12 Trader Joe's Snack Pairings You Absolutely Need To Try

Like any other grocery store, Trader Joe's is a place where you can find the tomatoes, eggs, and chicken breast you'll use throughout the week. But besides your essential groceries, Trader Joe's sets itself apart from other grocery stores by carrying a truly mind-boggling array of snacks. And these aren't just the typical, everyday snacks you'd find at other grocery stores. Trader Joe's offers a selection of interesting, creative, and — yes — delicious snacks for every time that you need a pick-me-up. From chocolate and cheese to crackers and chips, Trader Joe's absolutely has you covered on the snack front.

Whether you're trying to make a snack board for movie night or you're just looking for a selection of easy snacks to pack in your carry-on the next time you fly, these Trader Joe's snack pairings should be at the top of your list. Not only do all of these products taste amazing on their own, but they work with each other especially well, ensuring top-notch snacking every time you find yourself digging through your pantry for a treat. Try out a few of these pairings at your next party when you're trying to put out a nice spread, or just choose one or two pairings to experiment with at home.

Anyone who's been to Trader Joe's knows about the store's incredible selection of nuts. You can get plain, roasted, and unsalted versions of all of your favorites, but it's the seasoned varieties that really shine. There are so many varieties to choose from, but two of the best of the bunch are the ranch seasoned cashews and the garlic and black pepper almonds. And when you mix them together in the same bowl? It's a savory snack lover's dream come true.

Not a huge ranch fan? Don't worry. These cashews don't have that same overwhelming heaviness of ranch dressing. Rather, they just capture that sourness of it. The nuts are covered in a slew of savory herbs as well as powdered sour cream and buttermilk, which gives them an extra touch of deliciousness that you won't find in other seasoned cashews. And the garlic and black pepper almonds? They come absolutely doused in seasonings. First you taste the punchy, savory garlic, then the earthy, just-barely-spicy black pepper makes an appearance. For best results, mix the two nuts together for an unbelievably delicious nut mix.

You know those days when you need a pick-me-up that'll wake you up and get you in the mood to get stuff done? Then this snack is for you. The dark chocolate buzz bar from Trader Joe's may just be the best way to get your caffeine fix in for the day. Each mini bar contains 70 milligrams of caffeine, which is the perfect amount to get you feeling energized without leaving you jittery.

And because the flavor of the chocolate bar is so rich and intense, you'll want something light and tart to pair it with. What better option than the brand's freeze-dried raspberries? If you love fresh raspberries, you'll adore this snack. It packs that same tart punch, but the freeze-dried version offers a lovely crispness that makes for a more interesting textural experience. Enjoy each snack on its own, or get creative and crush up the freeze-dried raspberries so you can sprinkle the dust on your chocolate bar. It's hard to imagine a better sweet combo to get your day off to the best possible start.

There is perhaps no better flavor combo than sweet and spicy, which is why I love snacking on Trader Joe's spicy tempura seaweed snack and mee krob snackers in one bowl. Seaweed is already an elite snack because of its lightness and crispiness, but with a spicy tempura batter covering every square of seaweed, the snack is seriously taken to a new level. It's got that crispy, fried feeling you may be looking for in an indulgent snack, but it's also light enough that you can enjoy a huge handful while still enjoying some mee krob snackers at the same time.

Trader Joe's mee krob snackers capture the flavor of the Thai dish — but with a crunchy twist. Mee krob are thin, dried rice noodles served in a sweet and sour sauce. The flavor coating on the outside of these crackers is sweet and savory, but don't worry: This is definitely still a savory snack, and that touch of sweetness just serves to balance it. When enjoyed together, this snack combo will help you address those cravings for crispy and crunchy foods ... it's just way more interesting than a standard bag of potato chips.

One of Trader Joe's most well-known products is its Everything But the Bagel seasoning blend, which includes sesame seeds, sea salt, dried onion, and garlic. It's a simple blend of ingredients, but it creates a flavorful and crunchy topping for basically any food that needs more flavor and texture. It wouldn't make sense to make a list of Trader Joe's snacks without including the items that contain this seasoning blend, which is why I think you should try TJ's Everything But the Bagel bite-sized crackers and its Everything But the Bagel cheddar cheese all in one go.

