The 12 Most Delicious Trader Joe's Foods You Can Buy For Under 5 Bucks

A decade of living (and shopping, and cooking) in California turned me into a Trader Joe's evangelist. When I moved to a new state, I was sad to leave the affordable grocer behind. Luckily, two years after I relocated to Denver, Trader Joe's followed and I filled my cart with all the favorite foods I'd missed.

Since being reunited, Trader Joe's has been my go-to grocer, and I know I'm not alone. Savvy shoppers across the country love the chain's great deals on frozen foods, snacks, breakfast staples, and more. How is Trader Joe's so cheap? Its unique private label model allows the company to keep costs down for consumers, while introducing them to new flavors and small brands they may not otherwise find. The result of this approach is an outstanding variety of high-quality products, available at surprisingly low prices. The downside is that, since shelf space is at a premium, the chain must be ruthless about pulling products that aren't performing. Every long-time shopper has seen a beloved product disappear, and will agree that it's always smart to stock up, just in case. While I don't think these delicious Trader Joe's foods under five bucks are in danger of vanishing, you can never be too sure. Luckily, with these prices, it makes cents (er, sense) to buy a few extras. Better safe than sorry, after all.

If you shop at Trader Joe's, or even if you don't, chances are good that you've heard about the wildly popular frozen Mandarin Orange Chicken. It's been reviewed countless times on social media, won the most awards of any Trader Joe's product, and even made it into the Trader Joe's Product Hall of Fame. But while you may have heard that a lot of people love it, you might not know that they're getting it for under five bucks.

At $4.99 for a 22-oz package, this beloved dish is a steal. It features tender morsels of juicy chicken wrapped in a classic breading that crisps up nicely in the oven or air fryer. Toss the chicken in its accompanying sweet and spicy orange sauce while it's still hot, serve over steamed rice and/or broccoli, and you've got a delicious dupe for your favorite Chinese takeout. Try it once and you'll see why I always keep a bag or two in the freezer. When you need a reliably tasty (and delightfully affordable) meal on the table, stat, it doesn't get much better than this.

What happens when you combine the deliciousness of a cookie with the spreadability of peanut butter? A dream come true, that's what. This creamy blend of crushed Belgian biscuits and warm holiday spices tastes like a seasonal dessert but acts as a condiment, offering the best of both worlds to any sweet tooth year-round. Add it to toast, oatmeal, ice cream, apple slices, a batch of homemade cookie butter swirled brownies, or anything else your heart desires. And when you run out of ideas, try Reddit. (Thanks to that thread, I will be trying a Trader Joe's Speculoos Cookie Butter latte as soon as possible.)

Aside from its crowd-pleasing flavor and shelf-stable convenience, what makes Speculoos Cookie Butter so popular is its price. At $3.99 and 13 servings per jar, that's about 30 cents per sweetly spiced snack. If you love a unique indulgence that's as affordable as it is versatile, you'll want to buy a few of these for when the craving inevitably strikes.

If your go-to bagel order is Everything, listen up and stock up on Trader Joe's Everything But The Bagel Seasoning. Found in the spice aisle, it's exactly what it sounds like: a savory, shakeable blend of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic and onion, and sea salt flakes. It's crunchy, it's salty, and it's a pantry staple in my household. I'd even go so far as to say that this is the best seasoning blend at Trader Joe's.

Yes, you can (and should) add this seasoning to your next bagel with cream cheese, but don't stop there. Everything But The Bagel Seasoning is great in salad dressings, creamy dips, savory baked goods, popcorn, chips, grilled chicken, pasta, and more. At $1.99 per jar, it's fun and easy to experiment — so fun and easy, in fact, that Trader Joe's does it. To capitalize on the cult classic's success, the grocery store chain has launched a variety of products like Everything But The Bagel Nut Duo (also less than five bucks!) and Everything But The Bagel Seasoned Smoked Salmon (sadly not under five bucks, but still worth trying if you've got the dough.)

