Fancy Hot Pockets, an Iconic Italian Dessert, and More: The Best New Trader Joe’s Groceries for June, According to a Former Employe

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Credit: Wendy Granger

It’s almost hard to remember that Trader Joe’s supplies more than just adorable mini totes. Lest we forget, it also keeps churning out edible (and equally adorable) hits, too.This month’s shop bombarded me with all things spring. That being said, I was also excited to see plenty of new items that branched out from those typical spring flavors. (“Strawberry and lemon? For spring? Groundbreaking.”) Some of these items will become new favorites, and a couple are better off being left on the shelf. Let’s get into it.

The Best (and Worst) New Trader Joe’s Groceries This June

Credit: Mackenzie Filson

1. Garlic Shrimp Chips, $3.99 for 3.5 ouncesRelated: Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts

In truth, I go to my local Asian market for shrimp chips alone. Do I end up with just shrimp chips by the end of my shop? Absolutely not. Trader Joe’s just released their own take on this delectable chip, and it just might have earned a spot on my list of my favorite TJ’s snacks of all time.These shrimp chimps are airy and light; they’re loaded with ground shrimp and fried to a crisp, which gives them a texture reminiscent of a vegetable chip (or veggie straws) versus a potato chip. Best of all, the addition of the garlic, to me, makes these taste all the shrimp-ier; it maximizes the savoriness of this puffy, crunchy treat, and facilitates my hand reaching back into the bag until I have to scheme another TJ’s run.

Credit: Mackenzie Filson

2. Uncured Ham & Swiss Cheese Pockets, $4.99 for 6 ounces

If you are what you eat, I definitely was a ham and cheese Hot Pocket for much of 1996 to 1999. So I know a good ham and cheese sandwich in all its many forms. These delicious ham and cheese-stuffed croissants are all the buttery and rich nostalgia from the dial-up internet times, but made French patisserie-style fancy and with plenty of bite from the Swiss cheese.One shatteringly crispy bite took me waaaaay back — so far back that I texted my mom and asked her if Trader Joe’s stole her recipe for ham and cheese mini quiches she used to make for Tupperware parties. I am now asking her where my boom box is. What is this sorcery?

Credit: Mackenzie Filson

3. Brioche-Style Pancakes, $3.99 for 9.88 ounces

At least three times during a Trader Joe’s run, I spot an item that begs me to say, “Um, that’s silly; gotta try that.” No surprise, I slam-dunked these shelf-stable brioche-style pancakes right into the Silly Corner of my cart during my most recent shop.

To be fair, these are just plain delicious pancakes. But I’m not sure I would have placed anything brioche-inspired about them, outside of maybe seeming a bit more rich and eggy? Either way, you can eat these lightly sweet and fluffy pancakes immediately or heat them up and you’ll have a truly homemade-tasting pancake on your hands.

Most importantly, they are very cute — two portable pancakes you could just put in your pocket (there are two silver dollar-sized pancakes per individual package). You might feel too powerful with all that pancake power, but I think you deserve it.

Credit: Mackenzie Filson

4. Lemon Tiramisu, $5.99 for 13.05 ounces

Let me cut right to the bittersweet chase: These in no way remind me of any tiramisu of any kind. And that’s OK! One can live in the lemony in-between of this creamy, layered dessert. Does it make these any less delectable? Absolutely not.

Personally, I was looking for a boozy backbone (like Trader Joe’s classic version of the Italian dessert). Still, I was impressed even when I came up with no limoncello bite in my spoonful. It’s rich and fluffy, with plenty of tartness from a layer of lemon curd. The cakey biscuit soaks up all that sunshiney lemon brightness.

Credit: Mackenzie Filson

5. inBianco Sangiovese, $9.99 for 750 mL

Do not adjust your phone or computer’s color settings; this is in fact a white Sangiovese! And it’s seriously, genuinely good! I love a traditional tannic Sangiovese — it’s my usual “pizza wine.” So I was excited to see this white expression because it’s something I’ve quite literally never seen before. (And I was a wine buyer at Trader Joe’s!)This white Sangiovese is made with the same grapes, but harvested earlier than its red expression, and pressed without its skins so there’s no tannins or red color. The result? A crisp, bright, fruit-forward wine that made me immediately think that I was drinking peach nectar out of a flower petal like a little fairy (as one does).

My local Trader Joe’s wine guy and I nerded out hard over this bottle, both nearly squealing like we unearthed a rare Pokemon card. Thankfully, the taste really merits all the squealing, too.

Plus, 2 to Skip

Credit: Mackenzie Filson

1. Main Squeeze Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, $10.99 for 25.4 ounces

A single source is usually what I look out for when shopping for olive oil. This variety is more triple-source, blending oils from Tunisia, Spain, and Italy, which can often denote a less-than-fresh oil and often yields a flavor that’s less complex. Is this olive oil bottle worth the squeeze? I’d say … perhaps not.

Credit: Mackenzie Filson

2. Red White & Blue Cookie Bites, $4.99 for 10 ounces

These taste like candles. There’s really no way around it; no eloquence or vamping I can employ for these confusing cookies. And not just one kind of candle, either — the yogurt-y icing coating of these vanilla cookies is supposed to taste like three distinct fruits, but manages to feel like I am eating waxy bits of birthday candles and just regular ol’ scented candles. Such potential! But only candle-flavor remains. That is all.

Which new Trader Joe’s item are you most excited about? Tell us in the comments below.

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