Review & Release Histories of Trader Joe’s Foods, Snacks, Treats, Cookies, and Candies

Review

I microwaved this and it came out pretty good!

Most of the flavor comes from the included okonomiyaki sauce and little flakes of fish. Overall, it’s lightly fishy and umami-tasting with a mostly neutral cabbage and vegetable taste. I also really appreciate the small boost of sweetness from the sauce. Anyway, without any of this sauce, I feel like it would lack a lot of flavor and be blander than I’d like enough to buy again.

The composition of this “pancake” is pleasant—it’s soft, a little chewy, and reasonably thick. It seems to be made of mostly cabbage and other vegetables, which, when heated, give it an incredibly soft and thick mouthfeel texture.

Overall, this is decent, although there is nothing to really write home about.

Release Date

Released around May 2025. Found July 2025.

Review

This more or less feels similar to a fancy flatbread pizza you’d get at a restaurant. The crust is enjoyable, being lightly crunchy and soft, enough to be enjoyed by even pesky crust haters. Most importantly, it carries subtle flavors of cream, cheese, spinach, and meat. Overall, what sticks out the most is the creaminess, and coupled with the cheese, it comes out with amazing taste and mouthfeel.

Each flavor represented is distinct and represented well enough to be able to clearly differentiate each one. Those few pieces of spinach and meat, for example, despite there not being much of either, are flavorful enough to be appreciated. And just to be clear, none of these flavors are super strong or too much. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, this pizza isn’t at all greasy like others. It feels premium and is well worth a try.

Release Date

While I can’t find an exact release date, the earliest mention of this dates back to 2017. Found July 2025.

Review

Compared to the “Fully Cooked Falafel” that Trader Joe’s offers, these are much less flavorful and the texture is worse. They’re also notably smaller and are actually bite-sized.

Since they’re smaller, they have a much more fried, doughy-like taste with an extra crunch as you get more of that outer shell. Yes, it still mostly tastes like chickpeas, but it also doesn’t feel as seasoned as it ought to be because the fried taste gets in the way. And for some reason, these are pretty dry and require a sauce to balance it out. Last but not least, where is the pickle flavor? It’s hardly there! I really had to search for it!

These aren’t terrible; however, I’d just stick with their other version of falafel.

Release Date

Likely released around July 2022 and subsequently rereleased again in later years. Found July 2025.

Review

Review coming soon!

Release Date

Released July 2025. Found July 2025.

Review

Not sure what I expected, but these four waffles are on the smaller side. I suppose I’m used to the regular-sized (or are they large?) bubble waffles you find in shops that specialize in them. Anyway, the directions say to air fry or microwave them, so I suppose it’s how you want it: crunchy or soft.

We chose to microwave these.

These are as if pancakes and mochi had a kid. They’re soft, kind of flabby, and have a little chewiness with some pull, as well as consisting of a pleasant buttery dough taste. They pair very well with almost anything, from whipped cream to ice cream to frosting.

If I had to redo it, I’d throw it in the air fryer for a bit. I also don’t feel they are that great by themselves.

Release Date

Released June 2024. They may have been discontinued at some point and released again in June 2025. Found June 2025.

Review

Unlike what the packaging displays, I didn’t find any valleys of syrup nor any maple flavor. That aside, in summary, these are nothing more than balled pancakes. Doughy, buttery, and sporting the iconic pancake taste. It’s soft, perfectly moist, and reasonably dense on the inside, and the sweetness falls around your typical, moderately sweet pancake.

So yeah, balled pancakes. They’re good with syrup, Nutella, powdered sugar, or whatever else you want to pair them with.

Release Date

Reviews date back to around 2021, with mentions of them throughout the years. Found June 2025.

Review

This feels and tastes more or less like your traditional falafel. It’s mildly seasoned with the correct Middle Eastern spices, and its texture is on the drier, more crumbly side. If anything, it doesn’t taste as fresh as one you’d find at a store or restaurant, but for something that was frozen, it’s a pretty good rendition.

