11 Trader Joe's Finds That Employees Say You Should Buy

Workers at Trader Joe's are a cheery bunch, aren't they? While there's no truth to the rumor that TJ's employees are flirting with you, there's no denying that they are, on the whole, friendlier and more outgoing than you'll find at other supermarket chains. What's more, they often have plenty of recommendations for you, whether you're looking for a fun new snack or a satisfying frozen dinner.

If you go to a Trader Joe's (after braving the perpetual nightmare that is TJ's small parking lots) and ask an employee yourself, you're bound to get some valuable feedback. But thanks to the wonders of social media (which, for once, we're not saying sarcastically), you can get the opinions of Trader Joe's employees from all across the country, pointing you in the right direction — or, at least, in whatever direction has the best munchies. Going through the usual channels of Reddit and TikTok, we've gathered 11 Trader Joe's products employees themselves say will brighten your day.

You know a product is a banger when it has an exclamation point at the end. Yes indeed, Trader Joe's has gone bananas (B-A-N-A-N-A-S), and once you pop one of these frozen banana slices coated in dark chocolate in your mouth, you'll be right there with them. "The chocolate covered banana slices in the frozen section are to die for," shared one TJ's employee on Reddit. And we mean, it's one banana. What could it cost? 10 dollars? (It's actually $2.99 for an 8-ounce box, which is a pretty terrific deal.)

If your recent visit to a Chinese restaurant left you craving those juicy, flavorful xiao long bao that practically burst in your mouth, you're in luck at Trader Joe's. Whether you get the chicken dumplings or the ones filled with pork and ginger, they're more than worth your while — a 6-ounce box will cost you $3.49.

"My favorite lunch/snack food is Pork or chicken soup dumplings in the frozen section. 2 mins in the microwave, they are perfect, especially when smothered in Yuzu hot sauce! [sic]" raved one employee. It may seem like gushing, but hey, these dumplings will gush plenty of soup in your mouth to match.

Salt, as you may know, enhances the flavor of virtually everything it touches — especially chocolate. That's why these Sea Salt Brownie Bites, sold in eight-piece containers (that aren't nearly big enough), are so delightful — each 6-ounce package costs just $2.99.

"Been a bit since I was a crew member, but if the world was ending tomorrow I would eat every single one of the Sea Salt Brownies I could find," said one former Trader Joe's employee (via Reddit). Now there's someone who has their priorities straight.

As the label on the Trader Joe's bottle helpfully indicates, yangnyeom sauce strikes a balance between sweet, spicy, and umami, with a combination of molasses, gochugaru chile flakes, and soy sauce. Originating in a Korean fried chicken restaurant, this condiment is a perfect accompaniment to just about any kind of meat. One employee simply said, "Yangnyeom sauce, my king," followed by the crown emoji. We couldn't have said it better ourselves. You can grab a 15.5-ounce bottle for $3.99.

Like Gone Bananas!, these miniature ice cream cones are another frozen dessert from Trader Joe's with an excited exclamation point in the name — and they're seriously delicious. Whether you're getting them in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee, chocolate chip, or peppermint flavor for the holidays, these chocolate-coated treats are one of the must-buy TJ's items for first time customers and routine shoppers alike. If you can't decide which $3.99 box of eight mini ice cream cones to buy, don't fret. "Hold The Cone, all flavors are great," said an employee.

Soy Chorizo, in addition to being Spanish for "I am chorizo," is a favorite vegan TJ's food. It's one of the beloved items in the Trader Joe's Product Hall of Fame, after all. It turns out employees are big fans of this soy-based sausage, too. "Hands down the best," said one commenter in a r/tjcrew Reddit thread in response to another who referred to it by the catchy nickname of "soyrizo." The price of a 12-ounce package is just $2.99.

Now, you may be wondering what could possibly be so sublime about these Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches. Do they transform directly from a solid to a gas? Are they part of a well-loved ska punk band? Nope — these are just really, really good ice cream sandwiches, made from chocolate chip cookies with more miniature chocolate chips studding the vanilla ice cream filling. "I have yet to try an ice cream sandwich as good as that one omg," said one Redditor.

Chocolate and peanut butter are two great tastes that taste great together – as the series of vintage Reese's commercials famously advertised. It only makes sense for Trader Joe's to make a trail mix out of the same flavors. Into a bag of cashews and almonds, TJ's has thrown an assortment of salty-sweet snacks, including mini peanut butter cups, tiny chocolate chip cookies, and pretzel sticks — the 12-ounce package costs $5.99.

When a TikTok user asked a Trader Joe's employee their three favorite products, the employee reached for this first, swearing on their own mother that the snack belonged that high on the list. We certainly won't argue with that.

Glass noodles? Well, that doesn't sound very pleasant, does it? But don't worry — these frozen noodles, which cost $3.79 for about a 10-ounce portion, don't actually have any glass in them. (Various kinds of Trader Joe's fried rice, on the other hand, were once recalled in March 2026 for possibly containing glass shards.) 

This veggie stir fry, featuring bell peppers, carrots, onions, and spinach, is served with thin, delicate noodles made from sweet potato. It's a favorite of customers and employees alike. One Trader Joe's employee on TikTok raved about them: "Whenever we don't have it, I'm literally so heartbroken."

This perennial Indian restaurant favorite is done well by Trader Joe's, which pairs it with a serving of basmati rice — the 12.5-ounce meal costs $4.49. Anyone who likes their chicken savory and saucy will get something out of this frozen entree. 

A TikTok user who solicited the opinions of Trader Joe's employees in Foxborough, Massachusetts, shared this: "From Johnathan, he said this one knocked his socks off." The Tiktoker added that her daughter agreed, although she found it a little spicy — presumably because she's from Massachusetts.

You can have hundreds, maybe thousands, of different ice cream products in your life, and you still may never find one that tops the ice-cold orange creamsicle you got by the pool that one summer when you were eight. Trader Joe's doesn't profess to try (not least because these are tangerine and not orange), but these sweet, lightly tart treats are a clear success all the same. The Tangerine Cream Bars – which come in a box of six for $3.79 — were recommended to that same Massachusetts-based TikTok user by another Foxborough Trader Joe's employee, this one named "Sarah with an H." And when has Sarah with an H steered you wrong?