7 Trader Joe's Valentine's Day Items To Buy And 7 To Skip

Trader Joe's is beloved for its snacks, and it does a great job of remaining relevant with seasonal goodies. For example, it has an array of Thanksgiving products or winter holiday items to get you in the festive spirit. But did you know also has some Valentine's Day items? Admittedly, the selection isn't as wide as the fall and winter products, but it's still joyful to try. I wanted to test as many items as I could get my hands on, so I started making a list. 

As it turns out, nearly every item I found for Valentine's Day is a sweet or chocolate, except for the ravioli. But you don't have to go in and buy everything. I tried as many items as I could to give you my honest thoughts on them to help you determine what you should actually purchase and what's better to leave behind. I judged them on flavor, texture, value, and how highly I'd recommend them to a TJ's customer.

There was a surprising amount of skippable items, but that's only because I want you to pick up the very best of what Trader Joe's has to offer. You can certainly supplement a gift basket or your snack cabinet with some of the skip items, but they ultimately had some flaws that kept them from performing better. 

Jelly beans are cute and fun, but they're pretty one-note when it comes to texture — and that's one of the issues that these Trader Joe's heart-shaped ones have. They're also slightly larger than your average bean, which makes them hard to eat and overly chewy. I found myself chomping on them for several bites simply to break them down in my mouth. 

I can appreciate the colors and the shape, while the $1.49 price for nearly 4 ounces makes it enticing to add to a gift set. They aren't a poor choice to gift to somebody based on cost, but I doubt they would be anyone's favorite item of the Trader Joe's Valentine's Day selection. The flavors  — which are made with natural flavoring and pineapple, orange, and apple juice concentrate — are hard to pinpoint except for the coconut one, which seems like a strange winter jelly bean flavor. Plus, it is the strongest flavor compared to the others in the bag. These sweets aren't good enough to get placed on the buy list, that's for sure.

I want to start strong with my favorite item of the bunch: the 10-ounce box of dark chocolate heart cookies. This sweet is a must-have, made with chocolate shortbread and covered in dark chocolate and nonpareil sprinkles. The shortbread is durable and a noticeably crunchy. The chocolate exterior is somewhat thick but marvelously rich, while those sprinkles add texture and a touch of color to the otherwise brown mix. Each cookie, while slightly small, is still a perfect snacking size, given that there's a layer of chocolate as well. 

These are fantastic for chocolate lovers, dipping in a hot cup of coffee, and enjoying any which way. They make a delicious gift and are easy to eat. The flavors aren't revolutionary, but the cookies are well-made, and the small heart shapes are cute. I'd be happy to receive these as a gift, and it would be the first thing I'd buy for others or to bring to a Valentine's Day party.

I like the raspberry hearts cookies, but they aren't good enough that you should make a TJ's trip only to buy them. I enjoy that you get quite a lot of cookies (1 pound of them to be exact), especially given that every sandwich cookie is technically two treats paired together. But that's where the positives end. I had them last year, and maybe they lost their charm.

The cookies are crumbly and dry, and the flavors are mostly drab. The description on the website mentions it has an almond flavor, but I don't notice that at all. You get two somewhat thick heart-shaped shortbread cookies and such a minimal amount of raspberry jam; it's almost difficult to taste the filling, which is needed to bring some flavor and dimension into the otherwise plain baked goods. Don't be fooled by the above photo; I tried to find the most jam-heavy ones. On the plus side, when you do get that hint of raspberry, it almost tastes like an untoasted Pop-Tart. You can buy these when you want something to look impressive on a plate, but they're not too interesting flavor-wise.

When I think of Valentine's Day, chocolate-covered strawberries are one of the first things to come to mind, and this bark is a refreshing spin on a classic flavor combination. For this Trader Joe's snack, we have an 8-ounce bag of dark chocolate, puffed, crispy quinoa, and dried raspberries to create an enticing combination. So, we get the chocolate and berry combo in a new format. The textures are incredible with the mix of dried raspberry bits and the quinoa that's spread throughout the lush, rich, cocoa-y chocolate.

I do have to say, though, that these have considerably less dried raspberry than last year. Even though that fruity element is lacking, I scarfed down this bag so quickly. And if I hadn't had these last year, I'd never know the difference. These are delicious and an elevated treat to give your love bug or merely hoard for yourself. I want to go back to my store to see if I can get a couple more bags before they are gone for the season.

Unlike the raspberry hearts cookies, which had some redeeming qualities, the raspberry mousse cakes are not too impressive. Worst of all, there is hardly any flavor in the entire treat, let alone an inkling of raspberry in the mousse — which is supposed to have raspberry buttercream. The mousse is sweet, flavorless, and denser than what I'd consider a mousse. Then the cake base itself is firm and dry, almost like it's stale. 

