Born and raised in Southern California, I was surrounded by my Mexican family and culture growing up, learning so much about my identity through the delicious food I ate, from frijoles puercos and ceviche de camarones to arroz rojo and birria de res.
Especially in California, where Hispanics make up 39.4% of the population, according to 2020 US Census data reported by the Public Policy Institute of California, the strong influence of our Mexican communities is an essential part of the region.
But Mexican food is enjoyed by the masses, and thus, variations of it and Mexican-inspired products pop up everywhere. My mama, who is from Sinaloa, Mexico, shops at her trusted Mexican supermarkets and will make the occasional authentic find in a local grocery store, but she is generally wary of Mexican-style products in the US. She is also very picky when it comes to authentic tamales or salsa.
That said, she hadn't really sampled the Mexican-inspired products Trader Joe's sells, so I was intrigued to hear her opinion. We also asked her parents — my grandparents — for their thoughts.
They are all tough to please, but there were a few standout items that impressed even them. Others, however, won't be on their shopping lists again.