This month, Bishop’s foodies take on Trader Joe’s. TJ’s has been a staple in the lives of every person who lives in the Bay Area. They recreate favorites, put fun twists on classics, and create new, unique snacks that hit the spot every time. For this month, two foodies chose 4 snacks each, tried them, and offered an honest review. These reviews are designed to create the ultimate guide to Trader Joe’s snacks, whether you have a sweet tooth or crave a more savory snack. 

The first round of snacks was chosen by a new foodie, Sam, who brought Peanut butter cups, Everything But Bagel Seasoning chips, Maple pancake snaps, and Baked Cheese Crunchies. With a perfect ratio of sweet and salty, the foodies decided to dig into the sweet end of the snacks. They started with peanut butter cups. To put it frankly, these cups were a hit. They have a perfect ratio of sweet and salty, and the peanut butter is creamy and rich. The peanut butter is coated in a perfect layer of dark chocolate and even our resident dark chocolate hater Orelia Oiknine ‘23 noted that  “I hate dark chocolate, but it low-key works.” Working their magic, these peanut butter cups can turn even a dark chocolate hater sweet. The next snack was maple pancake snaps. These cookies were buttery, crunchy, and had a perfect hint of maple. It was a very sweet cookie and almost tasted like a variation of a graham cracker. Some people felt as though the sweetness was too powerful and that the flavors were not balanced well enough. This snack was not as popular with the foodies but the consensus was that if you have a sweet tooth, this is the snack for you. 

Next, the foodies dug into the savory snacks. They began with Everything But the Bagel chips. The garlic and onion powder are extremely prominent, but the taste isn’t super clear. The chip itself is crunchy, not too greasy, has good crisp, and is baked well. In the lab, the foodies were undecided about whether the chip provoked an immediate addiction or extreme hatred. Nevertheless, they are up for further discussion. Continuing with the savory snacks, the foodies tried one of the most hyped Trader Joe’s snacks of all time; the Baked Cheese Crunchies. Some may say that these cheesy corn-based snacks are the same as Cheetos, but here at Bishop O’Dowd, the foodies believe they are superior. They are the perfect amount of cheesy, crunchy, and baked (they clearly live up to the name). They are simply delicious and can be eaten on any occasion. 

Now, it’s Amia’s turn. For her snacks, we started out with the classic power berries. These chocolate-covered pomegranate and berry jam pieces perfectly mix tartness and sweetness. The chocolate was not too sweet and did not overpower the snack but it added a nice crunch. The fruity inside had a jammy texture that paired perfectly with the chocolate. If you’re searching for the perfect portable snack, perhaps one to munch on as you drive or something to bring to a picnic, this is the snack for you. After power berries, the foodies dug into the chocolate chip cookie dunker. This is essentially a stretched-out chocolate chip cookie with its back dipped in chocolate. The shape makes it the perfect cookie to dunk in a glass of milk, hence the name and it lives up to this title. The cookie melts perfectly in milk but not enough to fall apart and will ensure you get the perfect milk and cookie ratio. Next, the foodies tried another cookie, a unique take on Oreos. This was a peanut butter-filled and coated Oreo cookie drizzled with chocolate. Rich, creamy, and thick were all the best ways to describe this treat. The cookie is sweet and melts perfectly in your mouth. Although delicious, the foodies agreed that at most, one would only be able to eat 2 at a time because of how heavy they are. However, if you have a sweet tooth and love peanut butter, this is the perfect cookie for you.

The next snack the foodies tried deserves its own paragraph. The Trader Joe’s Takis have been a sensation. They quickly became a hit when they were launched back in 2022. A more subtle take on the popular chip Takis, this snack of rolled tortilla chips coated in powdered chile and lime stole the heart of every teenager in the Bay Area, including Bishop’s Foodies. Though the foodies did note that the chips could use a bit more spice, they loved the amount of crunch and felt that most of the flavors came through very well. These are the perfect summer snack and had the foodies reaching for more and more. The whole bag was finished in 15 minutes, an incredible sign for the harsh food critics at Bishop O’Dowd.

Overall these Trader Joe’s snacks were delightful! This experiment made it very clear why Trader Joe’s has risen to such high levels of popularity. Each snack the foodies tried had its own character and wonderful flavors. Therefore, Bishop’s Foodies rates Trader Joe’s snacks a 10/10 and highly recommends buying some. For summer picnics, lunch by the pool, or long drives chasing the sun, these snacks gave the Foodies flavors that had them fantasizing about a summer of food and fun. Till next time, Bishop’s Foodies.