Hands holding Trader Joe's bags
Trader Joe's Items You Should Never Buy

NEWS

By HILARY WHEELAN REMLEY
bowl of sriracha with peppers and seasonings
Sriracha
Trader Joe’s version of this iconic sauce lacks spiciness and leans heavily on sweetness, which throws off the expected flavor balance.
pie crust in a tin
Frozen Pie Crust
Trader Joe's frozen pie crust yields crumbly and structurally unsound results. It also tends to cause a soggy bottom, which is never a good thing in a baked good.
bowl of mayonnaise with whisk and eggs
Organic Mayonnaise
Some feel that Trader Joe's organic mayo is too sour, while others have complained about the spread's emulsion separating, causing it to turn to a clumpy mess.
bowl of chocolate hummus
Chocolate Hummus
TJ’s got creative with this product that includes chickpeas, tahini, and cocoa. The dip is smooth but lacks the sweetness of a dessert dip and has limited pairings.
bowl of beef pho with star anise, lime and other toppings
Beef Pho
According to the food blog “What’s Good at Trader Joe’s?” the pho at TJ’s is "bland." However, it does have a hint of the fennel taste that is signature to the soup.