I Asked 4 Chefs for the Best Trader Joe’s Items, and I’ll Never Skip These Finds Again

Among home cooks, Trader Joe’s is renowned for its Everything But the Bagel Seasoning, Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets, Cauliflower Gnocchi—and of course, the branded tote bags. Our editors can’t get enough of TJ’s time-saving boxed mixes, easy dinners, and frozen desserts.

Turns out, we’re in good company when we’re stocking up on these classics and trendy limited-time options. Professional chefs we surveyed recently voted Trader Joe’s as the best grocery store chain in the U.S. due to its good vibes, fair prices, seasonal product drops, and its ability to start new food trends.

That conversation made us curious about what chefs stock up on when they visit. So, we asked. Here are the 10 items that professional chefs frequently add to their carts—and recommend you consider, too.

Our Panel of Trader Joe’s-Savvy Chefs

10 Must-Buy Trader Joe’s Items, According to Chefs

Hash Browns

The freezer aisle is overflowing with budget-friendly ingredients and meals the chefs say. And if you only have room for one more item in your cart or basket, recipe developer Madeline Tague and cooking school owner Mary Payne Moran would like to make a case for the 30-cents-a-piece frozen hash brown patties. “Crispy and delicious,” according to Moran, these McDonald’s copycat hash browns are “the best I’ve ever had,” Tague says. “Skip the toast and air fry one of these, then put scrambled eggs right on top,” she suggests.

Our editors adore these hash browns, too. When we’re crunched for time, we like to reheat these in the toaster. Run it through two cycles if you prefer them extra-crispy. Then top them with mashed avocado, layer inside a breakfast sandwich or casserole, or simply enjoy the patty in its own glory, drizzled with ketchup, if you like. (We do!) Good thing these crunch potatoes are sold by the 10-pack.

Mandarin Orange Chicken

A fan-favorite since its launch in January 2004, this sweet-and-savory frozen meal makes it possible to enjoy four servings of a Chinese restaurant favorite at home in about 10 minutes. Due to its ease of prep (simply bake or air fry for 10 minutes, or until warmed through), value ($5.49 per bag), and deliciousness, Mandarin Orange Chicken entered the Trader Joe’s Hall of Fame in 2023.

“The Mandarin Orange Chicken is loaded with flavor, and is perfect for a quick dinner that doesn’t taste like frozen food,” Moran says. 

Served over fried rice, steamed rice, or cauliflower rice, Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken is amazing as-is. If you’d like to up the ante, try the four ingredients our team uses to make it even better.

Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings

While you’re in the freezer section, Moran suggests turning your attention to the Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings, which were recently named the best frozen dumplings, according to five chefs. At $3.49 for 6, it’s another restaurant-inspired steal.

With a delicate yet sturdy wrapper and a chicken filling that’s seasoned with green onion, soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil, these Xiao Long Bao “don’t have a processed taste,” Moran says. “They’re so delicious! I steam them in a dumpling steamer or heat them up in chicken broth,” she says. (The viral TikTok spin on this recipe: Add the soup dumplings to a bowl, cover them with broth, then microwave for two minutes before garnishing as your heart desires.)

Frozen Wild Blueberries

Leaving the copycat recipe train, make a detour to the frozen fruit and snag a bag of Frozen Wild Boreal Blueberries, suggests cookbook author Rachel Riggs.

“At $3.49 for one pound, they are the least expensive wild blueberries I’ve found,” she says, noting that she snags several bags at a time to blend into her daily morning smoothie. “Wild blueberries have nearly double the antioxidants of conventional blueberries.”

Besides blended drinks, savor these sweet-tart superfoods in pies, scones, icebox cookies, pancakes, or spooned over shortcakes. 

Unexpected Cheddar Cheese Spread

Sharp and tangy, this Parmesan-like Cheddar has been a staple of the cheese section since 2011. The bricks of the beloved cheese were inducted into the Trader Joe’s Hall of Fame in 2023. Since then, its siblings—including Unexpected Cheddar Shreds and Tague-favorite Unexpected Cheddar Cheese Spread—have also earned cult-like followings.

Tague is partial to the spread because “the flavor and texture are both so lovely. It is the kind of thing that keeps you coming back for more,” she tells Allrecipes. 

