44 Absolute Best Snacks From Trader Joe's, Ranked By Taste

There is no grocery store that I would rather go to than Trader Joe's, period. But especially when it comes to snacks, there is no grocery store that even comes close. There is everything you could ever need, but not too much to get overwhelmed. (Who really needs to spend the whole snack run staring in awe at a wall of different flavors of beef jerky, for example?) That said, it's very easy to end up buying way more than you need, from classics you know and love like Unexpected Cheddar cheese to fun newer products like spicy tempura seaweed snacks.

To keep you from buying every single snack, spending your valuable time and money determining which you will go back for again and again, I decided to make out like a bandit at Trader Joe's myself. Whether refrigerated, frozen, or straight off the shelf, I prepared and sampled all the snacks I could get my hands on and ranked them from worst to best by taste. That way, you can have a handy guide to the best Trader Joe's snacks whenever the salty or sweet cravings strike.

Peanut butter and chocolate go great together, but what about almond butter and chocolate (hence the ABC)? Though they are soft and chewy, these snack bars have a muted, subtle chocolate flavor and a core of smooth, nutty almond butter.

These aren't the best snack bars I've ever tried, but they're almost like comfort food. I'd like these if I were still a kid, and I like them as an adult. They're a nice way to have chocolate involved in your midday energy booster, but they aren't particularly flavorful. 

Obviously, a good basic granola bar is one of the smartest snacks you can pick. Naturally, Trader Joe's has its own store brand of granola bars that do everything a basic granola bar should do. 

At just $0.99, an individually wrapped bar in two flavors (we really liked the dark chocolate, peanut, and almond one) gives you a balanced boost of protein, fat, and chocolate for good karma. As far as granola bars go, though, they are just fine, and I do prefer some other brands, so they aren't my favorite TJ's snack.

Trader Joe's really sets the bar high in naming these the world's puffiest white cheddar corn puffs. They will satisfy a certain craving for something slightly childlike and fun to eat, thanks to their texture, reminiscent of those neon orange cheese balls that come in the giant tubs in most grocery stores. However, I really didn't think that these were much to write home about. 

The consistency of this snack was kind of Styrofoam-y, and the cheese didn't taste particularly authentic or cheddar-like, more like just ... white. It would certainly be a fun snack to set out in a plastic bowl outside on a summer day while people just come and go, but it wouldn't be one that I would seek out for a personal movie night. The puffs are just a little boring, and I would prefer a potato chip or Cheez-It instead.

Piquant popcorn earns its apparent piquancy from onion, garlic, salt, and pepper, and nutritional yeast. The faux cheesiness from the nutritional yeast creates an interesting umami flavor, and there's way more flavor than I had anticipated.

That flavor does disappear pretty quickly, though, but it's still more prevalent than in most other bagged popcorns I've tried. I wouldn't buy this every time I go to Trader Joe's, but it's a fun, light snack that may appease some shoppers. 

Handing out bags of potato chips and pretzels is a pretty common practice at any casual get-together. But why doesn't the same go for cookies? 

Fix that ill-advised oversight, even on a personal level, by grabbing a bag of these mini chocolate chip cookies from Trader Joe's as you leave. Your future self will thank you for it. Crispy, crunchy, nicely chocolatey, and not too sweet, they are the joyful pick-me-up of a quality that rivals Famous Amos or Chips Ahoy.

Greek yogurt had a breakout moment years ago, but there's no denying that it's still a powerhouse food. One small cup of creamy, thick, spoonable yogurt provides a ton of protein and healthy fats for a filling, satisfying snack. 

Trader Joe's has created a really nice one, but not the best of the best — read my yogurt ranking list to find what is. I always have a single-serve portion of plain yogurt on hand and can pair it with anything from honey to hot sauce.

Individually, chocolate, peanut butter, and pretzels are arguably three of the best foods in the world. But believe it or not, Trader Joe's milk chocolate-covered peanut butter pretzels snacks underdelivered. 

