I’m a culinary judge who tried 10 of Trader Joe’s award-winning foods, and most of them really impressed me

I tried 10 of Trader Joe’s Customer Choice Award-winning products. Meredith Ochs As a judge for the Specialty Foods Association, I’ve evaluated hundreds of high-quality goods. Trader Joe’s shoppers annually vote on their favorite products in the Customer Choice Awards.

I tried 10 of these foods and really enjoyed the carne asada, soy chorizo, and mini ice-cream cones. Customers have participated in Trader Joe’s Customer Choice Awards for 13 years. Trader Joe’s is a popular grocery chain.

Shoshy Ciment/Business InsiderEvery year, loyal Trader Joe’s customers vote on their favorite products for the chain’s Customer Choice Awards.  The award-winning foods are organized into a variety of categories, from best dessert to favorite plant-based product. I’ve previously been a judge for the sofi awards — dubbed the “Oscars” of food — have evaluated hundreds of high-quality goods.

So I decided to try several of these fan-favorite items. Customers deemed Trader Joe’s sourdough loaf their “favorite bakery” product of 2015. You can store Trader Joe’s sourdough loaf in the freezer to make it last longer.

Meredith OchsTrader Joe’s sourdough loaf is a beloved, versatile staple. Plus it can last for a while if you store it in the freezer to avoid it getting stale or moldy.  You can use it for a variety of meals, but I tried it in French onion soup and as the base of a grilled cheese.

 The bread had a sweet, yeasty aroma and nice tang. Trader Joe’s sourdough loaf made for a great grilled-cheese sandwich. Meredith OchsTrader Joe’s sourdough was both hearty and airy, delivering the desirable tang.

 It toasted beautifully and made crisp croutons that held up well in between my homemade French onion soup and layer of lightly broiled Gruyere. I also used it in a grilled cheese, which I cooked in a pan with a pat of butter. A super-thin smear of mayonnaise on the griddled side of the bread led to an extra-crunchy sandwich and intensified the sourdough’s flavor.

 Trader Joe’s carne asada autentica won “favorite meat” for 2018. Trader Joe’s carne asada was well-seasoned. Meredith OchsSliced into uneven, yet functional cuts, the carne asada was marinated in a bright, garlicky mix with a little paprika, so it didn’t need additional seasoning.

It’s perfect for grilling, but I cooked it on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Since it’s a lean cut, I added some avocado oil, which has a high smoke point. It’s a versatile meat that cooks in minutes.

Trader Joe’s carne asada came out great on the stovetop. Meredith OchsThe beef took three to four minutes to cook on each side. I like medium-rare steak while my husband prefers medium, so I left his piece in the pan a few seconds longer.

Both yielded good results, though mine was more tender. Before slicing it, I covered the meat and let it rest so it would retain its natural juices and marinade. The flavor profile would be great in fajitas or alongside greens and a citrus-herb dressing, but it’s also quite versatile.

I piled it on a toasted piece of Trader Joe’s sourdough with Hatch-chile goat cheese, yellow tomatoes, chopped parsley, and caramelized onions. The mandarin-orange chicken has reigned as a customer favorite for multiple years. Orange chicken is a takeout classic.

Meredith OchsWith numerous wins, this frozen entrée is a Trader Joe’s Customer Choice Awards champ. Preparing this chicken as intended is a cinch, but a recent trip to Vietnam inspired me to try making summer rolls with the glaze as a dipping sauce. The crispy chicken and mandarin-orange sauce made for an easy, cohesive dish.

I made summer rolls with Trader Joe’s mandarin-orange chicken. Meredith OchsTrader Joe’s website suggests baking the chicken at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, then transferring it to the stovetop with the glaze. I followed the first half of those directions until the batter was crispy.

The interior wasn’t quite juicy, but the texture of the meat — a mix of white and dark pieces — was agreeable. I heated the glaze in a small, nonstick saucepan until it caramelized slightly. I highly recommend using a high-quality pan since the topping was very sticky, and got more so as it dried.

I poured a little of it into a glass container for dipping.  I didn’t get a strong mandarin-orange taste from the sauce, but its balance of salty, sweet, and sour flavors was compelling and a bit addictive. I liked it so much I coated the chicken pieces in it before rolling them in rice paper with butter lettuce, carrots, cilantro, and quick-pickled cucumber matchsticks.

The meal was messy but satisfyingly good. Trader Joe’s “teeny tiny” avocados won “favorite produce” for 2021. Trader Joe’s single-serve avocados are a perfect size.

Meredith OchsTrader Joe’s mini fruits have been the answer to my produce prayers — now I don’t have to worry about sacrificing half an avocado to oxidation.  A bag of six costs $3. 99 at my store, making them pretty affordable as far as avocados go.

They’re ready to eat when they give a little under pressure and their stem pops out with ease. Trader Joe’s tiny avocados were the perfect size for one sandwich. Avocado is a versatile sandwich ingredient.

