8 Best Summer Snacks at Trader Joe's Right Now
There is nothing worse than heading to your cabinet, pantry, or even fridge for a satisfying snack and coming up empty handed. It's important to always plan ahead for these dire situations, and make sure to add plenty of chips, dips, crackers, sweets, and other bites to your weekly grocery shopping rotation. One place you can always count on to have a plethora of yummy snacks is your neighborhood Trader Joe's—and with over 560 locations nationwide, one of the distinctive stores is never too far away.
The specialty grocer not only has a top-notch selection of classic favorites such as its award-winning Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets or the Chili & Lime Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips, but there's always plenty of new snacks to try as well. Typically, these newbies even get their own special shelf where they are proudly displayed in the store.
To make things a little easier as you prepare for your next Trader Joe's trip, we've compiled a list of the absolute best snacks that are currently available. Check out what other TJ's shoppers can't get enough of right now—you might just find your new favorite treat of the summer.
Snacky Clusters
If you're a fan of sweet and salty combinations, you're going to want to keep reading. Snacky Clusters are brand new at Trader Joe's and are already garnering a tremendous amount of well-deserved attention. The treat dares to go where no snack has gone before, combining a crunched up mixture of potato chips, corn dippers, and mini pretzel nuggets (a TJ's delicacy) and then coating it all in a generous portion of milk chocolate.
Customers are raving about the overall flavor, calling these clusters "EXTRAORDINARILY delicious," "dangerous," and "very dense/sweet and satisfying" on a recent Instagram post. Pick them up for just $3.99 per bag.
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Crunchy Chili Onion Hummus
Just when you thought summer couldn't get any hotter, Trader Joe's is spicing things up with its new Crunch Chili Onion Hummus. And, Instagrammer Kelsey Lynch gives us a breakdown of what to expect from the fiery dip on her account @traderjoesfoodreviews.
She shares that the hummus is "smooth, flavorful, and nutty," the chili onion crunch adds "a really nice spicy taste," and "the dried garlic and dried onion in the chili crunch gave this hummus a burst of flavor." Multiple people in the comments additionally gave the hummus a perfect 10 out of 10 rating, and one even went so far as to say it was their "favorite hummus eeever!!!"
Patio Potato Chips
Patio chilling is an entire summer mood, and this potato chip medley takes it to the next level. The snack is quite literally a mixed bag containing Sea Salt & Vinegar, Delicious Dill, Homestyle Ketchup, and Smokin' Sweet BBQ flavored chips–sounds like all the flavors of a delicious hamburger in the perfect poppable form.
On Instagram, @mrs_traderjoescart gave the salty assortment a 10 out of 10, and revealed that the mystery of the bag is the best part. "You never know which flavor you're eating until it's in your mouth," the post reads. "And if you eat multiple at once… it is the definition of *chazzle dazzle*."
Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Bites
"Perfect little peanut chews"–that's what one fan on Reddit is calling Trader Joe's new Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Bites. The snack/dessert (dessnack? snackert?) consists of everyone's favorite combination of peanut butter and chocolate, all packed into dense, individually wrapped squares.
If you're from the Midwest, these may remind you a bit of Scotcharoo Bars. But on Reddit, others have compared them to Whatchamacallit candy bars, or to a mash-up of Snickers and Rice Crispy Treats.
Pretzel Sticks with Cheddar with Jalapeños Pub Cheese
This may just be the best edible pairing of the summer. Instagrammer @traderjoesobsessed was first to match up the unlikely duo of Trader Joe's Honey Pretzel Sticks and the retailer's Cheddar with Jalapeños Pub Cheese.
From all the gab in the post's comments, both the pretzels and the pub dip are standouts on their own. So, you can probably imagine how mouthwatering the sweet and salty combo with a little bit of spice will taste.
Mini (Almost) Everything Bagel Sandwich Crackers
Calling all Everything But the Bagel Seasoning fans! Trader Joe's is now carrying Mini (Almost) Everything Bagel Sandwich Crackers, which transform the retailer's infamous seasoning into "perfect little nibbles," as one Instagrammer put it. Each bite consists of the teeniest bagel you've ever seen, and is spread with a glob of creamy filling. They are not only adorable, but also the perfect companion for any summer trip, event, or adventure.
Apple Chip Duo
If you need a snack to mindlessly munch on while you binge your favorite show, you must try these Trader Joe's crinkle cut apple chips. Why? Because the entire bag is just one serving and 200 calories, so you don't have to feel guilty about smashing the whole thing in one sitting.
According to comments on Reddit, the sweetness of the red apple chips included in the bag flawlessly offset the tartness of the green. And, the snack appears to be the apple of everyone's eye, including both adults and kids alike.
Mee Krob Snackers
This is not just another basic snack food. The new Trader Joe's Snackers are actually inspired by the authentic Thai dish Mee Krob, which consists of crispy rice noodles covered in sweet and sour sauce. To make a special version, which is shelf stable while still retaining all of these savory flavors, Trader Joe's supplier follows a very specific process.
"They deep fry rice noodles until they're superlatively crispy, then add bits of fried garlic, fried shallot, and cashews for even more crunch," the store's website explains. "After that, they layer in a super flavorful sauce made with tamarind paste, vinegar, chili sauce, lime juice, and sugar. Once the noodles have soaked up the sauce and cooled down, they're cut into one-or-two-bite squares, and voila: Snackers!"
So far, this meticulous production process seems to be paying off, and customers have shown their admiration. On Instagram, @traderjoeskitchen shared, "They're super addicting and need to come in a bigger bag because I finished them in under 10 minutes🥺. Go buy these nowwww🛒"
