14 Best Trader Joe's Canned Foods

Shopping at Trader Joe's is always an adventure. From its cheerful tropical decor to its friendly, Hawaiian-shirt-clad staffers, and an ever-changing selection of fun and unusual products, it's a grocery store unlike any other. Even those who find grocery shopping a chore can find joy in a trip to a Trader Joe's thanks to its cute signage and its ever-changing food samples, not to mention an affordable wine and beer section.

And whether you're just stocking up on groceries for the week or on the search for the best Trader Joe's snacks for your next get-together, you'll always find something fun and interesting in the aisles. Grab a copy of the Fearless Flyer, Trader Joe's monthly newsletter to see what's new and get inspired with recipes and serving suggestions. 

Trader Joe's is a great place to stock up on a wide variety of canned foods, from basic staples to more innovative products. And if you've ever wondered where Trader Joe's food comes from, you might be surprised to learn that much of it is made by well-known companies under the Trader Joe's private label. We braved the crowds of shoppers to round up the best Trader Joe's canned foods. Add these to your shopping list the next time you head to the store.

You'll want to eat these crunchy, spicy bits by the handful, but that's really not what Trader Joe's crispy jalapeño pieces are for. They're really a fresh take on French fried onions, those crispy bits that are sprinkled on many a green bean casserole on Thanksgiving day. You'll definitely want to change up that favorite turkey day side dish by using these instead, but in the meantime, there are plenty of other ways of using these crispy jalapeño pieces. Try them on top of nachos or tacos, as a topping for poke bowls, or sprinkled onto mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, or chili. The crispy jalapeño pieces also make a spicy swap for croutons.

Breaded with flour and deep-fried in sunflower and safflower oil, these jalapeño pieces have just enough bite without searing your taste buds. The 5.5-ounce container contains 40 servings, but we wouldn't fault you for going through them much more quickly than that.

Usually, the mention of baked beans conjures up syrupy-sweet beans spooned alongside a serving of pulled pork. But Trader Joe's giant baked beans in tomato sauce is inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, specifically a flavorful Greek dish known as gigantes plaki. The traditional dish usually includes gigante beans, but Trader Joe's version uses cannellini beans that are soaked and cooked until tender, then mixed into a sauce of tomatoes, onion, parsley, dill, and crushed red pepper.

This unique riff on canned beans is delicious spooned onto a bowl of brown rice or other grains, served in a meze spread, warmed up, and served as a side dish alongside grilled chicken, or simply eaten out of the can for a quick and portable lunch. We also like it stuffed into a warmed pita, along with baby arugula, for a filling vegetarian lunch. The 9.6-ounce can contains two generous servings ... unless you don't feel like sharing.

If you're looking for an easy way to add flavor and complexity to pizza sauce, chili, or soup, Trader Joe's diced and fire roasted organic tomatoes are just the ticket. These canned tomatoes are charred over a flame to add smokiness, then diced and combined with organic diced green chiles, which add just the right amount of heat.

The tomatoes are great to keep on hand for parties: they're a delicious base for fire-roasted salsa or black bean dip, or they can be used to make a tangy, spicy queso dip. Simmer a couple of cans with sauteed onions and vegetable or chicken broth and blend with a splash of heavy cream for a quick, delicious homemade tomato soup.

Trader Joe's also sells a crushed version of fire roasted organic tomatoes with green chiles. This version would make a delicious arrabbiata sauce for pasta. Or pour a can into a slow cooker with a few chicken breasts, simmer until the chicken is tender, and pull it apart with a fork for a zesty taco or burrito filling.

We're never without a can of coconut milk in the pantry, whether it's to use as the cooking liquid for rice, to make a curry, or to make a vegan version of a baked good. One of our favorite brands is Trader Joe's organic coconut milk. The product comes in both regular and reduced-fat versions. The regular version, which doesn't seem to get as solid as other brands, is excellent in richer dishes like curries or to make super-moist muffins and cakes, while the reduced-fat version, which is thinner, adds a creamy flavor and subtle coconut notes when it's used in soups or as a cooking liquid for grains. 

Once you've gotten comfortable cooking with coconut milk, you'll find lots of ways of using it. The diverse ingredient can add a rich element to Indian and Thai food, tropical dishes, frozen drinks, ice creams, and many other recipes. Coconut milk can also give vegetables a creamy update. For this reason, we stock up on coconut milk whenever we're at a Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's Grecian style eggplant with tomatoes and onions is made with eggplant that's been fried and packed in a tomato sauce. If it sounds a lot like eggplant parmesan, you'd be right, and you can use it in similar applications. Try topping it with a slice of mozzarella, sticking it under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly, and serving it on a bed of spaghetti with marinara sauce. In fact, you can use it as a stand-in for fresh eggplant in any baked eggplant parmesan recipe. 

Warm or room temperature, Trader Joe's eggplant is also delicious as a sandwich, tucked into a ciabatta roll with a piece of provolone cheese and some baby arugula or spinach, or in a muffuletta sandwich with olive tapenade. Or try cutting the eggplant pieces into quarters and using it as a topping on homemade or frozen pizza. If those all sound like meals that will require a nap afterward, never fear: there's a scientific reason why eating eggplant will actually prevent you from falling asleep.

Canned soup makes for a quick, easy, and filling meal, and Trader Joe's has a number of popular canned soups that will make you look forward to lunch. One of our favorites is lentil vegetable soup. The current version on the market is a revamp of an old standby, and it's organic, vegan, and gluten-free. The soup includes a whole host of veggies, including potatoes, green beans, onions, carrots, and spinach, combined with tender lentils and simmered in a tomato-based broth. The 15-ounce only serves one, though, so be sure to throw a few cans in your cart if you're planning a meal for a family.

Sure, it's fine dumped into a bowl and microwaved. But if you want to get fancy, this soup is ready for your special touches. Dress it up with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, serve it in a bread bowl, or float a slice of toasted cheesy bread on top. Or, use Trader Joe's biscuit hack and use a can of refrigerated biscuits to simmer dumplings in a pot of soup.

Mandarin oranges are such a retro ingredient, found in such dishes as old-fashioned ambrosia salads, sticky-sweet Chinese dishes, or molded jello concoctions. And if Trader Joe's was around during our grannies' time, they'd surely be buying up cans of the brand's mandarin oranges.

Packed in light syrup, Trader Joe's mandarin oranges are juicy and plump, and the 11-ounce can is enough for two generous servings. Mandarin oranges are a great canned fruit to stock in your pantry, especially in the winter when many fresh fruits are not at their peak. They're delicious layered in a breakfast parfait, chopped up and added to muffins, topping a fruit tart, or tossed in an Asian salad. This versatile, sweet-tart fruit definitely stands the test of time, and even though it may have vintage connotations, it has plenty of uses in today's kitchen. If you're a fan, you might want to check out Trader Joe's other mandarin orange products, such as its Mandarin orange chicken and dried Mandarin oranges.