie en crème and another soft cheese that has chile peppers in it."

Another item Furman picks up for holiday entertaining is the chain's prosciutto-wrapped fresh mozzarella cheese.

"They have these ready antipasti apps, and it's so easy," she said. "You put them on a charcuterie board and you're done. That's it. There's nothing else you have to do."

Furman touted the "much more affordable" selection of crackers, nuts, and other dried goods at Trader Joe's compared to other grocery stores, and said it's her go-to place to buy accouterments for her holiday charcuterie boards.

"The nuts, the dried cranberries, the figs," she said, adding, "I see other places run out of figs way before their stores do."

From pairing it with crudité like carrots, cucumbers, and radishes to using it to top mini turkey meatballs, tzatziki is a fresh addition to a holiday appetizer table.

"That one is awesome," Furman said. "Very, very clean, and it tastes delicious. That's one of my favorite go-to quick dips."

"They have a hummus that is super neutral in terms of flavor," Furman said. "It's just a classic hummus, and you can add a ton of seasonings or put roasted red peppers into it, which is another amazing condiment that they have in their little dressing area."

She also uses it to make pumpkin hummus, one of her go-to holiday recipes.

"Take that hummus and combine it with pumpkin from a can, which Trader Joe's also has, at an incredibly affordable rate," she said. "Add in some red pepper flakes, some cinnamon, some nutmeg, some cardamom, a little bit of chili oil, and just kind of make it your own and really give it that pumpkin spice flavor."

Furman said she also likes to add a few drops of maple syrup, "because you've got this sweet heat going on" or even hot honey.

"It's whatever our clients like," she said. "And you have an amazing semi-homemade hummus that everybody is going to rave about."

While the chain sells a traditional cranberry sauce with a few ingredients, Furman said she prefers the chain's orange cranberry relish, which has simple ingredients like cranberries, orange, and lemon.

"You don't need to make your own ever, ever," she said.

"All you have to do is put it in a bowl," she added.

Furman said that her favorite type of frozen pizza from Trader Joe's is the Tarte D'Alsace, which is made with caramelized onions, ham, and Gruyere cheese.

"You pop that in the oven, and you throw some red pepper flakes on it, and then maybe you just add in a little bit more of an interesting Manchego cheese or some other kind of cheese, and you're good to go," Furman said, adding that she also loves buying the chain's pizza dough for completely customizable pizzas and flatbreads.

"It only comes out during the holidays, and then it's gone, so stack up because it is the best puff pastry, and you can do thousands of things, both savory and sweet," Furman said.

One of her favorite ways to use the frozen puff pastry is to add in a few dollops of one of Trader Joe's Brie cheeses and tart cherry preserves.

"Wrap it up, bake it in the oven, and you have an amazing little beggar's purse full of deliciousness," she said.

Furman said that rather than the ravioli that come in the frozen aisle, she prefers the refrigerated kind in Trader Joe's fresh pasta section, especially the lobster and burrata varieties.

She said the chain's pumpkin pasta sauce pairs well with its many pasta options for a seasonal dinner party menu.

"They introduced what are essentially Luxardo cherries, which are basically what a real old-fashioned is designed for. They're in jars by the jams and stuff, and you don't need much else except bourbon," Furman said, adding that she even likes the Trader Joe's bourbon sold in select stores.

"Add some bourbon, a squeeze of orange, a squeeze of lemon, put in a cinnamon stick in there, put a few of those cherries in there, throw in a big, big, big gorgeous ice cube, a sprig of thyme, and then use the cinnamon stick as your straw. And you have an amazing old-fashioned," she said.

First Impression: Trader Joe's artichoke timbales were one of the biggest wildcards. I was afraid it would have too much cheese and not enough flavor but I also could see it tasting like spanakopita.

I also anticipated a longer time in the air fryer. The artichoke timbales took 18 minutes to cook at about 370 degrees. 

Review: If I were eating Trader Joe's artichoke timbales at a gathering, I'd likely only have one or half because I think they're pretty big for an appetizer.

I love spinach and artichoke, but this didn't do it for me. I didn't think there was enough cheese to call it cheesy, and I felt like the artichoke tasted bland and salty — there didn't seem to be any additional spice.

I think the timbales would've been much better with lemon and butter. I also didn't like how crispy the top got by the time it was finished cooking.

First Impression: Out of the box, I already thought Trader Joe's coconut shrimp could benefit from a sweet-and-sour sauce. I thought they looked easy to overcook, which I could see impacting my decision to repurchase.

I also wondered how well this snack would hold its flavor on its own.

Review: If I was at a party, I'd have two of these. The coconut flavor wasn't very prominent, but I enjoyed the shrimp. After five minutes at 370 degrees, the coconut shrimp was still quite juicy.

I could enjoy the shrimp with the proper sauce but I think it really needs it. By themselves, the breading was way too overpowering and didn't taste like coconut to me.

First Impression: I thought Trader Joe's Parmesan pastry pups looked exciting. I hoped the dough would rise in the air fryer and have a buttery flavor.

