14 Trader Joe's Seasonal Summer Snacks To Stock Up On Before They Run Out

Summertime means walking into Trader Joe's in your flip flops and throwing a few items in your tote bag — nothing too heavy in this heat! You may remember our guide to the best snacks for spring break, perfect for traveling, eating on the go, and general spring munching. Now that it's truly summer, and the heat is bearing down on us, it may be time to cut down on travel time, settling down on long beach days, country getaways, and sprawling picnics. But that doesn't mean you can't crunch anymore! 

From potato chips to ice cream bars to the perfect crackers, Trader Joe's has a number of summertime specialities that will leave you not only salivating, but wishing you had grabbed one more extra bag. And many of them are only in limited stock, so it's up to me to point you to the right snacks the may not be on the shelves for long.

It's hard to know that your limeade needed jalapeño ... before you actually try limeade with jalapeño. The "kick" means that the essence of the pepper plays second fiddle to the lime; the drink isn't actually spicy. However, there is enough jalapeño to leave with a delicious aftertaste that pairs so well with different cuisines. You could have a glass with some breakfast tacos, bring it along to a picnic with some turkey sandwiches, or even use it as a palate cleanser for a Vietnamese-inspired summer feast.  

This drink can be enjoyed by adults and children alike; it's mellow enough for the kiddies, yet complex enough to be featured in some more adult beverages. It's been out since May, and may not be for much longer, so get it and try sneaking it into any one of these summer cocktails, especially the watermelon mojito and the margaritas. 

These cones were part of the display right when I walked into Trader Joe's, and for good reason. They are one of the products that TJs pushes especially during summer — essentially one the company's recommended item, for a "Heat Wave." Simple but effective, these cones will surely rival any cone that you could find at your local ice cream shop. At $2.99 and only 40 calories per cone, they're a great bet all across the board. 

A sugar cone can vault your ice cream experience from a casual scoop to a true treat worthy of summer indulgence. Any kind of ice cream would be scrumptious inside these cones, but paired with another Trader Joe's seasonal items — the chocolate shell sauce — your scoop of strawberry or mint chip would really fit the bill. Get to your nearest Trader Joe's quick because these cones are front, center, and flying off the shelves.  

One of the newer items of the list, these chips have such a unique flavor, and it stands out in the competitive world of barbecue-tasting snacks. The seasoning is mustard-based, in line with the tradition of the Carolinas, and the deep grooves in the chip capture every flake of dust that makes these golden beauties so delicious. These chips have (maybe) become an annual late-summer drop from TJs after they re-appeared in August of 2024, which is when Reddit dubbed them the snack that only last 24 hours (before someone gobbles them up). Now, they're back. 

The versatility, too, is off the charts for these potato chips; they stand up on their own as a side at a barbecue, while having a mild enough flavor to crush up and coat a chicken tender or other fried delicacy. Personally, I can't help but just eat them right out of the bag, but adding them to a pulled pork sandwich would also be a thrilling prospect.

Those words look good on the lid, right? Guac is obviously a crowd-pleaser, but when by adding in both habanero and mango, TJ's has hit the summer jackpot: a dip that has sweet coolness and a spicy kick all in the same mouthful. If it feels like a real hassle to mash up all your own avocados and chop up other toppings, or if you're in a rush to a party, even out on a lunch break — you can do yourself a favor and get a tub of this good stuff, which comes in a decent 10 ounce size. 

This new summer item will go really well with any of TJ's chips, but also pair with some simple corn tortilla chips. On its own, the dip and chips make up a formidable appetizer, but this punchy guacamole can also share space with other salsas because it has balance. Habanero can be floral when its not burning your mouth, which is where the mango comes in. It's an elite pairing I wish wasn't just a summer Trader Joe's item. 

These cookies have rising in the rankings of Trader Joe's summer items, and are a limited-time option, so it's time to get your hands on them. They literally melt in your mouth, with premium notes of real key lime coming through. I don't personally drink hot tea during the summer, but the mini shortbreads go great with any kind of bitter profile. Alternatively, something cold and floral, like hibiscus, would pair well.

The key lime flavor is obviously confident enough to allow the cookies alone time on the plate, but I wouldn't rule out adding them to some sort of sundae/ice cream concoction. The chocolate shell could pair well in this scenario. These lovely cookies are light, with only 130 calories per serving. At nearly $5 for just 10 ounces, they are a bit on the spendier side. All in all, everyone wishes they were in Florida at some point during the summer, and these cookies will transport you right to Key West.  

According to Reddit, these crackers dropped in May, from an Italian supplier. They are one of Trader Joe's newest and brightest items for the summer, packed with herbaceous flavor and a snappy texture. The price is right, as these bad boys only will set you back $2.49, which is a great deal given how many of the little squares are packed into one bag. 

They may seem simple in composition, from the name, but the flavor and speckled green appearance sets them apart as a truly elite cracker. Put 'em on a plate with some goat cheese or a good quality hummus, and enjoy a pairing for the ages. Or just venture into the bag, first with the intention of sampling a few, and eventually with the intentional goal of finishing the entire bag so no one else knows how good these crackers are.  

Strawberries in the summertime just makes sense. And with this cake, you get double-duty with the strawberries, as they find their way into the cake and the frosting (and the cute, little label too for some extra points). The packaging is convenient and easy; you can bring it on a picnic or to the beach and enjoy the small cake with a buddy. 

This cake is a limited-time option, which makes sense: all of the best things are too good to be true. If you want to take this dessert up a notch, pair it with some fresh berries and whipped cream for a strawberry-shortcake-cake extravaganza. And if your simply in need of a pick me up after a long, hot day, just grab a spoon and dig in. At $6 and 18 ounces, it's a great size and price for whatever occasion you may need it for.  

