10 Trader Joe’s Items Fans Are Obsessed With
July 29, 2025
The Holy Grails You Need to Try Before They Sell Out
How Trader Joe’s Became a Cult Brand
Remember when grocery chains were dry and predictable? Enter Trader Joe’s: quirky nautical decor, crew members in Hawaiian shirts, ultra‑affordable private labels, and a rotating menu of cool finds.
They’ve marketed themselves to “over‑educated, under‑paid” shoppers since the 1970s and now boast nearly 600 stores, with most inventory being TJ-brand exclusives.
That constant churn—new items every week, holiday specials, culty snack drops—keeps fans checking in for their foodie fix.
Top 10 Sell‑Out Stars (2025 Customer Choice Winners)
These are the top honor rolls from the 16th Annual Customer Choice Awards. Each has its own die‑hard fanbase:
1. Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips 🔥
These crunchy little scrolls are chaos in the best way—spicy, citrusy, and totally snackable.
Crowned Best Snack and Best Overall. They’ve topped the charts four years straight and are officially TJ royalty. So addictive that they’re now in the Trader Joe’s Product Hall of Fame.
2. Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings 🍜
These dumplings are cozy, savory, and somehow feel like takeout without the delivery fee. Add chili crisp and you’ve got a five-star lunch in minutes.
Freezer-friendly, super flavorful, and a TikTok fave among quick-at-home frozen meals.
3. Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese (Limited) 🧀
TJ’s seasonal MVP. Creamy, savory, and a little sweet.
Fans wait all year for this one, so don’t sleep on it.
4. Kimbap 🍱
Call it Korean sushi or the ultimate snack roll—either way, this one disappears fast.
It’s lunchbox-worthy, TikTok-famous, and somehow always sold out when you want it most.
5. Vegetable Fried Rice 🍚
A weeknight lifesaver. Add an egg, toss in leftover veggies, or eat it straight from the pan—we don’t judge.
It’s fast, flavorful, and always hits the spot.
6. Cashel Blue Cheese Irish Potato Chips (Limited) 🥔
Won the Best New Product category, with true blue cheese lovers claiming they'd trade their “first born” for these chips.
Potato meets posh. These salty, tangy blue cheese chips were an instant fan fave, combining Ireland’s two best exports into one dangerously snackable bag. Back next holiday season, so mark your calendar.
7. Spiced Cider (Limited) 🍎
Fall in a bottle. Sip it warm or cold, spike it if you’re feeling extra, and enjoy the seasonal serotonin boost.
Can’t find it? Their sparkling apple cider is a solid backup.
8. Goat Cheese 🧀
Soft, tangy, and endlessly spreadable. Whether crumbled on salads or smeared on toast, TJ’s goat cheese lineup always delivers. There’s a reason it keeps winning.
With Unexpected Cheddar in the Hall of Fame, goat cheese stepped up as the go‑to favorite in the cheese aisle.
9. Teeny Tiny Avocados 🥑
Small but mighty. Perfect ripeness, zero waste, and ideal for solo guac nights. These lil’ guys have a cult following for a reason.
These minis beat out bananas this year—and people actually plan trips around picking them up.
10. Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip 🧄
Basically a cheat code for parties (or solo snack attacks). Dunk, spread, or toss it into pasta. Honestly, it’s vegetables pretending to be junk food—and we’re not mad.
11. Hashbrowns 🍳
Crispy, golden, and toaster-friendly. These hashbrowns turn your kitchen into a diner—and yes, they’re that good with eggs.
12. Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice 🍗
Rich, spiced, and fully satisfying. This dish tastes way too good to come from a microwave. TJ’s nailed the comfort meal formula with this one.
Repeat winner for Lunch & Dinner—rich, flavorful, microwave‑friendly comfort food.
13. Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches 🍦
Soft cookies + creamy ice cream + chocolate chips = dangerous levels of joy. These are freezer gold—buy two, because one won’t last.
Voted top dessert two years running.
Why These Products Are So Coveted
Limited runs? Galactic hype. Holiday or seasonal—buttery cookies or blue cheese chips—sell out fast.
Repeat winners = Hall of Fame status: No more awards, but forever beloved.
Reddit lovers call them “holy grail”’s, like Garlic Spread Dip, hash‑browns that vanish, and Chili & Lime chips that inspire panic buying if shelves go bare.
What Devoted Fans Also Rave About
Reddit threads shine light beyond awards:
“The Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups… so popular they were retired from the store’s Customer Choice Awards and placed in the Product Hall of Fame.”
“The versatile Garlic Spread Dip.”
“Affordable 99‑cent greeting cards… Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen… flowers…”
It's not just food—sunblock, floral bundles, and greeting cards have cult followings too.
Pro Tips & Hacks
Snack angels: Fans say pairing Chili & Lime Chips with something dull—like cottage cheese—is actually genius to tone down the heat.
Dip can double as a pasta sauce shortcut: Spinach & Artichoke Dip doubles as a decadent pasta sauce.
Heat freezer meals wisely: Soup dumplings, Butter Chicken, and Gnocchi shine in air-fryer or microwave hacks.
Seasonal timing: Spiced Cider, chips, and holiday mac & cheese vanish quick—head to the store in September–November.
Is It Worth the FOMO?
Absolutely. Trader Joe’s fans don’t just shop—they collect. These products can disappear quickly. They get talked up, so when you finally snag one? Pure gratification.
Next time a post drops about Trader Joe’s Holy Grail Items, you'll know to grab them immediately.
Happy scrolling—and stash a bag of Chili & Lime Chips next to your screen. You’ll thank me later. 😉
