Trader Joe's Dried Fruit, Ranked Worst To Best

Having fresh fruit in the house sometimes feels like a luxury. Sure, we all want a fruit bowl overflowing with ripe, colorful fruits, but you may waste a lot of it if you can't eat it before it goes bad. And who has money to waste on expensive fruit? One way to get your fruit fix without always having to have the fresh stuff on hand is to buy dried fruit instead. And although most grocery stores will carry a selection of dried fruit, Trader Joe's definitely has the most impressive variety. 

But when you're faced with so many delicious options, how are you supposed to pick which variety of dried fruit to stock in your pantry? Luckily, I did some of the heavy lifting for you by taste testing a variety of Trader Joe's dried fruit offerings and ranking them from worst to best. I tried these dried fruits one by one and evaluated them based on their flavor and texture. Whether you're already a fruit fiend or you're just trying to work some more whole foods into your diet, these are some of the dried fruits you should be on the lookout for the next time you're at Trader Joe's.

Cut open a papaya, and you'll be met with a beautiful sight: ripe orange flesh, bead-like black seeds, and dappled green skin holding it all together. But not everyone who opens a papaya is necessarily going to like the way it tastes. Its strange flavor profile means that it's a favorite for some and a complete turn-off for others. Granted, Trader Joe's dried Australian red papaya isn't reflective of how delicious the papaya can be.

When I opened this bag of dried papaya, I was met with a lovely scent that I thought spelled good things for the snack. But when I actually bit into the dried papaya pieces, I realized just how dry they really were — so dry, in fact, that they're actively difficult to eat. The subpar texture took off some points, for sure, but the flavor didn't really impress me either. It tasted more like a whisper of papaya than the juicy fruit many of us know and love. While true papaya lovers may enjoy this product, it's certainly not for everyone.

Unlike their warmer-colored counterparts, green mangos tend to be on the more acidic end of the spectrum, which is why they're appealing to those who don't care for super-sweet fruits. But if you think you're getting a deliciously tart, barely-sweetened dried mango situation when you buy Trader Joe's sweetened green mango, you're wrong. You just can't taste the acidity in this snack, though that green, unripe fruit flavor is definitely present. While the added sugar hides this acidity and balances out the flavor of the green mango, it ultimately makes the dried fruit unappealing to folks who loves sour flavors. 

Other than that sweetness, you're not going to be getting a lot of flavor in this product. It's a bit bland, even with the added sugar. I wouldn't go so far as to say that this is a bad snack, but considering that Trader Joe's offers so many other dried mango treats, this one just doesn't seem worth the money.

You know when you get a fresh pineapple and let it sit on the counter for days and days because you're just too lazy to cut it up? No? Maybe it's just me. But if you ever find yourself in that position, then you might notice that the pineapple takes on an overly sweet, almost sickly scent. That smell will make you want to throw your unopened pineapple straight in the trash instead of cutting it up and seeing if there's anything salvageable to work with. And that scent is exactly what this chile-spiced pineapple tastes like.

Slightly underripe pineapple can have a strong, bold acidity to it that would work really well with a chile seasoning. This dried pineapple, though, simply tastes too sweet to be able to mesh well with a spicy topping. The seasoning itself on this pineapple is delicious, but paired with that too-ripe flavor, it just doesn't work.

Tart cherries are by far one of my favorite fruits, so I was very much looking forward to trying out these freeze-dried tart cherries from Trader Joe's. However, they ended up being far from my favorite. When you eat a fresh tart cherry, that juiciness really works to make that acidic tartness more approachable. Tart cherry juice is refreshing because of the moisture, after all. If you were to just taste the flavor alone, you might be a bit put off by the lack of sweetness.

That's definitely how I felt when I took a bite of these freeze-dried tart cherries. They're tart. Like really, really tart. Maybe even too tart. I do like that TJ's didn't try to add any sweetness to these, as that would make them feel more like candy than actual fruit. I think they'd be delicious paired with some sweet chocolate, where they could help pull back on that sugar and create a balanced snack. On their own, though, they're not the best freeze-dried fruit the brand has to offer.