Add the cheese spread to a charcuterie board, scoop it on crackers, then top with a slice of pickle, use it as a sandwich condiment, or try it as the foundation for a creamy garlic sauce to toss with pasta or spoon over chicken.

Unexpected Cheddar Chicken Sausage

If you’re as fond of this cheese as Tague, then you’ll want to add another remix to your cart: $4.49-for-four Unexpected Cheddar Chicken Sausage.

“Anything from the Unexpected Cheddar line is extremely flavorful, but I love these sausages for quick meals. Sometimes I will just air fry them with broccoli for a super-fast lunch,” she says

With 16 grams of protein per link and loads of flavor from smoked chicken, caramelized onions, red pepper, and, of course, Unexpected Cheddar, one of these sausages is a stellar starting point to build a meal. Craving a little more inspiration? Home cooks can’t get enough of our Sausage, Peppers, Onions, and Potato Bake, Slow Cooker Sausage With Sauce, or Sheet Pan Shrimp and Sausage Bake.  

Organic Coconut Milk

Not to be confused with hydrating coconut water or coconut milk (a plant-based dairy milk alternative), this canned coconut milk is the creamy component you might know and love from curries, soups, and coconut rice. 

Riggs adores Joe’s Organic Coconut Milk because it “has the best flavor of any I’ve tried and it’s a steal at $1.89 per 13.5-ounce can. It’s completely free of additives, gums, and thickening agents, which is tricky to find.”

She’s dairy-free, and relies on this coconut milk all day. Spike your coffee with a few spoonfuls and a dash of maple syrup for a better-than-the-drive-thru drink. Then, save some to blend with cooked vegetables for a remarkably velvety soup.  Polish off the can for dessert, and “make a perfectly-smooth chocolate ganache,” Riggs recommends. (Try coconut milk instead of cream in this 4.9-star Chocolate Ganache recipe.

Crunchy Chili Onion

Chili crisp has become as essential in our condiment collection as hot sauce, ketchup, and mayo. Dozens of brands offer zingy, taste bud-tempting chili crisps. However, if cookbook author Jeanine Donofrio was forced to choose her MVP, it would probably be Trader Joe’s Crunchy Chili Onion. 

“I put this easy, one-ingredient flavor booster on nearly everything, from rice bowls and noodles to eggs and Asian-inspired soups. I love the crunchy texture and bold, spicy, savory taste,” Donofrio says.

Score a $4.49 six-ounce jar (or two) to use instead of oil to fry eggs, to whip up a batch of Chili Crisp Mayo to slather on sandwiches, add it to grilled cheese, or to play a supporting role in Hamburgers With Grilled Apple and Chili Crisp.

Nori Komi Furikake Japanese Multi-Purpose Seasoning

Trader Joe’s certainly isn’t slacking in the spice department. We’re wild about their rubs, blends, and salts—and often have a tough time limiting our purchases here. Donofrio directs our attention to one specific bottle, saying, “I always grab two so that I don’t run out before my next Trader Joe’s run!”

The best of the bunch? Nori Komi Furikake Japanese Multi-Purpose Seasoning, a Japanese seasoning made with nori and other seaweed, sesame seeds, sugar, and salt, which Donofrio swears “comes close to the furikakes I’ve tried in Japan and has a fantastic price,” at $2.99 for two ounces. “I love its lightly-crisp texture and nutty, umami flavor.”

Keep your jar(s) handy to shake over grain bowls and sushi bakes, to season snack mixes, and to act as a crunchy crust for salmon.

Pound Plus 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate

Save room for dessert. Hold the Cone and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups get a lot of love. But the sleeper hit in terms of Trader Joe’s desserts is the Pound Plus 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate, Riggs tells us.

“Rumored to be made by [Belgian chocolatier] Callebaut, this bar is a high-quality, economical option at $8.99 for 17.6 ounces. Both the dark and the 72% varieties are perfect for snacking,” she says.

Or make the most of the bar by chopping the chocolate to fold into cookies, melting it into brownie batter, or stirring it into a mug of cinnamon-spiked warm milk for a silky and rich homemade hot chocolate.