By Trinity
July 24, 2024

Trader Joe’s Hacks Every Shopper Should Know

Did you know these Trader Joe’s hacks?

I personally love Trader Joe’s! This store is a wonderland for anybody who enjoys food, especially health-conscious shoppers and those looking for unusual snacks. There are nautically themed stores across the United States, and it appears that the empire will continue to expand.

With many Instagram and TikTok groups, podcasts, massive Facebook groups, and other platforms devoted to praising the business and its offerings, TJ’s has solidly established its place in the center of pop culture.

Since I love writing for my readers, all sorts of interesting hacks I also tested myself; in this article, I will share all the Trader Joe’s hacks every shopper should know.

Use paper bags to make gift wrap

The paper bags used at grocery stores are often either plain or imprinted with the brand of the business. As usual, Trader Joe’s breaks from the standard by printing adorable, quirky patterns on its paper bags that vary according to the season. You can use Trader Joe’s reusable bags to make gorgeous gift bags or wrapping paper if you find yourself with a stack of them and are unsure what to do with them.

This is probably one of my favorite Trader Joe’s hacks because it helps me wrap up all the gifts for my friends and family without breaking the budget but also without looking cheap.

Try the products before buying them

When I go shopping at other stores, I am tempted to buy a lot of stuff, but what if I get home and don’t like them? It’s a risk for sure, but if you go to Trader Joe’s, you are allowed to try some products before buying them.

For those who didn’t know, the ability to sample food in-store before you buy it is one of TJ’s greatest little-known features. Ask an employee for a right-away sample of any product you’re interested in, such as birthday cake popcorn, caramel-washed gouda, or chocolate hummus.

Though there are certain restrictions, overall, the policy gives customers an excellent opportunity to experiment without having to shell out a lot of money for a portion of food they might not like.

Use a grinder for the spice mix

Trader Joe’s fans have a deep appreciation for Everything But The Bagel flavor. The spice mix was introduced in 2017 and includes all the ingredients you would expect to see on an everything bagel, including poppy seeds, dried and chopped onion and garlic, sea salt flakes, and white and black sesame seeds. Delicious, right?

The only issue with this spice mix is its size, which is a bit difficult to blend into the foods because they’re too rugged. To soften up the mixture, I recommend using a spice grinder. This helps the spice truly attach to your goodies and preserves its taste.

You don’t have one? No worries! I just got mine a couple of weeks ago from Amazon: a 200w Spice Grinder Compact Size with stainless steel blades, super safe to use as well as easy to clean. It’s available in 4 different hues at the price of $18.99.

Fried eggs? Combine them with chili onion crunch (6.0 oz package)

Me and my family love eggs; boiled, fried, or omelet that’s why I make sure I include them in our breakfast at least twice a week. Packed with a ton of nutrients and proteins, and besides that, they’re super versatile and easy to make; it’s a dish that never gets boring. However, you can make them taste even better. How? Next time you’re going shopping at TJ’s, make sure you also add Trader Joe’s Chili Onion Crunch to your cart.

Use Trader Joe’s Chili Onion Crunch to cook your eggs instead of frying them in butter or oil. Your tasty morning protein gets a beautiful crispy texture and a strong flavor from the onion oil and chili flakes.

Use Tandoori Naan to make your grilled cheese taste yummy

No person on this Earth dislikes grilled cheese. Period! We keep coming back to this comfort meal because it’s so delicious, simple to prepare, and ideal for any time of day. Any bread and cheese that you have in your pantry or refrigerator may be used to make grilled cheese sandwiches, which are a fantastic way to use up goods that are about to expire.

However, if you want to do a game changer and make your grilled cheese sandwich taste better, try one of the best products at Trader Joe’s: Tandoori Naan. In addition to offering a totally different texture from store-bought bread, garlic naan gives your grilled cheese a dimension buttery, pungent taste.

Use a cast-iron skillet to cook frozen pizza

The frozen pizza variety at Trader Joe’s is incredible when compared to other retailers like Target, Aldi, Walmart, and small neighborhood grocery shops. They sell frozen pizza topped with burrata, prosciutto, uncured pepperoni, pesto, and roasted garlic on a cauliflower crust. With so many flavors it’s almost impossible not to find your favorite!

But a frozen pizza may go wrong in a lot of ways, and your pizza party is done before it even starts if the crust is ruined. You might wonder, how can you possibly spoil a frozen pizza? Oh well, one of the best Trader Joe’s hacks I recently learned about too is awesome so I am sharing it with you.

First, put the frozen pizza on a cold cast-iron skillet and preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Then wait until the cheese on top of it turns brown and bubbly. Great, now I am hungry!

In for some tasty pretzels? Use pizza dough to make them

Nothing compares to a homemade pizza (now I am hungry again!) but this may need a bit of extra planning beforehand. Fortunately, ready-to-go pizza dough is easily reachable in almost every grocery store, including TJ’s, of course. Super versatile and can be easily used for any type of baked goods, such as pita bread, cinnamon buns, or pretzels.

To form classic pretzel twists, pretzel bits, or whatever fun shapes you choose, dip the molded dough into boiling water and baking soda mixture, then bake the pretzels to perfection. Add a little butter and your preferred spices (Everything But the Bagel mixture), and you have a delicious appetizer for a movie night with friends.

Did I make you hungry? Go grab some dough from the nearest Trader Joe’s store in your area.

Throwing a party? Make your margaritas with organic jalapeño limeade

If you shop at TJ’s, you’re probably familiar with their great deals on cocktails and more. Fans of spicy margaritas will love this easy trick for Trader Joe’s hot lemonade: The quickest and best margaritas you’ll ever taste are made with tequila and the store’s jalapeño limeade.

You just need tequila and limeade for a simple drink, but you can dress it up. Use mezcal in place of tequila for an earthy, smokey flavor; add berries or fresh herbs to liven things up; or add fresh sliced jalapeños for a more fiery taste. Since this beverage isn’t available all year round, make the most of it during the spring and summer months.

Now, let’s get the party started!