6 Underrated Things to Buy at Trader Joes for under $5, According to a Food Writer

In the wide world of grocery stores, Trader Joe’s is its own happy little island. The quirky chain has set itself apart with recognizable branding and a shopping experience unlike that at larger, more traditional stores. It’s incredibly popular and busy. Seriously, the Trader Joe’s down the street from where I live is always—always—busy. And for good reason. The small shop has great prices, welcoming employees, very inexpensive wine and an inviting shopping experience.

What truly sets Trader Joe’s apart, however, is the high-quality and often-unique food. As a food writer and recipe developer, I love browsing through the aisles to discover interesting products or ingredients. (Pro tip: I avoid the elbow-room only crowds by shopping 20 to 30 minutes before they close on a random weekday evening.) While it’s worth regularly checking in on their seasonal products, there are a handful of things from Trader Joe’s I always keep well stocked in my home kitchen. 

You can get an assortment of nuts like almonds, pecans and peanuts at a very reasonable price. Even dried fruit is a good buy. Around the holidays, I’ll pick up turkey stock, crackers, cheeses and jams. For my kids, I like to buy Greek strained yogurt and the dark chocolate peanut butter cups (OK, maybe that one’s really for me). But I want to share with you my absolute favorite underrated things to buy at Trader Joe’s that all cost less than $5.

Note: Prices and availability may differ by location.

1. Unsweetened Coconut Chips

When it comes to trail mix and homemade granola, coconut is one of my go-to healthy mix-ins, and I love TJ’s unsweetened coconut chips. It’s essentially large unsweetened flakes of dried coconut, but the texture is pleasantly crisp and the flavor is all tropical coconut. I’ll use it as a topping for Sunday morning pancakes, sprinkle it on my green salad for lunch or grab a small handful for a snack. I can pick up an 8-ounce package from TJ’s for $2.49—typically less expensive than the comparable flakes I can find at my larger local grocery chains. 

2. Canned Fish & Seafood

Sure, you can find tinned fish and smoked seafood at other grocery stores, but Trader Joe’s has a great assortment at a very reasonable price. Their tuna (4 oz. for $2.49) is caught using hooks and nylon leads, which they say reduces by-catch, plus you can find it with or without salt and packed in oil or water. Use a can or two for a tuna salad or a casserole. But don’t stop at tuna. Try their other products like smoked oysters in olive oil (3 oz. for $3.49), sardines in olive oil (3.75 oz. for $2.49) and smoked trout in canola oil (3.9 oz. for $4.49). These all taste delicious on toast or crackers, topping a green salad or made into a spread or dip. 

3. Freeze-Dried Fruit

Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of being an astronaut. That’s odd because I was (and still am) terrified of amusement-park rides, so I’m not sure how flying in a spaceship would work. The real reason I wanted to be an astronaut was for the freeze-dried food. When I chomp into some freeze-dried blueberries, raspberries or tart cherries, it’s almost like eating that astronaut ice cream I had as a kid. Today I like to add some to my morning parfait, homemade granola and trail mixes. At TJ’s, the freeze-dried fruit is $3.99 for a 1.2-ounce bag. That package size may seem small, but they are packed with flavor and a little goes a long way. The freeze-dried tart cherries are my favorite. I especially love them ground to a fine powder and stirred into yogurt or even no-churn ice cream.

4. Seasonings

I am aware that Trader Joe’s seasonings may already be well known and even popular, but I need to rave about them a bit. Specifically, I use their seasoning blends for one very specific thing: popcorn. It’s my favorite snack, and while I’m a traditionalist with simple melted butter and salt, once in a while I get a little wild and add Pizza Sprinkle Seasoning Blend ($2.99), Ranch Seasoning Blend ($2.99) or Everything but the Elote Seasoning Blend ($1.99). And for breakfast or a midmorning snack, I love some whole-wheat toast topped with mashed avocado and a healthy sprinkle of Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend ($1.99).

5. Plantain Chips

Like popcorn, plantain chips are another one of my favorite snacks. The plantain chips from Trader Joe’s come from Peru, where the plantains are picked ripe and slightly sweet, sliced thin and fried in sunflower oil. What is a chip doing on a list like this? Well, aside from these plantain chips having a bit less saturated fat compared to most potato chips, they are also delicious for more than just snacking. I love roughly chopping a small serving of plantain chips and piling them on a simple dinner of brown rice and black beans with slices of avocado and some torn cilantro leaves. It’s a quick and delicious meal, and the plantain chips give it a satisfying crunch and unique flavor. Grab a 6-oz. bag for just $1.99.

6. Tandoori Naan

Of all the delicious frozen treats, dinners and sides at Trader Joe’s, my favorite is the Tandoori Naan. I made homemade naan for many years until I discovered that Trader Joe’s frozen naan is, well, better than mine. You simply pop it in a hot oven for a few minutes to reheat it and enjoy that pillowy soft, chewy toasty flatbread. It is perfect for scooping up a hot bowl of hearty vegetable dal or chickpea stew, and my family loves a quick weeknight naan pizza (even a Breakfast Naan Pizza). I wish there was a whole-wheat option, but since I typically pile on the fiber in my main dish I see no problem enjoying TJ’s tandoori naan. A 12-ounce package of 4 sells for $2.99.