Trader Joe’s is known for its sweet treats, which include everything from chocolate candy to chocolate-covered nuts, dried fruit, pretzels, even plantain chips. Here’s a ranking of the …
There is one aisle in every Trader Joe’s store that every chocolate lover must visit, especially at this time of year. There, lining the top shelves, are a multitude of chewy, crispy, crunchy morsels of deliciousness — all bathed in chocolate.
Those treats include candy options, such as toffee, peanut butter cups and mints, but even more interesting are the unexpected snacks — chocolate drizzled plantain chips, dried ginger and peanut butter pretzels. Since tasting every chocolate treat at Trader Joe’s is a recipe for nutritional disaster, we put a few parameters on this taste-off, omitting most traditional candy and all but one of the six-plus kinds of coated almonds.
The most important takeaways from this tasting are that Trader Joe’s uses great quality chocolate that hits all the right notes, and that the deliciousness of the snack under all that chocolate is key to creating a perfect treat. A tender, moist chunk of fruit or a toasty, fresh pretzel or nut that’s dunked in great-tasting chocolate is a chocolate lover’s dream. But a sad, dried out nugget of anything coated in chocolate is no treat.
Here’s the scoop on the most delicious chocolate-enrobed bites at TJ’s and the second-rate snacks to leave on the shelf. Nutrition info refers to about 30 grams — roughly ¼ to ½ cup, depending on the item.Peanut butter and milk chocolate were made for each other. This crunchy, sweet bite hits all the right notes; it’s salty, sweet and flavorful. 160 calories, 8 g fat, 120 mg sodium, 10 g sugar. $3.49 for 12 ounces. These super-crispy bites are addictively delicious.
Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at [email protected]. Read more Taste-off columns at