I tried 17 of this year's award-winning products from Trader Joe's and I'd buy at least 13 of them again

Savanna Swain-WilsonJan 31, 2023, 19:20 IST

I ate all of the items from this year's 14th-annual Trader Joe's Customer Choice Awards that I could find.Savanna Swain-Wilson

I tried everything I could find that won spots on Trader Joe's 14th-annual Customer Choice Awards.
I think the Hold the Cone treats and the kale-cashew pesto are worthy of their first-place titles.

I tried as many of this year's Trader Joe's Customer Choice Award winners as I could find.

I loaded my cart with winners and runners-up from Trader Joe's Customer Choice Awards.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's chocolate lava cakes are just perfect for a luxurious dessert at home.

It doesn't surprise that shoppers can't get enough of Trader Joe's lava cakes.Savanna Swain-Wilson

I also loved the size of Trader Joe's chocolate lava cakes.

Trader Joe's lava cakes are so rich that I recommend sharing them with a friend.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's BBQ-teriyaki chicken is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.

Trader Joe's BBQ-teriyaki chicken dish came together in no time.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The BBQ-teriyaki chicken was great with rice.

I cooked Trader Joe's BBQ-teriyaki chicken for a few minutes.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's brookie combines two beloved baked goods into a single stack of pure bliss.

Trader Joe's brookie lasted only a few days in my house.Savanna Swain-Wilson

I recommend eating the brookie within a few days of getting it.

The brookie was delicious but I noticed it got a little crumbly after a few days.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The vegetable fried rice from the frozen section gave me a restaurant-quality side dish in minutes.

Trader Joe's vegetable fried rice is a regular staple in my freezer.Savanna Swain-Wilson

I thought the vegetable-fried rice was a pretty convenient, quick meal.

Trader Joe's vegetable rice comes with peppers, carrots, corn, and more.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's hash-browns patties are the only potatoes I ever buy.

I think Trader Joe's hash-brown patties are best when cooked in the air fryer.Savanna Swain-Wilson for Insider

Learning how to cook the hash-brown patties was a bit of a challenge but it was worth it.

I have Trader Joe's hash-brown patties with ketchup.Savanna Swain-Wilson for Insider

Trader Joe's frozen chocolate croissants are a bakery-quality treat.

Trader Joe's frozen chocolate croissants come in a pack of four.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Just be sure to set aside time to prepare the croissants.

Trader Joe's chocolate croissants need to proof overnight.Savanna Swain-Wilson

This wine-soaked Toscano cheese is the perfect combination of tasty and fancy.

Trader Joe's wine-soaked Toscano would be great on a cheeseboard.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The flavors in Trader Joe's wine-soaked Toscano were there.

I thought the wine-soaked Toscano had a slightly sweet flavor.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The kung-pao chicken won me over because of how loaded with flavor it was.

Trader Joe's kung-pao chicken kind of surprised me.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The kung-pao chicken was so easy to prepare.

Per the instructions, I topped my kung-pao chicken with nuts.Savanna Swain-Wilson

I couldn't get enough of the smoky chipotle and habanero seasoning on Trader Joe's elote corn-chip dippers.

Trader Joe's elote corn-chip dippers are slightly spicy.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The elote corn-chip dippers were some of the best snacks I've tried from the chain.

The elote corn-chip dippers would be great with guacamole.Savanna Swain-Wilson

A block of Trader Joe's cheddar with caramelized onion deserves a spot on every platter.

Trader Joe's cheddar with caramelized onions had a great savory flavor.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The cheddar was great as a snack on its own.

I ate the cheddar with caramelized onions as a snack.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's beefless bulgogi is proof that a meatless meal can be satisfying.

I was surprised that the beefless bulgogi tasted like real meat.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The beef had a great flavor but I'm not sure I'd buy it again.

I thought Trader Joe's beefless bulgogi had a few chewier pieces.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Any food the Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend touches turns to gold.

The Everything but the Bagel Blend is the Meryl Streep of seasonings because she always delivers.Savanna Swain-Wilson

To me, the Everything but the Bagel Seasoning will always reign supreme.

Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoning is great on avocado toast.Savanna Swain-Wilson for Insider

Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi seems like an innovative plant-based meal.

Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi is an alternative for those who may want to cut down on carbs.Savanna Swain-Wilson for Insider

Still, the cauliflower gnocchi isn't my favorite vegetarian food.

I think Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi is a little too mushy for me.Savanna Swain-Wilson

These chili-lime seasoned rolled-corn tortilla chips are the best spicy snack Trader Joe's sells.

Trader Joe's chili-lime rolled-corn tortilla chips have the right amount of kick.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The chili-lime rolled-corn tortilla chips are definitely a repurchase for me.

Trader Joe's chili-lime tortilla chips are satisfying and crunchy.Savanna Swain-Wilson

At first, the World's Puffiest white-cheddar corn puffs weren't my personal favorite.

The World's Puffiest corn puffs didn't seem to have enough flavor to me.Savanna Swain-Wilson for Insider

The corn puffs are the perfect movie snack.

The World's Puffiest white-cheddar corn puffs are crunchy and slightly addictive.Savanna Swain-Wilson for Insider

The Hold the Cone ice-cream treats are the perfect after-dinner sweet.

The Hold the Cone ice-cream treats are delicious.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The Hold the Cone desserts also come in a variety of flavors.

You'll probably find at least one flavor of the Hold the Cone treats to enjoy.Savanna Swain-Wilson for Insider

Trader Joe's butter chicken with basmati rice was delicious but I was let down by the portion size.

Trader Joe's butter chicken looked promising.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Though the portion of chicken disappointed me, the sauce was delicious.

I wish I got more chicken in my portion of the Trader Joe's meal.Savanna Swain-Wilson

I was blown away by how balanced and flavorful the vegan kale and cashew pesto was.

The vegan kale-cashew pesto is perfect for topping pizza, pasta, or a baguette.Savanna Swain-Wilson

I'd get the kale-cashew pesto again.

Trader Joe's vegan kale-cashew pesto is smooth and easily spreadable.Savanna Swain-Wilson

I've lived in Phoenix for more than 10 years — here are 8 of the best places where you should actually eat

Cookies on the Business Insider India website