Your grocery store boo (aka Trader Joe) always brings countless creative appetizers, drool-worthy mains, trendy snacks and seasonal desserts to the table. But he really went all out this month, if you ask me.
Below are ten of my favorite Trader Joe's items to shop this March, ranging from next-level frozen burritos to crispy dried watermelon to teeny-tiny hazelnut meringues. Look them over, add your favorites to your shopping list and meet me in the parking lot in ten.
This buttery, smooth condiment contains nothing but Hass avocados, lemon juice (to keep it from browning) and sea salt. Best of all, it's ready to use ASAP, so you won't need to wait three days for the avos you bought at the supermarket to soften. Use it on tacos and sandwiches, or serve it as a dip with chips, pretzels or crudités.
Folks say this sweet-and-spicy sauce was invented as a condiment for excessively crunchy fried chicken in an effort to slightly soften the breading. Loaded with red miso paste, blackstrap molasses, ginger and gochugaru, this gem is umami-rich and delightfully sticky. Drizzle it on fries, slather it on ribs or dunk chicken nuggets in it.
Cocoa powder, dark chocolate and coffee extract impart tons of bold, roasty goodness on this crunchy, rolled oat granola. It'll taste just as good with milk or yogurt as it will atop vanilla ice cream. P.S.: Each serving contains 5 grams each of fiber and protein to keep you full 'til lunchtime.
Sound the alarm: This nostalgic confection is gluten free and just as delicious as the O.G. The sheet cake is super vanilla-forward and tender (thanks to buttermilk), while the thick chocolate buttercream ups the dessert's decadence tenfold.
Cheung fun (aka rice noodle rolls) hail from the Guangdong province of China, but they're popular all over the country and across Southeast Asia. This take on the dim sum darling boasts seasoned veggies, marinated shrimp, garlic and shallot.
Crushed tomatillos, green chiles, jalapeños and Anaheim peppers unite for a zingy, spicy sauce that you'll crave again and again. Here, it's paired with dark and white meat chicken and wrapped in flour tortillas for portability—and easy microwaving. (BTW, TJ's also has new beef, bean and cheese burritos, if those sound more your speed.)
One serving is 40 cookies—sounds good to me! Made from sugar, hazelnuts and egg white, these shrunken treats are nutty, crunchy and naturally gluten free. Warning: You may feel like devouring the whole bag in one sitting (and I wouldn't blame you).
If full-size goodies are more your style, consider these souped-up oatmeal cookies. The oats are supremely toasty, resulting in irresistibly rich butterscotch notes. Oh, and there are no raisins in sight, in case you care about that sort of thing.
This unconventional pick will blow your rind (sorry). Peak-ripe watermelon is sliced, removed from the rind and vacuum-dried at a low temp until it's totally crisp. Crumble it over yogurt, ice cream or salad, crush it into powder to use in desserts or snack on it straight from the bag.
Chewy, sweet rice dough meets bittersweet blood orange ice cream for a vibrant bite that melts in your mouth as you eat. Let the mochi thaw at room temp for a few minutes for the perfect first bite (or nosh on it fresh from the freezer if you prefer it chewier).
