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15 Trader Joe's Items Worth Selling Your Soul For And 10 That Are, Frankly, Overhyped

Don't come for me, but I would prefer NOTHING but the bagel.

Trader Joe's is one of the few comforts we have left in our pandemic-stricken world.

But of all the many hit products they carry, there are some misses.

Nobody's perfect! Here are a bunch of wins that you maybe haven't tried yet, and some controversial "flops" that don't quite live up to the hype. Scroll down for the hot takes!

BuzzFeed

1. Underrated: The chewable melatonin.

Bottle of Trader Joe's chewable melatonin
amazon.com

"I've tried other brands but I always grab a bottle from TJ's. They are 3 mg and have a pleasant minty flavor. I take 2 and am usually dozing off within the next 20 minutes." - youinreverse

2. Underrated: Zhoug Sauce

3. Underrated: Strawberry licorice.

4. Underrated: The Habanero Hot Sauce

Two bottles of Trader Joe's Habanero Hot Sauce
amazon.com

One of my personal favs that I always stock up on at TJ's. It is the one truly hot sauce that I own (I would say that using more than a teaspoon will draw tears from my eyes) but I love how non-vinegary it is. It's like pure spiciness with a mild but delicious flavor, so it goes on any kind of cuisine.

5. Underrated: The Virtuoso Lip Balm

Green and white packaging for a 3-pack of Trader Joe's Virtuoso spearmint lip balm
amazon.com

"The Virtuoso lip balm is the only lip balm in my life now. Tried it last winter when my lips were cracking apart, along with a whole pile of other balms. I was desperate! Now all the others are in the trash, and this one is the keeper." - MeghanBoBeghan

6. Underrated: The Chimichurri Rice in the Frozen Section

Chimichurri rice by Trader Joe's cooking in a pan
Facebook: traderjoesmealideas4busymoms

"I put the TJ salsa verde, cotija cheese (not TJ's) and fresh cilantro on top for a twist and the whole thing takes 5 minutes. Also this is the busy mom dish, when the kids have something basic and mom craves more." - Jacquelyn Nicoll Goldbeck

7. Underrated: Crunchy Mochi

amazon.com

"These pair with wine so well. I don't allow myself to buy them anymore because I eat the entire bag at once." - f4rt054uru5r3x

8. Underrated: Soy Chorizo

  1. Underrated: Kumato Brown Tomatoes

"They’re my favorite store bought tomato and first choice if they’re available." - Roxbury_Bat

10. Underrated: Field Fresh Salad (with black currants, asiago cheese, chicken, and sweet basil dressing)

The Salad Artist @TheSaladArtist

Field Fresh Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken Breast from Trader Joe’s http://t.co/RXEKt9gnCp

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TheSaladArtist

"In the prepackaged salad section. This is a new find for me but I've had it 3 times in the last week. So good!" - youinreverse

11. Underrated: Spicy Cashew Butter Dressing

12. Underrated: Masala Simmer Sauce

Jar of Trader Joe's Marsala Simmer Sauce
amazon.com

There are no added sugars and it cooks up amazingly in the slow cooker.

"I hardly ever see it mentioned anywhere, and it is amaaaaazing. I need to stock up." - PeggyOlson225

  1. Underrated: Honey Aleppo Sauce

Use it to marinade salmon, pork chops, chicken. Also delicious paired with chicken nuggets.

14. Underrated: Blue Cheese and Pecan Dip

traderjoesreviews.com

"It sounded pretty unappealing to me. But a friend of mine got it and served it with corn chips at a get-together and I had to restrain myself from eating the whole bowl. It's AMAZING. Creamy and flavorful and complex. I have to get it very rarely because once I start eating it, it's hard to stop!" - MeghanBoBeghan

15. Underrated: Everything But The Bagel Nut Duo

Bag of Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Nut Duo against a wood background
ebay.com

I'm probably in the minority in that I have a bottle of Everything But The Bagel seasoning in my cupboard that has gone completely unused for years, but there's...there's some kind of magical crunch in this bag of nuts. There's almost some kind of crispy savory caramelization going on.

BuzzFeed

1. Overrated: Dried mandarins.

Bag of Trader Joe's Dried Mandarins
amazon.com

"Not bad, just really overhyped (imo) compared to all the other dried fruit which is all pretty great." - enigmaticowl

2. Overrated: PB Cartwheel Cookies

Candy Hunting @CandyHunting

Happy National Peanut Butter Cookie Day! Trader Joe's has new Peanut Butter Cartwheel cookies filled with peanut butter! One big problem: The actual cookie part is incredibly dry. Not 'crunchy cookie' dry, it's 'something is wrong here' dry. @traderjoes,… https://t.co/uC45acmGXA

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Candy Hunting

"From what I can tell, people seem to enjoy these but I just don't get it. I've never had a cookie that seemed simultaneously stale and also crumbled as easily as an off-brand saltine. And the taste is just lacking completely. It's like something pretending to be a cookie. AND for better or for worse, there are only nine of them in a box, which seemed a little light." - merricat_blackwood

3. Overrated: Cauliflower gnocchi.

4. Overrated: Jackfruit Fishcakes

Trader Joe's Vegan Crabless Jackfruit Cakes, served with lemon and parsley garnish
Trader Joe's

"I didn't care for jackfruit fishcakes. I like jackfruit, I like fish, I like cakes, but somehow the combination was not a hit." - fantaszja1

5. Overrated: The Kringle.

  1. Overrated: Organic Cold Brewed Hibiscus Tea & Lemonade Beverage

7. Overrated: The Queso

Jar of Trader Joe's Queso
amazon.com

"It's so acidic! After I ate it a few times I honestly thought I bought some dairy-free queso or something because it was just so bad." - madamuseman

8. Overrated: Mandarin Orange Chicken

9. Overrated: Chili Onion Crunch

Jar of Trader Joe's Chili Onion Crunch
ebay.com

"Chili onion crunch is the watered down, overrated version of Lao Gan Ma. It’s not spicy or salty and is nowhere near as good." - P0TaHoe

10. Overrated: Everything But The Bagel Seasoning

Bottle of Everything But the Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe's on a kitchen counter
ebay.com

"The only thing it tastes good on, in my opinion, is egg salad sandwiches lol." - Holly Towner

Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.

Tell us your most unpopular Trader Joe's opinion in the comments below!

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