Trader Joe’s stands out as a grocery destination that feels truly distinctive and endlessly intriguing. The store pushes seasonality to an extraordinary degree, and there’s no assurance that the exact item you came for will still be on the shelves. That unpredictability can be frustrating for some, yet it keeps the experience lively. In a world of routine grocery runs, that quality is something we genuinely appreciate about Trader Joe’s because it nudges us toward eating with the seasons and trying new things.
Now that autumn has officially begun, we eagerly treated ourselves to every seasonal offering we could find. Without further ado, these are the five items we simply could not walk past in the store, and what we thought about them.
- Pesto Chicken Breast
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This pesto-marinated chicken comes from Trader Joe’s prepared meats section, and we somehow hadn’t tried it before. Fortunately for us, it was a resounding success. While pesto can be easy to mess up, this version carries a lovely flavor we’d be happy to repurchase. Additionally, the way the chicken has been portioned into pieces makes it easy to cook through without drying out, which is a crucial factor since the protein is chicken breast.
To deepen the autumnal profile, we grilled the pieces to tilt away from the fresh, vibrant pesto notes and introduce richer hues from the grill’s char. The marinade could have benefited from a touch more salt, but apart from that, this ranks among the best marinated meats we’ve tried from Trader Joe’s.
- Chicken Sausage Ravioli
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This ravioli was actually highlighted to us by Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer as a seasonal recommendation. It’s a new item, and as enthusiasts of stuffed pastas for shaking up weeknight dinners, we were eager to try it. Unfortunately, it ended up being somewhat average for a store-bought ravioli. The chicken sausage flavor was subdued, and that weakness seemed to hinder the filling’s texture. Beyond the sausage, the filling was fairly bland aside from occasional fennel seed bursts. Moreover, the ravioli tended to come apart more than we’d like. We don’t anticipate purchasing this again.
- Sliced Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Bread
- Turkey Apple Cheddar Sandwich
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Overall, this sandwich was quite satisfying. The mustardy mayonnaise contributed a tangy note and added complexity to the bite. The combination of tender turkey, cheddar cheese, and apple slices came together to create a distinctly autumnal flavor. You can actually taste apple in every bite, even though the sandwich isn’t loaded with fruit. After all, apples and cheddar are a classic pairing. Our only real gripe was the bread—there was a bit too much of the multigrain roll. If it had been lighter bread, it would have been a more delightful bite.
- Leelanau Witches Brew
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Despite our ongoing quest to locate the viral apple pie and pumpkin spice wines at our local Trader Joe’s, they remained elusive. What we did find in abundance were bottles of Witches Brew. After reading the label, we had a clearer sense of what to expect.
We anticipated a very sweet wine, essentially a mulled-wine-inspired beverage with extra sweetness and spices, and that’s precisely how it tasted. It turned out to be a wonderful rendition of that style. If you dislike sweet wines or don’t expect something mulled-wine adjacent from a glass, you should probably skip it. We served it warm with whole spices and orange slices, which proved to be a convenient seasonal option—an easy shortcut to a drink we’d typically make this time of year anyway.
