Life
The Most Popular Trader Joe's Items Of 2015
We're all tired of 2015 roundups at this point, but what if that roundup were to include America's favorite supplier of Two Buck Chuck and single-person frozen foods? I'm speaking, of course, about the most popular Trader Joe's items of 2015 — and yes, of course it includes Cookie Butter. Because if there is one thing pretty much everyone loves, it's that.
If you're not blessed with the existence of a Trader Joe's nearby, let me begin with a little background. The quirky California-based grocery store is, at its core, an economically-feasible Whole Foods, offering a variety of organic and specialty foods at relatively low prices. As you can imagine, this makes it wildly popular among college students, single people, and small families — personally, I don't recommend ever setting foot in one on a Sunday afternoon for fear of being trampled. Each fall, the company asks consumers to vote for their favorite items in different categories, and the winners are released at the beginning of the new year.
So which items quashed their competition? Some products are old favorites, while others are a little more surprising in their popularity, but the list makes one thing clear: Trader Joe's customers maintain the kind of diet that we dreamed about having as children. You'll see what I mean when you take a look at the highlights from the list below.
1. Favorite Candy: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Runners up: Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds; Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels; Mini Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups; English Toffee
2. Favorite Frozen Food: Mandarin Orange Chicken
Runners up: Joe’s Diner Mac ‘n Cheese; 4 Chocolate Croissants; Extra Fine French Green Beans; Chicken Tikka Masala
3. Favorite Condiment: Organic Ketchup
Runners up: Green Dragon Hot Sauce; Sweet Chili Sauce; Sriracha and Roasted Garlic BBQ Sauce; Dijon Mustard with White Wine
4. Favorite Meat/Meatless Product: Soy Chorizo
Runners up: Chicken Sausage (all varieties); Uncured Apple Smoked Bacon; Meatless Meatballs; Traditional Carnitas
5. Favorite Cheese: Unexpected Cheddar Cheese
Runners up: Double Cream Brie; Cheddar Cheese with Caramelized Onions; Creamy Toscano Cheese Soaked in Syrah; Cranberry Chevre
6. Favorite Snack: World's Puffiest White Cheddar Corn Puffs
Runners up: Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips; Organic Corn Chip Dippers; Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels; Olive Oil Popcorn
7. Favorite Overall: Speculoos Cookie Butter
This is quite possible the least surprising result ever. Blessed be the creator of the cookie butter recipe.
Runners up: Mandarin Orange Chicken; The Trader Joe's Crew; Joe's Diner Mac 'n Cheese; Unexpected Cheddar Cheese
See what I mean about having a diet children would be proud of? You can take a look at the full list at the Trader Joe's website, and if you feel like trying to make your own cookie butter, give it a shot below.
For more recipe inspiration and ideas, check out Bustle on YouTube.