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the a new item soon after Trader Joe's released their best pretzels yet. I was certainly a fan of the honey favorite pretzel rods, as well as the flat pretzels that resemble that of snack factory. However, these pretzel twists (they aren't actually that mini ...) are really, really good. 

They have everything a snack pretzel needs: perfect salt content, a nice crunch, and a good size that allows for them to eaten by the handful, dipped in some hummus, or slowly nibbled at one by one. The overall flavor isn't super powerful, so the pretzels are probably better off eaten with a dip, but the big flakes of salt do make them texturally compelling enough on their own. Trader Joe's newest items, release this summer, will surely address your pretzel craving. 

The famous chocolate shell topping. This Trader Joe's summer speciality can be paired with multiple other items on this list, but don't worry, I'll give a hack for eating it on its own too. Before that though, I would suggest pairing it first with a homemade ice cream, and possibly plopping the whole thing in a Trader Joe's sugar cone. The two items, chocolate topping and cone, did in fact share the display stand when I walked into Trader Joe's one morning. 

This item is one of the "limited time" folk, which in Trader Joe's speak, means "go get it right now or you might miss out!" And if you wan't to buy it but you don't have ice cream, or can't wait to scoop and plate and do that whole thing, then do this instead: flip a bowl over, squeeze the chocolate around the bowl, let it harden, and then munch away!

There's strawberry lemonade, which is delicious, and then there is strawberry lemonade in frozen bar form. I would choose the latter 10/10 times, especially when it is 90+ degrees outside. I can't think of anything that these popsicles would pair with, and it's because they are just the perfect summer dessert on their own. There's nothing that quite compares to the feeling when you reach inside the freezer and there is still one more bar in the box. 

By the time I had researched these bars, I was scratching my head and wondering what the difference between "limited" and "limited time" was. These strawberry lemonade ice pops were under the former label, which I assume means they are in limited stock, but aren't confined to the summer? Regardless of the real answer, you'll want to be buying these hopefully long into the fall, when temperatures are still on the rise and ice pops are duly needed. I pray there isn't a hot day in November when the pops finally aren't on the shelves anymore.

We saw the new shortbread cookies, and now it's time for another key lime : the humble (or maybe not so humble) pie. Key Lime Pie can often be an expensive luxury at a restaurant or fine goods store, but Trader Joe's puts it out on the shelves for a mere $5.99! I guess the catch is though that it's only a limited item, made special for the summer.  

This Trader Joe's summer speciality is so easy to serve, since you can just keep it in the freezer until your guests are hankering for dessert, and then pull it out 5 minutes before serving and defrost it quickly in the heat. Want a pie for a picnic? Just stick it in the cooler with an ice pack or two, and it'll be the perfect consistency later on in the day.  

Now, logic might tell you that a salsa like this is worth making by yourself at home. But then you start looking at the ingredient list, and wondering where you can buy a ripe mango, and it all seems a little too hard. Fortunately, Trader Joe's whips up only the most premier pico de gallos — you can trust that the only use fresh ingredients too. What's more is that you are still getting a lot of bang for your buck, with this particular salsa costing $4 and arriving in a sizable 12 ounce tub.

The container of salsa is portable, resealable, and available for a limited time only, along with many other of the items on this list. And what makes this salsa especially viable for consumption during the summer is that it doesn't just need to go along with chips; it can be eaten on it's own or tossed over a variety of tacos.   

You better jump on these biscotti quickly before they change the flavor in the fall! It's one of the many products at Trader Joe's that keeps the same box and basic identity, but has unique flavor changes depending on the season. And summer, everyone, is Meyer lemon time. The container may seem small at only 8 ounces, but the fact that they're so bite-sized, yet packed with flavor, makes each tiny cookie seem like a world of its own.

It might be a good idea to pair these Italian-style cookies with coffee, and an even better idea to take some iced coffee inspiration, as it is summertime. I can picture the dream right now: sitting out in the country somewhere with a breeze floating by and a nice iced latte by my side. The only thing missing? A box of these biscotti. 

TJ's definitely has a thing for strawberry flavored dessert items in the summer, but I'm not complaining. They also have a thing for making these items a limited time ordeal, which is stressful, only because it's comforting to know that your favorite things won't be gone when you visit Trader Joe's in September. But no matter, because getting to experience the evolution of the sugar snickerdoodle cookie just one time is still a worthy experience. 

Like any good baked good from TJ's, the cookies have strawberry inside and out, with bits of strawberry embedded in the chewy dough, along with a delicious coating of freeze-dried strawberry powder. The brown box that the cookies come in just screams "take me to the beach", but they're versatile and would truly do well in any summer setting. Just probably don't eat them alongside the strawberry sheet cake, because that would be an absolute strawberry overload. Instead, you might consider an ice cream sandwich. However you eat them, they're worth being cherished, as a six-count of cookies sells for $5.49.

To start the article, I had done some prior research on new item drops, although I knew that my local Trader Joe's probably wouldn't have everything. This was a key difficulty during my research — I was able to find a lot of options of limited-time, Trader Joe's summer items. However, it may be impossible to find them all. If you spend any time in Trader Joe's social media space, you'll quickly realize that your local outlet doesn't always have everything that's seasonally up for grabs.

With that in mind, I relied on the Trader Joe's website, as well as in-store marketing, to discover what was considered a summer release. As for earning the "you've simply got to buy this" label, my methods were pretty simple: Would a summer day be made better by the inclusion of this snack, treat, or ingredient — or did the taste, flavor, and cost make an item seem like a shameless seasonal play by TJ's to grab a few extra summer dollars?

For items that I didn't personally taste, I once again turned to Trader Joe's dedicated social media following to research what folks have to say about particular items. Clear cult classics were considered, while any seasonal duds didn't make the list.