If you ask me, fresh raspberries are an elite snack. They're small (so you can eat a lot of them), they're juicy, and they have a mild tartness mixed with a slight sweetness. This flavor results in a well-balanced bite (assuming you don't get over or underripe raspberries, that is). So, you might think that Trader Joe's freeze-dried raspberries would capture that same essence. Ultimately, though, I was disappointed by this crunchy snack. The texture is good; that light crunch makes you want to go back in for another handful. But flavorwise, these raspberries could be better.

You won't taste a lot of sweetness in these raspberries. Rather, that tartness really takes over and hijacks your taste buds. The result is a dry, acidic snack that's less delicious than you might expect. Like the tart cherries, I think these raspberries could work well when combined with something else (like oatmeal), but if you're looking for something to snack on all by itself, you can do better than this product.

When you're craving dessert but don't want to bake or go out for something sweet, you can always turn to Trader Joe's organic Turkish dried figs. That's because these figs seriously taste like a dessert all on their own. They have a deep, rich, intense flavor that's fruity and caramelized all at once. They don't quite have that same floral flavor you may expect from a fresh fig; these lean more toward the toffee or butterscotch end of the spectrum.

So, why don't these figs rank higher on my list? Well, it all comes down to the texture. Despite these figs' delicious flavor, they're quite difficult to bite into since they're so dry. Plus, the fact that they're whole figs, rather than slices, makes them tricky to eat. If there was some more moisture in these dried figs, they'd rank in the top three for sure, but that lackluster texture just isn't right. 

My suggestion? Cut them up and put them in your overnight oats. After soaking in milk all night, they become sticky and chewy — not tough.

For all those folks who love the flavor of mangos but just can't get down with their weirdly-stringy, fibrous texture, there are Ataulfo mangos (aka honey or champagne mangos). They have a much softer, smoother texture than other species of the fruit. They're delicious when they're fresh, but they're also tasty after they've been dried.

You'll be blown away by the smell the second you open this pouch of dried Ataulfo mangos. It's quite sweet, with none of that too-ripe scent you sometimes get from tropical fruits. Rather, the aroma is almost caramel-like. Take a bite, and you'll love the mango's soft, easily-snackable texture. Flavorwise, this dried mango is solid, but it's far from the best dried mango I've ever had. Overall, the flavor is a bit bland and uninteresting, which came as a surprise after that lovely first initial whiff. You can definitely find better dried fruit options at Trader Joe's, but this one is worth checking out if you truly love mangos.

Apricots may not be a fruit you pick up from the produce section regularly, but you probably should. They're small, sweet, deliciously juicy, and ideal for snacking on at any time of day. And although they're fantastic when they're fresh, you can also snag yourself some of Trader Joe's dried apricots to keep on hand. These apricots are so, so soft. Unlike some of the other dried fruits on this list, the texture of these apricots is perfect; they provide both that sticky chewiness you'd expect from dried fruit while simultaneously being quite soft and easy to chew.

That being said, these apricots didn't rank higher on this list simply because of their flavor. It's definitely not bad, but I will admit that they are a bit bland and lack the intense flavor you might expect from dried apricots.

I tried the freeze-dried cherries before this bag of Montmorency cherries, so I expected that these would taste equally as tart. What I discovered once I actually tried them, though, surprised me. Although they were tart (as advertised), they also offered a lot of sweetness. They certainly weren't as sweet as raisins, but the sugar content is high enough that you're not going to crinkle your nose from the tartness.

These cherries also boast an unexpectedly deep, rich flavor that could only be found in dried — not fresh — fruit. They almost taste like baking spices, with a roundness that helps balance that tart flavor. Although they're delicious on their own, I think they would be even better baked into muffins, breakfast cakes, or scones. And if you want to make them a heartier snack, you can always pair them with some mixed nuts. 

If you're the kind of person who is always dealing with fruit — especially berries — going bad in the back of their fridge, I'm here to offer you some good news. Now, you can enjoy that same berry flavor with this shelf-stable product. Trader Joe's freeze-dried blueberries taste just like the fresh ones, but with a different texture. You're getting more of a crunch than the wet "pop" you may be used to when you eat fresh blueberries. But other than that, these freeze-dried blueberries is indistinguishable from the fresh ones. 

