5 Most Underrated Items at Trader Joe's

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Trader Joe's gets a lot of hype for many of its specialty products, including cult favorites like Everything But The Bagel Seasoning, Cookie Butter, and Cauliflower Gnocchi. Unfortunately, some heavily promoted items don't always live up to expectations.

Not every item on the grocer's shelves receives the same level of attention from TJ's fawning fans, however. In fact, some really great foods get largely overlooked. So, just because you're well versed on the classics, doesn't mean you're quite the Trader Joe's know-it-all you might think you are.

The retailer boasts an expansive collection of hidden gems that you may have missed on your hunt for the ever-popular soup dumplings. Here are five of the most underrated products at Trader Joe's right now. You can thank me later.

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Elote Corn Chip Dippers

Frankly, I'm just unsure how these haven't gotten more hype. TJ's Elote Corn Chip Dippers are the perfect vehicle for your go-to salsa recipe. The chips boast "a hint of chipotle, a kick of smoky heat, and a bit of buttermilk-y tang," according to the retailer's website. Check, check, check. "Once you start, you can't stop," one fan wrote on Reddit.

Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip

While one TJ's fan on Reddit ripped the chain's cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower thins, Cookie Butter, and frozen sauce stuffed gnocchi as "overrated," they raised a valuable point in the process: that the frozen spinach artichoke dip doesn't get nearly the respect or recognition it deserves.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

I'm not here to criticize your obsession with Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi. What I am here to do is tell you that you're about two years behind the times. There's an even better alternative in the freezer section. Enter the Sweet Potato Gnocchi. "With the sage butter? Delicioouuusss," one fan wrote online. "Delicious! A great easy side dish for almost anything," another chimed in. As for a tip from the pros—ahem, Reddit superfans—one user noted that you should "cook in the frying pan until crispy" and to not "add water if the instructions say so." A fellow customer said to add extra pepper and crushed red pepper.

Tempura Cauliflower

While clearly not all TJ's cauliflower products are a fan-favorite (see: overrated comments above), shoppers were clamoring over the Tempura Cauliflower in the online threads. The veggie-friendly kung pao-flavored appetizer—or hey, main course, if you're that obsessed—crisps up perfectly, according to customers. One fan wrote, "I eat this like 3x a week. It's so good. I make it in my air fryer!!" Another even called it better than the chain's beloved Mandarin Orange Chicken.

Pork Gyoza

One TJ's superfan also called out the Cauliflower Gnocchi and Everything But The Bagel Seasoning for being overhyped but dubbed TJ's Pork Gyoza the thing to try. They even got a show of support from those in the comment section. "I agreed with you on everything," one wrote, "until I got to the EBTB seasoning lol." Oh, and another pro tip: try them with TJ's Yuzu Hot Sauce, which yet another fan described labeled as a must-try, underrated find.