Don't get us wrong, they are still a super tasty and fun way to satisfy your sweet tooth and craving for salt all in one. But I couldn't taste much peanut butter at all, and what was there was just a sort of hard little nugget. The milk chocolate wasn't very chocolatey — but then again, I admittedly do like dark chocolate better. I wanted this snack to be greater than the sum of its parts, but instead it amounted to a little less than it should have.

If you agree that a bar of chocolate is more than an acceptable snack, snap off the end of a Trader Joe's dark chocolate truffle bar and see how it treats you. I were impressed by the quality, but I should know by now that Trader Joe's doesn't skimp on chocolate. 

I thought it missed the "truffle" memo, though, because it just tasted like good dark chocolate. It's not all that special, so if you're really more in the mood for a truffle, feel free to choose that Lindt Lindor truffle instead.

If you like both crunchy and cheesy snacks, but really don't want to just go for Cheez-Its again, why not try something a little more elevated? These Trader Joe's cheddar CheeseSticks taste as good as they look. 

They're crisp, delicate woven braids of cheddar cheesiness, and are perfect for dipping. Though, the dip you use has to be light, as they will snap if you try to swipe them through anything too thick or heavy. They taste definitively like they're made with real cheddar cheese; no other flavorings get in the way. 

There is more to corn-based chips than just tortilla chips and Doritos. While a bag of organic corn chip dippers might not seem like the most Instagram-worthy, trendy snack to throw in your cart, they are actually a workhorse snack. 

Trader Joe's corn chips are the perfect thickness and shape for scooping up sauces and dips, plus they come with tons of zesty seasoning. I would put them out alongside Tex-Mex dishes of all sorts because it's far better to wipe plates clean with your chips than your fingertips.

Though I love plain cheese as a snack, sometimes your cheese needs some help to reach its full potential. Enter salami. 

These clever, convenient packs of Genoa salami and provolone cheese pair smooth, mildly smokey provolone with savory, peppery salami for a snack that quiets your hunger with a touch of protein and fat. Plus, it provides all the sensory ambiance of an Italian café. All you need are some of this list's amazing crisps and crackers for your new favorite combination.

This might sound odd, but these pretzel breadsticks are kind of gorgeous to look at. They're golden brown and slashed open to show their crisp interior. And there are pretty little salt crystals that not only look great, but also help with the flavor profile.

These are super buttery at first bite, like a good pretzel, then they just taste mostly like a normal breadstick. That evolving flavor is really fun and dynamic, and it's absolutely a step up from any other breadstick I've ever tasted.

Gone Berry Crazy! is the playful title of a balanced, fresh, and fruity frozen treat, even though it is hard to translate into the real world (try writing it on a grocery list and giving it to your partner). Also available with bananas, these chocolate-covered strawberries take on a new format as frozen bite-sized poppers, like a Raisinet candy that you actually want to eat. 

It's so fun to have on hand in the freezer for a snack that doubles as dessert. But unfortunately, some bites tasted slightly freezer burnt.

These soft and juicy mandarins live up to their name. They really are soft and juicy, as well as chewy, bright, and incredibly sweet. To me, they tasted like sunshine.

I could eat a million of these –- or so I thought. Then, the sugary aftertaste kicked in. These are a really, really sweet snack offering from Trader Joe's — so proceed with caution. If you want to eat real fruit that feels more like eating Halloween candy, pick up a bag of these mandarins. And if you think dried fruit is really just boring raisins, think again.

These fresh mozzarella cheese snackers are almost too good to be true. Just when you were staring at the giant ball in your fridge that you had saved for that party, wondering if it's worth throwing your plans away for the sake of satisfying your snacking craving, Trader Joe's comes in with this clutch product. 

They taste almost as good as the full-size option but are much more practical. It's indulgence at its most accessible, and we're here for it. Sure, I can taste that it's not exactly the quality of a restaurant cheese course, but that would be asking for far too much from such a cute little snack.