You may be wondering if this snack offers too much of one flavor, but don't worry — that's not a problem here. The crackers are relatively mild, without a ton of the flavor you'd expect from the seasoning blend. This subtleness is what allows it to pair so well with the Everything But the Bagel cheddar cheese, which has a sharp, distinct flavor that goes beyond the basic ingredients in the seasoning. Those extra seasonings give this approachable cheddar a touch of crunch and savoriness that works well with any crackers (but especially the Everything But the Bagel variety). For the people who can't get enough of the seasoning, this may just be the world's best snack duo. 

If there's a cracker at Trader Joe's you need to try, it's the strawberry and jalapeño crisps. Admittedly, they're not for the faint of heart — or those with a low spice tolerance. Unlike many so-called "spicy" products lining grocery store shelves these days, these crackers actually do have a bit of heat to them. Don't worry — it's not overwhelming. It just tastes like actual jalapeños and has the heat to match. That heat is tempered, though, by the addition of dried strawberries. Jalapeños and strawberries are a match made in heaven, so it's no wonder they work so well here. That sweetness, with a touch of tartness, balances out the spice from the jalapeños perfectly, and it all comes together in a crunchy, bite-sized package.

Then, to temper all that flavor (and crunch), you need something creamy. But, it has to still be light enough that it won't compete with everything the crackers have going on. That's why Trader Joe's whipped cream cheese is the perfect pairing. It's light and fluffy, but ultimately creamy, with a mild flavor profile that makes it the perfect spread or dip for your crackers. If you're feeling even more ambitious, give the dressed cracker a drizzle of honey. You can thank me later.

Cheese and fancy crackers are one of the ultimate snack pairings, so of course I had to include this pairing: Trader Joe's organic garlic naan crackers and Point Reyes' TomaRashi artisan cheese. This might just be my favorite cheese and cracker pairing available at Trader Joe's. The TomaRashi artisan cheese hails from Marin county, California. Its flavor is based on shichimi togarashi, a Japanese spice mix. The flavor works especially well in this creamy block of cheese, which has a lovely, light pepperiness to it. 

It's not always easy pairing bold cheeses with other foods, which is why I wanted to keep things simple when it came to the cracker pairing here. Trader Joe's organic garlic naan crackers are the perfect choice because their garlicky flavor allows them to hold up to the bold notes in the cheese. However, this cracker is really all about the texture — it's smooth and buttery — which means the cheese can shine on the flavor front. When it all comes together in a bite, it covers all the bases; it starts out creamy and smooth and fades to a butteriness with a slight kick of spice. Your charcuterie board just got a lot more interesting with this duo. 

If you grew up on lunch box staples like pizza Lunchables, then Trader Joe's pizza-seasoned crackers might look familiar to you. They're the same size and shape as the iconic tiny lunch box pizzas, although, admittedly, the flavor of the TJ's version is a lot better. These crackers come topped with a tangy marinara sauce, along with garlic and oregano. These ingredients are all dried, though, so they're not super strong flavor-wise. Rather, they just give the crunchy cracker a bolder, more interesting flavor that, yes, is somewhat reminiscent of pizza.

But for real garlic lovers, that small addition of garlic in the cracker may not be enough. If you're trying to up the garlic factor in your snack, there is perhaps no better condiment to add to your crackers than Trader Joe's garlic spread dip, which may just be the best dip in the dip aisle. It's intensely garlicky, but instead of getting chunks of garlic, you're actually getting a smooth, spreadable, creamy texture. It works incredibly well when smothered on the pizza crackers; the condiment offers a bolder flavor that tastes like the most garlic-forward pizza you've ever had. 

It's hard not to love a cheesy, crunchy snack, which is why Trader Joe's cheese crunchies are one of my favorites from the chain. These "crunchies" are really similar to skinny Cheetos, although they have a slightly subtler and perhaps more elevated flavor profile. They are distinctly cheesy, with a slight funkiness that makes them more appealing than the Cheetos they're ostensibly mimicking.

