Some Trader Joe's items are absolutely worth grabbing every time you're at the store (ahem, Buffalo Chicken Dip and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups). But, with the good comes the bad, and there are surprisingly tons of Trader Joe’s picks that don’t live up to the hype at all.
I took to where the real Trader Joe’s fans hang out (AKAr/traderjoes on Reddit) to dig further into the worst Trader Joe’s products around. From texture issues to weird tastes (or lack thereof), TJ’s shoppers truly did not hold back in their discussions.
Find the worst of all time Trader Joe’s buys below, and please, avoid them at all costs.
Trader Joe's
Japchae Korean Glass Noodles & Vegetable Stir Fry
“I was excited to try the frozen japchae but it was disappointing," one Redditor wrote. "So bland and watery.”
TJ's still currently sells this item for $3.49. You'll find it in the freezer section. It's made with glass noodles and a medley of stir-fried veggies like onion, spinach, carrot, and bell peppers.
Roasted Seasoned Brussels Sprouts
“Worst is the frozen parm Brussels," another Redditor brought up. "Those were horrible.”
The Brussels sprouts in question even inspired an entirely separate Reddit thread about how bad they were.
"Inedible," one person said. "Worst thing I’ve bought there."
"Maybe you got a bad bag?" another user suggested. "I make these all the time in my air fryer and I love them."
No matter where you stand with frozen veggies, I always stand by the fact that fresh ones will be way better than frozen ones, especially with an option as divisive as Brussels sprouts.
Trader Joe's
Calabrian Chili Spicy Pasta Sauce
“Calabrian chili sauce was like hot tomato soup,” someone noted.
The $5 sauce features a Calabrian chili hot sauce alongside a classic tomato base. TJ's also has it that this sauce includes a touch of honey to balance out the spice. TBH I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that...
Trader Joe's
Coconut Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate
“The coconut cold brew concentrate tastes like battery acid ✨️," one person said. "Yes, even when prepared as directed!”
Luckily, TJ's doesn't sell the coconut version of their cold brew concentrate anymore. If you dare to try it, you can find a bottle of the plain flavor for $9, which, according to Trader Joe's, makes 12 whole servings.
Chunky Guacamole with Greek Yogurt
“Who approved that, JAIL!” someone said about this no-longer-sold guac made with Greek yogurt.
Some users in a separate thread actually called it an "abomination."
"Why tf did they add yogurt 😭," one person wrote.
"It’s not comparable to real guacamole, but I love it just as a dip," another noted.
Trader Joe's
Cacio E Pepe Pasta Sauce
“The jarred cacio [e] pepe sauce tasted like dirty feet," one Redditor called out.
I feel like cacio e pepe is definitely overused as a flavor at this point, so I kind of understand the hate towards this Trader Joe's product. This pick is crafted using Pecorino Romano cheese made from sheep’s milk and "bold" black pepper. TJ's recommends trying it over ravioli or gnocchi, in white lasagnas, or over some steamed broccoli.
Trader Joe's
Mandarin Orange Chicken
“Unpopular because everyone seems to love them but the orange chicken,🤮” someone responded to a thread asking about the grossest TJ's products. I honestly am sad to see that some shoppers really don't like this frozen meal – it's been one of my faves for years and I personally have no complaints!
“Agree, it’s very gristly," one Redditor said. "Also dark chicken meat (leg, thigh) makes me gag.”
Shrimp Seafood Burgers
According to a Redditor, the TJ's Shrimp Seafood Burgers (no longer in stores) are “super fishy" and it can be hard to get over their "fishy smell.”
They also did not go over well with TJ's fans on this thread:
"I found these to be awful," someone said. "No amount of Old Bay and good butter could mask the fishy taste and aroma. The only good thing I can say about them is that they were cheap."
"They're not that great on their own, but do well enough in a shrimp taco or sushi roll in a bowl," one person offered.
"You have to doctor them because they seemingly have no flavor of their own," another user said. "I like them in the air fryer. Some people might find the texture weird though."
Beef Pho Soup
“AVOID THE BEEF PHO,” one passionate user wrote. Based on my research, it's due to a major lack of flavor.
People were totally fired up about this item when it first dropped:
"This is a straight up scam," one person said. "How is it possible they made the broth FLAVORLESS??"
"It’s so bland, with no noodles," another wrote. "I was expecting a been sprout packets or something as well. Worse than any instant ramen 10/10 regret not making cup of noodles."
"Bought once, took one bite and trashed it," someone else commented. "Worst buy yet."
Trader Joe's
Spaghetti Carbonara
Trader Joe's calls this frozen pasta the queen of comfort foods, but some shoppers fully disagree.
“The only thing to stay away from is the new carbonara pasta," one Redditor wrote. "Literally tasteless!!!”
"Too soupy for carbonara," another said. "Way more like Olive Garden Alfredo than anything else."
"I just had this for the first time and it was sooooooo bland," someone else agreed. "I added so much pepper just to make it edible. Will not buy again."
Cajun Style Alfredo Sauce
One Redditor wrote that this sauce was "one of the worst things I’ve ever eaten.”
Per this discussion, shoppers were left yearning for more flavor.
"I bought two jars thinking I would LOVE it. I ended up disliking it," one person commented. "There’s a spice that I can’t quite put my finger on that I didn’t enjoy. In my opinion, it’s not very spicy. In the future, I’d just get regular Alfredo and add my own spices."
"Just okay, I'd say," someone else agreed. "Less flavorful than I had hoped - I would def take the lemon Alfredo over this, I love that one."
Frozen Chicken Taquitos
"Filled with chicken mush,” is how many people described these frozen Trader Joe's taquitos.
This thread talking about the product shed a lot of light on the intricacies of the texture:
"I bought some and they are nasty," one person said. "The filling is like eating a hot booger with fake lime juice. The chicken is not like any chicken but more like mystery meat. They need a dip for sure. You will taste more tortilla than the filling thankfully. Costco sells some that are tons better and you get more."
"They’re filled with bland chicken paste," another person chimed in. "They used to have good beef taquitos, don’t know happened to those. But these chicken ones were barely edible."
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