The Trader Joe's Bagged Fries To Avoid, According To Customers
Trader Joe's potato products can be hit or miss – but there are no potatoes in the "fries" we're advising foodies to skip on their next TJ's run. Trader Joe's Carnival Fun Cake Fries are a reimagination of classic funnel cake, kid-friendly dunkers with appeal to nostalgia for adults. But, they ultimately aren't all that tasty.
Trader Joe's describes its Carnival Fun Cake Fries as "classic funnel cake batter (think pancake batter, only richer)" piped into "a vat of hot oil, where it sizzles and transforms" ... or so we had hoped. The classic funnel cakes served at the carnival comprise coiled batter, fried in oil and dusted in a generous coating of powdered sugar. More than the scrumptious sweet-savory fried dough flavor, the chief appeal of the treat is its moist, tender insides and crispy, crunchy outsides — and, alas, TJ's spinoff product fails to deliver on that critical textural juxtaposition. They also don't come with powdered sugar, which is arguably another crucial element to funnel cake fundamentals.
Even a trip through the air fryer couldn't save 'em. The frozen bag's packaging includes instructions for oven (425 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes) or air fryer heating (325 degrees for 6-7 minutes). Still, even following package directions, the finished product doesn't deliver on much more than the novelty factor. At least these lackluster fries are a limited-time seasonal product for the summer; according to Trader Joe's, the Carnival Fun Cake Fries will be available only through August 2026.
TJ's Carnival Fun Cake Fries are weirdly chewy, and not actually all that fun
A Reddit thread dedicated to the Carnival Fun Cake Fries is filled with myriad consumer complaints — namely the very chewy consistency (even when cooked in an air fryer) and the weird aftertaste. One commenter writes, "We just had these tonight and they are not good. Something is very wrong with the consistency. Super chewy. But also hard on the outside. Big miss for me." Others agree, "Usually the air fryer crisps everything, but these were chewy, plus very greasy [...] Pity, sounded SO good!" and "Yes!!! Why so chewy?? I was thinking it was just me and I cooked them wrong!"
To serve, TJ's recommends topping its Carnival Fun Cake Fries with powdered sugar, chocolate syrup, sliced strawberries, and ice cream ... which kind of feels like cheating? Call us lazy, or choosy, but plenty of other offerings in Trader Joe's wide-ranging snack oeuvre arrive flavorful and ready to enjoy as-is straight out of the packaging. Without being drowned in a heap of additional, not-included toppings, we don't think these funnel-cake-esque fries hold up on their own.
The price may be right (TJ's Carnival Fun Cake Fries run for just $4.99 per 12-ounce bag). But, we've already cued foodies into how to nail the ultimate, fully-loaded dessert fries at home, sans weirdly chewy texture — and plenty of our other favorite snacks from TJ's already cost less than $5.