There are many reasons why Trader Joe’s has an army of loyal fans, including its great customer service, affordable prices, and even its commitment to sustainability.
Trader Joe’s does, to its credit, have some great foods all year round, including the pumpkin spice mini sheet cakes and savory squash pastry bites that we are obsessed with right now. However, nobody is perfect, and Trader Joe’s sometimes also falls short.
To save people time and money, there are many places online that feature reviews on what foods to stay away from at Trader Joe’s, with the reviews being given by not only unhappy customers on platforms like Reddit, but also former employees too. And we’re going to talk about some of the ones that we keep seeing cropping up, so you can avoid them like the plague. From the “horrid” noodle bowls to the “vile” truffle ketchup, check out 16 of the worst culprits below. And don’t say we didn’t warn you…
1. Garlic Sauce Thai Noodle Bowls
One shopper called the Garlic Sauce Thai Noodle Bowls "horrid," and it seems like quite a few others feel the same way!
One person said they were "worst thing hands down that I have tried from TJ's. Couldn't stomach them, in the trash can they went." Someone else went on to say: "All of the noodle bowls were a disappointment." Ouch!
2. Pho
According to one shopper, Trader Joe's Pho "tasted like dirty water," while someone else asked: "How can this abomination stay on the shelves for so long?" Someone else said: "This is literally an insult to Vietnamese cuisine. It was so horrible I threw it all away after one bite."
"I just had this today and I agree 100%. This is a straight up scam. How is it possible they made the broth FLAVORLESS?" asked another confused shopper on Reddit. "Yuck! One sip and my face instantly scrunched up. The noodles were crunchy but I know I put it longer than the recommended time. Broth smelled decent but tasted like nothing. Meat was ok ish but wow. Overall just an awful awful product. I ate 2 spoonfuls and threw the rest away," wrote another.
3. Peanuts In A Pickle
One disgruntled shopper said that they're "hands down the worst thing I've ever tried from TJ's." And they weren't alone!
"So absolutely gross, by far the worst thing I've ever tried from there and I love all the pickle things normally," concurred another shopper.
4. Honey Walnut Shrimp
Stay away from Trader Joe's frozen Honey Walnut Shrimp "The sauce was so bad. I ended up just eating the shrimp plain," one shopper wrote. "The sauce is atrocious," another agreed.
5. Watermelon Jerky
"The watermelon jerky tasted like fish to me and made me gag," said one unhappy customer. Watermelon jerky should definitely *not* have a fishy taste, so we think we'll stay away from this one too!
"Easily the worst," one person wrote, as another said, "The texture was just... wrong." Someone else kept it short and not-so-sweet, adding: "Just nasty!" "AWFUL!" exclaimed another shopper, while someone else said it "smelled and tasted like wet hay!"
6. Original Joe's O's Cereal
There are many Trader Joe's cereals we love, but their unflavored Joe's O's Cereal is not one of them.
The writers at Real Simple say the OG version has a "stale, dry texture and excessively bland flavor." Ew!
7. Philly Cheesesteak Bao Buns
While the gnocchi, the macaroni and cheese, and the Chicken Tikka Masala are three of the most delicious frozen foods Trader Joe's has to offer (we've lost count of how many times we've purchased them!) not all of their frozen foods hit the mark.
And TJ's definitely missed the mark with their Philly Cheesesteak Bao Buns. According to DailyWaffle: "I rarely return things to Trader Joe's, though they have a great return policy, but these are going back. Friends don't let friends eat bad bao. Avoid, avoid, avoid." Say no more!
8. Cauliflower Pizza Crust
While this is one of the healthier options out there, coming in at just 80 calories, it sadly falls flat in the flavor department.
Real Simple describes it as "gross and soggy," which doesn't sound good. If you are craving a healthier pizza, they suggest opting for the Broccoli and Kale Crust as a better and more flavorsome option.
9. Cinna-Dragons
This was an unpopular item not just among shoppers, but among employees too!
"The cinna-dragons are my nemesis," one employee wrote, adding: "Just like, I already don't like cinnamon candy that much but they are so gooey and that artificial fireball cinnamon taste..."
"These stuck to my teeth so horribly. I hate them too," concurred another.
10. Vegan Shepherd's Pie
Vegan Shepherd's Pie is a tasty, filling meal that's perfect for the colder months; but we all know that it takes a while to prepare, and sometimes there's nothing as easy or convenient as buying a ready-made one. However, shoppers and employees want us to steer clear of the TJ's one and just make time in our week to make it from scratch.
"I tried it with my vegan coworker. I told her she deserved better and made her a delicious homemade one," wrote one person, as a second added: "This one was literally uneatable—not only did I throw it away, but I didn't eat dinner that night because I lost my appetite all together."
11. Protein Cheese Bites
The protein cheese bites should be avoided at all costs, according to the internet!
"They are the worst product I've ever had at my store. It tastes so bland and it's not worth the macros in my opinion," wrote one person on Reddit. Someone else added: "These were so bad, I tried to feed them to my dog, and even he didn't want it. And he eats poop!" Omg!
12. Vegan Mac & Cheese
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, vegan versions simply don't taste as good as the originals; and Trader Joe's Mac & Cheese is one of those things.
"Awful noodles in yellowish water with no flavor whatsoever," wrote one TJ's employee, while another said, "and that hint of coconut flavor really hammers home that I-just-barfed-in-my-mouth taste." Gross!
13. Pre-Made Sushi
Buying pre-made sushi from the grocery store is always going to be hit and miss – just ask Costco shoppers – but we somewhat foolishly still had high hopes for Trader Joe's sushi. Oh how wrong we were!
TJ's shoppers at Real Simple describe the rice as "way too sweet" while calling the fish "gummy at best." Yikes – we'll be sticking to sushi restaurants or even trying our hand at homemade sushi instead!
14. Truffle Ketchup
Fancy as it sounds, the truffle ketchup has consistently bad reviews, so we would recommend avoiding it like the plague!
"I did not like this at all," one TJ's customer said in a review, saying there was "something about the texture" that they didn't like. Someone else was even harsher, calling it, "absolutely vile." We hear you loud and clear!
"A crazy level of gross. I can't even describe it, it really just tasted like they took ketchup and added whatever ingredients necessary to make me not want to eat ketchup ever again," quipped another shopper.
15. Cauliflower Gnocchi
Another cauliflower product that doesn't hit the mark. Sure it's a good low-fat and low-calorie option, but as well as lacking in calories, it also lacks in taste, texture, and flavor.
"The cauliflower gnocchi were so awful even my dogs rejected them. And they will eat almost anything," wrote one reviewer. "It's terrible in my opinion," another person agreed. We'll be sticking to good old-fashioned potato gnocchi from now on!
16. Ranch Dressing
The ranch dressing at Trader Joe's unfortunately gets a huge thumbs down from shoppers, with one person calling it the "most disgusting thing you've had from TJ's" on Reddit.
Although Trader Joe's usually doesn't disappoint in the condiment department (the Creamy Vegan Dill Dressing is particularly tasty!) the ranch dressing seems to be one of the exceptions.
One Redditor said: "Their ranch dressing is seriously the worst thing I have ever eaten. I will sound like a broken record repeating this to save as many people as I can from buying it." Another agreed, adding: "It's an atrocity to ranch everywhere."