"Seedy" and "cheesy" aren't always great adjectives when you're talking about, say, a person. But they are terms of high praise when describing these super seedy cheese snack bites. 

Made gluten-free with puffed quinoa and black peppercorns, they are an allergen-friendly, savory, hearty bite that tastes like a trail mix plus cheese. Though they do have "health food" vibes, they also would taste rustic and chic if paired with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese.

This Everything and the Elote Greek-style yogurt dip was a blank slate to me. I had no idea what to expect. What I got was a tangy, fresh-tasting yogurt-based dip with zesty spices and flavors vaguely reminiscent of elote.

Did this really taste like elote? No. Does it promise corn and grated cheese, but fail to deliver on that promise? Yes. But still, it's a solid dip. It's fun and ligh,t yet still creamy. This makes it the perfect accompaniment for vegetable crudités or those aforementioned pretzel breadsticks.

This inventive dip is designed to perfectly reflect an everything bagel with cream cheese, just without either the actual bagel or the actual cream cheese. The newly infamous seasoning blend brings the flavor without the substance, and instead of just scattering it on a tub of New-York-Style schmear, thick Greek yogurt mimics the tang but keeps things lighter and more dip-able. 

I really like it, especially with TJ's Everything But the Bagel seasoned crackers. But just know that it's definitely not purely seasoned cream cheese.

All butter shortbread sandwich cookies with a raspberry filling come in a pretty pink box that's just as nice to look at as the contents are nice to eat. For store-bought cookies, these taste dainty and elevated. 

If it's hard to let go of the idea that cookies can't be snacks, look to England, where tea and "biscuits" is a glorified, regularly scheduled snack. Baking your own shortbread makes it even tastier, too.

It's a lot easier to eat your green vegetables when you put them in the form of a snack. Basically, anything can taste great when roasted and salted, and this crispy crunchy okra snack is no exception. Plus, there are plenty of nice vitamins and nutrients that something like Cheetos lacks. 

But most importantly, it still tastes delicious. It even has the texture of a Cheeto, soft and sort of porous in a fun way that shatters when you bite into it. I could easily eat a whole bag (or two).

I don't particularly like jalapeños. They're too aggressive and the spice always takes over the other flavors around them. But wow — I loved this artichoke and jalapeño dip. It's really nice, thanks to a slow, rolling, pleasant spice. 

The dip is fluffy, yet creamy and light, which makes it taste both indulgent and fresh. The chunks blend nicely into the dip and give it a good textural contrast. I know it sounds like a bit of an odd combo, but give it a try.

Plantains, the cousins of run-of-the-mill bananas, are a staple in many cuisines. Starchy and meaty, I think they are somewhat like potatoes, which explains why they make such awesome "chips." 

Trader Joe's has regular plain plantain chips, of course, but my heart will go on for the jerk-style ones. Like bananas, plantains are sweet, and with that toothsome bite to them plus the spicy seasoning, there's so much complexity in an unassuming snack. Give them a try, and though we'll understand if they aren't your thing, we'd put money on them being exactly your thing.

These ube pretzels from Trader Joe's are truly teeny, tiny, little pretzels that get positively smothered in a sweet ube yogurt candy coating. Ube is actually a purple yam that boasts a singular nutty flavor, like a cheeky sweet potato. Somehow, it makes for a great flavor to include in a yogurt-covered pretzel. 

These are endlessly poppable and would even be amazing in a trail mix. However, this snack leans a bit on the sugary side taste-wise, so if you want something more yogurt-y, I suggest you simply go for some yogurt. But if these candy-coated, sweet-and-salty treats make you want some more snacks that lean toward dessert territory, I have you covered. Trader Joe's sells lots of candies, so I tried some of them and made a ranking of those, too. Be sure to check this list out before your next shopping trip.