The consistency is similar to that of the Little Debbie Christmas tree cakes or zebra cake, which also suffered from a lack of flavor. The thick and sweet confectionery coating doesn't add much to the mini cakes either. Sure, the mousse cakes are cute with a charming raspberry-looking-ish exterior; although you have to really look at them to see the raspberry-adjacent shape and the tiny green leaf. And, yes, they appear lovely when you cut into them, but there's no other reason to purchase them beyond their looks. They are bland and don't deliver what they're supposed to.

The sugar cookie dough hearts are merely a cute and joyful item to get during the holiday season. It's a limited edition version of the Trader Joe's regular sugar cookie dough that's available in the refrigerated section near items like juices and yogurt. It is extremely similar to the other store-brand items, like Pillsbury, that you can get at your average grocery store. Pillsbury uses red 40 dye while TJ's has natural vegetable juice to color the sweets, which might be a compelling reason to purchase for some.

To me, Trader Joe's cookies are perfectly delicious. I wouldn't say they're worthy of a trip to Trader Joe's alone, but it's certainly worth adding to your cart if you're already doing a haul. I think they're adorable, easy to bake, and a way to bring happiness into your home. The flavor isn't too complex, but that's standard for a sugar cookie. Add this pack of 12 ready-to-bake cookies to your basket to celebrate the holiday.

The X and Os gummies are cutesy and colorful if you want to get them as part of a Valentine's Day taste test or for a grazing board. They'd look fantastic on a board with your favorite meats, cheese, and chocolates. But they're not the best of Trader Joe's Valentine's Day items. They have a gummy, soft texture that might appeal to only a fraction of gummy lovers. They don't have the standard chewiness one might anticipate or desire for gummies — but at least that "soft and chewy" factor is advertised on the packaging. 

I can let the texture slide, since it delivers what it says it will (again, it's not my personal favorite gummy out there, nor are they the best gummies that TJ's has to offer), but there are a couple of other problems that make this a skippable sweet. First, the pieces are large, so you have to take big bites of soft gummies. It'd be slightly better if they were smaller. And second, the flavors are a little boring and odd, like the jelly beans. These seem to be hit or miss among TJ's fans, and it's a skip for me.

Truth be told, I saw these sugared rice cracker hearts last year and opted not to buy them because they didn't sound too enticing. It seemed like a drab and non-interesting combination — the key ingredients include rice, sugar, soy sauce, and honey in that order. But for the sake of journalism, this year, I bought every single Valentine's Day item that my store had, including these, of course. I am so glad I got them because they are delicious. 

They have a mild rice base that's crispy and airy with a light sugar coating, which adds a welcome touch of texture to the mix. They're not heavily flavored, but they still hit the spot for a lighter snack, and my toddler really loves these. I want to make another trip to the store to grab a few more bags because they're unique. They resemble Rice Chex, but I can't quite place what they remind me of.

I'm a chocolate fan through and through. That's why I was shocked that the For the Love of Chocolate mousse cake turned out to be an item to avoid. While a lot of items on this list are pretty pleasant with some minor issues here and there, the mousse cake doesn't deliver any joy or tastiness. It's described as a chocolate layer cake with chocolate mousse, but it simply isn't very good. It technically has the chocolate cake and mousse combo, but the taste is so bland. At least the mousse is lighter and airier than the raspberry mousse cake, but it lacks flavor overall. Typically, chocolate mousse is quite decadent and creamy.

The chocolate isn't strong, and I didn't want to eat more than a couple of initial bites of the cake. The cake was in the bakery section, not refrigerated, and when I tried it, it seemed lackluster and melty. The cake began to crackle and smash just by cutting it with a butter knife — you can see that if you look at the cake that's still in the container. I like the appearance of this Valentine's Day goodie, but that's where the positives end.

Are these heart-shaped Belgian chocolates the most riveting and flavorful chocolates I've ever tried? No, but they are an enticing option for the price and still deliver a pleasant taste. I especially like how every chocolate is unique, bringing its own design into the mix. This makes it more captivating, like it's something to collect. You get 2.3 ounces for $1.99, which is quite incredible for an imported chocolate from Belgium. 

They are sweet with a cocoa flavor and a creamy interior that melts in your mouth. The only thing to note is that they have a hazelnut center, which isn't immediately evident unless you look at the ingredients list. Pair these with a cup of coffee or tea anytime of the day. I'd recommend placing a heart at the bottom of a mug, brewing a cup of coffee or espresso to melt on top of it, then thoroughly mixing for a chocolate-infused cup of joe. Some TJ's fans say they look forward to these seasonal treats all year long, so grab a few to gift your friends and loved ones.

