Watermelon jerky, anyone? We love to hit up Trader Joe's for some of our tried-and-true favorites, but any true TJ's fan will tell you that the real fun lies in trying out the quirky grocery chain's newest products. Spring has brought a crop of interesting items to shelves nationwide — here the ones that caught our attention.
Prices and availability are subject to change.
Price: $3
If you ask us, pink chocolate seems like a totally legit way to welcome spring. TJ's new Ruby Cacao Wafers are slightly fruity little discs of naturally rose-hued chocolate that are ready to chomp as is, or they can be melted and slathered onto other treats.
Price: $3.49
The eye-catching honeycomb-patterned bag may draw you in, but the addictive goodies inside will make you glad for impulse buys. Each pecan cluster is coated in so much chocolate and honey toffee that it looks like a sugar-dusted stone, raves TJ's fan blog What's Good at Trader Joe's.
Price: $4
Whether you're a guacamole fan or more into guac's hipper sibling, avocado toast, TJ's has decided to kick things up a notch with an Avocado Tzatziki Dip that gives our favorite squishy green fruit a Greek spin. Diced jalapenos add some heat.
Price: $3.49
Spring is in the air, but losing an hour of sleep to daylight saving time still has us feeling a little sluggish. TJ's has brought back its spring sodas to put a little pep in our step. We're ready for the tart Rhubarb & Strawberry flavor, but Lemon Elderflower is also on the shelves for citrus fans.
Price: $3.69
If you ask us, the cereal aisles have gotten a little too predictable since the endless options of the '70s and '80s. TJ's is spicing things up with Neapolitan Puffs, a mix of chocolate-, vanilla- and strawberry-flavored cereal bound to brighten our mornings. The sweetness comes from cane sugar, cocoa, and other natural flavors.
Price: $3.69
Watermelon … jerky? What seems like the world's strangest mashup is actually kind of genius: Dehydrated watermelon has a chewy, jerky-like texture, and unlike regular jerky, it's vegan. So far, this gets mixed reviews, but you only live once.
Price: $2.49
Regular tortilla chips are so 2018. These dippable rolled chips, made from corn masa, are dusted with a tangy chili and lime seasoning that means they're just fine without salsa, too. Oh, and they're also gluten-free.
Price: $3
This is one of those devious bakery items that can be a breakfast, dessert or snack. We don't really need an excuse, because, well, milk bread full of chocolate chips is worthy of busting our low-carb diet any day.
Price: $3.49
TJ's salad dressings were overdue for an update, and they just got one in the form of this sesame dressing. It's a blend of organic sunflower oil, soy sauce, white vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. Black sesame seeds and a bit of brown sugar round out the party.
Price: $5
Back for spring, TJ's Rose Oil Hand Cream is a welcome addition to the store's small selection of beauty products. A blend of ingredients including damask rose oil, shea butter, coconut oil, rosemary leaf, and sweet almond promises to leave dry hands feeling as good as they smell.
Price: $9
Trader Joe's Small Lot coffee program spotlights limited-time buys from coffee-growing regions around the world. Look for this light roast from Bolivia's Apolobamba valley, especially if you appreciate fruity undertones in your morning cup of joe — refined palates will detect apple, pear, and apricot.
Price: $3
Bunnies get all the love this time of year, so how about giving the humble hedgehog its due? These cute cookies are made with wheat flour, honey, powdered sugar, and cultured butter. They come in 1-ounce packs perfect for kids' lunch boxes. And they're organic, which earns you 1,000 parenting points, of course.
Price: $4
If you like your food Instagrammable, pick up a pouch of TJ's Crunchy Red Dragon Fruit Chips. Vacuum-dried without any oil, these crunchy chips maintain the brilliant red color and unique texture of the dragon fruit, common in Southeast Asia.
Price: $5
These semi-soft slices of mild, Brie-like French cheese are meant to elevate your sandwich game in a big way. And The Kitchn reports that these slices are also heavenly when they're melted into a baguette with sea salt and a bit of olive oil.
Price: $1
Know someone with a nut allergy? Reese's might be off limits, but you can still make them smile by slipping a pack of these sweet treats into their Easter basket. They're also gluten-, dairy-, soy- and tree-nut free.
Price: $3.29
This traditional Middle Eastern sauce is an easy way to pep up meats or veggies, or it can elevate some humble pita. It combines fermented mangoes and Indian spices with garlic, salt, turmeric, and paprika.
Price: $3.49
If you're cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs but not for gluten, it's time to try out TJ's indulgent version of this classic cereal. Sweetened with Dutch cocoa powder and made with rice and sorghum, Cocoa Crunch Cereal is actually gluten-free.
Price: $4
The only thing better than a candle that reminds us of spring sunshine is one that smells like sunshine and cookies. Sounds like the perfect way to rid our house of that lingering winter funk.
Price: $3.49
Red wine vinaigrette? Yawn. Rosé vinaigrette? You have our attention. Now your salads can get in on everyone's favorite boozy trend with this dressing, made with rosé wine vinegar, sunflower oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, basil, oregano, and agave syrup.
Price: $2.49
These crunchy hexagonal chips are the best kind of snack, made up of so much healthy stuff that we can almost convince ourselves they have no calories at all. That might not be true, but they're a welcome alternative to veggie straws, tortilla chips and rice cakes.
Price: $3.49
TJ's again goes gluten-free with this new boxed mix, and there's that q-word — quinoa — to make any health nut's heart flutter. But quinoa or not, this is still a cake mix with 230 calories a serving once baked. Fortunately, it's also rich, moist and decadent, reports food blogger Become Betty.
Price: $3
This worthy addition to TJ's great dried-fruit selection is free of added sulfur or sugar. It's suitable for solo snacking but would also be ideal in cereal, a parfait, trail mix, or even a cream-cheese spread.
Price: $3.69
The holidays might be over, but meringues are still on the shelves at TJ's. The popular seasonal peppermint variety has made way for new Chocolate Chip Cocoa Meringues, a gluten-free indulgence that's just 90 calories per serving.
Price: $3
This might be the best thing to hit the TJ's seasoning aisle since the much-loved Everything But the Bagel. Umami Seasoning Blend combines kosher salt, dried onions, mustard seed, two kinds of mushroom powder, red pepper, black pepper, and thyme to create a flavor profile that can top off almost any savory dish.
Price: $3
We're huge fans of Trader Joe's Gnocchi al Gorgonzola, so we're definitely excited for this new variety. Each potato-y pillow is already filled with sauce and cheese, so this really is a no-muss, no-fuss, heat-and-eat meal.
Price: $1.79
The Joe-Joe is to Trader Joe's as the Oreo is to the non-TJ world. This eponymous sandwich cookie has spun off several seasonal varieties, and now the Joe-Joe Slim — a thinner, crispier, more snack-friendly version of the original. Grab a glass of milk and go to town.