This snack flies so under the radar at Trader Joe's that I had to pick it up and try it. Spoiler alert: It's woefully underrated. The rice cracker medley has almost more flavor than I know what to do with, from the umami-rich seaweed-flavored sticks to the spine-tingling wasabi peas that creep into your handful without warning, so you've now been warned. 

We tasted salt, soy sauce, and chili, and I could easily continue. Put some on an Asian-inspired salad with a gingery dressing for an instant upgrade, or eat them straight out of the bag.

Trader Joe's turns its fan-favorite Unexpected Cheddar cheese block into a little tub of spreadable cheese. There's a regular version, as well as seasonal, rotating flavor varieties like this Holiday Cheer one.

It incorporates cranberries, riesling, and cinnamon for a festive flavor — and it kind of just works. This cheese tastes like the holidays. It's rich, crazy decadent, and elegant. If you like the combo of cheese and fruit, this is for you. It would be great on a nice cracker.

Everything is getting in a pickle these days, especially at Trader Joe's, where the dill-icious seasoning craze has gone wild. In this case, it gives pigs-in-a-blanket a batter resembling a mini corn dog, but full of the fresh taste of dill and cutting-edge vinegar. 

The coating is the best part because the meat is pretty much the same as any frozen hot dog product. I also didn't get as many in a package as we'd hoped, but what I got was a delightful twist on a favorite frozen snack (or dinner).

These sesame honey-covered almonds have a ton of flavor, but they are not necessarily sweet — nor are they salty or savory. Instead, they're an amalgamation of everything at once. It's pretty complex for an almond. 

The sesame seeds add more nuttiness to the almond's already nutty profile, while the honey brings it all together. These dressed-up almonds are hearty, so a few go a long way. They're the perfect option for a mid-workday snack. I really enjoyed these and would definitely get them again.

The good news is, if you're allergic to nuts, you don't have to avoid this genre of snack entirely when there is this wonderful alternative using sunflower seeds. The seeds get blended and sweetened as peanuts do, and the result might just be tastier than peanut butter. There's a brightness I really enjoy, plus a silky texture that even creamy styles of nut butter don't have. 

See if you like these enough to then buy a whole jar of Trader Joe's sunflower seed butter. You can use it for sandwiches, apple slices, and anything else under the sun.

Cheese curds are a squeaky-clean way to eat one of the best foods ever: Cheese. Like any good grocery purveyor, Trader Joe's sports many forms and flavors of cheese, and one of those options is fried. 

The commonly fried cheese is mozzarella, but cheddar has a more pronounced flavor and holds its texture better when in a curd. They are both indulgent and approachable, and by having a bag of frozen ones in your freezer, you can pop them in an oven or air fryer for a quick, hot, gooey snack.

In any Trader Joe's article at this point, you simply must expect the unexpected. The Unexpected Cheddar, that is. This fan-favorite product is lauded for a reason: It's absurdly delicious. It's got the general size, shape, consistency, and sharpness of cheddar, but the nuttiness, age, and personality of an Italian Parmesan. 

That touch of cognitive dissonance I got in every bite never really wore off, and that was the whole fun of eating it. From grilled cheese to a charcuterie board to an apple pie, this is the cheese that can do it all.

We've tried a lot of great hummus brands and flavors across stores, but Trader Joe's Mediterranean style hummus is one of my absolute favorites. Honestly, after eating this stuff, a spoonful of generic hummus pales in comparison. Both the taste and texture are superior. 

It's rich and thick, but somehow also vaguely fluffy, and full of that sesame and olive oil flavor requisite in authentic hummus. Watch closely at your next party, because this hummus will probably disappear long before the other snacks do.

Bambas were the exact product that made me Trader Joe's-curious. One of these funky snacks is way better than it has any right to be, and you definitely will have a hard time disliking them if you have any affinity whatsoever for peanutty flavor. 

They have barely any sweetness, and toasty undertones, and aren't overly salty like potato chips. Trader Joe's then stuffs them with a touch of hazelnut crème — basically Nutella. That's where the sweetness comes in, and it's perfect. Basic Bambas are great as is, but there's nothing like having a chocolatey core in the center of your snack.

