Trader Joe's Just Brought Back This Discontinued Seasoning, But Fans Say There's Still Something Missing

Trader Joe's has shown it isn't afraid to bring back products fans adore with the recent return of its apple cider donuts, and the grocer has proved it yet again by reintroducing the lemon pepper seasoning to store shelves after it disappeared seemingly for good back in 2022. This time around, each bottle is 2.5 ounces and priced at $2.49 — a competitive price tag when compared to similar products. The lemon pepper is sure to be a useful seasoning for making sheet-pan dinners taste gourmet, but longtime shoppers have noted the returning product is missing the grinder that was built into its previous bottle.

For those unaware, the Trader Joe's product used to come with unground black peppercorn, sea salt, dried onion, and dried lemon rind; all of which could be freshly crushed as needed using the built-in grinder. This new version of the seasoning comes in shaker bottles containing pre-ground ingredients — a decision that has disappointed some customers. "That grinder was the best! I still miss it all these years later. I hope the seasoning tastes the same," wrote one Redditor.

The lack of a grinder has led consumers to reminisce about the original version of the product online, but there's still plenty to like about the new iteration. For starters, the inclusion of real lemon peel has impressed people since similar products sometimes attempt to emulate lemon flavor rather than rely on actual lemon. "Lemon pepper that actually has lemon peel in it? Sign me up," praised one Redditor. "Most store brand varieties have citric acid and yellow no. 5 lake, sometimes lemon oil, but no lemon peel." Many people will be happy to know there is still no sugar in the seasoning, which is yet another ingredient frequently found in store-bought lemon pepper blends that consumers can't stand.

Other people are simply excited to put a lemon pepper blend they trust to good use in the kitchen. Whether it's to be put on bagels, chicken salad, vegetables, shrimp, or popcorn; this lemon pepper seasoning can easily become a pantry staple if you're willing to experiment with it. You can even pair this item with one of the fiery seasoning blends available at Trader Joe's to incorporate an interesting mix of sour and spicy flavors into your favorite dishes.