Trader Joe’s 12 Bestselling Gourmet Foods (Giveaway!)

If you haven’t heard of the American chain of specialty grocery stores Trader Joe’s, this article is about to give you the lowdown on what it is and why it is worth ShopandBoxing their best-selling products.

Born in California during the early ’60s, Trader Joe’s offered all the Californian wine available back then along with their first private label grocery product (granola) in the ’70s. Fast forward to this time and day, Trader Joe’s offers an extensive variety of products—anything from gourmet and unusual foods to imported and domestic wine and beer.

For those who’ve heard of (and are huge fans of) their decadent Speculoos Cookie Butter or perhaps their mind-blowingly affordable “Two Buck Chucks”—$1.99-per bottle Charles Shaw wine, we have for you their other bestselling products that consumers love to rave over and swear by.

1. Speculoos Cookie Butter, USD 3.69 + Add To Wishlist

Named by a popular cookie from Holland and Belgium called Speculoos/Speculaas that is spiced, very thin and very crunchy, this cookie butter tastes a lot like crushed caramelized gingerbread cookies combined with vegetable oils for a fabulous peanut-butter-like consistency. You can use it as a dip, spread, or even just eat it off a spoon like how you eat ice cream from a tub.

 

2. Organic Popcorn with Olive Oil, USD 1.99 + Add To Wishlist

It really doesn’t get any healthier than this. Tossed in organic extra virgin olive oil and a generous sprinkling of natural sea salt, this popcorn has no trans fats and cholestrols, and the best part? You can get it for USD 1.99 per bag (142 g).

 

3. Chia Seeds, USD 4.99 + Add To Wishlist

Hailed as one of the newer superfoods and also an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein and antioxidants, chia seeds can be used in yogurts, smoothies, juices, overnight oats, puddings etc. You get the gist. Trader Joe’s chia seeds are reportedly sustainably grown with no chemical pesticides used.

 

4. Roasted & Salted Marcona Almonds with Rosemary, USD 6.49 + Add To Wishlist

Marcona almonds are the sweeter and softer version of their regular counterparts and have been long-used in Spanish cuisine. This makes them a wonderful snack addition, especially when roasted in sunflower oil and dusted with not merely sea salt, but with whole rosemary as well.

 

5. Chocolate Orange Sticks, USD 3.99 + Add To Wishlist

TJ’s chocolate orange sticks aren’t just your typical chocolate-coated, orange-flavored biscuit/cookie sticks. Tangy and made with natural orange oil, these sticks have a yummy jelly center that you probably can’t find anywhere else.

 

6. Triple Ginger Snaps, USD 3.99 + Add To Wishlist

Made from molasses and fresh crystallized and ground ginger, these chewy yet crispy cookies are ginger-spicy to the core and leaves pleasant cinnamon notes in your palate. Eat it with milk, sandwich it with ice cream or have it with a dose of Speculoos Cookie Butter for that extra kick.

 

7. Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans, USD 4.49 + Add To Wishlist

Coated with dark chocolate layers after roasted espresso-style, these 100% Arabica coffee beans are intensely chocolate-y with a dose of deep espresso flavor. If you’re a coffee addict and love to snack on chocolate, this might be perfect for you.

 

8. World’s Puffiest White Cheddar Corn Puffs, USD 1.99 + Add To Wishlist

These cheesy corn puffs are really as puffy as its namesake. Made from cornmeal combined with water and coated in white cheddar without the artificial, overwhelmingly cheesy taste you get in other conventional cheese snacks, this comes in a sizable, value-for-money 7 oz / 198 g bag for only USD 1.99.

 

9. Dark Chocolate Covered Powerberries, USD 3.49 + Add To Wishlist

According to its label, these “real fruit juice pieces are made with acai, pomegranate, cranberry and blueberry juices and then dipped in smooth dark chocolate”. In all honesty, if you’re craving for a juicy, fruity-flavored candy snack without the guilt trip, go for this and remember that it is powerberries that you’re popping, not gummy bears.

 

10. Yogurt Stars, USD 3.99 + Add To Wishlist

Yogurt Stars are basically vanilla cookies shaped as stars and dunked in raspberry, blueberry or vanilla yogurt. Best enjoyed cold, this snack is made with all-natural ingredients.

 

11. Dark Chocolate Covered Mini Pretzels, USD 3.29 + Add To Wishlist

For those who don’t know, salty snacks pair unbelievably well with a sweet kick, which explains peanut butter and jelly, bacon maple anything and so on. If you like the salty finish of crunchy pretzels, try this product out and fret not about overloading your palate with salt and sugar as the dark chocolate coating is not overly sweet.

 

12. Cookies & Creme Cookie Butter, USD 3.69 + Add To Wishlist

Imagine crushing chocolate wafer cookies with smooth vanilla creme and making it into cookie butter. Yes, this is precisely what it is. Like its famous predecessor (Speculoos Cookie Butter), this came from the delightful and foolproof idea of creating cookie butter versions of well-loved cookies.

In conjunction with our food-themed blog post, we’re having a giveaway exclusively for five lucky Shoppers to win one of these five bestsellers mentioned in the blog post: Yogurt Stars, Chia Seeds, Dark Chocolate Covered Powerberries, Roasted & Salted Marcona Almonds with Rosemary, and Dark Chocolate Covered Mini Pretzels.

To stand a chance of winning, follow us on Instagram here, tag a friend and leave a comment on which of these 5 items you want and why you want to win it!*

* Terms & conditions:
– Giveaway is open to Shoppers in Australia, Singapore and Malaysia only
– Only one entry per Shopper is allowed
– Giveaway ends on  6th March 2015, 11:59pm UTC+10
– Winners will be notified privately via email
– The use of multiple Instagram accounts  is not permitted and will result in disqualification