If you have ever stepped foot into a Trader Joe’s you know as well as I do that the atmosphere of the store is enough to make any Mount Pleasant mom return. Although I neither live in Mount Pleasant nor am I a mom, I had to make a stop by the slightly unusual grocery store to collect a few fan favorites. 

Ranking:

1. Brownie crisp coffee ice cream sandwiches

I am typically not a huge ice cream sandwich fan. If one is offered to me I will take it, however I am not one to search them out in a store. I think that the vanilla ice cream almost always overpowers the chocolate barrier, which as someone who isn’t a huge fan of vanilla ice cream this makes it nothing special to me. However, Trader Joe’s really broke the mold with their coffee ice cream sandwiches. As someone who when given the option at an ice cream shop, always goes for the java chip or any coffee ice cream flavor, Trader Joe’s really impressed me with this sandwich. The coffee flavor is perfect, the brownie barrier is a little bit thicker than your normal ice cream sandwich, and it doesn’t melt into your hands as a regular ice cream sandwich often does. Also, the brownie barrier includes chocolate chips which is always a nice touch. Overall, this item deserves to be #1 and anyone who likes coffee flavored foods needs to try this ASAP.

1. Trader Joe’s Gourmet Jelly Beans 

I have a lot to say about these colorful beans. Number one, I feel compelled to mention that my cohort, Christina, who has never been a fan of jelly beans of any kind actually liked these. The pack includes flavors such as grape, coconut, lemon, raspberry, strawberry smoothie, strawberry, tangerine, blackberry, mango, pomegranate, lemon & lime, apple, liquorice, banana split, pink grapefruit, cherry, passion fruit, and blueberry. My personal favorites were pomegranate, strawberry smoothie, and passion fruit. I will say I was surprised about flavors such as lemon & lime, apple, and cherry which I am typically not a huge fan of but I was surprised about the flavor. Also I will say that as someone who absolutely hates all liquorice flavorings of any kind, their liquorice jelly bean was not as potent as others I have had and therefore was actually edible.  Overall, these beans were some of the best I’ve ever had and I recommend to anyone who likes jelly beans and maybe even to those who don’t, these could surprise you. 

1. Trader Joe’s Gone Berry Crazy (dark chocolate covered strawberry pieces)

These were pretty good. If you have ever had the Trader Joe’s Gone Bananas, I think you would like these as well if you’ve never tried them. Personally, I like the strawberry ones more than the bananas but that’s just personal preference. I’m always a fan of a chocolate covered strawberry, and these did not disappoint. It’s hard to compare them to other chocolate covered strawberries because they didn’t necessarily blow me away. It’s a very delicious snack and definitely a classic but I wouldn’t say they tasted any better than other chocolate covered strawberries I’ve had. With that being said, they are a cheaper option than edible arrangements and much easier than making them yourself so I would definitely recommend to anyone who is a fan. 

1. Trader Joe’s Peppermints

I know this is an odd item to include on a food rank, however I am a huge fan of these. It is hard for me to compare mints to foods such as jelly beans and ice cream sandwiches, but I would be leaving out a big personal favorite if I didn’t include them. These mints are everything a mint should be, and nothing they shouldn’t. The flavor is strong, but not overwhelming. I would compare these to top brands such as Altoids or Ice Breakers, with similar taste and look to Altoids. Trader Joe’s also makes green tea mints, which I have not tried but I have heard from other people that they are delicious. I am personally not a fan of green tea, but I can imagine that anyone who is would like these mints. 

Honorable mention:

1. Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend

I did not include this on the list because by itself it would not be able to compete with the other items in a ranking. However, sprinkle this seasoning over a bagel and it’s stiff competition. This seasoning is nothing short of flavorful, and can turn any dry bagel into a five star meal. It is one of those food items that I would consider taking to a deserted island with me, because this seasoning can make any food item taste good. Seriously, if you are a fan of an everything bagel you would love this item. If you have never tried an everything bagel I would still suggest this to you because it is hard for me to imagine anyone who wouldn’t like this seasoning.