These PB&J snacks are much better than I thought they would be. They would have been my absolute favorites to find in lunch boxes had they been around when I was a kid.

The peanut buttery wands were light, flakey, and definitely wafer-like as promised on the package, and the creamy center was substantial and tasted like authentic, natural peanut butter. The jam, instead of reminding us of a jelly donut filling, had some nice brightness and tang. Also, the snack kit is just super fun and interactive. This is a highly important quality now that, as adults, we are officially allowed to play with our food when we feel like it.

These ghost pepper potato chips are definitely the spiciest potato chips I've every had, but honestly, they aren't all that spicy — until you swallow one. Then, the spice lingers with a fiery, slow burn. 

Honestly my favorite part about these chips is the texture. They're thick, but not oily like some kettle chips can be. They're also very nuanced in texture; they have a crisp, crackled waffle chip consistency that feels extra hearty. I would never have bought these on my own, but found that it was hard to stop eating them.

Trader Joe's spinach & kale Greek yogurt dip might sound like a bad idea. I had mixed feelings — bordering on pure misgivings — about this dip. But don't be like us! This stuff is great.

The dip is both creamy and chunky, which creates something a lot more interesting that an entirely smooth alternative. The ribbons of kale don't make it taste "healthy" and neither does the fact that it's made with Greek yogurt. Rather, the kale adds a hearty savoriness, and the Greek yogurt adds a wonderful tang. I thought it tasted cool — in the sense that it almost cleansed and refreshed the palate — as opposed to many other dips that just seem to smother your taste buds in heavy flavors.

Nuts are a fantastic snack. They come packed to the gills with good stuff for our brains and bodies, and as long as they have even just a touch of salt to bring out their natural flavors, they taste great. Oh, and let's not forget that they are highly convenient. Wait, one more thing: They become one of the most delicious substances I can eat — nut butter. Now, if only I could have both at once without having to get messy and open jars ... well, Trader Joe's has cracked the code.

You've probably had chocolate-covered almonds, but we're arguing that these almond butter almonds are even better. The creamy, sweet, and salty almond butter creates a little casing for the intact almond inside, like gift wrapping on a Christmas present. These are going to go way too fast, so buy a few bags.

As you know, I love my hummus. It's a classic nutrient-dense snack that naturally pairs well with other nutrient-rich foods like carrot sticks, celery, or whole-grain crackers. But there are so many other dips that are worth buying from Trader Joe's so that you don't get sick of hummus. Instead, dip those carrots into luxurious caramelized onion dip every so often. You deserve a treat, and this stuff is a surefire snack.

The texture of the dip is both velvety and light, so you don't feel like you're eating a meal instead of a snack, and the toasty notes of slow-sauteed onions infuse every bite. You don't have to order it in cheese-topped soup or spend a long time over a hot stove to get that continental flavor; simply crack the seal on this container and get going.

Sour cream and onion is one of my favorite snack flavorings. Trader Joe's transfers that flavor combo over to some snacks that are made of, ahem, lentils. But they're actually delicious. 

They sport an impressive blast of hearty flavor for such small, crisp rings. If you don't mind the bit of "health" taste, give these a try. I liked that they taste wholesome yet moreish, and are gluten-free to boot. Sour cream always lends such an excellent depth and nuance to snacks, and the onion isn't too strong for those of you with sensitive palates.

We were absolutely floored by how much flavor is packed into each chili and lime-flavored rolled corn tortilla chip (though it feels wrong to call them chips, when they are shaped more like pretzel rods). Trader Joe's isn't playing games here. The chili is bold and brings the heat, making this snack far spicier than I thought it would be. Meanwhile, the lime adds acidity and brightness — not too much to be citrusy but enough to pop. 