I wasn't totally sold on the cheese — I just don't put that on my hot dogs.

Review: I'd only eat about three of the Parmesan pastry pups. The bun tasted close to a Costco chicken bake with its delicious doughy breading and slightly cheesy flavor but it didn't hit the mark. I thought it was a little too bland to carry the entire dish.

The hot dog was basically all end, which, to me, is the worst part of the food. But if the pastry puffs came with a honey-mustard sauce, I might've been down for more.

First Impression: I like spring rolls a lot so I was excited to try the kind from Trader Joe's, which has shredded tofu, kale, mushrooms, and edamame.

I was confused about why Trader Joe's version needed kale — I feel like there are better vegetables for spring rolls. Nevertheless, I love mushrooms and I thought the edamame could be interesting.

Review: I could see myself eating about two of Trader Joe's vegetable spring rolls at a party. In my opinion, the flavors just didn't go well together.

To me, there were too many alpha dogs in the room between the edamame, kale, and tofu so they didn't mesh as a unit. I think the spring rolls needed a sweet-and-sour sauce, just like the coconut shrimp.

First Impression: Primarily, I predicted the ratatouille bites would be too bread-heavy. I was also a little concerned by the lack of cheese since I'm used to having this ingredient in fried dishes. Still, as a ratatouille fan, I had high hopes for the quality.

Review: I could eat about four or five of Trader Joe's ratatouille bites at a party but I didn't feel the breading was necessary. At the same time, the vegetables weren't enough to carry this dish. I'd rather have a bowl of ratatouille.

However, the bites were easy to eat and unoffensive to the mouth.

First Impression: The gnocchi alla Romana looked pretty delicious, but I've been fooled by clever appetizer packaging before.

These were larger than I expected, so I air-fried them at 430 degrees for 13 minutes. The fully cooked gnocchi smelled cheesy, but I was worried they'd taste bland. 

Review: I liked these, but not as much as the other appetizers on this list. The gnocchi texture with the semolina was a little mealy, and I felt like I needed to drink water after I took a bite.

The cheese sauce added a lot of flavor, and the gnocchi itself was well-seasoned with the perfect amount of pepper. But ultimately, it needed another texture or flavor to reach its full potential. 

First Impression: I like samosas but I'd never tried a frozen prepackaged version. I was a little nervous to see what they'd taste like but they looked like they'd be good.

I regretted not having a sweet-and-sour sauce.

Review: I could eat three or four samosas. Trader Joe's vegetable samosas were certainly spicier than I expected but ultimately lacked a deep flavor.

I thought the potato and crust were good, but nothing more. I'd like to see what the samosas would taste like with a sauce.

First Impression: I thought Trader Joe's mini tacos seemed bare, just beef in a shell, but according to the label, there were salsa ingredients somewhere in there. Looking at the taco, I wasn't sure how it would cook in the air fryer.

Review: I'd eat three or four of the mini beef tacos. The shell held up well while not being overly crunchy and the beef was OK. But my first impression was spot on. I got only a little of the salsa flavor (it was mixed in with the meat), including the tiniest hint of lime.

If I could dip Trader Joe's mini beef tacos in salsa and add other fixings, they'd be pretty good, it just requires more preparation. Later on, I had them with sriracha and enjoyed the dish.

First Impression: When I took the quesadillas out of the box, they looked really good. I was hoping for a little more cheese but I liked how large each quesadilla was.

I thought the beans and corn would go well together and make the quesadillas heartier than the average appetizer.

Review: These were good. There was a decent amount of chicken, but they could have used more cheese. Here, I tasted more corn than cheese and believe those ratios should have been flipped.

First Impression: I'd tried Trader Joe's dill-pickle items before, so I was excited to try the pickled pups. I didn't have any mustard in my fridge, so I used ketchup for dipping. 

Review: The pickled pups were fantastic. I can't believe I didn't have the foresight to realize that a dipping sauce wasn't even necessary. The dill already gave the pups so much flavor.

The breading was perfect and the hot dog inside was nice and soft. The bread got a little dry by the end, but I didn't mind too much. 

First Impression: I feel like poppers are usually molded into spheres, but I thought an appetizer of any other shape would taste as good. Though the label said the Trader Joe's Buffalo-style chicken poppers were fried, they didn't look particularly crispy to me.

Still, I love Buffalo chicken so I was excited to try them. But even before I tasted them, I felt they'd need sour cream.

Review: I'd eat five or six of Trader Joe's Buffalo-style chicken poppers. For me, there was too much wrapper around the corners of the poppers but the filling was fantastic. I thought it was spicy, with a Frank's RedHot-flavor profile.

I can see them being excellent with a little sour cream just as I predicted. I also thought they could've used more cheese because the amount there was in the filling didn't feel very satisfying.

First Impression: I heard Trader Joe's mac-and-cheese bites had a moment a couple of years ago, though I don't remember trying them. Mac-and-cheese balls seem hard to mess up so I had high hopes.