Meredith OchsI add these gems to my salads and use them to make all sorts of dips, but they’re my favorite on a tartine (an open-faced sandwich). I made a delicious butterfly-shaped sandwich for my niece, but I also love mine topped with a fried egg, chopped herbs, and a splash of truffle oil or hot sauce. The cauliflower gnocchi won as the top vegetarian or vegan product of 2019.

Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi is very versatile. Meredith OchsTrader Joe’s launched the cauliflower gnocchi in 2018 and it’s since become a fan favorite.  It’s a versatile base for a variety of sauces and meals.

  Unsurprisingly, the pasta alternative tasted like cauliflower. Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi came out great in the air fryer. Meredith OchsThese pillows have a cauliflower taste, which I like, but you can somewhat mask this by panfrying and serving them with sauce.

I also air fried them, and they came out with a crispy exterior that withstood a dousing of marinara. Don’t defrost the gnocchi before cooking. And since the pieces can become gummy, I don’t recommend boiling or microwaving them.

 Customers have shown their love for Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar for eight consecutive years. Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar won “best cheese. “Meredith OchsSporting the lovely crystallization of well-aged cheese, Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar had an easy, nice texture.

It crumbled a good amount when sliced, which is something to consider when adding it to a cheese board.  This dense, sharp cheddar had a nutty, Parmesan echo. Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar paired well with crackers and spreads.

Meredith OchsI put it on a board with a variety of spreads, namely apricot, hazelnut date, and pickled red pepper.  I loved a thick slice of this cheddar on a plain cracker followed by a sip of pinot noir or ale with toffee notes. Trader Joe’s suggests pulling it out of the refrigerator to let it “breathe” before serving.

I also like my cheese to do so in the fridge, so I wrapped my leftovers in paper instead of plastic. Trader Joe’s soy chorizo has reigned as a plant-based favorite for years. Trader Joe’s sells a plant-based take on chorizo.

Meredith OchsThe soy sausage was well-textured and efficiently spiced, leading with a note of dried red pepper that gave way to a smoky flavor. It readily popped out of its casing, which must be removed before cooking. But open it over a plate, on a cutting board, or right into the pan since it crumbles immediately.

The soyrizo had an oily meatiness but was remarkably light. I’ll use Trader Joe’s soy chorizo in more of my meals. Meredith OchsAfter browning over medium heat with a spoonful of vegetable oil, this vegan protein was ready for anything, from tacos to tapas.

I make a lot of vegetarian meals and don’t often include meat substitutes, but I’ll definitely use this again to bulk up some of those dishes. The spinach-artichoke dip won “favorite appetizer” in Trader Joe’s 2018 Customer Choice Awards. Trader Joe’s spinach-artichoke dip is prepared in the microwave.

Meredith OchsI’ve never ordered this rich dish in a restaurant since the listed calorie count is a bit high for my liking. But Trader Joe’s take on the popular dip lists “vegetables” as the first ingredient and contains about 350 calories in the whole thing, so I was game to try it.  It’s sold in a frozen package and made for the microwave.

The dip was tasty and versatile. Trader Joe’s spinach-artichoke dip was both creamy and tart. Meredith OchsAfter the recommended four minutes in the microwave, the dip didn’t look ready, so I put it under the broiler for another four, and the top layer of cheese nicely browned.

 Although it could use less salt and more artichoke, this delivered on creaminess, was packed with spinach, and had a tart finish. It paired well with tortilla chips, but I might try it with an unsalted crisp next time. Since it browned and thickened a bit in the oven, I’d also use it to make a baked dish with veggies, pasta, or chicken.

Trader Joe’s dark-chocolate peanut-butter cups are a repeat winner. Peanut-butter cups are a classic candy. Meredith OchsWhen I opened the package, I was met with the nostalgic scent of peanut-butter cups.

These are the grown-up version of the classic treat, with dark chocolate, a rich aroma, and a smooth, creamy texture.  These treats tasted more expensive than they were. I sometimes use Trader Joe’s dark-chocolate peanut-butter cups for baking.

Meredith OchsA couple of these tasty cups satisfied my candy craving. I’ve also baked them into brownies and pies. But if you want to chop them, freeze them for at least 15 minutes beforehand since they’re quite supple, especially in summer.

The Hold the Cone mini ice-cream treats were deemed the chain’s best dessert of 2021. I tried the chocolate-chip Hold the Cone mini ice-cream treats. Meredith OchsThese packs of eight mini ice-cream cones come in a variety of flavors, like chocolate, vanilla, or chocolate chip.

I chose the latter. Flecked with chocolate chips and dipped in a chocolate coating, the vanilla ice cream was nestled in a chocolaty cone with a soft-cookie consistency. The cones were chocolaty and easy to eat.

Trader Joe’s Hold the Cone mini ice-cream treats were easy to eat. Meredith OchsAs a dedicated cone-over-cup ice-cream consumer, I appreciated how neat these treats stayed, not that they took a long time to finish.  The cone’s chocolate lining made the sweet snack leak-proof and extra tasty.

Plus I’m all for a dessert that comes with its own dessert. Click to keep reading other Trader Joe’s taste tests in this series. Read the original article on Insider.