If you want a spicy snack, these chips are definitely winners. I ranked them high for doing exactly what they set out to do and doing it well. These rolled corn tortilla chips are some of the most popular snacks available at this store, but if you're interested in discovering some of the items that are less well-known, Trader Joe's has plenty of underrated picks that you should add to your shopping list.

Dried fruit is often pegged as a more of an unpopular snack, especially when it comes in the form of a raisin. There are few avid raisin lovers in my life. But widen your perspective a little and you get familiar with a whole world of other kinds of dried fruit, and there's nowhere better to buy your dried fruit than Trader Joe's. The store has an impressive variety of relatively inexpensive fruits.

One of my favorites is pineapple. It's already a naturally sweet fruit, but the process the drying it out accentuates and exaggerates that sweetness even more. How to handle that flavor profile best? Balance it with spice. The heat of chili perfectly plays off the tender, sunny notes of pineapple for a genuinely sweet and spicy snack. Texture-wise, it's both chewy and juicy. Dried fruit is cool again (or maybe it always was).

You know those puzzlingly good, crumbly, piquant little cookies you get on airplanes, called Biscoff? They get their flavor from a mixture of spices including cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, ginger, and a pinch of pepper. Cookie butter is essentially one of those cookies pulverized, in the same way peanuts are, to make a faux nut butter-type spread.

Trader Joe's offers both a creamy and a "crunchy," but I prefer the purity of the creamy. Come on; getting to spread cookies over your toast, dollop it on top of your yogurt, or make a very balanced snack by using it as a dip for your carrot sticks is just too good to resist. Ohhhh, wait, warm it up and put it on ice cream. Bake it in your brownies. Basically, the limit of uses does not exist.

Honestly, I already knew that these dark chocolate peanut butter cups were going to be great. How could they not be when they not only appeared on the positive side of this list of the best and worst things to buy at Trader Joe's, but also a ranking of popular Trader Joe's chocolate treats? So unsurprisingly, no regrets. These are fantastic! 

Deep, rich, but still smooth dark chocolate surrounds a creamy peanut butter core that Reese's only wishes it could achieve. The chocolate has a nice snap to it, which excellently contrasts the center. This snack may taste fancy, and it also just tastes like good old-fashioned chocolate candies at the same time. Personally, I would love to have a container of these on my counter at all times. 

Seaweed is rich in several beneficial vitamins and minerals, making it a nutrient-dense super snack, but it actually can taste good. Especially if you buy it from Trader Joe's. These tempura seaweed snacks are as thin as tracing paper but as packed with flavor as a ... well, fill in with whatever your favorite thicker flavorful snacks are.

We enjoyed the funky seasoning blend and love the fun take on plain seaweed snacks, and it's uncanny how they indeed taste deep-fried like vegetable tempura. I can't promise you'll love them, but I can advise you to at least attempt to. They're super cost-efficient, too.

If you like Ritz Bitz, you'll love these mini (almost) everything bagel sandwich crackers. If you like everything bagels, you'll love these. If you love mini snacks, you'll love these. Basically, I think you'll love these. 

The crackers are buttery, but elevated to umami and savory with the legendary Trader Joe's seasoning scattered on top. And the cream cheese keeps things cheeky, sweet, and a little tangy. They are honestly one of my new snack fixations. You think you can just eat a handful and put the box away, but maybe it's that salty finish that makes it really hard to implement. You just have to try them out for yourself. They are my new favorite product in the entire store!

Trader Joe's has so many snacks to choose from that it was hard to pick even only 44. Yes, "only" — believe it or not! There are lots left to try, but these are the ones that caught my eye for being either new and inventive or ones that I wanted to compare to preexisting snacks from other stores. I prepared the foods as instructed for the frozen items, and just relaxed and popped open the bags for the rest, trying them mostly back-to-back to create an authentic ranking. Taste is subjective, though. And these products are so diverse that I'd encourage you to go out and sample Tasting Table's top-ranked Trader Joe's picks and see if you agree!