Review: Trader Joe's mac-and-cheese bites were gooey but the number I'd eat depends on what kind of sauce I'd have with them. The picture on the box depicted what seemed like a marinara, which would have paired well.

With the proper accompaniment, I could have about 10 of these. Without it, I'd probably eat six. Appetizers with cheese are easy for me to eat, though I'd use a tiny pinch of salt and even more pepper if I prepared the mac-and-cheese bites again.

First Impression: Trader Joe's crispy vegetable pouches, a holiday item, had what I considered the most exciting vegetables, with jicama, taro, cabbage, carrot, onion, shiitake mushrooms, and garlic.

I was also interested because soy sauce was included in the box. I saw myself having quite a few of these bad boys.

Review: I'd have 10 to 12 of Trader Joe's crispy vegetable pouches at a party. There was a ginger flavor at the end and the jicama and delicious flaky pastry gave them a great crunch.

With some soy sauce, the pouches reached another level. I didn't get that many mushrooms, but overall, this was a tremendous team effort from all of the vegetables. The top of the pouches had too much pastry for me but I ate from the bottom and felt satisfied.

First Impression: I hoped there'd be some sauce in Trader Joe's breaded fried ravioli. Judging by the packaging, it looked like just bread and cheese. I feared the ravioli would leave me wanting more.

Review: I could probably eat 15. The ravioli tasted almost exactly like Trader Joe's mozzarella sticks but not as good. I prefer the stick's single cheese to the ravioli's complex taste of ricotta, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Asiago, and Parmesan.

Secondly, the ravioli had a little too much breading that wasn't as flavorful as I hoped. It also didn't have any kind of marinara-sauce filling.

First Impression: I thought Trader Joe's pastry bites with feta and caramelized onions would be the hardest to cook. I put them in my air fryer for a bit, and they burned a little, but I still wasn't sure if they cooked through. Still, done well, I thought they'd be excellent.

Review: I'd eat 15 of these, if not the entire tray. They were much easier to cook than I thought — seven or eight minutes in my air fryer at 375 degrees — and the caramelized onion added an irresistible sweetness.

The onions went perfectly with the melted feta cheese. I thought the pastry itself was the tiniest bit bland but it didn't matter because it was surrounded by premiere flavors.

First Impression: Full disclosure, I already knew I loved spanakopita. I made them all the time as a child and had my own method of eating them slowly and savoring the leftover phyllo dough.

Review:  I could see myself having about 18 pieces of spanakopita. I loved the blend of feta and ricotta, and the spinach balanced it nicely.

Somehow, the dough remained soft and chewy on the inside while staying flaky on the outside. Even the extra-crispy parts were delicious. Trader Joe's spanakopita is a must-have for every plate.

First Impression: Right off the bat, I was a big fan of how the corn-and-cheese arepas looked. The cheese seemed fluffy and rich, and the corn appeared flaky.

I knew the final verdict would come down to the ingredients and flavor, but it looked like the pieces were all there. 

Review: Truthfully, Trader Joe's nailed it. The rich, savory cheese paired perfectly with the sweet corn.

A frozen meal can only be so good, but this was a fantastic imitation of street arepas. My only critique is that it could've used more cheese.  

First Impression: It killed me to not eat Trader Joe's breaded mozzarella-cheese sticks with tomato sauce, but in the name of consistency, I didn't.

I thought the picture on the bag made them look more seasoned than I remembered from times previous times I'd had them. I was expecting delicious melty cheese.

Review: I could easily eat 20 Trader Joe's mozzarella-cheese sticks. The cheese was delicious and worked alongside a tasty, flavorful breading.

Just get a hearty marinara sauce, and you're well on your way to a satisfying appetizer. I also love that the cheese is a little stringy and firm, even after I've cooked it.

First Impression: I was excited to try Trader Joe's mini cheeseburgers, especially since they came with their own sauce.

The bun got a little hard when I air-fried it at 350 degrees for seven minutes, but I'm not holding it against the cheeseburgers. If I'd prepared them in a microwave, I'm sure the bun would've been light and fluffy. 

Review: This is another item I'll buy more of. The bread was good, the meat was perfectly seasoned, and the cheese tied everything together.

Honestly, I'd choose these over a McDonald's patty any day. Even the sweet-and-tangy burger sauce was delicious. I only hope Trader Joe's will consider including more cheeseburgers in the box one day. 

Overall, there are a variety of respectable contenders for the perfect appetizer. All of the Trader Joe's foods I tried wouldn't require much oversight, so they'd give any host more time to chat with guests.

But in the end, Trader Joe's mozzarella-cheese sticks came out on top. Not only are the cheese sticks a classic choice for any party but they're also easy to eat, simple to cook, and pack a wallop. The sticks I had sorely missed a red sauce, but they were still delicious even without it.

I think the spanakopita and the pastry bites with feta and onion would also satisfy even the hungriest of guests. Both dishes had great flavors and included plenty of cheese.

The next time I'm choosing what to eat during a party, I know which appetizers I'm picking.

This story was originally published on February 9, 2023, and most recently updated on November 27, 2024.