The 3 Best New Trader Joe’s Finds I Bought in April

My neighbors and I have a regular Wednesday night meet-up we call “driveway hangs.” We meet up in one driveway or another, let the single kid among us run around as we take turns entertaining him, have a beer, and eat snacks. 

Since I spend a fair amount of time trying out new Trader Joe’s releases, I am on snack duty and bring whatever new items I picked up that week for the group to try. They get free snacks and I get free opinions—it’s my very own test group. It helps to have the reactions of a variety of people before declaring my favorites each month.

There were a number of new items that popped up in April, and I did my darndest to try them all. Without further ado, here are my favorite new items released over the last month that you’ll still find available at a Trader Joe’s near you. Give them a try and share them with your neighbors!

1. Trader Joe’s Milk Chocolate Covered Honeycomb Candy ($3.99)

I love honeycomb candy. I’ll pick up chocolate-covered honeycomb whenever I see it, and I sometimes make it at home during the holidays. It has the most wonderful airy, crunchy texture and caramelized flavor.

So when I came across bags of the stuff hanging from a display at TJ’s, I snatched a bag so fast I nearly took the whole display down with it. I pulled this treat out at my last neighbor hangout and everyone loved it. I’m a die-hard dark chocolate lover and even I couldn’t get enough.

It’s a good price for honeycomb candy, which tends to be on the pricey side, and it comes in a nice resealable bag. I’ll be picking up more in the future.

2. Trader Joe’s Savory Squares ($3.99)

I had my doubts about this little box. It promises so much: vegan, gluten-free, cheddar-style, nut and seed flours. That’s… a lot. As soon as I cracked this box open and my husband and I took a nibble, though, we were hooked.

They taste like a more sophisticated Cheez-It, with a light and crisp texture and a genuine cheddar-like flavor. I’m not sure how the TJ’s wizards did it, but they did.

These are very easy to inhale on their own and don’t really need any accompaniment, but you could certainly serve them with a spread of some kind. The Trader Joe’s site recommends crushing them up and using them to bread chicken, which is so wacky it’s probably delicious.

3. Trader Joe’s Stir Fry Veggie Blend ($3.49)

When I need a quick meal, I frequently fall back on stir-fry. The possibilities are endless, with lots of options for vegetables, protein, and sauces. The only part of the process that takes any real time is the prep; specifically, chopping all of those veggies. That’s why I snagged this bag during my last trip.

I loved the mix of veg—napa cabbage, bok choy, snow peas, and broccoli—and the freedom to have a variety like this without having to buy a whole cabbage. I was also a bit shocked by how much time I saved by not washing and chopping vegetables. I paired the veggies with cubed, marinated tofu, a simple stir-fry sauce, and rice, but they'd be great with noodles, in soup, and more.