20 Best Thanksgiving Items At Trader Joe's 2022

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Thanksgiving can be stressful with relatives coming in from out of town, coordinating schedules, cooking the food, and cleaning up afterward. But at least one of those steps can be made easier by going to Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's actually offers many good options for Thanksgiving, and while you might not want to do all of your shopping there, there are some solid items you should consider.

From a plethora of dessert items to appetizers and even sides like stuffing, anything you get at Trader Joe's for Thanksgiving is bound to be good (if you know, you know). But if you're not on board quite yet, or if you want some specific ideas of what to buy when you're there instead of aimlessly wandering up and down the aisles, we have done the research and taste-testing to compile the list of ultimate Trader Joe's Thanksgiving items you should consider buying.

If you're sick of cranberry sauce, this item will come in clutch this Thanksgiving. While not necessarily a sauce, this Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish is a unique option to put out on the dinner spread. It's a chunky, almost pink relish that would do well on a traditional Thanksgiving plate. But we think it would excel even more on a day-after-Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich (Ross Geller, we're looking at you). The leftover sandwich is, in our opinion, a quintessential part of the Thanksgiving experience, and this relish could add a zing you've been missing.

It's very tart, and we like that you can taste the orange notes here. The orange really balances out all that cranberry, and this might just be the product to turn you on to cranberry sauce if you haven't been a fan in the past. Thank you, Trader Joe's.

If you've never heard of eating espresso beans as a snack before, you may be confused by this item. Fear not, we'll give you the rundown. Basically, the beans used to make espresso are edible, and it's become a trend (at least at Trader Joe's) to cover the espresso beans in different flavors. Remember yogurt-covered raisins? It's a similar concept to that.

These espresso beans are seasonally-flavored with pumpkin spice. Yes, you can taste the spice, but espresso is still the main flavor. We think these would be chic on a Thanksgiving day pumpkin espresso martini as a garnish, on a dessert charcuterie board, or as a little sweet appetizer in a bowl. They come in a smaller package near the checkout line, so if you have a ton of guests who like the taste of coffee, grab a few packs to be safe.

If you like oat milk and pumpkin, this beverage is going to be a winner for you. Located in the coffee section of Trader Joe's (not refrigerated), this Non-Dairy Pumpkin Oat Beverage is TJ's latest variation on the oat beverage. We like to think of this product as a creamer for coffee, but you could really put it in anything that calls for milk if you want to add some pumpkin flavor to it.

It's not super sweet like an actual coffee creamer, as it is pumpkin-flavored oat "milk." So if you do plan on adding it to coffee and you like things on the sweeter side, add a little bit of sugar in there, too. This is a great option to have for Thanksgiving to add to people's coffees, warm cocktails, or even baked goods.

These little delights are the perfect size for when you need something sweet after the savory mashed potatoes, turkey, and stuffing, but are too full for an entire piece of the pie. Trader Joe's Autumnal Pie Truffles are both shaped like a pie and have pie-inspired flavors.

These truffles have a few different flavors: Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie, and Pecan Caramel Pie, but our favorite was the Silk Mousse Pie. It almost tasted like cookies and cream flavor, and the little crumbles on top of the truffle added a nice crunch. All of the truffles are creamy and satisfying and perfect to pop in your mouth. As a fun experiment, you could even get actual pies corresponding to the truffle flavors and see how much they match up.

We were so skeptical about these at first. It's a bit hard to get into the idea of trying chips that taste like turkey and gravy, but these absolutely blew us away. Genuinely, these were some of the most unique chips we've ever had. Called the Thanksgiving Stuffing Seasoned Kettle Chips, we wouldn't say they taste exactly like stuffing, but we will say they taste exceptionally good.

With a flavor akin to sour cream and onion chips, they were very flavorful without being spicy or abrasive. Even someone with the mildest palate would enjoy these chips. We think they would make the perfect pre-Thanksgiving dinner snack for your guests to nosh on, as the flavor is so fun it makes you want to reach back for more. The kettle-cooked element upgrades them, too, in our opinion, adding a nice crunch without being difficult to eat at all. We're obsessed, and will be going back to TJ's for more.

There is absolutely no shame in the store-bought pie game, especially if you go with a pie from Trader Joe's. This Apple Crumble Pie is a unique take on an apple pie, with some oats mixed in the crumble topping for some extra texture and intrigue. If you have a loved one who makes overnight oats, oatmeal, and baked oats like it's their job, you have to get this pie for them on Thanksgiving.

The pie crust is flavorful and not too crumbly, and the apple filling is satisfying and sweet without being sickly. It's likely that the Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pies will be sold out, as pumpkin pie is very popular, and if you went in looking for pumpkin pie and see this Apple Crumble Pie in the store, it's worth the money. Your guests may even thank you for switching it up this year and ask you for the recipe for this pie.

If you have a Keurig, it's a great idea to stock up on some K-cups (or off-brand coffee cups) before Thanksgiving arrives. It's nice to be the person to offer a cup of coffee either with dessert or for your guests to take on the road home, and what better coffee to have on hand than a seasonally-appropriate one? These Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cups are the perfect balance of a good medium roast with a noticeable (but not overpowering) pumpkin flavor.

Something nice about these Trader Joe's K-cups in particular is that they aren't made from plastic like many other K-cups, and a lot of the packaging is recyclable. Especially when paired with the Non-Dairy Pumpkin Oat Beverage, these coffee cups are a winner in our book.

Hummus is one of our favorite snacks, and we enjoy dipping everything from carrots to crackers in it. We usually opt for savory hummus, so we were unsure if we were going to like this Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Hummus. Luckily, we're happy to report we thoroughly enjoyed it. It's on the sweeter side, so it would be perfect if you're doing a charcuterie board appetizer and need a sweeter (or more festive) dip for your snacks.

This hummus is creamy and sweet, but the pumpkin spice flavor isn't too overpowering like some other pumpkin-flavored products we've tried in the past. Hummus isn't a traditional Thanksgiving item, but we think it's a solid addition to any turkey day feast as an appetizer to go with your chips and crackers.

The Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bagels will make you wonder why all bagels don't taste as good as they do. Obviously, nothing is comparable to a local New Jersey or New York bagel, but these are very solid for a pre-made grocery store bagel. The pumpkin flavor works wonderfully in these bagels, especially if you put a nice cold cream cheese on top after toasting it.

You may be wondering how bagels could possibly fit into your Thanksgiving eating plans. But you have a few smart options for when to indulge in these sweet bagels. First, you could have them on hand the morning of Thanksgiving when you're preparing for people to come over so that you have a festive but quick breakfast before the main meal. Alternatively, if you and your crew do an earlier Thanksgiving meal, like a brunch situation, you could put the bagels out as an appetizer.

The saving grace for all folks with Celiac disease and gluten sensitivities, Trader Joe's Gluten-Free Stuffing Mix is outstanding. Your gluten-intolerant guests will be very thankful (pun intended) that you have this option available for them. And even your guests who can tolerate gluten would adore this, too.

You would have no idea this is a gluten-free stuffing just based on taste and texture; it tastes exactly the same as regular packaged stuffing. The seasoning mix in there is tasty, the directions are easy to follow, and it tastes best when it's eaten right after being made. We found that the leftovers of this just were not as good as the day we made it, but that's the case with most things, right?