While Trader Joe's Guava Passion Fruit Greek Whole Milk Yogurt may not have topped our list of 22 Trader Joe's Yogurts from Worst to First, it came pretty close. Its sweet-tart blend of guava, passionfruit, and full-fat Greek yogurt will always be a winner to me. I particularly love how well it highlights two tropical fruits I find annoying to eat fresh, allowing me to enjoy their bright flavors without their pesky seeds.

The smooth consistency is rich and wonderful on its own, but this yogurt also plays well with others. It makes a delicious base for a tropical fruit smoothie, and is so good topped with fresh berries and granola, my personal favorite being Trader Joe's Organic Toasted Coconut Granola. It's reasonably priced at under a dollar per cup, but I'd happily pay more for a larger container. If anyone reading this works at Trader Joe's, please pass along the request.

Ask a few Trader Joe's fans about their favorite parts of the store, and you'll probably hear someone mention cheese. My local Trader Joe's cheese department is always well stocked with classic varieties and fun seasonal products, most often for prices much lower than I'd find in another store. And while I'm often tempted to try something new, I never leave without a block of Unexpected Cheddar.

While it might look like a basic hunk of white cheddar, this Trader Joe's Hall of Famer is anything but. What gives the popular product its name is its texture: A base of creamy, slightly crumbly sharp cheddar is punctuated by salty specs of crystallized cheese that add a depth of flavor more commonly found in aged Parmesan. It is delicious when paired with a glass of red wine or apple slices, and makes a fantastic semi-hard addition to any cheese board. Trader Joe's says it's best enjoyed at room temperature, but as someone with little patience, I can assure you that it's also yummy when still cold.

At just $3.99, this cheddar's price tag is equally unexpected, especially if you're new to Trader Joe's. Yes, it's an incredible deal for the quality. And yes, you'll want to sample your way through the rest of the cheese department.

While shoppers don't typically rave about the pints of ice cream at Trader Joe's, don't sleep on the chain's adorable Mini Ice Cream Cones. The perfectly portioned treats come in a few flavors. While my 4-year-old loves classic Chocolate or Chocolate Chip, I'm partial to the Coffee Bean Hold the Cone! Mini Ice Cream Cones. The combination of bitter coffee bean, sweet cream, and rich chocolate can't be beat. And at $3.99 for a box of eight, the price can't be beat either. Trader Joe's also sells Hold The Cone Tips for those looking to go the DIY route.

Naturally found in the frozen foods aisle, these treats are made exclusively for Trader Joe's and their diminutive size makes for the optimal ice cream-to-cone-to-chocolate ratio. They're the perfect thing to grab when you want a little something sweet but don't want to commit to a full-sized cone, and I love to serve them as the finishing touch to a large meal. 

If you've been curious about plant-based meats but are not sure where to start, I present to you Trader Joe's Korean Beefless Bulgogi. Made of textured soy protein in a traditional Korean marinade, this faux meat (or "fire meat," which is what Bulgogi translates to) is packed with flavor. And at $4.99 for 10 ounces, it's an affordable alternative to the real thing.

Fans of Korean BBQ may find this product tastes familiar. The marinade features common bulgogi ingredients like soy sauce, pear puree, garlic, ginger, green onions, and sugar. This makes sense, given Trader Joe's uses a Korean supplier. Served simply with rice and veggies, Beefless Bulgogi makes a satisfying meal that's super easy to make. It can also be used to "beef" up fried rice, or as a filling for Asian fusion tacos.

I also recommend Trader Joe's Jumeokbap, Korean rice balls filled with Beefless Bulgogi and vegetables. You'll find it nearby in the frozen foods aisle, also priced at $4.99.

Not to be confused with Italian pesto or Argentinian chimichurri, zhoug is a bright green condiment frequently found in Yemen and other parts of the Middle East. Trader Joe's Zhoug Sauce features a well-balanced blend of cilantro, garlic, cardamom, cumin, salt, jalapeño peppers, and chile flakes—so yes, it's pretty spicy. In fact, Trader Joe's calls it "very spicy" on the label. If that doesn't scare you, look for it in the dips aisle. A tub goes for $3.49 and a little goes a long way, so it doesn't cost much to learn how to enjoy Trader Joe's Zhoug.

