6 New & Seasonal Healthy Products at Trader Joe’s (and How to Use Them)

By Aly Walansky

November 22, 2021

Image credit: Lindsey Engelken for Clean Plates

We can always count on Trader Joe’s for bringing out some exciting new products as the seasons change. As we look forward to the holidays, that means a whole lot of hearty, warming flavors and seasonal ingredients like butternut squash and pumpkin. But as excited as we are when the seasonal products come around, it’s sometimes hard to know how to incorporate them into healthy recipe ideas. We have you covered with these six picks, including our favorite ways to cook with them.

1. Kimchi Tofu Soup

A great pick for fans of anything spicy and garlicky is, of course, kimchi. Trader Joe’s Kimchi & Tofu Soup is a stew loaded with veggies in a spicy broth. There’s also black rice and tofu inside, so this can work as a warming, hearty option on a cold winter’s night. At 260 calories and 11g of protein, this is a good-sized snack on its own, or you can make it a light meal by pairing with a simple seaweed salad.

2. Hearts of Palm Pasta

There’s no doubt we love pasta, but some of us may be trying to cut back on carbs.

While there are plenty of alternative grain options out there (and Trader Joe’s has a lot of them, like their classic brown rice and quinoa pasta), the Hearts of Palm pasta goes in a new direction. It’s a vegan, gluten-free, vegetable-based pasta that can work anywhere traditional pasta normally would. Whether you add a marinara sauce or treat it as a replacement for rice noodles in a veggie-heavy stir fry, this one’s a winner.

3. Peri Peri Sauce

If you’ve ever made peri peri shrimp from scratch, you already know it’s delicious — but the marinade involves a ton of ingredients and is pretty labor-intensive. That’s why Trader Joe’s new Peri Peri sauce is pretty exciting: It takes all the work out of making a seriously tasty meal. This sauce includes fermented chilies, lemons, and garlic for a flavor that is simultaneously spicy, tart, and even a bit sweet (despite the fact that there’s no added sugar). There’s endless possibilities for this sauce, too — you can use it on the aforementioned sautéed shrimp, or try it with chicken breasts, fish, or even serve as a dipping sauce for air-fried tofu nuggets.

4. Organic Dried & Pitted Deglet Noor Dates

These Deglet Noor Dates are a bit less sweet and a little bit firmer than the classic Medjool dates you might be used to. This means they’re ideal for stuffing: throw some goat cheese in there, toss them in the oven for a little bit, and you’ve got an easy, healthy appetizer. These dates also make a beautiful accompaniment to a cheese and charcuterie platter, or thrown into a salad for a flavor boost.

5. Indian-Style Garlic Achaar Sauce

Trader Joe’s has long been known to do a pretty good job with their Southeast Asian flavors, and this Indian-Style Garlic Achaar Sauce is no exception. Loaded with flavor and filled with roasted and fresh garlic — as well as red anaheim and jalapeño peppers — the resulting sauce is fiery and garlicky. Add as a kick to eggs (for a breakfast that’ll wake you up), or use as a sandwich spread, burger topping, and more. No matter how you use it, this will be a surefire flavor upgrade.

6. Green Bean Casserole Bites

Green bean casserole is an undeniable Thanksgiving classic, but we can’t deny that it’s traditionally a heavy, somewhat unhealthy dish. These casserole bites, though? Genius. They take the flavors you love and allow you to enjoy them in a bite-sized, portion-controlled way. Made with filo dough and the traditional mixture of green beans, mushrooms, heavy cream, cheddar cheese, and even crispy fried onions, this could be a fun passed appetizer at Thanksgiving or at a holiday cocktail party. While we won’t pretend that this is the healthiest snack in the world, these are only 30 calories apiece — so if you’re craving that green bean casserole sensation, they’re a great option.