I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's sheet cake options — the chantilly vanilla is drool-worthy — but the cookies and cream one is a disappointment. After taking a couple of bites, the sweetness from the frosting is the most prominent flavor, with only a hint of cookie essence coming from the cake itself. But ... that's it.

Overall, this is easily the lowest-ranking sheet cake from Trader Joe's. Normally, the frosting is noticeably sweet and adds a rich touch, while the cake base offers its respective flavor, but both are nearly flavorless in this rendition. This is one of the newest items at Trader Joe's, and it comes with enormously mixed reviews. Some like it, but many think it's genuinely bad, dry, and disappointing. Not to mention all the cakes at my store had a best by date within two days of purchase, so it was even drier after just one day at home. Save your dollars and get the chantilly vanilla or chocolate sheet cakes instead. 

This is another product that I've seen previously, but I hadn't purchased. The heart-shaped ravioli is a captivating dark reddish pink color, which is naturally colored thanks to vegetable juice. The interior is a mix of ricotta, Parmesan, and balsamic vinegar. It's a wonderful blend of creamy and sweet, while remaining savory from the nutty, salty notes of the cheeses. As you boil the pasta, the color fades a little bit; the colors leak into the water, so they transform into a lighter shade of pink — still a beautiful pasta nonetheless. 

The flavors and appearance are perfect for Valentine's Day date night when you want something besides your average beige ravioli. I have a feeling this would rank high when pitted against other Trader Joe's ravioli flavors. I served my ravioli with sautéed kale, chopped prosciutto, extra Parmesan for good measure, and then a bit of butter to act as a sauce. I didn't want to use a strong sauce like tomato to detract from the ravioli's flavors. Follow the cooking instructions because you don't want to overcook these; they can quickly turn to mush and get waterlogged on the inside.

I've tried most of the Trader Joe's muffin options in the bakery aisle, so I can confidently say these raspberry ones are mid at best. The base of the muffin is fine: crumbly, moist, sweet. Nothing too interesting, but certainly not bad. They are not unpalatable; they're good, actually, and I'm sure they have their super fans, but I found that they underperformed on the raspberry aspect. The website claims they are "loaded with raspberries," but this is supremely false. 

The raspberry element is so minuscule it's hardly worth calling them raspberry muffins at all. The raspberry pieces are mainly concentrated on the top of the muffin, which makes it look like there's more in the muffin than there is. And the pieces that it does have are practically microscopic; the same can be said for the advertised streusel topping. Typically, streusel offers a bit of a crispy touch or textural break, but it seems to sink into the muffin here and offers no textural variation. I wouldn't know that these even had a streusel topping if I didn't read it on the packaging. Avoid purchasing these muffins and get the double chocolate or cinnamon coffee cake ones instead.

I usually find that frozen or refrigerated macarons have a strange, gummy, or too-dry texture. They're nowhere near as delicious as a fresh one. In fact, when I've previously bought frozen macarons, I threw the package away because the couple I tried were incredibly unappetizing. That's why the heart shaped macarons from the freezer aisle at Trader Joe's are an unanticipated buy. I wasn't expecting to like them at all, but the texture is airy and delightful. 

There's an adequate amount of filling, so it seems balanced between the two cookies. They have the classic almond meal base, and then it's filled with ingredients such as a raspberry purée or strawberry filling. Of course, we have the adorable shape, which makes them so enticing for Valentine's Day, but the price is compelling, too. You get eight macarons (four raspberry and four vanilla strawberry) for $5.99. Even if you have a local French bakery near you, the price is going to be considerably higher. When you're ready to eat, simply thaw according to the package directions and serve; although they're pretty tasty straight from frozen.

I went to my local Trader Joe's to buy seasonal items marketed for Valentine's Day and found the majority of items pretty easily, as most seasonal items were conveniently displayed toward the front of the store. I had a couple of additional items on my list (caramel hearts and milk chocolate-covered marshmallow hearts), but I was told they were already sold out and done for the season. However, your local shop may have it in stock still, so it's worth inquiring about if you're interested. 

I judged my buys and skips based on flavor, the delivery of the supposed flavors, texture, value, and whether I could wholeheartedly recommend it to someone. Admittedly, some of the skips are pretty good, but not enough that I would tell you to go on a TJ's trip only to purchase them; they all had some flaw that made it skippable, but that's not to say they are all bad products. I think some of the smaller and cheaper items would be cute as part of a Valentine's Day gift to give your valentine just because of the festive shape and packaging, but not because the product is excellent.