Grocery store products are constantly changing. But Trader Joe’s particular offerings are well remembered by shoppers loyal to the store and have had favorites come and go. In a Trader Joe’s shopper forum, one user asks other brand loyalists about past favorites that are no longer available. People are more than happy to go down memory lane, even if it is bittersweet.
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1. Two Buck Chuck
Younger shoppers may only know “Two Buck Chuck” as an idiom for cheap wine, but a wine label called Charles Shaw was offered at Trader Joe’s for $2 per bottle. The wines are still stocked at the stores, but the prices have increased over the years, and “Two Buck Chuck” is no longer two bucks per bottle.
2. Horseradish Cheddar Potato Chips
Sometimes you need a spicy snack to help clear out your sinuses, and that’s just what Trader Joe’s Horseradish Cheddar Potato Chips could do, according to one user. Another respondent bemoans that while they still have some delicious horseradish-flavored chips, none are as powerfully spicy as the now-defunct Horseradish Cheddar flavor.
3. Zen Muffins
Many Trader Joe’s fans say they missed the fantastic bran muffins from Zen Bakery that the stores used to carry. However, one notes that Southern California shoppers can still find these muffins at Whole Foods and some independent health stores. Sadly the days of them being stocked in Trader Joe’s are gone.
4. Baked Jalapeno Cheese Crunchies
Another snack several commenters say they greatly miss are the Baked Jalapeno Cheese Crunchies. Not many users have things to say about these savory snacks, but those who do are enthusiastic. One says, “THE CRUNCHES WERE SO GOOD,” and another says they “remember how devastating it was when they disappeared.”
5. Gummy Tummies Penguins
A sweeter snack than the Baked Jalapeno Cheese Crunchies, the Gummy Tummies Penguins spark a similarly strong reaction from shoppers who used to buy them regularly. One user calls for a moment of silence for the treats, while another hopes they rest in peace.
6. Hansen’s Sodas
While most of the products people mention are specific, many Trader Joe’s shoppers say they miss Hansen’s sodas but have different favorite flavors. Some say they loved the strawberry kiwi flavor, while others swear by the mandarin lime. However, all agree that they miss the sodas, which can sometimes be found but aren’t the same as they once were.
7. Goat Cheese Pizza
Some food items are so delicious that it’s hard to believe they are real. That’s the case with the Goat Cheese Pizza Trader Joe’s once offered. Several shoppers say they aren’t sure whether it was real or they dreamed it.
8. Pantyhose
Older commenters note that you could buy almost everything in the 1970s when the store started. Pantyhose is the most beloved and cost-effective item that has long since left the store.
9. Thai Peanut Noodle Salad Box
Several Trader Joe’s shoppers mourn the loss of the Thai Peanut Noodle Salad boxes. One says they lived off them during college, and another says they are “still grieving the loss of those noodle boxes.” Like Hansen’s soda and the newer horseradish-flavored chips, there are updated noodle salad boxes, but they just aren’t as good as the old ones.
10. Sushi
Trader Joe’s sushi has often been the butt of jokes, and even among the faithful, some call it “the worst sushi I’ve ever had.” But some miss it; one user, in particular, says that they enjoyed California roll the store used to offer.
This thread inspired this post.