Is this flavor groundbreaking? No, which is why these dried berries don't rank higher than they do. But you can snack on them any time you want, even if you don't have access to a fridge. Eating fruit has never been easier. Plus, you're never going to have to throw away a moldy punnet of the berries you didn't make it to in time.

If you live in a colder climate where good-quality mangos don't come around very often, you can head to Trader Joe's to snag some of its soft and juicy mango. This stuff tastes surprisingly similar to fresh mango, with none of that caramelized richness that you might expect from dried fruit. In fact, it doesn't really taste dry at all, making this the ideal snack for true mango lovers who want to eat this fruit on-the-go.

But I don't just love this product for its flavor. As the name suggests, this stuff really is soft and juicy. You won't have to gnaw off a tough piece of fruit-flavored leather just to get your fill. Although it may not be exactly what you're looking for if you want that dried fruit flavor specifically, this is definitely one of my favorites of the bunch.

I wasn't really expecting to like Trader Joe's sweetened dried cranberries, but once I took my first bite, I realized how wrong I was. I was worried that the berries were going to be exceptionally sweet, considering that the company does add sugar to the fruit. But since cranberries are already exceptionally tart to begin with, they can handle a bit of sugar. Luckily, Trader Joe's doesn't go too heavy with the sweetness. Instead, it's a perfectly balanced bite. You can taste some of the sugar, sure, but that signature tartness you expect from cranberries is still at the forefront of flavor here.

Not only is the flavor on-point, but the texture of these cranberries is also really nice. They're nice and soft, with a little bit of juiciness. They're nothing like the sad, hard raisins you got in a tiny carton as a kid. Rather, they offer what feels like a sophisticated snacking experience. Eat them on their own or combine them with nuts and chocolate chips or chunks for an especially tasty homemade trail mix.

I was really excited to check out the freeze-dried fruit options at Trader Joe's, mostly because they're not products you can find at every grocery store. But for the most part, I was underwhelmed. At least, I was until I tried the brand's freeze-dried berry medley. Although the individual freeze-dried fruits weren't my favorites, I really liked this mix of different berries. The difference is that the blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries all complement each other and make for a unique snack.

In fact, this stuff kind of tasted like a smoothie, just in a crunchy, snackable form. If you're a big smoothie fan but you don't always have the time to blend up a bunch of frozen fruits at home, this is definitely a product worth checking out. It may not be quite as creative as the other, better-ranked fruits on this list, but it's still a must-try dried fruit option at Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's passion fruit rounds are technically called "fruit snacks," but let's get one thing straight: These aren't the gummy fruit snacks you had in your lunchbox as a kid. Rather, this is literally a snack made from dried fruit. But considering that passion fruit is pretty much impossible to dry and then eat whole, it makes sense that Trader Joe's would present its dried passion fruit in this format. And I'm grateful the brand did, because this is definitely one of the best dried fruit options available at the grocery chain.

These rounds actually taste like real passion fruit. They offer the perfect balance of tartness and sweetness, all in one easily snackable package. The only problem with this product is that it comes in a really small pouch, so you only get a small taste. Otherwise, though, this is one of Trader Joe's best fruit products.

Heat and sweet are a match made in heaven, which is exactly why Trader Joe's chile-spiced mango works so, so well. All too often, I find that "spicy" products aren't really that spicy at all. This snack, though, definitely has quite a kick of heat to it. It's not overwhelming, but it's probably not for the very spice-averse. However, that heat is tempered by the sweetness of the mango. The mango itself creates a nicely balanced, flavorful base, and the spice just makes this even more interesting.

The chile-spiced mango takes the top spot because both the flavor and the texture of the dried mangos are exceptional. The mango pieces are soft and easy to chew, and they have a unique flavor you're not going to find from every grocery store brand. If you love spice and mangos, this is a Trader Joe's product you should absolutely seek out the next time you visit the grocery chain.

I chose a wide variety of dried fruits from my local Trader Joe's dried fruit section, and even included different versions of the same fruit. After I had gathered a wide variety, I tasted each product.  

The criteria for this ranking was flavor, first and foremost, but I also took texture into consideration during the ranking process. The highest-ranked dried fruits still retained some of their moisture and had well-balanced flavors.