11 chefs share the one thing they always buy at Trader Joe's
Courtney Leiva
- A trip to Trader Joe's can be overwhelming with all the seasonal and year-round product options.
- Insider spoke with 11 chefs about their favorite Trader Joe's products to help you narrow down your choices.
- One chef suggested buying Trader Joe's organic produce, and another highlighted the store's frozen aisle.
- The chain's coffee, dried mango slices, and Everything but the Bagel seasoning also received high praise.
Trader Joe's is an American grocery chain that offers unique spins on classic favorites.
Since there are dozens of varieties of sauces, snacks, and frozen foods to choose from, Insider spoke with 11 chefs about the items they always recommend picking up at the chain.
From coffee to dumplings, here are some must-have essentials that are worth adding to your Trader Joe's shopping list:
You may want to buy your organic produce at Trader Joe's.
The grocery-store chain prides itself on offering fresh products, and some chefs have taken note of its commitment.
"I honestly like a lot of the organic produce from Trader Joe's," said award-winning chef Marcel Vigneron.
"The opal apples usually have a very nice crisp texture and a delicious sour-apple flavor, which is indicative of the characteristics that I look for when choosing an apple," he told Insider.
Take a peek at the Trader Joe's frozen-food aisle.
The grocery store is known for its frozen meals, sides, and desserts, so don't forget to swing down the freezer aisle.
"I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's products, but especially a few of the prepared frozen foods," said Jonathan Olson, the executive chef at The Keep in Columbus, Ohio.
One chef recommended trying some of Trader Joe's gyozas.
Gyozas are a type of Chinese dumpling, and Trader Joe's stocks a frozen variety.
"My wife and I eat these almost every week," said Nick Erven, executive chef of Antihero in Ferndale, Michigan. "They cook quickly, and taste really, really good."
Another chef praised the chain's chicken soup dumplings.
"The beauty of a soup dumpling is best experienced as soon as it's ready, which is the magic of the Trader Joe's dumpling," said Adam Tortosa, chef, and owner of Robin, an omakase restaurant located in San Francisco.
"After heating them up, you instantly get soft dumplings filled with chicken and a rich, savory broth," he told Insider.
Consider adding coffee to your next Trader Joe's shopping list.
One chef raved about Trader Joe's store-brand coffee.
"I love my java in the morning, and whenever I shop at Trader Joe's, their Trader's dark coffee is one of the things I stock up on, as well as their instant Colombian coffee," said chef Nicole Andrea Guzman.
The dark coffee has a nice chocolate undertone to it, she told Insider, and the instant coffee has a fresh-brewed taste and provides a nice caffeine boost whenever you need it.
Snack on the chili and lime rolled tortilla chips.
In addition to a bounty of produce and frozen items, Trader Joe's also offers a number of snack options.
" ... One thing I always grab for my own personal consumption when I'm looking for a snack is the chili and lime rolled tortilla chips," said Clemente Heredia, chef at and owner of Calo Kitchen and Tequila in Los Angeles.
Munch on some Trader Joe's organic popcorn with olive oil.
If you aren't into spicy snacks, this salty popcorn might do the trick.
"Whenever I am at Trader Joe's, I always grab a few bags of the organic popcorn with olive oil," said Jason Hall, executive chef of TAO properties at the Moxy Time Square (Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge).
"I keep a few in my desk drawer, and tend to reach for one after a long shift," he told Insider.
Stock up on some Just Mango Slices.
In addition to offering savory options, the chain also stocks a number of sweet snacks.
"My favorite item (besides the raw nuts, seeds, or the endless trail mixes) has got to be the unsulfured mango slices," said Thomas Marlow, executive chef of the award-winning Mimosa Grill in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.
"Growing up, my family always had these in the cupboard, and now my two sisters have these treats around for their two daughters," he said.
Give Trader Joe's tamales a try.
Eric Minnich, the executive chef at The Commissary in San Francisco, explained that he actually stocks his freezer with Trader Joe's tamales for a quick and filling meal.
"These tamales are the best for a quick lunch (or dinner) because their perfectly seasoned filling wrapped in moist corn masa leaves you perfectly satisfied," he told Insider.
Invest in the Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend.
The grocery chain is also known for its seasoning blends.
"I love the Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend — it's my favorite add-on any time I toast or warm-up bread," said Brad Warner, executive chef of Bodega Negra at Dream Downtown, NYC.
He continued, "I take pita or lavash, brush the bread with a little olive oil, and sprinkle it with this seasoning blend for a quick and easy snack in minutes."
Pick up some umami powder to add a savory boost to your dishes.
Umami is often described as a tasting savory and is commonly associated with meats and broths. But Trader Joe's unlocked the flavor with this powdered-mushroom seasoning blend.
"Professionally, this is one of my best secret tricks to boosting flavor," said chef Elizabeth Schuster of Tenacious Eats LLC in St. Louis, Missouri. "I always add this mushroom powder to my burger mix, stews, soups, and even vinaigrettes."
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