I like to eat zhoug alongside hummus and crackers, or as a spread in a wrap or pita. It can be mixed into burger patties, added to avocado toast, scrambled with eggs, or stirred into salad dressing. Any dish made better by fresh herbs or hot sauce is made better by zhoug, and the convenience and cost of Trader Joe's ready-made version invites home chefs to use their imagination.

Imagine if all the flavors and textures of Mexican grilled street corn could be packed into a tub of creamy dip. That's Trader Joe's Everything and the Elote Greek Style Yogurt Dip. Inspired by the grocer's spice blend of the same name, this dip combines the crave-able seasoning with tangy yogurt, garlic, Parmesan, chipotle pepper powder, and whole kernels of sweet yellow corn for an ingenious invention that will have you wondering how you've lived so long without it.

Everything and the Elote Greek Style Yogurt Dip adds a toothsome bite to potato or tortilla chips, baby carrots, and crackers. It can also be used as a sandwich spread to make the ultimate grilled cheese, or as a flavor-booster for tacos. No matter how you try it, it's bound to be amazing. Don't believe me? A quick scroll on social media will show how popular this product is, and make you want to pick up a tub on your next Trader Joe's trip, for just $3.79.

Attention, snackers: The CornNuts from your childhood grew up, and they are delicious. Trader Joe's Giant Peruvian Inca Corn Snacks are a crunchy, salty, savory treat that is hard to put down once you've opened the bag. (Consider yourself warned.) Their texture can also be hard on the teeth, with some fans saying they're too crunchy. (Consider yourself warned again.) But to me, they are perfect.

I typically eat them on their own by the handful, and find them to be the perfect sidekick to an ice-cold beer. They're also a fun addition to a cheese board or snack tray, and make a tasty topping for chili or tortilla soup. You could even add them to a salad like you would croutons or, as one Reddit user suggests, toss them with Trader Joe's Everything But The Elote Seasoning Blend to take the flavor up a notch. (You don't need to, though. Because again, they are perfect. And only $1.99.)

For whatever reason, coconut tends to be a polarizing flavor. For this reason, I'm stocking up on Trader Joe's Kanom Krok Thai Coconut Pancakes (available in the freezer section, for $3.29 per box) in case it's discontinued. The bite-sized Thai treats balance crispy and creamy, sweet and salty, for a culinary experience I crave. I like to eat them for breakfast or as an afternoon pick-me-up. And yes, while they're best heated in an air fryer, they're also perfectly acceptable microwaved.

Kanom Krok from Trader Joe's features an authentic recipe, direct from the company's Thai manufacturer. They pour the coconut-based batter into an indented pan, add shredded young coconut and taro root, and bake them until they have the ideal consistency: crispy on the outside, and custardy on the inside. The pancakes are packaged and frozen while still connected from the baking process; pulling them apart after you've heated them is part of the fun, but it does mean you need to heat the entire package at once. If you're anything like me, that's not a problem since you'll also be eating the entire package at once.

Trader Joe's Chicken Gyoza Potstickers are a time-saving staple, always ready to add to a stir-fry, soup, or sheet pan. They're good when microwaved, fantastic when pan-fried, and perfect when paired with a quick dipping sauce of sesame and soy. Honestly, I can't imagine my freezer or weekday meal routine without them.

As someone who's tried and failed to make great dumplings at home, I appreciate a solid store-bought version and this is it. The flour wrappers are nicely thin and hold up well, never breaking to spill the filling of chicken, cabbage, onion, and seasonings. While I also like Trader Joe's Thai Vegetable Gyoza, I find the flavors better balanced and more versatile in the chicken. (The veggie gyoza are also more expensive, at $4.79 per box versus $3.99 for the chicken.) Whether you're a gyoza connoisseur or casually curious, I think you'll agree that these are a dependable, delicious bargain.

I have been an avid Trader Joe's shopper through many phases of life, from broke college student to resourceful toddler mom. As such, I consider myself to be an expert on the best deals at Trader Joe's. I compiled this list using my extensive experience as a Trader Joe's shopper, pulling favorite examples from many parts of the store. I hope it helps you make smart shopping choices, and memorable meals at home.