I tried 13 of Trader Joe's holiday meal items, and I'd buy 7 of them again

Ted BergJan 15, 2024, 16:24 IST

I tried 13 of Trader Joe's holiday meal items.Ted Berg

I tried 13 of Trader Joe's holiday meal items to see which ingredients and appetizers were the best.
I don't think I'd buy Trader Joe's artichoke bread pudding or Portuguese bacalhau tartelettes again.

There's a vast selection of seasonal meal items at Trader Joe's, but it can be hard to figure out what to get to entertain family and friends for the season.

I tried 13 of Trader Joe's holiday food items to see which were the best and what I'd avoid buying next time.

Here's how they stacked up.

The eggplant parmigiana sfogliatelle seemed like an easy-to-make appetizer.

I was excited to try Trader Joe's eggplant parmigiana sfogliatelle.Ted Berg

The eggplant parmigiana sfogliatelle was a satisfying, cheesy appetizer.

Trader Joe's eggplant parmigiana sfogliatelle was cheesy and saucy.Ted Berg

Trader Joe's figgy cheddar combines sweet and savory notes.

Trader Joe's figgy cheddar is made with marinated, spiced fruit.Ted Berg

The figgy cheddar was so hearty and rich that it hardly needed a cracker.

I liked the flavors in Trader Joe's figgy cheddar.Ted Berg

I thought Trader Joe's mini quiche duo looked delicious.

Trader Joe's mini quiche duo contains 12 pieces. Ted Berg

These tasty two-bite appetizers were ready in 10 minutes.

Trader Joe's mini quiches crisped up nicely in the oven.Ted Berg

I wasn't sure how good Trader Joe's family-style meat lasagna would actually be.

Trader Joe's family-style lasagna is made with ground beef and pork.Ted Berg

Don’t tell my actual family that I enjoyed the meat lasagna.

The top of Trader Joe's family-style lasagna bubbled up in the oven.Ted Berg

Trader Joe's shrimp pouches of many colors looked like a festive treat.

Trader Joe's shrimp pouches of many colors come in white, green, red, and yellow hues.Ted Berg

The tasty shrimp pouches were an especially fun treat for my kids.

Trader Joe's shrimp pouches of many colors were a hit with my kids.Ted Berg

Trader Joe's Brie en croûte didn’t look great, but it's hard to mess up baked cheese.

I was curious to see how flavorful Trader Joe's Brie en croûte was.Ted Berg

The baked Brie was surprisingly delicious.

The Brie browned more than the pastry did.Ted Berg

Trader Joe's scalloped cracker trio might prove to be divisive on a cheese plate.

Trader Joe's scalloped cracker trio comes with three flavors.Ted Berg

I had fun experimenting with different cheese-and-cracker pairings.

Trader Joe's scalloped crackers were surprisingly thick.Ted Berg

Trader Joe's fried olive bites reminded me of another classic appetizer.

Trader Joe's fried olive bites come in 12 pieces.Ted Berg

The olive flavor was very powerful.

The fried-olive bites were stuffed with cheese.Ted Berg

Trader Joe's holiday vegetable hash comes with a myriad of vegetables and herbs.

Trader Joe's holiday vegetable hash is made with herbs including parsley, sage, and rosemary.Ted Berg

The hash would be a better ingredient than a side dish.

Trader Joe's holiday hash would be best in a stew.Ted Berg

I was excited to try Trader Joe's uncured bacon-wrapped porchetta pork roast.

I was excited to try Trader Joe's uncured bacon-wrapped porchetta pork roast.Ted Berg

By the time it was finished, the inside was a little dry, but the bacon wasn’t very crunchy.

I sliced up the pork and bacon.Ted Berg

Trader Joe's cranberry chevre had pieces of fruit inside the cheese.

I expected Trader Joe's cranberry chevre to be sweet and tangy.Ted Berg

I might have liked the cranberry chevre if it was presented as a dessert.

Trader Joe's cranberry chevre was a little too sweet for me.Ted Berg

Trader Joe's artichoke bread pudding looked interesting.

I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy Trader Joe's artichoke bread pudding.Ted Berg

I thought Trader Joe's artichoke bread pudding looked unappetizing and greasy.

Trader Joe's artichoke bread pudding had some strong flavors.Ted Berg

I wasn't sure how Trader Joe's Portuguese bacalhau tartelettes would taste.

Trader Joe's Portuguese bacalhau tartelettes come in eight pieces. Ted Berg

To put it gently, bacalhau tarts are not for me.

I wouldn't buy Trader Joe's Portuguese bacalhau tartelettes again.Ted Berg

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