Our Top 12 Trader Joe’s Finds for July
If you’re a Trader Joe’s fan, you know the excitement of the new product endcap. Every month there are rows of must-have items, neatly lined up like little (nautical) soldiers. It’s glorious—and dangerous—because you want to stuff your cart with everything in sight.
People go bananas when the new Trader Joe's finds hit shelves—as evidenced by our summer BBQ essentials list—and these just-launched July products are guaranteed to make a big splash at your Fourth of July party, and all summer long.
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12 Best Trader Joe's Finds for July
1. Lemon Pesto Sauce
If you haven’t listed to the podcast “Inside Trader Joe’s” yet, give it a listen. It’s chock-full of insider info, fun facts and taste tests of products. On the most recent episode, the hosts tried out this new Italian-inspired item: the Lemon Pesto Sauce. It's made with lemon, lemon rind and almonds instead of pine nuts, for a slightly different take on pesto. “It’s got a great balanced, slightly sweet, bitter, kind of nutty taste,” say the hosts. A few Reddit users are curious about this one, but nobody has been able to get their hands on it yet, as it drops in stores on July 3rd. We can't wait to use it to make the pasta salad they teased in the podcast.
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2. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
This is a new version of an old favorite, the red pepper hummus. And while the older version was a creamy, blended hummus (and the sales were declining), the new version has chopped roasted red peppers on top and a bright new label. Trader Joe’s podcast hosts said that the store is constantly trying to improve its offerings and make old products even tastier. One Reddit user shares their brilliant breakfast hack with this hummus: “Breakfast today: Roasted Red Pepper Hummus topped with pine nuts and fresh from the oven sourdough rye bread.”
3. S’Mores Ice Cream
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
A new frozen treat for summer, this one started off as a sweet cream ice cream with graham cracker pieces in it, but taste testers noted that the crackers were a bit soggy, so TJ went back to the drawing board. What they came up with was perfection: a graham cracker-flavored ice cream with marshmallows and swirls of chocolate. Reddit users seem to be split on this new find, with some saying they wish the pint had chunks of graham cracker, and some offering their hacks to take it up a notch: “Try it with the Midnight Moo Chocolate Syrup and you won’t even care that it doesn’t look like the picture.”
Trader Joe's Organic Midnight Moo Chocolate Syrup, 15.8 oz (Pack of 1)
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4. Organic Very Green Soup
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
Soup in the summertime? We know what you're thinking, but Reddit users are buzzing about this new find in the refrigerated case. Coconut milk and miso are the base of the soup. And the greens? That's a mix of spinach, kale and broccoli. "The coconut wasn't really noticeable and probably just kind of balanced everything out by adding a creamy element to it,” notes one user, while another says “I crumbled a bunch of Norwegian Crispbread into it and it gave it some nice texture. Kind of like a light-tasting cream of broccoli soup.”
Related: The 12 Trader Joe's Essentials for Your Fourth of July BBQ
5. Chocolate & Vanilla Bean Swirl Gelato
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
The sample line of this ice cream was long the day we were in TJ's, but this is another new frozen find that Reddit users are split on, with some saying the ingredient list is too long and some saying it’s a bit too sweet. A rich, airy combo of two classic flavors makes it a fave for some, though, with one user saying “As [an] employee of trader joe’s I can confirm that this is soo yummy.”
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6. Strawberry Lemonade Ice Bars
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
Do the flavors of summer shine any brighter than in something strawberry lemon flavored? We think not. These new frozen bars are made in Italy for Trader Joe's and eating them feels a little bit like being on vacation. Podcast co-host Tara Miller loved this bar, which has sweet strawberry in the center and tart lemon on the outside. “The flavors on this bar are so good," she says. "I imagine a really hot summer day, and this will hit the spot. I'm gonna take this off the stick, I'm gonna put it in a blender, and I'm gonna add a little vodka or maybe a little tequila.” Cheers to that!
7. Strawberry & Jalapeno Crisps
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
A relative of the popular Fig & Olive Crisps and Raisin Rosemary Crisps, TJ's Strawberry & Jalapeño Crisps are another returning summer product. They're crispy and crunchy with a little bit of chew. Fun fact from the podcast: When these are made, they make really tiny, really long loaves of bread, and then they slice them into the crisps so they look like little bread pieces. So cute!
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8. Chunky Garlic & Jalapeno Hot Sauce
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
People love this new hot sauce with a kick from brined jalapeño and garlic grown in Gilroy, CA (aka the Garlic Capital of the World!). Reddit users are putting it on everything from tacos to eggs to nachos with one commenting “Brings me back to the first time trying their Peri-Peri sauce. So Good! Definitely a new staple.”
Related: Trader Joe's Finally Debunks Myth About Its Small Parking Lots
9. Grilled Chimichurri Chicken Thigh Skewers
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
For an easy weeknight meal, pick up a pack of the new Chimichurri Chicken Thigh Skewers. Reddit users are saying that even though some of the chicken pieces are fatty, it may depend on how you cook these. “Fatty pieces aside they weren’t bad, I toasted a pita & drizzled some Zhong Sauce over them and it made a decent lunch,” said one commenter. "Made the chimichurri chicken skewers tonight! Paired them with sweet potato fries + Brussel sprouts," added another.
10. Passionfruit Rounds Fruit Snacks
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
The bright yellow package makes these new snacks hard to miss. Chewy, tart and sweet, they’re perfect for an on-the-go summer snack. “I really like these! Good passion fruit flavor, a nice balance of sweet and tart," says one Reddit user. "Plus the crunch of the seeds offers nice contrast!”
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11. Mango Chutney
This differs from the now-discontinued TJ's mango chutney because there's no ginger in this one. It’s just smooth, sweet mango all the way. The TJ podcast hosts describe it as an intense mango preserve and encourage shoppers to seek it out. You could, of course, add it to an Indian meal, but it also makes a tasty ice cream topper. Look for it in stores around July 17.
12. Mafalda Corta Pasta
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
This cute organic Italian pasta looks like tiny ruffly lasagna noodles and Reddit users are already dreaming up all sorts of delicious combos. “This would be awesome with the vegan butter or EVOO and the petite peas!” says one. Another user shared a picture of their meal, which was the noodles mixed with nutritional yeast and garlic salt.
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Next: Trader Joe's Releases Two New Summery Ice Cream Flavors