But what is a salty, savory treat without a sweet one to pair it with? That's where Trader Joe's mocha latte pretzels come into play. This is the perfect snack pairing because, like the cheese crunchies, the brand's mocha latte pretzels present an elevated version of classic, chocolate-covered pretzels. Yes, you get some of that same chocolate covered pretzel goodness you're used to, but the addition of coffee makes this snack feel — and taste — a bit more sophisticated. I'm all about elevated versions of snack food classics, so this pairing is a no-brainer. Together, the salty and sweet combo (with just a touch of bitterness from the coffee flavor) works really well.

When you want a snack that's undeniably texture-forward, turn to Trader Joe's herbs de Provence triangles. These aren't your average cracker. Instead of being flat, these cracker-adjacent snacks are formed into little triangular puffs that offer a beautiful crispiness. The herbs de Provence adds a light flavor enhancement that's subtly savory, but that doesn't overwhelm other flavors in a snack pairing.

And that's exactly why I decided to pair these herbs de Provence Triangles with the store's Mediterranean-style hummus. This creamy, nutty hummus is topped with crispy pine nuts, which add a richer, more luxurious texture to the product. This hummus is smoother and creamier than many of its other Trader Joe's counterparts because it's been whipped, which results in a lighter texture. This consistency pairs well with the triangles' delicate, puffy structure. Flavor-wise, this isn't the boldest snack on this list, but that subtleness is what I want sometimes. To make this snack even more filling, add some cut veggies on the side; they can also be dipped in the hummus and make for a welcome companion to this flavorful pairing. 

When movie night rolls around, you need a snack pairing that hits all the right notes. Something carb-y and salty with some crunch is a good place to start, and of course, popcorn is a no-brainer. But why settle for plain, boring popcorn when you can try the white cheddar popcorn from Trader Joe's? This air-popped popcorn is light on the texture front, but it's certainly not lacking when it comes to flavor. That white cheddar flavor is bold and intense, but not so much that it can't be paired with other snacks from TJ's lineup.

Perhaps the best pairing for Trader Joe's white cheddar popcorn is the brand's dark chocolate peanut butter cups. After all, once you've gotten your savory snack squared away for movie night, you have to have a sweet snack queued up as well. These peanut butter cups have a thicker shell than Reese's, so you can really appreciate that slight bitterness of the dark chocolate. The peanut butter inside is salty and creamy and makes for a balanced bite. I recommend enjoying both the popcorn and the peanut butter cups in the same bowl for elite-level snacking.

Salty and sweet flavors balance each other out, which is why I love Trader Joe's fig and olive crisps. These small crackers get a slightly sticky sweetness from figs, which is balanced out by the sophisticated earthiness of the olives nestled inside of the crackers. It comes together in a crunchy package, which makes for the perfect base for this pairing.

Trader Joe's Toscano cheese with black pepper is my cheese choice for this snack combo. The cheese is hand-rubbed with cracked black pepper, which gives it a mild bite that even the most spice-averse will be able to handle. The cheese contains tiny, crunchy crystals that offer an interesting texture when paired with the crunch of the crackers. Plus, the earthiness of the black pepper complements the salty, earthy flavor of the olives. It all comes together in a simple, but delicious, bite. For an even more exciting pairing, consider adding fresh figs to the mix.

If you love Fritos, you're also going to love Trader Joe's organic corn chip dippers. On their own, they have a mild, corn-forward flavor with a super-fine salt that makes this snack ultra savory. They're crunchy and, as the name suggests, they have the ideal shape to scoop up various dips. If you ask me, they're better than Fritos because of their shape, which is wider and allows for better scoopability than their name-brand counterpart.

Of course, there are so many different directions you could go when it comes to dips here. Salsa, guacamole, and queso are all great options, and you'll be able to find these products at Trader Joe's. But if you want something a little different, a little more interesting, and a little more unique, then you may want to try the brand's Everything and the Elote Greek-style yogurt dip. This dip contains kernels of sweet corn, along with garlic, chipotle powder, and Parmesan. It's savory but still light, and the freshness from the yogurt pairs especially well with the saltiness of the chips, bringing it all together in one delicious snack.