That’s really it—accurate, to-the-point frozen falafel! We cooked them in the air fryer, for reference, though I imagine it’s about equally good in the microwave too.

That aside, this pairs well with several sauces and, of course, in a wrap or sandwich—they were difficult to eat by themselves because of how crumbly they were, and to me, I kept thinking, “I need something with this or on something.”

Release Date

While I’m not sure of an exact release date, reviews date back to 2013.

Review

I’ve had this before at restaurants, and more or less, it’s very similar, albeit not as fresh-tasting.

We cooked this in an air fryer, and it came out great! For a frozen cheesy bread, it hits the mark, with a perfectly good texture of a soft-crunchy outside with a soft, doughy inside. Flavor-wise, it’s somewhat of a bitter cheese, and I also can’t figure out what cheese they’re using either. This would pair well with a touch of spiciness or even a sauce—although I’m not precisely sure which one. At the very least, it’s good as a side or snack!

Update: We tried these microwaved and found them to be equally tasty, if not better. They’re soft without being mushy and the flavor is just as good!

Release Date

While a release date is not clear, mentions of its debut date back to September 2020. Found June 2025.

Review

Fairly sweet, chocolate-based ice cream with a bit of traditional s’mores flavor alongside it. It also has small chocolate and marshmallow chunks that add to the flavor and texture. The texture overall is standard ice cream. I do wish parts of the s’more, such as the graham cracker and marshmallow, came through more.

Release Date

Released June 2023, exclusive to Trader Joe’s. Found August 2023.

Review

Very standard and typical southwest seasoning mixed in with some regular-tasting meat and vegetables. It’s slightly spicy and mostly unoffending. Basically, this is what you’d find at some cheaper Tex-Mex restaurants that serve quesadillas; you need some sauces and stronger spices to really elevate this. The cooking was also a bit awkward and uneven, as the tortillas are thin, and most of the contents are bulked in the center.

Release Date

Released around November 2021. Found August 2023.

Review

The cone is so gooey, sticky, and sweet; I really love it, and it definitely resembles a Florentine-type cannoli/pastry! What I especially really love is also how super thick and nicely chewy it is—it feels like you’re eating a soft, thick cannoli when you bite in—it collapses into the thick ice cream-like cheesecake filling, yielding a wonderful combined mouthfeel and eating experience.

The overall flavor is from the sugary sweet, slightly nutty shell. The inside isn’t a slouch either, as it feels and tastes like a mildly sweet cheesecake ice cream. Together it’s such a wonderfully complementary combo and balances each other well!

In summary, I just love the texture of these cones. I can’t emphasize how thick and chewy they are, not to mention the sweetness! Then you’re left with the cold cream in the center… Ahh, so tasty, especially when the soft, gooey cone collapses into the thick cream—so darn good!

Release Date

It may have been rereleased around May 2022 after being discontinued for some time. Found August 2023 and then again in July 2025.

Review

A little bitter, semi-sweet, black tea-flavored ice cream with just a hint of brown sugar. There’s a good amount of chewy, tasty boba mixed in as well. I wish it were on the milkier and sweeter-tasting side; then again, it wouldn’t be black tea then!

Release Date

Released March 2022. Found August 2023.

Review

The ice cream as a whole tastes like a creamy banana with almost a hint of graham cracker taste in every bite. Overall, it tastes a lot as advertised and isn’t overly sweet. The graham cracker pieces add a little bit of texture; although the little bits aren’t crunchy as they’re small and soggy, they are noticeable and a nice addition.

Release Date

Released sometime in 2022. Found August 2023.

Review

If you took almond milk and added a hint of blueberry and lavender, this is it. There’s nothing overbearing about the flavor; it’s simply noticeable and very pleasant. If you’re into sweet drinks, this isn’t for you.

Release Date

Exclusive to Trader Joe’s. Unsure when it was released. Found April 2023.